2022 JLR Build Thread - Stacy

[Philly_]

Man look at all that awesome work you've put in since the spring. Looking great, buddy. Looks like I'm going to have to try to find another stocker to trail on the rocks. Great job!

Or, you could just lift yours too.

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[Philly_]

Personalized License Plate

Say what you will about vanity plates, but I have always wanted one and am super excited with the vintage plates you can get in Michigan right now! Not a lot of places to go crawling in Michigan, but I hope to start traveling a bit more and rock crawling is by far my favorite type of off roading.

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[Philly_]

Baja Designs LP6 Pro's - Driving Combo, Amber

So, not too long ago I couldn't grasp why anyone would want or need this much light on the front of their Jeep. Fast forward to this winter and some night runs through the woods and I completely get it. These may be a bit overkill for my use case, but definitely worth it.

Also, I happen to find myself in the middle of a snowstorm more often than most. Last bad storm I was in, I found that my OEM LED hedlights and the Baja Designs Squadron SAE fog lights were icing up quickly and I had to stop every 15 minutes or so to wipe the snow off. It seems that the biggest problem is that the lights were recessed into the grille and bumper, filling it with snow faster than the LED's could melt it.

The LP6's feature a flat face, so there is no way for snow to pile up. As an added benefit (for this application), they run much hotter than the other lights, so they should be able to melt more snow either way. Because snow storms were the main reason I wanted a light like this, I opted for the amber driving combo lens. When in low beam, only the wide cornering LED's (bottom two) are powered, and it acts very similar to a fog light.

To wire and install, I opted to purchase Baja Designs Upfitter Lockout harness so that I could use AUX1 and AUX2 to power my highs and lows and not worry about powering both at once by mistake. If I ever add more forward facing lights in the future, I will also be able to splice into the factory high beams to activate the high beam function on the LP6's, but I am enjoying the flexibility to run these with my headlights off. Also, I picked up a fuse tap from NAPA and tapped into F52 (cigar lighter) to power my DRL's. This allows them to turn on with ignition, but I may splice into the the fender DRL later.

The OEM Steel bumper allowed for a super easy install, as there are already holes and bolts in a great location to add lights. Only downside is I am not forced to use a shackle in order to connect to my tow hooks. There is just not enough clearance with the size of these lights.

One thing to note, is that the Baja wiring harness is LONG. Mine is zip tied on top of my battery until it warms up a bit, and then I will take a day to clean up some of my other wiring and shorten harnesses.

Overall, couldn't be happier with these lights!

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[Philly_]

AEV Jack Base and Under Dash Mounting Kit

Had the jack base for a while so I could change my 35's (and someday 37's) using the factory scissor jack, but it's just been rolling around my cargo area. Didn't love the idea of this, and I didn't want someone to snag when I leave the top off. And because I have a two door, the subwoofer is installed from factory in the floor compartment.

Hard to find too much info on this, but there is a mounting bracket and rubber strap that you can install in ~20 minutes with taking your time. Hardest part is pulling the rubber strap through the slice you have to make in your carpet. I see no significant intrusion on the passenger leg room, and it is compatible with my existing radio mount!

Very happy with this, as it is now out of sight and I will always have it with me.

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[kakwvu]

Baja Designs LP6 Pro's - Driving Combo, Amber

So, not too long ago I couldn't grasp why anyone would want or need this much light on the front of their Jeep. Fast forward to this winter and some night runs through the woods and I completely get it. These may be a bit overkill for my use case, but definitely worth it.

Also, I happen to find myself in the middle of a snowstorm more often than most. Last bad storm I was in, I found that my OEM LED hedlights and the Baja Designs Squadron SAE fog lights were icing up quickly and I had to stop every 15 minutes or so to wipe the snow off. It seems that the biggest problem is that the lights were recessed into the grille and bumper, filling it with snow faster than the LED's could melt it.

The LP6's feature a flat face, so there is no way for snow to pile up. As an added benefit (for this application), they run much hotter than the other lights, so they should be able to melt more snow either way. Because snow storms were the main reason I wanted a light like this, I opted for the amber driving combo lens. When in low beam, only the wide cornering LED's (bottom two) are powered, and it acts very similar to a fog light.

To wire and install, I opted to purchase Baja Designs Upfitter Lockout harness so that I could use AUX1 and AUX2 to power my highs and lows and not worry about powering both at once by mistake. If I ever add more forward facing lights in the future, I will also be able to splice into the factory high beams to activate the high beam function on the LP6's, but I am enjoying the flexibility to run these with my headlights off. Also, I picked up a fuse tap from NAPA and tapped into F52 (cigar lighter) to power my DRL's. This allows them to turn on with ignition, but I may splice into the the fender DRL later.

The OEM Steel bumper allowed for a super easy install, as there are already holes and bolts in a great location to add lights. Only downside is I am not forced to use a shackle in order to connect to my tow hooks. There is just not enough clearance with the size of these lights.

One thing to note, is that the Baja wiring harness is LONG. Mine is zip tied on top of my battery until it warms up a bit, and then I will take a day to clean up some of my other wiring and shorten harnesses.

Overall, couldn't be happier with these lights!

Purchase Link

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The wiring harness is insanely long. I ran mine up the driver side and back along the firewall to try and hide some of it.

 

[Philly_]

The wiring harness is insanely long. I ran mine up the driver side and back along the firewall to try and hide some of it.

Yeah… I didn’t believe people when they kept saying it was long. It’s probably 10ft!

It was cold and raining during install so I decided this was good enough for now. Definitely going to trim things up soon, though. Starting to feel cluttered under the hood quickly.

 

[BajaDesigns]

Baja Designs LP6 Pro's - Driving Combo, Amber

So, not too long ago I couldn't grasp why anyone would want or need this much light on the front of their Jeep. Fast forward to this winter and some night runs through the woods and I completely get it. These may be a bit overkill for my use case, but definitely worth it.

Also, I happen to find myself in the middle of a snowstorm more often than most. Last bad storm I was in, I found that my OEM LED hedlights and the Baja Designs Squadron SAE fog lights were icing up quickly and I had to stop every 15 minutes or so to wipe the snow off. It seems that the biggest problem is that the lights were recessed into the grille and bumper, filling it with snow faster than the LED's could melt it.

The LP6's feature a flat face, so there is no way for snow to pile up. As an added benefit (for this application), they run much hotter than the other lights, so they should be able to melt more snow either way. Because snow storms were the main reason I wanted a light like this, I opted for the amber driving combo lens. When in low beam, only the wide cornering LED's (bottom two) are powered, and it acts very similar to a fog light.

To wire and install, I opted to purchase Baja Designs Upfitter Lockout harness so that I could use AUX1 and AUX2 to power my highs and lows and not worry about powering both at once by mistake. If I ever add more forward facing lights in the future, I will also be able to splice into the factory high beams to activate the high beam function on the LP6's, but I am enjoying the flexibility to run these with my headlights off. Also, I picked up a fuse tap from NAPA and tapped into F52 (cigar lighter) to power my DRL's. This allows them to turn on with ignition, but I may splice into the the fender DRL later.

The OEM Steel bumper allowed for a super easy install, as there are already holes and bolts in a great location to add lights. Only downside is I am not forced to use a shackle in order to connect to my tow hooks. There is just not enough clearance with the size of these lights.

One thing to note, is that the Baja wiring harness is LONG. Mine is zip tied on top of my battery until it warms up a bit, and then I will take a day to clean up some of my other wiring and shorten harnesses.

Overall, couldn't be happier with these lights!

Purchase Link

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Great write-up and an awesome build. It's always nice to see how people overcome there issues with our products.
Best,
Brandon

 

[Philly_]

Great write-up and an awesome build. It's always nice to see how people overcome there issues with our products.
Best,
Brandon

Thanks Brandon! And thanks for answering all my emails! I appreciated the input on going with LP6’s over the LP4’s. Definitely feels like it was the right move for me.

Now I have to start working on that bracket for some chase lights…

 

[grandsrus]

Thanks Brandon! And thanks for answering all my emails! I appreciated the input on going with LP6’s over the LP4’s. Definitely feels like it was the right move for me.

Now I have to start working on that bracket for some chase lights…

How are you? Jeep looks great. We need to go wheelin again!

 

[Philly_]

How are you? Jeep looks great. We need to go wheelin again!

Thanks! I'm great! And I'd love to, but I've moved back in Michigan for now.

I could see a road trip in the future, though! Much better crawling out that way.

How have you been?

 

[Philly_]

Steer Smarts YETI XD Sector Shaft Brace With Track Bar Reinforcement

Been a long time since updating the build thread, but this one went on in back in July.

Frankly, it was long overdue knowing the weakness/limitations of the frame side front rack bar mount. I've yet to upgrade my steering stabilizer, so I'm able to give some pretty good feedback into how it improves handling.

Best way I can describe it, is that the steering feels heavier, but in a good way. Engagement between driver input and turns feels much snappier and firmer; whereas, in hindsight, it was almost like there was a delay between turning the wheel and the steering system actually moving the tires.

I do have the steel steering box, so many have been skeptical of whether or not the sector shaft brace was necessary, but I figured if I'm going in there, I might as well. upgrade that too.

I went with Steer Smarts over Metalcloak, mostly because I didn't want to drill more holes into the Jeep with it living back in part of the country with salted roads. Whatever you choose, I would say this is definitely worth the upgrade and decreases deflection on your frame when you bump up to bigger tires.

Purchase Link

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[Philly_]

Armorlite Floor Kit

Been on my list for a long time and was holding out, but was surprised with the floor kit as a gift this weekend! Still need to pick up the Cargo Wheelhouse Covers, but this stuff is seriously awesome.

Install in the cold is a nightmare. My Jeep lives outside, and it was probably 35-40F during my install. The panels themselves are super stiff, which is great for durability, but man does it make it hard to get them into position. Also, unless you have 1-2 other people helping you, it's probably best just to pull your seats.

I did 90% of the install myself and left the front seats in, but needed some help holding them out of the way at times.

Also, as this was a gift, I am not too worried about the warranty. Made a small incision in the passenger footwell to support my AEV Jack Base mount. Honestly, that was one of the most difficult parts, aside from lining things up. This material is insanely tough and super thick, so you'll need a fresh razor blade for sure.

Also, running the Jeep and blasting the heat on the floors does help make the liners a bit more pliable to fit into place, but it's still not easy any way you slice it.

My best advice is leave a ton of time for install. The factory plastics can be difficult, especially in the cold, and there are tons of things for the liners to get caught on when you're trying to fit them into place.

Probably took me about 30-45 minutes to completely remove all carpeting, seats, trim, and center console bolts, 4 hours to get the Armorlite in (every sticking point was solved after I turned the heat on), 15 minutes to get the seats lined back up, and another 10 minutes to snap all the trim back into place (not my first time).

Not sure I will ever pull this stuff out, and if I do, it might not be going back in, but I absolutely love it. The grip from the floors is 1000x better than the rubber on the OEM floor mats, whether your boots are wet or muddy, and the amount of road noise this blocks is amazing. I don't mind my Jeep being loud, but it's a really nice benefit.

Can't wait to get the Cargo Wheelhouse Covers!

Purchase Link

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[donmontalvo]

Element Fire Extinguisher

Super quick and easy one! I discovered these almost two years ago now and it seems like a great alternative (or supplement) to your traditional fire extinguisher. Best part is they never expire, are lightweight, and compact so they are always ready to go and you can put one just about anywhere!

I found the best mounting location on a two door is on the center cross bar of the roll cage just behind the front seats. Both the driver and passenger can easily reach from a seated position. Another good spot might be on the inside of the tailgate. On the roll bar, there is a flat section behind the overhead light where I used the included clip, as well as additional one I purchased separately, with some double sided tape, stuck in on, and it's been there ever since.

So far, no issues with the clips falling off upon removal and it has been up for just over two weeks.

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The Element E50/E100 are excellent fire extinguishers. I am trying to mount mine in different spots. I found the spot above the driver door is great. Out of the way but very quick to grab. Your spot is compelling, maybe I’ll try it.

Where did you get those clips? Mine came with a nylon sheath that works with the molle web behind the driver seat. Thats another spot I might try.

 

[Philly_]

The Element E50/E100 are excellent fire extinguishers. I am trying to mount mine in different spots. I found the spot above the driver door is great. Out of the way but very quick to grab. Your spot is compelling, maybe I’ll try it.

Where did you get those clips? Mine came with a nylon sheath that works with the molle web behind the driver seat. Thats another spot I might try.

Looks good! Mine came with one clip, but I purchased an extra from Northridge4x4. You can find it here.

I will add that mine did eventually fall down, so the fire extinguisher currently lives in the passenger side mesh seat back pocket. I keep meaning to find another spot for it, or replace the double sided tape and try again, but haven't found anything I like quite as much yet.

I may not have cleaned the area enough for it to bond well, or the 100+ degree heat for months on end in Texas finally got to it. It didn't fall down until ~6 months after I mounted it.

 

[donmontalvo]

Looks good! Mine came with one clip, but I purchased an extra from Northridge4x4. You can find it here.

I will add that mine did eventually fall down, so the fire extinguisher currently lives in the passenger side mesh seat back pocket. I keep meaning to find another spot for it, or replace the double sided tape and try again, but haven't found anything I like quite as much yet.

I may not have cleaned the area enough for it to bond well, or the 100+ degree heat for months on end in Texas finally got to it. It didn't fall down until ~6 months after I mounted it.

Here is a link to the sleeve, I went out this weekend and I love it. I thought it might be in the way but it wasn’t.

https://a.co/d/4r15bUu

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