HYDRO BLUE PEARL Gladiator JT Club

[ShadowsPapa]

Getting closer...in KZ status since Friday. Hoping to have it by Thanksgiving, but if not Oh well.

Stock photo

I suspect you will love that blue!
Mine's just an Overland, but still........ love that blue! So did a friend who saw it today. In fact he liked the truck and had a friend who was looking for a mid-sized truck and said this is something his friend would love.

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[NateKY]

Red dash Hydros are out there now. Has anyone taken delivery of one?

There have been a couple here that got the red dash. Can’t remember their names though.

 

[SandSurfer]

Ordered 10/14, delivered 11/22, I'm one happy camper!

 

[Climbhigh]

My salesman sent me these photos...the truck arrived.

 

[Climbhigh]

Swung by to check it out. Probably pick it up Monday evening.

 

[UpNorth2020]

It was on a truck in Toledo Sunday night. It arrived there at Stew Hansen this AM, Tuesday. They prepped it today.
I have to go back with it next week for the undercoating and a couple of other things.
It was dark, cold and windy when I drove it home tonight so I didn't get to look at it really - but sure will tomorrow!

ANY INSIGHTS RE UNDERCOATING? I'm up in salt county (northern MN) and thinking this is a must do. Thoughts re best product and process to search out? THX!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

ANY INSIGHTS RE UNDERCOATING? I'm up in salt county (northern MN) and thinking this is a must do. Thoughts re best product and process to search out? THX!

I've actually had good luck with the outfit the dealers use here for their "protection package". They cover things without covering too much and it's on there good. I also get a 7 year rust warranty with it. (perforation and surface)
There are other processes, some claim to be better than others, but to me it's the coverage - how well are things covered, was the vehicle spotless when it was applied, no rust to begin with, that sort of thing. Keeping the water and chemicals out is the big thing.
Pay special attention that drain holes and passages are left open so water can't be trapped in boxed areas, watch for body panel seams - in older vehicles floor pans were made up of multiple panels lapped over each other and spot welded. They usually had enough gap that silt, sand, salt and water could get in there and the dirt and dust and crud kept things wet - and the floor pans rusted at the over-lapped seams even if the centers were fine.

When doing my own vehicles such as after repairs or taking care of things not done by others in prior decades, I use the best 3M I can get in a spray can. If there's any rust at all, even a trace, I use a rust CONVERTER. I do not believe in "encapsulating". I prefer to kill and seal after it's dead. A good converter is tannin based, organic, and literally converts surface rust to an inert material, then you seal it up. People and organizations preserving old artifacts like buildings with wrought iron rails and fancy metal work use those converters and have written extensively about it.

This is an example of a rusted floor where things got trapped between layers - I cut the rusted piece out, cleaned the brace below - which is black because the rust converter I used converted the rust and turned it black. I used a weld-through primer, welded a patch in place, and fixed the stress cracks and sealed the area below with 3M undercoating in a spray can. This rusted from the bottom UP because there was enough space for dust, dirt, salt and water to get trapped between the layers below - that's what undercoating is to help prevent.
Nothing is perfect, but my experience restoring and collecting cars - it helps.

 

[UpNorth2020]

I've actually had good luck with the outfit the dealers use here for their "protection package". They cover things without covering too much and it's on there good. I also get a 7 year rust warranty with it. (perforation and surface)
There are other processes, some claim to be better than others, but to me it's the coverage - how well are things covered, was the vehicle spotless when it was applied, no rust to begin with, that sort of thing. Keeping the water and chemicals out is the big thing.
Pay special attention that drain holes and passages are left open so water can't be trapped in boxed areas, watch for body panel seams - in older vehicles floor pans were made up of multiple panels lapped over each other and spot welded. They usually had enough gap that silt, sand, salt and water could get in there and the dirt and dust and crud kept things wet - and the floor pans rusted at the over-lapped seams even if the centers were fine.

When doing my own vehicles such as after repairs or taking care of things not done by others in prior decades, I use the best 3M I can get in a spray can. If there's any rust at all, even a trace, I use a rust CONVERTER. I do not believe in "encapsulating". I prefer to kill and seal after it's dead. A good converter is tannin based, organic, and literally converts surface rust to an inert material, then you seal it up. People and organizations preserving old artifacts like buildings with wrought iron rails and fancy metal work use those converters and have written extensively about it.

This is an example of a rusted floor where things got trapped between layers - I cut the rusted piece out, cleaned the brace below - which is black because the rust converter I used converted the rust and turned it black. I used a weld-through primer, welded a patch in place, and fixed the stress cracks and sealed the area below with 3M undercoating in a spray can. This rusted from the bottom UP because there was enough space for dust, dirt, salt and water to get trapped between the layers below - that's what undercoating is to help prevent.
Nothing is perfect, but my experience restoring and collecting cars - it helps.

Good info, thanks! A Line-X shop near me also does undercoating. Quoted $995 for Line-x interior of truck box and underside coating. They mentioned that the Line-X sets up in minutes, but they keep the vehicle for 24 hours for undercoating. Same guys have been doing this for 20 years. Your thoughts re price and any questions I should ask? (My JT is expected in mid-December and I'll get it in for the coatings as soon as it arrives.) Again, thanks!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Good info, thanks! A Line-X shop near me also does undercoating. Quoted $995 for Line-x interior of truck box and underside coating. They mentioned that the Line-X sets up in minutes, but they keep the vehicle for 24 hours for undercoating. Same guys have been doing this for 20 years. Your thoughts re price and any questions I should ask? (My JT is expected in mid-December and I'll get it in for the coatings as soon as it arrives.) Again, thanks!

My opinion is that it's not a bad price. They couldn't get mine in until a week after I picked it up so I made sure the bottom was clean and dry when I took it back in to have the undercoating done. Amazing to find a shop where the same people have been involved for more than a couple of years. Turn-over is horrible these days in some of these businesses. If they've been around that long then they know what NOT to coat and what they need to coat.

 

[Racer5112]

Ordered 9/10, built 9/28, finally home 11/22..
Changed out the antenna, headlight bulbs (what a pain!), “Jeep” badge on tailgate, and took off the side stickers. Also had to toss on my hitch insert before it left the dealers lot!

 

[NateKY]

Finished up a deal on a Hydro Rubicon with a grey dash. Ended up at 4% under invoice. Picking it up next week and will post pics.

 

[Deleted member 24880]

Ordered 9/10, built 9/28, finally home 11/22..
Changed out the antenna, headlight bulbs (what a pain!), “Jeep” badge on tailgate, and took off the side stickers. Also had to toss on my hitch insert before it left the dealers lot!

Love the GLADIATOR badging and that hitch insert is great!!!

 

[Climbhigh]

Brought it home today.

Installed a proclip phone holder and Quadratec 16" stubby antenna

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Brought it home today.

Installed a proclip phone holder and Quadratec 16" stubby antenna

I assume this one?
https://www.quadratec.com/p/quadratec/16-stubby-antenna-jeep-wrangler-jk-jl

My wife said a phone clip would be good for me........ so looking at those, too.

 

[Climbhigh]

I assume this one?
https://www.quadratec.com/p/quadratec/16-stubby-antenna-jeep-wrangler-jk-jl

My wife said a phone clip would be good for me........ so looking at those, too.

Yep, that is the one. I mostly didn't want a silver antenna...and slightly smaller was just an added benefit.

I am a huge fan of Proclip with the iOauto Pro Magnetic mounts...have one in each of our vehicles and all the work trucks. Jut makes it easy.

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