2021 Hydro Blue 2 Door Rubi Build

[jadewolf]

I very much enjoyed reading all this, thanks for sharing ^^

Thanks, y'all!

I am very impressed with your build. Very well thought out mods, kudos. I will be following this thread as I just ordered a Hydro blue 2 door 6 speed ragtop! I plan to mod it mildly such as yours, nothing too extreme. Now the waiting game....Im hearing my order (7/15) will take 3-6 months!! Ouch.....due to microchip shortage I guess.

My order took a little over two months (and me without transportation all that time). I thought I was going to lose my mind. 3-6 months would definitely have done me in, yikes!

So glad to see some other 2 door / 6 speed folks out there! I think we're a dying breed.

Loving the build. Just ordered my 2 door in Sting Gray (thanks for making me second guess my color choice, the blue looks fantastic). I like all of the mods and the retro theme. I'll be following along and stealing all your good ideas.

I'm usually not a fan of grey cars, but that Sting Gray is such an intriguing color! Every time I see one, I can't help but admire it. Very sleek! It really is a unique color, a great choice!

Good luck on y'all's builds, too! These two doors are such a blast to mod.

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[jadewolf]

Minor stuff today.

Wasn't happy with my American Outlaw doorless mirrors. While they looked good, I was very concerned about them damaging the paint on my hinges. So, I ended up just sucking it up and buying the rather expensive Carolina Metal Masters mirrors. The price point is high, but they reviewed so well online that I figured I'd go for it.

After receiving them and installing, I can say that they're definitely worth the price. The quality and workmanship on these mirrors is superb. They feel heavy, made from good solid metal. No plastic, no nonsense. All the pieces fit together precisely and without gaps. And the mounts look practically stock, they blend in very well with the existing interior. A lot of thought when into this design and I'm glad I splurged for them.

Install was super easy. Just pop the little plastic panel off with a trim tool.

Remove the stock bolt. Then screw the mount on. Then put the hex cap (or ball mount) on the open spot to cover the mounting hardware.

I elected to go with the Ball Mount Delete option, since I have a million places to mount things already.

I also decided to put these on the top position of the grab handle, rather than the bottom. I usually have my GPS unit in the corner of the windshield on the lower driver's side, so didn't want the mirror assembly to get in the way of that. I'm kinda glad I did, because I've already hit my head on the mirror twice and I'd probably gore myself in the throat with it any lower, ha.

Took the doors back off today and drove it around with the new mirrors. These things are great! Totally solid, no vibration even at 55-60mph. Easy to adjust, easy to install. Covers a surprisingly good view, even for such a small mirror. And the high position isn't as annoying as I thought it might be. Just takes a little getting used to, that's all.

Overall, very pleased with them. Highly recommend.

What's Next...

Still on mod hiatus until the temps cool down.

In small things... Got a set of side vent decals that I'm considering putting on, but still on the fence about it. Same with the hinge covers. Not entirely sure whether I want to put them on or not.

Mostly just driving it around and having fun with it for the rest of summer, though.

 

[jaardappel]

I am also considering the weather tech cargo mat for my two door. In the picture here, It appears that the mat does not stretch all the way, too the back of the vehicle. am I viewing this correctly?

My mat stretches almost to the back, and I just put a furniture blanket on top of it to keep things from sliding around. Here's another picture of one in a 2-door JL...dog hair, dirt, etc. builds up a bit in the cargo tie-down cutouts toward the front seats on each side, but that's my only gripe. Otherwise it's great and super-grippy with the weathertech cargo blocks to hold coolers, etc. Very worth the $$.

 

[Bluegrizzly]

Checking out this Jeep build is getting me excited for mine to get here. I've got a 2023 Rubicon 2 door 6 speed on order, also in Hydro Blue.

 

[jadewolf]

Checking out this Jeep build is getting me excited for mine to get here. I've got a 2023 Rubicon 2 door 6 speed on order, also in Hydro Blue.

Congrats!! You're gonna love it!

I haven't been able to do much in the way of mods this year, as a new puppy has stolen all my free time (and a good amount of my money). But even in the current half-realized state, it's one helluva capable vehicle!

 

[ajkitebrder40]

Di

Checking out this Jeep build is getting me excited for mine to get here. I've got a 2023 Rubicon 2 door 6 speed on order, also in Hydro Blue.

Yeah, love this build thread, it's tempting me to trade my 4 door Hydro Blue JLUR in for a 2 door JLUR. Camping wise - without seats I think I have basically your same setup, Yeti 42L, a storage container for cooking/sleeping gear, air mattress, just have to add a tent.

Surf trips is what I'm still pondering if it will all fit, boards all go up top, but I have kiteboard bags (basically like an air mattress bag) plus a hydrofoil - roughly 40" wide by 29" tall in a pedestal in the middle of the cargo area.

 

[Philly_]

Glad I came across your build thread! We have pretty similar mods, but went slightly different directions as far as brands and how they were done so it’s been fun to read!

Keep it up! Love the pictures of Hydro Blue!

 

[jadewolf]

Glad I came across your build thread! We have pretty similar mods, but went slightly different directions as far as brands and how they were done so it’s been fun to read!

Keep it up! Love the pictures of Hydro Blue!

Thanks!! I've been on a mod-hiatus this year, since I brought a new puppy home in January and he's been taking all my time. And didn't get to go on many camping trips, since he is only now in the past few months gotten over his carsickness issues. But still loving my Jeep! Next year, I'll probably get back on the mods. At a minimum, I want to get the rear bumper done and add some more external storage for extra water/gas.

I might hold off a while longer on a lift and 35s, just because I haven't really needed to go bigger yet and gas is $7/gal in California right now, heh.

Yeah, love this build thread, it's tempting me to trade my 4 door Hydro Blue JLUR in for a 2 door JLUR. Camping wise - without seats I think I have basically your same setup, Yeti 42L, a storage container for cooking/sleeping gear, air mattress, just have to add a tent.

Surf trips is what I'm still pondering if it will all fit, boards all go up top, but I have kiteboard bags (basically like an air mattress bag) plus a hydrofoil - roughly 40" wide by 29" tall in a pedestal in the middle of the cargo area.

Yeah, that might be a difficult one to add in. Two door only has so much space to work with, even with the seats out. I have a 70" longbow that the only way I can transport it is to balance it crosswise across the center console with one end in the passenger seat and one end in the back, lol.

I manage alright with the camping stuff, though now that I have a dog again he ends up having to ride on top of it all. I put a dog bed down on top of all the gear, then cover it with a waterproof blanket and he rides on top of it all. It's not ideal, but ya gotta get creative with the 2 door, ha!

That said, I'm driving a 4 door 4xe rental in Hawaii right now and... I gotta say... the extra room is kinda nice. If they ever put out a full electric 4-door, I might have to look at getting one as a secondary vehicle once the 2-door is paid off.

Aaand on one more note... I just saw another thread today that Hydro blue just got pulled from the lineup. I'm so glad I got mine while I could!

 

[ajkitebrder40]

Yeah, that might be a difficult one to add in. Two door only has so much space to work with, even with the seats out. I have a 70" longbow that the only way I can transport it is to balance it crosswise across the center console with one end in the passenger seat and one end in the back, lol.

I manage alright with the camping stuff, though now that I have a dog again he ends up having to ride on top of it all. I put a dog bed down on top of all the gear, then cover it with a waterproof blanket and he rides on top of it all. It's not ideal, but ya gotta get creative with the 2 door, ha!

That said, I'm driving a 4 door 4xe rental in Hawaii right now and... I gotta say... the extra room is kinda nice. If they ever put out a full electric 4-door, I might have to look at getting one as a secondary vehicle once the 2-door is paid off.

Aaand on one more note... I just saw another thread today that Hydro blue just got pulled from the lineup. I'm so glad I got mine while I could!
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I actually walked through both types of trips (surf and 4x4/hiking) and the different gear associated with each yesterday. I used 48" depth of the size of the cargo area from the console to the rear end. The hydrofoil is basically a tall pedestal with a base that can have things mounted on top of it, so pretty much, surf wise it breaks down like this:

Surf
Hydrofoil (in middle)
Kites (small duffel bags basically), kiteboarding harness, blow up mattress, and a bookbag on one side of the foil.
Yeti cooler and storage bin (stove, cooking, bedding) on the other side
Two boards on top on gutter roof racks
Tent is the only thing to figure out - probably just a Coleman instant kite (just my wife and I)

4x4
Yeti/storage
Tent
Recovery gear, no real issues there - I have the Bartact seat covers like you have so a lot of tools go there and in the large pockets. Just add a snatch strap, tree saver, shackles, etc.

Has anyone pulled the sub out of the cargo area? It comes standard now with the Rubi, so now that's where I put some of my recovery gear - snatch strap, gloves, deflator, etc.

Thanks again for the reply, sucks about Hydro Blue, but I have a feeling it will come back. If not, I'm holding out for Hella Yella.

 

[jadewolf]

Been a while since I've done any upgrades. Life got busy. New puppy, new job, new home. The last year ended up being a travel and photography upgrade year for the most part, too.

But the time has finally come to get my build going again!

Starting with a small mod, I picked up some Redline hood struts on the last Prime Day and installed them.

Quick, cheap, and easy mod that really improves the general user experience. Worth it!

Next up, just ordered some goodies from Northridge during their Labor Day sale this past weekend.

Finally swapping out my old Warn M8000 winch that lived on my JK for about a decade, then got moved over to the JL. Upgrading to a Warn Zeon 10S. Big impetus was wanting to switch to synthetic line, instead of the old steel cable. I'd wanted to upgrade back in 2021 when I bought the JL, but supply chain issues had them out of stock everywhere. Now seemed like a good time to finally pull the trigger on this one.

Picked up a Factor 55 flatlink to go with it, too.

Those should be arriving this week and, if it's not too stinkin hot this weekend, hoping to get them both installed.

And I finally made my decision on rock sliders. I've been going back and forth between the LOD Destroyers and the ACE sliders for the past year or so, but finally settled on the Destroyers. With these, I won't have to fool around with those notorious body bolts. And they'll be a good match for my bumper. They were on sale at a great price at Northridge, too.

Honestly, I kept hoping that LOD would release the Signature rock sliders for the 2-door, but I don't think they are at this point so I'm going with what's available.

Looking forward to finally getting some new mods on! Been too long, for sure.

 

[jadewolf]

It is winch swappin' time!

Traded out my ancient Warn M8000 for a shiny new Zeon 10-S, pictured below with my stalwart shop helper, Mesa the border collie.

The LOD Destroyer shorty bumper is a great bumper, but it's a mild pain in the neck to get to the winch bolts. And a little fiddly to get the four surfaces (bumper, license plate holder, winch plate, and winch) all lined up without an opposable-thumb-bearing helper. But with only minimal profanity, I was able to get the old winch off and the new winch on. This is one of those instances where being a petite woman with small hands is actually a benefit for getting into tiny, cramped spaces to work.

Kinda thin on clearance between the winch and the grill, but not touching and some breathing room around the drum.

Of course, didn't take long to encounter the next annoyance: getting the synthetic rope spooled. This, unfortunately, is where being a petite woman is a hindrance. My barely 110lbs just doesn't provide enough weight and leverage to really do the job. And the dog isn't much help either (I'm beginning to think he's not a very good mechanic.) So, that dang puck at the end of the rope just doesn't want to go fully in and let the rope end lay flush. After trying a variety of different ways of 'encouraging' it to go in, I had to admit defeat for the day.

I lightly spooled all the slack for now onto the drum, but I'm going to need to seek out a good local spot with a decent anchor point. Then I'll try to use a little tension to actually get the thing to seat. I'll need to do that anyway to properly spool the new line under load anyway. But for now at least wrapped out of the way and this weekend I'll seek out a good tree somewhere to let the winch do the hard work.

It looks pretty good, though. All in all, a much cleaner and streamlined appearance. And less of the line exposed to the elements, too. Also liking the Factor 55 Flatlink. Less stuff dangling around out front, less potential failure points, less entanglement hazards. Good stuff.

Next Up...

I've got a set of LOD Destroyer Rock Sliders on order. Very much looking forward to getting those on once they arrive!

After that, I'm debating whether the next mod will be finally doing the rear bumper (the LOD Destroyer with the tire carrier, etc) or upgrading the wheels (settled on the Quadratec Bajas in silver for those). Wheels would be an easier, but less practical upgrade. Bumper & tire carrier is more practical, but I'm honestly not looking forward to doing all the wiring to relocate the backup camera and license plate. Especially since I'll have to shift around my GMRS antenna setup. And temporarily remove my trailgater table, too. Not necessarily the most fun to do a big job like that completely solo, either. I strongly suspect that one is going to require at least an extra set of hands to help steady things while I bolt them on. But we shall see!

 

[jcruse64]

Very nice!!

 

[jadewolf]

So the question of rock sliders has been one that I've gone back and forth about a lot since buying this Jeep. I had narrowed it down to a couple of options including the ACE sliders, Barricade, and a couple others. I really wanted tubular sliders, but I also didn't want to fuss with the notorious body bolts. And I just couldn't find a set of frame mounted tubular sliders that I liked. I really wish LOD had offered their Signature series for the 2 door, but unfortunately they do not and after a couple years I figured they probably weren't going to.

But I really love my LOD front bumper, the quality is really nice. So I decided that their Destroyer sliders were my top pick. And then while winch shopping, I noticed that Northridge had a sale running on them. And it was too good of a deal to pass up!

They actually arrived a lot faster than I expected, only a week or so after ordering. And, as LOD is well known for, they came very securely foam packed!

Had to wait a couple days to install them, as I had other things going on. But finally got a free evening on Monday night.

Rubi rails came off easy. I'm going to clean them up and store them for now, just in case I ever want to swap back to them. When I had my JK, I discovered it is hard to find used 2 door rubi rails. So if I ever want to swap back, I'd be better off just keeping these around.

Installed the Destroyers solo and it went pretty smoothly. I picked up an impact driver recently (long been on my wishlist) and this was my first project with it. Gotta say, it made things a breeze. Can't believe I went all these years without one! Being a rather small woman with a body full of arthritis, any little bit helps!

Unlike the 4 door LOD rails which bolt straight on, you actually have to grind a notch in the skid plate and drill a couple optional holes. Not going to lie, I'm not going to win any prizes for my grinding skills on this one. But I got the job done and made enough room for the bolt.

For the moment, I didn't drill the optional holes in the frame. I don't wheel it hard on rocks and it feels pretty solid as it is, but I may go back and do them at a later date. The rear mounts I can do without removing the rails. The passenger front, though, I'll have to take the rail back off to drill. No big deal, though. And that's actually the one I am most likely going to add later, since that's where spacers would go to give a little more clearance between the body panels and the rail.

Had to loosen the skid plate and cross members a little on both sides in order to get the mounts in place, but that was also a breeze. Balanced the rails on a cooler to get them lined up, which worked out pretty well for the most part.

The driver side took a little more effort to get it lined up, though. Had it resting on the cooler, but couldn't get the front end of it high enough AND get the two spacer washers in AND slip the lag bolt in by myself. Only got two hands! Ended up using a floor jack to raise it up so the holes aligned and that worked perfectly.

Whole thing took about two hours and most of that was just due to my somewhat cautious and inexperienced grinding.

And the finished product...

I'd call this an easy install, overall. And it looks pretty darn good!

Took it outside to get some nice shots of it in the wild today, too.

What's next....

Probably going to change the wheels out next. Not quite ready to go to 35s--going to wait until these 33s wear out before changing the tires themselves--but I have my eye on some very retro looking wheels that I think I'm going to snag now and just have the stock tires mounted on for now.

Looking ahead, the other big next projects are the rear bumper & tire carrier (likely the next big install), then see how it rides with all that steel.

After that, we're probably looking at a lift (most likely Clayton's 1.5" kit) and 35s. But I'm not in a huge hurry for that, really. With gas $6/gal and me not tackling super difficult trails right now (largely because my dog still gets carsick and I don't want to push him too hard), it's not a high priority yet.

I'm mostly just glad to finally be getting my build rolling again, though! We took about a year or so off while I focused on my photography, a new puppy, and some overseas travel. But now things are settling down and I have a great garage workspace to work in now, so the Jeep is bubbling back up the to-do list! It's good to turn a wrench on my little Jeep again!

 

[jcruse64]

Those look great on there. Nice work!!!

 

[jadewolf]

Those look great on there. Nice work!!!

Thanks! I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out. And gotta say, the step is handy. I can already see it'll be a good platform to stand on while doing photography, resting the lens on the roof.

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