Enthusiast I
Figured I'd start a build thread. Never done one before but here we go.
Bought my 2013 JK about 3 years ago now. Started off completely stock as most people do, and just started buying stuff for it. I knew right off the bat this was going to be a budget build of a Jeep, but there were certain things I was not going to skimp on.
There are currently parts of my Jeep build I'm very proud of, and others I'm embarrassed to show off but feel I should as it shows the progress of things I've done. Learning what works well and what doesn't and improving on what I have. Please, feel free to add your 2 cents! I'm open to suggestions on how I can better improve on my rig!
Links to all the parts I have:
(soon)
Exterior
Here's a picture of how it sat the day I bought it. At first I never considered doing an "overland" build for it. I never really knew what overlanding was until videos from IAmJake started poping up in my YouTube channel, and I instantly knew what I wanted to do with my Jeep.
Very first thing I did was order 33's. The stock tires are just way too small for these Jeeps out the factory. Since I'm local Firefighter\EMT I also got my lights and siren installed.
Up next came the fenders. Wen't with some cheap Razer Auto fenders because they both looked really neat with the lights in them and they fit my budget.
Out of all honest, what started coming up next began what I consider the "ugly phase" of my build. I did limb risers and a massive front bumper. If I was to do it all over again, I'd do 35's and the lift kit first, then bumpers and fenders. Yes, this first round of pictures are pretty much all driveway shots. They get better I promise!
I'm going to fast forward this a bit. A while after doing the bumpers, limb risers, fenders etc I ended up pulling the trigger on a Gobi Stealth rack. This was one of the mods I didn't wan't to cheap out on. I wanted something that I could trust with heavy loads but also look nice. I had considered the Barracaid rack, but it just stuck out too far from the body of the Jeep and I didn't think it looked that nice.
On top of the roof rack, I also ended up getting a Badlands 12,000lb winch as a gift, and got myself a RC Black Series 12" Lightbar for the front of the bumper. Lights before lockers right? Around the same time I got my RTT. I had followed Brad's videos from Trail Recon on his Smittybilt RTT and figured it would be a good starting tent. It fit the budget, and honestly I was impressed with the quality out of the box. Spent a few nights in it during the winter and now I understand why people who winter camp like the larger tents with the larger area that encloses the ladder. I was pretty nervous having my Mr. Buddy heater right next to me while I was sleeping. I tied it off to the tent supports and had it elevated on a platform, but I'd still rather (in the future) invest in one of the larger tents that has the enclosed ladder annex space.
Up next it was time to address my horrible factory suspension. The shocks were shot, springs where sagging and it needed a major overhaul. I figured now is the best time to do a lift kit, and this wasn't going to be something I would cheap out on. I wen't with the Rock Krawler 3.5" Mid arm kit, complete with both track bars and all control arms. Didn't have the funds to do the drive shafts at the same time, but its on the list. So far I just have the exhaust spacers in and no issues yet. Hopefully it holds up. After the lift was done I sold my 33's and got myself 35" Duratrac tires. The lift actually ended up giving me nearly 6" of height, so now I wish I had gone with 37's.
And so far, that's what I have done for the exterior. The list is still very long, but I'm rapidly making progress at a much faster rate than I thought.
Here's just some random pics of the Jeep as it sits today. I don't daily run the RTT, only when I wan't to actually go camping. I have a few big trips planned for the summer so I'll have some great pics soon!
Bought my 2013 JK about 3 years ago now. Started off completely stock as most people do, and just started buying stuff for it. I knew right off the bat this was going to be a budget build of a Jeep, but there were certain things I was not going to skimp on.
There are currently parts of my Jeep build I'm very proud of, and others I'm embarrassed to show off but feel I should as it shows the progress of things I've done. Learning what works well and what doesn't and improving on what I have. Please, feel free to add your 2 cents! I'm open to suggestions on how I can better improve on my rig!
Links to all the parts I have:
(soon)
Exterior
Here's a picture of how it sat the day I bought it. At first I never considered doing an "overland" build for it. I never really knew what overlanding was until videos from IAmJake started poping up in my YouTube channel, and I instantly knew what I wanted to do with my Jeep.
Very first thing I did was order 33's. The stock tires are just way too small for these Jeeps out the factory. Since I'm local Firefighter\EMT I also got my lights and siren installed.
Up next came the fenders. Wen't with some cheap Razer Auto fenders because they both looked really neat with the lights in them and they fit my budget.
Out of all honest, what started coming up next began what I consider the "ugly phase" of my build. I did limb risers and a massive front bumper. If I was to do it all over again, I'd do 35's and the lift kit first, then bumpers and fenders. Yes, this first round of pictures are pretty much all driveway shots. They get better I promise!
I'm going to fast forward this a bit. A while after doing the bumpers, limb risers, fenders etc I ended up pulling the trigger on a Gobi Stealth rack. This was one of the mods I didn't wan't to cheap out on. I wanted something that I could trust with heavy loads but also look nice. I had considered the Barracaid rack, but it just stuck out too far from the body of the Jeep and I didn't think it looked that nice.
On top of the roof rack, I also ended up getting a Badlands 12,000lb winch as a gift, and got myself a RC Black Series 12" Lightbar for the front of the bumper. Lights before lockers right? Around the same time I got my RTT. I had followed Brad's videos from Trail Recon on his Smittybilt RTT and figured it would be a good starting tent. It fit the budget, and honestly I was impressed with the quality out of the box. Spent a few nights in it during the winter and now I understand why people who winter camp like the larger tents with the larger area that encloses the ladder. I was pretty nervous having my Mr. Buddy heater right next to me while I was sleeping. I tied it off to the tent supports and had it elevated on a platform, but I'd still rather (in the future) invest in one of the larger tents that has the enclosed ladder annex space.
Up next it was time to address my horrible factory suspension. The shocks were shot, springs where sagging and it needed a major overhaul. I figured now is the best time to do a lift kit, and this wasn't going to be something I would cheap out on. I wen't with the Rock Krawler 3.5" Mid arm kit, complete with both track bars and all control arms. Didn't have the funds to do the drive shafts at the same time, but its on the list. So far I just have the exhaust spacers in and no issues yet. Hopefully it holds up. After the lift was done I sold my 33's and got myself 35" Duratrac tires. The lift actually ended up giving me nearly 6" of height, so now I wish I had gone with 37's.
And so far, that's what I have done for the exterior. The list is still very long, but I'm rapidly making progress at a much faster rate than I thought.
Here's just some random pics of the Jeep as it sits today. I don't daily run the RTT, only when I wan't to actually go camping. I have a few big trips planned for the summer so I'll have some great pics soon!
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