Phil Howell's 2022 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon Build

[Phil Howell]

Here’s my new-to-me 2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon with 3.6 eTorque, 8-speed automatic, and 4.56 gears. Although it already performs well, I plan to make a few quality modifications to further improve it.

This is going to be a semi-mild build. When I was at the magazines, we built our projects with no thought of cost. This time, that won't happen (at least, it won’t happen in phase one, lol).

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[kah.mun.rah]

Welcome! Nice Jeep!

 

[whitechocolate]

@Phil Howell looking forward to seeing your build. Thanks for all the great articles too. eTorque is a great platform too love mine.

 

[Krondor]

Here’s my new-to-me 2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon. Although it already performs well, I plan to make a few modifications to further improve it. Plus, my motto is, "If it isn't broken, fix it until it is.” View attachment 1050876

Seriously, this is going to be a semi-mild build. When I was at the magazines, we always seemed to overdo it. This time, that won't happen. I couldn't afford to do it, anyway.

Oh yeah - it has the 3.6 eTorque with 8-speed automatic and 4.56 gears.

I remember saying something similar when I got my Jeep.


Good Luck and enjoy the journey.

 

[3TV]

Nice to see you on the forums Phil. I'll be following along to see how this build goes. Then I can drive up for a long overdue visit, and you can show me some four wheeling places up there. .

Phil.

 

[jadmt]

Here’s my new-to-me 2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Xtreme Recon. Although it already performs well, I plan to make a few modifications to further improve it. Plus, my motto is, "If it isn't broken, fix it until it is.” View attachment 1050876

Seriously, this is going to be a semi-mild build. When I was at the magazines, we always seemed to overdo it. This time, that won't happen. I couldn't afford to do it, anyway.

Oh yeah - it has the 3.6 eTorque with 8-speed automatic and 4.56 gears.

Working for off-road mag I wonder if you know my buddy Willie W? I will be in Spanish fork tomorrow on my way to Moab.. great looking rig.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

To be fair, though. Sponsors/advertisers threw product at you while working in the automotive press. Now, you have to live like the rest of us.

 

[Phil Howell]

Working for off-road mag I wonder if you know my buddy Willie W? I will be in Spanish fork tomorrow on my way to Moab.. great looking rig.

Thanks! Sure I know Willie Worthy. He's a great guy.

 

[Phil Howell]

To be fair, though. Sponsors/advertisers threw product at you while working in the automotive press. Now, you have to live like the rest of us.

That is true. It's especially tough when you know what you like, and the things you want and know that they work are expensive!

 

[jadmt]

Thanks! Sure I know Willie Worthy. He's a great guy.

yes he andJeannie are great people. he has taught me a lot.

 

[Phil Howell]

The first thing I did to my Jeep was to remove the greasy black tire dressing the dealer put on. It was tough, but I finally found that Dawn Powerwash did the trick. Until new tires are installed, this will do.

Next, I removed the wings from the factory steel front bumper and installed a new Warn ZEON XC 10-S winch, using Warn's factory bumper winch mount (thanks, T.J. and Jaren Bishop, who helped). Everything went smoothly until I found the ZEON XC's control pack interfered with the bumper opening. After measuring and using a grinder and a flap disc, the winch now fits. Yes, that small scrape you see on the bumper is from a slipping grinder. Oops.

Also, notice I installed a Master Pull Superline winch line. Emil at Master Pull was the first to offer synthetic winch lines, and the Superline synthetic ropes are still some of the finest available. An added plus is that the Superline is MUCH easier to install on the ZEON drum.

The finished product looks great. The low-profile ZEON XC 10-S winch doesn't protrude into the grille opening at all.

 

[gek]

The first thing I did to my Jeep was to remove the greasy black tire dressing the dealer put on. It was tough, but I finally found that Dawn Powerwash did the trick. Until new tires are installed, this will do.

Next, I removed the wings from the factory steel front bumper and installed a new Warn ZEON XC 10-S winch, using Warn's factory bumper winch mount (thanks, T.J. and Jaren Bishop, who helped). Everything went smoothly until I found the ZEON XC's control pack interfered with the bumper opening. After measuring and using a grinder and a flap disc, the winch now fits. Yes, that small scrape you see on the bumper is from a slipping grinder. Oops.

Also, notice I installed a Master Pull Superline winch line. Emil at Master Pull was the first to offer synthetic winch lines, and the Superline synthetic ropes are still some of the finest available. An added plus is that the Superline is MUCH easier to install on the ZEON drum.

The finished product looks great. The low-profile ZEON XC 10-S winch doesn't protrude into the grille opening at all. View attachment 1051444

That is really well done.

 

[Upnover]

How much cutting did you have to do? It looks really clean.

 

[ArmyRN]

I thought that name sounded familiar.

 

[Phil Howell]

How much cutting did you have to do? It looks really clean.

Thank you! I hope I can explain this well enough. If you check out the second full photo of the bumper, on the driver side, go toward the winch opening from the red hook. You see the two bolts, then one more bolt where it tapers down to the opening. The passenger side was the same. The cut started in front, and went over just about to where the bumper started to taper down, and went back from there. Notice that the one bolt on the taper is gone. A step bit at the corner was used to make a radius at the turn, but when we reinstalled the bumper, the cut wasn't enough. So, back with the grinder, cutting past where the step bit hole was and straight to the back, then did a lot of clean up and made a clean radius with a flap disc.

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