Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Very cool news!
Hope this all goes great! :beer:
Hope this all goes great! :beer:
Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
MattJ
Adventurer
Jeff - please keep us posted on the power panel too. Two questions on that design:
1) Will it be removable easily? For instance when switching to a soft top that folds back into the cargo area (like the Trektop NX Glide Convertible top)?
2) Can it be wired easily to the dual battery system under the front hood, if one already exists? I'm assuming that's an easy option to include, but figured I'd ask.
1) Will it be removable easily? For instance when switching to a soft top that folds back into the cargo area (like the Trektop NX Glide Convertible top)?
2) Can it be wired easily to the dual battery system under the front hood, if one already exists? I'm assuming that's an easy option to include, but figured I'd ask.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I made the prototype Power Panels with clips on the side that slips over the edge of the battery tray, so the panel itself installs/removes in seconds. The battery connections also need to be made, but those are wing nuts on the battery terminals so those are quick too. The clip can be seen in this photo:
The clip can be used in multiple locations, in this next photo the red one is clipped to the side of the battery tray and the purple prototype is clipped behind the battery.
I don't know if the clip will be part of the production design but the engineering manager at MORryde thought it was cool, and he kept the purple prototype so we'll see what they come up with.
Yes, the panel has leads long enough to reach a battery near the kitchen, so if you wanted to connect it to batteries (or just the main battery) under the hood, all you'd need to do is run wires from the engine compartment to the kitchen and connect them to the power panel. Or you could install the Charging Option, which includes the wires to run from the engine compartment to the kitchen. The Power Panel and Charging Option will probably be sold separately because either can be used without the other so by doing them as separate options the buyer can spend for just what he needs.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The new JL hardtop has the wiper at the bottom of the rear window rather than at the top, which greatly increases rear visibility. To support the weight of the wiper motor, the JL rear hatch isn't just a piece of glass like the JK hatch, it's got a fiberglass shell:
Same thing could be done for the JK hardtop using the barn door shell. In these photos the fiberglass hatch with a wiper at the bottom is installed as a barn door, rather than as a swing-up hatch, but the same fiberglass hatch could be hinged at the top and configured as a swing-up.
And for the JL, an idea I'd like to build is a kit to convert the JL hatch to a barn door configuration so the JL can have a full barn door instead of the swing-up hatch.
Same thing could be done for the JK hardtop using the barn door shell. In these photos the fiberglass hatch with a wiper at the bottom is installed as a barn door, rather than as a swing-up hatch, but the same fiberglass hatch could be hinged at the top and configured as a swing-up.
And for the JL, an idea I'd like to build is a kit to convert the JL hatch to a barn door configuration so the JL can have a full barn door instead of the swing-up hatch.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I'm trying to put together a document listing the fridge slide/kitchen products on the market. Here's what I've got so far, it's a reduced size jpg file for now but when it's complete I could make it available or convert everything to a thread if people would find it useful. I think it's large enough to read on most computer screens for now, did I miss anything important?
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thanks! I knew I couldn't have gotten them all. I'll add it.
mmccurdy
Adventurer
Just reading back and not super surprised to find this thread super off the rails from the original topic... maybe you guys can work with the mods to surface some of these ideas better than being buried in the "Barn Door" thread? I continue to think this does a disservice to the current content and the folks interested in the original thread.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I got this offer in an email this morning, two 20 liter NATO cans for $40.99 with free shipping https://www.tmart.com/2-PCS-5-Gal-2...ntent=0114news2018&utm_campaign=news2018&jjhy. In one of the photos in ad you can just make out a Wavian logo embossed into the can but in the others there's no logo. Also in the "Wavian" photo the plastic spout extension is different from the other photos. It's unlikely these are Wavian cans, maybe just a pirated image but who knows. I don't have any of these cans so I can't speak for the quality, just passing this along FWIW.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Since I'm probably driving the LJ to Easter Jeep Safari and I'm getting used to having the convenience of a fridge in the Jeep on the trail, I tried the Trail Kitchen in the LJ this morning. It fits very nicely and it's a no-drill installation in this Jeep as well - in the front I bolted it to the mounts for the back seat and in the rear it'll bolt to the tie-down points in the floor.
I'll pass the information on how I mounted it to the company that'll be bringing the kitchen to market in case they want to offer it for LJ's in addition to their current plan for JKUs and JKs.
It should fit in a TJ too but I don't have a TJ handy here to try it.
I'll pass the information on how I mounted it to the company that'll be bringing the kitchen to market in case they want to offer it for LJ's in addition to their current plan for JKUs and JKs.
It should fit in a TJ too but I don't have a TJ handy here to try it.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I tested the Trail Kitchen sink setup today. The water source is the white 2-gallon Rotopax mounted to the side of the kitchen and the sink drain is running into a second container sitting on the ground below the kitchen (it's not visible in the photos).
The pump automatically starts when the faucet is turned on and stops when the faucet is turned off:
I think it's going to work very well in the wild.
The pump automatically starts when the faucet is turned on and stops when the faucet is turned off:
I think it's going to work very well in the wild.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thanks Donny!
I'll be driving the JKU to Florida this week to visit mom but I'm not sure if the kitchen will still be in it to show you the sink in operation - today I plan to swap the kitchen into my trailer camper project and I may leave it in there so I can finish the interior design of the trailer; the interior will be designed to fit around the kitchen when it's stowed.
Here's a photo-edit concept image of the kitchen in the trailer, the trailer has tailgates in front and back and the kitchen will slide out the front one. This photo was taken a while back when the camper shell for the trailer was still under construction...
rubicon91
Explorer
Thanks Donny!
I'll be driving the JKU to Florida this week to visit mom but I'm not sure if the kitchen will still be in it to show you the sink in operation - today I plan to swap the kitchen into my trailer camper project and I may leave it in there so I can finish the interior design of the trailer; the interior will be designed to fit around the kitchen when it's stowed.
Here's a photo-edit concept image of the kitchen in the trailer, the trailer has tailgates in front and back and the kitchen will slide out the front one. This photo was taken a while back when the camper shell for the trailer was still under construction...
I saw that I am trying to catch up on your trailer thread. I love the idea and this looks great. If you do not have it in the JKU when you get here no worries at all. Safe travels and I look forward to meeting up!!
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I've been testing the ammo can compressor with the 2-gallon tank the compressor company gave me. I've configured the tank with a pressure regulator with output pressure gauge and the larger gauge shows the pressure in the tank.
It takes less than a minute for the compressor to get the tank up to full pressure. Airing up a tire is a bit quicker with the tank, but since a typical 32" tire has a volume of about 12 gallons, the tank doesn't go too far before the compressor has to kick in. I'm going to do some air-up timing tests with and without the compressor, but based on my preliminary tests with the tank I predict the expense and effort of installing a tank this size may not be worth it. It would take a much larger tank to air up a tire more quickly, but that would only affect airing up the first tire, once you used the full pressure on the first tire the compressor would be running constantly for the next 3 tires.
It takes less than a minute for the compressor to get the tank up to full pressure. Airing up a tire is a bit quicker with the tank, but since a typical 32" tire has a volume of about 12 gallons, the tank doesn't go too far before the compressor has to kick in. I'm going to do some air-up timing tests with and without the compressor, but based on my preliminary tests with the tank I predict the expense and effort of installing a tank this size may not be worth it. It would take a much larger tank to air up a tire more quickly, but that would only affect airing up the first tire, once you used the full pressure on the first tire the compressor would be running constantly for the next 3 tires.