O.K. B's Build Thread

[FlexdXJ]

Everything has a place my friend, but sometimes it keeps me up at night and I look like this.:wow:
On the bright side if glaucome ever does take my sight away I will still be able to find all my stuff. Between that cool sunglasses and super hearing I'd be set.:woohoo:


Yup!

Here it is on the new tires at ride height.

I think they filled in the fenders nicely and the fender trim we did fits perfectly.

Looks good!

 

[Fore Wheeler]

That's a lot of squish on your spare. Hope you don't need to use it on the road.

Thought of putting it on the roof?

 

[OutkastBoss]

That's a lot of squish on your spare. Hope you don't need to use it on the road.

Thought of putting it on the roof?

I was trying to avoid losing that clearance one of my favorite local trails has some low limbs and a low clearance partially downed tree we drive under.
Between that and the weight up top I was avoiding it.

My last spare never got used and neither did the bald spare it replaced. Of course I can't plan on remaining that lucky.
Do you think it will ruin that tire? I figured it would air up with the o.b.a. and it would be fine.

I also thought I would swap a worn one in as the spare later so it wasn't so bad. I think if I decide to move it it will lay flat in the cargo area and I will build storage above it. If I go that route I may need a smaller tank for my compressor, maybe one of the small ball ones I could fit inside the fender or Under the back seat.

 

[Fore Wheeler]

I wouldn't.

 

[macgyvr]

I want to see how well the trailer flexes?

mac 'everything looks really nice' gyvr

 

[OutkastBoss]

I wouldn't.

Wouldn't leave it there?
It would be a shame to ruin that tire, I like how its set up but not that much.

Maybe I will lay it flat and build storage out of wood, I would like to make something like the Olympic cargo area rack but I think having the cage back there first would make sense.

Might have to get a smaller air tank for the o.b.a. or mount it on top of a boxed in area for the spare to lay under.

I want to see how well the trailer flexes?

mac 'everything looks really nice' gyvr

Thanks I will have to add to the trailer build now for sure.

 

[macgyvr]

If it were me and I had the money that you do in that tire, I would put a junky tire in the cargo area, that will hold air and get you off the trail. A 31/32/33, something that fits and it enough to get you back to where you are going.

I would put that nice new spare in the trailer if I was taking the trailer, or leave it at camp (wheeling at the badlands and lots of places allows this). I think you are going to kill that tire, either busting a belt or something with the way its in there.

Or build some place on the jeep to put it in the cargo area, roof, rear tire carrier (probably not what you want to do with the trailer).

In the long run, I don't think that I would leave it there for the longevity of the tire.

mac 'my 2 cents' gyvr

 

[Fore Wheeler]

That's what I would do. Build a box.

 

[OutkastBoss]

Thanks for the input guys I think you are right.
I think I will build a box for it but I do wonder how much room I could get If I cut into the hatch cover or maybe even the hatch a bit. I don't wan't to move the seat bracket since people actually sit back there.

 

[OutkastBoss]

I needed a new battery for the Xj and wanted a good one for the first time. I was going to get an Optima yellow top because I wanted a high quality combination deep cycle/starting battery. After searching the D34m Blue top became my choice with its top post aux. terminals that are more convenient i.m.o. .

The D34m is the deep cycle version of the Blue top that is identical to the yellow only with top posts that are rated higher than the yellow tops side posts.
The 34m blue top is supposed to have the same relationship with the red top in that they are chemically the same only with different colored cases and different aux. terminals for your accessories.

Here is a link that confirms what I stated above excluding that the top terminals are rated for more, I never confirmed that. However I read it in more than one place while I was searching.
http://www.optimabatteries.com/en-u.../back-basics-optima-redtop-yellowtop-bluetop/

I also decided to get a nice charger to maintain the battery here is the thread where Ed and Grimm helped me decide what to get. http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1108475
I ended up getting a newer version of what Ed uses the C-tek Mus4.3 test and charge. It is the same as the older version but with added testing features.
"Three easy to use programs to test battery voltage, start power and alternator performance to provide a complete picture of battery and vehicle charging system health."

While I was at it I got some military style battery terminals with boots from Prime 4x4. They are awesome and I may get their rock lights some day.
Here you can see it all connected and the fused Pigtail that came with the charger and its covered plug. It also came with alligator clamps so I can use it elsewhere.

I have been super happy with these changes. My starter definitely cranks faster/harder and I am sure it handles the subwoofer better. I haven't run the winch yet but I wonder if it will be noticeably different, I suspect my old battery was no good for much longer than I thought and was limping by.

Between the military terminals and the aux terminals My wires came out real clean, I may spray some battery terminal protector to cover the aux. positive stud in case I drop a wrench or the battery ever came loose.

The charger has worked out great and I have used it a few times, it restored most of the capacity of one of my 5ah agm batteries for my rc crawlers. While a multi meter would make the tester unnecessary I have found it to be very convenient and will actually use the testing programs.

 

[RAM-ROD]

Looking good Matt......See you and the gang in the quarry.....

Ram" WF is coming WF is coming"Rod

 

[OutkastBoss]

Winterfest 2014 Was awesome of course but we didn't get many pics of the rig out this time, although there are some great pics and vids of wheeling with the Xj trailer over on the trailer build thread.

Here we are getting a little twisty in the creek though!

We had a great time wheeling with everyone and ran an orange run this year, last year we did some orange on a pick up run but this was the first official orange run for us. We also had a great time playing on the ice with Collin and Chachi who brought his Xj out for the first year.

Here we are enjoying some ice.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203406581066244&set=vb.1263612158&type=2&theater

There is a good video of us on the bigger area of Ice where we had a few sections break on us that someone else got that I am trying to get for this thread.

 

[OutkastBoss]

We are currently Getting geared up for a week at the Cherokee Crawl in Harlan Ky, where we will be celebrating the 15th year of and the 4th of July! We will definitely try to get more pics this time.

To help us deal with the heat we decided it was time to throw on the 5.9 ZJ hood vents we recently acquired. They are virtually the same as the ones on the Orvis edition that came with my rear spoiler except they are functional with drip pans!
I found that If I spaced them out right onto a ridge in the hood they would sit outside my Spectre intake and be easy to line up evenly. Also with them toward the back they will be more effective at low speed where I would likely need it.
They work great and in heavy rain the drip pans keep everything well out away from the trouble areas. the only issue I have had is I will need to cut the passenger drip pan a bit because it is making contact with the back of the plug on top of the Ac compressor.

I think they ended up looking really nice where they are too, here is a good shot except for I recently cleaned and repainted the rockers and they look way better.

And a neat shark gill shot

While we were at it I replaced my trailer plug that got smashed in Moab and relocated it to a safer spot by cutting out the JCR logo on my bumper.

We also burnt on a set of H.D. Offroad rear stiffeners to give me more peace of mind when I'm dropping off ledges onto my bumper or getting this thing flexed out hard.
You can also see where I massaged the wheel well from the inside to get my spare to fit better (no more ratchet straps).

And finally I had Driveshafts Unlimited rebuild both my stock front shafts that I run front and rear and the owner decided to upgrade them while he was at it!
Here you can see how they compare to my spare shaft that is a stock Jyard one.

Hopefully within about a year we will have front and rear quarter armor with tail light guards, rub rails and we will add tube fenders. We plan on adding a hybrid cage and doing front stiffeners with extra plating around the steering box and trackbar mounts.

 

[rabies]

more plz.

you should bedliner the pool noodles in

 

[OutkastBoss]

more plz.

you should bedliner the pool noodles in

I keep meaning to get to this, I have updates to share and will get on it soon!

I was waiting to seal in the noodles and some gaps with expanding pond foam/adhesive. It works like the "great stuff" insulation, only it is a closed cell foam like the noodle itself and will not hold moisture. We use it when building landscape water features. Until then I have lost a noodle or 2 lol!

The reason I am waiting is I want to be done with the welding on the rig before I add the pond foam. We have the front stiffening, plus the cage and fenders to go yet.

I was also waiting to bedline the floors for the same reason. But I may not do that at all anymore because I am worried it would just rust out underneath it.

I got tired of pulling the carpets for wheeling trips so I just left them in storage and use the floor mats and husky liners these days. It is still driven around town a bit but is no longer my primary D.D.

 

[87manche]

name on that close cell foam stuff?

could be useful in my new boat adventure.

 

[OutkastBoss]

name on that close cell foam stuff?

could be useful in my new boat adventure.

It has been a while but I think we use "Atlantic water gardens", it is whatever the local pond supply place had.
A quick google search for "expanding pond waterfall foam" should bring up a few options. I think it will work great but is kind of pricey, like $12-$20 a can.

I distinctly remember it saying closed cell foam somewhere, maybe it was on the case of them we would buy. I am sure it would have to be closed cell to be used for pondscapes anyway. I did notice during a quick search I just did that "Savio black waterfall foam" specifically states that it is closed cell.

I need to get us a boat eventually, Sam grew up w a lake house in the Ozarks and misses the water.

 

[OutkastBoss]

To get this rolling again I will share some throwback trip report bits.

I noticed that 2013 Winterfest didn't get shared in here because it was shared in the pic thread for the event only, so If you have interest in that here is a link.
http://s1266.photobucket.com/user/1Outkastboss/library/WF%202013?sort=3&page=1 And a couple of videos from WF 2013 http://s1266.photobucket.com/user/1Outkastboss/library/WF 2013/WF 2013 Vids?sort=3&page=1
I would pick a few cool ones and share but it seems out of order to insert now.


I also scored that Extra video I mentioned of us playing on the ice at Winterfest 2014
http://s1222.photobucket.com/user/Outkastboss/media/Icecapades_zps6f16174b.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0

That leaves us all caught up to Leaving for Cherokee Crawl in Harlan, Ky and the mods we have done since!

 

[OutkastBoss]

Right before Harlan we ordered these flags to represent the MWC. Really I just wanted the black one but we have the yellow one in case we are at a park that requires flags and doesn't think the black one is visible enough.

We first saw them as a raffle item at WF and looked up the company that made them for the club. Devil Woman Flags got us these flags in no time at a great price.
We were told not to drive on the highway with it but we did it anyway and these flags are pretty tough, on our way home from Harlan the antenna broke off of my Xj from the drag the flag caused. The flag? It looks great still!

 

[OutkastBoss]

We had a great time in Harlan Here are some of our favorite pics.

We smashed our taillight doing the short opening section of "Can opener"

The next few are from "Lower rock garden"

Just a random shot coming up the mountain.

A short Video on lower rock garden.
http://vid1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd489/Outkastboss/Harlan%20%202014/Harlan%20build%20thread%20pics/Videorox_zpsdbgun7d2.mp4

Some more of the album is here and some of these pics were taken by others.
http://s1222.photobucket.com/user/Outkastboss/library/Harlan 2014?sort=3&page=1

Celebrating the 4th of July and the 15th anniversary of was an amazing time w amazing people!