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

[mikezq8ss]

So what are your dream mods for the ole girl?

Oh gods, where to start?

By June this year, 2 roll cage coolers, 1 roll cage duffle bag, 2 above rear wheel well storage bags, 2 lights, what I'm calling a "canoe bar" that allows me to use the light bar for lights and allows canoe to go over them at a good height for the roof rack.

Be careful buying stuff like this, make sure you buy good stuff. I've bought a couple Smittybilt pieces for my TJ because the design and idea was spot on for some stuff... However, the build quality sucked. Terribly. After a trip to an auto upholstery shop for them to fix it the way it should have been built (only about $20 per piece) it worked fine. They have cool stuff, just be prepared to have to modify it somehow.

By the end of the year, CB, mirror relocation for when doors are removed, big ol fire extinguisher with mount, first aid kit with mount, and a 4x4 club membership.

For this one, I bought Harley mirrors that you can just put into the top door post. The threaded portion is long enough to go all the way down through the hinge and you can put the nut on the bottom of it. I keep a stubby half inch wrench in my console year round and the mirrors stay in the seatback pockets, this way I always have mirrors and the wrench just in case I wanna pull the doors off for whatever reason. Plus you don't need to install a separate relocation bracket and modify your stuff any how. You also put that light bar on your windshield mount... is it possible that could interfere with installation of a mirror relocation bracket? I'm not sure... but the Harley mirrors (after I painted them with rustoleum bedliner in a spraycan) are super easy to put on and take off. A quick Google search should show you which mirrors you need, and a Harley dealership might be well versed in Jeep people stopping in for mirrors (mine was) Just my $.03.

I'll probably then attack the issues of self recovery and safety: hi-lift jack, new bumpers, winches front and back (yes, each gets it's own), roll cage reinforcement, skid plates, and on-board air.

Hi-Lift is CLUTCH. This before all others, especially if you're going to lift it.

Lighting will be an ongoing thing, with me getting 1 light per year. The ones I want are expensive and you know the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time, so this allows me to constantly upgrade and see improvements in a lot of areas at the same time.

I'm in this boat now. I got the dual windshield mounts and am looking for the best way to wire them currently before I buy the lights. So far, I'm hearing that the best way is to unbolt the mounts, lean the windshield forward some and run the wires through the gap that opens up and then put the windshield back the way it was. This way you don't need to drill any holes and you can do most of the wiring internally.

Performance mods are also on the list, but a tad lower priority: heat reduction hood, snorkel, dual batteries, and either a turbo to get the gutless wonder down the highway quicker or a supercharger to improve performance in the entire powerband, unless I decide to convert to diesel - that depends on reviews on the Grand Cherokee diesel yet to be released.

I want to do dual batteries myself.... badly.

Also an off-road trailer is planned, built to spec by Sierra 4x4. I could probably do it cheaper, but since they do it for a living I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they can do it better.

And, of course, the lift. 3-4" long arm to allow for 35" tires on 18" rims. smaller rims are, of course, cheaper, but since most of my driving (99%+) is on road, I want the control the larger rims will provide. This also involves an axle swap up front, new driveshafts, and living without my truck for several days while a pro does the dirty work - the kit is jsut too involved for me and involves welding. As for regearing, I can probably get away with my 4.10's + 6sp manual, but may move to the next gear if performance suffers too much.

$$$$$$. $$$$$ $$$ $$$$$ $$$$ but $$$$ $$$$ and $$$$$. Gotta love Jeeps.
For 35's I'm going to imagine you want to go with 4.56's at least with your 6 speed. I have the straight 6/5-speed combo, and on 33's I need to regear to 4.56's. I've seen every single person that ran 33's and up say that when they regeared they wish they went straight to 4.56's right off the bat... those that didn't always did in the future. I'm gonna skip 4.10's/4.11's and go straight to the 4.56's when I swap my axles. Also, do some research between long and short arm kits... there's a lot of hot debate there with a lot of people leaning back toward short arm setups now for different reasons. I went with a 3.5" Rubicon Express Super Flex kit that I put on in my driveway over the course of a weekend, I'm happy with that.... Plus short arm kits are cheaper for the most part.

Somewhere in here I'm going to work in a Longranger aux tank.

Reasoning on the this particular dream set-up: I want a daily driver with manners on road, and the ability to handle overlanding style of off-roading. Bad roads, bad what used to be roads, some dessert, some mud, and some rock crawling, but mainly (80%+) trail driving.

Note on the tires: I spent a lot of time (a week straight, 8 hours or more a day, no I'm not exaggerating) researching my particular driving style, desires, and circumstances dictated by the Iowa weather in all it's glory and decided that seperate summer and winter off-road tires are the best choices for me at this time.

• Summer: Goodyear MT/R with Kevlar
• Winter: Goodyear Duratrak

I went with the Goodyear Duratracs, and couldn't be happier with them. They've been amazing for (the little bit of) winter we got this year. They slipped ONLY WHEN I WANTED THEM TO. All other times, I had a blast and would recommend these to anyone looking for a streetable tire with winter manners and offroad capability.

Also being considered: ham gear, new paint, and a frontal lobotomy.

If I'm missing anything, let me know. Please. Seriously.

Obligitory picture of my '04 Willys- Warpig

[Coal-Cracker]

If I could make a suggestion based on research I did last year regarding lifts. If you're only going to go with a 3"-4" lift, reconsider the perceived necessity of a long arm kit. This opinion is based on what I've read online and echoed by the lift manufacturer's online representatives. I don't know if you've ever owned a TJ, but if you compare the stock length of the control arms between a TJ and a JK, the difference is substantial. It's almost like you have a "mid-arm" kit out of the factory with a JK, when compared to a TJ. You owe it to yourself to at least research what I'm saying; if just for the cost savings.
I went with a standard coil lift (2.5".) Upgraded to adjustable track bars and added adjustable front control arms to adjust caster and it really does ride great. If you want to run 35"s, I try to keep it to around 3" to avoid having to replace the rear driveshaft down the road. (Since yours is a standard transmission (correct?), you shouldn't have issues with the front driveshaft till you get over 4".)

I've been running Duratracs for about 15,000 miles. VERY little wear (I rotate them religiously) and they do absolutely GREAT in the snow and ice. They are no slouch in the mud either. JP magazine did a tire comparison the other month and the Duratracs scored the best overall out of all the tires tested in mud, ice, snow, rocks, and road. If I recall correctly, the only tires to do better in mud, were dedicated mud tires, and then they suffered significantly on all other terrains (and I would imagine the accompanying tire wear issues that come with mud tires.)


Oh, did you get my PM last month about Quadratec?

[Tater Raider]

If I could make a suggestion based on research I did last year regarding lifts. If you're only going to go with a 3"-4" lift, reconsider the perceived necessity of a long arm kit. This opinion is based on what I've read online and echoed by the lift manufacturer's online representatives. I don't know if you've ever owned a TJ, but if you compare the stock length of the control arms between a TJ and a JK, the difference is substantial. It's almost like you have a "mid-arm" kit out of the factory with a JK, when compared to a TJ. You owe it to yourself to at least research what I'm saying; if just for the cost savings.
I went with a standard coil lift (2.5".) Upgraded to adjustable track bars and added adjustable front control arms to adjust caster and it really does ride great. If you want to run 35"s, I try to keep it to around 3" to avoid having to replace the rear driveshaft down the road. (Since yours is a standard transmission (correct?), you shouldn't have issues with the front driveshaft till you get over 4".)

I've been running Duratracs for about 15,000 miles. VERY little wear (I rotate them religiously) and they do absolutely GREAT in the snow and ice. They are no slouch in the mud either. JP magazine did a tire comparison the other month and the Duratracs scored the best overall out of all the tires tested in mud, ice, snow, rocks, and road. If I recall correctly, the only tires to do better in mud, were dedicated mud tires, and then they suffered significantly on all other terrains (and I would imagine the accompanying tire wear issues that come with mud tires.)


Oh, did you get my PM last month about Quadratec?

Got the PM and am grateful. Very. Thanks.

On the lift height, Every guide I read says for 35" tires you need to go 4", and what people are actually doing and making work is in the 3"-4" range. IL has a 3" lift law and I'll be relocating closer to there in about a year-and-a-half so I have to deal with that. I figure a bit bigger lift + the weight of mods will result in an actual lift of 3" and if I need to trim to articulate then so be it.

I completely agree with the upgrades you made and pretty much think they should be maditory for anything prone to death wobble.

As far as mid v. long arm kits, I'm very inclined towards long-arms but I'm not set on them. The articulation such a kit offers is a bonus, but I'm looking more at the street ride and every review I've read on them comments the street ride is the same or better, with most saying better. Now I'm absolutely not building a Mall Crawler, I'm building a trail rig can can do a bit of everything and if I can upgrade things a bit more so it could almost, but not quite, be a prerunner so much the better for me, but only about 25% of my miles are gravel and <1% are actually off-road so I can't have it beating me half to death. I'm very much looking to do this once and do it right and if that means waiting a bit longer for budget reasons then I'm more than willing to wait.

I'll give it another very close look (and if you want to PM me url's to make sure I read I'm gonna read them), but the short arm is right out even though it will probably do what I want (and I'm really glad it worked for you).

I'm looking at that issue of Jp Magazine right now (I keep them at my desk) and it's really tough to beat the (all tires mentioned are Goodyear) Duratac for all-around performance and they shine on show and ice. Silent Armor is better for snow and ice but cannot handle mud and we get thaws so I ruled them out. The MT/R with Kevlar gets the nod as, "If you want a mud tire that shines both on and off-road... hard to beat," which is why I ended up picking that for a summer tire. If forced to chose the Duratrac will win. Right now I have the stock BFGoodrich (okay, not all tires mentioned ) Mud-Terrain MK2's on Dusty and they make a lousy winter tire and if the Duratracs perform as well in mud as the BFG M-T's then I'm opting for the MT/R's for summer and hope that the problems I've read with balancing the MT/R's have been fixed. And if they haven't then I won't use them again and see if I can find the next best tire.

For either tire the mud is the big thing, and not for BOV or mudding reasons. I have to deal with it during thaws and heavy rains and some roads I go on come Sunday morning at 3am are not maintained beyond making sure a sign is up saying they aren't maintained. It's that or drive an extra 10-15 miles and I'm on a delivery deadline.

And I rotate religiously as well. I had to use the spare last week and as soon as I got the flat fixed I put it back from whence it came and put the spare where it belonged so the tires stayed in the correct rotation. And it upsets me that when I want tires rotated (regular maintenence is done at a shop for personal reasons) I have to state, "and make sure the spare gets rotated in." I swear the next time I go in I'm taking a grease pencil to each tire and writing where it goes on the sidewall so the trained and certified mechanic does it right.

Yeah, the lift kit is pretty much giving me fits trying to figure out what's best.

mike, your Jeep rocks.

[Tater Raider]

Update on Roof Rack: that piece of junk is going back to the factory from whence it came. Pic intense write up follows.

Weather is 64°F here so time to put the top down after a long winter's nap.


I don't like where this is going.


Well poo. I guess I'll take out the safety screws on the rails and then pull the hoops out and rack with it. I mean they said it was designed for a soft-top, not that you could use the soft-top. Argh! The screws are already rusted and I haven't owned this thing a month yet! What the hell? Okay, they are out and... damn hoops won't move.


Pursuading the hoops to move. Protecting them with the wood... I need a rubber mallet.


There is no way, no way that this is supposed to be this difficult.


Back hoop removed, front hoop moved to here to get top down. Check out how far back it is.


Okay, I've got the damn hoops off and now I'll just-



MY BABY!!!

So issues:

• Missing hardware.
• Finish poor with bare metal in places.
• It puts stuff in the wind.
• Soft-top compatable, not soft-top usable.
• Had to hammer the hoops on and off the rails that they should slide freely in when retainer is loosened.
• Not one-person user friendly.

Review is modified to reflect this, but in case you clicked here directly...

0 out of 5 lost pieces of luggage - avoid wasting your money on this.

Roof rack goes back on Monday under warranty and I'm getting my money back. Unfortunately I still need a rack for goods and gear, so I'll be looking for one that fits over the spare, out of the wind, and made by someone else. For the canoe, it will sit atop the roof back there for now and once I put more than 2 lights on the light bar I'll address that issue again.

As far as fixing the damage, I'm getting touch-up paint on Tuesday and taking care of it (and other paint damage done by gravel, so I'm sucking it up).

[KJ4VOV]

A little silicone spray during the initial install, and maybe a shot or two during the removal, would probably have made things easier. I prefer silicone spray to things like WD-40 for this purpose since it lasts longer.

[Tater Raider]

Oh absolutely and completely agree with that.

[Oneswunk]

Sucks bro.

•Buy cheap used 110 welder
•Tube
•Burn yourself a couple times
•Have something you made yourself
•?????
•Profit

[Tater Raider]

Sucks bro.

•Buy cheap used 110 welder
•Tube
•Burn yourself a couple times
•Have something you made yourself
•?????
•Profit

I believe I'm going this route when the time comes on the rear member of the canoe rack. I'm definitely going homebrew on the front member and mounting it directly to the lightbar to raise the canoe above the lights and provide the lights some protection.

Time to check out welding classes at the local community college. I'll be taking welding classes this fall.

[StrykerPez]

My best welding hint: SLOW. DOWN. Everybody has a tendency to try to drag the bead like you're painting with a paintbrush. NO! You gotta let the metal melt, and then move the electrode only as fast as it can melt new metal.

I promise you, you will impress your instructor if you give the welder time to work and get a nice little puddle of bead before moving instead of whisking the tip across like an impatient 3rd grader and getting spatter everywhere.

[KJ4VOV]

It's like running a good bead of caulk. You want a little caulk puddled at the tip of the gun. The same with stick welding.

[Tater Raider]

Thanks for the tip guys!

Looking at Arc Welding I and II. Not going for a certificate, just learning a skill is all.

[Oneswunk]

Only difference between old and new welders is the scaring.

Good luck.

[Tater Raider]

I hear chicks dig scars.

[KJ4VOV]

I hear chicks dig scars.

Yep, one of my ex wives is especially fond of digging deep into them and reopening them.

[Tater Raider]

I got a steal on a Bestop Headliner. Regularly around $100, snagged it for $35.

I think it's worth the $35 as far as fit and finish. Related: I'm starting to really not think much of Bestop and will be looking at other options when it's time to replace the top.

The main known issue with this headliner is the velcro. There is a strip of velcro that is self-adhesive and installed on the header that tends to unstick itself in high heat. Also, it has to sit for 72 hours to cure.

Because we've had record highs here in Iowa I decide that instead of installing this in place to move it indoors and let the sunrider part of my roof just flap around and keep Dusty in town. I removed the header, brought it into the house, cleaned it, wiped it down with rubbing alcohol to get rid of all residue, then applied the strip and let it sit 3 days indoors. Reinstallation of the header was a bit of a PITA until I figured a few things out and replaced the screws I lost (I found them the day after replacing them - go figure).

Noise level is somewhat down but still higher than when I had the carpet in. I won't know on how much it helps with the temps until I take my annual roadtrip but I'll have a good review of it then because I'm going to be in the Mojave Dessert and possibly Death Vally this summer. For dealing with miserable heat and humidity, I could have done worse than adding this to the BOV.

Insta-review: If you can grab one on sale for 50% off or better, go for it.

I'll post pics if people want.

Touch up paint went on as well. You can see where it got touched up if you are right on top of it, but from a yard away it blends well enough to hide all but the very worst of it. More importantly, rust protection. This is going to be a semi-annual event with me driving as much gravel as I do. I'm thinking when I do the fenders I'm doing an exterior bedliner application, probably Line-X again, and most likely keeping it Sahara Tan, though I'm open to OD Green.


Update on Roof Rack: It got shipped back to Quadratec yesterday. I had none of the original packing so had to improvise and think I did well - all pieces got wrapped in newspaper and I had 2 boxes made for a custom fit - tight but not bulging. I'll be replacing it with a carrier that attaches between the spare tire and tailgate to get it out of the wind, which means any tire carrier I get can't block that off, so the Olympic Swing-Down Tire Carrier I had been looking at is off the shopping list. I have mixed feelings on this as I'm starting to get some pain in my shoulders so having a tire that could lower would have been nice, especially when it comes to 35" and all that weight, but the reviews on that carrier were mixed at best.

Customer Service at Quaratec has been pretty reasonable with me and offered a full refund, but I think I'm taking store credit instead and going after a decent cargo rack.


Today the weather is going to be simply perfect so the doors are coming off and I'll see if the soft-top boot works with the headliner still in. You have to undo 2 snaps to put the top down and a bit of grunting might make it fit.

[Skinner01]

I hear chicks dig scars.

Yep, one of my ex wives is especially fond of digging deep into them and reopening them.

just happened upon this topic

yeah my x-wife was real good at that to as a matter a fact my current wife is also good at that , i think they are born with that skill
hey Tater -raider , Love the Jeep man .....i got a 2011 JK as well .

[Crazy Wolf]

I'm loving the build, and I'm sorry to distract from it, but...does anyone else think "The Dusty Rose" sound like a brothel full of geriatric whores?

I was thinking it, didn't want to SAY it...

Dusty is for the color, Rose is after sombody, and it does sound like an old west bar where the girls upstairs are making their living 2 dollars at a time, but it is her name.

Now would be a bad time to mention that after off-roading I affectionately call her, "my dirty, dirty girl," wouldn't it? ....

Ah, so that's what the kids are calling it nowadays.

[KnightoftheRoc]

I'm interested in how well the velcro adhesive holds up in the heat. I've had some in my plumbing van in the past that simply 'wilted' right off the metal it was stuck to, thanks to the adhesive melting.

[KJ4VOV]

I'm interested in how well the velcro adhesive holds up in the heat. I've had some in my plumbing van in the past that simply 'wilted' right off the metal it was stuck to, thanks to the adhesive melting.

I hope this isn't too off-topic but I've used the heavy duty commercial Velcro in my truck and have had no problems with it at all. Two strips of it hold a radio scanner in place in the box on the back and two more strips attach an antenna tuner to the cab wall behind the seat. Both have been there for a couple years now with no problems at all and I've seen temps of over 140 degrees in that box.

Also, on the name "Dusty Rose", that's one of those names that should have an interesting song behind it, like "Ballad of the Dusty Rose"

[Tater Raider]

Also, on the name "Dusty Rose", that's one of those names that should have an interesting song behind it, like "Ballad of the Dusty Rose"

I'll work on that.



The soft top goes up and down with the headliner in, but you have to undo 2 snaps on the side if you are putting it down - no biggie. The velcro is holding fine for now (stress test will be held in the Mojave Desert in June), and I've already decided if it runs into an issue I'll pop-rivit it into place on the header bar. Velcro strip in the middle is secured using screws and glue so will be fine reguardless. In the meantime I'm happy with my $100 $36 headliner and think I got decent value for my buck.

Bike rack has been reinstalled. It takes a couple weeks to adjust to losing the tailgate but I've survived this before. My work-around is to open the side windows but not remove them, then partially fold down the rear seat. Insert cargo, put seat back upright, reclose window. Moved some goods this weekend this way.

I've decided against the cargo rack for now - subject to change by June. I'm not happy with the cost of new racks nor am I certain of what tire carrier I'll end up getting and what will work with that so cargo issue is still an issue. I'm going to sit down with Daughter Unit and figure out a DIY cargo netting solution to assist, and I've come up with a couple other ideas that are stupid unconventional but should help some. If worst comes to worst I'll get a receiver cargo rack and have the option of going with the bike carrier or cargo hitch, then sell it off when I find something more appropriate permanent to my liking.

In the meantime, the Roof Top Rack has been returned and refund made. I used part of the refund to buy 2 KC HiLites w/ harness and switch, so light bar will still look silly but will at least be doing something. Rest of the money went into my pocket.

I've scheduled the installation of the air bags with my local guy (Young Son) in 2 weeks. I need to pick up 2 jackstands before we get started.

Soylent's Envy (the canoe) is still not up to speed. I picked up 3 paddles and a tacklebox yesterday with Young Son. Before I'm legal I need to get 3 PFD's and throw the registration number on the hull. I'll be doing the ZS fleet number at the same time I do the registration and will be getting the PFD's either this week or next. To bring the boat fully up to speed I need to get the canoe working with a bike trailer using the finest redneck engineering principles available. Roof-top mounting is still a bit of an issue but for now what I've got gets the job done.

[KJ4VOV]

Also, on the name "Dusty Rose", that's one of those names that should have an interesting song behind it, like "Ballad of the Dusty Rose"

I'll work on that.

Might be best. Left up to me and you'd probably end up with a remake/mix of "Delta Dawn" and the "Beverly Hillbillies" theme.

[Tater Raider]

3 Type II PFD's purchased today for around $7 each. They are ugly and uncomfortable but I'm one step closer to legally able to use canoe. All thats left is the registration number - taking that on tomorrow I think.

[Tater Raider]

Also, on the name "Dusty Rose", that's one of those names that should have an interesting song behind it, like "Ballad of the Dusty Rose"

For you Firefly fans out there, sing to the tune of "The Hero of Canton"

Dusty!
The Jeep named Dusty Rose!
She robbed from Tater then she asked for some more,
She bounced down bad roads and gave them what for.
Tater’s love for her aint hard to explain,
She’s on Zombie Squad, prep or be ashamed!

I need a drink. Anyone got a recipe for Mudder's Milk?

[ZombieSoldier01]

No but I have a recipe for cinnamon sippin whiskey!