Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

Here's my current thinking on a possible LED headlight deicer implementation...

Since there isn't much room around the washer fluid reservoir in the JK to mount another pump in the side of the reservoir, insert a bulkhead fitting like this one in the reservoir and run tubing to a remote pump.

A remote pump:

Hose from that pump runs to washer nozzles aimed at the headlights:

I'd probably do a custom switch in my a-pillar switch pod, something like this:

I've got extra space in the switch pod - the one switch that's in there now is a custom one I recently did to engage the rear kitchen battery for use as the starting battery in case the main battery fails, so I'd do another custom one for the deicer...

Optionally, to make the deicing process more efficient add a heater to warm the washer fluid, either like the one posted earlier that would be dedicated to the headlights or maybe all something like this to the reservoir, which would also benefit deicing the windshield:

I won't start on any of this until I've tested the "home remedy" solutions that can be found on the internet, and it doesn't look like we're getting snow any time soon here. Also I'll be traveling a total least 4 weeks over the next two months so I may not even be here when it snows so I don't know when I'll get to the point where I might begin implementing something like this. While I'm waiting for enough snow to test in, I've got a bunch of other projects underway that I'll be posting about soon.

 

[jscherb]

Since OO plans to release the SpareHopper bag soon I mentioned to them that the same fabric would be good for other exterior items, such as spare covers and other storage bags. They buy fabric in quantities of hundreds of yards, and they're pretty agile about doing small production runs, so adding a few other products made from the same fabric should be pretty easy for them.

Some years ago I designed a spare cover I called the Tactical Spare Cover, it had MOLLE attachments on the sides and face and a pocket in the face that goes into the dish of the spare. These are prototypes I sewed back then:

At the time Retrofit Offroad picked up the design and sold quite a few in several sizes and colors but during the pandemic the manufacturer they were using to sew them ended up not wanting to renew the relationship. Retrofit hasn't found a new manufacturer so they've been out of most of the sizes and colors for the past few years. I suggested that OO contact Retrofit to see if Retrofit would want to continue selling them but buy from OO and to see if OO could pick up the design and sell it as an OO product. They tell me the answers from Retrofit were positive, so OO may be putting the Tactical Spare Cover in production in the new fabric.

With production of the spare cover possibly starting at OO, I began thinking of other exterior storage options to go with the spare cover, perhaps using the MOLLE attachments on the cover. I asked OO for some of the SpareHopper fabric and a package arrived the other day from them with about 5 yards of the fabric. Stay tuned, I'll sew a few prototypes of some of the ideas I have and post photos to see what you think of the ideas.

 

[RickLB]

Jeff, I really am in awe of your talent and forward thinking/designs. I appreciate what you share here. I only found this today and my wife I are interested in several products. Definitely getting the spare hopper bag.
If some company picks up your barn door project, I’d be interested in purchasing one for my 17 JKU with an Ursa Minor on it.

 

[jscherb]

Jeff, I really am in awe of your talent and forward thinking/designs. I appreciate what you share here. I only found this today and my wife I are interested in several products. Definitely getting the spare hopper bag.
If some company picks up your barn door project, I’d be interested in purchasing one for my 17 JKU with an Ursa Minor on it.

Thank you very much. I usually can't find commercial products that I really like so I try to think differently about things and work to come up with something more creative and useful. Sometimes I succeed. . I share a lot in the hopes that others will be inspired to do creative things too.

The OO SpareHopper should be coming soon, although they haven't given me an exact date.

I doubt the barn door will ever see production. A few years ago a company was interested in it but they just stopped communicating with me about it, I guess that was their way of telling me they changed their mind. There are some barn doors out there, I've built some for friends but only a few so far, and one friend I made one for uses his with his Ursa Minor top. It really changes how the Jeep cargo area works, I would hate to have to go back to a liftgate/tailgate two-step operation.

I replied to your PM from earlier today, check your messages.

 

[ITTOG]

Since OO plans to release the SpareHopper bag soon I mentioned to them that the same fabric would be good for other exterior items, such as spare covers and other storage bags. They buy fabric in quantities of hundreds of yards, and they're pretty agile about doing small production runs, so adding a few other products made from the same fabric should be pretty easy for them.

Some years ago I designed a spare cover I called the Tactical Spare Cover, it had MOLLE attachments on the sides and face and a pocket in the face that goes into the dish of the spare. These are prototypes I sewed back then:

At the time Retrofit Offroad picked up the design and sold quite a few in several sizes and colors but during the pandemic the manufacturer they were using to sew them ended up not wanting to renew the relationship. Retrofit hasn't found a new manufacturer so they've been out of most of the sizes and colors for the past few years. I suggested that OO contact Retrofit to see if Retrofit would want to continue selling them but buy from OO and to see if OO could pick up the design and sell it as an OO product. They tell me the answers from Retrofit were positive, so OO may be putting the Tactical Spare Cover in production in the new fabric.

With production of the spare cover possibly starting at OO, I began thinking of other exterior storage options to go with the spare cover, perhaps using the MOLLE attachments on the cover. I asked OO for some of the SpareHopper fabric and a package arrived the other day from them with about 5 yards of the fabric. Stay tuned, I'll sew a few prototypes of some of the ideas I have and post photos to see what you think of the ideas.

The tactical spare cover has always been one of my favorite products you have made. I don't even have a jeep or a spare that visible.

 

[jscherb]

The tactical spare cover has always been one of my favorite products you have made. I don't even have a jeep or a spare that visible.

Thank you very much.

One of the things I've always wanted to do is to design weatherproof MOLLE bags to go with it. Hanging ordinary MOLLE bags on it is fine until the weather turns bad .

With the fabric that OO just sent me, I'm doing some things to make all-weather use of the MOLLE capabilities of the Tactical Spare Cover. I did some sewing today; I'll post photos shortly.

 

[jscherb]

Speaking of having too many samples taking up space here...

A couple of weeks ago I wrote that MORryde asked me to verify the fit of their updated JKU ammo can tray that they had made a few modifications to: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/barn-door-for-jk-factory-hardtops.127687/post-3063468

I've been using one of these for several years to hold my kitchen battery, now I've got more of them here than I need.

If anyone wants the new MORryde ammo can tray for their JKU I'll send it to you if you cover the shipping and if you'll post photos of it installed in your Jeep showing how you'll use it. It sells for $194.99 at Quadratec (https://www.quadratec.com/p/morryde/ammo-can-tray-kit-molle-panel-wrangler-jk-unlimited-jp54-030) but all you'll need to do is cover shipping from me to you, install the product, post photos about it and describe how you'll use it. The box it's packed in is 16" x 12" x 20" and weighs 23 lbs. if anyone wants to calculate shipping from me to you (I'm at zip 14905).

When I get some time I'll be going through the other items from these companies that I won't be using and I'll make the same offer for some of those items too.

The ammo can tray has been claimed and MORryde sent me a shipping label this morning so I'll drop the package off to UPS asap. The person it's going to says he's going to use it to carry his "Safe Jack 8 ton 'THE SERGEANT' Off-Road Kit and their Universal Bottle Jack Stabilizer" (https://safejacks.com/collections/agricultural/products/8-ton-the-sergeant-off-road-kit). Sounds like a great use of the tray to me. The deal is that he'll post photos after he installs it, I'm looking forward to seeing how he uses it.

 

[jscherb]

Update on my "ugh" post from yesterday...

Failed driveshaft CV joint: The replacement Quadratec sent for free is out for delivery and I've already dropped the Jeep off at the dealer so hopefully that will be resolved today. The failed one will go back to Quadratec, they sent me a prepaid return shipping label.

Windshield leak: The owner of the auto glass shop came out yesterday morning and removed/replaced the windshield himself and the leak is fixed. I helped him do the job and he's a real craftsman, a pleasure to watch at work and I enjoyed helping him and learned some things in the process. BTW this is the same glass shop that cut/tempered the custom windows for my JKU hardtop, they're great people and the only place I'll ever go for glass work, in spite of the one bad leak experience.

Radio failure due to the leak: I found the correct replacement radio on the LKQ web site for about $350. Discussed it with the glass company owner when he was here and he handed me his company AMEX platinum card and told me to order the radio, which I did.

Hopefully all will be back to normal shortly .

Update...

- Windshield leak was fixed last week as I wrote in my last update. It's been raining heavily all day and I've been out running around and no leaks (as expected, the owner of the glass shop who fixed the leak does things right).

- The replacement driveshaft CV joint was installed by the dealer last week and I've put about 850 miles on the Jeep since then with no issues. The CV joint that failed in less than 60 miles was returned to Quadratec.

- Replacement radio arrived from LKQ; they provided the VIN of the vehicle it came out of so I took that VIN and the new radio serial number down to the dealer and asked them to get me the security code to activate the new radio, which they did in about 5 minutes, no charge. I activated the radio then called Sirius to transfer that service to the new radio, that also tool about 5 minutes except that they charge $15 bucks for the swap.

All back to normal now.

 

[RickLB]

@jscherb
As required, I’m posting pics of the MORryde ammo can tray. I will be using it to secure my
Safe Jack 8 ton 'THE SERGEANT' Off-Road Kit (https://safejacks.com/collections/agricultural/products/8-ton-the-sergeant-off-road-kit). Yes I know that is a lot of jack for a Jeep but it also serves duty in a F250.

 

[jscherb]

Since OO will be releasing the SpareHopper bag soon and it looks like they're picking up the Tactical Spare Cover, I figured it was time for me to do something I always intended to do but never got around to it - design some weather resistant storage add-ons for the Tactical Spare Cover that also can be used with the SpareHopper.

Here's what I came up with... using the MOLLE capabilities of the Tactical Spare Cover, I designed these side bags to go with it. They're very similar to the SpareHopper, just scaled down a bit.

OO makes 6"- and 12"-wide bags for their "Grab & Go" system; their bags have clips on the back, similar to belt clips, that allow the bags to quickly hang on a MOLLE grid and just as quickly be pulled off. I asked OO if they wouldn't mind sewing me a pair of those bags in the new outdoor fabric, changing a few details to improve their weather resistance. I also asked them to do MOLLE straps on the back instead of the belt clips because I wanted these to be just a bit more secure for an outside-the-Jeep application. Since they do these in production in their standard heavy duty cotton fabric, I figured they could sew the pair in the outdoor fabric faster than I could and they were happy to oblige:

I don't think there are too many MOLLE pouches on the market that are weather resistant, so maybe these would also be useful in open Jeeps in places other than on the spare.

And to make the spare side bags usable without the Tactical Spare Cover (and also usable in combination with the SpareHopper), I designed a MOLLE Wrap for the spare; it's got the same MOLLE grid on each side that the spare cover does. It wraps around the spare and secures with three straps.

And finally, the SpareHopper and the SpareSide bags can be carried at the same time using the MOLLE Wrap...

All of the above is something I've had in mind ever since I did the original design of the Tactical Spare Cover back in 2016. Everything shown above is easy to install or remove so I can configure storage to the needs of a particular expedition. I think I'll find them useful.

 

[jscherb]

Another LED headlight snow prevention idea...

The way the JK grille is designed (well, at least the way my JL-style grille for the JK is designed), it wouldn't be hard to add Lexan headlight covers:

Probably covers like this could also be mounted on the stock grille, but someone would have to verify that for me - since my grille has more of a forward bend than the factory grille and it has a recess for the simulated headlight trim rings, a headlight cover put in that recess would clear the headlight lens. Not sure there's enough clearance with a factory grille.

The cover could be mounted to the grill in such a way that no holes would need to be made in the grille nor would any adhesive have to be used, so no harm would be done to the grille and the covers could be removed in the warmer months.

The covers would help a bit in preventing snow buildup in front of the LED headlights because the recesses the headlights are in trap snow.

The covers probably wouldn't be the entire solution, either a washer sprayer system like I've posted about before could be used to spray the covers, or a heating element could be added. The heating element could be mounted to the inside of the new cover, and wiring would easily be run through the gap between the grille and the headlight. Mounting the heating element to the inside of the covers means that if the covers were removed for the warmer months, the heating elements would also be removed.

Home Depot sells sheets of 0.092"-thick Lexan that would work very well for this application. I'm still researching heating elements.

 

[jscherb]

I came up with the headlight heater idea this morning while I was sewing...

For years I've kept all of the service records and significant receipts for my Jeeps in a plastic pouch in the seat back of each Jeep. It's handy to have with you, for example, the receipt for the battery - if the battery fails on a trip I've got the receipt and can get a replacement under warranty at the nearest location on the road if needed.

The plastic pouches, which are cheap stationery items, haven't held up well so after sewing the new spare tire bags and having a lot of the water-resistant fabric left over, this morning I sewed something to replace the cheap plastic pouches. This is the plastic pouch from the JK next to the new pouches for all 3 Jeeps.

Not a critical upgrade, but a nice one.

 

[jscherb]

About three weeks ago I posted a few photos of a fiberglass project I've been working on as a background project(https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/barn-door-for-jk-factory-hardtops.127687/post-3075585), it's an add-on auxiliary switch/gauge panel. I posted this photo of a cardstock mockup in the JKU:

I finished the mold master a week or so ago, and yesterday I had time to make the mold from the master. Ffirst thing this morning I popped the mold off the master. Here's the mold, I haven't trimmed the rough edges off it yet. It's sitting on the workbench in front of the cardstock mockup and some switches and gauges I'll install in the test panel when it comes out of the mold.

Normally I'd use orange tooling gelcoat to make the mold, but since this is a small project and I'm out of tooling gelcoat right now, I used ordinary white gelcoat. Tooling gelcoat is a special formulation that withstands the heat of curing fiberglass parts better than ordinary gelcoat, and it's often orange so it contrasts with the gelcoat you'll be putting in the mold to make a part so you can better tell if the new gelcoat is going on thick enough and there are no missing or thin spots. But this project will work fine with ordinary white gelcoat, it's a small part.

Next I'll trim and prep the mold for use; I'll be making the first panel in the mold tomorrow. It'll cure overnight and a part will come out of the mold Thursday.

 

[jscherb]

I've had a preproduction SpareHopper bag on the back of the JKU for several months, and before I put it on the JKU it was on the LJ when I made the round trip from upstate NY to Las Vegas for the SEMA Show, along the way doing some trail time to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. In that time it's been through snow and days-long rain and everything inside has stayed dry.

Recently I've been doing some weight capacity testing, in this video I'm returning from a trip to the grocery store...


Inside the SpareHopper are two gallons of milk (8.6lbs each) and a cinder block (42lbs) for a total of 59.2 pounds. The bag had no problem with that weight, and the straps securing the bag to the spare didn't move or slip at all.

I figured I should do some serious weight testing because it's a large bag and when it gets out into the wild someone for sure is going to load it up with a stupid amount of weight.

 

[ZONE ZERO]

I've had a preproduction SpareHopper bag on the back of the JKU for several months, and before I put it on the JKU it was on the LJ when I made the round trip from upstate NY to Las Vegas for the SEMA Show, along the way doing some trail time to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. In that time it's been through snow and days-long rain and everything inside has stayed dry.

Recently I've been doing some weight capacity testing, in this video I'm returning from a trip to the grocery store...


Inside the SpareHopper are two gallons of milk (8.6lbs each) and a cinder block (42lbs) for a total of 59.2 pounds. The bag had no problem with that weight, and the straps securing the bag to the spare didn't move or slip at all.

I figured I should do some serious weight testing because it's a large bag and when it gets out into the wild someone for sure is going to load it up with a stupid amount of weight.

I can’t wait to get this and the tire cover. !!!