JK Play

[YellowjeepCj]

Folks:

For the past couple of months I have been playing with setting up a 2013 JK to take to the Top of the Rockies and the Rubicon Trail, Mark Smith's Jeep Jamboree's in August. You see it is like this, Beverly and I attended the Gateway to the Cumberland's Jeep Jamboree in October of 2012. We took the YJ and had a blast. During the trip Beverly took a picture of 140 Jeeps lined up for the trail rides from the top of the water slide at the water park in Williamsburg, Ky.

Beverly had such a great time she gave us passes to the Jeep Jamboree at Land Between the Lakes for May 16, 2013 as a Christmas present. Shortly after the first of the year she was notified by Mark Smith's Company she had won the annual photo contest with her Williamsburg photo. This gave her two passes to the Jamboree of her choice. She chose to go west to the Rubicon. Hence, i suggested we move the LBL trip to the Top of the Rockies Jamboree in Aspen, CO the week before the Rubicon.So we did.

Then we had a decision to make...we either haul the 83 CJ or the 90 YJ cross country with Diesel at nearly $4 per gallon, either Jeep would surely cross the Rubicon but neither Jeep is real good on the road. As we found out in Williamsburg the Jamboree's include a significant amount of road travel in the Jeep. So we decided to bite the bullet and set ourselves up for a little fun.....

On February 16, 2013 we ordered this White Rubicon. It arrived at the dealer on March 19, 2013. Since that time we have been making some modifications as follows:

1. Rugged Ridge full width Front bumper and front skid plate (Craigslist buy Corbin Ky)
2. Warn 9.5 Powerplant winch (craigslist buy Corbin Ky)
3. Best top High Rock Rear Bumper w/ tire carrier, Cb ant mount, High Lift Mount, Fire Extinguisher mount (A great design and form fitting) (4WD Hardware)
4. Rock Hard skid plates for the evapo canister, oil pan, transmission, and transfer case (very strong and great support) (4WD Hardware)
5. Ace Engineering Rock Rails (Ace)
6. Weathertec floor mats (Quadratec)
7. Zebra overhead CB mount
8. Uniden PC68 Cb (from stock)
9. Wilson 5000 Antenna (Humble Electronics)
10. Solid Dana 44 Diff Covers (Solid axle)
11. 4 American racing Polished al Outlaw wheels 15 inch 3.75 BS
12 4 Falken Wildpeak AT 35x12.5x15 mounted on wheels (JK forum buy Atlanta..tires and wheels had 2500 miles on them)

Today's order for May upgrades.

13. AEV 2.5 inch lift (Quadratec)
14. AEV Control arm drop brackets (Quadratec)
15. AEV Procal module (Quadratec)
16. Synergy LCA weld on skids (Quadratec)
17. Synergy Suspension Steering Stabilizer Tie rod Clamp (Quadratec)
18. Synergy Suspension Steering Stabilizer relocation track bar bracket mount (Quadratec)
19. Bilstien Steering Stabilizer. (Quadratec)
20 Teraflex Front axle C gussets (Quadratec)

Future Modifications may include a set of flat flares and/or chromolly front axle shafts. The flares will depend on how the 35's work with the stock flares, either way all must be complete by August, since we will be driving the Jeep out to CA for the Jamboree at the Rubicon.

I have uploaded some picture files and I hope they work.

 

[YellowjeepCj]

Thanks to Jason Watson for good counsel and advice. Thanks to Robert Taylor for being available to lend a hand to help with the heavy stuff and field engineering to make things work from time to time.

More Photo's

 

[J.C.]

That Beverly is a lucky girl

 

[levellinebrad]

Nice! I am going to suggest an artec truss and some c-gussets on the front axle. I miss my jk.

 

[YellowjeepCj]

Nice! I am going to suggest an artec truss and some c-gussets on the front axle. I miss my jk.

Thanks. C-gussets are on the way. No truss or sleeves. The tube is .25 inches thick and I do not plan on hammering this for heavy rock crawling. I have two other rigs for that purpose. This will be a part-time DD and Jamboree/recreational vehicle doing a Jeep Jamboree every now and then or running out to OBX for the week and so on. Harlan, Windrock and other harder trails will be done with one of the trailer queens. I only plan to run the 35's for Jamboree's or the occasional excursion to a trail destination (i.e. Rubicon) . I like the 20.8 mpg with the stock tires.

I would have left it stock if it weren't for doing the Rubicon Trail and all the mods are just insurance that we can pass the Rubicon without damage. Everything else I plan to do with it the stock version would be fine. The claim is that the stock Rubicon can pass the Rubicon Trail without damage. I am just not convinced that I am that good of a driver to make it happen. Hence, a little help from Q-tec and 4WD Hardware will probably ensure a good and safe trip.

 

[shawn]

I would have left it stock if it weren't for doing the Rubicon Trail and all the mods are just insurance that we can pass the Rubicon without damage. Everything else I plan to do with it the stock version would be fine. The claim is that the stock Rubicon can pass the Rubicon Trail without damage. I am just not convinced that I am that good of a driver to make it happen. Hence, a little help from Q-tec and 4WD Hardware will probably ensure a good and safe trip.

Oh yeah, a stock ass non-Rubicon Jeep will run the con from end to end, not counting the box and a few alternate side lines. Jeep runs convoys of them full of Germans and shit all summer long. So long as you've got working low range, you'll be fine. The trail is navigable in 2wd to a great extent.

But the scenery is awesome.

 

[Jason W.]

This Jeep has really come a long way and yall are in for the trip of a lifetime, that is going to be a tough and reliable Rubicon.

 

[Jason W.]

And Thankyou very much for helping me get my cb set up and installed, it,s workin great, already kept me out of a traffic jam on the interstate!

 

[YellowjeepCj]

Good glad it is working well.

 

[YellowjeepCj]

Couple of Videos shot by Jason Watson of the JK on dicky Bell with Josh Price, Chip Price and Nathan Holbrook

It tested out well maybe drop the pressure in the tire to 12 instead of 15 for a little better performance. Other than that really was impressive.