Help with my 'dream' build

Exuma

Exuma

New member
Hey there,

I'm planning to get a 2018 4-door Rubicon JK in the next few months. I've created a spreadsheet last year where I added parts I like whenever I see them in videos.

It's almost time where I'm going to buy the Jeep, but my build is still far from done. Now that I have the "high level overview" done, I'm posting here so you guys can hopefully help me dial in the specifics.

My absolute main concern is using the best parts I can. I'm not necessarily concerned about money (I expect it will be $30-40K in aftermarket parts alone?), I only care about the build and manufacturing quality. I'm not looking for low budget suggestions.

My goal: I'm looking at extreme mud, overlanding, a little bit of rock crawling -- but probably not any extreme or advanced rock crawling like I see in some of the Wayalife videos. Something along these lines seems about accurate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djezl-JnrXw

I've read around on this forum a bit before posting, and it seems people can be pretty sarcastic and blunt... which is why I chose to post this here than another place that might sugarcoat things.

First... Here's an image of a Jeep which is almost exactly the look I'm going for (except the wheels, and grill inserts, both of which I hate). Everything else I love...

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Keep in mind... this is not 100% decided... this is just a "rough" direction before I really dive into exact parts.


ENGINE + SUSPENSION

- Suspension: 4 in Teraflex lift kit with shocks. I originally picked this lift kit but I've seen tons of people talking shit about Teraflex on here... what would you guys recommend for a very high quality 4" lift kit that includes everything I need? Do I need stabilizers and other stuff?

- Supercharger: RIPP Supercharger

- Exhaust: Not sure, any suggestions?

- Battery: Genesis dual battery kit

- Alternator: not sure, any suggestions?


EXTERIOR

Front bumper: Fab Fours winch bumper ... it seems Fab Four makes the biggest ugliest nastiest clown bumpers that are a joke to the entire Jeep community...
sadly the bumper I like most is also made by this company. I think it looks respectable and not ugly. Is this going to be the butt of every joke if I get this?
I really, really like how it looks. https://www.extremeterrain.com/fabfours-lifestyle-winch-bumper-guard-0717jk.html

Skid plate: Do I need this? I read in this FAQ that maybe I dont... https://wayalife.com/showthread.php...Jeep-JK-Wrangler?p=21020&viewfull=1#post21020

Differential covers: ARB 44 Red

Roof rack: Gobi ranger rack

Rubi rails / rock sliders: Are these the same thing? What is a good brand?

Undercoat: Should I get some sort of undercoat to prevent rust?

Fenders: TBD but I know I want thing black ones, not very large bulky ones. I still have to figure these out

LIGHTS

- 4 round PIAA lights on roof (no light bar... I like the classic look). I want it to look like this... but does this attach right to the Gobi roof rack or do I need another mount? https://www.fabfours.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/WEB_NEW_B1850_TOPBLCK.jpg


WHEELS & TIRES

Wheels: 17x9 Mammoth 8 style beadlock - https://www.extremeterrain.com/mammoth-black-8-17x9-jk-j100609.html

Tires: 37" Maxxis trepador (non competition) or Nitto trail/mud grappler


MISC PARTS

Do I need these? This was stuff I saw that looked important but I don't know if I should get something or not.

- Exhaust spacers
- Ring & pinion kit
- Cold air intake
- Sway bar disconnect kit
- Breather tubes (axle, transfer case, transmission)

I'd also love for any comments for things I'm obviously missing. I'm almost positive in all my reading I've missed some obvious parts that I should have.

Thanks!
 
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First off welcome to Wayalife, and I will take a stab at this, also when you get your Jeep you choose what you want, but you will get some great information from here.

Suspension and rock sliders /protection check out Evo products.

If going 4" plus lift you may look into new driveshafts, not a must but would benefit.

If your going to 37" tires might be wise to regear.

Exodus is a sponsor here, they will point ypu in the right direction also.

Just my opinion on some of your Dream Build, good luck.
 
19YJ94 said:
First off welcome to Wayalife, and I will take a stab at this, also when you get your Jeep you choose what you want, but you will get some great information from here.

Suspension and rock sliders /protection check out Evo products.

If going 4" plus lift you may look into new driveshafts, not a must but would benefit.

If your going to 37" tires might be wise to regear.

Exodus is a sponsor here, they will point ypu in the right direction also.

Just my opinion on some of your Dream Build, good luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's a great help! I forgot about writing down regearing, I'll definitely add that to the list for sure.

What's an example of what I should look for in a new drive shaft?
 
I dont have a lot of information on driveshafts, someone will chime in. I just know the stock driveshafts have a rubber boot that can start to rub and tear against other parts on 3" plus lifts under full flex.
 
Two cents here. Y an 18 Jk and not a jl. If it were me I’d skip the supercharger. Had one in my last jk loved it but pricey. Gears definitely. With that kinda money I’d look into a conversion already done with an ls motor.


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Gobicon2017 said:
Two cents here. Y an 18 Jk and not a jl. If it were me I’d skip the supercharger. Had one in my last jk loved it but pricey. Gears definitely. With that kinda money I’d look into a conversion already done with an ls motor.


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Click to expand...

I like the JL but it seems there won't be quality aftermarket parts for it for like many months if not a year+ from now (I'm impatient :p), so I figured I would just go with the tried and true. I do agree though, I like a lot of the new stuff.
 
Good deal. What’s the jeep gonna be used for. Daily or both highway and trail. Are the trails gonna be rock or sand etc. lots of things to consider. I’d stay away from teraflex, there’re joints are horrible. Good luck. I would wheel it and upgrade as needed.


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As far as 'talking shit about Teraflex,' it's more like 'providing accurate proof of the poor shit that they make.' If money isn't your concern and you want the best quality parts you can get, you shouldn't be looking at Teraflex. https://wayalife.com/showthread.php/37869-Teraflex-Bad-rep-for-a-reason-or-isolated-cases

As far as the supercharger, it's not necessary and it makes the most annoying whining on the trail. Great mod for a street car but not for a Jeep IMO.

Also, that Fab Four's bumper actually looks decent to me, however I wouldn't buy a fucking thing from Extreme Terrain as they're shady crooks. https://wayalife.com/showthread.php/32388-Extreme-Terrain-Ripping-Off-WAYALIFE-Again!
 
If you’re looking for the best parts for your money, go check out our website.

Superchargers are like handjobs. I’m not going to go into any more detail than that. Again, check out our website under the services tab. You won’t find handjobs there.

We carry more products than you can currently see on our website and driveshafts are one of those things. I recommend Adams or JE Reel.

If you really want to talk about building a Jeep then call me tomorrow.



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I like almost nothing on this list. As said, I wouldn't go Tera flex. Evo is great. I run JKS and love it. Second, don't buy from Extreme Terrain. Third, you don't need a sway bar disconnect kit since you're buying a Rubicon which makes me wonder how much research you've actually done. Fourth, you won't fit in your garage with 37s, a Gobi Ranger rack, and a standard 7' garage. Fifth, I used to run a Gobi Stealth rack and sold it for a reason. Sixth, I'd reconsider your tire choice; don't know many guys running those. Seventh, if you're putting this much money ($30-40k) into it, you've skipped a lot of important parts on the underside (axles, driveshafts, etc) which are more important than a shiny bumper. Eighth, I didn't see anything about a rear bumper or tire carrier; maybe I just missed it. Ninth, I'd include a sport cage of some sort.

And tenth, a new Rubicon plus $40k in parts puts you around $80k. You could buy a used, already built one that would be much nicer than the one in your picture for that. Much nicer.
 
I would suggest putting your spreadsheet on the back burner until you actually have a Jeep and have taken it out to see what it can do.

If you're building for "a look" you can put whatever floats your boat on it, so it is just right. If it will never really be put to the test, it doesnt matter what you go with.

I would not have known that bumper is by Fab Fours if you handn't told me. The thing about FF though - google some pics of the Grumper. The one that gets all the hate. Look closely. See the humungous panel gaps (especially the hood line) and complete lack of attention to detail. Someone took a look at that during the prototype phase and thought, "Yeah, that looks good." Now ask yourself, are these the guys I want building my shit? Full Metal Fab makes a mid-width bumper that is reasonably close in looks to what you posted. Made in USA by people who care about that the hell they are doing.

You already know the Teraflex kit has its QC problems. EVO or JKS both have kits that are complete. I'd start there. In short, if money isnt really a concern, Fab Fours, Teraflex and Extremeterrain should not be anywhere near your list.
 
Honestly I would go with the JL. Folks like EVO, LOD, etc, are already making parts for these and they’ll be available soon. I recommend wheeling stock for at least a few months and hit as many trails as you can. If you want good quality parts I’m assuming it’s because you want the best in performance and reliability. You’ll want to get a feel for stock on various before jumping into a build so you can tell if there’s was any improvements to performance, handling etc. after your mods were put in. Unless of course you just want to spend your money than you can go with whatever you’d like such as that over priced fabfour bumper. (Not of fan of what looks to be custom lighting requirements on that bumper) by the time you buy the JL and wheel it for a few months I’m certain there will be plenty of aftermarket parts available.

Stay away from anything Teraflex besides what others have said two of the quays I wheel with made that mistake early on and regret it every time we go out.

If your gonna be overlanding much you’ll want some sort of accessories management for lights. (Which btw come stock with the JL)

Wouldn’t do RIPP or any supercharger, if you want a fast car buy an AUDI (totally biased there) The new JL with the 8 speed transmission has already proven to perform better (another win for the JL) Additionally I’ve heard horror stories of supercharged jeeps dying after a short while. (Not 100% sure on this, can anyone else confirm?) But if you must I think RIPP is the better option.

Not sure I saw a winch on the list but it’s a must. Warn Zeon 10S at a minimum. Money not being a factor don’t skimp on these.

EVO swaybar link. These things are beefy and considering my buddy just bent his on the trails yesterday I’m VLAN I have these.

You’ll want something better than rubi rails. LOD, EVO, and a few others make some solid ones. You’ll want something that sticks out a bit further than stock. Seriously check out Exodus jeeps. They pretty much only carry stuff they’d use any they wheel like the best of them.

Regarding under armor just do it. It’s cheap insurance. Rockhard or EVO make the best ones.

Love the classic look you’re going for with the lights.




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Gobicon2017 said:
Good deal. What’s the jeep gonna be used for. Daily or both highway and trail. Are the trails gonna be rock or sand etc. lots of things to consider. I’d stay away from teraflex, there’re joints are horrible. Good luck. I would wheel it and upgrade as needed.


Sent from my iPad using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

Ok thanks for the tip. I figured Teraflex seemed crap after even 5 mins of reading on here. What do people usually recommend instead? It seems I see a lot of people mention Evo.

To answer your question, it would be a daily driver + trail... not much highway but if I ever want to drive it on other trails I can imagine taking 10 hour road trips with it on the highway. I wouldn't have another truck and trailer to transport it with.
 
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