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BROOX's 2DR Billet Silver Rubicon

broox

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I don't plan on doing anything too crazy, but I wanted to use this space to document mods with my first build thread.

Backstory

I've always driven 2-door coupes and hatchbacks. My current car is BMW M4, which has been my only vehicle for the last few years. I live in Iowa and didn't wanna drive my M4 in the snow - so I decided to uber around town on bad weather days... Last year, we had a terrible winter where I wound up ubering for months.

... that winter is ultimately what led me to buy a Jeep.

First, I decided that I wanted to find a cheap 4WD vehicle that could get me around in the winter but also be used in the summer. I wanted it to be something fun, but a different kind of fun than my M4. Trucks don't interest me, most SUVs are boring, and I didn't just want an AWD car. A Wrangler fit the mold perfectly. It's 4WD, convertible, easily customizable, capable of towing a small trailer, something to tinker with, and something that would give me the types of fun that my coupe doesn't.

Getting to a 2-door JLR

I quickly realized that wranglers retain their value ridiculously well and that finding a good, cheap used one was nearly impossible... I also learned that the model that I liked the style of the most (the YJ) was one of the worst models made. So then I started looking at TJs and JKs until I learned just how much better the JLs are... so I eventually decided to just bite the bullet and get exactly what I wanted in a new JLR. And I stuck with what I've always owned, a 2-door.

Goals
  • capable winter vehicle
  • fun year round
  • something to give me what my coupe doesn't
  • coolness factor (gadgets, tech, add-ons)
  • get off-road
Plans

I live in Des Moines, the capitol of Iowa... which is unfortunately not the capitol of off-roading. This vehicle will be on paved roads 99% of the time, which makes me sad, but I'm always looking for spots nearby to get this thing off-road... and am trying to take some road trips for more fun.

This Rubicon is already more capable than I need, so my mods will be fairly minimal but I'm already tired of it looking like every other stock Jeep on the road. I want it to be different but also tasteful.

I've spent HOURS digging through forums, parts websites and instagram to get an idea of what's out there. As soon as I think I've seen every set of side-steps or bumpers, I learn about some random shop in the middle of nowhere crafting their own badass products. These machines are true "hackers" vehicles, and as a software engineer, builder, and tinkerer - that excites me.

Everything in italics is not done yet.

Exterior
Interior/Cargo
Technology
Protection
Recovery
Tops
The wishlist keeps growing, and taking nice chunks out of my bank account, but it's super fun to mildly build this (bought) bad-ass vehicle into something cooler.

Initial regrets

I go back and forth about the color every day. Some days I love my Billet Silver. Other days I wish I had Mojito, White, or Black. I also go back and forth about whether I should've gotten body-matched top and fenders.

I sometimes wish I would've gone with the 2.0 turbo for the better MPG... and because turbos are fun.

And totally a first-world problem, but I definitely regretted not getting the proximity door lock/unlock feature. My wife and I have it in our other vehicles, so I was constantly walking up to my Jeep with full hands and then have to dig my keyfob out. I was luckily able to retrofit this kit on later, thanks to Z-Automotive and AllMoparParts.com.

Also a first-world problem - I didn't get parking sensors because it seemed like that would make aftermarket bumper shopping easier... but now I've almost backed into a couple things because I'm so used to the parking sensors on our other cars.

Delivery day photos

Jeep Wrangler JL BROOX's 2DR Billet Silver Rubicon driving-the-new-jeep-home (1)

Jeep Wrangler JL BROOX's 2DR Billet Silver Rubicon i-needed-a-winter-beater-2


Now

Jeep Wrangler JL BROOX's 2DR Billet Silver Rubicon drivin-around-devils-tow
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Biohazard

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Welcome to the club :) silver looks great.

Jeep has a history of electronic stuff breaking as the vehicle ages, so I also don't have the parking sensors, the proximity sensors, etc.

I'll wager it takes less than two years for you to start playing with the suspension ;)
 
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broox

broox

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First things first: a license plate.

IMG_20191101_151610.jpg


I already have BROOX on my other car...

debadged (1).jpg


So I was thinking of getting BR00X (with zeros), but that isn't allowed in my state, so I did the next best thing and just added more Os.

IMG_20191101_152039.jpg


And it didn't take long to get my first speed trap violation - which I honestly found kind of hilarious... More discussion on that here.

speed-trapped.jpg
 

maxjlu

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fred
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I don't plan on doing anything too crazy, but I wanted to use this space to document mods with my first build thread.

Backstory

I've always driven 2-door coupes and hatchbacks. My current car is BMW M4, which has been my only vehicle for the last few years. I live in Iowa and didn't wanna drive my M4 in the snow - so I decided to uber around town on bad weather days... Last year, we had a terrible winter where I wound up ubering for months.

... that winter is ultimately what led me to buy a Jeep.

First, I decided that I wanted to find a cheap 4WD vehicle that could get me around in the winter but also be used in the summer. I wanted it to be something fun, but a different kind of fun than my M4. Trucks don't interest me and I didn't just want an AWD car. A Wrangler fit the mold perfectly. It's 4WD, convertible, easily customizable, capable of towing a small trailer, something to tinker with, and something that would give me the types of fun that my coupe doesn't.

Getting to a 2-door JLR

I quickly realized that wranglers retain their value ridiculously well and that finding a good, cheap used one was nearly impossible... I also learned that the model that I liked the style of the most (the YJ) was also one of the worst models made. And then I learned just how much better the JLs are than previous generations... so I eventually decided to just bite the bullet and get exactly what I wanted in a new JLR. And I stuck with what I've always owned, a 2-door.

Goals
  • capable winter vehicle
  • fun year round
  • something to give me what my coupe doesn't
  • coolness factor (gadgets, tech, add-ons)
  • get off-road
Plans

I live in Des Moines, the capitol of Iowa... which is unfortunately not the capitol of off-roading. This vehicle will be on paved roads 99% of the time, which makes me sad, but I'm actively looking for spots nearby to get this thing off-road... and hopefully take some road trips in the future for more fun.

This Rubicon is already more capable than I need, so my mods will be fairly minimal but I'm already tired of it looking like every other stock Jeep on the road. I want it to be different but also tasteful.

I've spent HOURS digging through forums, parts websites and instagram to get an idea of what's out there. As soon as I think I've seen every set of side-steps or bumpers, I learn about some random shop in the middle of nowhere crafting their own badass products. These machines are true "hackers" vehicles, and as a software engineer, builder, and tinkerer - that excites me.

Protection
  • Mopar all weather floor mats
  • R3 Offroad door hinge protector film
  • Rain cab cover
Cargo
  • Harbor Freight 40" x 50" moving blanket "cargo mat"
  • Tie down rings to add to the hard-top mounts
  • Mopar drip rail roof racks
Exterior
  • Remove dealer and wrangler decals
  • Stubby antenna
  • Front window tint match (35%)
  • CMM Custom doorless mirrors
  • Roam rock sliders / steps
  • Stubby front bumper with bull bar and fog lights
  • Matching rear bumper
  • Brake light ring in spare tire
  • 17" black wheels with minimal offset and ~35" C-load tires
  • Pixeldecals fender vent accents?
Tops
  • Sunshade?
  • Netting to keep the pup inside when the top is off
  • Dreaming about a fastback style soft-top that is capable of being a sunshade or totally folded down
The wishlist keeps growing, so I'm worried about my bank account, but I'm also very excited to mildly build this (bought) bad-ass vehicle into something cool.

Initial regrets

I go back and forth about the color every day. Some days I love my Billet Silver. Other days I wish I had Mojito, White, or Black. I also go back and forth about whether I should've gotten body-matched top and fenders.

I sometimes wish I would've gone with the 2.0 turbo for the better MPG... and because turbos are fun.

And totally a first-world problem, but I definitely regret not getting the proximity door lock/unlock feature. My wife and I have it in our other vehicles and I now constantly walk up to my Jeep with full hands and then have to dig my keyfob out.

Also a first-world problem - I didn't get parking sensors because it seemed like that would make aftermarket bumper shopping easier... but now I've almost backed into a couple things because I'm so used to the parking sensors on our other cars.

Delivery day photos

driving-the-new-jeep-home (1).jpg

i-needed-a-winter-beater-2.jpg

Wow can't wait to see it done!! Keep posting!
 

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maxjlu

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fred
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First things first: a license plate.

IMG_20191101_151610.jpg


I already have BROOX on my other car...

debadged (1).jpg


So I was thinking of getting BR00X (with zeros), but that isn't allowed in my state, so I did the next best thing and just added more Os.

IMG_20191101_152039.jpg


And it didn't take long to get my first speed trap violation - which I honestly found kind of hilarious... More discussion on that here.

speed-trapped.jpg
:rock:
 
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broox

broox

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Just finished installing the ROAM 2-door MK2 Rock Rail steps (chose not to do the lights for now). These things are rock solid, look super clean, and really help my short wife get in and out. Hopefully the new version holds up to the Iowa winter!

I also removed the Wrangler decals, installed a 13" stubby antenna, and tinted the front windows (35%).

Jeep Wrangler JL BROOX's 2DR Billet Silver Rubicon IMG_4955 (1).JPG

Jeep Wrangler JL BROOX's 2DR Billet Silver Rubicon IMG_5001
Jeep Wrangler JL BROOX's 2DR Billet Silver Rubicon IMG_5070
Jeep Wrangler JL BROOX's 2DR Billet Silver Rubicon IMG_5075
Jeep Wrangler JL BROOX's 2DR Billet Silver Rubicon IMG_5080


UPDATE: don't get the ROAM rock rails if you live in an area prone to rust.. If you like this style, get the LOD Destroyer step rails instead. They way that the ROAMs are built, crimped and welded is just not ideal for salty winters and they have gotten super rusty.
 
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broox

broox

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Spent a bit of time last weekend pressure washing a bunch of mud off the bottom and doing a few preparation/convenience mods. It's kinda crazy to have weather warm enough to be able to pressure wash your vehicle outside during an Iowa January!

IMG_5453.jpg


First, I pulled the back seats out and threw in a Harbor Freight moving blanket to conceal the subwoofer and protect the floor. I didn't love any of the all-weather options available, but this moving blanket fits perfectly and is cheap as shit.

IMG_5483.jpg


While I was in the back, I also added some cargo d-rings to the hardtop torx screws.

IMG_5481.jpg


Then, I installed the R3 Off Road door hinge protectors... I probably only needed to do this on the lower ones since I have a 2-door, but I just did em all for ... fun. It's a super tedious process to get right, but you really can't see them at all once they're on. Especially over the metallic silver.

IMG_5479.jpg


My doors won't be off for a while, but I also installed the CMM brackets and ball mounts so that I'm ready to go with my doorless mirrors in the spring... I have no idea what I'm going to put on the ball mounts tho... There's really no reason to mount a phone with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. Maybe a GoPro? Weird angle tho.

IMG_5477.jpg


Finally, I got my Tazer JL Mini hooked up... So far I just disabled the fog light dropout, enabled TurnCam and played with the light shows, but soon I'll be setting a new tire size!

IMG_5473.jpg
 
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broox

broox

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Last night, I deleted the stock 3rd brake light and installed the Quadratec spare tire 3rd brake light LED ring in preparation for new wheels/tires.

I picked the Quadratec ring for 2 reasons.
  1. It's plug and play
  2. It's got a smoked lens over the LEDs so they're less visible in the day-time.
Install is really straight forward. The only additional things I did were:
  1. scratch the bright white Quadratec logo off
  2. wrap the wires in electrical tape for protection and because red wires stick out like sore thumbs
  3. zip-tie everything to the back of the tire carrier
IMG_5515.jpg
IMG_5517.jpg
IMG_5518.jpg
IMG_5520.jpg
 
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broox

broox

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Goddamn, shoes are hard to shop for!

I went into this project knowing that I wanted black wheels and bigger tires, but from there I got overwhelmed with the amount of styles, brands, offsets, loads, and weights available.

For the wheel, I don't need beadlocks and I really dislike fake beadlocks. I wanted something simple and clean and I figured that I'd be happy with any offset between +12 and -12, which are less than an inch different... and any of these offsets would give me a more aggressive stance with an 8.5-9" wide wheel and a 12.5" wide tire.

I started off looking at 8-hole designs like the ProComp 7069, Mickey Thompson Classic III, and Quadratec Baja Extremes... they were simple, but a little bulky and bland looking.

After that, I was really drawn to the simplicity of the Method 701, 702, and 313... but in a lot of photos I saw, something about them just didn't look right in black. In black, the 701 spokes looked a little too heavy and the 702s/313s looked a bit skimpy in the 17" size. In my opinion, these wheels all look wayyy better in bronze.

Eventually, I found my way to the clean lines and simple 5-spoke design of the Rugged Ridge Jesse Spade wheels. They were a bit pricier than most of my options, but I just kept coming back to them. 17x9 with a -12 offset. Not quite as light as I wanted, but they're at least under 30lbs and just look great.

IMG_5436.jpg

IMG_5438.jpg


For tires, I wanted something slightly bigger than my Rubicon's 33s and decided to stick with BFG K02s @ 315/70R17 to keep weight down and maintain the C-load ride on this already rough-ish, short wheelbase vehicle.

Here they are, installed!

IMG_5540.jpg

IMG_5535.jpg

IMG_5533.jpg

IMG_5544.jpg
 
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VA72mlibu

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I’m surprised you didn’t go VenomRex. Similar design but lighter weight.
 
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broox

broox

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I’m surprised you didn’t go VenomRex. Similar design but lighter weight.
The VR-501 wheels were on my list for sure, but I never saw the weight on them.

I obviously dig their base 5-spoke design and they are a bit cheaper, but I just don't like all the extra details in them. They have a lot of unnecessary depressions and ridges around the outer rim and hub... I like the cleaner lines of the Jesse Spades.
 

Varilux

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I will be following your build for obvious reasons! I also find myself liking the Billet Silver more on some days than others. Have had the ROAM running boards on for about 9 months now- love em. I installed the lights- because I like lotsa light (also installed puddle lights on the bottom of the door mirrors).
tumblr_ps3i46KXYG1tkp167o3_1280.jpg

I've been looking at wheels for almost a year now- like where you landed. I've given myself until the end of March to make a decision (I keep coming back to the Black Rhino Armory wheels- they are heavy though).
black-rhino-armory-gunblack-jeep-wrangler-7.jpg


Good luck with your build, and be sure to post lots of pics! Have owned maybe 60 cars over the years, and all but two were coupes (four doors just ruin the lines of most cars- including the Jeep IMO).
 

maxjlu

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fred
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Just finished installing the ROAM 2-door MK2 Rock Rail steps (chose not to do the lights for now). These things are rock solid, look super clean, and really help my short wife get in and out. Hopefully the new version holds up to the Iowa winter!

I also removed the Wrangler decals, installed a 13" stubby antenna, and tinted the front windows (35%).

IMG_4955 (1).JPG

IMG_5001.jpg
IMG_5070.jpg
IMG_5075.jpg
IMG_5080.jpg
Sharp! Looks super clean!
 

maxjlu

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fred
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Goddamn, shoes are hard to shop for!

I went into this project knowing that I wanted black wheels and bigger tires, but from there I got overwhelmed with the amount of styles, brands, offsets, loads, and weights available.

For the wheel, I don't need beadlocks and I really dislike fake beadlocks. I wanted something simple and clean and I figured that I'd be happy with any offset between +12 and -12, which are less than an inch different... and any of these offsets would give me a more aggressive stance with an 8.5-9" wide wheel and a 12.5" wide tire.

I started off looking at 8-hole designs like the ProComp 7069, Mickey Thompson Classic III, and Quadratec Baja Extremes... they were simple, but a little bulky and bland looking.

After that, I was really drawn to the simplicity of the Method 701, 702, and 313... but in a lot of photos I saw, something about them just didn't look right in black. In black, the 701 spokes looked a little too heavy and the 702s/313s looked a bit skimpy in the 17" size. In my opinion, these wheels all look wayyy better in bronze.

Eventually, I found my way to the clean lines and simple 5-spoke design of the Rugged Ridge Jesse Spade wheels. They were a bit pricier than most of my options, but I just kept coming back to them. 17x9 with a -12 offset. Not quite as light as I wanted, but they're at least under 30lbs and just look great.

IMG_5436.jpg

IMG_5438.jpg


For tires, I wanted something slightly bigger than my Rubicon's 33s and decided to stick with BFG K02s @ 315/70R17 to keep weight down and maintain the C-load ride on this already rough-ish, short wheelbase vehicle.

Here they are, installed!

IMG_5540.jpg

IMG_5535.jpg

IMG_5533.jpg

IMG_5544.jpg
Turned out great! Awesome job!
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