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bigwalton's new Jeep: "The Colonel" - 2018 Rubicon Recon JKU

bigwalton said:
Yeah, always thought it would be a lifetime keeper along with the Postal, but honestly Mater, my '77 Cherokee S means more to me now that it has the 401 than the LJ. The Cherokee is honestly more fun as a DD to me because it's so UNlike the Postal. The LJ is really sort of similar to the Postal (well, much more so than the Cherokee).

The past 6-12 months or so, knowing I am going to have to take the Postal off the road for major frame-off work, has resulted in a lot of soul searching relative to what I have and what I'd be doing in the time that the Postal is down. This JKU is a better all-around backup solution for us to have.

It's tough because I very specifically remember going shopping for this LJ and stopping at Babies R Us to get a car seat setup to test fit in the back seat, preparing for Laura's arrival. I know I'll have seller's remorse, it's a given.
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Its tough to part with any Jeep, much less one with many memories built with it. Sellers remorse is always a given, but luckily you have a nice fleet of Jeeps to help ease the pain of letting one go. Just remember that the JKU will present more opportunities to build memories as well!!
 
So what is a clean '06 LJ worth these days? Eventually I will have one for sale... Low miles, 307K :)
 
By the way, I love the "Colonel" nickname. That should be trademarked or made into an emblem.
 
DeLuke said:
By the way, I love the "Colonel" nickname. That should be trademarked or made into an emblem.
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Yeah, that is totally sticking, but to be anal, its nickname is "The Colonel" -- capital "T" on "The" ;) :smokin:

I had this momentary idea to replicate the AZ plate when we got it registered in MI, but immediately discarded the thought because stolen valor is about the slimiest thing I can think of. The wife has been brainstorming alternatives.
 
Eric, don't laugh... Has held up very vell. Biggest expense so far is the A/C bullsheet and a replacement transfer case...
 
So the steering setup that's on it actually has a slightly bent tie rod. The Jeep has been aligned with it and drives fine, but I had an interesting opportunity come up and I'll be going out a little before the wife and kid and will be installing a new setup from SteerSmarts that incorporates their steering damper. I've heard really good things about it and everything they make retains the factory geometry. They also have a hi-steer drag link designed for previously drilled knuckles, which is what's on this Jeep now, so I just have to get a new tapered bushing to install when we swap this on.

The current steering on it officially requires more offset wheels than are on the Jeep (or wheel spacers) and the PO stopped the steering out further to keep the wheel off the tie rod at full lock. This is why the stock JK tie rods bend so far back at the ends, to clear the wheels.

We'll be able to undo that and only worry about keeping the tires rubbing, so we should gain some steering throw in the deal. I also noticed there was no reinforcement bracket on the front track bar bracket, so we will add that.

-JK HD-N Steering Stabilizer × 1
-"YETI XD™ Aluminum Steering Stabilizer / Damper Bracket
-1-3/4" (YETI XD Pro Aluminum Tie Rod)
-YETI XD™ JK Frame Side Track bar Reinforcement Bracket
-YETI XD™ JK REAR ADJUSTABLE TRACK BAR
-YETI XD™ JK Top Mount Drag Link with Griffin XD™ Attenuator (High-Steer or Drilled-Out OE Knuckle) - Red Bellow
-Yeti XD™ Pro-Series JK Adjustable Front Track Bar
-YETI XD™ Pro-Series Aluminum Tie Rod Assembly - Jeep Wrangler JK/JKU (2007-2018)

Seriously geeking out that the stuff is all red and black too. It's going to look perfect under this thing.
 
That’s a nice list of parts. The track bar frame bracket might be the only part on there you really don’t need. I’ve been pushing mine for years with no issues and most of the guys built like mine on 40s haven’t braced or reinforced it either but regardless, it can’t hurt either.
 
wjtstudios said:
That’s a nice list of parts. The track bar frame bracket might be the only part on there you really don’t need. I’ve been pushing mine for years with no issues and most of the guys built like mine on 40s haven’t braced or reinforced it either but regardless, it can’t hurt either.
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Yeah, but it’s a totally simple bolt on that we’re halfway to installing to swap the drag link. I think that the failures that happen with these are more poor factory welds that aren’t constant issues across all of them.
 
bigwalton said:
Yeah, but it’s a totally simple bolt on that we’re halfway to installing to swap the drag link. I think that the failures that happen with these are more poor factory welds that aren’t constant issues across all of them.
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Completely agree
 
I now have a Kleinn OBA kit on the way to do an install in Phoenix before the trek :headbang:

this is a waterproof unit with a remote intake filter that mounts under the jeep between the driveshaft and exhaust ahead of the evap can. I’ll be relocating the evap based on multiple recommendations. This kit uses two of those bolts to mount and will interfere with the skid plate. Having the evap up out of the way completely is the way to go for sure.

kleinn.com

Bolt-On Onboard Air System for 2007-2026 Jeep Wrangler JLU/JKU -Kleinn

Jeep JLU/JKU Onboard Air: 100% bolt-on waterproof system. Inflate tires to 37", power lockers & horns. Add Model JL-220 or JK-220 Train Horns for maximum impact!
kleinn.com kleinn.com

AE90A852-B7F2-4827-A478-B78D2FD0CE66.png
 
Congratulations !
This looks like a very sweet rig, obviously not cheap but way cheaper than if you built it that way from stock. I would guess there is close to $100,000 in that Jeep with parts and labor and the price of the Jeep new.
 
That reminds me a little of riding with my dad some years back, riding by his lawyer's house and looking at his big boat in his yard. " I paid for that boat " :rotfl:
 
barrys said:
I would guess there is close to $100,000 in that Jeep with parts and labor and the price of the Jeep new.
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😉 PO has “every scrap of paper about this Jeep” and I hope to be able to get my hands on it through the mutual friend that turned me onto this.
 
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