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Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR

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Olga

Olga

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I got my BonusDrive check today! It took them about a week to approve my application, and ten more days later the check arrived. Of course, $250 is less than 0.5% of what I paid for my jeep, but still, it's free money!

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR money
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Steve JLUR

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I got my BonusDrive check today! It took them about a week to approve my application, and ten more days later the check arrived. Of course, $250 is less than 0.5% of what I paid for my jeep, but still, it's free money!

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR money
I wanted a second $250 check so bad I went back a week later bought a Grand Cherokee!
 
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Olga

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I installed* tie-down D-rings (~$10):

*it often means "installation by husband". I'm just a humble mastermind behind this. :)

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR D-rings


Then I added a 22"x38" bungee cargo net ($25). It has small 2"X2" mesh and I like that it can be stored neatly in the bag that comes with it.

I'm thinking of attaching it to the new D-rings to keep stuff from jumping up and down during trips:

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR storage-mesh-1


Alternatively, I might try this configuration:

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR storage-mesh-2


I also added a few more tie-down items (~$15 total):
Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR tie-downs


I don't have any particular use in mind for them right now, but it won't hurt to have them in my jeep just in case.
 
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Olga

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I couldn't NOT get recovery boards because when I got stuck in sand last year in my old sedan, this is what a friendly jeep owner used in order to help me. Me and two other cars stuck a little further down that sandy road :).

Now I feel like I HAVE to have recovery boards in order to return the favor, so to speak. Besides, this recovery method requires less skill and involvement than, say, using a snatch strap. Perfect for a noob (me).

I didn't go for the top-of-the-line MAXTRAX ones. I chose more reasonably priced X-Bull recovery boards with a bag ($70). I got the version without hardware because I don't plan to mount them outside my jeep. I chose blue ones because they were $5 cheaper than other colors and absolutely NOT because I have a growing obsession with all things colored hydro blue. ;)

My issue with these boards is that they are a bit too long (~42") and don't fit well in the cargo area:

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR recovery-boards-2


Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR recovery-boards-1


So I guess it's gonna have to be like this:

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR recovery-boards-3


There's a shorter version (~36"), but it doesn't come with a bag. I couldn't find a reasonably priced bag sold separately, so I'll have to stick with the longer version.

Speaking of the bag - it's not very sturdy actually. Sharp edges of the boards already started cutting through it just from carrying the bag to the jeep and back home once.

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR recovery-board-ba
 
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I added more recovery items: a snatch strap, a tree saver strap, and shackles of two types.

I initially purchased a Rhino USA recovery strap. But then I read the reviews and found out that it's basically a tow strap with virtually no stretch. I returned it and got a 3"x30' snatch strap with over 20% stretch as part of a kit that also includes two D-ring shackles and a bag ($70).

There was another contender with similar characteristics and price, but it didn't have my favorite feature - a storage bag.

I also got a pair of soft shackles ($25) and a 3"x8' tree saver strap ($25). I intend to use the tree saver strap as a bridle because the jeep manual recommends using both of the front tow hooks for off-road recovery. It can also be used to extend the snatch strap, or as a short tow strap to tow somebody a short distance.

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR recovery-items


The snatch strap is a bit bulkier than I thought it would be, but the bag with it and all four shackles fits nicely under the rear seat:

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR recovery-items-storage
 
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Olga

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Another item I purchased and later returned is frame plugs. @Heimkehr warned off one particular product that didn't fit his 2021 jeep so I made sure I picked plugs that had "2021" in the title. But they didn't fit either.

There are 6 holes on the frame of my 2021 JLUR, 2 smaller holes and 4 bigger ones. All 4 of the plugs I got only fit the smaller holes (and loosely at that). So I can only use 2 plugs out of 4. The remaining 4 holes remain exposed to dirt and I have 2 extra plugs I can't use.

3 holes one each side:

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR chassis-holes-1


Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR chassis-holes-2


Apparently one could plug 2 different frame holes with these for ~$30 (according to @CWRUYOTE).

I figured if it were THAT important to have all these frame holes plugged they would've been plugged at the factory. My jeep will remain unplugged :)
 
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I call the gap between front seats and center console "The Abyss" because things have been lost there in my old car. I came across this foam pipe hack (thanks, @Jeepmarkjl !) and decided to implement it in my jeep.

I got 3/4 in. x 6 ft. foam pipe insulation for under 2 dollars and solved the problem in under 2 minutes.

Ironically, the only time I've ever dropped something (my phone) into "The Abyss" in my jeep is when I was trying to plug "The Abyss". And it was a real PITA to fish it out, worse than in my old car. I'm really glad that "The Abyss" is no more.

And it looks totally OEM ;) :

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR foam-pipe-hack
 
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Jeepmarkjl

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I call the gap between the front seats and the center console "The Abyss" because things have been lost there in my old car. I came across this foam pipe hack (thanks, @Jeepmarkjl !) and decided to implement it in my jeep.

I got 3/4 in. x 6 ft. foam pipe insulation for under 2 dollars and solved the problem in under 2 minutes.

Ironically, the only time I've ever dropped something (my phone) into The Abyss in my jeep is when I was trying to plug The Abyss. And it was a real PITA to fish it out, worse than in my old car. I'm really glad that The Abyss is no more.

And it looks totally OEM:

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR foam-pipe-hack
Glad it worked out for you. It’s saved me so many times.
 

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Thank you Olga, my hydrow blue rubicon should be here shortly, and mine is similarly optioned to yours. I have all ready saved several of your items in my Amazon cart. 😎

I did find a soft top locally as well, figure here in the PNW I will run the soft top April-September.

thanks again for sharing and keep having fun out there!
 
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I bought a few more things for my jeep.

A Harbor Freight 40x72" moving blanket ($5). Folded in half it's a perfect fit for the cargo area, just as described in this thread.

A rope/strap damper. I thought of getting two as some suggest, but ended up getting just one because damper manufactures recommend using just one in the middle of a rope.

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR damper


I chose this Stegodon damper (~$30) because it's cheaper than an ARB one (~$45) but it's not as lightweight as other even cheaper ones. Product description for Stegodon damper says it weighs 2.25 lbs, but my scale said only 1.8 lbs. I'll probably put metal D-ring shackles (2.2 lbs each) I already have into the damper pocket to weigh it down more when I need to use it.

Amazon initially sent me another damper by mistake - a cheaper Zesuper. Out of curiosity I weighed it before returning, and it was 1.5 lbs. When I held both dampers at the same time the difference in weight was noticeable.

A couple more items for car jeep washing:

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR foam-gun-and-wheel-brush


This wheel brush (~$10) is huge!

I ordered two foam guns - Ontel ($20) and Chemical Guys ($45). They turned out to be very similar. The handle of the Chemical Guys foam gun was more comfortable, but I chose the Ontel one mostly because it was 1.5 times lighter. I haven't had a chance to use it yet so I can't speak to its functionality.
 
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I used to hand wash my truck back when it was new, but the past few years, I got spoiled with drive-through car washes - not super concerned about the paint on a 15-year-old truck, lol.

However, now that I have a new Jeep, I'm realizing I'm likely going to have to learn to hand wash again. Which also means I'm going to need to update my supplies, so I'm really glad you're highlighting/listing them out here, as well.

I'd definitely be interested in hearing/reading more about the ones you've chosen and how well they work.
 

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I struggled on the color of my on order JLURD between hydro and snazzberry. I eventually let the dealer choose for me. They chose snazz. I like your build and wish I had your will power. Mine is getting a RK 4.5 inch lift, falcon 3.3 electronic shocks and nitto 38x12.50r17 tires on bronze beadlocks.
 

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After reading the thread about door sill protection I decided to apply a clear vinyl tape and also attach plastic door sill guards.

Tape

I could've bought it pre-cut for $70, but I opted for a cheaper way - to buy a roll of tape and cut it myself. Now that I've gone through the tape application process I can tell that cutting is an easy part; applying is much harder. I chose a wider 12"x72" tape ($40) because I wanted the protection to go all the way down to the rock sliders.

I found the application instructions in this video very helpful. That guy made it look so easy!

So, here we go (rear left door):

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR foam-gun-and-wheel-brush


Well, mistakes were made.

As I tried to cover as much of the door sill as I could, I cut a long piece of tape that goes over the groove in the door sill. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but for the life of me I couldn't make the tape conform to that groove. Then I just taped the piece straight over the groove as a bridge, but it came out looking horrible, so I later cut the tape along the groove with a razor. It turned out OK, but not great.

Lesson learned. For the remaining three doors I adjusted my design and cut the long pieces into two parts to be applied on each side of the groove. I also re-watched the video and noticed that the guy's water was soapier than mine, so I added a bit more dish soap to my spray bottle. That made a big difference. Yet another improvement was the addition of a small spray bottle with alcohol solution (70% rubbing alcohol to water 1:3) to be applied on edges and stubborn corners - it makes the tape stickier.

After these adjustments it took the same amount of time to do the remaining 3 doors as it did the first one.

The result (tape, front left door):

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR foam-gun-and-wheel-brush
Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR foam-gun-and-wheel-brush


When you buy pre-cut pieces, you only get part A. My part B adds about 4" of coverage for the front sill and 2" for the rear one.

Guards

The following day I installed the door sill guards. My husband insisted we get the original Mopar ones ($65), but I think the knockoffs for under $30 would've been just fine.

The final result (tape+guards, front left door):

Jeep Wrangler JL Olga's 2021 Hydro Blue JLUR foam-gun-and-wheel-brush



Phew :whew:. After all this problem solving and intensive squeegeeing I feel proud of myself as if I upgraded a part of the drivetrain or something. :)

Curious how this has held up? Just got a JLUR and our big old old struggles to get into the back seat and I am afraid the paint on the door sill will get ruined. This is one item I was considering.

9ACDD7E9-A1E9-4904-83F8-90E722D25F6C.jpeg
 
 



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