8 years with Plain Jane the JK

So I’ve always called this jeep plain Jane. It’s black, 3.5” lift, 37s, yada yada. It has a lot more to it than that, but the rest is sort of under the radar as far regular non keep folks go…except the roof rack it’s sort of in your face but I am thinking I might take it off and hang it up in the shop for the 2 times/year I might use it.

When I Bought it
RK 3.5 lift but with heavier rear RE springs
5.38 gears
Stock lockers
TeraFlex Tire Carrier
My Addtions/Changes
DIY Design and Built front bumper
Ramsey Patriot 9500
DIY Design and Built engine skid
Full set of underside skids from Rubicon Express
Rock Slide Engineering rocker guards
Savvy high clear rear bumper
Savvy exhaust
Bartact seat covers
Shocks Bilstein front/Fox rear
Gobi Rack
RIPP long tube headers
Custom tune
37” BFG AT
TeraFlex full float and big brake conversion
Method wheels

I wanted to catalog the jeep in order from 2016 to Present. Most of the posts will be in order roughly. Modifications, changes, trips, etc. Ask any questions along the way. Probably 20-30 posts over then next several days to get it actually caught up.

A few pics:

Here’s some more pics from over the years. Had it nearly 8 years now.

12/31/2015 we had our third child and I knew the days were numbered on my TJ. There’s just no way to fit 5 people in one with car seats and all the stuff. We took a trip to Moab in March 2016 and had a blast finally having made it back to Moab after years of not going. It was great last trip in my old Blue TJ. I’d spent years working on and driving this blue jeep after trading for it and finding so much of it was just flat worn out. It was great jeep. It left with its boot on to the next owner.

April 2016, I flew to Denver, previous owner picked me up, we went to the bank, my check cleared and I headed to Texas in a 30mph+ headwind in my “new” 2008 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. It had a ton of the big ticket work done to it and only 6000 miles on most of the new parts and 80,000 miles on the whole jeep. 3.5” long arm, regeared, alloy shafts, 37” tires and method wheels. Great base to start building on.

Project: Front Bumper Build and Winch

First project was get the cut up factory bumper gone. I’d just spent all my jeep money on the jeep so it was build or wait. So I built. Designed in CAD, plasma cut out of scrap at work, and welded up in my free time after hours I got it all built and powder coated and within a few months a proper winch mounted in it.

A few months later I realized the need for a frame tie in on the back of the winch mount. So rather than cut out the factory cross member, I used it to bolster the winch plate.

Trip: Cloudcroft, NM

First trip out was just some camping in the mountains. Me and my 2 oldest loaded up and headed to meet up with friends in NM and have a weekend in the woods. No actually jeeping just hanging out, outdoors.

Trip: Queen, NM
Late in 2016 I got to do some actual jeepin’. Unfortunately it was a day trip. No camping this time. I had smaller kids at the time and family time is very important to me so Jeepin’ was hit and miss and still is is for me. Drove out by myself to meet a couple friends and check out Queen. Really cool place where you can truly be alone and get some quiet. Great Jeepin’ and exploring.

Project: Engine Skid

Still being on the low end of jeep cash but with my resources and skills at work I designed and built an engine skid that worked with the RK long arm front crossmember. Instead of trying to build and figure out front mounts, I called MORE and order their and it saved a ton of time and only cost $60-70.

Project: Shovel/Quick Fist Mount

This was a minor project I did early on and I am no totally happy with it. Its still sitting in the shop but it felt a little like a solution looking for problem rather than a real solution. None the less i kept it on the jeep a while. It uses wing nuts to bolt to a hi-lift to give a small platform to mount various quick fists to. The grid works in both directions.

Project: Teraflex Tire Carrier Pattern Hi Lift Mount

I had a Teraflex Hi Lift mount but it just seems weak overall. So I set about designing and building a better one. Again, measure, design, cut, bend, weld. This one I am very happy with. i later added a handle Isolator and metal handle hook that pulls the handle in tighter. Can't find a picture of all that though.

Trip: South Fork, CO

Family trip to Fun Valley, South Fork, CO. An afternoon Day Camp and hanging out and Stoney Pass to Silverton and Road trip around Back to FV. That day when we got to Silverton and our phones picked up signal we got devastating personal news that would change my wife forever. Loss of dear friend that was close to an adopted daughter to drug OD. Great trip shocked by hard news. I will never forget that day.

Project: Redneck Ram

I decided to really make this drive well and protect the steering box offroad it really needed a ram assist. I didn't do this work myself. The shop that makes and sells the Redneck Ram is close to home so I just dropped the jeep off a few days and let them do it. It was money well spent and to this day working great.

Project: Rock Slide Engineering Rocker Guards and Savvy Aluminum Half Doors

After realizing my factory rock sliders were rotting from the inside out, I sought out some good sturdy rocker guards. These are the ones with no electric step. Install took a little while, but I am very happy with the final product and 6 years and many hits later, zero complaints.

After being a TJ guy my whole life up to this point I longed for half doors in the summer. With kids I just don't like no doors so I sourced a set of half door from savvy and had them wrapped in plain black vinyl... matching the jeep almost perfectly by pure chance. They fit well but are kind of a pain in the butt to put on and take off. Definitely not a TJ half door, hahahaha.

Trip: Palo Duro Canyon Figure 3 Ranch w/ Jeep Exclusive

3/2018 I think.

Story: Big Life Change, MTB

In 2019 I had some health wake up calls at the age of 33. My eating changed and I started trying to figure out what active thing I could do to get off the couch and out of the office. Late in the summer I bought a used MTB and started riding around my neighborhood. I was in for a rude awakening…1.5 miles on flat pavement and I was absolutely toast. Laying in the driveway breathing hard toast. I stuck with it a few weeks 2 miles, 3.5 miles, 5 miles all around the neighborhood. It was time to go and try out actual trails. Due to my life long love of Jeeps and Offroad it’s no surprise I loved every second of the 3 miles of trails I did on that first ride, again completely blown and drained afterwards. Fast forward through a few months of buying used mountain bikes, fixing them up, riding them, improving my fitness and I was completely hooked. After years of getting outdoors only a few times/year in a jeep I now had real access to trail outdoor fun 2 times a week! My life forever changed and for a couple of years Jeepin’ and jeep building took a pause. Now 4-1/2 years into MTB I don’t think it’s going anywhere. I’m healthier, lighter, less stressed and expanded my love for the outdoors and enjoying God’s creation. If any of this resonates with you, go buy a MTB, try out your local trails, it’s been an awesome adventure and I am now planning longer overnight rides. My jeep has shifted towards to carrying bikes and camping and base camp for MTB trips. It’s a great platform for it.

Project: Building A Base Camp Jeep

Realizing that MTB changed my life, I figured out real quick it was going to change my jeep. My receiver hitch bolted to the savvy crossmember was woefully I’ll suited to the leverage of a fully loaded 6 bike rack. Working with a local Jeep shop we devised a new much better hitch that tied back to the spring/shock crossmember that really beefed up the hitch. Next was to address the very soft 3.5” RK rear springs and blown bilstein shocks. After hitting the bump stops way too often during regular driving I knew it would suffice for MTB duty. I found 3.5” RE springs to be a much higher rate and work great fully loaded and hardly used pair of Fox Shocks to really handle the weight well. My jeep was also missing the rear sway bar so an Anti Rock out back was added. All of this work was carried out at the Local Jeep shop. Unfortunately time was harder to find than money at the time so I had to outsource sone jeep stuff for a while. Added some more camping gear to the garage and figured out real quick it was time for either a trailer or roof rack. Found a used gobi rack for $300, local guys built new rear mounts for it and I added a ladder and front filler panel. We used it more in 2020 and 2021 but my wife is no go on tent camping so we take the RV a lot which means no jeep.

Bike Rack is a velocirax 6 bike and I picked up an air beds jeep mattress. I used to love it but with current back problems I’m not sure I’ll be able to use it anymore. Have been able to go camping in while.

New camping gear system in the works. Dewalt Tough System 2.0, boxes, drawers and once chest.

Dlcain said:

My dewalt wall haha

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But do you have the ice chest?