MattMc's build thread

MattMc

New member
Hello everyone, welcome to my build thread. Please keep in mind that this is my first Jeep, and so obviously my first build of a Jeep or any 4x4. I dabbled in imports when I was younger, but lost interest as I became older. I'm not sure what drew me to 4x4s, other than wanting a more versatile vehicle. I did enough research to know I wanted a Rubicon for the lockers. I didn't know anything about axles at the time (D30 vs. D44 and all that). I figured I would eventually lift the Jeep, but planned to wait a year or two. Well, in my wheeling adventures, it became apparent that the Jeep is capable of more than I thought in stock configuration, but that the main drawback is that you drag belly on nearly everything. So, then, the question we have all asked ourselves. "How much lift?" As a newbie, I had no idea. I watched some of the JK experience videos, and thought "This is the end goal." I also knew that I did not want to do this in steps. I'm a firm believer in the "buy once, cry once" philosophy. So, after doing some research, I settled on the EVO Enforcer 4". I do want to keep my stock fenders, as they are painted, and I wanted 37s, as that is the minimum tire size for JKUs on the JKX. I also want to keep this thing realistic for road trips, and generally, not being a pain in the ass to drive. The actual build part of this will start a few posts down. I will start with some of my stock adventures.

I bought my Jeep in February 2015. It is a JKU Hard Rock. Here is a picture as it sat on the lot.
IMG_0937.jpg
IMG_0936.jpg
I joined WAYALIFE, about 1 week after buying my Jeep, and an went on my first off roading adventure at the 2 week mark with some fellow WAYALIFErs. Thardy, Grubbicon, and OscarMike2.0, and JSTJPN were all in the group that day and were helpful to a newbie like me. Everyone at work, and most from my family said I was crazy for taking a brand new Jeep off roading. Below is a picture of the first day out.
IMG_0942.jpg
I also have videos posted to Youtube of some from the day that I will try to attach later, when I figure out how to do that.

Over the past year, I have off roaded the Jeep a fair amount.

Some stock flex pictures on the ramp thing. The owner of this shop said that I could have gone higher, but the bumper was hitting the ramp.
IMG_0975.jpg
IMG_0976.jpg
Pictures from Jeepfest, with Thardy riding shotgun. One guy said I won the award for biggest balls of the day by going to the top of this stump in a stock Jeep. :rock:
IMG_0997.jpg
IMG_0993.jpg
IMG_0998.jpg
Here is a picture from Choccolocco Mountain, with JSTJPN, and KenDawg
IMG_1013.jpg

I think the rest of the pictures are on my phone, so I will pick up from there on the next post.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to point out anything that I may not be planning for, like incompatibilities, or upgrades that should be done together, etc
 
Here is a pic from Gulches, I think.
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456803016.080970.jpg
These are from the End of Summer Run 2015 at Uwharrie National Forest
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456803127.903213.jpg
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456803149.465248.jpg
This one is from Windrock park, specifically at the Flats at the end of the day. One of my favorite experiences so far.
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456803255.399927.jpg
I've been back to Windrock once since then, with 2 more trips planned this year, for the End of Summer Prerun and run.
 
Now for the actual build pics. Nothing is actually built yet, but I do have parts in the garage awaiting install. Up to this point, all I had done is install a Cobra 75 CB, and purchased some ARB recovery gear.

I bought my lift back in October, when Trail Jeeps had the sale. EVO Enforcer 4", with drag link flip and Fox 2.0 shocks.
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456803777.268319.jpg
 
Great times at windrock. Hope to see you at the uwharrie trip and or TN again. Love that color btw.
 
I put the install on the back burner until I could afford tires. My plan was spacers and stock wheels, but when my "Jeep stimulus package" came in, I decided to go ahead and get wheels too.

37/12.5/17 Nitto Trail Grapplers
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456803995.456453.jpg
ATX Slabs
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456804029.538124.jpg
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456804045.829890.jpg

I plan to start putting the tires on the wheels this weekend, with the lift install to follow in the next few weeks.

I also have an AEV Procal ready for the ECU adjustments.

Edited to add C gussets. Plan on having these welded on next Monday.
 
Last edited:
Look forward to seeing your build. I have almost the exact jeep and almost the exact pile of parts waiting to go on. :thumb:
 
Bout time! Looking forward to working on it with you! Also, pretty sure that's me getting pulled off of the obstacle course!
You are correct, that is you. Thanks for all the help that day, and all the advice since!

Look forward to seeing your build. I have almost the exact jeep and almost the exact pile of parts waiting to go on. :thumb:
Thanks man. Are you waiting on something specific?

Did I win at multi quoting or did I potato it?
 
You are correct, that is you. Thanks for all the help that day, and all the advice since!


Thanks man. Are you waiting on something specific?

Did I win at multi quoting or did I potato it?

Nailed the multi-quote. Yea I'm just waiting on tires to throw everything on. Should be ordering in the next couple weeks.
 
Nailed the multi-quote. Yea I'm just waiting on tires to throw everything on. Should be ordering in the next couple weeks.

I got mine from Discount Tire. The manager seemed like he was looking for WAYALIFE discount codes, but didn't find any. He did give me a price that I thought was pretty good.
 
I got mine from Discount Tire. The manager seemed like he was looking for WAYALIFE discount codes, but didn't find any. He did give me a price that I thought was pretty good.

Right on. It's Americas Tire over here. I've shopped around a lot and best price I've found is my local 4WP. I'm eyeing the Toyo MT's though. What's the rest of your plan for your Jeep?
 
I forgot about the skids. I bought a set of EVO Protek skids from THardy when he parted out his Jeep. Initially I had an issue with one of the bolt holes not lining up. It bugged me for a while, even though it was probably not a big deal. Ended up figuring out that the crossmember skid was bent upward in the middle. Took it off and stood on it to bend it back, and then put it back on and everything lined up.

I don't think I have pictures of this.
 
Nice matt. I've been meaning to reply to your message but keep forgetting. I am running just a superchip flashpaq. Its just the standard tuner that allowed me to recalibrate my speedo and min tire pressure. It allows you to set your mi psi at only 28 or 29 (Don't remember) Be careful though because I heard that they may not work on a 2015 so make sure before you purchase one.
 
Last edited:
Nice matt. I've been meaning to reply to your message but keep forgetting. I am running just a superchip flashpaq. Its just the standard tuner that allowed me to recalibrate my speedo and min tire pressure. It allows you to set your mi psi at only 28 or 29 (Don't remember) Be careful though because I heard that they may not work on a 2015 so make sure before you purchase one.

It's not a jeep year issue, it's a Superchips liability issue to where on the new software, you cannot lower the pressure threshold. Now, they only will give you the low pressure on or off function, so no adjustments allowed. I just went through this with them and ended up having them update my software to disable the TPMS system as there was no option to lower the activation psi any more.
 
Nice looking pile of parts! Let me know if I can help out with the install. I'm looking to go the exact same route as you are.
 
It's not a jeep year issue, it's a Superchips liability issue to where on the new software, you cannot lower the pressure threshold. Now, they only will give you the low pressure on or off function, so no adjustments allowed. I just went through this with them and ended up having them update my software to disable the TPMS system as there was no option to lower the activation psi any more.
Ok good to know. Its been 2 years since I've messed with it. I set it all and haven't touched it since.
 
Great build thread
I like you got jeep fever later in life and I am now starting to get all my parts together.
Jeep on!
 
It's not a jeep year issue, it's a Superchips liability issue to where on the new software, you cannot lower the pressure threshold. Now, they only will give you the low pressure on or off function, so no adjustments allowed. I just went through this with them and ended up having them update my software to disable the TPMS system as there was no option to lower the activation psi any more.

I researched this a fair amount because I want to keep the TPMS and lower the threshold to around 30. Everything I could find said that SuperChips could only turn TPMS off. It's a long story, but I ended up going with the AEV Procal. I haven't used it yet, but it seems like what I was looking for and more. It has a cool variable idle function for heavy winching, or welding, or whatever. The cool part is that when its enabled, you use the interior light dimmer to dial the idle up or down.
 
View attachment 191637

Got 4 of the 5 tires mounted yesterday. The 5th wheel came with the wrong hardware, so I'm waiting on that to come in to mount the 5th.

Thanks to Trailless, aka Soon, for helping out. We went full potato on the first one. Well, mostly me, because I was trying to put the wheel in the wrong way when Soon showed up. Then we both tried for a while before figuring out that we were doing it wrong.

We were trying to put the wheel in from the front of the tire. Once we figured out that it needed to be done the opposite way, it was easy. Very time consuming with the bolts, as Mel said in the video. Also, on 2 of the wheels we realized that we forgot to put valve stems in after being partially through with the ring bolts. That cost us some time, though none of it was difficult.

Lift is coming soon!
 
Top Bottom