I've been on this board for almost 2 months now, just absorbing all the good info about the JK jeeps. My time has been split between learning, designing my mods, and installing.

I've posted some things here already. However, I didn't see this Registry thread until today. Therefore, I thought I'd post a little introduction for myself. Here it goes!

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Hello Everyone!

I'm James and go by "2ndchance" on most forum boards. I'm in Glendale, AZ (Arrowhead Ranch area) and my Silver/Black 2009 JK 4-door soft-top is a 85% daily driver and 15% hunting vehicle. I was disappointed that my Jeep didn't come with cruise control or the bumper with fog lights and tow hooks. These were the first mods to be done.

Mods so far (in order of install):

* Rugged Ridge Grab Handles (front/rear/headrest).
* Rugged Ridge deep well floormats (front/rear).
* Daystar top console panel.
* Smittybilt G.E.A.R Tailgate Cover.
* Replaced naked bumper with OEM bumper from a Rubicon Doner. Now I have fog lights and tow hooks.
* Mopar Cruise Control.
* Smittybilt Step Rocker.
* Aftermarket Heated Seats (front only, mounted switches under center armrest).
* Rugged Ridge windshield light mounts.
* Custom power center (dedicated 30A fuse blocks with 100A resettable breaker).
* Daystar lower center console panels with four custom ARB rocker switches.
* Custom wiring harnesses for ALL off-road lights and fog lights.
* Two sets of ProComp 55 5" beam off-road lights.
* Pair of Dorman 9005 light sockets to wire up factory fog lamps on bumper.
* Custom radiator/Grill Mod.
* Secondary 12V accessory plug in center console box (always on).
* Painted the black/white off-road light covers solid matte black to match the rest of the vehicle.

My goal was to keep it as "factory" looking as possible and make all the wiring accessible as possible. I think I achieved that.

I have three (maybe 4) installs left.

1) A rear spotlight. The wiring is there, but I haven't decided on which lights or where to mount them. I'm thinking about just mounting one super-bright one on the spare tire mount, and have the beam come through the top of the rim.

2) Power locks.

3) Viper 1002 Alarm with keyless entry.

4) Power windows (under consideration, not necessary but since the door panels will be off... maybe).

Items 2,3, & 4 will be tricky. I will probably neeed to find help on this one. Any of you Car Audio installers out there???


No plans for a suspension change or tire/rim change. I don't think I need it. My factory 17's rims and tires work really well and, when it comes time to replace them, there are TONS of them out there for CHEAP!. A lot of you guys pull them off and replace them with 35"+. LOL. Good for me!

I look forward to meeting some of you on a future run or just a gathering. Saturday evenings are my nights to go screw around. Sunday mornings is my time to play and fart around (usually at the shooting range or coyote hunt). The rest of the week is work and family.

Now for the Pics. Enjoy!

 

Nice work with the electrical wiring installation, it looks "factory". I would think you are really ambitious to install power locks and windows. There will be some tricky wiring to get the dash mounted "factory" look for the window switches and wiring. Good luck though, you seem capable and that is a nice looking rig.

 

X2 on the workmanship.
You have added lots of wires that need to be routed outside of the cabin. Where and how did you route the wires into the engine compartment or where ever you routed them.
I've searched high and low and cannot find a convenient place to route wires out to the engine compartment.

 

Follow this link to an AMAZING writeup about this topic.

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...-Firewall-Hole

The above link is a detailed description of the access point. I ran three 14-gauge wires (lights) and one 8-gauge wire (battery/breaker) through this hole. The wires were also in a 3/8" split corrugated loom. The loom will replace the need for a firewall grommet.

To get loom inside, I had to first run a long zip tie through it (as a guide), then FIRMLY attached an empty 1/4" loom, then FIRMLY attach the 3/8" loom. Each attachment was held in place with the 3M cloth friction tape. Regular electrical tape kept breaking or slipping. Once I got it all pulled through I inserted my 4 wires into the 3/8" loom and PULLLLLED it through. The room is there, it's just the dang thick/hard insulating foam that gets it the way. The corrugated split loom did a great job shaving all the foam away around that firewall hole. Once pulled through I fed the wired loom under the speaker to its final resting spot.

There is the same firewall hole on the driver side, as well. That's where I plan on running my hood pin for my alarm... once I find someone who can help me with the install.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence! I wish I WAS so confident. LOL. The wiring of the doors shouldn't be that big of a deal. Especially since the JKs do offer power windows/locks as an option. I'm pretty sure the room is there for the hardware.

I'm not installing switches for the power door locks. The keyless entry will be enough for me. I am also not installing window switches into the doors, either. I WILL install the 4-switches in between the two center air vents (just like the factory one). Although, it may not "exactly" like the factory... it will be close.

Still, I will probably need the assistance of a qualified car stereo/alarm installer. I hope to find a fellow Jeep guy to help me on this so I can do a writeup on the process.

 

Heated seats in Arizona??

Just kidding. It all looks great! Glendale is a nice place to live. I spent a lot of hours out there a few years ago building the Dodgers/White Sox spring training facility and hope to visit again this spring.

 

With a soft top, it can get pretty chilly in the mornings. I was SO happy to have them the past week when the temps dropped down to 28 degrees!

 

Many thanks, will save me a bunch of headaches.

Jim