Questions from a novice-intermediate jeeper

Tatrhed

New member
I just bought a new (to me) JKU and am super excited. Feel free to skip down to questions but have to share with people who will understand. I had a 07 JK bone stock. It was starting to nickel and dime me, the CEL was on and I was also looking at long term usability as I want to get a little camper to pull too. I was driving by a dealership I regularly pass for work and out front was a ‘13 JKU rubicon 6-speed (wanted a manual) that’s had pretty much every modification I was going to put on the Jeep I was currently in. Similar bumpers, exact wheels and tire size, tires with tons of tread, dual tops and even down to the cargo net on the cage for my dog. Short version, it’s now in my garage.

1: The Jeep I just bought has an AEV snorkel and have never had any sort of ram air. How do I tell if I have a pre-filter? I looked on their website and only found pictures of the outer tubes but not the actual pre-filter.

2: Still with the snorkel: How do I care for this? I.E. inspecting the intake tube (by windshield) for debris, do I need to turn it around facing backwards in the rain so I don’t get water in the intake? Turn it around on dirt roads when I’m going to be following someone? I have looked on the interwebs and found tons on what and why for a snorkel but not care/upkeep.

3: How much weight can an A-pillar light bar hold? I’d like to get a dual light bar (the stealth style that runs up the A-pillar) and use the bottom for a light and the top as a solid bar to mount my kayaks. I’d put a rear bar on my tire carrier. It is not stock and has the swing away tire carrier mounted to the bumper. My kayaks are 65 lbs and 55 lbs that I’d like to get both on at once. I had a roof rack on my last Jeep but want to try this if the weight is not too much.

Thanks fellow Jeepers


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wjtstudios

Hooked
IMG_4566.jpg

The prefilter is the dome on top of the snorkel. There is no maintenance.

It sounds like you have the ram air intake. Rain is fine, but I have seen them get packed full of snow while driving thru a snow storm. So if you are in those conditions, turn it around.

Can’t help too much on the light bar.


2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler
 
There’s a hundred different light bar mounts but most of them have zero cross support, only attached at the base of windshield, and then use the bar itself for cross support with a single screw on each side. I wouldn’t put much weight on that. If you modify it with a cross bar and get the kind that stay flush with the windshield pillar all the way up and don’t stick forward like the cheap Chinese ones I think you could have enough to support kayak at speed. Obviously tied down elsewhere. Most guys I see with kayaks just throw a couple pool noodles up and strap them down, so the structure would be even better. Also fair warning if you don’t know light bars are loud.


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fiend

Caught the Bug
Ram air is fine in the rain if the drain holes in the air box haven’t been closed up with RTV or the like.


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Tatrhed

New member
There’s a hundred different light bar mounts but most of them have zero cross support, only attached at the base of windshield, and then use the bar itself for cross support with a single screw on each side. I wouldn’t put much weight on that. If you modify it with a cross bar and get the kind that stay flush with the windshield pillar all the way up and don’t stick forward like the cheap Chinese ones I think you could have enough to support kayak at speed. Obviously tied down elsewhere. Most guys I see with kayaks just throw a couple pool noodles up and strap them down, so the structure would be even better. Also fair warning if you don’t know light bars are loud.


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I can’t see the forum rules on mobile so I’m staying away from brands, but the ones I am looking at are not cheep knock offs. They are a prominent aftermarket brand. I did plan on having a set up pretty exactly as you described. Thanks for the info in the sound though. The soft top (fastback style) is pretty loud already. More so than the stock soft top.


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wjtstudios

Hooked
Thanks the pic. I do not have the dome. I saw most sites that had info about it recommended the pre-filter. Do they tend to get packed down with the snow too?



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The pre filters doesn’t get packed at all. I’ve driven it thru a number if serious storms with no issues.


2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler
 

Saharaunlmtd

Caught the Bug
I looked into using a led light bar mount for carrying kayaks and all the options seemed to flimsy for holding a single kayak. Unfortunately, I feel like the weight you’re looking to carry is going to put you in the roof rack market.

Here is mine. It has the Warrior Products light bar in the front and DIY in the rear.
Adjustments.jpg


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Arrcherr

Caught the Bug
That is one sharp looking 2dr[emoji106]
I looked into using a led light bar mount for carrying kayaks and all the options seemed to flimsy for holding a single kayak. Unfortunately, I feel like the weight you’re looking to carry is going to put you in the roof rack market.

Here is mine. It has the Warrior Products light bar in the front and DIY in the rear.
View attachment 352811


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Tatrhed

New member
I looked into using a led light bar mount for carrying kayaks and all the options seemed to flimsy for holding a single kayak. Unfortunately, I feel like the weight you’re looking to carry is going to put you in the roof rack market.

Here is mine. It has the Warrior Products light bar in the front and DIY in the rear.
View attachment 352811


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That’s exactly what I had in mind. I had a Rhino Rack on my last Jeep but don’t want to start drilling holes in my new to me top. This one is much nicer though thinking about it, I now know the do’s and don’ts for the install.

I have the dilemma of wanting a roof rack that works easily with both tops that will still fits in the garage with the hoist for the hard top. It’s usually just myself trying to put it on and off.
 

wjtstudios

Hooked
I don’t have the pre-filter...did you turn the snorkel backwards or run through normal?


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I think it’s fine either way. There are drains in the bottom of the intake below the air filter that will drain any water it sucks in. I’d just make sure it is secured down.


2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler
 
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