2022 AEV Gladiator Rubicon build

[Flyin6]

The stock battery is a monster. over 50 pounds!

amd those fabric battery covers are another 50 pounds!

Well, maybe they are like 5 oz...

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[Flyin6]

Next everything plus two more parts comes out. You are left with one wheel bearing and a brake pad still connected when you finally get to the motorcycle battery!

 

[Flyin6]

Still more stuff is coming out. Found a mud dauber's nest in there to. They didn't notice, seemed to be cooked alive!

 

[Flyin6]

I taped up the ground cable, then cut apart all the tape on the positive cable to the wee-wittle battery. After flattening the mounting lug, I attached it directly to the factory battery stud, positive side, if you don't mind, and I became happy!

 

[Flyin6]

I shaved another 11 pounds off my slowing-thinning Gladiator...YIPPEE!

 

[Flyin6]

Oh, and here is a tip. I smeared spark plug grease over the end of those four plastic plugs that fit to the power distribution panel/fuse block thing. That made reassembly a snap. Really, it did. when I shoved them together they gave me a crisp "Snap." I figure they may reduce corrosion is I ever wade around in toxic pools of acid. Hey, I mean some folks are telling us the planet is becoming polluted, right? Well, I'm ready! ;-)

 

[Flyin6]

It seems I may have something going on with Braille Battery. Perhaps a bit preliminary but I may be testing that ultra-cool lithium iron battery they designed specifically for vehicle-mounted applications with big, long power draws like successive winching. Should this pan out, I may also be able to offer a discount for the things. Watch over on the other forum where I will post a banner soon. If you click through to purchase from there, you'll get an immediate discount, at least this is what is proposed. The battery I will likely be testing is their high-end F34 unit weighing in at a paltry 20 lbs. If any of you may be interested, contact me on the other forum, simply because that is where I am managing traffic for this upcoming test and possible battery sale.

F34 - Fleet-Lite Lithium (Group 34) Starting/Power Supply battery — Braille Battery

 

[Flyin6]

Question: Does anybody know what the stock Rubicon cloth jeep seat weighs...front/rear?

I'm casting a curious eye on those as a possible future weight savings target vs a nice set of Recaro's or similar.

Looking at Corbeau seats that weigh 26 Lbs ea. That has to be lighter than the stockers.

 

[Huhnowwhat]

Not sure on the Rubicon, but our Mojave's entire rear seat weighed in at 86lbs.

 

[Flyin6]

Not sure on the Rubicon, but our Mojave's entire rear seat weighed in at 86lbs.

Yea, I got the rear seats weighed when I removed them. Mine weighed 89.4 pounds, so we are close.
I was curious about the fronts. Looks like I can get both fronts in at around 52 lbs. I was thinking the stockers were around 40 ish each. If so, then there are another 30 pounds gone for around $1500.
The next step is probably to go weigh the thing and see what I am currently looking at weight-wise after all these deletions.

 

[Flyin6]

Good news: The Braille battery thing is happening. You will soon see a new F34 going into the bowels of my Jimmy Cricket-looking Gladiator. I will be evaluating both their battery and their special lithium battery charger which can bring a dead battery down to 1.2 volts back to new spec. Better news: I will have a link where you can click through my build thread and buy one at a discount!

 

[Flyin6]

I just realized I did not cover the installation of the 5.13 gears that happened some time ago.

So, I'll jump into the "Way-back" machine and reenergize that.

(Way-back machine??? Ever heard of the cartoon "Rocky and Bullwinkle?")

Anyway, High lift 4WD, which is a dedicated Jeep shop, and a good one tossed in a set of Yukon matching 5.13's, then calibrated the speedo with the AEV module that came with my JT.

Night and day difference! The AEV 4.56 setup with 37's is way wrong in my view. The truck would never tickle 8th gear unless going downhill with a tailwind. Now it remains in 8th gear unless I get into a steeper/longer climb on the highway. My mileage went up from mid 15's to mid-16's as a result.

 

[Flyin6]

A few moar:

Oh and the dark silver thing is my other JT

 

[Flyin6]

And, that big Suburban overlander, which does quite well in off-road, is very good for the JT.

It has a 600HP supercharged LS motor with 4.56 gears. When you push down on the skinny pedal, things start to happen. The speedo jumps upward and there is this really cool "Whine" sound and a throaty rumbly exhaust.

Why is this good, you ask?

Well, the JT has mo-betterer off road prowess, but is outclassed in the power department by my zero-turn mower. Owning a big overlander that has power will someday influence me to installing the much-needed V8 into the JT.

I feel that with either the Hemi 6.4 or a more likely Chevy 6.2 LT/10-speed, this JT would become one of the best, if not the best on-off roading platforms on the planet. Not my specific JT, but JT's in general with a powerful V8.

 

[chorky]

Good news: The Braille battery thing is happening. You will soon see a new F34 going into the bowels of my Jimmy Cricket-looking Gladiator. I will be evaluating both their battery and their special lithium battery charger which can bring a dead battery down to 1.2 volts back to new spec. Better news: I will have a link where you can click through my build thread and buy one at a discount!

So they are making a light weight AGM then? Or are they making a lithium with an internal charger? I don't see how a lithium even with internal components will work appropriately - the vehicle systems are looking for particular voltages on some things.

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