The Dirty White Willy

[Jeremynolan94]

Spent a few days rambling around Anza Borrego last weekend. I realized that my front tires rub quite badly on the Apex Autolynx quick disconnects when fully articulated and turning. This is apparently a known issue on Wranglers without the wider Rubicon axles. Apex recommends fitting 1.5'' wheel spacers to remedy this issue, so I ordered some 1.75'' Synergy spacers that I will be installing next week. The added width should also help counteract some of the top-heaviness I experience when wheeling with my roof tent and gear up top.

I am also working with Premier West Gears in Riverside to schedule a time to re-gear to 4.56 and fit a rear Trutrac. They will also throw in the Torq locker I picked up a few weeks back into the front axle. With all that done I can't think of anything else I could possibly need...for now, at least.

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[Jeremynolan94]

Just got my Jeep back after its biggest upgrade yet: I ditched the stock 3.45 gears! Yesterday I had the fine folks at Premier West Gears in Corona fit 4.56 gears as well as a rear Trutrac and my front Torq locker. Took about a half day and their price ($2650) couldn't be beat by any other shops I contacted.

The difference was immediately apparent while driving home. The power band is way better in all gears. 6th gear is now completely usable even as low as 60mph, and I no longer find myself constantly downshifting on any slight inclines. 75mph places the engine right around 2500rpm which is enough for me.

I tried out the Trutrac and locker on a steep, loose gravel driveway and could really feel the added grip. Of course the Torq locker will take some getting used to when turning, as I could feel it plowing a bit on tight turns in 4wd on the gravel. When in 2wd the clicking is barely noticeable, certainly less than the Trutrac chirping on pavement. For folks with the 6-speed and 33s, I can't recommend 4.56 enough.

In addition to this major upgrade, I fit 1.75" Synergy wheel spacers to help with rubbing on my Apex Autolynx disconnects. I love the stance they provide, and the Jeep feels more planted in corners. I'm excited to get it out on some trails over the next week to see how all of these upgrades perform.

 

[Jeremynolan94]

Took the Jeep out for its first major run after regearing and fitting the rear Truetrac, front Torq locker, and 1.75" wheel spacers. All I can say is wow! What a wildly different off- roading experience. The Truetrac and better high-range gearing means I can now do most deep sandy washes and minor obstacles in 2H. In 4H the steering is noticeably heavier and wants to return to center due to the Torq locker, but this does not affect tracking or steering in washes or other driving surfaces. The locker is most noticeable when doing tight turns or when on a higher-traction rock surface, but it really isn't annoying and the added traction when articulated is incredible. You can only hear it click in 2H during tight turns, and even that is barely noticeable. In 4H and 4L you can hear it clicking in turns as it unlocks, but give it anything more than minor throttle application and it locks right up. For the price I paid for it I can't recommend a Torq locker enough, especially since a selectable locker in the Dana 30 would have been 3-4x as much.

 

[Renrap]

I also have a 22 Willy and I’m in love with your setup. I’m currently looking for a roof rack and can’t decide if I should get something that requires drilling. Everyone scares me about having a roof top tent on the rain gutters but it seems like you’re rocking it with no issues with the antidote rack!

 

[Jeremynolan94]

I also have a 22 Willy and I’m in love with your setup. I’m currently looking for a roof rack and can’t decide if I should get something that requires drilling. Everyone scares me about having a roof top tent on the rain gutters but it seems like you’re rocking it with no issues with the antidote rack!

I appreciate your kind words! I love my current setup too.

I went back and forth when deciding between a gutter mounted vs. drill-in rack. A major consideration of mine was how easy the gutter mounted rack would be to remove when not in use. I have four ratchet straps hanging from eye hooks in my garage rafters. I can strap those around the corners of the rack, unscrew the gutter mounts, and have it lifted off in around five minutes. Installation is just as straightforward. This storage system is doubly effective because it lets me keep my camping gear up and out of the way in my garage.

This thread has more of my feedback on the Antidote rack in particular. I do try to be mindful of the total dynamic weight I have on the rack (i.e., weight when vehicle is in motion) given the gutter mount system; however, in the 2+ years I've been using this setup I've had zero issues or signs of stress on the gutters, and I've even done one BoH trail with everything on my roof. Between my tent, a portable shower, a storage case for gear, traction boards, and the weight of the rack, I've definitely exceeded the maximum gutter rail weight recommendation from Jeep. But again, I've had no issues and would do it this way again. My C6 Rev Tent is very lightweight for a rooftop tent (~75 pounds), so that certainly helps.

Deezee is another promising looking rack. I like that their setup also has small mounting "feet" that distribute the weight from the gutters onto the roof. I've reached out to them about purchasing some of these feet to retrofit onto my rack but never heard back from them.

What rooftop tent are you considering? I have thought about upgrading to something that is quicker to set up, but again I like the size and weight of this tent.

 

[Deleted User 38384]

Rooftop tents are quite popular in Europe. I was just in Norway and seen a number of them. Even a Smart Car and an MB Wagon had tents on them.

My parents went to Norway last year. Norway has some really amazing laws for camping. Also, hiking is a national pastime out there. It would make sense that RRTs are so popular.

 

[Renrap]

I appreciate your kind words! I love my current setup too.

I went back and forth when deciding between a gutter mounted vs. drill-in rack. A major consideration of mine was how easy the gutter mounted rack would be to remove when not in use. I have four ratchet straps hanging from eye hooks in my garage rafters. I can strap those around the corners of the rack, unscrew the gutter mounts, and have it lifted off in around five minutes. Installation is just as straightforward. This storage system is doubly effective because it lets me keep my camping gear up and out of the way in my garage.

This thread has more of my feedback on the Antidote rack in particular. I do try to be mindful of the total dynamic weight I have on the rack (i.e., weight when vehicle is in motion) given the gutter mount system; however, in the 2+ years I've been using this setup I've had zero issues or signs of stress on the gutters, and I've even done one BoH trail with everything on my roof. Between my tent, a portable shower, a storage case for gear, traction boards, and the weight of the rack, I've definitely exceeded the maximum gutter rail weight recommendation from Jeep. But again, I've had no issues and would do it this way again. My C6 Rev Tent is very lightweight for a rooftop tent (~75 pounds), so that certainly helps.

Deezee is another promising looking rack. I like that their setup also has small mounting "feet" that distribute the weight from the gutters onto the roof. I've reached out to them about purchasing some of these feet to retrofit onto my rack but never heard back from them.

What rooftop tent are you considering? I have thought about upgrading to something that is quicker to set up, but again I like the size and weight of this tent.

Im planning to have a roof top tent eventually (in a few years) so I wanted something to support a heavy load but I only found options that include drilling (Maximus 3, Front Runner). External racks (Gobi, ARS) I love but don’t want to run because my Jeep is also my daily driver to work. I was leaning towards the Maximus 3 but finding your Jeep threw a curveball in my selections.

 

[Flip]

It really is a great looking set up. If I was young I would definitely be using this setup.

 

[Jeremynolan94]

Recently completed my second BoH trail, Pinyon Mountain in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. I wasn't planning on running it, but when leaving my campsite I ran into a couple in a lifted 4dr Rubicon on 35s that was headed towards the Squeeze to check it out. They originally had a group run planned but things fell through. I figured why not ask if they wanted a second Jeep to join them. They were happy to have the company so we gave it a go.

I at first tried to do the Squeeze without modifying anything, but after scraping my passenger side mirror decided to reverse out and take off my door. With that removed it was an easy crawl through, with only a minor scrape on my passenger rear fender and door handle

Next up was the window breaker rock crawl section. So long as you stay as far right as possible and take it slow, you'll have a few inches to spare. The manual transmission made it a little jerky, but I managed without issue.

Last up, and most anticipated, was the feared Heart Attack Hill. I saw a guy roll his TJ down the hill a few years ago while out bikepacking, so I was nervous. The initial drop in on the left side was the scariest part, as the 2dr will get tippy before settling into the deepest rut. Once that was over, however, it was all about going slow and keeping things pointed downward.

All-in-all, it was a great day on the trail. The combination of 4.56 gears, front Torq locker, rear Trutrac, ACT JP6 clutch, and Apex Autolynx quick disconnects made this trail not nearly as difficult as I originally anticipated. I've added diff skids to my wish list as I got one solid scrape on my rear diff cover, but otherwise the Dirty White Willy handled everything without issue!

 

[Jeremynolan94]

I noticed my Jeep has been feeling "clunky" on-road the last few days, so I went under to examine things. Sure enough, the front shocks were toast. This will be the second time I've had to replace the shocks; the first time, my rear shocks went out at about 22,000 miles and the dealer replaced all four under warranty.

I ended up ordering a set of Bilstein 5100s for 0-1.5" lifts and installed them last night. The Jeep is certainly more taught and firm on-road, though not in an uncomfortable way. I'm happy with my choice and will report back after I spend more time with them off-road.

Today I am also taking the Jeep in to have the clutch recall completed. Unfortunately the ACT clutch that Stellantis reimbursed me for has started to cause the "first gear lockout" issue detailed in this thread. With a 3,000 mile road trip coming up I didn't want to risk being stranded, so I'll be returning to the stock setup covered under warranty. Before installation I'll be reseting my gears and tire size to factory settings, and then reprogramming once the new clutch has been installed. That has apparently been how folks are avoiding the limp mode and "check transmission" light issue. I'll report back!

 

[Jeremynolan94]

Well folks, I’ve made some pretty significant changes to the Dirty White Willy in the past two weeks that I’m excited to share.

The first change was ditching the ACT clutch and getting the 19A recall completed. This turned out to be a great move, since the ACT kept giving me shifting issues even after having the transmission dropped in Idaho and the input shaft re-greased with ACT’s recommended grease. I’ve since heard from several others running the ACT who developed similar issues once it was broken in. The stock clutch, by contrast, feels very smooth and light. Engagement is a little more vague, but drivability in traffic is better and the rev hang from the heavier ACT flywheel is gone. We’ll see how it holds up off-road, but so far I’m happy with the swap.

Once the clutch was sorted, I mounted up a set of 255/85R17 Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/Ts on the stock rims. My KO2s still had some life in them but were chewed up after so many miles off-road, and I wanted to try a tall, skinny “pizza cutter” size. So far the Baja Bosses are an awesome upgrade, noticeably quieter than the KO2s, track straighter on the freeway, and pair nicely with the 4.56 gears around town. They also ride great for an E load tire. Steering effort feels about the same, though I still need to do the chalk test to dial in the pressure. Right now I’m running 37psi and it is a tad firm. I did have to use a heat gun on my plastic bumper to prevent the spare from rubbing, but doing so saved me from purchasing a relocation bracket. I purchased a knockoff Mopar tailgate reinforcement bracket since I did notice the spare moves ever so slightly. It was on sale on Ebay and should be in next week. I’m really looking forward to airing them down and trying them on the trail. Plus, I really like the look.

With the new tires, I needed some added clearance to prevent rubbing, so I picked up an AEV 2" spacer lift kit from a forum member along with JKS adjustable front and rear track bars. The installation took about a day since I am very much so a novice mechanic. Combined with the Rubicon springs I added early on, the setup nets me about 3.5" of lift over stock. I know that spacer lifts can get a bad rap, but for my goals right now it’s working well. The Jeep drives great on-road, though it’s a bit more of a climb to get in and out of now. I’ll likely move to longer shocks down the road to regain some down travel, but for now I’m running the AEV shock extensions which are fine.

The only downside to this setup so far is fuel economy, which I was anticipating. I’m currently averaging about 14 mpg in stop-and-go city driving during the hot California summer. Freeway mileage seems to be about the same as before, if not slightly better since the taller tires bring RPMs down with the 4.56s.

 

[Jeremynolan94]

Well folks, after an awesome three years I decided to sell the Dirty White Willy. I found myself needing more space and found a 2022 Tacoma Trail Edition with only 7,900 miles on it that I couldn't pass up. I'm going to miss the capability of the Jeep immensely and the wonderful community here on this forum, but I think the Tacoma will better serve my needs at this point in my life. I've learned a lot from you all and am happy to hear that the new owner has some great off-road adventures planned with it. Hopefully you'll still see it on here!

 

[entropy]

Willis

 

[Jeremynolan94]

Willis

I know how it's pronounced; that didn't stop people from naming it the Dirty White Willy though!

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