What did you do TO your Gladiator today? [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS, NO GUN TALK]

[Cattywumpuss]

Keeping it on topic for a moment: Not a damned thing but look at it parked outside begging me to buy something for it.



Better than cutting it i suppose!



RIght? Had i not had several big fires to put out today i'd have easily gotten her list done. And after i posted that previous i thought i was done but nooooo another issue with work to contend with.

Whats nuts is she was up at 4am for work and so was I. Granted I didn't punch in until 830am... but i also finished officially at 8pm. She's already in bed to wake up at 4am tomorrow and I'm left to my devices.

And beer. Slainte!

Antenna wire run. Anyone know what that plug is for ?

Ran inside and under dash.

Antenna completed. I put some thin rubber on the bracket where it rests on the fender, just cuz.

The AUX wire bundle is above the passenger side hump. Took a while to find it and unwrap it. The now-stripped orange/pink wire is for switch 3.

Wire for the positive side of the 12v outlet is crimped on, I was sliding on the heat shrink tubing over the splice. I always try to put on heat shrink on any connection. No pic of the completed heat shrink, we've all seen that....

This may be a silly question but . . . . can I ask how you got your antenna wire through from the outside quarter panel area under your windscreen into the inside of your vehicle, in your picture below?

Like does it just push through or what? Did you have to fold the windscreen down?

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[JTdiRtyD]

This may be a silly question but . . . . can I ask how you got your antenna wire through from the outside quarter panel area under your windscreen into the inside of your vehicle, in your picture below?

Like does it just push through or what? Did you have to fold the windscreen down?

Yes you have to fold the windshield down a little, but once you do theres a decent gap that you can fit wires through, and once you st the windshiled back into place theres enough room that the wires don't get pinched. Theres a few threads around here, and some youtube videos that show more.

Otherwise, if you have an auto transmission theres a hole in the firewall where the clutch master cyl would be. It's really easy to access from under the hood.

 

[Mud Pie]

At least I now know I'm not alone.....

I retired last December, my wife still works. She's 7 years my junior. My wife was instrumental in me retiring; the long hours and what ended up being unfair pay prompted her. I agreed. We ran the numbers, I could retire with zero hit on our finances. She wanted me to retire before I got hurt at work and was crippled or maimed permanently. In December I told my boss adios. I was 64 years old.

She still gets up at 0-dark-30 and goes to work. I typically get an email in the morning with her asking, "What are your plans for today ?". Her question is not accusatory, just curious. Sometimes I have a plan, sometimes I don't. She tries to be helpful, "Go to McDonald's in the morning and have a cup of coffee with all the other retiree's.". I say, "Those guys are in their 80's !! I'm not THAT old yet !!".

But when she gets home I still feel this obligation to tell her what I did that day. We have 10 cameras in and around our home, one day she said with a smile, "I think getting that Jeep as a retirement present was a good thing. You're always on it, in it or under it.". I smile. Then she adds, "Or buying something for it....". There's the dig I was waiting for.....

Gotta love her.

 

[Mud Pie]

This may be a silly question but . . . . can I ask how you got your antenna wire through from the outside quarter panel area under your windscreen into the inside of your vehicle, in your picture below?

Like does it just push through or what? Did you have to fold the windscreen down?

I didn't have to fold my windshield down. On the side of the windshield is a plastic gasket cover thingy (techie term) that is held on with two push pins. Pop that off, pull the gasket free (it's press fitted, not glued) and work the wire behind it, then press the gasket back in place. It ends up running next to what I believe is a drain tube for....something. I just made sure I put that gasket back EXACTLY as it was. If I caused leaks, I'd castrate myself. Explaining it makes it seem more difficult than it was...

The "stress loop" of antenna wire was excessive, but I had a LOT of wire to deal with.

Oh, the Midland wire has a removeable PL259 connector, that made it uber-easy to fish the wire.

 

[ChrisNLA]

At least I now know I'm not alone.....

I retired last December, my wife still works. She's 7 years my junior. My wife was instrumental in me retiring; the long hours and what ended up being unfair pay prompted her. I agreed. We ran the numbers, I could retire with zero hit on our finances. She wanted me to retire before I got hurt at work and was crippled or maimed permanently. In December I told my boss adios. I was 64 years old.

She still gets up at 0-dark-30 and goes to work. I typically get an email in the morning with her asking, "What are your plans for today ?". Her question is not accusatory, just curious. Sometimes I have a plan, sometimes I don't. She tries to be helpful, "Go to McDonald's in the morning and have a cup of coffee with all the other retiree's.". I say, "Those guys are in their 80's !! I'm not THAT old yet !!".

But when she gets home I still feel this obligation to tell her what I did that day. We have 10 cameras in and around our home, one day she said with a smile, "I think getting that Jeep as a retirement present was a good thing. You're always on it, in it or under it.". I smile. Then she adds, "Or buying something for it....". There's the dig I was waiting for.....

Gotta love her.

Maybe fits here, maybe doesn't, not Jeep related.

My ole lady and I are a long ways from retirement but our work schedules are very different from each other, so often one of us is working while the other isn't.

Anyway - when one of us is off we are always asking each other our plan for the day. Same as yall - not accusatory but just curious.

Though sometimes we assign work

I mopped the whole house last night while the kids were with their dad and step mom (easier than to let her struggle to do it with everyone home) and asked her to get a load of dishes and clothes done and work through the bathroom in return since she is off the next few days

She is extremely ADHD though so she sort of appreciates someone keeping her on task / direction...

 

[Cattywumpuss]

Yes you have to fold the windshield down a little, but once you do theres a decent gap that you can fit wires through, and once you st the windshiled back into place theres enough room that the wires don't get pinched. Theres a few threads around here, and some youtube videos that show more.

Otherwise, if you have an auto transmission theres a hole in the firewall where the clutch master cyl would be. It's really easy to access from under the hood.

Awesome, thank you for the feedback and information.

 

[Cattywumpuss]

I didn't have to fold my windshield down. On the side of the windshield is a plastic gasket cover thingy (techie term) that is held on with two push pins. Pop that off, pull the gasket free (it's press fitted, not glued) and work the wire behind it, then press the gasket back in place. It ends up running next to what I believe is a drain tube for....something. I just made sure I put that gasket back EXACTLY as it was. If I caused leaks, I'd castrate myself. Explaining it makes it seem more difficult than it was...

The "stress loop" of antenna wire was excessive, but I had a LOT of wire to deal with.

Oh, the Midland wire has a removeable PL259 connector, that made it uber-easy to fish the wire.

Great additional information, thank you! When I end up getting my radio I’ll probably want to feed the antenna wire through there in a similar fashion.

 

[Mud Pie]

Great additional information, thank you! When I end up getting my radio I’ll probably want to feed the antenna wire through there in a similar fashion.

When you get into it, you'll see how easy it was, it's almost intuitive. This Jeep is designed well and promotes things like this. Make sure you get an antenna with a removeable connector, otherwise what I did will be impossible.

I came to this Jeep from a Renegade. That piece of crap vehicle (almost turned me off Jeeps for good and I've been a Jeeper since I was 14) was a nightmare, wiring wise. If you did anything electrical to it it would lose it's mind. I'm talking put in an "unacceptable" lightbulb and the vehicle would go bat crap crazy. Your dash would flash ALL sorts of unrelated errors. The negative battery cable is a quick disconnect from the factory because you had to pull it periodically to reset the computer.

This Jeep restored my faith. Some may list a bunch or "issues". Yeah. Buy a Renegade....

 

[Cattywumpuss]

When you get into it, you'll see how easy it was, it's almost intuitive. This Jeep is designed well and promotes things like this. Make sure you get an antenna with a removeable connector, otherwise what I did will be impossible.

I came to this Jeep from a Renegade. That piece of crap vehicle (almost turned me off Jeeps for good and I've been a Jeeper since I was 14) was a nightmare, wiring wise. If you did anything electrical to it it would lose it's mind. I'm talking put in an "unacceptable" lightbulb and the vehicle would go bat crap crazy. Your dash would flash ALL sorts of unrelated errors. The negative battery cable is a quick disconnect from the factory because you had to pull it periodically to reset the computer.

This Jeep restored my faith. Some may list a bunch or "issues". Yeah. Buy a Renegade....

Noted, no Renegades in my future!

 

[BourbonRunner]

Maybe fits here, maybe doesn't, not Jeep related.

My ole lady and I are a long ways from retirement but our work schedules are very different from each other, so often one of us is working while the other isn't.

Anyway - when one of us is off we are always asking each other our plan for the day. Same as yall - not accusatory but just curious.

Though sometimes we assign work

I mopped the whole house last night while the kids were with their dad and step mom (easier than to let her struggle to do it with everyone home) and asked her to get a load of dishes and clothes done and work through the bathroom in return since she is off the next few days

She is extremely ADHD though so she sort of appreciates someone keeping her on task / direction...

I wish i could assign work to the boss. It'll never happen but I can dream, right?

I think the thing that most people don't understand is that when you're self employed and in my line of work (real estate sales) you can go all day business as normal and then one phone call can throw your entire day out of wack. When you get multiple calls like that in a day its a snowball effect. It is never an intentional "i didn't do the laundry because i didn't care to" its a prioritization. And-- being ADHD thats just how it all shakes out.

This is why i pay to have the house cleaned every other week.

BTT: I'm nearly done working for the day and about to get on my wiring project. I think.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

I saw mention of a “stress loop” above for antenna wiring. If you do this make sure it’s not an actual full loop. A curve is fine but you really don’t want anywhere where the wire crosses back onto itself. If you end up with a significant amount of extra wire route it under the carpet or behind the dash or somewhere so your line is all straight without crossing itself. Even if it’s a shielded line this can cause some screwy stuff with signal to the radio.

 

[GCBJTMojave]

Completed ARB Twin Brushless Air Compressor, switched to Aux 3. Works perfect & fast. Installed Rugged Ridge Hood Locks.

 

[Mud Pie]

I saw mention of a “stress loop” above for antenna wiring. If you do this make sure it’s not an actual full loop. A curve is fine but you really don’t want anywhere where the wire crosses back onto itself. If you end up with a significant amount of extra wire route it under the carpet or behind the dash or somewhere so your line is all straight without crossing itself. Even if it’s a shielded line this can cause some screwy stuff with signal to the radio.

No loop under the cowl, just a U bend. Actually less than the pic shows, I pull up some slack. I started with a antenna cable that was only 10' long, perfect for my setup. The connector and cable sucked BAD and was out of spec for the mount (even though the web site claimed otherwise). Returned. So I then got the Midland cable and it's 19' long. Excellent job on the antenna mount. The freaking vehicle is a tad over 18', absolutely no need for 19' wire run. I'm running from the driver's cowl to the passenger footwell. As of right now it's loosely coiled behind the dash, drivers side. My plan is to snip the wire, put on my own fitting. I haven't done that since my CB days, I'm sure it'll come back to me.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Yeah I’m probably just going to run down behind the drivers seat and back around to under the dash. Those things are so sensitive to alterations and such I don’t want to mess with it.

 

[Mud Pie]

Yeah I’m probably just going to run down behind the drivers seat and back around to under the dash. Those things are so sensitive to alterations and such I don’t want to mess with it.

Now that there is a stellar idea !! Getting the passenger kick panel off to access the factory ground lug was a mutha, but now that I know how, it should go easier (he said optimistically).

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