'05 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon
- 4.0L straight 6 cylinder
- 6 speed manual transmission
- 4:1 transfer case
- 4.10 ratio ring and pinion
- Air actuated differential lockers front and rear
----- all stock from the factory!
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My first modification: Hitch-Haul rack.
I use the rack in the back to haul trash cans, groceries, dog food feed, yard tools..... even a folded ping-pong table....... it is very handy and is used as a step for my dogs to get into and out of the Jeep.
The dogs are pictured below...... Big Jake, the Akita/Lab mix. Blue, a previous girlfriend's long-haired Dashound.... And then, my best little buddy in the whole world...... Andy, a mix of some field dog... probably Brittany Spaniel and something that has blue eyes..... He has one blue eye and one brown eye. (R.I.P. Andy... my little boy passed away in May '08.... he is sadly missed).
Gotta have Heated Seats.
Here's a shot of Big Jake and my 12-volt electric blanket
that I purchased at Northern for $19.99. It's much cheaper than the electric seat heaters and much more versitile. Sit on them for a seat heater, cover up for a heated blanket, plug into a portable JumpStart/Power source to stay heated at a ball game or camping, etc...... VERY NEAT ACCESSORY!
A shot of the windmills on Windrock......barely visible.
Check out Coal Creek OHV park for more info on 'wheeling on 72,000 acres of beautiful mountain.
Here's my first trail damage...... a busted plastic vanity plate.... Tennesse state flag (plastic).
Below: Test fitting 33x10.50 on 15" wheel from my '98 Jeep Wrangler TJ Sport on to the stock Rubicon to see what it looks like.
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Dec. 2006 .... The major modifications begin:
Below: The next 4 are after I installed a JKS 1.25" Body Lift.
Below: Here's the Old Man Emu 2" spring lift
with a 1" spring spacer.
3" of suspension lift...... as well as the JKS 1.25" body lift.....
netting about 4.25" total lift.
End of the stock tire pictures
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Here's a shot of the new tires installed after the lift.
Maxxis Bighorn Mud Terrains.
255/85-16 (33" x 10.50")
Above: First off-roading trip with the new lift and tires.
Below: Vacationing at the Outer Banks in NC. Corolla is a wonderful place. The houses are right on the beach and there are no roads to access them. You have to drive on the beach to get to them. This rental was 3 miles up the beach! AWESOME place to vacation for a Jeep.
Myself, girlfriend, my mother and two LARGE dogs, Jake and Andy.... as well as my mother's Yorkie mix were stuffed in the Unlimited. The rack on the back held all our luggage. Big Jake rode in the back behind the back seat. Andy rode in the back seat with the third passenger. Pixy, the Yorkie mix, rode EVERYWHERE! 650 miles!
Big Jake in the back, Andy next to my mom.
Parked in it's usual spot in my front yard!!!!! Yep, this is Tennessee.... ha ha ha.
Here's a shot of the last run on the bald 33's. Old Man Emu suspension flexed out a little bit.
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Dec. 31 2007
New tires... the above mentioned tires lasted about 1 year with 20k miles and some major trail abuse. A towing incident (towing a Vega) with the front tires out of alignment ruined the fronts.... opted for replacements....
Naturally, larger... It's a Jeep.
Summit Mud Dawgs... made by Maxxis... Bighorn copies.
315/75-16 (34.5" x 12.7")
Ouch.... bumper damage. ... from the last run on 33's yesterday! I don't have wheel spacers because I don't like the tires to stick out past the fender flares... helps to keep the mud and debris out of the Jeep.
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Oct. 2008
Here's my new front bumper. Bestop Highrock. The body lift gap isn't too bad ..........
New Superwinch EP 9.0 installed on the new bumper: I will eventually remote mount the solenoid box from the top of the winch to under the hood.... probably on top of the Battery. And install a controller in-cab.
The added weight of the bumper/winch combo has squatted the front suspension a bit. I have a Rubicon Express 4.5" Super Flex lift kit just waiting to be installed. May get to it this winter.
Installed some DetoursUSA Drop Kick Slyders today. (Oct. 26 2008) Hope to act as a step when the 4.5" lift gets installed ....... as well as act as some sort of protection for the under side of the Jeep. I've banged up the bottom of this thing on rocks and SKID PANS need to be ordered soon!
Above: Underside, where the Slyders clamp to the frame rail. Notice the "tweeked" body mount and the front of the transfer case skid ... aka... "the SHOVEL" being pushed up a bit.
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Some bumpers I really like.......... with a little customizing, of course.
Eddie's of Ground Pounder Fab rear bumper........
.... V8 Unlimited's AWESOME rear bumper.
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Windrock mountain..... Coal Creek OHV park..... Windmill farm
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HINCH MOUTAIN NOV 16 08
Hinch mountain Nov. 29 08
Dec 14 08 Windrock...................................................................................................
BROKEN AXLE SHAFT.... PASSENGER SIDE. ALLOY USAs ordered from David at Northridge4x4
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Interior tailgate latch modification. Couldn't open the tailgate due to my larger spare tire. Should have had an interior latch from the factory.
