SickStringC's '14 JKUR Build Thread

[SolidusJ]

I scored a set of (5) 2013 Wrangler wheels and tires with only 10k mi on the tread on CL on the cheap last week. This weekend, I sold the tires to my local tire shop that sells new and used tires. I've painted the wheels black and am still in need of doing some minor trimming on the stock sliders as well as a little bit of the body in front of the rear wheel wells to prepare for the 37x12.5 Cooper Discoverer SSTs on the trails. The 37s will be my trail set (maybe ... I may be too much in love with them to take them off) while I keep my stock wheels and BFG Mud Terrains as a city set for daily commuting, etc. I can't wait to see how it performs off road with 37s. Just need to get it into high gear and get all of the above finished before the weekend for the TX group's outing at Hidden Falls Adventure Park this weekend!



View attachment 13153

What a huge differences!!!

 

[SickStringC]

Sexy lookin Jeep I will not lie can't wait until this weekend!

I'm looking forward to wheeling with everyone again!

Cheers,

Chris

 

[hockeymanam]

Yea go ahead and sell the BFG's there is no way i could go back after seeing how good those 37's look!!!

 

[SickStringC]

I really like that matching hard top color!!! What's the MPG like on it so fair and what will it be after the lift?

I have some decent data on MPG now ...

With stockers (32" BFG Mud Terrains), I was getting just a hair under 16 mpg in the city and just under 20 mpg on the highway.

With the 37" Cooper Discover SSTs, I'm averaging 12 mpg in the city. As much as I love the way it handles and looks with 37s, I'm going to have to stick to 32s when I'm not on trails and save 37s for trails and special occasions. It's not that I can't afford the gas, I just don't see any reason to unnecessarily pour money into my gas tank while putting added stress on steering components.

 

[Green 1]

But they look so good.

 

[Expendable]

I have some decent data on MPG now ...

With stockers (32" BFG Mud Terrains), I was getting just a hair under 16 mpg in the city and just under 20 mpg on the highway.

With the 37" Cooper Discover SSTs, I'm averaging 12 mpg in the city. As much as I love the way it handles and looks with 37s, I'm going to have to stick to 32s when I'm not on trails and save 37s for trails and special occasions. It's not that I can't afford the gas, I just don't see any reason to unnecessarily pour money into my gas tank while putting added stress on steering components.

if you re-gear your axles to compensate for the 37s you can gain some of your mpg back.

 

[Bigunit]

I have some decent data on MPG now ...

With stockers (32" BFG Mud Terrains), I was getting just a hair under 16 mpg in the city and just under 20 mpg on the highway.

With the 37" Cooper Discover SSTs, I'm averaging 12 mpg in the city. As much as I love the way it handles and looks with 37s, I'm going to have to stick to 32s when I'm not on trails and save 37s for trails and special occasions. It's not that I can't afford the gas, I just don't see any reason to unnecessarily pour money into my gas tank while putting added stress on steering components.

Huh, kinda sounds like the same as an H3. It's all a compromise...question is, where to compromise. Same questions, same issues, no matter what you drive.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapataint

 

[Zach]

Do we actually drive these trucks for fuel mileage? Just saying. You get great mileage compared to me.

 

[SickStringC]

Do we actually drive these trucks for fuel mileage? Just saying. You get great mileage compared to me.

Problem solved. I'm averaging 15.5 mpg around town now with the 37s.

Sent from my mind via telepathy.

 

[SickStringC]

if you re-gear your axles to compensate for the 37s you can gain some of your mpg back.

Not quite ready to re-gear yet - I've only made one payment on the beast! lol

That probably would void my power train warranty, but 4.88 gears would be nice ... It's definitely on my mind for later down the road.


Sent from my mind via telepathy.

 

[SickStringC]

A few updates ... added some LEDs (thanks fru) to the A pillars, wired them up to my stock fog lamp switch in the turn signal since I no longer am running fog lights in my bumper and got the winch mounted. The winch control box was damaged in shipping so another is on the way, which will be installed somewhere under-hood. I'm playing around with the idea of installing a remote port somewhere in the dash and running it to the control box so I can plug in from the cab. It does have a wireless remote just like the one I had in Moab on the H3 last year, but the wireless responsiveness is sketchy. I've chosen a rear bumper and spare carrier, but will wait to reveal 'till it's actually installed or at least in my possession (before Moab this April for sure). For good measure, the pic I chose for this update happens to be flexing on the trails where the beast belongs. I have removed the 60" HiLift and will be replacing it with a 48" HiLift since the 60" was right in the way of the LEDs.

 

[3Hummers]

Looking good!

 

[Pappibri]

Love the way she flexes.. You have done a fine job on your new rig...:thumbs:

 

[RamRod]

Problem solved. I'm averaging 15.5 mpg around town now with the 37s.

Sent from my mind via telepathy.

Dang, thats what I get on the Highway with 37's lol

 

[poncho1965]

Sweet build! This is what I'm doing when I can't find parts for the 3 anymore.

 

[ajk150]

Great looking JK! Loving the build thread, that is a great looking rig. Also how are you liking the solid front end over the IFS?

 

[SickStringC]

Great looking JK! Loving the build thread, that is a great looking rig. Also how are you liking the solid front end over the IFS?

Thanks sir! Solid front end ...

Pros -
-No more snapping CV axles like twigs on the H3 no-locker lux (this isn't anywhere near an apples to apples comparison since my H3 was a lux, but I can effortlessly do things in this rig I wouldn't even consider in the H3 without a full expectation of breakage).
-A Dana 44 up front is a rock romper for sure!
-Articulation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cons -
-Doesn't handle quite as well in corners, but honestly with the lift / shocks I put on it it handles as good if not better than stock which I didn't expect and am ecstatic about.
-Doesn't isolate bumps to one side or other as well as IFS.
-It's really fun to get a wheel three feet off of the ground on trails ... no more of that unless it rolls (no thanks).
-Front diff hangs down and BEGS to get up close and personal with boulders (SOLUTION)
-Slight bump steering (it's not bad - a good steering stabilizer makes it almost non-existent; the Bilstein I went with has documented side effects, switching to an Old Man Emu soon.)

 

[SickStringC]

Bumper installed. Need to add D-rings still. I also installed the Jerry Can mount (Attaches to tire carrier to the passenger side of the tire; will update with a picture of that as well). My integrated rigid floods which were ordered at the same time as the bumper won't be in 'till next week for some reason so I'll get to pull everything off and button it all back up once those are in, but at least until then if I get rear ended or have a flat, I have little to nothing to worry about! This thing has great departure angles and follows the lines of the flat fenders perfectly on top of it being a serious beast. Is it April 19th yet? I can't wait for Moab!!!!

 

[SickStringC]

Quick Update before MOAB.

Replaced 60" jack with 48" jack so LEDs aren't blocked (Front LEDs still wired to stock flood lamp switch on the turn signal lever):

Added the Rigid 6" floods in the Ace Engineering Pro Series rear bumper as well as jerry can mount and jerry can for a total highway range of 400 - 450 miles:

Wired up so that when the below switch is on the Rigids are on no matter what (switch as close to other light switch on signal lever as possible). They also come on automatically when the vehicle is in reverse.

 

[3Hummers]

Nice job. Really cool looking capable rig.

 

[SickStringC]

Small mod - here in the great state of TX, you're supposed to have a 3rd brake light if your vehicle came from the factory with one. I had to delete mine to run the rear bumper and tire carrier. Just ordered this solution off of Amazon.com for $35 - LED lug inserts with quick disconnects. I also went back to my stock wheels on 37s - sold the black wheels and stock BFGs.

 

[SolidusJ]

Small mod - here in the great state of TX, you're supposed to have a 3rd brake light if your vehicle came from the factory with one. I had to delete mine to run the rear bumper and tire carrier. Just ordered this solution off of Amazon.com for $35 - LED lug inserts with quick disconnects. I also went back to my stock wheels on 37s - sold the black wheels and stock BFGs.

That's a first class mod right there!!!

 

[Bigunit]

Great idea!

 

[amrg]

You have night pics? Thats a very cool idea!

 

[SickStringC]

You have night pics? Thats a very cool idea!

They work!