I like the makeshift dog kennel in the back 
I went ahead and moved it to the build thread section for you.
Thanks!
Change of plans:
Picked up a new set of 14” King Remote Reservoir's for cheaper than I could refresh the radflo’s, a set of super duty axles, and placed and order for a motobilt front half kit today.
Plan is to stretch the front about 5 inches. Keep the rear where it is. Won’t have much room with the back tank where it is.
Bonus, I totally thought the rear corners were steel. Took a magnet to them and found out they were aluminum. This is all going to the sandblaster and will be coming back to raw aluminum, except the sliders.
Just placed an order for XO Fab Cage - less than half of the Genright. Trying to save where I can. Anyone on here running one?
Decided to just pull the trigger and do what I want for once, not just the best deal. I’ve had enough “deals” that I can justify building what I want. I’m not in debt and this will be fun for me and my boys.
They’re excited for the return of the Black LJ!
Picked up a new set of 14” King Remote Reservoir's for cheaper than I could refresh the radflo’s, a set of super duty axles, and placed and order for a motobilt front half kit today.
Plan is to stretch the front about 5 inches. Keep the rear where it is. Won’t have much room with the back tank where it is.
Bonus, I totally thought the rear corners were steel. Took a magnet to them and found out they were aluminum. This is all going to the sandblaster and will be coming back to raw aluminum, except the sliders.
Just placed an order for XO Fab Cage - less than half of the Genright. Trying to save where I can. Anyone on here running one?
Decided to just pull the trigger and do what I want for once, not just the best deal. I’ve had enough “deals” that I can justify building what I want. I’m not in debt and this will be fun for me and my boys.
They’re excited for the return of the Black LJ!
Change of heart and plans -
Axles turned out to be a flop after all - so I'm going back to the original plan of working with what's under the Jeep for the time being. With staying on these axles, I'm wanting to sell these Hutchinson Beadlocks and move to a lighter wheel and tire setup. Doing research on these wheels, while nice, they seem to be a pain if I want to simply swap out tires.
Either way, plan is to do one of the Black Magic Big Brake Kits. Also need to order new driveshafts as these are toast. Do I wait and see if I have a shot at that ROTY prize, or capitalize on the sale?
Armor is pulled and was dropped off to be blasted. Not sure how I'm going to finish it all - was originally wanting to go with the raw aluminum. I don't think I'm committed to the task of finishing and upkeep to keep it looking great. I also ordered some motobilt tub and cowl armor, and genright half door armor, when I was planning this to be raw. The half doors have some major scratches, so thought it'd be nice to cover the whole thing aseptically. Now I'm leaning towards going gloss black and doing the cage and the fender inserts in an accent color to match the cage.
Anyone have any ideas for me there? Would love some ideas.
I've got a few weeks before the rest of the armor and cage shows up - plant of time for me to change my mind 100 more times.
Axles turned out to be a flop after all - so I'm going back to the original plan of working with what's under the Jeep for the time being. With staying on these axles, I'm wanting to sell these Hutchinson Beadlocks and move to a lighter wheel and tire setup. Doing research on these wheels, while nice, they seem to be a pain if I want to simply swap out tires.
Either way, plan is to do one of the Black Magic Big Brake Kits. Also need to order new driveshafts as these are toast. Do I wait and see if I have a shot at that ROTY prize, or capitalize on the sale?
Armor is pulled and was dropped off to be blasted. Not sure how I'm going to finish it all - was originally wanting to go with the raw aluminum. I don't think I'm committed to the task of finishing and upkeep to keep it looking great. I also ordered some motobilt tub and cowl armor, and genright half door armor, when I was planning this to be raw. The half doors have some major scratches, so thought it'd be nice to cover the whole thing aseptically. Now I'm leaning towards going gloss black and doing the cage and the fender inserts in an accent color to match the cage.
Anyone have any ideas for me there? Would love some ideas.
I've got a few weeks before the rest of the armor and cage shows up - plant of time for me to change my mind 100 more times.
If I'm being totally honest, your photo should be the ROTY winner. It is IMHO the best photo of the bunch.
Of course it doesn't matter what I think, but that's just my opinion.
I'd leave it raw aluminum personally. Use that stuff on it, I believe it's called Shark-something-or-another. It keeps the aluminum from oxidizing.
I never understood the point of painting aluminum armor if it's going to get scratched up. Unless you're just using rattle cans or something that can easily be touched up.
Haha. Thanks.
The powder coater is insisting that I won't like how they come out from blasting - that it won't be the same as if I had blanks. Is this just an attempt to upsell? He's claiming the aluminum will be multi-toned.
Never had aluminum armor before. I know I read somewhere about scuffing it with a scotch brite pad? I'm not looking for mirror finish or anything.
If he is claiming that, then one of two things is true, maybe both. He is shit at his job, or he has contaminated sand and it is leaving behind something that the aluminum picks up.
This is color "matched" OEM Flame Red powder on aluminum. The aluminum was blasted right before coating.
Closer view of the inner fenders at the front showing the decidedly even distribution of the texture in the PC finish. The inners are aluminum.
This one - It's all aluminum PS armor that was previously powdercoated. The front fenders had some sort of rubberized coating that was peeling off, but the rears and sliders were a substantial powder coat.
I was wanting to get them blasted and returned to raw aluminum. I'm being cautioned that I won't like the results of blasting and encouraged to powdercoat.
I expect some finish work after blasting, but I don't know what that entails. I've also picked up some genright half door armor, and tub armor - looking for a uniform look all around.
The blasting is never a "finish" for appearance. If that is what you were talking about, then he is correct although I am suspect that he will blast powder off. My coaters won't since it takes too long which drives the cost up. I have to have everything stripped if it is powder and then they blast it to prep for powder.
It may or may not be splotchy, it will not be a pleasant finish.
So I should be asking for a stripping then? I’m just not familiar enough with the process and don’t won’t wind up with something splotchy because I gave bad instruction.
Ideal outcome would be to bring this armor back to raw aluminum and finish in a way that looks decent. I like the look of what @taylormade73 posted earlier in this thread.
I was moving away from that after hearing that it won’t be something uniform I could work with. For simplicity sake I’m considering just going black, but don’t want a splotchy finish like is currently present.
I have done nothing to my aluminum armor except install it. But, it is all Savvy, so there may be some uniformity there in color and tone. I have seen other mixes where that was not so. I did not like the idea of upkeep and maintenance on the apprearnce of it, so I was willing to live with however it looks without the polishing and protection.
I've never done what you are trying to do except for a set of very nice aluminum wheels and they turned out like shit. I don't know if the blasting or the anodizer fucked them up. I made the anodizer re-work them for free so who knows. All I know is I'd never put the time into trying to make a blasted finish presentable.
As for the Savvy stuff that was mentioned, there is nothing special about the aluminum being used. That said, when I designed it, it was never with the intent to have it left uncoated. Aluminum is used for 2 reasons only, weight, and it doesn't rust when you scratch through the coating.
I'm keeping all of my aluminum raw, I just hit it with a scotch brite from time to time.
Besides... my pinstripes have pinstripes... wouldn't do any good to paint them lol
Besides... my pinstripes have pinstripes... wouldn't do any good to paint them lol
I think raw aluminum looks good with black. I’ve body matched and left it raw. It’s definitely easier to fix it when left raw. You can pick up a surface conditioning tool at HF for $100. It takes the Aluminum back down to raw and new real quick. Then coat with Sharkhide.
What’s the sale you speak of on BBK? BMB? I need to go check that out. I thought I already did and didn’t see anything.
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Oh wow. I don’t get paid till Dec 12, so CC here I come. Thank you.
Sounds like I should just go forward with powder coating if I want something presentable. Thanks for your insight!
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