The Build Begins

Some of the first things I purchased were comfort related but I also wanted to bring back the former luster. This Jeep had been sitting for a few years in the sun with just a cab cover for protection.

BAD decision – The fenders and most of the black trim was pretty faded so I ordered some Omix-ADA OEM style fender flares to replace them. Within a year, I upgraded to Poison Spyder Aluminum Flares. (more on that later) I had no problem with the Omix fenders themselves, they are great quality and easy to install but I could have saved some money and lived with the deteriorated plastic ones until I popped for the metal ones.

GREAT decision – As I look back, some of the best things I did the first month was to purchase an OWL Cam and replace the stock base radio with an Alpine iLX-107 Apple Car Play unit from Crutchfield

Here’s what the fenders looked like and you can see where I used some restorer to fix the faded bumpers. (The bumpers would also be gone within a few months!)

faded fender, restored bumper
looks like someone tried to scrape debris off these with a putty knife

I’ll start by saying I consider myself pretty handy when it comes to taking things apart and figuring out how to put them back together but I’m no professional, just a perfectionist.

BUILD TIP – There a plenty of YouTube videos out there to look at as you start some of your projects but beware, read manufacturers directions and watch as many videos as you can because I’ve found just as many videos that give you false or inacurate information as there are good ones.

Also, be prepared with the right tools, plenty of time and make sure you have everything you need to complete the project. The fender removal and install was pretty straight forward but the install required a hardware kit that must be purchased separately from the fenders themselves.

pulling the plastic fenders off is simple
new fenders, restored bumpers and Axiel lights installed

They turned out pretty nice, took about 3 hours and helped bring some shine back. You can see here that I also removed the black plastic wheel covers that were on when I picked it up.

BAD decision – If you look closely at the picture above on the right, you’ll notice I also replaced the terrible stock headlights with a pair of Axiel LED Daymaker headlamps and some Smoked LED amber turn signals. I’ll talk about it later when I switch out some KC HiLites Gravity Pro LED headlights, but I was never happy with the brightness or the beam pattern on the Axiels nor with the Axiel turn signals which I replaced due to water leaks. Sorry, but I can’t recommend Axiel with the experience I’ve had with them.

The Owl Cam was a 15 minute install, super easy, no trim removal. If you want some kind of security cam in your vehicle I’d definitely recommend Owl Cam. Compare their features and service to anything else out there and if it’s in your budget, go for it. It’s been a great system and I still use it everyday.

As for the Alpine, I opted to use Crutchfield’s ReadyHarness service that makes wiring a plug and play experience. Well worth the $25. The install of the unit required the removal of portions of the dash but Crutchfield includes awesome instructions which made installation a breeze. I also used Crutchfield’s on-line help and scheduled a call for help with installing the iDatalink Maestro ADS-MRR interface that allows you to use your steering wheel controls with the new Stereo. At the time Crutchfield had the best price and as I found, terrific customer service.

Dash pics after the Alpine and Owl Cam installation. BTW- I love Apple CarPlay and as an iPhone owner wouldn’t be without it for total handsfree communications. This install was a must for me.

Introducing my latest Jeep

This is my 2011 JK Sport that I purchased March 2019. I wanted to document the build, share some tips and hopefully help you make some good decisions on your build. I’ll list all the upgrades and projects and try to document the installs.

Hope this gives you some good ideas! I’ll pop in links where I can.

Thanks, Bob

Here it is on purchase day and what she looks like as of Spring 2021.

This is my 7th Jeep, my 3rd Wrangler. I have previously owned a 1997 TJ, a 2008 JKU and now this 2011 JK.  Living in Seattle, we have a lot of trails available close by, mostly Forest Service Roads and plenty of dispersed camping. I knew I wanted to build this Jeep to explore the trails for both day and overnight trips along with a vehicle I could take on vacations to other areas with opportunity for camping and trail rides.

This Jeep came mostly stock which along with the low mileage, is why I decided to purchase it. I wanted a clean slate to build from. I would have preferred a Rubicon model which would offer beefier axles, locking diffs, and sway bar disconnect along with a few interior upgrades. After considering the low miles, competitive price and realizing I would probably never be a rock crawler.