SSF556
SE Expedition Society
The WK is a good solid platform....great highway manners and capable off road. The diesel makes up for any shortcomings though...ie IFS, unibody and Detroit workmanship...
SSF556 Build Up - 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD
- Thread starter SSF556
- Start date
The WK is a good solid platform....great highway manners and capable off road. The diesel makes up for any shortcomings though...ie IFS, unibody and Detroit workmanship...
SSF556
SE Expedition Society
OK finally got all the Dynamat installed front, rear and all doors (inner and outer shell).
I also went ahead and upgraded the stereo system with a Mopar factory Kicker system. This is a plug and play exact replacement for the Boston Acoustic system. You can even keep the BA amp.
Honest report on this project...I have yet to do an actual highway test, but I love how the doors now sound when they close and the speakers are perfect for me. I would do this project only if you plan on keeping the vehicle for a long time...it is labor intensive job and a little costly.
Speakers ($220) + Dynamat ($430) + Door Fasteners ($20) = $670
Labor = roughly 30 hours....that is taking out seats, carpet, trim, installing Dynamat, and putting everything back in.
Reality is though that if I am going to travel it is going to involve highways and time in the seat. Hopefully the Dynamat cuts down on road noise and heat and the upgraded radio provides hours of crisp and clear entertainment. I also want to make things as comfortable for my wife...the least I can do for asking her to travel along.
Shopping for speakers has opened my eyes though...the speaker industry is one of the most opinionated and saturated markets out there...I thought tire choice was bad...so in the end the Kicker system was for me and I just made a decision and now it is time to move on to something else.
Final Dynamat pics....
Front Speakers installed
Rear Speakers installed
And lastly I plan on getting my sleeping platform painted, carpeted and bolted down this weekend...
Picked up some aluminum tie down track and will secure this to the side of the rear storage box...
I also went ahead and upgraded the stereo system with a Mopar factory Kicker system. This is a plug and play exact replacement for the Boston Acoustic system. You can even keep the BA amp.
Honest report on this project...I have yet to do an actual highway test, but I love how the doors now sound when they close and the speakers are perfect for me. I would do this project only if you plan on keeping the vehicle for a long time...it is labor intensive job and a little costly.
Speakers ($220) + Dynamat ($430) + Door Fasteners ($20) = $670
Labor = roughly 30 hours....that is taking out seats, carpet, trim, installing Dynamat, and putting everything back in.
Reality is though that if I am going to travel it is going to involve highways and time in the seat. Hopefully the Dynamat cuts down on road noise and heat and the upgraded radio provides hours of crisp and clear entertainment. I also want to make things as comfortable for my wife...the least I can do for asking her to travel along.
Shopping for speakers has opened my eyes though...the speaker industry is one of the most opinionated and saturated markets out there...I thought tire choice was bad...so in the end the Kicker system was for me and I just made a decision and now it is time to move on to something else.
Final Dynamat pics....
Front Speakers installed
Rear Speakers installed
And lastly I plan on getting my sleeping platform painted, carpeted and bolted down this weekend...
Picked up some aluminum tie down track and will secure this to the side of the rear storage box...
SSF556
SE Expedition Society
Thanks....the WK is a great compromise for an expo rig...capable on and off road.
SSF556
SE Expedition Society
So things are coming together nicely....got all the trim pieces with minimal damage done...had a couple of little cracks but no big deals.
Got the RAM pole/iPad setup for the navigator...I stole the idea from agavelvr...
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/81117-Ipad-amp-InReach-a-30-day-field-test-of-navigation-and-communications
Here are pics of the setup....still need to do a test fit with the navigator....
Also finally got some carpet and got the front and rear platforms carpeted....I went with a lighter grey so maybe it will not show dirt and dog hair as much...
Hopefully things will get installed and buttoned down tomorrow.
More details to come....
Got the RAM pole/iPad setup for the navigator...I stole the idea from agavelvr...
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/81117-Ipad-amp-InReach-a-30-day-field-test-of-navigation-and-communications
Here are pics of the setup....still need to do a test fit with the navigator....
Also finally got some carpet and got the front and rear platforms carpeted....I went with a lighter grey so maybe it will not show dirt and dog hair as much...
Hopefully things will get installed and buttoned down tomorrow.
More details to come....
ryandavenport
Adventurer
Sweet build! You for really good quality work. I used to have a ZJ, so I was a grand owner at one time. Do you ever go to Coal Creek?
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Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
SSF556
SE Expedition Society
Thanks for the comments guys...lots of rewarding work.
Finally got the 2 boxes tied down securely...
Rear box I used a piece of steel with pre drilled holes I found at Home Depot, bent and cut the correct size...what was nice is I was able to use the OEM screw in the back cargo area that secured the OEM cargo piece....
This is the back of the rear box looking forward...
I was able to use the OEM bottom seatbelt anchor to secure the rear box and the front box....used a combination of bolted eye hooks, turnbuckles, links, and an industrial caribiner. I was careful to make sure nothing was rubbing the seat belt.
This is the rear box looking to the rear...
This is the attachment for the front box...this is what you see from the pass. side door.
Final picture...carpet looks lighter in pictures....
And lastly attached a car window hammer and fire extinguisher to the support legs behind the seats.
So that pretty much wraps up that project...got a couple things to do but I am very happy how it turned out...lots more work than I thought.
Scott
Finally got the 2 boxes tied down securely...
Rear box I used a piece of steel with pre drilled holes I found at Home Depot, bent and cut the correct size...what was nice is I was able to use the OEM screw in the back cargo area that secured the OEM cargo piece....
This is the back of the rear box looking forward...
I was able to use the OEM bottom seatbelt anchor to secure the rear box and the front box....used a combination of bolted eye hooks, turnbuckles, links, and an industrial caribiner. I was careful to make sure nothing was rubbing the seat belt.
This is the rear box looking to the rear...
This is the attachment for the front box...this is what you see from the pass. side door.
Final picture...carpet looks lighter in pictures....
And lastly attached a car window hammer and fire extinguisher to the support legs behind the seats.
So that pretty much wraps up that project...got a couple things to do but I am very happy how it turned out...lots more work than I thought.
Scott
Last edited:
SSF556
SE Expedition Society
Thanks....Coal Creek is on the list...I have been to Uwharrie and I am thinking CC may be a little farther away...but I will go soon.
SSF556
SE Expedition Society
Latest update...I had been struggling on how to mount the floor in the front box....and then I got a great idea....I cut some tabs from the metal strip I bought earlier at HD...made one of the holes bigger to accept the bolts that are used to hold the rear seats in and it worked perfect. I screwed a small 2x4 piece to the front legs and attached the electronic boxes to the underside of the new floor. Quick carpet and paint job and I got me a completed hidden storage area. As you can see I have plenty of space....I am using my cleanwaste portable toilet as an example of what will fit.
Pics as always...
Bottom of floor with electronic boxes double sided taped...this gets them off the floor. Hopefully the tape sticks.
Here is a pic of how the boxes look on the underside of the floor once I had the floor in position. Plenty of space.
Picture of the carpeted floor.
This is the tab I cut and I am using the OEM seat bolt to secure it...it put a lot of pressure on the tab. I secured the front of the board to the 2x4 legs with a deck screw.
And showing the portable toilet stowed away. I will have tiedowns so I can secure the load as well.
Latches, locks and a way to support the top is coming up.
Scott
Pics as always...
Bottom of floor with electronic boxes double sided taped...this gets them off the floor. Hopefully the tape sticks.
Here is a pic of how the boxes look on the underside of the floor once I had the floor in position. Plenty of space.
Picture of the carpeted floor.
This is the tab I cut and I am using the OEM seat bolt to secure it...it put a lot of pressure on the tab. I secured the front of the board to the 2x4 legs with a deck screw.
And showing the portable toilet stowed away. I will have tiedowns so I can secure the load as well.
Latches, locks and a way to support the top is coming up.
Scott
SSF556
SE Expedition Society
Thanks Mike.
WKexpedition
Built, not bought!
Awesome job dude. Fantastic work!!