[OB1375] 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock - The Rube Goldberg Machine

[ovrlndr]

The last mod for a while would be the JK Trailgater with Bamboo Cutting Board by Outback Adventure Products.

Installation is a breeze and it comes with well written instructions (although because it's a big hunk of kitchen grade stainless steel and bamboo, it is easier with two people - one to hold the Trailgater while the other one mounts it to the Jeep).

 

[ovrlndr]

The next few posts will be covering the adventures of last year. Stay tuned for coverage from the backcountry of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and some adventures in Ouray, Telluride, Moab, and Fruita!

For the mod lovers in the audience, don't worry, we have more of those coming, too!

 

[ovrlndr]

Alright... so the first adventure takes place in NW CO / NE UT / SW WY... The trip was roughly 1,000 miles off-road across 4 days, with three nights of camping.

Here's some pics!

 

[ovrlndr]

Part II of NW CO / NE UT / SW WY!

 

[ovrlndr]

Adventures last summer around Colorado's Front Range!

 

[r2fasani]

Rube is looking great! I really like the AEV tire carrier, but I’m OCD and wish they would move the tire over to center on the stock bumper. Still looks great though! Love following your thread.


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk

 

[ovrlndr]

Rube is looking great! I really like the AEV tire carrier, but I’m OCD and wish they would move the tire over to center on the stock bumper. Still looks great though! Love following your thread.


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk

Thanks!

If I had a dollar for every comment I’ve seen on various forums about it being off-center, I’d already have an Ursa Minor J30, a fully Goose Geared cargo area, and a ProRock 44 with Reid Knuckles, RCVs and Steer Smarts YETI XD steering setup...

My take: It is a small price to pay for what is hands down the best tire carrier for an overland / expedition build... doesn’t bother me one bit, especially when you consider the reasons behind the design (to allow the carrier to support more weight, and to allow easy access to the tailgate door handle even with a 40” spare tire).

Also, fun fact... the YJ, TJ, and LJ models all had off-set spare tires from the factory, as do many other classic 4x4s such as the Defender and the G-series ;-)


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[ovrlndr]

Wow, I have been slacking hard on this build thread. Here's a teaser of what's to come, both in terms of mods to the Jeep, and in terms of another build thread I'll need to start at some point... Stay tuned!

 

[Gothere]

If your Jeep is any inclination of what is to come on the Sprinter, it should be a great build.

 

[TheRubiconLife]

The best part of owning a Jeep is all the mods. Enjoy.

 

[ovrlndr]

The next big Jeep adventure (sorry, still no mods) was to the San Juan mountains in southwest Colorado. A few days spent in Ouray and Telluride is just what the soul needs.

On the way out from Denver, we stopped at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This may actually have been my first (if not, second) National Park, because while I think I've been to Great Smoky Mountains National Park... I am not actually sure I've been within the park boundaries... I know I've been in the area. So, cheers to my first or second National Park!

We ran Black Bear, Imogene, Governor's Basin, Mineral Creek, and then from Mineral Creek ran Engineer to Lake City as we returned home to Denver.

 

[ovrlndr]

The next trip in the Jeep was to North Fruita Desert to huck some gnar on the MTB.

Only including this because I love Fruita.

 

[ovrlndr]

The next adventure was to Moab... Stay tuned!

 

[DanW]

The next adventure was to Moab... Stay tuned!

Can't wait! I'm heading there in October, via the Rimrocker.

 

[Deleted member 16492]

The next mod was in preparation for the lift and tires, and off-road driving.

Synergy upper and lower inner C gussets and front lower control arm skids, and a Magnaflow y-pipe (without loop delete, to keep the exhaust coming back from the cats close to the same length until they reach the "Y." Better in my opinion).

The JK Dana "44" is more like a Dana 44 pumpkin with Dana 30-esque tubes and 44 axle shafts and Dana 30 Cs... Not cool Jeep! Supposedly they are beefing up the 44s on the new Rubicon Recon for 2017. Also, whoever routed the exhaust around the driveshaft was drunk the day he was working on the design, and thus the driveshaft will make contact with the exhaust if a lift is put on the Jeep... So, where Jeep falls short, we make it right...

Rube on the operating table.

Fast forward a few hours, and... #WeldPorn

Look at all the clearance the brand new but still rusty (Jeep... grrr...) driveshaft has now that we've routed the exhaust the way it should have been done in the first place!!!

A few more mods and we'll be all set for lift and tires!

Great thread!

 

[ovrlndr]

Great thread!

Thanks for following along. Hoping to get my Moab trip posted up this weekend.

Then, a few more mod write ups and some more adventures!

 

[ovrlndr]

Alright... Moab trip!

The trip was in late September 2017, and it was my first ever trip to "Jeep Mecca" or "Off-road Mecca," as it is sometimes called.

Day 1 we ran: Poison Spider Mesa -> Golden Spike -> Gold Bar Rim... Otherwise known as "The Trifecta." These trails are rated 6 - 7 in difficulty by Red Rock 4 Wheelers, so my friends were just throwing me into the fire on Day 1! Best part? I forgot I had lockers until Day 2 LOL!

Day 2 we ran: Moab Rim and we were visited by heavy rains, thunder, lightening and hail, and then we ran Hells Revenge and took a little dip in one of the hot tubs.

Day 3 we visited Arches National Park on our way back to Denver. Missed Delicate Arch due to time, so a return trip is required!

The trails were not without drama... On Day 1, just as we cleared The Waterfall obstacle on Gold Bar Rim toward the end of a very long day of wheeling, some guy in an old Ford Bronco rolls up to the obstacle, and without picking any sort of line up the The Waterfall flops on his side. TIME TO BREAK OUT THE WINCH AND GEAR! It doesn't matter what you drive, but it does matter what lines you take!

Day 2's drama was the heavy winds, thunder and lightening, and small bits of hail on Moab Rim during the first attempt at ascending to the top of the rim. Due to lightening strikes on the tail just 30 to 40 feet ahead of us, we turned tail and started a quick descent. During the descent, I got off my line and came down a big step with a bad line. I ended up rolling a bead in the process. At this point, the storm overhead blew away and so we busted out the gear, and - after getting the Jeep stabilized - we used a bottle jack and my ARB Twin compressor to re-set the bead, and on we went!


Here's some Day 1 visuals:

Poison Spider Mesa

Poison Spider Mesa

Should have hit the "easy button" here on Zuki Hill (Rubcions have front and rear lockers, Jason. There's a button on the dash, Jason.)
That clicking noise is my stock front driveshaft getting pissed after 23,000 miles of lifted, hard, mostly off-road driving. Guess what mod will be written up soon?

Golden Spike, Day 1

Golden Spike!

More fun on Golden Spike, and the ladies trying to explain Moab

Lunchtime views...

The Rube Goldberg Machine on Golden Crack on Golden Spike headed to Gold Bar Rim

The Waterfall obstacle on Gold Bar Rim + Recovery of Ford Bronco.

 

[ovrlndr]

Moab Day 2 Visuals:

The storm approaches Moab Rim

Coming up Devils Crack on Moab Rim

Going up the Z Turn on Moab Rim

Descending Z Turn on Moab Rim

Descending Devils Crack on Moab Rim

S*** happens. Go prepared.

Hells Revenge, Day 2

Hells Revenge, Day 2

 

[ovrlndr]

Day 3 Visuals:

Balanced Rock, Arches National Park

Turret Arch, Arches National Park

North Window, Arches National Park

 

[ovrlndr]

Next up... MORE MODS!