The Dusty Rose Project - '11 JK w/ Product Reviews

[Vicarious_Lee]

Holy shit, dude. What a validation of why I don't think someone should intentionally offroad a new vehicle. I once went desert running in my 4wd Subaru for a few hours when it was less than 2 years old. Tried to keep up with my roommate's Tacoma 4x4 over some whoops and almost took the bumper off.

It took me an hour to get the sand out.

That Tacoma, however, impressed me (it was new). Man, I need to get the fuck out of Transportation before I end up a divorcee with an ugly project truck in my front yard.

[Oneswunk]

Pussy just put it in the backyard

[Tater Raider]

Holy shit, dude. What a validation of why I don't think someone should intentionally offroad a new vehicle.

Again, different strokes for different folks. I wanted, and still plan to, off-road it a couple times a year. I should not have made up for lack of time to spend off-roading with exuberance though.

Pussy just put it in the backyard.

Agreed.

[Maast]

To touch on the fuel thing again: Have you considered a bladder tank in a trailer?

My current bug-out plans revolve around a 200 gal bladder tank on a rear deck of a boat, with a platform above it that can be walked on/used for additional supply storage.

I imagine something very similar would work well w/ a trailer: have the bladder tank along the floor and build a platform above it to put all the other stuff you'll need.

Also, I saw your video of getting stuck and I thought "That man needs a come-along and some 5/8" anchor line"
A come-along is also called a winch-hoist, you put a pipe extension on the handle and you can hand-generate some SERIOUS (5 ton) pulling power:

[Tater Raider]

To touch on the fuel thing again: Have you considered a bladder tank in a trailer?

You gotta keep it legal, and in The States that means this: http://telsafe.org/Documents/NTSPGas-DieselFuelTransportation.pdf.

Gas may be carried under the Hazardous Materials - Materials of Trade Exception (49 CFR 173.6) in quantities not greater than 8 gallons per container with the total weight of all hazardous materials not exceeding 440 pounds. Any quantity of gasoline greater than 8 gallons per container must fully comply with HAZMAT regulations.

Then it gets into placarding and stuff for if you have bigger than 8 gallon containers or go over 119 gallons carried, and that's 2 different sets of rules.

Diesel is exempt if in non-bulk (less than 119 gallon) tanks because it's a combustible liquid, not flammable (flash points are different).

Short answer: you can carry gasoline in your trailer if the total amount of HAZMAT (gasoline, oil, radiator fluid, etc.) is under 440 pounds without worry provided the gas is in 8 gallon or smaller containers. If you limit yourself to gasoline only, that means you have a 72 gallon (approximately) limit. If you carry ammunition, batteries, perfume, lighters, drain cleaner, etc. as cargo in the trailer this amount will be reduced as they are considered ORM-D under HAZMAT rules - ergo they are HAZMAT too.

Yeah, it gets complicated, but ignorance of the law isn't a valid legal defense.

If your bladder tank in your boat is connected to the fuel system, it's a fuel tank. If not, it's cargo and you might want to check the rules on such stuff because rules for cars and boats differ.

YMMV.

[Red_Snow]

On the Line-X: I could save $300, but I'd get stuck with black and I really don't need more heat in the truck.

Get a different dealer if possible. Line-X, IMO, does a better color match, especially with how light a color your Jeep is.

Rhino liner, being more rubbery when cured, was more desirable at one time for the beds in our work trucks. Its durability was complete shit though. By the time those trucks went by the wayside there were chunks missing from sharp edge objects just peeling it up. It got to the point that we stopped taking those trucks in to get the liner repaired.

We stopped using our local Line-X dealer after they decided to up their profit margin and were spraying coatings that were in the 1/16" and less thickness. That shit would flake/peel off like no other. The new dealer we chose was around an hour and a half away, but it became well worth it simply due to the fact that we had less problems with his install then with the local guy.

With both Line-X and Rhino Liner your whites and lighter colors tend to yellow pretty badly in direct sun, that is my experience anyway. The darker blacks, blues, greens, etc will fade slightly but retain their color much better and much longer. Supposedly Line-X's "new" formula with the DuPont Kevlar in it is supposed to resist fading pretty damn good, and they will color match any major manufacturers color code.

Line-X Xtra *clicky*

Also, be sure and check the warranty on the color matched bedliner you're looking at. Some installers won't warranty their color match products for the same time frame as their standard black products. Around here, Rhino Liner is notorious for that.

Anyway, that has all just been my experience and in my opinion, as always YMMV....

edit:

some info I found over on f150online.com from a quick google search:

LINE-X Xtra is a product that was developed by Dupont and LINE-X. It is significantly more durable than other topcoats that are typically used on spray-on bedliners. Xtra in black has been out for a little over a year. Xtra for colors has been out for about 3 or 4 months. When LINE-X dealers apply a color match, they use color pigmented LINE-X and then top coat it with Xtra. If Xtra is applied onto a warm freshly sprayed bediner, it actually migrates into the bedliner. It migrates as if you dropped water on a sponge, there's a higher concentration towards the surface. LINE-X without Xtra will fade. LINE-X with Xtra will fade as fast as your truck's paint, which is not very fast and you'll probably never notice it with the naked eye.

LINE-X offers a limited lifetime warranty, valid nationwide and can be viewed at www.goline-x.com I won't repeat the warranty info here, just go read it. However, the current warranty does NOT include a warranty against fading. Why? Because Xtra will fade, but again, you'll probably never be able to see it.

LINE-X dealers must first become certified before they can sell Xtra. "Certified" means a one day training class typically conducted by Dupont. If you want to discuss Xtra, find a dealer that sells it and has been trained. Dealers that are not trained are not capable of answering your questions regarding Xtra. Why don't ALL the LINE-X dealers go get trained ASAP? Well, for several possible reasons: Some dealers are in very rural areas and there is very little or no demand for colors. Xtra contains solvents and some states (like California) have VERY strict rules and restrictions regarding spraying products with solvents. The older dealers were never trained on how to apply pigmented LINE-X, so they shy away from colors. Some dealers do not have the drive to be cutting edge.

As far as pricing, LINE-X dealers are free to set their own prices.

found here *clicky*

[Tater Raider]

On the Line-X: I could save $300, but I'd get stuck with black and I really don't need more heat in the truck.

Get a different dealer if possible. Line-X, IMO, does a better color match, especially with how light a color your Jeep is.

To clarify the Line-X quote, it's $550 for the bedliner (black), another $300 for the color (color matching the paint), then $85 to get the dealer to reset the airbags, plus tax. I have to tear down and put back together the roll cage, seats, belts, center console, and trim. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

On the thickness of the bedliner, the dealer (Line-X Truck Accessory Center) and I were clear on how thick it will be. They informed me and showed me samples demonstrating the thickness they spray to and I informed them that it's a work truck that I'm in and out of 50 or more times each and every morning. They agreed to apply it thicker to all foot wells.

On the color, I thought about that a lot longer and harder than what was, strictly speaking, needed. Or, and I wish I was kidding, maybe even healthy. For me t color choices were match the paint (Sahara Tan), match the console (a medium brown), or Olive Drab. Olive Drab got eliminated pretty quickly thanks to my offspring, whose advice I solicited and heeded. I talked with my neighbors, good friends, and brother and the 4 of us really couldn't make up my mind. I ended up asking the dealer about the tan v. brown and what would he do if it was his Jeep and he told me that they have the paint codes to color match, but they would have to scan the console into their computer and it would be close, maybe even close enough so it wouldn't be noticeable, but it wouldn't be a guaranteed match and the Line-X and plastic would fade at different rates. That added to the heat issue (I'm learning to loathe black in my old age) was the deciding factor.

I agonized over this because this is a big investment for me, and the first big project I've ever done on any vehicle I've owned. I'm going to have to live with the results for a long, long time so I want it right.

The VA gave me the OK to spend my money on this and the repairs yesterday (long story already covered - if you don't understand just accept). I've set up the Line-X appointment for Wednesday next week. Tuesday will be tear down and prep day, Wednesday I leave Dusty with the doc for plastic surgery while I repaint the roll cage, Thursday will be reassembly, and I'll get the airbags reset Thursday or Friday.

[Red_Snow]

I've set up the Line-X appointment for Wednesday next week. Tuesday will be tear down and prep day, Wednesday I leave Dusty with the doc for plastic surgery while I repaint the roll cage, Thursday will be reassembly, and I'll get the airbags reset Thursday or Friday.

Awesome! Can't wait to see the pictures. Line-X is definitely the way to go IMO since it seems you have the warm-fuzzies with your dealer. Have had it on lots of vehicles, several trailers, and a lot of misc custom equipment we built for work.

[colinz]

Ill check them later. As to self recovery, a com a long , hilift jack and some recovery straps can get you out of a lot till ya get a wench.

But a wench will just get him even more stuck.

it's good to see you out having fun in the thing Tater.

[Tater Raider]

I dropped Dusty off at Line-X of Mason City this morning looking like this:



We talked back-and-forth a lot so I was absolutely sure what they wanted me to do for prep work and they knew exactly what I wanted them to cover. I've been like a nervous father in a waiting room all day over this, but they finally managed to put me at ease, drilling out two plates welded to the tub when I said, "It would be nice, if you have time, if you would drill out these TIG welds and get rid of these plates for me. I have no use for them." One of them was in the tub drilling before I was able to walk away from the truck.

Line-X of Mason City. They are professional, courteous, do a lot of custom work, and are very tolerant of problem customers. I'm likely to give them an enthusiastic endorsement when the job is done.

Prep work was both a bitch and easy at the same time. Removing the gear shift knob on the transmission and transfer case was a pain to figure out but it got managed. The welding on the floor was industrial J B Weld and was mostly chiseled off with a hammer and the mother of all screwdrivers. Everything else was pretty straightforward, with one notable exception.

Whatever numb nut engineer decided that using torx head bolts to fasten the seatbelts was wise needs a 16# sledge applied to his man bits. Once will be enough, but it needs to be done with conviction and clarity of purpose.

Heat complicated things for me a bit, but my best friend and next-door neighbor was more than happy to let me park in his driveway and use his shade tree for shelter. He even helped with demolition a bit.

Things Jeep got right:

• The rear bench is lightweight and easily folded forward or removed altogether.
• Mechanically the Rubicon is pretty robust.
• Lots of drainage holes in the tub.
• It may sound silly, but the way shift knobs go on is fairly easy to remove and makes sure that the shift pattern printed on it is oriented correctly.

Things Jeep got wrong:

• Seatbelts have a lot of plastic in the ratchet mechanism, are not as robust as I would like, and are a pain in the ass to remove.
• The paint finish of the tub's interior and cage is completely unacceptable - too thin in spots, runs in others, and some parts that should be covered completely bare.
• While I expect some places to have a bit of surface rust, the interior of the console isn't one of them, nor should the undercarriage be showing as much as it is already.

Things to do before this part of the build is done:

• I am replacing the torx head seatbelt anchor bolts with 18mm to match the bolts fastening the front seats to the tub.
• Cage is getting rattle-canned with RustOleum's flat black to fix what Jeep didn't do.
• Reassembly.
• Back to the Chrysler dealer for the repairs from my mudding experience to get finished.

The first three gotta get done before the last one, which is scheduled for Friday at 13:00 local.

Life is good.

[Tater Raider]

I got the truck back and reassembles and am very, very happy with how things turned out, though there is one thing I would have done differently. I didn't remover the seam sealer that was in the tub and, in retrospect, I should have but even so I think it's looking good.

Wednesday:

Dropped the truck at Line-X of Mason City around 6:30. Everyone was clear on what was going on, but I was nervous about Dusty being at the shop. I stopped by around noon to check on what was what and she was still parked outside, untouched. I went in to chat with the folks and they had left it sitting out to dry a bit more from the wash-out I had done that morning and because they had other projects to complete before they got to mine. I completely understand this is how things go so left, a mix of happy and concerned still.

I ended up getting a phone call around 1 asking about how the top connected in the rear of the tub. I wanted the liner to come over the top of the rail down to the slot the top hooks into and they were concerned this would interfere with the top being secured to the tub. I went back there with a window and showed them how things hooked in and they were OK with my plan and I was satisfied they would do a good job.

Thursday:

Thursday morning I went to pick up the truck and was pretty much blown away at the job they did. They had ended up staying until 9pm Wednesday working on the truck, 4 hours past closing, to do things up right. They went over on hours they had budgeted and the owner, wanting to be fair to everyone, asked if I would cover the labor costs for his employees instead of asking for the shop hourly rate. This was more than fair so I paid happily.

Side Note: If you are thinking about having someone put a liner in your vehicle and are in the Northern Iowa/Southern Minnesota area, I cannot say enough good things about Line-X of Mason City. They exceeded my every expectation.


All photos were taken by Mrs. Zagan, my best friend's wife. This was the hardest area to get properly with the spray because of blow-back but they did well. Note the lack of JB Weld.

I then took the truck to Zagan's place. They let me borrow their driveway for reassembly and hang parts for painting in their back yard. Many thanks. Next up was buying some paint, flat black, to get the roll cage painted. Masking took a while but we wanted to protect the liner. I made sure to leave a tiny bit of the liner on the cage exposed so we got good coverage and no gaps moisture could get in.

I think it turned out well.


Dusty's tub is done and the cage is painted, but not put back together. Happy Tater Raider is happy. You can see how high they went on the cage with the Line-X and how I overlapped the paint onto it as well as some of the cage parts hanging while drying in the right hand photo.

I then took brown electrical tape and taped the exposed wiring so it looked a bit neater.

Friday:

I put the truck together enough to get the rest of the work done - reassembly of the roll cage and installation of the seatbelts and seats. The dealer told me 2 hours but it was closer to 4 before the damage to Duty's brakes and seatbelt was undone and the airbags reset.

Side Note: If you do this to your JK, make sure you go back to the dealer after the seats are reinstalled to get the airbag sensors reset. All others check owner's manual.

Saturday:

I finished putting the truck back together. A couple of fasteners for the trim came up missing, but I've replaced 2 and will take care of the other 2 when I get around to it.

Side Note: Fasteners are the single most over-priced item on your vehicle. Take good care of them if you do anything that requires the removal and reassembly of trim.

I also ordered a 2+2 hitch style bicycle carrier to add to the BOV aspect of Dusty. IMHO, going off-road is awesome but being versatile is better.

Somewhere around sunset I finish up and notice that when the top is up you cannot see anything I did to the truck. I weep while Phil Collins...

Sunday:

After 6 days in the sun working on this without incident, I helped a neighbor with their rural newspaper routes on Sunday. After 10 hours int he truck I ended up getting some sort of combination of heat-sickness/pure exhaustion after I was finished and have taken a couple rest days to recover. Proper hydration and pacing is everything on big projects like this.

Tuesday:

Handwashed the truck inside and out to clean up all the debris from the project. I found that not washing it the week before let the tiny bits of overspray adhere to the dirt and not the truck (though having a good coat of wax helped just as much), so washing went easy.


I'm happy with how things turned out. The drainage holes are unobstructed but the plugs still work and I can put new carpet in it later on if I like. As it is I am confident it will withstand the 50+ times a day I climb into and out of the truck and it's well protected against rusting from the inside. If the truck gets too filthy I can always park it outside in a thunderstorm with the drains open and top down and it will withstand abuse it will suffer if actually used for a bug-out.

[Zagan]

It was a pleasure to be able to give you the space you need to work on Ol' Dusty. It is really looking good so far, and with the addition of the rack on the back..it will make it look even better!!

Keep it up T.R.!!

[Tater Raider]

I'm making good on my goal of adding versatility to the BOV. Last week I installed a 2 + 2 Piggyback bicycle carrier from Rage Powersports. I figured the kids were going back to school, 2 of them college, the price was pretty good, and it would be simple.

This is me we are talking about. I'll find a way to make boiling water complicated if you let me.

More on that in a bit.

I decided to go with a platform carrier because it's the most versatile bike rack out there. It can't handle a Surly's fat tires but your typical mountain bike is no problem, nor is anything else on 2 wheels really, including short wheelbase recumbents should one of my kids decide to get one. The hang type need adapters for different bikes if the angle is odd or the frame too thick and I took the easy out. So I made an order for one and a Silent Hitch Pin from Discount Ramps in Wisconsin on a Sunday. in the expectation that I'd have everything in 5-10 business days.

On Wednesday morning, 3 business days later, I had the bike rack and hitch pin thanks to UPS, Discount Ramps being fast to ship, and me living one state over from where it was shipped from. Assembly took no time at all and then it was all, "Houston, we have issues." I had measured clearance wrong and the rack did not clear the spare tire. So back to teh interwebz to order another hitch pin and a hitch extender (not to be used for towing!). Except the extender was on backorder (6 months) so I went to a local trailer shop and ordered an 8" one there.

Friday the UPS guy arrived and my extender was in, so a few hours later I had the bike rack in place, but was short 2 bicycles (Daughter Unit's and Young Son's - they didn't have bikes). That would get taken care of later - in the meantime I got used to driving with something hanging off behind my rear bumper.

The following Friday I picked up the boys from their mother's and swiped Daughter Unit's bike, which a friend of hers had resurrected from the scrap heap. Saturday I got Young Son a bike and we loaded them up and discovered that a short wheel base vehicle does not do bike racks well because all that weight not only presses down on the rear but lifts up front too. Basic physics and common sense bite me in the butt again.

The bike rack had two holes in it for the hitch pin, but I wasn't able to get it into the shorter one, so I went to The Man Store (Sears) and got an angle grinder. A couple cuts later and I knew I had to make the rear hole in the extender larger or grind down the bend a bit to get it to work, and I'd already messed with the carrier enough so back to The Man Store for a drill and reamer.

End result: after spending most of a Saturday afternoon messing about, I hit the point of diminishing returns and called it installed. And here it is:


(r to l) Dusty, Scamp, Old Son's bike, Young Son's bike, and Daughter Unit's bike

Sunday saw us deciding bike order so I could set and forget each wheel tray to the right length. Young Son's bike will probably ride on there more than mine for the next 2 years, but after that it's more likely mine, so that set the order.


You can remove half the rack so it's a 2 bike carrier and save some weight. You can see how the wheel trays are set differently for different bikes. Also note the 3 clamps that go to the tops of the bikes. There is a 4th bar to connect bike #3 to #4.


This is how Dusty will be driven around from mid spring to late fall, but in 2 bike mode instead of 4.


You can access the spare tire by tilting the carrier, but that tailgate is staying shut. If I had a glass upper lift gate it would work in this mode.


Detail on the receiver hitch, extender, and how it all goes together. The Silent Hitch Pin works by screwing into a block inserted into the receiver and locks on the other side. Check often at first to make sure it stays tight.



Even after shortening everything up as much as I could, with all 4 bikes on the rear suspension is pretty well compressed while the front is unsprung dramatically. The JK went from a mild oversteer, which I enjoyed, to a very noticeable and much hated understeer. Unfortunately if I want to carry a canoe, and I do, this is how the bikes have to go.

When the canoe is bought, I'll have to beef up the rear suspension with some heavy duty springs. Until then, it isn't likely I'll have all 4 bikes on there. If that does happen, I'll mind the overhang on the corners (it's significant), the understeer (horrible enough to be worth mentioning again), and the departure angle (massively reduced - unable to go off-road on any but the easiest trails really). Something else that would help is a winch up front, but that's further down the road.

So far it's a win on the versatility, but the issues it creates make it a mixed bag for me. A rooftop carrier would be better, but would prevent a canoe from going up there and are (warning, understatement ahead) problematic and/or expensive to install on a rag top.

Cost (minus tools): <$250, and (in the end - for me) worth it.


EtA: Thanks to Zagan again for letting me borrow his drive when I drilled out the extender.

[Zagan]

Not a problem..always glad to help a fellow ZS member with work on his BOV. With my BOV pretty much non existing to this point..lol

[ShastaHawk]

Awesome thread. I wanted to subscribe to it but I didnt see that feature

[Tater Raider]

Awesome thread. I wanted to subscribe to it but I didnt see that feature

Thank you. The subscribe feature should be at the bottom of the page in small print, left side.

---

I finally figured out a low(ish) cost solution to my weight issue. I can get a helper air bag that goes inside the rear coils that will increase their capacity by 1 ton and is inflatable by either an on-board air compressor or a schrader valve, like what is on the tires. It won't put weight back on the front axle so it won't solve all my handling issues but it will fix bottoming out over decent sized bumps when I have all 3 kids, 4 bikes, and gear in and on Dusty for under $100 while I can air it down to 5 psi when driving around normally (empty) for a stock ride.

I don't know if I'll have to replace the airbags when I lift it, but the entire kit for under $100 without the compressor and I think it is exactly what I need.

I don't think I need it right now though. I do think I will need it come spring when I load the canoe I hope to purchase with the bikes on top in order to deal with the extra weight.

[CiggsWar]

I have a set of airbag helpers in my cargo springs in my 84 olds 88 for when I tow my old welder which does not have spring suspension, or have a over weight in my trunk. Being the sled that it is I run 10-15 psi mostly as I have tools I carry in the trunk. Difinitly notice a difference as to the psi differences.

[Tater Raider]

Change of plans.

I bought the Jeep to help me out over the winter when dealing with roads that had snow still in need of plowing, particularly with my newspaper routes at 3am, about the same time the plows start to run. I also took on a rural route on Sunday that requires several miles be put on the poor truck.

I spent a lot of time looking at the map while getting used to the new route and for some odd reason I don't expect that to change too much. I'm guessing it cost me about 30 minutes of delivery time - time better spent examining the insides of my eyelids. To correct this I've placed a TomTom XXL 540TM on order and should get it tomorrow.

The TomTom I picked will allow me to put in "Points of Interest". I should be able to save the map and be able to glace at the GPS while heading on down the road. The one I picked also has turn-by-turn directions and lifetime traffic and map (4 times a year) updates.

The XXL 540TM has an MSRP of near enough so as not to matter $200. The best price I found at a reliable vender was Amazon.com at near enough so as not to matter $130 including 2 day shipping.

This will not replace my atlas. 2 is 1 and all that, but having used a GPS once I got hooked and am very much looking forward to using it.

This will not interfere with my suspension upgrade. The new paper route will though, so until I get paid for that I'm stuck waiting. Hopefully the weather will stay somewhat warm until I get it installed.



10,000 mile update on the Jeep:

Driver's side door upper had a corner break - warranty is covering it. I asked if they could get me something other than black and was told that all they could do was send a replacement according to whatever my VIN was. Win on price, but I will still have to replace this down the road to get rid of the heat problems black caused me over the summer.

One of the lights on my radio is out and it's getting looked at today. If I had a clue how to pull the darn thing I'd look at it myself. I'm thinking warranty should cover it (I mean blowing the light out already?), but don't expect much.

[Coal-Cracker]

How's the Winch hunt going? Any considerations?

I spent the past couple months weighing my options; there certainly are enough of them.
What I've learned:
I initially considered keeping the factory bumper and adding a winch plate. Problem is, there aren't really any affordable winch plates out yet for the JK. (As an example, Warn's offering is close to $400.) For that kind of money, you can pick up a complete front bumper with integrated winch mount.

Another thing to take into consideration what the extra weight is going to do to the front springs, especially if you're still running factory. So at that point, you might want to consider aftermarket suspension solutions for the front as well.

As far as the actual winches go, I didn't want to skimp on a less reliable brand. It's just my opinion, but I don't think recovery gear is something anyone should "cheap-out" on. The market has expanded greatly over the past couple years, especially with the import winches. Now, I'm not implying Chinese winches are bad. A lot of guys are running them and by most accounts that I've read, they seem to be happy with them. One nice thing about all the Chinese winches (Smittybuilt, Bulldog, T-Max, etc.) flooding the market, is it is forcing the domestic manufacturers to come up with competitively priced models (sadly, from what I read, some of those parts are also now made in China.)

Warn introduced their VR series, which is priced very close to the imports. For a little more, the time-proven M8000 can be found for under $600.

It goes without saying but Ebay and Craigslist are great places to find deals on good stuff for the JK. I just snagged an excellent condition Warn HS9500i (and a cherry Rugged Ridge XHD bumper) for a fraction of what they cost brand new. (I plan to spend some time this weekend overhauling the winch with new gaskets and a re-grease since it's been sitting in a garage for a few years.)

Good luck and keep us posted.

[eugene]

I haven't kept up with thread but noticed above you mentioned replacing the seatbelt bolts. Seatbelt bolts are a specia? Hardnedd, too hard they will be brittle and could crack, too soft they can break, the color is due to some rust/corrosion resistance and the tightness is a very specific torque. They are designed that way for to not fail in an accidemt, so you may not want to replace them.

[Tater Raider]

How's the Winch hunt going? Any considerations? ...Good luck and keep us posted.

I enjoy keeping everyone updated on what's going on with the truck and hope that it's helpful to folk. As far as the winch goes, the truck is rated at 5,000 pounds capacity and with the airbag mod I am pretty sure I can increase the trailer capacity to 3,500 pounds, so the winch has to handle that much at a minimum. Based on my stuck in the mud experience more is definitely better, so something in the 9,500-10,000 range is what I will be looking at. This will allow for single line winching most of the time and double line when I get stuck in the goop.

I'm going to go with an aftermarket bumper for sure and most likely a stubby instead of full width to improve tire clearance. I'll be replacing the rear bumper and tire carrier at the same time (I considered a rear winch as well, but discarded the idea as I'm very specific on what I want in a tire carrier). The truck should sit about the same when I'm done (rear bumper is heavier than stock, front is about the same or lighter without a winch) and any mods to the springs that would be needed would be performed during the lift, a later project. The winch is planned for 2014 and the lift is a 2015 project, both due to cost. There is only so often I can go to my money manager for the big ticket stuff and both qualify. The other reason to put this off so long is there are other mods that need done first to increase versatility, cargo capacity, safety, or are basic requirements for the 4x4 club I want to join.

In the meantime, before I go off-roading again a Hi-Lift jack is needed and can substitute for the winch. A come-along would also do the trick.

I haven't kept up with thread but noticed above you mentioned replacing the seatbelt bolts.

I looked at the seatbelt bolts and the only solution I can come up with is to order them from MOPAR, which means they will end up being about $20 each. (Nija Edit: And still be torx-head)


Update on repairs:

• Driver's side upper replaced under warranty.
• To fix the light on the radio they had to order a new radio from MOPAR. On order under warranty.

The radio surprised me. If something like this happens once it is no longer warrantied I will end up buying something aftermarket. Dusty might be a dirty truck most days, but she's my baby and I like to keep on top of every little thing.

UPS should deliver my GPS today.

[Tater Raider]

I have not been called on the radio. I'm waiting until Monday to get upset.

The TomTom arrived on Wednesday and I like the features it has and am using many of them already, but getting started was a pain in the butt and the instruction manual is not any help on that so here's an overview of how it went for me:

1. OMG it's here! It's here! *tear into the box like a kid at Christmas*
2. Took inventory of all the bits.
3. Took USB cord and hooked up the TomTom to the PC.
4. Installed TomTom Home on the PC.
5. I had updates and they failed, including one that I couldn't skip.
6. Attempted to register product, but was told the key was invalid.
7. Began ranting out loud, in my home, alone.
8. After several attempts, got the downloads to take place.
9. Failed attempt to register the product, again.
10. Attempted to download updated maps, which is an extremely long process.
11. After 2 hours realized nothing was happening.
12. Called customer service. They manually registered my product (my issue: server was down) and got me started on my updated maps (over 1 GB).
13. While maps were downloading I learned that you cannot mount anything to the windshield in California or Minnesota. Since my dad lives in one and I live half-an-hour from the other I was not happy at this.
14. Cleaned the only spot on the dashboard that would work for mounting the adhesive disk with alcohol.
15. Installed adhesive disk.
16. 2½ hours later, maps were installed and I began playing with the new toy.

Suggestions for those that buy any TomTom, based on my experience:

1. Download and install TomTom Home on your PC ASAP.
2. Let your TomTom charge completely. This takes 3-4 hours for mine.
3. Once that's done, it will try to update. If this fails do not panic.
4. Register the TomTom. If this fails don't get upset, just call Customer Service.
5. Once registered, all downloads will go slicker than snot, but allow plenty of time for the map update.

In all, this process will take up an entire day. You can split it up by charging the device the night you get it, messing about with it in the morning, and letting the map download and update while you are at work.

Now that I have it running there is a lot about this GPS I like. I can save favorite places, navigate by waypoints, and I have more Points of Interest than I can shake a stick at. On top of this there are some things I have downloaded (Darth Vader does my turn-by-turn directions) and some things I will download soon (gas prices for every gas station shown). I've sent map corrections to TomTom as well (couple local streets not quite right) and will be sending more (missing addresses on my rural paper route - not a huge issue but an annoying one). It automatically switches between day and night displays. I can add a shortcut button that does one thing only or opens a menu to features I use a lot (mine is set to toggle day/night mode only).

There are a couple thins I don't like. You have to look up addresses by city, which is a royal pain when you are looking up something in the middle of nowhere. Waypoint navigation allows you to force a route where you want it, but the voice navigator will not tell you when you have reached one. For traffic updates my model has to be plugged into an outlet. I may need a stronger mount for my device, which will probably entail drilling in the dashboard. The left or right handed operation is really a dumb gadget as well - it just reverses the buttons.

Touch screen operation, instant looking up of things without digging for a map, being able to verify my speedometer (it's about 2mph off at 55mph), and setting an alarm to go off if I go over whatever speed setting I like (65mph for me - gas costs too much to drive faster) or if you are breaking a speed limit it knows about (major roads) are all features I use constantly and why I'm pretty darn happy with what I got.

For added safety, Bug-Out Routes have been stored to the device. If I get stuck I can push a button for an alternate route.

Please note: this does not replace having a good map in my truck. It does, however, make my driving in unfamiliar areas much, much easier.

[fourpaws]

Awesome read and an awesome looking truck Raider... Its now prompted me to start looking for a rig similiar to yours over here in the UK !

Great point about the GPS and the maps though as well... I made my Long Haired General map read to a location we were going to in a car.. I knew the way anyhow but it shows how important it is not to just rely on electronic gadgets all the time..

Looking forward to seeing more !

[Tater Raider]

Today I decided to celebrate by ordering a couple things for Dusty. I'm letting ya'll know where I ordered from in case anyone is interested, but I'm not endorsing anything until I get the parts installed.


Item #1 (amazon.com):


I get to say goodbye to my saggy rear. Installation takes about an hour (I figure I'll be doing well to get it done inside 3). I just air it up before I load it up for the bug-out/vacation/camping trip/whatever, go ahead and load it, then air back down until Dusty sits level.


Item #2 (also amazon.com):


Lights not included. Believe it or not someone gave this a 1 star review because it didn't come with lights. I'd say I'm shocked at this, but I'm not.

No, I didn't order lights. Read on to learn why.


Item #3 (quadratec.com):


Cargo issues are no longer an issue. Sure it's hanging in the wind, but there's a reason for it - I need a place to put the canoe, the real present I'm getting for myself. This roof rack is designed specifically to work with the rag top I have and not only is the basket removable I can take the rack itself off and just leave the rails hanging off the side, so top up or down I tstill have a roof rack and while putting it back up during a sudden rain will be a PITA, it's doable with this system.

Winning!

As parts come in I'll take pics and do a review on the installation.

Once all done, I'll pick up the canoe. At that point I'll look to get a pair of lights (bar holds up to five 7" lights) and install them just to make it look like I'm not an idiot with the canoe left at home. I'll also be looking for a spotlight with remote for the center light slot on the bar - Iowa allows 1 so that's where it's going. It should help with finding house numbers in the dark and when helping with accidents.


Pirate ('cuz ninja's suck) Edit and a little FYI: I checked with my Jeep dealer about the truck burning oil. 3 qts in 2k miles is way too much to be adding so they are on it - next oil change they will do a survey (come in every 500 miles and they verify the oil reading and top it off). I guess the rate of burn will let them know what's likely. So warranty work. Again.

Also, my dealer will void the warranty on the engine all the way down to the wheels as well as the suspension should I put 33" tires on it. It sits on 32's now. I can go wider, but not bigger around. Different dealers handle this differently and while the law states one thing what actually happens is sometimes completely different. Fortunately for me, I belive the tires will not need changing until near the end of warranty anyhow.