The Animal-JK build

JKAnimal

Caught the Bug
My Jeep story starts with my "friends"... I have several buddies with Jeeps and every year they go to Colorado for 7 days to run trails. They camp in the mountains and only come back to civilization for gas and groceries as needed. In Sept. of 2011 I was a ride along passenger/driver on one of these trips. That was my first time to ride or drive in a Jeep. The entire trip everyone was joking about how long it would be before I had a Jeep and I was very adamant I didn't need another vehicle.

As fate would have it, in November of 2011 I had to trade in my F150 Platinum company pickup (which I loved!) and get two high mileage 4x4 crew trucks for my guys working in WY. This left me without a vehicle and on the search. Of course I knew immediately what I was going to get :yup:.

After a lot of searching I found a Jeep I wanted and made it happen. I bought the Jeep December 18th and have never looked back.

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The first mods I bought were armor and bumpers because I knew I would be headed into the mountains in Sept. of 2012. I debated a lift but felt recovery tow points and associated recovery gear was more important. I figured I would give the Jeep a run through the trails at stock height and see how it went. There is still a running joke about how I got my lift on Upper Reno Divide. I gained 2" of clearance I didn't have before the trip. There is a particularly rocky section in the middle of a skree field. While going over the obstacle I hung the resonator on it and yanked the exhaust loose at the engine. :doh: $800 to fix.

I also ended up going all overlander :)cheesy:) and getting a roof rack. It has honestly been great for hauling just about anything I need to haul and it's almost as good as a pickup truck bed. The roof rack also provides a great place for my Rigid LEDs.

So here are some pics of the progress.

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Special Jeep Parking here :D
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Stock Flex

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So far the Truck-Lite LED headlights, the Rigid Industries LEDs and the Rugged Ridge Billet hood latches are my favorite mods.

Edit: Scratch the above. The Enforcer and 37s is definitely the best mod yet!!

In hind sight I'd have done a couple things different if I had been more informed about where I wanted the Jeep to end up I'd have bought EVO instead of Smitty but it's done it's job.

So Now It's lift time! And since I am now more informed I went with the Enforcer 4" 37" package with the 2.5" Kings and red shiny knobs. :wings:

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More to come soon. Next I need to get my C gussets welded on and make sure I have what I need to put the lift on.

Edit: This is how it sits now. Fenders trimmed and up on 37s.

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Linebacker

Caught the Bug
Sweet build so far! When you travel to Colorado, do you mostly go to the San Juans in the Silverton - Ouray - Telluride area? Lots of Texans do.:thumb:
 

JKAnimal

Caught the Bug
Next on the list to buy is:
New 1310 front drive shaft may go with rear also just for the double Cardin.
37" Nitto Trail Grapplers
Brake bleed kit

I am debating wether or not to ditch my smittybilt and just get a quarter-pounder and stinger with the rock skins and EVO sliders. :idontknow:

I fear that my current bumper setup will end up rubbing on the 37s.
 

JKAnimal

Caught the Bug
Sweet build so far! When you travel to Colorado, do you mostly go to the San Juans in the Silverton - Ouray - Telluride area? Lots of Texans do.:thumb:

Last year we were in the Crested Butte, Gunnison, Marble area.

We ran most of the trails in Area 2 in the Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4 Wheel Drive Trails book.

The first year we were in the Fairplay, Breckenridge, Keystone area. Red Cone is awesome!
 

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
Next on the list to buy is:
New 1310 front drive shaft may go with rear also just for the double Cardin.
37" Nitto Trail Grapplers
Brake bleed kit

I am debating wether or not to ditch my smittybilt and just get a quarter-pounder and stinger with the rock skins and EVO sliders. :idontknow:

I fear that my current bumper setup will end up rubbing on the 37s.

You already have the bumpers. Hack the tubes off that are on the side and run it as a stubby. :thumb:
 

Linebacker

Caught the Bug
Last year we were in the Crested Butte, Gunnison, Marble area.

We ran most of the trails in Area 2 in the Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4 Wheel Drive Trails book.

The first year we were in the Fairplay, Breckenridge, Keystone area. Red Cone is awesome!

You're hitting all the good spots and I'm with you on Red Cone. Colorado Backroads is probably the best guide. Jeep Trails to Colorado Ghost Towns is another good one. The first printing was about 50 yrs ago and the trails have changed, but it's interesting to compare both books. Best of luck with the Enforcer build out.:yup:
 

JKAnimal

Caught the Bug
are your rear shocks/res. held together with the custom KING hose clamps or the new mystery clamp?


andrew -

Yes. High tech isn't it! :cheesy:

I was thinking about moving the res. to the frame rail. Not sure if that is do-able though. Seems like I've seen a few rigs done like that.


WAYALIFE APP 🍺
 

Rex

New member
Solid Build, I liked the fact you went with tow points and armor for the beginning mods (because that's what I did) haha.

Can't wait to see that lift installed. :thumb:

- Rex
 
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