2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon with J30 (gobirubicon)

[Comanche Scott]

Nice! So nice to just "grab and go". :victory:

Talking about weight. If you decide to get a skid plate for the fuel tank, I'd suggest going with aluminum. All the skid plates bolt over top of the original gas tank skid plate. So no need for heavy metal. That saves about 40 lbs on the already heavy side of the Jeep.
Or you could just double up the metal on the front portion of the stock skid plate, which is the most dented part. An 1/8" plate plug welded to the front portion would give almost 1/4" thickness, and still save weight over a full on steel skid plate.

Also for the transmission /engine skid plate aluminum is a good choice, because that skid plate is very rarely bashed on. Look for one that has wings to help cover the stock cross member. That part really takes a beating, but the aftermarket ones are pretty darned heavy as well.

Actually, if it was me, I'd probably go aluminum for the whole kit and caboodle.

 

[jscherb]

Nice! So nice to just "grab and go". :victory:

Talking about weight. If you decide to get a skid plate for the fuel tank, I'd suggest going with aluminum. All the skid plates bolt over top of the original gas tank skid plate. So no need for heavy metal. That saves about 40 lbs on the already heavy side of the Jeep.
Or you could just double up the metal on the front portion of the stock skid plate, which is the most dented part. An 1/8" plate plug welded to the front portion would give almost 1/4" thickness, and still save weight over a full on steel skid plate.

Also for the transmission /engine skid plate aluminum is a good choice, because that skid plate is very rarely bashed on. Look for one that has wings to help cover the stock cross member. That part really takes a beating, but the aftermarket ones are pretty darned heavy as well.

Actually, if it was me, I'd probably go aluminum for the whole kit and caboodle.

Where does one buy a caboodle for a JKU?

 

[rubicon91]

Nice! So nice to just "grab and go". :victory:

Talking about weight. If you decide to get a skid plate for the fuel tank, I'd suggest going with aluminum. All the skid plates bolt over top of the original gas tank skid plate. So no need for heavy metal. That saves about 40 lbs on the already heavy side of the Jeep.
Or you could just double up the metal on the front portion of the stock skid plate, which is the most dented part. An 1/8" plate plug welded to the front portion would give almost 1/4" thickness, and still save weight over a full on steel skid plate.

Also for the transmission /engine skid plate aluminum is a good choice, because that skid plate is very rarely bashed on. Look for one that has wings to help cover the stock cross member. That part really takes a beating, but the aftermarket ones are pretty darned heavy as well.

Actually, if it was me, I'd probably go aluminum for the whole kit and caboodle.

Thanks Scott I appreciate the comments and will check it out!!!

 

[rubicon91]

Where does one buy a caboodle for a JKU?

Well where you currently are probably has it for that strange looking Jeep that you see everywhere over there lol

 

[Comanche Scott]

Well where you currently are probably has it for that strange looking Jeep that you see everywhere over there lol

Where Jeff is there is a plethora of caboodles to choose from.

 

[jscherb]

Here's an interesting caboodle I've seen a lot of over here - seems to be a cargo rack but it's also got a mesh bottom and folds down to protect the windshield from the dust storms in the Rajasthan desert. These jeeps are Mahindra Majors, a CJ3b derivative, and there are thousands of them in taxi service in Rajasthan. The reason I'm posting it here is because I wonder if something like this might be good for Ursa Minor equipped Jeeps - it's storage that's independent of the pop-top so might be useful to expand cargo capacity? It wouldn't need to fold down because there aren't too many destructive dust storms in the US, but I could imagine storing things like folding camp chairs, maybe ammo cans to hold camp gear, a cooler, etc.?

 

[rubicon91]

Here's an interesting caboodle I've seen a lot of over here - seems to be a cargo rack but it's also got a mesh bottom and folds down to protect the windshield from the dust storms in the Rajasthan desert. These jeeps are Mahindra Majors, a CJ3b derivative, and there are thousands of them in taxi service in Rajasthan. The reason I'm posting it here is because I wonder if something like this might be good for Ursa Minor equipped Jeeps - it's storage that's independent of the pop-top so might be useful to expand cargo capacity? It wouldn't need to fold down because there aren't too many destructive dust storms in the US, but I could imagine storing things like folding camp chairs, maybe ammo cans to hold camp gear, a cooler, etc.?

Jeff,

That is pretty cool. Brings me to a thought about the trail rack. My trail rack gets used say 10% of the time however it is 100% of the time blocking my rear window. It would be cool to see something like this where you could drop it down when not in use say and when needed deploy. I do like this concept. And I could think of one highway in America that this may be useful on. Dalton Highway with everyone getting broken front windshields due to rocks being thrown. Outside of that you are right not many dust storms and all in US. Keep the Pics coming!!

 

[jscherb]

Jeff,

That is pretty cool. Brings me to a thought about the trail rack. My trail rack gets used say 10% of the time however it is 100% of the time blocking my rear window. It would be cool to see something like this where you could drop it down when not in use say and when needed deploy. I do like this concept. And I could think of one highway in America that this may be useful on. Dalton Highway with everyone getting broken front windshields due to rocks being thrown. Outside of that you are right not many dust storms and all in US. Keep the Pics coming!!

I designed and built a prototype of a rack a few years ago where the rack slipped into receivers that were secured by the spare carrier bolts. When you didn't need the rack in place, it could just be lifted out of the receivers and left in the garage, no requirement to unbolt anything except two anti-rattle bolts in the receivers. Never really pursued the idea beyond the first prototype though...

And I could think of one highway in America that this may be useful on. Dalton Highway with everyone getting broken front windshields due to rocks being thrown. Outside of that you are right not many dust storms and all in US. Keep the Pics coming!!

I can vouch for that... when I drove the LJ all the way up the Dalton to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay a few years ago I paid for it with two stone chips in the windshield and a bolt in one of the tires. Wouldn't have traded the chips for the reduced visibility to the scenery that a windshield screen would have caused though.

 

[rubicon91]

I designed and built a prototype of a rack a few years ago where the rack slipped into receivers that were secured by the spare carrier bolts. When you didn't need the rack in place, it could just be lifted out of the receivers and left in the garage, no requirement to unbolt anything except two anti-rattle bolts in the receivers. Never really pursued the idea beyond the first prototype though...

I can vouch for that... when I drove the LJ all the way up the Dalton to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay a few years ago I paid for it with two stone chips in the windshield and a bolt in one of the tires. Wouldn't have traded the chips for the reduced visibility to the scenery that a windshield screen would have caused though.

Very true about the reduced visability. I would not want that either. And that is a great idea on the trail rack being able to be removed. I wonder I have 4 simple bolts in mine now I could easily put on and take off. HMM!!!! may have to check that out.

 

[rubicon91]

In preparation for a very hot weekend next week at Jeepin with Judd I decided to mount my road shower 2 to the rear awning brackets. When I was building my Ursa Minor I had talked to John about mounting it to the passenger side and he said there would not be any issues. I decided not to get the mounts but since the rear is free I decided to mount up and see how it does. Who knows I may use it to fill a small kiddy pool up to cool off next weekend ********.

It also does not interfere with the rear window when it is opened. Win win!!

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[rubicon91]

Nice little day at the beach with the family.

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[Zeep]

Is it arid in that part of India? I notice that they have no wipers on them!

 

[jscherb]

Is it arid in that part of India? I notice that they have no wipers on them!

Most of Rajasthan is very arid and much of it is desert, specifically the Thar Desert: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thar_Desert. Also why there are so many camels.

 

[rubicon91]

Or not i see he just responded lol

 

[jscherb]

Or not i see he just responded lol

Sorry!