A Build for Retirement....Fernweh

Overland_Dreamrz · Oct 22, 2024

This has been in the works for a couple of years. I could see that retirement is approaching and I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do. I'm definitely going to be someone who makes the most out of the expanse of BLM land south and west of the Rockies. In order to do that (in my mind) I want to be able to pull a small(ish) trailer....hell, maybe I can get lucky and go remote at work with a Starlink. I browsed and saved for a year before finding something that checked all of the boxes that I wanted.

Full LED Pkg, leather, Rubicon....my short list of must-haves. On August 31st last year, I found an ad for a 2022 Rubicon, l eather, Rubicon, even had the Mopar hard tonneau cover.....best thing was it only had 3140 miles on it.....drove it home 9/1/23. Since we had just made a trip to Moab (rental jeep out of Denver), I was more than ready to get things going.

The inaugural trip was made to Hilton Head in October and that made me understand just how badly I missed a dead pedal....installed a MORE (Mountain Off-Road Enterprises) dead pedal within a week after getting home. Even though I had a vision of where I wanted to go, I didn't have direction. Then I saw this meme and it gave me a better idea of what drives me......

Jeep Gladiator A Build for Retirement....Fernweh FB_IMG_1708393584525

After seeing that I knew, whether it ever was made into a sticker and applied, what the name and reason for my Jeep is. I needed to build this while I am making decent money, because once I retire I don't want to be forced into thinking of upgrades.
I did little things over the next 6 months. Grab handles (black and red, you'll notice a trend), RokBlokz mud flaps (so much better than blasting the side of the jeep), Distinction Applied hood latches, hood vents and fender vents.....all in Redical to match the Rubicon dash, Terra Acoustic front soundstage speakers (yes, they make a difference), Morrflate 4-hose sytem, NAPA compressor (all 4 tires, 12psi to 35psi in around 7 minutes), I'm sure I am forgetting other fluff. The "meat" of the build came AFTER driving it from Indianapolis to Moab (and beyond) in May of this year. That trip, and those trails, made me understand what I needed to do in order for it to be not only a daily, but also something I could depend on while hours away from help.

Part 2, with pics, tomorrow............

Jeep Gladiator A Build for Retirement....Fernweh Pisgah

Overland_Dreamrz · Oct 24, 2024

Over the winter, I didn't do a lot to my Jeep because work kept me on the road so much. I kept my mind focused on my trip to Moab which was coming up in May. I did heed a bunch of warnings that I read and bought a hitch skid (from AJK Offroad) just to save some wear and tear on my receiver. We left May the 10th and arrived in Moab 2 days later. Gorgeous weather, amazing scenery, and a harsh sunburn since I took the top off when we arrived in Moab and didn't put it back on until we were packing up to leave 6 days later. Completely stock, 33" Falken MT's. Yes, we drug ass everywhere lol. That hitch skid held up great. Of course, when my wife heard all of the scraping (that skid, plus most other skids and rock rails) she asked what could we do to improve that situation.....well, slightly larger tires and a small lift, of course. Other times, when I told her that we couldn't continue back a trail because I don't have what I need to self-rescue and she asked why, I explained that when we are out exploring, in order to do it safety we need a winch to help us if we get stuck.

4800 miles later, when we arrived back home, I made a list of what I felt was needed to be ready for future overlanding/camping/exploring trips out west. My main thought was that I want to build for longevity while keeping the truck as my daily driver. I tried to make sure that as I do things, I only do them once.....I want retirement to be spent enjoying the truck, not trying to constantly build it.

I wrote down notes and adding things up......I won't be doing that anymore. Since the end of May, my build sheet has been:
Method 703's with 35x11.50 Falken AT4W tires
MetalCloak Frame-Built 56" front bumper with Badland 12k winch
Metalcloak Front Leveling kit (2.5" dual rate springs, Red Rocksport long travel shocks, outboard shock mount brackets, UCA's, Durotrak™ equipped front track bar, premium sway bar links)
Combat OffRoad Tail Gunner taillights....saw too many vids of JT's coming off of trails with their tailights hanging by the cord after contacting a tree/shrub/limb/wall

Since I am doing 100% of the work myself, I broke it up into 2 sections since doing the Bumper, Winch and Front suspension kicked my ass over a 7 day period lol.
Parts that I have and will install in the next month (ie, Thanksgiving):

Rear 2.5" dual rate springs
Rear Red Rocksport long travel shocks
Rear Durotrak Trackbar
12.25" rear swaybar link kit
24" Rear Brake Lines

Future state, since I know I'll constantly tinker with it, will be the full set of Duroflex Control Arms.

No, it is not extreme but I hope to enjoy these mods for years to come. Planning another Moab trip next year and look forward to seeing you guys out on the trails!

Jeep Gladiator A Build for Retirement....Fernweh 20240718_124415

Jeep Gladiator A Build for Retirement....Fernweh 20240724_115408

Jeep Gladiator A Build for Retirement....Fernweh 20240724_172027

Jeep Gladiator A Build for Retirement....Fernweh 20241018_173206

JTGuy · Oct 24, 2024

I have done your list and more, alone, in my garage, with hand tools. It's all good. See my signature. You can do it, good luck.

Jaxmax · Oct 24, 2024

I’m heading to retirement 4/1/27, figured April fool’s day is the right kind of mindset for retirement. I’m building up and also bought a lightweight camper to tow.
I just spent two days getting four badges of honor last weekend in the rocks , I am pretty well skidded up underneath but I’m going all in on a New Venture belly skid with UMHW plastic on it, I’m not lifting my Mojave as I love the way it handles and wife can get in and I tow, so the one last skid I don’t have is the back half of the new venture full belly skid, Black Friday it will be bought.
I banged the hell out of my skids and rock rails but everything held up, in the photo I am high centered a bit but rear locker got me off. We did three hard trails in rocks with help of AmishMike who keep egging me on, we measured and my Mojave on 33” was just over one inch less in height then his Rubicon on 35”, every time I scraped I could hear on the radio “if only one inch”!…..Jack

Jeep Gladiator A Build for Retirement....Fernweh IMG_2021

Jeep Gladiator A Build for Retirement....Fernweh IMG_2025

Overland_Dreamrz · Oct 24, 2024

JTGuy said:
I have done your list and more, alone, in my garage, with hand tools. It's all good. See my signature. You can do it, good luck.

Well, we're all different they say. 61 years old, broke my back 3 years ago, going in on the 31st for nerve ablation. I personally feel pretty good about what I did. Then ago though, I've been doing things alone in my garage since '85 lol.

JTGuy · Oct 24, 2024

Well,,,, The less you do,,, the less you can do.

WILDHOBO · Dec 10, 2024

Overland_Dreamrz said:
Over the winter, I didn't do a lot to my Jeep because work kept me on the road so much. I kept my mind focused on my trip to Moab which was coming up in May. I did heed a bunch of warnings that I read and bought a hitch skid (from AJK Offroad) just to save some wear and tear on my receiver. We left May the 10th and arrived in Moab 2 days later. Gorgeous weather, amazing scenery, and a harsh sunburn since I took the top off when we arrived in Moab and didn't put it back on until we were packing up to leave 6 days later. Completely stock, 33" Falken MT's. Yes, we drug ass everywhere lol. That hitch skid held up great. Of course, when my wife heard all of the scraping (that skid, plus most other skids and rock rails) she asked what could we do to improve that situation.....well, slightly larger tires and a small lift, of course. Other times, when I told her that we couldn't continue back a trail because I don't have what I need to self-rescue and she asked why, I explained that when we are out exploring, in order to do it safety we need a winch to help us if we get stuck.

4800 miles later, when we arrived back home, I made a list of what I felt was needed to be ready for future overlanding/camping/exploring trips out west. My main thought was that I want to build for longevity while keeping the truck as my daily driver. I tried to make sure that as I do things, I only do them once.....I want retirement to be spent enjoying the truck, not trying to constantly build it.

I wrote down notes and adding things up......I won't be doing that anymore. Since the end of May, my build sheet has been:
Method 703's with 35x11.50 Falken AT4W tires
MetalCloak Frame-Built 56" front bumper with Badland 12k winch
Metalcloak Front Leveling kit (2.5" dual rate springs, Red Rocksport long travel shocks, outboard shock mount brackets, UCA's, Durotrak™ equipped front track bar, premium sway bar links)
Combat OffRoad Tail Gunner taillights....saw too many vids of JT's coming off of trails with their tailights hanging by the cord after contacting a tree/shrub/limb/wall

Since I am doing 100% of the work myself, I broke it up into 2 sections since doing the Bumper, Winch and Front suspension kicked my ass over a 7 day period lol.
Parts that I have and will install in the next month (ie, Thanksgiving):

Rear 2.5" dual rate springs
Rear Red Rocksport long travel shocks
Rear Durotrak Trackbar
12.25" rear swaybar link kit
24" Rear Brake Lines

Future state, since I know I'll constantly tinker with it, will be the full set of Duroflex Control Arms.

No, it is not extreme but I hope to enjoy these mods for years to come. Planning another Moab trip next year and look forward to seeing you guys out on the trails!

Great job. Lots of work, but so satisfying. Dragging ass in Moab in a stock rubicon is pretty motivating. That’s the same thing that happened to me. Great retirement truck. My plan is to have mine forever as well.

Zach@Granger · Dec 10, 2024

Jaxmax said:
I’m heading to retirement 4/1/27, figured April fool’s day is the right kind of mindset for retirement. I’m building up and also bought a lightweight camper to tow.
I just spent two days getting four badges of honor last weekend in the rocks , I am pretty well skidded up underneath but I’m going all in on a New Venture belly skid with UMHW plastic on it, I’m not lifting my Mojave as I love the way it handles and wife can get in and I tow, so the one last skid I don’t have is the back half of the new venture full belly skid, Black Friday it will be bought.
I banged the hell out of my skids and rock rails but everything held up, in the photo I am high centered a bit but rear locker got me off. We did three hard trails in rocks with help of AmishMike who keep egging me on, we measured and my Mojave on 33” was just over one inch less in height then his Rubicon on 35”, every time I scraped I could hear on the radio “if only one inch”!…..Jack

Looks like you had a fun time! Very fun pictures!

MikeSalt · Dec 15, 2024

I’m looking forward to retirement too. May need to add a second pole. Almost caught a mermaid.

Jeep Gladiator A Build for Retirement....Fernweh IMG_0694

Overland_Dreamrz · Dec 17, 2024

Finally finished up the rear (install springs, Red Rocksports, extended sway bar links and adjustable trakbar).....never realized how much of a squat it had until I saw the "after" results lol. Plus, I'm not getting people flashing brights at me at night. Since that is complete I've made plans for April......I'll be in Moab for Easter Jeep Safari from 4/11 through 4/18......hope I get to wheel with some of the fine folks from the forum!

A Build for Retirement....Fernweh

Overland_Dreamrz

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Overland_Dreamrz

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JTGuy

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Jaxmax

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Overland_Dreamrz

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JTGuy

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WILDHOBO

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Zach@Granger

MikeSalt

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Overland_Dreamrz

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