NoDoorsNoProblem's "All Jeep, All Truck" Build

[ScooterInTX]

First off, welcome to Texas! Nice build! I hope to hit the falls with you as soon as mine comes in. ETA 11/15 fingers crossed!

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[NoDoorsNoProblem]

I actually kind of like the simplicity of this build. You've got a nice mod list going, and to be completely honest, you almost can't tell anything has been done just by looking at it. Everything has been sort of a "behind the scenes" modification it seems, and that's a cool way to go in my book.

Thanks! It definitely looks modded in its final form a lot more now that I have a bumper and inner fenders, but yes I agree. Function is always a priority with mods, I'm not out here running a 4.5" long arm lift and 40s just because I feel like it....only stuff that I really need. and a couple things that just make Jeeping life easer

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

"Wheel it and you will know" part 1:

After a few trips to Hidden Falls and seeing what the truck could do, and what its limits were, I honed in on the next few things. The truck has a great amount of flex even stock with sway bars connected, and before I reached the limits of it, I was rubbing the stock plastic bumper and the inner fenders. Coincidentally, I had ordered American Adventure Labs inner fenders and headlight brace several weeks prior, mainly due to aesthetic reasons as I loved the way they look. On the plus side too, they add a lot more flex without any suspension modification by just allowing your tires to up travel more. This helps out a ton in the rear axle.

Progress pics:

Installed:

I definitely like the final product a ton, but AAL is backlogged by a lot, and wait was crazy long. There were some little attention to detail issues that frustrated my install. The fitment wasn't perfect out of the box and I had to do some manipulation to get all the pieces to play together. They absolutely look fantastic though and give me a ton more up travel before rubbing, and really make the 37s look smaller than they are.

Two major issues I ran into:

1) With the Mojave shock remote reservoirs, the bracket that mounts the front lower parts of the inner fenders bolts into the spot that the reservoir tubes mount to. The metal wire/tube router doesn't play nice with the fender bracket, and there is some interference. I ended up completely removing the reservoir tube routing piece, and routing the tubes behind the inner fender and through a small cut out closer to the grille.

2) The Steer Smarts sector shaft brace interferes with the driver's side bracket in the same place. I fixed this by cutting the AAL bracket that goes in that spot in half, and the lower part of that inner fender only using one quick-release bolt. It does the job fine. Also, you have to wedge the inner fender behind the brace when installing it and make sure it's behind the little lip of the bracket.

1) and 2) fixes, as it looks today:

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

"Wheel it and you will know", part 2:

The other thing I noticed from my Hidden Falls trip is an obvious one, that the stock plastic front bumper 1) doesn't have a great approach angle, 2) limits obstacle approach at the wheels by covering them up, and 3) limits travel at flex, because they rubbed heavily on the 37s while flexed and turning slightly. I got the plastic bumper from the factory always intending to upgrade, but not really knowing which one I wanted to get. I stumbled on an absolute STEAL of a deal for a Smittybilt XRC bumper which checked all the boxes I wanted: Steel, narrow or mid width, beefy, winch capable, and with a STURDY welded-on bull bar. IMO the MOPAR bumper bull bar that bolts on is just not my taste, its basically a glorified light mounting point. If I'm coming down a steep obstacle and grinding on the front, or in the event of an animal strike, the welded on style is going to offer much more protection vs. the small M6 bolts that are just going to snap.

Install is relatively easy, just follow the instructions. Taking apart the stock plastic one was more difficult than installing the actual steel bumper. Definitely need a second pair of hands to get it on though.

Note for my Mojave guys and gals, the stock remote reservoir brackets that mount under the bumper DO fit. The bracket that the cylinders sit in also are the brackets that mount the stock silver steel skid plate under the stuck bumper. The reservoir/silver skid plate bracket I DID have to chop with a cutting tool - the part that the silver skid plate mounts to on the bottom interfered with the bumper so I chopped that portion. The bracket I cut unbolts from the frame, I wasn't actually cutting into that. But cutting is required to make this bumper fit. From how I was able to make it fit and the design of that bracket, I think the stock location for the shock remote reservoirs would probably be compatible with a lot of aftermarket bumpers, doing the same trimming I did. I don't have a lot of good pictures of this but if anyone is interested, I can take some ones to point out what I'm talking about.

Another reason I love this bumper is that the winch mount plate is super far forward. I've seen a lot of people have clearance issues with other bumpers, and this plate looks like I won't have to worry about that at all. The whole bumper does stick forward farther than stock, but I don't think its really a problem in any wheeling situations.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Great build, thanks. Keeping an eye on it for my eventual Mojave build. I really appreciate the way you're doing it, too.

What sort of MPG are you getting on the 37's?

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

Great build, thanks. Keeping an eye on it for my eventual Mojave build. I really appreciate the way you're doing it, too.

What sort of MPG are you getting on the 37's?

Thanks! Overall, about 15. Driving faster than 70 it nosedives. steady at 45-60 without hills I can get up to 17/18. My daily commute on a 50mph road with tons of stop lights brings it down to 14-15, depending on how many stoplights I hit. Starting from a dead stop is what kills it there, 37s are a lot of rotating mass.

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

Badge #2/Big Bend:

Took a trip to Big Bend to see the park and earn the Black Gap Trail badge.

Trip notes:

1) A little planning goes a long way. Big Bend is HUGE and you could easily find yourself in trouble very far from people. Make a plan for food, water, fuel, and communication. It's probably nothing for seasoned national park-goers, but the size of it blew my mind a bit. I'm glad I read up on it and planned out what I needed ahead of time.

2) Black gap trail is easy. I did 95% of the trail in 2WD and only put it in 4HI a couple times for some mildly off camber dry creekbed crossings, and if you're going N to S, you'll need it for one short shelf section. Other than that, the trail is mostly a scenic rocky road. One other spot coming around the rim of a big canyon was a bit nerve inducing because of a long drop, but taking it slow is all you need to do.

3) The vast majority of the park is either paved roads or improved, graded dirt roads. Almost everything except Black Gap is accessible to any vehicle with a bit of clearance and 4WD/AWD, and maybe even 2WD with a skilled driver.

4) Big Bend is HOT in late June. Camping was a lot of fun but it was sweaty. I'm glad we only planned for 1 night and stayed in Terlingua the second.

5) The park is huge and remote, so bringing a gas can is a good insurance policy. There's a few gas stations scattered through the park, but look up their hours to make sure you have it when you need it. See point #1.

6) There was service in the park about half the time on the paved roads, and none of the time on the improved dirt roads and on Black Gap. I got the paid version of ONXOffroad and downloaded the maps, which were awesome to have on the 8.4" screen in Carplay. I didn't have an emergency radio or communication system, and after this trip it's high on my list for the next remote park I go to.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Thanks! Overall, about 15. Driving faster than 70 it nosedives. steady at 45-60 without hills I can get up to 17/18. My daily commute on a 50mph road with tons of stop lights brings it down to 14-15, depending on how many stoplights I hit. Starting from a dead stop is what kills it there, 37s are a lot of rotating mass.

Not hateful all things considered. I doubt 37's would be in my future but its nice to know it won't be that bad!

 

[DBravo]

Great set of posts!
Thank you for sharing

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

A lot of updates in the last year for the All Jeep, All Truck build. Picking up where I left off last year, having become a regular at Hidden Falls Adventure Park, and completed Black Gap Trail at Big Bend.

The next major upgrade was on-board air. I've posted this a couple other times, so you may have seen my setup before. While I had the portable ARB single-in-a-box kit since I had the Gladiator, the box takes up a decent amount of space. Plus, after airing up for 15 minutes, the pump gets extremely hot. I couldn't throw the air lines, tire inflator, and accessories back in the box with the portable compressor after airing up, for fear of melting an air line or starting a fire. Plus, fun project!

I started taking apart the ARB single from its mount in the box. Simple enough, the most annoying part was I had to drill out the rivets holding the bracket to the plastic box. This left me with all of the components.

I wound up ordering the ARB part for the single harness, as if I had a single on-board setup and needed a replacement harness. Since then I have learned a lot more about wiring, and I probably could have hacked up the harness from the portable kit, but I wanted to closely follow the other ARB single install videos I've seen with respect to the wiring, to make sure it was safe and correct. The new harness also has extra connectors, for if I ever wanted to add a front air locker, or any other accessories. (This ended up paying off down the road, as I now have a 2004 LJ that this single will go into to operate the rear air locker. But that's a different story.)

When I ordered the harness, I also ordered the necessary connectors and hoses to run a hose to the driver's side cowl and put an external air chuck. This consisted of a 1.25m long JIC-04 hose, a few JIC to 1/4 NPT elbows, and a different air chuck. ARB has 2 chuck designs, one with just a 1/4 NPT (part 0740112) which came in the portable kit and plugs directly into the 1/4 NPT on the mini-manifold. The other air chuck (part 0740111) has a JIC-04 fitting, which I needed, and most importantly the extra nut that allows you to attach it to a flat plate with a hole in it. I spent probably a bit more ordering all ARB branded parts from @Northridge4x4 since I could get them all in one place. I looked into getting them from a pipe and fitting site, but I couldn't find everything I needed, so Northridge was the way to go.

To mount it underhood, I went with @813 Fabrication & Design underhood bracket. You've probably seen them on the forum, they make a ton of quality stuff for JT/JLs. This bracket only works if you have the factory plastic engine cover, which I believe was discontinued for 2022 or 2023. 813 makes a bunch of great options though, just pick what works for you. To mount the compressor to the 813 bracket, I had to get creative and chop up the stock bracket that came in the ARB portable. I cut it in half so that there are 2 "leg" sections attached to the bottom of the blue compressor bracket, that then mount to the 813 bracket:

Got that mounted up to the engine bay, ran my steel air line, drilled a hole in my hood cowl, and it was all together!

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

A lot of updates in the last year for the All Jeep, All Truck build. Picking up where I left off last year, having become a regular at Hidden Falls Adventure Park, and completed Black Gap Trail at Big Bend.

The next major upgrade was on-board air. I've posted this a couple other times, so you may have seen my setup before. While I had the portable ARB single-in-a-box kit since I had the Gladiator, the box takes up a decent amount of space. Plus, after airing up for 15 minutes, the pump gets extremely hot. I couldn't throw the air lines, tire inflator, and accessories back in the box with the portable compressor after airing up, for fear of melting an air line or starting a fire. Plus, fun project!

I started taking apart the ARB single from its mount in the box. Simple enough, the most annoying part was I had to drill out the rivets holding the bracket to the plastic box. This left me with all of the components.

I wound up ordering the ARB part for the single harness, as if I had a single on-board setup and needed a replacement harness. Since then I have learned a lot more about wiring, and I probably could have hacked up the harness from the portable kit, but I wanted to closely follow the other ARB single install videos I've seen with respect to the wiring, to make sure it was safe and correct. The new harness also has extra connectors, for if I ever wanted to add a front air locker, or any other accessories. (This ended up paying off down the road, as I now have a 2004 LJ that this single will go into to operate the rear air locker. But that's a different story.)

When I ordered the harness, I also ordered the necessary connectors and hoses to run a hose to the driver's side cowl and put an external air chuck. This consisted of a 1.25m long JIC-04 hose, a few JIC to 1/4 NPT elbows, and a different air chuck. ARB has 2 chuck designs, one with just a 1/4 NPT (part 0740112) which came in the portable kit and plugs directly into the 1/4 NPT on the mini-manifold. The other air chuck (part 0740111) has a JIC-04 fitting, which I needed, and most importantly the extra nut that allows you to attach it to a flat plate with a hole in it. I spent probably a bit more ordering all ARB branded parts from @Northridge4x4 since I could get them all in one place. I looked into getting them from a pipe and fitting site, but I couldn't find everything I needed, so Northridge was the way to go.

To mount it underhood, I went with @813 Fabrication & Design underhood bracket. You've probably seen them on the forum, they make a ton of quality stuff for JT/JLs. This bracket only works if you have the factory plastic engine cover, which I believe was discontinued for 2022 or 2023. 813 makes a bunch of great options though, just pick what works for you. To mount the compressor to the 813 bracket, I had to get creative and chop up the stock bracket that came in the ARB portable. I cut it in half so that there are 2 "leg" sections attached to the bottom of the blue compressor bracket, that then mount to the 813 bracket:

Got that mounted up to the engine bay, ran my steel air line, drilled a hole in my hood cowl, and it was all together!

Looks great! Glad the mount worked for your setup

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

Around this time, I made a few weekend trips to Northwest OHV park, both individually and with some friends on separate occasions, and earned my 3rd trail badge, and the last in Texas.

Northwest OHV is a fun park, but different than I was used to at Hidden Falls. Hidden Falls has about 20-30 named trails, and you pretty much select a trail, drive on the main park road to that trail, and complete it. Northwest OHV is a spiderweb of trails, all with a letter and number naming system, Some are small cuts between trails, barely 100m, and some are half a mile long with no other entrance and exit. There is a lot more spiderwebbing in this park. Not necessarily better or worse, just different. Compared to Hidden Falls, HF has way more dry rocks and shelf rock climbs. NW OHV has rocks, but less than HF, and a lot more mud areas and mud/rut hill climbing areas. I actually got stuck in some peanut butter mud, almost similar to those not-so-dry lakebeds people get stuck in out west, and had to get yanked out by a passing JK. Overall, fun park, and worth the stop for the badge and the trails.

Some pics from 3 or so visits:

My friend's Mojave on 35s. He was inspired to go from a Ram 1500 to a Mojave after seeing mine.

One trip was a with friend group of a friend. One of them had a brand new Gen 3 Raptor out there, getting off road for the first time. Props to him for actually trying to take it wheeling. But the Raptor's limitations became very clear though. The fancy trailing arm suspension on the Gen 3s is extremely sturdy and thick to take desert whoops abuse. But it just doesn't have enough clearance for crawling, and he was getting hung up on a lot of rocks. Anything with small shelves was a struggle for him.

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

Next Major Mod: Sway Bar Disconnect. I managed to find a JL forum member selling his take-off Rubicon SBD that he replaced with a Currie Antirock.

I removed the electronic motor and replaced it with the Evo No Limits knob for manual disconnect. Missing some detail in the pictures step by step, but this is basically what happens:

The electronic motor circled in red gets removed, and replaced with this:

Finished product:

I thought I was going to have a huge issue with the Mojave remote reservoirs, but there is absolutely zero interference or issue getting the SBD up there. Mojave owners, this one works for you too:

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

At this point, I went for some long-overdue skid plates. I went with the Asfir 4x4 engine, transmission, and transfer case aluminum skids, as well as the Rusty's rear LCA frame-side skids. From my year of wheeling, I realized the rear LCAs were the #1 point I made contact with over and over, and that needed the most beef. The #2 point I made contact with was probably the from LCA mounts. However, I'm running AEV's control arm drop brackets along with their 2" lift. Those aren't compatible with any front LCA skids I've seen. I'm considering those drop brackets a wear item part, as they aren't too expensive to replace, if I end up skidding on them too much or bending them. I'd rather that than the frame. The engine and transmission skids I haven't needed persay, but its definitely worth the insurance.

Rear LCA skids doing their job:

Testing the skids and sway bar disconnect at Hidden Falls.

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

Scrolling through my pictures to write these posts, and found this. I don't know how I didn't buy one of these sooner. This thing is amazing and one of the best tools I've ever bought.

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