VOT: Double Build – JK & XJ

[Goody]

Nhurto and I will be first time participants in the 2014 Vermont Overland Trophy. The simple decision to sign up for this event has set off a ton mods. We thought we would create a team double build thread. Hopefully this will capture the amount of preparation we are putting into VOT.

I have a 12 JKU and Nhrurto has 1999 XJ Classic and I'll let him do his own intro.

We really looking forward to this event!

 

[Goody]

2012 JKU

About me: I drove a CJ when I was younger still regret the day I sold it. I vowed that I would own another jeep in my life and last year I bought a new to me 2012 sport. It was already lifted and on 35's so not really much I needed to do with it. I bought it as a top down mall crawler until an offroad park opened 20 minutes from me and I've quickly become hooked. It typically just stays muddy from trip to trip.

Setup when I bought it:
2012 JKU Sport (12k miles)
3inch BDS Lift
35” Nitto Trail Grapplers

 

[Goody]

11/17 - VOT Signup day

Ugrades I had done from buying my jeep until the day I heard we made it into VOT.

• Hardtop
• Quadratec Synthetic Winch
• Rugged Ridge XHD Front bumper/Bull Bar/Storage ends
• Rigid Dually: Fogs and Driving
• Truck Lite Headlights
• Teraflex HD tire carrier
• Ace Sliders/Rubicon Rails
• AEV CHMSL
• Plasti-dipped grill
• Windows tinted
• Tinted softop windows
• Cooltech license cb antenna mount
• 4’ Firefly antenna
• Extended Diff Breathers
• Rugged Ridge receiver hitch
• Rugged Ridge tail light covers

 

[Goody]

 

[nhurto]

Here's my 1999 XJ which I'm building up. While not explicitly for VOT, it is making for a very nice deadline to get everything I want to complete done.



Here's the current setup:

Driveline:

• Front axle: Stock Dana 30 with Aussie locker
• Rear axle: Ford 8.8 (open) from a 1998 Ford Explorer with chromoly axle shafts and ZJ disc brake conversion
• SYE
• Tom Woods driveshaft

Suspension:

• 2.5" OME lift
• OME Nitro-Charger shocks

Wheels and tires:

• 17" Jeep JK wheels
• Goodyear Duratracs
• Spidertrax spacers

Armor and recovery:

• Smittybuilt XRC front bumper
• Smittybuilt XRC 8 winch with synthetic line
• Tomken gas tank skid plate

Lighting:

• Truck Lite LED headlights
• (6) Rigid Dually flood/spot lights (roof)
• (2) Rigid Dually fog lights (bumper)

Electronics:

• Kicker speakers

Engine:

• 62mm throttle body, upgraded wires and injectors
• Spectre cowl snorkel

Stay tuned, more to come....

 

[96XJ11C]

Sick XJ!

 

[Goody]

11/23
Removed XHD storage end caps due to rubbing
Installed JKS Quicker Disconnects: BDS disconnect also rubbing
Fixed broken safety catch on Clevis hook


11/27
Monster order from Northridge4x4:


• Yukon 4.56 Gears with Master install kits (D30 and D44)
• Arb Lockers (D30 and D44)
• Arb Diff Covers Black (D30 and D44)
• Lube Lockers (D30 and D44)
• Arb Compressor: CKMA12
• Pump up kit
• JK Compressor Bracket
• Grade 8 hardware Kit
• Artec Front Axle Armor Kit
• sPod: 2012 - 2014 JK no air/no double
• Spod Labels
• sPod Arb Harness
• Synergy JK Heavy Duty ball joint set (uppers & lowers)
• Synergy Drag Link
• Synergy Tie Rod
• Evo JK 2012, Full Protek Skid System – Auto trans oil, trans, cross member
• Teraflex JK 2007-13, Hi-Lift Jack/CB Mount
• Rigid Industries SR-Series Hybrid LED Light Bar - 10 Inch - Spot & Flood Combo - White



11/28
My wife came thru for my birthday: Trek Armor seat covers, hi lift jack and new firestick antenna. I couldn't wait and installed the trek covers right away. Very tight fit, but really happy with them.



12/9
Monster order arrives – holy crap, ive never taken delivery of a pallet lol.

 

[nhurto]

As promised, my rig spent six weeks getting the suspension and driveline upgraded. The flex on the front suspension is just crazy. With the sway bar connected, it barrels down the highway at 75mph with on-road manners that rival my stock WJ. Disconnected, it soakes up every rut like I was driving on dry pavement.

Driveline:
Front axle:

• Dana 30 axle housing milled to accept RCV Dana 30/44 axle shafts and relocated forward[/li]
• RCV Dana 30/44 CV axle shafts
• Artec truss, gusset, LCA skids
• Yukon Premium 4.88 gears
• Yukon Zip locker.

Rear axle:

• Ford 8.8 from a 1998 Ford Explorer
• Super 88 kit chromoly axle shafts
• Yukon Premium 4.88 gears
• ARB locker
• ZJ disc brake conversion

Transfer case:

• 4:1 transfercase and SYE
• Chaos Fab Shop custom chromoly driveshafts

Suspension:

• 5.5" Iron Rock Offroad lift with custom Iron Man Fab arms (these things are ridiculous)
• Bilstein 5125 shocks

Wheels and tires:

• 15" Crager Soft 8s
• 33x12.5 Goodyear MT/Rs

Armor and recovery:

• Smittybuilt XRC front bumper
• Smittybuilt XRC 8 winch with synthetic line
• Tomken gas tank skid plate
• JCR rear bumper with tire carrier
• Iron Rock Offroad sliders
• Ruff Stuff Chassis Channel Reinforcement

Now to begin on the electronics and sleeping platform build. Stay tuned!

 

[HRPINDC]

View attachment 201164

Very cool builds guys, I am very jealous. My buddy and I may go to Vermont Overland, but not to compete. Where in VA are you? Where was this pic taken? I'm just up the road in DC. Good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.

 

[Goody]

We are just over the river in northern va. That photo was on the nova jeeps fall foliage ride in gwnf. We go to red cloud offroad pretty often. It's just outside the beltway, you should check it out.

 

[fireball]

Nice builds! Keep us posted on the next red cloud trip. Would love to come down and check it out.

I'm a Toyota guy now, but my first 4 x 4 was a 89 two door five speed XJ. Had a lot of fun beating that thing up!

 

[HRPINDC]

Nice, I will have to check out Red Cloud. We did a weekend trip to the GWNF last summer and are planning another for the early spring. Have fun.

 

[weaselox]

How are the builds going thus far? My Team Mate and I could meet up with you guys soon if you want to talk VOT. We were 1 of 16 or 17 teams that completed it last year. It was so freaking EPIC that I just couldn't NOT do it again this year. I wish I would have known two months ago that you were putting the EVO skids on the JK. I just did a upgraded exhaust and I'm taking my EVO skids off (Auto package, 2013) and putting on Rockhard 4x4 skids.

I'm in the process currently of figuring out my build for a roof rack, RTT and ARB Freezer fridge.

 

[joneseyyy]

Great seeing you on the trail today!


www.dirtroadtrip.com is all about scratching the itch for off-road adventure one weekend, one vacation at a time.

 

[Goody]

@Fireball & HRPINDC - definitely check out redcloud. We are out there a couple of days per month. Good people and its so close to DC.



@weaselox - Builds are going great. I need to update this thread with the latest on mine. We would love to meet up and talk VOT. We can either grab a beer or get together for some wheeling. BTW - why did you replace your evo's with rockhard?



@joneseyyy - Good meeting you and Alex yesterday. Looking forward to catching up again.