Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

A few more work-in-progress photos of my tailgate table project. Forgive the goofy angles of the photos, the table isn't yet attached to the tailgate so the photos were taken with the tailgate lying on the workbench.

Today I made the Molle panel:

In addition to Molle slots, the panel includes mounting locations for Rotopax containers (1 2-gallon or 2 1-gallon), and rows of holes for QuickFist clamps.

The table is pictured on a JK tailgate but when finished will mount to the JL tailgate in the background as well.

Here's a view of the table, with a cutlery keeper behind it. The cutting board can be seen on its slide underneath the table. THe brackets that will attach it to the tailgate are just rough cut at the moment, they'll be cut to final size and shape shortly.

The cutting board pulled out. The slide is complete, my hand is not supporting the board.

All of the major components are made, the next steps are latches, the Molle panel mounting hardware and other finishing details.

 

[borison]

Hey jscherb, I was curious about your electrical system. I searched your posts, but didn’t find any posts detailing the setup. I know you mentioned a preproduction unit a bit ago. Any pics/specs on your battery, wiring etc.? I apologize if I missed it.

 

[jscherb]

Hey jscherb, I was curious about your electrical system. I searched your posts, but didn’t find any posts detailing the setup. I know you mentioned a preproduction unit a bit ago. Any pics/specs on your battery, wiring etc.? I apologize if I missed it.

I'm using two preproduction components from MORryde - their Power Panel (pictured below) and their Charging System.

The Power Panel has two power outlets, two USB outlets and a voltmeter and ammeter. It connects directly to the kitchen battery, which I mount in a MORryde inner fender ammo can holder. In this photo the battery is on the passenger side but normally I keep it on the driver's side.

The battery is a deep cycle marine battery from Walmart, I paid about $100 but I think they're slightly more now.

The MORryde Charging System connects to the Jeep battery and has heavy-gauge cables that run from the engine compartment back to the kitchen battery. It charges the kitchen battery when the Jeep is running but when the Jeep is not running there's no connection from the kitchen battery to the main battery so there's no danger of running down the main battery.

I've had the system in my Jeep (two Jeeps actually, I've got a Charging System in both my JKU and LJ, and the Power Panel moves into either Jeep when I put the Trail Kitchen in) for almost two years - first as prototypes I built and later as MORryde built preproduction samples and the system has worked great. And it's a lot less expensive than a traditional dual battery system. Both products should be on the market very soon, they should have been out already. I asked MORryde for an update about a week ago and a marketing contact said:

[Component] vendor changed sources on a couple components so had to rework a lot in the power panel. We are shooting photos on Monday [last Monday] for instructions then should be good to sell soon after. I think there is a couple week lead time on components but able to sell. Will have to check the wiring kit status. Think we are very close on that as well.

 

[borison]

Thanks for getting back. I just recently bought a fridge and I’m trying to run the scenarios to figure out where I want it and how I’m going to power it. Goal Zero type power supply vs building my own. Any idea on the specs of the battery, Ah? I’m trying to figure out how to get the longest use before recharging, 2-3 days would be nice. Thanks again.

 

[jscherb]

Another work-in-progress photo of the Overland Tailgate Table. It's on a JL tailgate but the same parts also fit on a JK tailgate. I've got a little more hardware work do to, and the Molle panel needs to be powder coated or painted (it's the only steel part) but it's getting there.

 

[jscherb]

My factory hood latches were getting a little faded and since I have a JL-style grille on my JKU I decided to swap the factory hood latches for JL latches.

At first I bolted them up to the factory holes in the JK hood and fenders (after clipping the tabs off the back of the lower latch base), but that resulted in the hood being a little more than 1/8" too high so I slotted the holes in the hood and removed the lip at the bottom of the strikers to allow the strikers to mount higher on the hood and now the alignment is excellent.

 

[MattJ]

Hey Jeff - here's a kit that might work well with your headrest design:

 

[jscherb]

Hey Jeff - here's a kit that might work well with your headrest design:

Thanks, looks like it would be a good fit.

I got an email a few hours ago from Overland Outfitters with a photo of a preproduction sample of a Headrest Molle they sewed from the design; I gave them some feedback and they'll be doing some additional samples for review.

And this past weekend my son and I were in Manhattan doing our semi-annual father/son bicycle ride around the city (33 miles through Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn this time) and I found a nice belt clip cell phone pouch on the road so I picked it up. Belt clip things are compatible with the HD Molle of the headrest so I stuck it on there for the ride home .

 

[jscherb]

A few more work-in-progress shots of my tailgate table project - in this first photo the parts are on a JK tailgate:

The Overland Outfitters Cutlery Keeper for the Trailgator can mount to the table base, but because this table has a larger area into which a Cutlery Keeper can be mounted I'll probably design a slightly a larger one specifically for this table.

This next shot on a JL tailgate, but since the parts work on both JL and JK tailgates this important feature is on both...

 

[jscherb]

I finished my tailgate table project. It's on a JK tailgate in the workshop in most of these photos, here's a quick video showing how it works...


Some still photos for a better look...

Stowed:

Table open. An Overland Outfitters Cutlery/Tool Keeper is installed on the back panel.

A cutting board slides out from underneath the table:

Anything mounted on the Molle panel is still accessible when the table is down because the Molle panel is hinged:

In addition to slots for Molle pouches, the panel has four sets of holes for Rotopax mounts, and five rows of holes for mounting other things, such as with Quickfist clamps. In this closer view, there are three Molle pouches, a military shovel mounted with QuickFist clamps and a folding cup holder.

Mounting holes are provided for either one 2-gallon or two-one-gallon Rotopax containers (in these images the containers are drawings pasted on the photos).

And it wouldn't be complete without a this:

Fully outfitted and open:

The same parts also mount on the JL tailgate; for both the JK and JL it's a no-drill installation.

 

[rubicon91]

Looks amazing Jeff! Great job.

 

[Jurfie]

Crack that cider already, you deserve it!

 

[jscherb]

Looks amazing Jeff! Great job.

Thanks! I hope it gets the Donny Seal of Overlanding Approval

Crack that cider already, you deserve it!

That one's been in the workshop a few days for testing so it's warm but I'll definitely take a cold one out of the fridge tonight, run downstairs to the workshop to open it using the bottle opener on the table, and I'll definitely enjoy it!

 

[rubicon91]

Thanks! I hope it gets the Donny Seal of Overlanding Approval

? funny one Jeff there!!

 

[Zeep]

Not sure if I want or need one, but do you have a link to the narrow bottle opener?