Wrench fest 1 of 2 3/15 (Sunday) Operation stripper...

[pirahnah3]

Im starting to become Iffy on this...Jeff I will text you Sun morning.

[BRWhelan]

Don’t think I’m going to be able to make it. Have a head cold and don’t want to expose anyone to it. (Not the Corona!! )

[BlackNBlue-ISH]

I’ll be there. May be bringing a starter to throw in my Jeep.

[Hoodoo Man]

I’ll be there. May be bringing a starter to throw in my Jeep.

Sounds good!

@ Jim I hope you can make it but understand if you cant.

@ BRwhelan I hope you feel better soon! Thanks for being smart about this as people are on edge for sure.

[BlackKnight]

Well, for not being at the official Wrenchfest, I think I got things done pretty well...

Stage one completed on Saturday afternoon...
Removed all the OEM carrier and hardware, Cut the third brake light cables and fed them into the tailgate to do the splicing and setting up for coming out an alternate whole.


Day two (Sunday morning):
Pulled off the OEM Hinges and found something unexpected

Cleaned it up as best I could, used some rust remover and then sprayed some clear to try to protect it in the future.
Then did the install of the new Hinges, tailgate mount/Tire mount

All the wiring for the third brake light is complete. I did not execute the License relocation yet, but the wiring is in place (still have to splice into the Passenger tail light)

The third brake light wiring along with the License relocation wiring goes in a whole in the tailgate behind the plate (hidden behind Plate, but you can see the blue and white wite in one of the shots that shoes the rust). The new CB/(VHF/UHF) antenna and it's cabling go into the tailgate where the old third brake light went in (new Grommets in all locations)

What's Left?
Well, Mounting the tire...
Turns out that the mount "May require a Spacer if you have a different backspace than the OEM rim" so Now I'm looking for a spacer of at least 1" Does anyone have any kicking around that they don't use?

Once I can get the tire attached, I'll complete the one step I have left for wire splicing (Plate Relocation) and then run the CB antenna up toward the front seats. I use handhelds for radios, so the antenna will stop at the rollbar neat the front seat where I have a steel MOLLE panel to install overhead under the freedom panels where I'll be clipping the handhelds. It's probably hard to picture, but It'll be very functional.

[RandyCarol]

Looks like you got some stuff done. That rust is actually to be expected, my wifes had the same and it was only a year old when uncovered. They all do
I have a spacer, replied to your other post

[Hoodoo Man]

A BIG thanks to Modler and ISH, got the under armor off of the JKU and fluid changes and bumper removed. We did not get to bolt much on to the new JK but got a lot closer to getting the JK Rubi ready for the trials and the JKU ready for sale. I still need to remove the PSC pump and synergy tie rod but I can at least do the latter by myself and if I feel really brave and overconfident I can remove the pump too. Heck, its only 3 bolts and a few fittings what can possibly go wrong

[BlackKnight]

Well, It's now complete but for about 30 minutes of Wiring behind the Passenger tail light. The Spacer was received last night (Thanks So Much Randy!!).


Got everything measured so the tire pulls tight against the carrier. Solid as a rock, Even Hung me of the tire to see if it moves at all and nothing. Plate mount unit installed along with setting up the third brake light. The third brake light is working already, and the cable for the antenna is run to the front of the cab.



Tomorrow I'll be finishing up the wiring behind the tail light (already moved the wires into behind it using the OEM grommet, which was a (another word for a Female Dog, that was edited out the first time LOL) to fish through). Then concentrating on the front cab to get the steel overhead MOLLE rack installed and locate the Antenna wire to where the radios will be...

Wound up raising the tire about six inches in all, but now no worries of the little OEM aluminum carrier snapping and sending my 90 lbs tire flying down the road towards someone's doom...


All in all, having fun figuring things out...