Frustrating project build and need to vent!

[mpsoldier]

So, I bought my Jeep Gladiator Mojave in December last year and have been adding mostly small things to it. Weather hasn't bee fully cooperative and I only have a carport to park in, so some work needs to wait for cooperative weather.

My '23 Mojave didn't come with factory spray-in bedliner or the Mopar trail rail system. So the order of things I wanted to do was get the trail rail system, bed liner (LineX) and then get the Metal Cloak (ASR) over-cap rack and backpack system. I received the items from Metal Cloak pretty quick and delivery of the 8 boxes were damage free. I made the appointment for the LineX to be applied and finally had that done about a week ago. Looks great. They did snap 1 bolt on the right rear trail rail and the left rear trail rail seems stuck about 3/4 of the way in. The lady told me to bring it back and they would extract the bolt and replace.

Now, I'm a tad impatient and want to get started on my overcab rack. I get the cowls removed, drilled out the bolts to make room for the new hardware, it was a pain in the ass. the first 2 bolts drilled out with out a problem, the second 2 were drama! Ended up uses a dremel to open the holes. No big deal, I got through it. Now, I go to install the front hoop and only 2 of the four bolt holes align with the mounts (mounts pictured). AND because of the broken bolt in the rear of the truck bed, I can't get the backpack rack installed over the bed. I tried using a bolt extractor but didn't get anywhere with it. The bold didn't even move. Now I'm worried that I'll need the bold drilled out or maybe the LineX got into the bolt holes and seized the bolt in place. I don't know. Just very frustrating.

I'm going to take it back to LineX and have them extract both the left and right rear bolts and leave them out. I bought the replacements from Mopar already (the original star ones are dumb IMO).

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. Hopefully I can get this straightened out without any major problems.

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[Not2Late]

So, I bought my Jeep Gladiator Mojave in December last year and have been adding mostly small things to it. Weather hasn't bee fully cooperative and I only have a carport to park in, so some work needs to wait for cooperative weather.

My '23 Mojave didn't come with factory spray-in bedliner or the Mopar trail rail system. So the order of things I wanted to do was get the trail rail system, bed liner (LineX) and then get the Metal Cloak (ASR) over-cap rack and backpack system. I received the items from Metal Cloak pretty quick and delivery of the 8 boxes were damage free. I made the appointment for the LineX to be applied and finally had that done about a week ago. Looks great. They did snap 1 bolt on the right rear trail rail and the left rear trail rail seems stuck about 3/4 of the way in. The lady told me to bring it back and they would extract the bolt and replace.

Now, I'm a tad impatient and want to get started on my overcab rack. I get the cowls removed, drilled out the bolts to make room for the new hardware, it was a pain in the ass. the first 2 bolts drilled out with out a problem, the second 2 were drama! Ended up uses a dremel to open the holes. No big deal, I got through it. Now, I go to install the front hoop and only 2 of the four bolt holes align with the mounts (mounts pictured). AND because of the broken bolt in the rear of the truck bed, I can't get the backpack rack installed over the bed. I tried using a bolt extractor but didn't get anywhere with it. The bold didn't even move. Now I'm worried that I'll need the bold drilled out or maybe the LineX got into the bolt holes and seized the bolt in place. I don't know. Just very frustrating.

I'm going to take it back to LineX and have them extract both the left and right rear bolts and leave them out. I bought the replacements from Mopar already (the original star ones are dumb IMO).

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. Hopefully I can get this straightened out without any major problems.

Ha! Vent away! It is nice to be able to share some frustrations. I suspect most folks appreciate the humaness (is that a word!) of those sharing that everything did not go so great. I've seen many posts about how an install went perfectly and such, and I wonder why I can't be so lucky. Or if that was really the case anyway. I want to hear about the challenges and how people overcame them. That's how I have been learning from others on this forum!

Sorry about the bolts. I don't know if I can offer anything except to say let them mess with them first since they said they would make it right.

 

[Rusty PW]

Feel your pain. I figured it would take me about a day and a half to install my lift kit. Took me 3 days to do it. But it's right. The geo brackets, the JKS bump stops and the rear track bar bracket kind of slowed me up.

 

[chorky]

Hope you get it resolved without too much trouble. I certainly understand. Frequently I give myself about twice as long to do any given mod as I initially think it will take, and it still usually takes twice as long as that lol. Even for 'simple' bolt on things.

Lookin forward to seeing the end result once you get it!

 

[Rusty PW]

I get worried when things go smooth. I must have messed up somewhere ?

Nothing like doing it twice........just to make sure it's right. LOL

 

[HooliganActual]

Nothing like doing it twice........just to make sure it's right. LOL

Yup! I do it right because I do it twice!

 

[keithcroshaw]

So, I bought my Jeep Gladiator Mojave in December last year and have been adding mostly small things to it. Weather hasn't bee fully cooperative and I only have a carport to park in, so some work needs to wait for cooperative weather.

My '23 Mojave didn't come with factory spray-in bedliner or the Mopar trail rail system. So the order of things I wanted to do was get the trail rail system, bed liner (LineX) and then get the Metal Cloak (ASR) over-cap rack and backpack system. I received the items from Metal Cloak pretty quick and delivery of the 8 boxes were damage free. I made the appointment for the LineX to be applied and finally had that done about a week ago. Looks great. They did snap 1 bolt on the right rear trail rail and the left rear trail rail seems stuck about 3/4 of the way in. The lady told me to bring it back and they would extract the bolt and replace.

Now, I'm a tad impatient and want to get started on my overcab rack. I get the cowls removed, drilled out the bolts to make room for the new hardware, it was a pain in the ass. the first 2 bolts drilled out with out a problem, the second 2 were drama! Ended up uses a dremel to open the holes. No big deal, I got through it. Now, I go to install the front hoop and only 2 of the four bolt holes align with the mounts (mounts pictured). AND because of the broken bolt in the rear of the truck bed, I can't get the backpack rack installed over the bed. I tried using a bolt extractor but didn't get anywhere with it. The bold didn't even move. Now I'm worried that I'll need the bold drilled out or maybe the LineX got into the bolt holes and seized the bolt in place. I don't know. Just very frustrating.

I'm going to take it back to LineX and have them extract both the left and right rear bolts and leave them out. I bought the replacements from Mopar already (the original star ones are dumb IMO).

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. Hopefully I can get this straightened out without any major problems.

I had a very frustrating weekend as well. Tried moving my rooftop tent and awning from my trailer to my bed rack but they interfere with each other and I can't scooch my tent over anymore. I vented on facebook but I should have cried here. These people understand better. I feel your pain.

 

[Redjk07]

You are preaching to the choir! I have installed many many lift kits and installed many accessories in my day! But this last winter I decided I wanted to redo the lift on my Gladiator and go to a 4.5 lift instead of the 3 and go to 39 inch tires. So I decided to install new Dyntrac Ball Joints tore one of those up installing and new tie rods and drag link.
And repaint everything since I was taking it to some bigger shows this year! And between health issues (and I'm not that old) It fought me every nut and bolt! It seemed like everything I touched on it I would take 1 step forward and go 4 steps back.
I installed a dual battery set up and didn't get a wire tight and fought trying to figure that out for over a month! Couldn't get the front end lined up. Springs wouldn't straighten up with the drop correction brackets. New FOX bypass shocks had to order a new bumper because the GEN Right I just had powder coated wouldn't work with them! Then installed new driveshafts and messed up the crush sleeve in the rear axle. Didn't know until after I got it done and took it to the alignment shop and told them I think I messed it up and they tried installing a new one and reshimming and $1350 later still didn't fix the problem! So new gears in the rear!
It was one thing right after another. But I got it road ready for Jeep Beach!

 

[bakobobby]

I feel your pain. Nothing I have assembled recently has been easy. On the plus side much more comfy with tapping, reaming, grinding and painting now. Here is a pic of the go rhino xrs rack I have been slowly assembling running into one thing after another.

once it is done it is done so I comfort myself with that.

 

[Rusty PW]

Just spent 3 days putting my lift kit on. I had figured a day and a half. Didn't figure in time for the geo brackets and the JKS front adjustable spring seats.

 

[Vtur]

Haha. This is how i felt regearing on jack stands. Took 2 days, and also had to pulled the damn pinion gear twice to gets the backlash and patterns correctly. Atleast i know it's done right and gained some muscle ?

 

[mpsoldier]

I'm glad I'm not alone...I assumed I wasn't but still nice to have proof!

I'll be heading back to the Linex place Friday (I hope) to get the screws extracted. Hopefully they come out without any added drama.

I'll keep anyone interested posted on my quest!

 

[Blade1668]

Haha. This is how i felt regearing on jack stands. Took 2 days, and also had to pulled the damn pinion gear twice to gets the backlash and patterns correctly. Atleast i know it's done right and gained some muscle ?

I can relate, with that and to this thread.
Here's what's left of the dead blow hammer I bought new when I regeared my XJ D44 axle with 4:56 and Trac-Loc.

I had to pull that S.O.B. apart so many times. To just find out "that's just how some are. Good pattern on drive side odd on coast side. Old housing design and casting new gear set and Trac-Loc. I spent whole day on just it. that was many years ago... over 20 ?
Probably part of reason I still haven't installed the locker in my JT yet. not regearing just the locker. And hoping someone puts out a "lunchbox locker" too.

 

[Rusty PW]

Wanted a 2.5" lift. So I installed the Clayton 2.5 springs. Along with the JKS adjustable spring seats on the front. Thinking that when I install a winch bumper and winch. I could adjust it to raise it back up. Well..........the rear worked out perfect. Got my 2.5" lift. The front...........ah.........got a total of 4.5" of lift. Didn't take into account that the JKS kit raises the front 2" by its self. So now the question is. Do I replace the front springs with 1.5" springs. Or raise the rear up 1".

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