darkknight1999's build thread

[darkknight1999]

So I picked up my Jeep last September... I had an Escalade before... which is a very nice 400hp couch on wheels, but as we know not nearly as fun as a Jeep. So the Caddy is gone and fun is in! The Jeep is a 2007 Rubicon Unlimited.

I have along list of parts I want to get... but with a family (Wife Patty, 2 daughters  (Hannah 16, and Maddy 10) and 2 dogs) oh and I own my own company... I'm a pretty busy guy...

Here is a list of parts... Its a work in progress and some of the parts listed could change:

Bolded items are installed or ordered



All fluids are AMSOIL
Engine Oil (Filter) • Absolute Efficiency Oil Filter (EA15K51-EA)
Engine Oil  (fluid) • Synthetic 5W20 SS Motor Oil (ALM1G-EA )
Transmission (fluid) • Synthetic 5W30 Manual Trans (MTFQT-EA)
Engine (flush) • Engine & Transmission Flush (FLSHCN-EA)
Diff/Gear (fluid) • Synthetic 75W110 Gear Lube (SVTQT-EA)
Transfer Case (fluid) • Synthetic Multi-Vehicle SS ATF (ATFQT-EA)
Fuel Additive (Injector Cleaner) • ORMD Quick Shot Fuel Additive (AQSCN-EA)
Brakes (fluid) • Amsoil Series 600 DOT 4 Racing Brake Fluid (BF4SN-EA)

Brakes (front rotors) • Power Stop Dimpled/Slotted Sport Rotors
Brakes (front pads) • Power Stop K2798 Front Ceramic Brake Pad
Brakes (rear rotors) • Power Stop Dimpled/Slotted Sport Rotors
Brakes (rear pads) • Power Stop K2798 Rear Ceramic Brake Pad
Brakes (SS Lines) • Toxic Offroad Custom DOT Approved Braided Stainless Steel Brake Lines (TXCJPJK104)
Wheels • Temporary - Pro Comp Alloys 7069 Flat Black Wheel (16x8"/5x5") - When funds are available Hutchinson Rock Monster 17"x8.5" Wheel, in Argent
Tires • Mickey Thompson LT315/75R16 Baja MTZ (90000001479)
Rock Sliders • ACE Engineering JK Rock Sliders (4 Door)
Front bumper • ACE Engineering JK Pro Series Front Bumper (10" LED light bar provision)  (Bull Bar)
Rear bumper • ACE Engineering JK Pro Series Rear Bumper with Tire Carrier (dual 6" LED light bar provisions)
Programming • Superchips 3570 FlashCal for Jeep Wrangler JK
Winch • Superwinch Tiger Shark 9.5, 12 VDC winch
Gear upgrade • Yukon (YGK015) Gear and Install Kit for Jeep JK Rubicon Differential
Diff covers (Front) • Poison Spyder Bombshell Diff Cover - Dana 44
Diff covers (Front) • Lube Locker Dana 44 Differential Cover Gasket
Diff covers (Rear) • Poison Spyder Bombshell Diff Cover - Dana 44
Diff covers (Rear) • Lube Locker Dana 44 Differential Cover Gasket
Under Carriage armor (Front) • Rock Hard 4x4 RH-6003 Oil Pan Transmission And Dual Catalytic Converter Skid Plate
Under Carriage armor (Transfercase) • Rock Hard 4x4 RH-6004 Transfer Case Skid Plate
Under Carriage armor (Evaporator) • Rock Hard 4x4 RH-6005 EVAP Canister Skid Plate
Suspension (Lift Kit) • Fortec 2.5” Suspension Kit by Rubicon Express with Bilstein 5100 Shocks
Suspension • FORTEC Exclusive Bilstein Dual Steering Stabilizer Kit
Suspension • Synergy Chromoly Tie Rod
Suspension • Synergy High Steer Drag Link
Suspension • Synergy Front Track Bar
Suspension • Synergy D30 Heavy Duty Front Ball Joint Set for
Suspension • Synergy Front D30 Inner C Gusset Kit
Suspension • Synergy Rear Track Bar
Front Fenders • Smittybilt 76880 Jeep Wrangler XRC Armor Front Fenders
Rear Fenders • Smittybilt 76882 XRC Textured Black Armor Rear Corner Guards
Radio Deck • Alpine CDE-147BT Receiver
Speakers (Dash) • (Temporary Alpine Type-E Series SXE-1750S) Focal Access 165 A3 - 6.5-Inch 3-Way Component Speaker Kit
Speakers (Soundbar) • (Temporary Alpine Type-E Series SXE-1725S) Focal Access 165A1 - 6.5" 2 Way Component Speakers
Subwoofer • Focal 5" 180W K2 Power Subwoofer 13KS / 5K4441 - x2
Amplifier • Alpine PDX-5M 5-Ch Digital Marine Amplifier
CB radio • Uniden BEARCAT CB Radio With Sideband And WeatherBand (980SSB)
CB radio antenna • Firestick II 4 feet Tunable Tip - Black
CB radio antenna mount •*Custom
CB radio antenna coax cable • 18' RG-58A/U Coaxial Cable With Pl-259 Connectors
Optima Blue Top Battery
Lighting (Head Lights) • DDM HID Kit With Slim Ballast - 35W or 55W (Xenon) 5000k color
Lighting (Aux front lights, bumper) • Lifetime LED 10" Light Bar Front Bumper
Lighting (Aux rear lights, bumper) • Lifetime LED 6" Light Bar Rear Bumper (Dual)
Lighting (Aux front lights, Windshield) • KC 6" HALOGEN
Lighting (Aux Roof light) • CREE 50" LED 288w Light Bar LED Spot Flood Combo
Lighting (Aux front lights, Windshield) • CREE 2x4 LED
Air intake • Rugged Ridge Modular XHD Snorkel Kit
Exhaust (cat back) • MBRP Black Series Cat Back Exhaust System
High lift jack • Hi-Lift Jack X-Treme Jack 48"
Dominion Offroad • Hi-lift Jack mount
Hood Vent • Posion Spyder
Custom 6-pack mold switch pod
Lots of custom wiring and molding... I love to design and build stuff. I'm a telecommunications network cabling infrastructure engineer/electrician/car audio designer/customizer.../macgyver... lol I'm a big fan of do it right the first time or don't touch it. :thumb:

So after I picked up the Jeep the first thing I needed to do is find a place to mount my iPhone. I use my phone for everything... Personal, work, GPS, maps/topo, etc. I have a magnet mount in all my other cars... but the Jeep needs a more secure mount; so when we're out in the woods it can't fall off.

This is what I came up with... the design might change as time goes on but for now this is it:

I made my own bracket out of aluminum and use a Rokform case and mount. Works perfect... Only took about 2 hours to make.

I made the bracket out of scrap aluminum I had (cut and shaped the aluminum with a Dremel). Once I had the basic shape I bent it to match the contour of the dash. I painted and textured it to match the dash. I picked up the allen bolts and washers at the hardware store for $4 bucks.

Once it was ready I mounted the Rokform mount to the bracket. Then I riveted the bracket to the dash. The Jeep could roll over and its not coming off  






If anyway has any questions just let me know.

[darkknight1999]

I mounted my Dominion Offroad Hi-Lift Jack Mount. This is a great setup... and I'm glad I have it... however it is a pain in the ass to install.

To install this setup you need to tap the 2 holes on the back side of the roll bar opposite the rear upper seat belt bolt location. Which seems easy enough... but its not because it's at a weird angle... It was a pain in the neck. Having said that, once I finally had it installed it is very sturdy. Everything fits on there like a glove. I have my shovel, Fiskers Axe and the jack all tucked up there and hidden away and out of sight. Not to bad.

[darkknight1999]

I've built a few custom parts for the jeep, since they either don't actually exist or I don't the like the look of the ones available in market. So I built a custom SPod, Secondary Fuse/Relay block and I custom molded and mounted my CB into my dash. Here are a few pictures. I have a lot of pictures of how I did each of these, so if you want to know how I did something just ask.

[darkknight1999]

[Tonellin]

Great lookin JK, how do you like the CREE bar?

SPODs are great...gotta get my hands on a set up soon

[darkknight1999]

Great lookin JK, how do you like the CREE bar?

SPODs are great...gotta get my hands on a set up soon

Thanks man!

I have a 10" in the front bumper that's not bad. I'm making a custom yellow filter for it before winter hits. I plan on using that for a fog light... but we'll see how that goes since that is pretty bright by itself. However the 50" bar is... well... just ridiculously bright... I can light up a football field with it. It will be great on the trail. There is no way you could ever use it on the road.

[dongalonga]

Ww man you have a lot done already. Be careful with those wheels. I run the on my rig and have already chipped them during some light wheeling.

[Mark]

Yeah,, my rims were perfect until the first time that i wheeled with them, Darn it!,, but that's wheeling i reckon:face:  

[darkknight1999]

As long as the tires stay on the wheels I'm good If they get scratched so be it... this is no mall crawler. I fully expect things to get scratched, break, come loose, break...   but that's the game on the trail. If its come out of the woods with not scratches I'm going to have to admit I just didn't try hard enough

[dongalonga]

I'm not talking about a scratch. A small chunk of the edge of the wheel is gone. They aren't very tough.

[Mark]

Bummer! on the not too tough.

[darkknight1999]

I'm not talking about a scratch. A small chunk of the edge of the wheel is gone. They aren't very tough.

Well... I half hope that happens...   Why.. because then I can tell the wife why I need my Rock Monsters hehe maybe I planned it that way  hehe

[Andrew Miller]

Nice rig!

[darkknight1999]

Thanks! Andrew!

[Jake]

Looks great so far!

[dongalonga]

I'm not talking about a scratch. A small chunk of the edge of the wheel is gone. They aren't very tough.

Well... I half hope that happens...   Why.. because then I can tell the wife why I need my Rock Monsters hehe maybe I planned it that way  hehe

Sounds like a solid plan.

[darkknight1999]

Finally installed my lift over the weekend, with a lot of help from my brother

[Andrew Miller]

Looks awesome!

[dongalonga]

Why do pics always get cut off on this forum? Is there no auto resize functionality?

[CrawlingForward]

Why do pics always get cut off on this forum? Is there no auto resize functionality?

It has to do with browser size. If my browser is small, it gets cut off. If it's maximized, no problem. I should look into a solution, though.

[darkknight1999]

Managed to get the CB and new sound system up and running. Still have to finish tuning it, but its better than no tunes lol

[DBLJ]

I'm envious of you JK guys that can fit a cb in your dash.

[darkknight1999]

Trust me even having a JK, it's not an easy task Putting that there was a fair amount of custom work. It took me a while to fit it all in there.

[Andrew Miller]

Looks awesome! Incredibly clean looking!

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