The Black Pearl

[PDB]

Named after the paint code during the build. Then fate turned me in to a one eyed captain of the ship so, quite appropriate.

2010 Diesel Jeep WK/WH (RHD) S-Ltd (black leather and aluminium SRT interior - only 250 sold in UK). Now 155k miles. Owned since Oct 2015. Purchased with 75K miles on the clock. Very reliable and very capable. Very well built and maintained - mostly not by me, I don't have a garage, but the concepts and research for modding, parts and outfitting are mine. Modified by the excellent Paul Brown, outfitted by myself and straight forward mods by local garages.

Dual purpose vehicle for work and recreation. Modded and outfitted as a comfortable fast tourer for base camping and trail riding, and as a welfare support vehicle at work. Surrounded by trails so often take the long way home. Executive jeepin'.

Not many WK s outfitted for overland which is odd - they even had an overland model. Perhaps its because of poor aftermarket. I took this on board, found the parts and did it anyway for something you don't see often. I hope what I found helps others.

I'll get to the interior outfitting in following posts.

Engine drivetrain and suspension

• Mercedes OM642 Common Rail Diesel V6 engine.
• Remapped ECU to 627Nm/ 463ft/lbs torque, 290 BHP/ 216KW.
• DTE Pedalbox 9 stage throttle controller (overrides ESP throttle suppression if required).
• K&N Panel air filter.
• Gearbox Mercedes WA580 5 speed automatic with torque converter.
• NV245 Transfer case and Quadra-trac II traction control. Centre locking diff with low range 2.72:1 and ESP auto disable. Permanent 4WD high range and ESP partial disable.
• Hill descent control every gear, forward and reverse in low range. Speed according to gear selected (don't select 'D' on a steep hill).
• Hill start brake assist, every gear forward and reverse, high and low range.
• AEV EGR electronic recalibration for shift point and speedometer change for 31.5" tyres.
• 3.55 Gears. 65mph @ 2000rpm, 100mph @ 2900rpm. Pulls and pulls like a train.
• Chrysler 8.25" rear axle with ARB diff cover and ARB RD93 air locker. 29 spline, 30mm/ 1.21" drive shafts (in use, brake traction control still supplied to front drive). New bearings and axle seals. High pressure gear additive.
• ARB diff breathers and transmission vented to engine bay firewall.
• Mercedes 8" open front diff. New bearings and seals.
• JBA uprated geometry corrected front UCA with uprated greaseable ball joints (marine greased).
• Moog problem solver lower ball joints, greaseable with gusher boots (marine greased).
• Moog problem solver inner and outer tie rods, greaseable with gusher boots (marine greased).
• Old Man Emu Heavy Duty springs for 2" lift front and rear.
• Old Man Emu shocks front and rear.
• Rated rear axle limiter straps for rear shock protection.
• EBC Yellow Stuff brake pads.
• Odyssey PC1350 Battery.
• 5 x Quadratec Moab wheels 17 x 8.5 +11mm offset. 10Kg each. TPMS.
• 5 x Cooper ST Maxx 265/70/17 LT tyres 121/119Q. 24.5Kg each.
• EZ Flares 1.5".
• Bosal low profile EU type approved removeable towbar package with flip up 7 pin electric socket. Key locked.
• Inboard onboard air compressor - ARB CKMA12 for air locker plus pump up kit for tyre inflation.
• Jeeperf adjustable swaybar links front and rear with greaseable softpoly and teflon heim joints.
• Jeeperf rear adjustable trackbar with greaseable soft poly bush and teflon heim joint.
• Jeeperf rear adjustable UCAs with tank clearance and ESP bracket. Greaseable softpoly spherical bushes.
• Jeeperf rear adjustable LCAs with greaseable softpoly spherical bushes and teflon heim joints.
• Jeeperf front LCA softpoly bushes
• Jeeperf front strut lower clevis hybrid softpoly spherical bushing.
• Rear axle re-centred, pinon angle zeroed and track 4 wheel laser aligned.

Vision & Comms

• Heatshot heated windscreen washer fluid.
• Heated wing mirrors and rear window. Heated rear wiper fluid.
• PIAA pure silicone rally wiper blades for windscreen water beading.
• Halogen yellow Hella 2900K extreme main beam bulbs for snow and rain (heat melts snow on lens).
• HID D1S low beam with headlight washers and auto level adjust.
• Halogen yellow Hella 2900K extreme fog lamp bulbs (halogen heat melts snow on lens).
• LED white sidelight bulbs.
• Weathertech window vent shields all around.
• White LED sidelight bulbs.
• Wilderness lighting 20" double row lightbar wired to main beam and isolated (road legal). IP69 rated. Combination spot/flood beam. 16,800 lumens. Low profile for airflow to radiators.
• Front and rear number plate cameras integrated to display on uprated twin video feed port ,Pioneer head unit with digital radio, bluetooth hands free phone microphone, android auto and apple car play wireless auto connect.
• Front & rear parking sensors.
• Rock lights under sills for puddle lights on entry/exit, plus x2 mounted in open tailgate as downlighters for cargo loading.
• Wilderness lighting rear reversing scene lights in bumper, plus LED bulbs in stock reversing lamps.
• 4xGuard/JBA rear quarter CB aerial mount with hidden cable - no snag.
• Midland 42 dual channel handheld CB with in car kit, interference filter and 1.5m/5ft stainless steel 3/8" whip aerial. Sirio PL2039 aerial mount and co-axial cable with 3/8" adaptor. 10 mile range.
• Navigation apps and on-line and off-line maps to Samsung tablet and 4G phone. Low profile dash mag mounts.

Protection and recovery

• Asfir full underbody protection 6mm alloy. Steering, front diff, sump and T/case.
• ARB rear diff cover.
• Stock fuel tank steel skid.
• 4xGuard 6mm steel rock sliders, 8" wide, narrow section for increased sill clearance. Includes two Hi-lift jack points each side. Raptor coated and colour matched.
• 4xGuard rear sliders x 2, recovery and hi-lift jack points. Raptor coated.
• Front Warn recovery hooks rated bolted to the winch tray. Raptor coated.
• Front Rocky Road hidden winch tray, notched to fit radiators.
• WinchMax IP68 Military Spec 13,500lb winch with 11mm dyneema rope and heavy duty military hook. 2 x wireless controllers. Isolator switch in cab. Hidden behind front bumper and licence plate holder - slide out numberplate to access rope. Slide out grill for total winch access (4 poppers).Grill access hatch to clutch handle. Stainless steel splash guard behind winch drum to protect radiators from winching splatter.
• Raptor coated and colour matched front and rear bumpers.
• Full dinitrol underbody anti corrosion coating.
• Full dinitrol corroheat engine bay, caliper and shocks heat resistant anti corrosion coating.
• Luggage cargo guard rated to 35Kg and rear passenger seat cargo net shelf protection from rear luggage guard to headrests.
• Interior mud mats, quick fit neoprene seat covers.

One SR Ltd badge (special recon) and one unofficial but I think deserving 'Jeep Trail Rated' badge.

 

[WJJEEPIN]

Very clean rig, looks good.

 

[PDB]

Thanks. She is pinstriped down both sides with a couple of shallow hi-lift dings. Scars of honour. The trails are narrow and twisty here, and the gates narrower. Got to have a spotter to see me through with my rig. Then there are the gorse bushes and low branches. Lots of stone rash on the rims too. She's no show pony but she still shines up well with a wax.

 

[PDB]

Grill hatch opened for winch clutch handle access. Number plate slid out to expose fairlead. I have yet to cut the stainless steel mesh to fit in the air dam behind the hooks, to protect the radiators from sticks and stones. Skid guard visible and extends all the way back to the t/case cross member as a one piece, with oil drain plug access.

Clearance
Clearance at 6000lbs GVM:
Front diff guard ground clearance 13"
Rear diff ground clearance 10"
Rear slider ground clearance 20"
Front bumper ground clearance 20"
Rock rail ground clearance 18"
Approach angle 44 degrees to bumper
Departure angle 36 degrees to bumper
Breakover angle 23 degrees to rock sliders


These are capable numbers. If she can't crawl out, she can skid out.

 

[PDB]

Outfitting

The concept here is:
1) Short stops - quick access to seats, table and stove. The quick erect privacy tent is wide enough for two chairs and a table if shelter required.

2) For base camping - a stand up quick erect shelter similar to the Gazelle and the jeep can leave without tearing down camp, but can take the fridge, powerpack, solar panel and kitchen or not, depending on security or needs.

Jeep Layout

Behind backseats

Full tool kits, permanently mounted compressor and hi-lift behind the back seats and fridge, accessed by folding the seats down through the back doors - no digging for gear. 2x Z-rest foam mattresses strapped to cargo guard between headrests on backseat. 2 x plyboards for table top cooking, jack boards, changing etc. Back seat has a pet hammock cargo net to secure soft gear. sleeping bags, pillows and jackets stuff between cargo net and roof with 2x passengers. pet hammock converts to seat cover and cargo net straps bedding to roof if 4x passengers.

Left side cargo

First aid, 2x helinox cots, 2x helinox swivel chairs and camp shower (seaflo on demand wash down kit - read 'empty your jerry can in 1 minute' - good for cleaning belts radiator and alternator at the next stream) down left side of fridge. 6 x sand/snow anchors. 4 person emergency bothy bag shelter. The hanging stove (MSR Reactor kettle) tucks in the left side for quick access by the side of rmgel 40l fridge secured to lightweight Engel transit slide lock.

Right side cargo

Full recovery kit down the right side of the boxes. ARB pump up kit with inflator and airgun (good for cleaning sand and air filter). One wolf box has the kitchen including oven, grill plate, bamboo crockery, biodegradable soaps etc. Separate quick access kitchen utensil pack. The magma pan set with dragonfly stove and primus gas stove inside slots on the right with MSR fuel bottle. 20 litre folding bucket, 2x boundarytec 15 litre water bladders with showercoil for hot shower from camp stove (each bladder sits in each rear passenger footwell when full). MSR miniEX works waterfilter. UV steripen water purifier. Second wolf box empty for packing food, except for freeze dried emergency packs. A frontrunner chair slots on top of the wolf boxes under the shelf - have to sit up properly for eating.

On the shelf table top

Lithium 46ah powerpack with 300W AC inverter, various DC and USB ports, 7amp ac charging and 15amp solar charger. Noco battery charger and Noco booster pack. Second 300W inverter to charge powerpack from car battery whilst travelling as well as solar. Electrics box with 5 bar orange/white LED camp lighting, leads, spare electrical fittings, second 10amp solar charger. Fire blanket and lightweight firestryker potassium fire extinguisher. The table folds and fits on the top shelf (second table/workbench) with a second frontrunner chair.

100W solar panel slides in between the boxes and fridge down the middle in protective foam sleeve. The water jerry can fits in behind the 2 x wolf boxes (lifesaver filter or normal depending). A bivvy loo tops off all your needs. Sleeping shelter, privacy tent and bivvy loo exhaust containers strap to the roof rack. Breadboard slots under seal lip of bumper as a shelf, as do the plyboards. Quick effective system and no room for rattles!

 

[PDB]

During routine checks and maintenance, I was thinking about wheel studs coming lose, especially after trail use. Rather than go around checking every stud with a wrench, there are simpler ways. I attached these indicators at a specific angle and pushed them on. Really have to pry to get them off so trail secure and flexible tips. This way, wheel stud checks are as quick and easy as a walk around. I could still lose the security lug, but that wouldn't be critical and would be seen.

 

[PDB]

I have now figured out a way to sleep two and a staffy in the vehicle with everything still inside for total stealth if needed, or if its too damn cold for a tent. Very handy for when you can't find an official campsite in urban areas. Sometimes its better to gather some highway miles through the night, and sleep it off in the corner of a supermarket carpark in the morning.

Fold the back seats down, place the tool boxes in the front passenger foot well and hi-lift on the roofrack. The fridge on the front passenger seat (can still open). Solar panel across the dash, boxes for support in the rear passenger foot wells and the water can on the drivers seat. The fridge transit lock unscrews with 4 screws and straps to the cargo guard. The ever versatile plyboards bridge a flat support. Job done.

Ear plugs always a good idea. If the fridge is too noisy, it can lock to a wheel outside, as can the solar panel.

 

[PDB]

Tools easy access above the floor hatches between the seats and fridge and wolf boxes. Weight aligned in front of rear axle.

 

[PDB]

Take out the tool boxes for access to the scissor jack, tyre levers and torque wrenches in the floor hatches.

Slide out the fridge and wolf boxes for access to the wheel winch tray and more storage. The Engel transit slide lock, wolf boxes and water jerry can conveniently fit perfectly on the removable floor. This is useful because the floor acts as a raised waterproof tray (underside is hard plastic) to store the fridge and boxes off the ground in camp. The wheel winch can be used to lift a tray of fuel cans for extra range, carried low under the vehicle.

100W solar panel slides next to the fridge.

 

[PDB]

Thule 838 canoe tie downs work great as temporary limb risers through wooded sections. Just hook to the winch plate and roof rack and ratchet tight. Prevents branches getting wedged under the roofrack.

 

[PDB]

Cargo net and pet hammock combo excellent for safe storage on the back seat. Un-clip from the headrests and turn into a seat cover as the seat belt buckles fit through slots. The cargo net is great for storing bedding or jackets. If we have passengers it just un-clips and rolls away or holds down the passenger luggage on the roofrack.

 

[PDB]

The ARB compressor is mounted behind the rear seats. Out of the way, protected from the elements and heat, and close to the rear diff air locker to reduce hose length and snagging risk. The cargo guard being half height is also very versatile. The lantern usually swings from the cargo net for interior lighting and has a wireless control.

 

[PDB]

JBA upper control arms with ESP bracket, geometry corrected for the lift.. Up-rated greaseable ball joints with shortened bolt stud for tyre clearance. OME front struts and HD coils.



Stainless steel splash guard to protect the radiators from mud fling when winching.

 

[PDB]

Uprated head unit to Pioneer with digital radio, bluetooth hands free phone microphone, android auto and apple car play auto connect. Integrated twin video feed display for front and rear cameras.

Auxillary switch panel looks stock, mounted in dash cubby with winch isolator, lightbar, compressor and rear locker easy hit switches.

Handheld dual channel CB with in car kit connected plus quick reach mike. Quickly switches out to battery pack for spotting or if one of us wanders off to fetch water etc.

Electronic throttle controller mounted underneath the CB.

 

[PDB]

6 rocklights give good unobtrusive camp lighting to cargo area and as puddle lights. 2 each side and 2 in the tailgate. Activated remotely from phone app up to 50m away.

 

[PDB]

Water

Seaflo washdown pump kit hangs from a cargo load ring on a sling. Heavy duty on demand switch. very powerful shower for radiator, brakes and pulley belt wash down after mud runs. Empties 20 litres in a minute so careful use unless next to a water supply. Switch cycles on off too much on low flow.





Hot Water

We use the Boundary tec shower coil to efficiently heat 15 litres of water at a time over a camp fire or stove. 15l takes about 15mins. The kit comes with 2 x 15l water bladders. Weighs next to nothing and packs down small. Together with our jerry can we can carry 50l of water. The full bladders fit in the rear passenger footwells for safe low down weight distribution, and can go in the front of the roof rack if rear passenger space is needed. Also have a 20l collapsible bucket we pour warm water into for a sponge bath then quick blast off with the washdown kit from the bucket.



Drinking water

For drinking water we use the Lifesystems purifier jerry can. We also carry a MSR ex miniworks filter pump and Steripen ultra rechargeable UV purifier. Because that is what we already had for backpacking and is lightweight redundancy. The issue is faff and time.

The lifesaver is faff free and saves a lot of time but is still a slow pour without pumping. We gravity feed 15l of purified water into one of the bladders whilst busy doing other camp duties. Just fill it up, pump it up, turn it on its side and connect a hose from tap to bladder. Job done.

Note I say purified. The filter removes viruses which most gravity filters do not.

 

[472HemiGTX]

Very impressive and well thought build. Nice work.

 

[Neonsnow78]

wow, thats a great looking rig!

 

[PDB]

Thanks. I can't tell you how much time I've spent researching and executing this build. I think my beautiful better half probably could.

So that is the purpose of this thread - share the benefit of that research. I mean who has the time right?

The vehicle is just part of the puzzle, so this is a very integrated build thread of what is required for self reliance in Europe. Possibly further afield if it all works.

 

[PDB]

Camp electrics

• 38ah lithium powerpack @ 3kg with inbuilt 15amp PWM (upto 300W) solar input charger and ac 7amp charger. Inbuilt 300W pure sinewave inverter, USB and 2.1mm and cig socket DC jacks. Inbuilt LED lamp. 80% DoD.
• Second 300W modified sinewave cig socket inverter with low voltage shutoff and USB output jack.
• 100W 5amp quality folding monocrystalline solar panel.
• 10amp MPPT bluetooth solar charger with phone app.
• 5 bar LED camp light set up max 2.5amp draw
• Noco GB70 2000 amp booster powerpack. DC output jack and lamp. USB input charger. 80% DoD.
• Noco G3500 3 amp smart battery charger for AGM.
• Odyssey 1350 cranking amps high power pure lead plate AGM starter/deep cycle battery 95ah. 80% DoD.
• Various adaptors and cables kit
• LED mag/clip beacon strobe/camp lamp/powerpack. USB input and output. Remote control. 6400amh. IP65 rated.
• Small aquarium circulation pump 2.1mm jack micro amp draw for water container freeze resistance.
• Engel 45 platinum 40l fridge freezer. Typical 0.5amp draw as fridge. Max 2.5amp.
• Small pocket powerpacks charged when driving/through solar powerpack for smart devices in camp.
• Compact LED headtorches
• Samsung tablet for navigation, apps and offline mapping. Smart phone with 4G for online and hotspotting to tablet.