Uh Oh... Another Toy

Maybe a mod could move this to an other builds forum.

I added a set of 285 Mickey Thompson Baja Boss MT's. Probably should've gone with 35 inch tires but I'm stuck now.
Took the Jeep on another trail ride this last Saturday and was really impressed with it. Being 1/3 the weight of my 4Runner it climbs rock ledges with ease. My 4Runner would've slid off the 2 rock ledges I went up at an angle on.




Had a 2.5 inch lift and sway bar disconnects added yesterday. Holy crap it got big!!!

 

I had 06LJ 6speed with 90,000 and got $10,000 on trade for 4Runner in 2018. Miss her but same as you I have a young daughter and felt the 4rn better at this stage

my Father has an 02 with 130,000 and will keep forever

 

The incandescent head lights on these Jeeps are garbage. They barely light up the road at night. The brights light up the sky. The fog lights are crap too.

My friend that installed the lift told me that J.W. Speaker makes the best replacement LED head lights at $480 a pair.
https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...r-8700-evolution-j2-black-bezel-headlight-kit

Turns out these 6 inch to 7 inch round head lights go into lots of vehicles - Semi's, old cars, even Mini-Coopers. Doing some more research on one of the Wrangler Forums and talking to a friend - Pro Comp LED's area highly rated.

I went with a set of these @ $244.99 a pair:
https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/pro-comp-7-round-led-driving-headlights-76402p/_/R-DFCW-76402P

Now I'm looking for Amber Fog Lights. Plus either Round Off Road LED Lights or a Light Bar.

My Chinese winch bumper has a place to mount lights. I would like to keep the round theme going.

 

A little lift comparison.

Stock:

2.5 inch lift with 285's:

 

The Jeep build continues.

My Warn VR10 crapped out again. I had previously sent it into Warn for repair. I swapped a Harbor Freight Badlands 9k winch into the 4Runner in the meantime. I went restring the Warn on my Jeep and had no power plus the handle wouldn't move. Then this happened:



Said the hell with it and bought another Badlands 9k winch w/ the 2 or 3 year insurance. Figure if and when the Badlands craps out, I can swap it out at my local Harbor Freight.

I wheeled with a kid in a 4th gen 4Runner and offered him the Warn. It's still under warranty and he can send it into Warn again.

I also installed the Pro Comp LED headlights. The install was super easy. Remove 6 clips on top of the grill, pull the grill off. Unscrew the retainer rings on the OEM headlights and unplug them. Reverse the order for the new lights.




They are fantastic. 100% improvement over the stock headlights. Checkout that cutoff!
Lows:

Brights are almost light bar bright!


Copying some of my work on the 4Runner. I added a Ram Ball - phone mount. Simply drilled 2 holes into the dash and use a pair of small picture hanging screws.



Yesterday I was working on the fender liners. Had to undo some of the work I did to install the fenders. I hate duplicating efforts but got to do what you gotta do. Got 1/4 of the way into it and realized I needed this upper screw hangers. 2 of mine were torn out when I hit that tree. I have become friends with a local body shop owner. Stopped by his place last night and he ordered some for me. Should have them in today.

I'm following this video for the fender liner install:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYbzLXZpIQk

 

So now, I'm debating on how to use the Jeep. It's so pretty looking now. My 4Runner is scratched to hell. Part of me wants to make the Jeep a trail toy. The other part of me says, keep the Jeep pretty, and continue to use the 4Runner off road.

This coming Saturday evening, I have jeep event to go to. It's a meet and greet show and tell at a VFW. I'm kind of looking forward to it.

In my opinion the Jeep Wrangler is the most iconic American vehicle. Never having owned one before, I'm enjoying it. Yes it drives like crap on pavement compared to my 4Runner.

 

As a former long-time Jeep freak, I really like all you've done with your JK, with the exception of the cut-off fender flare style. Never cared for that look. I'd prefer the type in your fender liner video, but they're pricey...IMO only, though...

 

I like the look of them but the functionality is crap. If it rains and there are puddles, my Jeep is covered in mud.
I might replace them with a wider fender down the line. These were a cheap Amazon purchase. I'm not ready to swap them yet but could see doing so in the future.

They do have an interesting water show feature. At slow speeds in the rain, there water shooting up into the sky from the front tires.

 

That seems so backwards, having a late model 4R as a trail toy and a 2 door Wrangler as the "pretty" one, lol.

Maybe look into paint correction for the 4R to maybe bring it some of the way back?

And I agree, the Jeep is an icon. Owning one can be a lifestyle.

Same. I realize that's done for functionality, but I really dislike the look.

Same with the "viper" cut on 4Runners, I think that looks terrible.

 

Crazy right!

The problem with cleaning up the 4Runner is, I hate to say it, I'll be tempted to off load it.
Leaving it scratched up and ugly, that temptation is removed.

 

Just
Empty
Every
Pocket

 

Why would you be tempted? Either you want to keep it or you don't, haha. If you don't think you really need or want to keep it, just sell it and buy a more economical DD, and then you'll have plenty of money to really mod the Jeep!

 

Chatted with my sister yesterday, she mentioned wanting a 4Runner. Told her I'll clean up mine and she can have it. We'll keep it in the family. I figure I'd sell it to her for trade in value or around mid 30's. I have Highlander that is a little more economical.

I finally figured out the godawful lack of straight line handling in the Jeep. My tire pressure was too high. I had the 285/70R17 Mickey Thompson Baja Boss MT tires at 38 PSI. The Jeep would barely hold a straight line at that tire pressure. Going 70mph on the highway was absolutely scary!

Chatting with some Jeep owning friends they recommended dumping the PSI to 28 in the front and 30 in rear.
Did that and holly hell it's like a completely different vehicle. Holds the curves and hills now at speed. No more ping pong ball effect going down the road. Figure the Jeep weighs 1/2 what of what the 4Runner weighs. It doesn't need the same PSI the 4Runner uses.

Then there is the Jeep Wrangler Wave thing - feeling down, go take a ride in your Jeep to a major city. Other Wrangler owners will go out of their way to wave at you. Especially if your Jeep is modified.

Anywho some short trail ride vids:
1m31sec
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtiZizfrIMc

Creek Crossing 46sec
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIcSM0j6bVI

 

lol @ the wave. whenever i drove my GFs wrangler she would get annoyed that i refused to wave at other wrangler owners.

 

I find myself waving at 4Runners.

I live in the sticks, get near the main town, and everyone waves at everyone.

 

i typically only wave at people i know, or if someone motions me thru an intersection or what not.

there were a ton of wranglers around town when she had hers. i would have been waving at every 3rd or 4th car, which seemed kind of annoying to me. but i do get the friendly aspect of it. similar to harley owners waving at each other.

 

These damn Jeeps have a habit of multiplying...

My SO's 2021 JL 2 door Sport:

We traded in our convertible Mini Cooper S for it. The Mini Cooper was fun to drive but a little scary with all the huge F350 cattle trucks we have around here. Mini-14 with Mini Cooper



I've been forbidden from taking it off road but will swap the 255/75R17 BFG AT KO2 tires I took off the Willys over to it. It has the 2.0 turbo and is really fun to drive. Hit the gas hard and it goes, pushes you back into your seat. Plus it gets 28mpg which is amazing for a brick.

 

Yes yes let it flow. In before 37’s and 5:13’s. I just regeared mine and Now I’m drooling over 40’s

 

Led a 19 vehicle trail ride on Saturday:


Was a good time.

Sunday found a "new to me" area on Bull Shoals Lake to take a pic:

 

1st time (ever) taking a Jeep top off. I need driver side mirror before I remove the doors.


Drove around, got a little sun burnt, life is good.

 

A few updates. Once I took the top off, I had to try driving the Jeep standing. Squatting is more like it:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ssk_418Y8-Y

Hate to say it but my 4Runner is becoming neglected. I need to take it over to the body shop and get it buffed / the dents fixed. Kind of thinking of trading it and our Highlander for a 2022 Crew Max Tundra 4x4.

Otherwise not much new. Have been doing weekly trail rides in the Jeep.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm80oswPetc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YUvC1ifGRg

Almost winched on this mud hole at the base of a hill climb.



I could get the front tires up it but the rears just wouldn't get up.


Chatting with others on the trail ride, they recommended straddling the hole with my passenger tires on the wall. That did the trick. The Jeep climbed right up it and I learned something new!



Some tiktok vids of that hole.

Failure: Success: