JeepDoodles Sweet Sting-Gray Rubicon Build

[ThirtyOne]

I have a 2018 JLU Sport S in Sting-Gray in the garage.

But I have a 2021 Sting-Gray Rubicon on order.

I've already sketched out my build. This is what it will look like when it is done:

If you are interested in getting an illustration of your own build, there is more info here:

JeepDoodles MyBuild

Forum Members get 10% off.

So here is the build I have planned. Some of the components are being transferred from the Sport S. More details in the posts that follow:

2021 Rubicon Sting-Gray
- 6 speed Manual
- 3.6 v6
- Premium Soft Top
- Cold Weather Package

That's it! Thanks to Travis at Tri-City for giving me a sweet deal! Definitely recommend them.

Mods -

- Done

- MetalCloak Frame-Mounted front bumper
- SmittyBilt x20 10k synthetic line winch
- Factor55 Flatlink E
- Quadratec premium led healights
- Motobilt Crusher Series Rocker Guards/w step
- Midland MXT275 GMRS Radio
- Metalcloak rear diff skid plate
- RockHard 4x4 LCA skids
- Bartact Seat Covers
- Mopar all-weather mats
- Salex console organizer
- CMM Doors-Off/Trail Mirrors
- Dirty Dog two-part shade
- Rampage Windbreaker and Tonneau Cover
- Smittybilt 2781 Air Compressor
- ARB Recovery Strap
- Fifteen52 TurboMacHD Classic Black Wheels (17x8.5 4.75 BS 0 offset)
- 35 inch Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ P3 tires


- Planned

- MetalCloak GameChanger 2.5 Inch Lift or DynaTrac Endurosport 2 inch lift?
- Mopar Aux Switches
- Artec A-Pillar Light Mount
- Rigid D-SS Pro Black LED Lights
- Borla Touring Climber Hi-Tuck Exhaust
- Mirror Dash Cam
- Motobilt Rear bumper

- Still Researching

- Tailgate Reinforcement (CavFab or Motobilt?)
- License Plater relocation - Next Venture Motorsports?
- Hi-Lift Jack

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[UNC Rubicon]

I found a typo...”35 in KM3s” should read “37 in KM3s”

 

[MARSHMELLA]

Oh shit, that's gonna be a sick Jeep!!

 

[ThirtyOne]

I don't have my Rubicon yet, but I do have some of the components already on my Sport S and they will just be moved to my Rubicon.

The bumper is the MetalCloak Frame-mounted bumper. This configuration is 2401.

Link here.

My requirements was a bumper that was mid-width, could accept the stock fog lights, could be converted to a stubby, had a skid plate, accept a low bull bar, accept a recessed winch, not too heavy, and looks good.

I narrowed it down to 3 bumbers:

- Mopar Steel Bumper
- Pros
- Good looking
- Stubby retains the fog lights
- Can be found as a take-off
- Cons
- Everyone has it. Looking for something a little more unique
- Easy to find a good deal on the bumper but need to add a winch plate, bull bar, and skid plate
- Not a fan of open hooks for winching or towing

- Roam Slimline Bumper
- Pros
- Good looking
- Roam really worked with me and offered a good deal
- Not very common
- Winch is really recessed and the bar is very low, which gives it a great low profile
- Cons
- Really too slim. Barely enough room for the winch and not easy to access

- MetalCloak Frame-Mounted Bumper
-Pros
- Unique/Tough look
- Modular
- Not very common
- Lots of room for the winch
- Mounting holes for lights
- Cons
- Weird proprietary fairlead
- Gold hardware

In the end, MetalCloak won out. It met all my requirements and I am very happy with it. I had to pick up some adaptor brackets from Quadratec for my halogen fog lights. The LED fog lights fit without an adaptor.

I dropped in a SmittyBilt x20 10k Synthetic line winch. Just a solid budget winch.

The hook was replaced by a Factor55 Flatlink-E, which is really cool. The one thing I hate about the SmittyBilt winch is that the only way to get the hook off is to grind it off. Thanks to @chevymitchell for help on that.

This also shows why the Jeep community is awesome. My friend Bret (@UNC Rubicon) knew I was looking for one and saw someone selling them brand new on Facebook at a crazy low price. But you had to go in person and pay cash. And he was on the other side of the state. Another jeeper (who I had never met in person) drove 20 miles and picked it up for me and then delivered it to me the next time we went out on the trails.

Another local Jeeper who I had never met in person came over to my house and helped me install the bumper and the winch.

 

[ThirtyOne]

I have a window sticker!

In case you are wondering what a $40,000 out the door (thanks to Travis @ tri-city) Rubicon looks like here it is.

 

[UNC Rubicon]

Now, let’s see how fast they can get it to you.

 

[ThirtyOne]

It's here! You can see Tri-City moved the bumper and headlights from my Sport to the Rubicon. They also moved my MetalCloak Read Diff Skid and RockHard 4x4 LCA skids.

Big shout out to @Discount Tire! They were great here on the forums and at my local shop. Great service and communication. They matched an unbelievable price on Mickey Thompson 315/70r17 Baja ATZ P3 tires and gave me a good deal on Fifteen52 TurboMac HD Classic wheels. Everything was at the shop and ready to go when I picked up my Jeep. I made an appointment for the next day and they had everything mounted and ready to go over my lunch break.

Here is the end result

I added a few other things that I had from my Sport S. One thing is the Tailgate Molle Panel from @JcrOffroad. Easy install with a good video to walk you through it. Just have to drill four holes in the tailgate panel.

Here it is loaded up:

I've got a few more things waiting to be installed and in-transit so stay tuned.

 

[Medicaptain]

GREAT build!!!!!

 

[Discount Tire]

Looking good @ThirtyOne!

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to help; we appreciate the shoutout!!!

 

[ThirtyOne]

Here are a few things that I had from my Sport S that I went ahead and installed. Nothing fancy. Just cheap functional things.

First, the console organizer from @salex . You can see I use the console USB for my phone so there are no cords dangling in the cabin.

Here is my fire extinguisher. No mount. I just keep it under the front seat.

Quadratec flashlight and mount.

Cheap 15 inch Amazon antenna (brand was AntennaMastsRus). I think the reception may be a little better than the more popular Ryonair.

For radio on the trails, I currently use this Cobra 2-way radio. But looking to upgrade this in the future.

 

[ThirtyOne]

I like to drive with the top down and doors off a lot. So I have some mods for that.

First of all, CMM mirrors. I love them. Lots of people use other mirrors and they say they love their solution but they are wrong. These have a great design, great quality, and have more of a trail mirror look and feel.

On a recommendation from a forum member, I got this case to keep the mirrors in.

Here is the mount on the A-Pillar. So clean!

And here with the mirrors:

For the doors, I use an impact to remove the door check bolts. Then here is my system for storing the doors in my garage:

Just lean them against the wall on some old blankets.

For my top, I have the Rampage tonneau cover and windbreaker. That way I can have the rear windows out and if it rains I just pull up to Safari mode and the rain doesn't get in. The windbreaker is pretty useless other than keeping the backs of my rear seats dry in the rain. Not sure I can recommend it.

With the tonneau cover on and the top down, the top sits pretty high. I bought some velcro from Walmart and use it to strap the top down as best as I can.

I used to just throw my windows in the back between some Harbor Freight moving blankets, but one of my buddies sold me his Mopar window bag cheap, and I have to admit it, it is definitely an improvement.

I have some great new things installed but no pictures yet. So there is more coming.

 

[ThirtyOne]

Got some new mods! First off my Motobilt rocker panel guards and sliders.

Thanks to @River City Offroad for great service and a great price! Powder coating by Top Coat in Raleigh. They were great. I recommend them.

Thanks to @chevymitchell for installing them. It's nerve-racking to put so many holes in your Jeep and Shawn was the person I trusted the most to do it. It was also his idea to put the red accents behind the logo which came out great.

I also installed some Bartact seat covers. I have cloth seats which I love but my experience with my Sport S was that they get trashed on the trails and never really get clean. Bartact covers do great in the heat but they are sturdier and easier to clean than the cloth. And I think they look great and add some color to the interior. Bartact communication was great, and they shipped out pretty quick. They were a bitch to install and probably need to be tightened up a little, but I am very happy with them.

I also got some Rugged Ridge Elite Taillight guards. I have ripped taillights off on the trail. This won't prevent that, but it will prevent the lights themselves from getting damaged. Thanks to @Northridge4x4 for a great price with the forum discount. I really like the design but the hardware had to be replaced. Thanks to @chevymitchell for some help with the install.

I have a few more things coming soon!

 

[ThirtyOne]

I installed the Midland MXT275. Thanks to @Northridge4x4 for a great price and fast shipping!

I installed it behind the glovebox

I like the Cooltech antenna mount, but it is stainless and I wanted black. So I did a crappy paint job...

Installed the ghost antenna on the driver's side cowl

Wired it using the @Quadratec 12v power adaptor

Using the Magnetic Mic for the mic mount.

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