Colorado JP #29

[COBrian]

I used paper to control overspray, but jbc is right you don't have to. But if your tire has a bunch of ridges next to the rim area, you might want to protect the tires, just to make sure it isn't a pain to remove overspray.

The paper I used was heavy cardstock and I cut it into a curved shape and stuffed it inbetween tire and rim.

[jbc455]

It's also a pain to get out of old raised white letters.

[COBrian]

Ordered some rear light ohh 2 weeks or so ago... Got around to messing with them this week. These were the right size, but originally chrome, and they had a visor like rock guard deal. I thought the rock guard could be rmeoved, but it was molded into the piece that holds the lens together... SO i had to cut it off. Then I painted all (actually black plastidip again), and installed them up.. Other than missing the screw to attach the cover from the correct KC lights these (now that they are black) look very nice, IMO.

I took apart the rear housing, drilled the hole down through both plastic and the metal shield, inserted a washer as a space in between the shield and the plastic housing, so I wasn't bending the housing when tightening, bolted it down, and done. I have not wired it up yet, so they are non-function at at the moment, I am still deciding if I want to drill through the body or route through the taillight housing.

These were $29.. here.. http://bumpersuperstore.com/i-11436894- ... d-set.html
You can see the plastic guard I had to trim off, as the plastic guard and retaining ring are all one piece. They also have it in all chrome with NO guards, which is probably the better option now that I found out the retaining ring and guard are one piece in the one I bought. http://bumpersuperstore.com/i-11436904- ... g-set.html But the thick plastic retaining ring does look more like the kc lights than the all chrome versions metal retaining ring.

[ImperialTrooper]

Those look almost identical to the KCs. Awesome price too! Nice find

[jbc455]

Nice. Too bad they wouldn't let my hard top window close.

[fantomas]

Nice. Too bad they wouldn't let my hard top window close.

I might have to skip the rear fog lights for my rig... Way too much snow up here in CT to be using a soft top in the winter... Unless I come up with another solution such as a plug and quick disconnects.

[ratrace427]

Those look great after removing the guard! In the web site photo they look yellow but the right color in your photo. Awesome find! You should post that in the fog light thread if you haven't already.

[COBrian]

well just picked up 1, correct bfg tire today. a never used spare, still with the fingers/nubbies things on it... $100. made in 2010 so age isnt an issue. 4 more to go.

[COBrian]

Been ordering up a frenzy of parts the last week, as I want the jeep fully ready for some mountain adventuring I'm doing on the 5th.

So I have my 5 BFG's now, 1 brand new with fingeres still on it (was an unused spare), 3 next to new with maybe 3-5k miles on them, and one with about 1/2 tread. (total spent = $340 on all 5 with installation $400.) Craigslist scores all.

I realized the used soft top frame had a broken windshield upright, so I orderd 2 new ones. - Quadratec $22
I ordered a soft top reinforcement kit (replaces the stock self drill screws in the windshield with threaded rivet inserts) - Quadratec $55
Softtop screws/bolt thingies (my used hardware had none) - Quadratec $12
Rampage spice soft top - Ebay $250
Spice soft top boot (figured it would look nice even though not cannon) Ebay $35
last week I ordered a class II hitch with 2" receiver to replace the class I/1.25" receiver I had. Extreme Terrain $99

The Hitch I ordered, because it allowed me to keep the bumperettes and looks very similar to the one on the screen used jeep sitting at universal in orlando, but I am losing some departure angle as a result... I'm wondering if I should have just gotten a rear bumper with 2" receive built in, and lost the bumperettes... Ugh trying to stay screen accurate sometimes is a curse. But then again I doubt I'm doing anything requiring hard core departure angles anyway in my "light" offroading.

It took me 4 hours the other night to remove the original 1.25" receiver hitch's 10 bolts... what a pain. I got the 4 exterior bolts out easily enough.. the 4 internal ones were a pain, (these 8 bolts are the ones that hold the bumperettes on too) as there is no room to get behind the bumper to put a wrench on the nuts. I dropped the wrench inside the bumper once and had to fish it out with a magnet on a coat hanger. With hand contortions I got 2 of those removed. One of the remaining 2 I cut off as there was no way the wrench would go on the nut. The other one BROKE my wrench, (I don't even have biceps like the rock), so i ended up cutting it off too. The final 2 which were into the underside of the frame, were a lot of work, but came out with a lot of grunting and slow going on LONG bolts. (yes I did soak everything in pb blaster for 24 hours prior to starting)

After this I lined up the new hitch, and test fit everything... the welds on the new hitch slightly blocked the bumperettes from mounting flush.. UGH... My neighbor runs a machine shop, so I marked 1/2" off the inside leg of both bumperettes (the flat part isnide the mounting points) and he took them to his shop and cut them with a band saw. He returned the bumperettes to me last night, and I test fit them and they are perfect now. But it was late, so I have not reinstalled it all yet.. (plus I need to go get a new 11/16 wrench to tighten up the bolts, and paint the fresh cut edges of the bumperettes)

PS I needed a 2" hitch because my long term plan will be a trailer for trailer supported adventures/camping, since with 2 adults and 2 kids there is zero room for gear inside the jeep. Short term I will just be using one of those hitch cargo platforms.

Pictures when I finish

[ImperialTrooper]

Getting new parts is always nice. Have fun on your little adventure!