driventoadventure
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Lrr
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2021
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- 21
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- 623
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- Location
- Northern Front-Range, Colorado
- Vehicle(s)
- 21 JLURD
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- Employed Gainfully
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- #1
I can distinctly remember when I was a child, when I would see a meteor (AKA shooting/falling star) - my wish would be to some day own a Jeep. As I grew older and became mechanically knowledgeable, I further refined that ongoing dream to be that I wanted a diesel-powered jeep. As a few life-changes happened over the last year and a half I could finally justify getting a fun car, instead of something that was just as fuel efficient and cheap (due to long commutes in lots of traffic) as possible. That's when I found that Jeep was now providing a diesel in the Wrangler, and even if it is a four-door, I knew that I was going to do anything to make that happen.
So, without further adieu, I present to you Hydrobrute!
For my job, I travel a lot (think elite status on two different non-complimentary airlines and >200 hotel nights a year.) Because of this I have had many extended test-drives of JLs thanks to National carrying them until the COVID-19 pandemic. For that reason, in May I took a 10 minute test-drive and from there I knew that I was going to wind up in a JLURD. After a couple months of planning, I custom-ordered exactly what I wanted in August. In October, it arrived while I was on a trip and after landing in Denver at 2:30 and getting home at 4, I rushed over to the dealer to pick it up.
Next day, I took it out on a simple trail, as just a spur of the moment thing.
I mainly plan to take it on as many trails as I can and record the whole trail in VR - YouTube link to come shortly once I play around with time compression etc and start posting. I also plan on towing either a higher-end tent trailer or one of the micro travel trailers whose weight is towable by the jeep.
One thing to know with the mods and guides I will do / post is that I am keeping an eye to minimizing 'permanent' modifications - meaning every modification made will be done without permanently altering any part of the vehicle or mod itself. This is so that if I ever have to undo a mod for any reason, I can.
Mods Installed:
Mods planned:
Possibly more?
So, without further adieu, I present to you Hydrobrute!
For my job, I travel a lot (think elite status on two different non-complimentary airlines and >200 hotel nights a year.) Because of this I have had many extended test-drives of JLs thanks to National carrying them until the COVID-19 pandemic. For that reason, in May I took a 10 minute test-drive and from there I knew that I was going to wind up in a JLURD. After a couple months of planning, I custom-ordered exactly what I wanted in August. In October, it arrived while I was on a trip and after landing in Denver at 2:30 and getting home at 4, I rushed over to the dealer to pick it up.
Next day, I took it out on a simple trail, as just a spur of the moment thing.
I mainly plan to take it on as many trails as I can and record the whole trail in VR - YouTube link to come shortly once I play around with time compression etc and start posting. I also plan on towing either a higher-end tent trailer or one of the micro travel trailers whose weight is towable by the jeep.
One thing to know with the mods and guides I will do / post is that I am keeping an eye to minimizing 'permanent' modifications - meaning every modification made will be done without permanently altering any part of the vehicle or mod itself. This is so that if I ever have to undo a mod for any reason, I can.
Mods Installed:
- Rugged Ridge Arcus Stubby Front Bumper with 12,000lb winch.
- I chose the Arcus over the HD because the Arcus has an actual winch plate.
- Rugged Ridge HD Rear Bumper.
- I chose the HD because it was small, tight, held from the bottom and sides of the frame to prevent it from moving and contacting the body, and because it has jack points.
- Badlands APEX 1200# Winch. (Had to modify the power wire location to make it fit with the Arcus. See post.)
- VIOFO A129 pro Dashcam (install pics coming this spring after I take off the top and finish running the wire to the rear cam cleanly.)
- BulletPoint METAL dual universal mount with MagicMount base.
- Rough Country Spare Tire license plate adapter (Install pics coming after I finish wiring the light - Check out the 3D Printed bracket I had to make so that the mount would be nice and flush with the spare tire.)
- Threedom Caps.
- Topsy Brackets.
- Boom Mat Headliners
- Redarc trailer brake controller.
- Boom Mat Headliners on the hard top.
- Smittybuilt shade top and master tech tonneau cover for topless season.
- Hood blackout from @pixeldecals.
- Rancho 3.5" lift with Geometry correction brackets.
- JKS Track Bars front & rear.
- Spicer Nodular Iron Diff Covers
- Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT with AlphaEquipt Grenade wheels.
Mods planned:
- Portals
- Wiring winch cutoff to a solenoid instead of manual disconnect.
- Synergy Steering reinforcement.
- Apex RPV/RIV
- Some form of supplemental oil cooling for when towing... Hopefully utilizing active venting from the Rubicon vents (will be available eventually).
- Upgraded Battery pack of my own making - probably LiFEPO4.
- Shaved fenders.
- Slim DRL/Turn lights similar to the Quake or Rugged Ridge ones.
- Metal fender liners.
- Outdoor Adventures tailgate table.
- Full under body pan, hopefully aluminum to save weight since I can't seem to save it behind the steering wheel...
Possibly more?
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