How would you outfit this custom LJ?

[jscherb]

When I get home from an expedition, all of the recovery gear comes off the Jeep for daily driving. Since there was some interest in the winch mount, here's a video of me removing it and returning the stock bits to the bumper. Takes about a minute to remove the winch mount and replace the stock stuff, although a few seconds longer in this video because I dropped one of the bolts

 

[jscherb]

Overland Outfitters told me the other day that their JK and JL door pockets are one of their best selling products. I guess that's not too much of a surprise given that the factory net pockets stretch the first time they are used. The JK version in my JKU:

So I was wondering what TJ door pockets might look like. The TJ door panels have pockets molded into the panels, but what if OO-style pockets attached to the outside of those? The factory pockets would still be usable, and there would be extra pockets for more storage. I did two what-if images - a wide single pocket and two smaller ones.

I may sew a pair of these just to test the idea, seems like they might be useful.

I got a chance to sew a prototype TJ door pocket this morning.

The original molded-in pocket is still accessible behind the new pocket.

My wife likes it a lot.

 

[jscherb]

Last November I posted a project I called the "Home Depot" DIY Overhead Cargo Net, a cargo net suspended from the roll bars:
https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...fit-this-custom-lj.46300/page-62#post-2973659. I called it that because one of the main components were ratchet straps I picked up at Home Depot for $1.75 each. Update to that post: I was in Home Depot the other day and the price has gone up to $2.47 each on the ratchet straps. Still a good price though.

The cargo net was very handy on our recent Colorado trip. Temperatures on the trip varied a lot - from 104 degrees across Nebraska to the 30's at over 11,000 feet in the morning, so we needed to carry some warm clothing. We stowed our jackets up on the cargo net. Completely out of the way but easily accessible when needed.

In the LJ the cargo net is over the space over where the back seat would be, which means it's in front of the overhead/swing-down MOLLE panel so to grab a jacket we swing down the MOLLE panel and pull out the jacket.

Saves the jackets from lying loose in the cargo area or worse, taking up suitcase space. Very handy.

 

[pith helmet]

I have a net like that as well and use it for jackets, hats, gloves. The only down side is the stuff in contact with the uninsulated factory hard top will create condensation, especially if you sleep in it.

 

[jscherb]

I have a net like that as well and use it for jackets, hats, gloves. The only down side is the stuff in contact with the uninsulated factory hard top will create condensation, especially if you sleep in it.

Another good reason to have an insulated headliner

 

[Jim K in PA]

Another good reason to have an insulated headliner

Did you make that sectional liner, Jeff, or is it a commercially available piece?

I was going to install these, but they are rather spendy for what you get.

2004-2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ Hard Top Headliner Kit

Product Description Hothead Headliners has been proudly making Premium Jeep Wrangler hardtop headliners in the USA since 2009. Every single Jeep headliner produced is custom-made, which produces a much higher quality than you would get from a factory with assembly lines. We take a lot of pride...

hotheadheadliners.com

 

[jscherb]

Did you make that sectional liner, Jeff, or is it a commercially available piece?

I was going to install these, but they are rather spendy for what you get.

2004-2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ Hard Top Headliner Kit

Product Description Hothead Headliners has been proudly making Premium Jeep Wrangler hardtop headliners in the USA since 2009. Every single Jeep headliner produced is custom-made, which produces a much higher quality than you would get from a factory with assembly lines. We take a lot of pride...

hotheadheadliners.com

My headliner is homemade. Materials used are:

0.12"-thick Chipboard: https://www.utrechtart.com/products/utrecht-chipboard/

"Boat Blanket": https://www.sailrite.com/Boat-Blanket-Fabric-Gray-72 (it comes in tan and black too).

From the Sailrite web site:

Boat Blanket Fabric is an extremely durable, protective Spectropile fabric. This solution-dyed non-woven, plush polyester has a soft outer surface that acts like the loop side of Velcro®. Sew a strip of the hook side of Velcro to the Boat Blanket and fasten the sleeve around anything needing protection. Boat Blanket is easy to sew and is tough: UV and chemical resistant, and colorfast to withstand marine and outdoor environments.

The Boat Blanket is secured to the chipboard with 3m Super 77 spray adhesive and wrapped about 2" around the back for attachment to Velcro inside the roof. Because Boat Blanket acts like the loop side of Velcro, the panels can be secured to the inside of the roof with Velcro hook side, although I did use a few trim screws around the perimeter. Probably can't use trim screws in a factory hardtop; my hardtop has rails inside for this purpose. If I were to only use Velcro, I'd use self-stick 2"-wide Velcro hook on the inside of the roof.

On my hardtop there's an air gap between the underside of the roof and the headliner, which provides insulation, both sound and temperature.


BTW Boat Blanket has lots of uses... my son had an idea for a "Patriot Spare Cover" a couple of years ago in which the strips of the U.S. flag were a MOLLE grid, so I sewed him one and used Boat Blanket for the star field so patches could be stuck to it .

 

[jscherb]

At the recent Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion vendor expo WranglerFix was right behind Overland Outfitter's space (theirs is the orange canopy behind/between my JKU and my trailer). About a year ago I had WranglerFix make a small configuration change to the factory PCM in my LJ and I was happy with their service so I said hi to Mark (the owner or Wranglerfix).

I spent some time during the show talking with Mark about '05/'06 PCMs. He believes it's when, not if, they will fail, although he says the failure rate is much higher in the south (hot locations) than where I live. Some of the TJ PCM's have been on back order from Jeep for a long time, so I decided it might be a good idea to have a spare. Mark offered me a good discount so I ordered one on Tuesday and it arrived today.

The new PCM looks different from the one that's in the Jeep because it's actually not a Jeep PCM. According to Mark, they've found a different MOPAR PCM that accepts the Wrangler programming but is not susceptible to the failures of the OEM Wrangler PCM and therefore more reliable. He also says the 4.0 runs better on this PCM than on the OEM PCM, especially at idle.

I haven't decided if I'll keep the new one as a spare or if I'll install the new one now and keep the OEM one as a spare but I'm leaning towards installing the new one. If the new one is truly more reliable, then maybe there's less chance I'll have a PCM failure if I'm running the new one so why not run the new one.

 

[Florida Native]

I haven't decided if I'll keep the new one as a spare or if I'll install the new one now and keep the OEM one as a spare but I'm leaning towards installing the new one. If the new one is truly more reliable, then maybe there's less chance I'll have a PCM failure if I'm running the new one so why not run the new one.

While I am not familiar with this exact situation, that is usually my preference… install new and keep the old as backup. In addition to the added reliability, you get to make the swap under controlled conditions/timing and in the rare case you do experience any problems/issues with the new unit, it will still be under warranty.

-Mike

 

[jscherb]

While I am not familiar with this exact situation, that is usually my preference… install new and keep the old as backup. In addition to the added reliability, you get to make the swap under controlled conditions/timing and in the rare case you do experience any problems/issues with the new unit, it will still be under warranty.

-Mike

My thoughts exactly. I swapped the new one in this morning:

As expected, runs fine. I'll keep the OEM PCM as a spare.

 

[Jim K in PA]

Interesting. Have you experienced any faults related to your PCM, Jeff? Was this replacement purely for pre-emptive purposes? At ~$1200 for the replacement PCM, it's not an insignificant investment. However, based on age and mileage, my '05 may be worthy of a similar upgrade.

I am researching options for correcting/calibrating my speedometer in my '05 LJ-R. Looks like the best option is an intermediate signal processor from Dakota Digital. I will contact Mark at WranglerFix and see if they can update the PCM to make this change internally. Rubicons use a tone wheel and H-E sensor for speed on the T-Case, not the old gear driven sending unit.

 

[jscherb]

Interesting. Have you experienced any faults related to your PCM, Jeff? Was this replacement purely for pre-emptive purposes? At ~$1200 for the replacement PCM, it's not an insignificant investment. However, based on age and mileage, my '05 may be worthy of a similar upgrade.

I am researching options for correcting/calibrating my speedometer in my '05 LJ-R. Looks like the best option is an intermediate signal processor from Dakota Digital. I will contact Mark at WranglerFix and see if they can update the PCM to make this change internally. Rubicons use a tone wheel and H-E sensor for speed on the T-Case, not the old gear driven sending unit.

I've had no issues with the original PCM, buying the new one is a preemptive move. I did it for several reasons:

1. If one fails on the trail (or the road) I have a spare. Apparently failures aren't too uncommon, especially at high mileage and high temperatures, according to Mark at Wranglerfix. He had one opened at the show and I saw how they fail. It's not pretty.

2. Some PCMs are out of stock at MOPAR for extended periods of time. I wouldn't want my LJ to be out of commission for months waiting for a PCM from Jeep (of course I could buy one from Wranglerfix, but if the failure is in Colorado, what will I do with a dead Jeep in Colorado until a factory PCM or a Wranglerfix PCM could arrive?

3. The Wranglerfix PCM is apparently from a later model MOPAR vehicle and allegedly more reliable. (I suspect it's from a 3.7 liter Liberty or Cherokee, both of which I believe came out well after the TJ did).

4. According to Mark, the 4.0 runs better on the Wranglerfix PCM than it does on the factory PCM. Maybe that's marketing hype, I don't know.

5. He cut me a deal for less than $1000. Not sure if he does that for everyone or if I'm special.

On a related note, I talked to the lead Jeep tech at the local dealer, who has become a good friend, and asked him to make a list of electrical/electronic items he thinks would be good to have on hand in case they get discontinued. For example, the crankshaft position sensor. They're available aftermarket but he says some of those have fitment issues. Since I plan to have my '06's for a long time, I'm going to buy the parts on the list he makes for me to have on hand in case they become unavailable.

 

[Zeep]

Would you care to share that list with us?

 

[jscherb]

Would you care to share that list with us?

Of course, don't I share almost everything?

The list won't be done for maybe two weeks, I just asked him to think about it yesterday and I won't see him again until week after next when I take the JKU in for an oil change.

 

[Zeep]