The Dirty White Willy

[LazyJL]

If you are worried about too much weight on the roof, Maximus 3's 2-door roof rack mounts transfer the weight into the roll bars, increasing weight capacity and adding structural strength to the rack.
We carry two sea kayaks on our 2-door and were worried about damaging the roof in high crosswinds. I ordered just the mounts from Maximus 3 and used Unistrut for the crossbars. Unistrut allows mounting a variety of accessories or carrying lumber home.

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[eubea999]

epic post ?
this needs to be a Jeep ad!

thanks for sharing ?

 

[Jeremynolan94]

I thought of a few more minor upgrades I've made since owning the Jeep, and thought I'd add a few more photos I came across.

I added the ACT clutch spring a few months back after hearing positive reviews from folks on this forum. I have honestly not noticed much of a difference in overall clutch "feel" and am extremely interested to see what comes of the current clutch recall. Still, for only $10 I can't complain. Maybe if I went back to the original spring I'd notice a difference. An aftermarket clutch is definitely high on my list of desired upgrades, but I can't quite justify the price when my stock clutch is working just fine. I also recently added a tailgate LED strip that mounts at the base of the rear window and is powered by the rear 12v outlet. This has been a great addition, especially when cooking at night on the Rough Country tailgate table.

I'm an avid cyclist, having biked across the US twice and from Panama to Colombia last summer. I use a 1Up rack with a Kuat drop hitch to transport my bikes. I hope to soon get a swing-away hitch which will allow for easier access to the trunk when transporting my bikes; however, my current setup is very functional and I have been extremely happy with the 1Up.

One piece of gear that I have not yet used on my Wrangler has been my McLean Metalworks Hammock Hitch. This provides a way to mount a hammock to a standard 2'' trailer receiver. I used it regularly with my Crosstrek; however, the swinging tailgate on the Wrangler makes it less convenient to use. Another reason to get the swing-away hitch!

One add-on that I've since removed was a center console organizer, the reason being because it really limited how far I could push the front seats forward when accessing stuff in the back.

Lastly, in some of my pictures you will see a long black cylinder on my roof rack. That is the homemade shower that my dad and I made using ABS pipe. It is pressurized via a bike pump and holds enough water for 3-4 showers. It's been a godsend when mountain biking and trail running.

Coming down Diablo Drop-Off in Anza Borrego. I decided to take the easier line as last time I banged up my left rear fender on some of the sandstone.

Checking out Reward Mine in the Owens Valley. Well worth the detour off the 395 if you have the time! We drove about a kilometer back before turning around.

Leaving Valley of the Moon after exploring for the day. We were able to make it considerably further than when I brought my Crosstrek here a year ago!

Scouting out a potential bikepacking route in the White Mountains, just off of Crooked Creek Road. In the background is White Mountain, California's third highest peak and the highest bike-able peak in the state. A great, albeit challenging, ride up to 14,252 feet!

 

[entropy]

That used to be me 3 years ago. Then we had a baby. Dont have babies.

The Jeep fund also changed its name to daycare fund.

 

[tozalazz]

very nice view！

 

[Jeremynolan94]

I recently added a Kuat Pivot V2 swing away bike rack adapter and couldn't be happier with the purchase. Together with my 1Up rack it holds my bikes with zero play when off-road and allows me full access to my cargo area. This was an especially good purchase since I recently got a dog that will be joining me not only on overlanding trips, but every day at the special education facility I work at. This Jeep continues to empty my every pocket and put a smile on my face while doing so!

 

[Jeremynolan94]

I went out this weekend to spend a night up in some of the local mountains. I'm thinking of upgrading my little Viair 88p compressor to something a little burlier as it gets so dang hot when airing up all four tires. It sounds like the Viair 400p is pretty highly regarded on the forums, but do you all have any other suggestions before I pull the plug?

On a different note, Costco had these great Pendleton blankets for $20. You can see it under my tent ladder above. They zip right up and make a great pillow when not in use. Jenny my labrador/retriever certainly appreciated it.

 

[Jeremynolan94]

It's been quite some time since I've updated the build thread, and that's mainly because there hasn't been anything to update! The Dirty White Willy has done everything I've wanted it to do without batting an eye. Numerous camping trips to the desert and mountains have reminded me just how capable this little vehicle is when stock or with minimum upgrades.

Today I installed a set of Rubicon takeoff springs, specifically 60/61 and 91/92. There were occasions when I got slightly high-centered while out wheeling with friends, so I figured a little added clearance for $150 was a good purchase. The springs netted approximately 2" front and rear, and I think it looks and drives fantastic! I wouldn't have wanted any more lift.

Once I wear through the stock M/T tires and get a set of Rubicon takeoff tires (hopefully with white lettering) I'll be pretty much set. At least, that's what I tell myself.

 

[Jeremynolan94]

Scored a set of 285 Rubicon takeoff KO2s this weekend (thanks @JohnD for you help!) and had them installed today. What a difference in ride quality and noise! I love the look of the OWL lettering and am very glad I waited until I found a set that had them.

I do notice a very slight difference in acceleration, which makes sense as these tires are slightly taller than the stock 255 KM2s. It's pretty negligible but I definitely wouldn't want to go any larger without regearing my stock 3.45 axles, especially with reverse being so dang tall with the 6 speed manual. The stock KM2s got me everywhere I wanted to go so I don't really feel the need to go any larger than these...for now, that is!

Between the takeoff springs and tires I've netted nearly 3" in lift. I'm very happy with these upgrade given what I spent on them. Other upgrades I'm considering down the line include a front Torq locker and rear Trutrac, Rubicon transfer case swap, ACT clutch, and regearing to 4.10 or 4.56. Should I have bought a Rubicon from the get-go? Probably. But I've learned a lot along the way and have had tremendous fun in the process. This little Jeep has everything I want and nothing I don't, and I really love the simplicity of my build and where it has taken me.

 

[Jeremynolan94]

After driving with the Rubicon takeoff tires and springs for a few weeks I decided to install the Mopar LCAs. I definitely notice a difference with tracking at highway speed. They were a pain to torque down to spec but I'm glad I got them.

I also fit a DeeZee spare tire mount for my traction boards and have been very happy with it. I've been in the White Mountains and Eastern Sierras for the past few days and it hasn't budged an inch. Below are a few nice shots of my Willys in full overlanding mode.

Ascending Wyman Canyon Road. Much of the road consisted of creek crossings and wet rocky climbs. Lots of fun!

11,700ft up in the White Mountains, at the locked gate at the end of White Mountain Road. I biked up White Mountain the following morning. Definitely needed more time to acclimate to the altitude (14,252ft) but it was worth it!

Looking north along White Mountain Road. The traction board mount and 1Up bike rack have managed many miles of rough roads without issue.

I saw this Willys at the Barcroft Research Station at approximately 12,800ft. The folks there said they still use it occasionally to access the research hut at the summit!

I should note, before leaving on this trip I noticed that my rear shocks were leaking quite badly. The CDJR dealer in San Diego looked it over and will be replacing them under warranty as soon as they come in. I've had almost 24,000 miles of trouble-free wheeling and this has been the first issue to arise. I'll probably replace the shocks with Bilstein 5100s at some point, but figured I'd lean on my warranty while I still have it. Let me know if you have any other shock recommendations though!

 

[68Jeepster]

Enjoy your time with your Jeep...

 

[Jeremynolan94]

My local Jeep dealers are unable to get me in for the clutch recall for quite some time, so with a few big trips comming up I decided to bite the bullet and buy an ACT JP6-HDSS Pro-Mass clutch. I'll have installed in the next week or two and be done with the lousy stock clutch.

I've heard of other forum members recently being reimbursed for their aftermarket clutches and associated installation costs. I'm going to give it a go too and will report back when I hear back from Jeep.

 

[Jeremynolan94]

With Gold Mountain and the surrounding trails closed through November 30th, my sister and I instead went up to Idyllwild and checked out Indian Mountain Trail. We chose to go uphill from the intersection with San Jacinto Ridge Truck Trail. What a fun time it was: steep, off-camber climbs with deep ruts definitely tested my driving skills and kept us entertained. I'm always so impressed just how effective the BLD is in this thing, especially when coupled with the LSD in the rear. Even with 3.45s and 33s it just idles over and through so many obstacles.

I can't wait to get the pro-mass ACT clutch installed this week. I'll regear to 4.56 once I get that refunded, and am thinking of throwing a Truetrac in the back and leaving the front open and adding a Torq locker down the line.

For being a more budget-minded build, I continue to be so dang happy with how this little truck performs.

 

[Jeremynolan94]

I dropped my Jeep off at the mechanic on Monday to have the ACT JP6 Pro-Mass clutch installed. I picked it up this evening and drove it back home and around the neighborhood to get a better feel for it. Clutch feel is drastically different from the stock setup, and feels more responsive and snappy. The pedal is definitely stiffer (which I prefer), and the engagement point is quite close to the floor. I imagine everything will settle a bit as it is broken in, but first impressions are extremely positive. This is the way this car should have come from the factory. I can definitely feel the added inertia of the heavier flywheel, as the car isn't as prone to lugging on the freeway or on steep hills as it was before. I'm working on getting reimbursed and will report back once I am.

I also purchased a new, unused Torq locker from a fellow forum member. My dad and I will install that in the front M186 at some point. I'm thinking we'll wait to do so until after I regear and have a rear Truetrac fitted. I haven't had the need for a front locker yet but I know it would add a whole new level of confidence off road.

 

[Jeremynolan94]

Torq locker came in the mail yesterday. Mulling around the idea of installing it now or waiting to get regeared first. Regear might be a little ways off still since I want to first get reimbursed for the clutch.

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