SEA-JKU Build Thread.

SEAJ

Member
I have officially been an owner of my dream vehicles. I am "Giddy as a School Girl". Loving it. This thread is my record of building it up and making it my own. Molding my dream Jeep to my own tastes.

Also my Starting point. 2012 JKU Sahara. White with Camo Wrap.

Gear Started with:
35X12.5 Inch Tires.
17X10 Inch Fuel D538 Maverick Rims
3 Inch Fabtech Lift

Added to date:
JKS Quicker Disconnects
EVO C Gussets
Ace Weld On Rock Sliders
Custom Fender Trim and LEDs Added
Custom Front Bumper Stubby
Uniden Bearcat 880 CB with Wilson T2000 Antenna
Yukon 4.88 Gears (Cryo treated Front after broke first once)
ARB Air Locker (Front and Rear)
Superchips 3872 Flashpaq
MetalCloak Adjustable TracBar
Custom $20 Spare Tire Reinforcement
Artec Heavy Duty Track Bar Bracket Front
Artec Axle Truss Front
OX Differential Cover Front
Custom Front Long Travel Shock Install with Ford Shock Towers
13 Inch Travel Front Rancho 9000 Shocks
Custom .25 Inch Rear Tracbar bracket. (Ripped old off on trail)
7075 Aluminum Tie Rod and Drag Links (Carolina Metal Masters)
Custom #20 C02 Tank Bracket Bolted to JK.

In Progress: next 6 months.
1 ton SuperDuty Axles. Dana 60 and Sterling. (ARB Lockers)
Beadlocks and 40 Inch tires
New Adjustable Control Arms.
New Drive Shafts

Later this year.
Hydro Steering
Custom Exhaust
Coilovers Front
EVO lever rear


Later Time as needed
Custom Exhaust. (Prep for Rear Coilovers)
Rear Bumber and Tire Carrier
Front stubby bumper with stinger. LOD Bumper.
Winch (No Solo Wheeling yet)
 
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Now how do I start. I am still a bit broke from my down payment having owned it maybe three weeks and I think custom fender jobs and their looks are just as attractive a aftermarket upgrades so... why not.

Premise for the fenders.
1. Minimize weight
2. Maximize clearance.
3. Maintain street function. Noise and durability.
4. Maintain visual lighting if possible while maximizing clearance.
5. Go curved on an already angled surface.
6. Make it better then stock.


I spent considerable time looking at others fender cuts and aftermarket styles and performed several rounds of taping to settle on a style I think suits my Jeep. I feel a little curve could add to the personality of my camo jeep since she has so many straight lines already. Also I see a lot of fender cut to be very flat and they look very nice. I however wanted to be able to install some aftermarket LED for the side marker lights and think about a 1 inch lip (about 1" 1/8) would work well. The smallest LED lights I found for fenders were about 3/4 of an inch. I figured 1 and about 1/8 inch of fender would be adequate to allow for a some drilling for the lights. Otherwise. Cut it Off

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I spent considerable time looking at others fender cuts and aftermarket styles and performed several rounds of taping to settle on a style I think suits my Jeep. I feel a little curve could add to the personality of my camo jeep since she has so many straight lines already. Also I see a lot of fender cut to be very flat and they look very nice. I however wanted to be able to install some aftermarket LED for the side marker lights and think about a 1 inch lip (about 1" 1/8) would work well.

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Waiting for the after pics, that is close to the cut I'm thinking just a little bit of lip on the fenders
 
I started the measurements and trim and began the cutting. Never look back... Whats the worst that can happen. It'll turn out better.. I think

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The cuts have been made and... It actually looks good.

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It has a unique curvature and gives some personality.

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So I made the cuts today, cut the liners, added the black trim. I also added the LED lights. Two on each side. They fit perfectly.

Lesson - Black to white for LED lights. Otherwise you get no lights at all on either side. Thank you google.

I am waiting for the glue to try. Will post pic tomorrow after everything has dried. But I have to say the trim though a pain to install in 50 degree weather and 3/4 inch LED lights glued in are coming out pretty nice.
 
Drilled the holes and mounted the lights as seen in this undershot.

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After adding the edge trim I took some pics with the lights on.

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Taped up the rear fender today. I was on the fence about doing the rear bumper but finally after procrastinating for a few hours grabbed the tape and saw and went for it.

I decided a 1 and 1\8 inch lip to match the front. Taped them up and started the trim.

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Sanded the fender and added trim to the back fenders also.

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For the most part its done now. See overall pictures.

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Due to the fender trimming I had some gaps in my front fenders allowing for debris to enter. I looked into using some of my trimmed fender to cover these gaps but my fenders cuts are a little smaller than others since I left a lip.

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I figure a trip to Home Depot for some aluminum sheeting, self-taping screws and expanding foam should resolve this. Got the parts and used a brown grocery bag to build a mold before we started cutting the aluminum sheet. I filled in much of the smaller crevices with the expandable foam and quickly mounted the aluminum liner.

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Looks pretty good.

All that's needed now is for my spray on liner to arrive Monday and paint everything black and do some cleanup.

I also have some Quicker Swaybar disconnects arriving.
 
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Man that looks good. I have a white jku and i have wanted the camo for a while.
Fenders look great! Are you going to do the front bumper ends next?
 
Man that looks good. I have a white jku and i have wanted the camo for a while.
Fenders look great! Are you going to do the front bumper ends next?

Yeah. I was looking at it today and already started brainstorming on how I might change it and I have read a couple thread where others have done it already. Definitely needs shortened. I think a homemade stubby will satisfy me for a while.
 
So I painted the Fender inside with a black bedliner spray paint. Here is a couple pics I took this weekend at Long Beach Washington that show how the fenders look now.

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This one shows haw the trimmed fenders fit my 35 inch tires when stuffed. They do rub the front bumper but that will be remedied soon.

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A Rear Fender... Almost stuffed view.

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Looks great with the lip, really digging that look. I may have to trim mine now :brows: And I've seen you driving before, don't remember exactly where but it's hard to miss that wrap :thumb: I think it was in Puyallup
 
Looks great with the lip, really digging that look. I may have to trim mine now :brows: And I've seen you driving before, don't remember exactly where but it's hard to miss that wrap :thumb: I think it was in Puyallup

Yep. I have been down through that area a few times over the last month. In fact I bought it in Payallup.

I did buy it with the Camo Wrap on it. I fell in love the moment I saw it.
 
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