'20 JT Rubicon overland build & evolution

[2020 SCRAMBLER]

The base texture is Duplicolor bedliner. Leave the can in the sun to heat up the bed liner material and then spray it at 2’ - 3’ distance so all you get is a fine mist of bedliner that lands on the bumper. Buy this at local auto parts store.

Top coat was SprayMax 2000 Satin Hot Rod black. This is a 2 part mixture with hardener built into the spray can (you pop a button on bottom of can to activate the paint mixture). Not cheap at $25 can, but you are getting body shop quality paint, with hardening agents typical spray cans don’t have, and an excellent fan spray nozzle on the can. Don’t get it anywhere you don’t want it sprayed...it’s not coming off! Buy this at Summit Racing.

Everyone that sees this bumper now thinks I had the bumper re-powderciated. I’m maybe $35 - $40 into the paint materials.

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[Ted Striker]

Looks like you're going to have a very tight fit to install a winch in there. I had the same problem installing my Fishbone Offroad bumper. It was listed as a JK bumper but would fit a JL/JT, which it did, but when I went to mount the winch, there wasn't enough room between the grille and the bumper for it to fit. I had to drill additional mounting holes in the winch plate and move them forward and the winch was tightly sandwiched in there. Just something to be aware of. I know a place that makes JK bumper extensions for this exact reason if you need them.

 

[2020 SCRAMBLER]

Thanks @Ted Striker the earlier installed bumper photos in the thread didn’t have the winch plate or backer panel and that kept the bumper close to the grille. With all parts installed it pushed the bumper out farther where I now have 6” of clearance (grille center to bumper) and prob ~8-9” below the top plane of the bumper inside the area where the winch would sit.

I’ve seen these DV8 extension brackets - guessing this provides another 2-3” of spacing. Not sure I’ll need it...have to wait until the winch install happens which isn’t soon.

Also a package showed up this week from OK4WD / Maximus 3. Was expecting to hear back from OK4WD that the Maximus 3 bumper hoop and light brackets for the AEV (Call of Duty / Moab) bumper had been discontinued as everyone shows it to be out of stock or NLA.

So it looks like I will have a bumper hoop after all!

Below are mock-ups of the hoop...brackets installed with a spare set of LED driving lights I had from a prior truck.

 

[2020 SCRAMBLER]

More progress this week! The bed rack is now fully welded along with accessory mounts. Just need the time to prime and paint it.

I’ve designed the rack to be modular and easy to add or remove items for a long-camping trip, day trip to the beach, or for daily use.

It’s set-up for all these accessories:

- roof top tent (Roam mid size with annex)

- 4’ folding table mount (Rebel Off Road); can access table without unloading truck (meals trail side)

- side & rear awnings (Roam 5’ & 4’ units; the underside of awning is just over 6’ from ground level; 4 upright ARB mounts modified)

- dual Rotopax (water)

- high lift jack mount

- knock off Maxx Traxx and mount panel (coming soon)

- 4 LED lights on sides (2 driver + 2 passenger side); each rotates almost 360*; can use as campground lights, or to light the interior of the bed

- 1 LEtask light strip at rear over tailgate

There is zero loss of rear visibility straight out the back. And when I move the Rotopax to driver side front of bed it won’t block my rear side view.

And the best part of all - it works with my Access Literider bed cover!

 

[Hank_]

Great job on the build and the fab work. Great looking rack that looks tough. I will keep watching to see the finished product. Keep up the great work.

Hank

 

[2020 SCRAMBLER]

A few more pics…with the rack now painted.

 

[A 2]

A few more pics…with the rack now painted.

Nice work!

 

[chithead]

Following this build - you have done amazing work already!

 

[2020 SCRAMBLER]

Since I’m running several AEV parts, I’ve got the credentials to run the stickers…lol.

Similar to ARB’s logo sticker location on their bumpers…

Feel like it blends in nicely…no other non-OEM stickers on the truck.

 

[-miko-]

Just stumbled on your build looking for Brute inspired bed racks. Really nice build.

 

[dloon]

A few more pics…with the rack now painted.

That's awesome you're able to keep the bedcover on and functional with the way the rack is mounted - been looking for a similar way to set it up but hard to find racks that allow for both, and I definitely don't have your fabrication abilities lol. Nicely done!

 

[2020 SCRAMBLER]

Thanks @-miko- and @dloon

Having a functional bedcover that works with the rack was critical in my design to protect the bed contents from dust and rain. The cover is like 99% leak free (more dust than rain).

Driving it now for several months and have zero regrets, zero loss of rear visibility, have removed the rack zero times (incl shipping truck to east coast on a car transport), and zero plans to remove the rack.

You can get someone to weld for you. All I did was collect all the various parts to weld together.

 

[Imbuere]

Finished re-painting the AEV JK bumper, swapping the JT fog light harness and JT fog lights, and upgraded the fog light bulbs.

Installed the bumper assembly and winch plate with all new hardware from AEV. Only very minor trimming required to install the winch mount.

Will run the OEM Gladiator Rubicon skid plate for now.

The bumper hoop I ordered from Maximus 3 is on back order and likely will get canceled. I’m not feeling like I need it at this point.

Still need to re-paint the plastic crush can covers. And install the Warn recovery hooks. And buy a winch too...lol.

Not only do I really like the way it looks, but it would have been hard to buy anything new for less than what this cost me (<$500). And being stamped steel it’s super strong.

Any updates on how this all worked out for you?

 

[FLUndertaker]

Nice looking project but the click bait title had me hoping someone with a huge pair had found a way to create an extended cab out of a regular 4 door. All the Brutes to my knowledge were either 2 door or extended cabs.

 

[2020 SCRAMBLER]

@Imbuere all good on the bumper…no winch yet…but that round yellow AEV sticker lasted like 1 week lol

@FLUndertaker just the early Brutes were 2 doors…later JK models were 4 doors; always wanted a Brute but they were $100K trucks

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