DuncLJ's Big Bolt-On Bonanza

[MountaineerTom]

Nice Jeep.

Questions about your kayak setup, if you don’t mind.

Any info on that goalpost setup? Build yourself? Purchased? If so where? Can it hold 2 kayaks?

Me and my wife have been considering getting a couple kayaks.

 

[DuncLJ]

Nice Jeep.

Questions about your kayak setup, if you don’t mind.

Any info on that goalpost setup? Build yourself? Purchased? If so where? Can it hold 2 kayaks?

Me and my wife have been considering getting a couple kayaks.

Hey thanks, I got the goal post on Amazon; relatively inexpensive.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HDL2DX6/?tag=wranglerorg-20

It works great for our 11' tandem kayak. It doesn't work with both of our 8.5' singles. It is 8' between our front rack and the goalpost rack. That's just a little to long to mount those 2 sturdily. On a TJ it would be fine, LJ not so much.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Hey thanks, I got the goal post on Amazon; relatively inexpensive.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HDL2DX6/?tag=wranglerorg-20

It works great for our 11' tandem kayak. It doesn't work with both of our 8.5' singles. It is 8' between our front rack and the goalpost rack. That's just a little to long to mount those 2 sturdily. On a TJ it would be fine, LJ not so much.

Thanks for the info. I have an LJ too and have been trying to figure out how to carry 2 smaller ones up there without adding a major rack system.

 

[DuncLJ]

@MountaineerTom
I'm still trying to figure that one out too. There isn't a rack out there that I like enough to quasi-permanently mount on my rig. We tend to take the LJ when we have the tandem. When we take the 2 singles we mostly use our F150.

 

[MountaineerTom]

I really like the Garvin racks for the LJ, but I can’t see paying that much vs the amount of time I’d actually use it.

 

[BuildBreakRepeat]

I got the garvin adventure rack for about $800 - it’s made for kayaks and large objects with 300lb dynamic and 600lb static capacity.

 

[DuncLJ]

I got the garvin adventure rack for about $800 - it’s made for kayaks and large objects with 300lb dynamic and 600lb static capacity.

That's really nice. Just looked at the pics on your build thread, looks great!

 

[DuncLJ]

Today I put on Rock Hard "HardHat" diff cover on my rear Dana44. I had put one on the front a couple months ago.

1/4" steel and no interference issues like some aftermarket covers.

I substuted some grade 8 bolts for the supplied Allen button head bolts. The button heads damage easily and can strip much easier than a hex bolt.

 

[DuncLJ]

My UCF Aluminum Ultra High Clearance Bumper came in today. She's a beauty. I couldn't resist putting it on the bathroom scale to see its true weight.

Bumper alone is 9.4 lbs.

Adding the aluminum winch fairlead makes it an even 12 lbs.

I'm excited to get it fitted up. I'm still debating on what finish to put on it, if any.

The jewel to this aluminum crown will be the Warn M8000 winch that I ordered today. It should arrive this Tuesday.
I'm pretty stoked. Should be a fun weekend.

 

[DuncLJ]

Earlier this week I sought some opinions on aluminum trail doors on another thread. I ended up pulling the trigger on some JCR's. They accept Bestop soft uppers and will accept factory mirrors simply by drilling new mounting holes. I already have some new mirrors standing by, now just waiting for the doors to get here.

This is obviously not my Jeep. but here's a picture from JCR's website of what the doors look like installed.
I'm pumped...

 

[DuncLJ]

I went over the new UCF bumper and fairlead with a conditioning disc and got rid of all the tooling marks, burrs, and rough edges. I wet sanded it and then got the first 2 coats of primer on it.

While I was doing this the UPS truck pulled up and I helped the guy wrestle this big fella into the garage.

Still waiting on a TRE synthetic winch rope, a TRE Safety Thimble Hawse, and a TRE Safety Thimble.
It was cheaper to buy the M8000 with the steel cable and then add the TRE accessories that I wanted.
I'll try to sell the steel cable and roller fairlead to make a little money back too.
In the meantime, I have a lot to do to get ready for the TRE goods.


Whilst all this is going on, I also am remodeling our master bathroom, laundry room, and patio. I'm exhausted, so my watch says it's "beer:30".

 

[DuncLJ]

Got a few more pieces to the puzzle for the big bumper/winch build up. Just a few more little things and some prep work and I can start bolting stuff together.

 

[Darsmith]

I went over the new UCF bumper and fairlead with a conditioning disc and got rid of all the tooling marks, burrs, and rough edges. I wet sanded it and then got the first 2 coats of primer on it.

View attachment 158713



While I was doing this the UPS truck pulled up and I helped the guy wrestle this big fella into the garage.


View attachment 158714


Still waiting on a TRE synthetic winch rope, a TRE Safety Thimble Hawse, and a TRE Safety Thimble.
It was cheaper to buy the M8000 with the steel cable and then add the TRE accessories that I wanted.
I'll try to sell the steel cable and roller fairlead to make a little money back too.
In the meantime, I have a lot to do to get ready for the TRE goods.


Whilst all this is going on, I also am remodeling our master bathroom, laundry room, and patio. I'm exhausted today, so my watch says it's beer:30 right now.


View attachment 158719

What length did you order 85' or 100'? Does the spool on the M8000 accept 100' of 3/8? I'm about to order some 3/8" from TRE for my older M8000.

 

[DuncLJ]

What length did you order 85' or 100'? Does the spool on the M8000 accept 100' of 3/8? I'm about to order some 3/8" from TRE for my older M8000.

I ordered 85' of 3/8". From what I have read, that is the appropriate length.

 

[Darsmith]

Thank you. 85' it is.

 

[DuncLJ]

I haven't had a whole lot of time lately on the LJ, to many other home projects.
However, I did have time to put a few coats of satin black on the new bumper, fairlead, and hoop.

I was also able to splice my synthetic line onto the safety thimble using a "Locked Brummel eye splice with a deep bury". I could be wrong on the term, It's been about 20 years since I took an Army rigging class. Thank God for Google.

Cheers to watching paint dry.

.

 

[DuncLJ]

Got the UCF bumper, hoop, hooks, Warn M8000, and TRE fairlead installed today. I still have to do all the electrical connections, and install the synthetic line.

I'm really liking the look and how things are going. I just need a few more hours in each day.

 

[Cross-Threaded-06TJ]

That looks awesome.

 

[Nickgsjeep]

Looking clean!!! Nice work

 

[Mike_H]

Got the UCF bumper, hoop, hooks, Warn M8000, and TRE fairlead installed today. I still have to do all the electrical connections, and install the synthetic line.

I'm really liking the look and how things are going. I just need a few more hours in each day.

View attachment 162387

View attachment 162388

View attachment 162389

View attachment 162445View attachment 162390

Dang...I really like that bumper. That is the one that tucks back further and installs into the sway bar bolt hole, right. Sharp. I might have to add it to the list!