JKWrang
New member
First off, thanks to everyone who has given me their advice over the last few months while I researched, asked stupid questions and wheeled beside you. Special thanks to:
NoRoad
MrHooah
Cozdude
KP
JKMadness
Aerun
Wayoflife
Blz-idkwhatnumbersgohere
And everyone else who has chimed in to point in the right direction.
I will be posting up a little back story before I get into the actual build portion since my Jeep is in the shop and I miss her, so here goes.
I used to sit shotgun in a 2008 RHD JK Sport which drove everyone mad because I was on the wrong side. Truth be told, everyone else seemed to have it wrong while I was in that thing. Parallel parking was a breeze and driving was a lot of fun on the other side of the road so to speak. I'd get stopped none stop at red lights, cops would pull me over just to chat about it. At first it was cool and I liked the attention. Then it was REALLY annoying. :icon_crazy:
I only have this picture from when I took it up to Maine and tested the 4wd out for the first time in a civilian vehicle. This was during that hurricane that shook the Northeast but I had a Jeep and we were on vacation. I was unmoved. I ran around in that thing, slightly modded, for about 2 years. She had a dual custom made exhaust, an AFE CAI and I only barely upgraded tires, mostly because I had no idea what I was doing and the local clubs all asked for minimum 31s. I was sold on that idea. (I know.... what a n00b, right?)
Well... Meet the reason I got my 2014 JKU:
This happy little guy is also the bane of my wife's existence around morning time when it's off to work/school everyone goes and she has to lug the kids into the 2 door and try to fit the car seat in back. For those of you who don't know, the RHD only has drivetrain modifications to accomodate, and of course a new dash for the steering wheel and pedals, etc. EVERYTHING else is the same to include the seats. The drivers side seat is the one that has to fold down in an RHD which made it extra inconvenient for her and we crunched numbers and finally decided enough was enough, we'd upgrade.
So I went to the dealership, negotiated prices and waited. I asked for a 2013 JKU with a 6spd and the tow package and around here, they couldn't find one. After some back and forth, I was slated to be the proud owner of the 2014 JKU with 6spd, premium sound and tow package and could already feel myself sitting in the proper driver's side and shifting through gears again like I had missed so much from my old truck.
Except they couldnt secure a vehicle.... so they found a black JKU 6spd with no premium sound or tow package for a lower price. SOLD! I do kind of wish I had been more resistant to the 3.21 gears, but that's not much of a deal breaker for me, especially if I would be upgrading anyways. So in late August I drove home with a brand new Jeep, grinning from ear to ear and immediately found a forum (Wayalife!) to join up. I subsequently got hooked in here and bought stickers to put on and show off.
So I went to work installing a new CB radio with the help of Cozdude on a few pieces and Army Vet on some advice with the equipment. I found the perfect solution for a clean install and a nice anti theft system since I live in the city - the Uniden handheld unit that plugs into the cigarette lighter on the trail, a firestik, Teraflex tailgate mount and some coax cable. I only needed 18' from tail to passenger side and that's plenty of cable for me and my JKU. I don't have any pics of the install yet, but the cable is hidden, goes through the tailgate via a rubber stopper and into the passenger side under carepting so no one can see it. It really is an easy and clean install.
Then I got to test drive my rig off road at Rausch Creek! On 31's and stock suspension, it did a fine job keeping up with the Rubicon JKs I was running with. Shout out to KP, ScottC and NoRoad for not babying me on my first RC trip and letting me and my JKU prove we can hang!
Fast forward a few months and...
My wife was driving home and some dirtbag pulled an illegal u turn and smashed right into my brand new JKU!! :doh: Fortunately my son and my wife were not hurt, and the passengers were fine as well. I was on my way to work and came right to the scene to get everyone to safety, but the vehicle that hit my Jeep was MUCH worse off.
As you can see.... it was wrecked pretty badly. Serves her right for being a moron. :thumb:
NoRoad
MrHooah
Cozdude
KP
JKMadness
Aerun
Wayoflife
Blz-idkwhatnumbersgohere
And everyone else who has chimed in to point in the right direction.
I will be posting up a little back story before I get into the actual build portion since my Jeep is in the shop and I miss her, so here goes.
I used to sit shotgun in a 2008 RHD JK Sport which drove everyone mad because I was on the wrong side. Truth be told, everyone else seemed to have it wrong while I was in that thing. Parallel parking was a breeze and driving was a lot of fun on the other side of the road so to speak. I'd get stopped none stop at red lights, cops would pull me over just to chat about it. At first it was cool and I liked the attention. Then it was REALLY annoying. :icon_crazy:
I only have this picture from when I took it up to Maine and tested the 4wd out for the first time in a civilian vehicle. This was during that hurricane that shook the Northeast but I had a Jeep and we were on vacation. I was unmoved. I ran around in that thing, slightly modded, for about 2 years. She had a dual custom made exhaust, an AFE CAI and I only barely upgraded tires, mostly because I had no idea what I was doing and the local clubs all asked for minimum 31s. I was sold on that idea. (I know.... what a n00b, right?)
Well... Meet the reason I got my 2014 JKU:
This happy little guy is also the bane of my wife's existence around morning time when it's off to work/school everyone goes and she has to lug the kids into the 2 door and try to fit the car seat in back. For those of you who don't know, the RHD only has drivetrain modifications to accomodate, and of course a new dash for the steering wheel and pedals, etc. EVERYTHING else is the same to include the seats. The drivers side seat is the one that has to fold down in an RHD which made it extra inconvenient for her and we crunched numbers and finally decided enough was enough, we'd upgrade.
So I went to the dealership, negotiated prices and waited. I asked for a 2013 JKU with a 6spd and the tow package and around here, they couldn't find one. After some back and forth, I was slated to be the proud owner of the 2014 JKU with 6spd, premium sound and tow package and could already feel myself sitting in the proper driver's side and shifting through gears again like I had missed so much from my old truck.
Except they couldnt secure a vehicle.... so they found a black JKU 6spd with no premium sound or tow package for a lower price. SOLD! I do kind of wish I had been more resistant to the 3.21 gears, but that's not much of a deal breaker for me, especially if I would be upgrading anyways. So in late August I drove home with a brand new Jeep, grinning from ear to ear and immediately found a forum (Wayalife!) to join up. I subsequently got hooked in here and bought stickers to put on and show off.
So I went to work installing a new CB radio with the help of Cozdude on a few pieces and Army Vet on some advice with the equipment. I found the perfect solution for a clean install and a nice anti theft system since I live in the city - the Uniden handheld unit that plugs into the cigarette lighter on the trail, a firestik, Teraflex tailgate mount and some coax cable. I only needed 18' from tail to passenger side and that's plenty of cable for me and my JKU. I don't have any pics of the install yet, but the cable is hidden, goes through the tailgate via a rubber stopper and into the passenger side under carepting so no one can see it. It really is an easy and clean install.
Then I got to test drive my rig off road at Rausch Creek! On 31's and stock suspension, it did a fine job keeping up with the Rubicon JKs I was running with. Shout out to KP, ScottC and NoRoad for not babying me on my first RC trip and letting me and my JKU prove we can hang!
Fast forward a few months and...
My wife was driving home and some dirtbag pulled an illegal u turn and smashed right into my brand new JKU!! :doh: Fortunately my son and my wife were not hurt, and the passengers were fine as well. I was on my way to work and came right to the scene to get everyone to safety, but the vehicle that hit my Jeep was MUCH worse off.
As you can see.... it was wrecked pretty badly. Serves her right for being a moron. :thumb:
:thumbup::beer:
