2022 AEV Gladiator Rubicon build

[Flyin6]

Did you end up going with the Odyssey battery?

Did not.
For now, I have reinstalled the factory large battery and am running that.
Simple economics came into play. The cost of the Odyssey battery, with consideration of its hefty weight, nullifies any real benefit considering the almost new factory AGM unit.
Like it or not, I added weight back to the truck and just swallowed that bitter pill.

More weight to come, as it is now adventure season. I think I'll have to add on a tonneau cover to secure things out of the elements.

The first trip is in less than three weeks. North and South Carolina and Georgia along with a bit of hiking in Tennessee on the way back to the Tuck.

In September, however, we will be taking in Texas, then Taos NM, then Silverton CO, then over to Moab, and a stop on the return in Breckenridge. Our focus is split between alpine driving and exploring with the Jeep and also on foot. The Moab piece is obviously the jeep returning to its Mecca, as it were...

The soft top idea was abandoned because it really does not offer any weight savings and only increased the fun factor during fair weather days. I guess I'll be looking for a Mopar tonneau cover, which in itself I'll like, however, I just abhor adding weight to this thing.

We will soon be selling our farm it seems and I am digging in on the new motor option for the truck. Even a 6.4 hemi would be a good addition. Not as efficient, nor as powerful as the 6.6L GM route I really want to take, but good enough to power this truck to do anything I'd ever want to do with it.

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[Erievon]

Makes sense. If you can't gain a weight benefit might as well squeeze the life out of the stocker. I'm nearing the end of mine, so I need to make a choice soon.

Derail...where are you going? Myrtle, Savannah, Tybee, and Charleston are 4 of my most favorite places in that order. We go to Myrtle every year but I've spent several weeks in the other three on occasion. Yet...I still live in Cleveland OH for some ungodly reason.

 

[Flyin6]

Makes sense. If you can't gain a weight benefit might as well squeeze the life out of the stocker. I'm nearing the end of mine, so I need to make a choice soon.

Derail...where are you going? Myrtle, Savannah, Tybee, and Charleston are 4 of my most favorite places in that order. We go to Myrtle every year but I've spent several weeks in the other three on occasion. Yet...I still live in Cleveland OH for some ungodly reason.

Cleveland, OH...I'll pray for you ;-)
I couldn't even start to number the times I have crossed over the Cleveland VOR at the flight levels. Mostly coming south out of Canada or New York. The snow around Erie is massive, really something to see from 5-7 miles up. Did my first ice covered runway in Toledo. Really, totally ice and almost zero braking. Try bringing something doing like 150 mph to a stop on ice with no brakes (And not crash while doing it). So, learned never, never to land on an ice covered/untreated runway again!!!!!!!!

First 5 days: Hilton head
Next two: Savannah vcty
Next two: Some beach in NC where you can drive/camp/fish/get stuck. Plan there is to rough it, sleep with the sand fleas. Then freelance into the hills to find some cool spot/trail to get some Jeepin' in and possibly a good day hike, then home.

I (unfortunately) flew commercially for a number of years...Airliners. Spent many a night/day in Myrtle. No likie... Tybee Island: we go there a lot. Son is stationed nearby in the Armee. Charleston, well I've been there a ton, flying both commercially and in the military. I like it very much. Over the years, I have spent a ton of time in Savannah or rather the nearby base. Helped stand up a battalion there of whirly birds. I have extensive low-level flying in that A.O.

 

[Erievon]

I live in the western suburbs. It's not too bad. Hate the winters though. This past year was rather mild, but in general not a fan of cold and snow. Wife's family is here, she's not ready to leave...yet.

I should clarify I prefer the North Myrtle area, we stay in Barefoot Resort most years. The downtown strip in Myrtle proper has gotten a bit sketchy.

 

[Flyin6]

I live in the western suburbs. It's not too bad. Hate the winters though. This past year was rather mild, but in general not a fan of cold and snow. Wife's family is here, she's not ready to leave...yet.

I should clarify I prefer the North Myrtle area, we stay in Barefoot Resort most years. The downtown strip in Myrtle proper has gotten a bit sketchy.

Concur...Myrtle's strip is becoming straight-up hillbilly. (I can say that because I am one! ;-)

Been to outer banks and north of that in VA? getting pretty remote and access is a jeeper's paradice. Rent one of those crazy expensive homes built into the dunes with a couple you can trust and enjoy some real beach living.

Wife and I own a farm...90+ and paid for...Selling that
Own a way-too-big house over 5,000 ft + 2500 more in shops and garages: Selling that too soon
I think we just might buy a fifth wheel and park it on some beach until someone tows us away. I can claim PTSD (Postively Thinkin' about Settling Down) and ride that for awhile. Who knows.

 

[Erievon]

Couple years ago we rented a huge house at the end of Emerald Isle. The narrow strip with the ocean out the back door and the sound out the front door. Enjoyed that trip but it was long before I was a jeeper. Wouldn't mind going back there.

Haven't been to VA Beach, that's still on the bucket list. Have been to the Williamsburg and Newport News area, enjoyed that too.

Prefer the low country area but anything coastal makes me happy.

 

[Flyin6]

Well time to get this build going again.

Up to this point, I have been reducing weight in a failed attempt to give me the illusion of more power.

So, I did get rid of a bunch of stuff I wouldn't use anyway and replaced those items with things that would work, while reducing weight.

But after some threads here and on my website, I'm tossing in the towel. I will not be able to get this JT to perform to what I deem as acceptable standards with this V6 engine no matter if I saw off the whole back end aft of the windshield. The little motor just doesn't have truck-like torque... period!

I have decided to just live with it for now.

Before I completely soak my crying towel, I decided to just start using the JT as is with respect to the power plant situation and get to exploring. So, from here on I will be adding weight and miles to the thing instead, and perhaps toss a hemi in there at some future date.

To see how it will do, I will be leaving on a short trip into the Appalachian Mountains in a week to do as many trails and nights as my better half will permit. First I promised her a week at Hilton Head where we can soak in the sun and get fat and become lazier, but then it's off to the hills.

For the fun part of the trip, I decided to add a rooftop tent and bed rack assembly for the wilderness overnights.

My selections were a FishBone full-size rack and a brand new IKamper 2.0 full-size tent. I placed paid for it today and will pick up tomorrow, then mount it all up on Wednesday.

We tried out the IKamper mini, a 2-person tent coming in at 125 lbs, but settled on the larger 4-person tent @ 160 lbs. Pictured is the mini. My full-size sky camp is on the bottom shelf.

IKamper is now building the 3.0 models at $4K+. High-Lift off-road still had several brand new 2.0's in stock and I was able to score one of them at a discounted price.

The one on the bottom is mine.

 

[Erievon]

I'm sure it says somewhere in these 21 pages but, what gears are currently installed?

 

[Flyin6]

I'm sure it says somewhere in these 21 pages but, what gears are currently installed?

5.13

 

[Minty JL]

Yeah love the north shore up there in OBX (Carova).

We've stay up there off the road 5 of the last 6 years. This year we'll be 9 miles up the beach. So quite and peaceful.

 

[Flyin6]

Yeah love the north shore up there in OBX (Carova).

We've stay up there off the road 5 of the last 6 years. This year we'll be 9 miles up the beach. So quite and peaceful.

Where, exactly?? I might want to give it a look-see. The trip to near Ashville did require me to reserve some camping spots, but I'd like to look at something beachside too.

Edit: Never mind, I know that area, sort of. (Flying over it low level) Too far north to make it possible to get to near Ashville in a day...Maybe next time.

 

[Erievon]

5.13

Welp...that's not the problem lol

 

[Flyin6]

Welp...that's not the problem lol

No, it's the lack of torque production from six little cylinders.
I'm moving on past that.
I drive a sled...no good to come from dwelling on that, I'm focusing on what it can do.

 

[Flyin6]

Changed out the Clayton "normal" adventure springs for his "added weight" adventure springs with a 3.5" lift.

For the moment it sits 1/2"-1" taller than it did with the older springs. I am thinking that will disappear tomorrow or Wednesday when the rack and the large IKamper rooftop tent gets bolted in place

 

[Flyin6]

Today I installed a FishBone bed rack.

It was tough, actually adding weight-
But...
It is a good weight. With this rack, I can add a roof tent and get to some real adventure
and
That adventure starts in just five days.
We will be exploring Pisgah National Forest, and I have a personal goal to find a way to the top of Pilot Mountain, or Pilot knob which is a part of the Great Smoky Mountains. As a youthful pilot, I have actually flown around the summit of that thing several times.
Seen it from the air, so now, I'm gonna see it from below!

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