Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

A box arrived yesterday from OO with a bunch of samples for me to verify and test. In this photo are all of the spare tire system components - Tactical Spare Cover, SpareHopper bag, 6" and 12" weather-resistant MOLLE bags, a SpareSide bag and a MOLLEWrap for the spare. Also at the right side middle is a Gladiator Bed Bag.

I haven't posted about the Gladiator Bed Bag idea yet so here are some concept images. There are factory bolt holes in the bed sides and front that these bags attach to.

They also sent me a sample MOLLE Cutlery Roll.

These next photos are of the design prototype I did some months ago, there are a few minor differences in the production version but these images show ways the Cutlery Roll could be used.

As soon as I get some time I'll install and photograph all of these.

Also waiting on the weather to improve, I've finished the DIY "Shelf Bracket" Changing Room, in this next photo it's rolled up in its storage bag. I need to drop the roof rack on a Jeep and take it out of the garage for some testing. And I've made a few improvements to the Power Shower, including a storage bag for it.

Lots of new things to try out.

 

[jscherb]

I got a sale email today from McGuire Army/Navy today and in it this surplus gas mask was featured: https://www.mcguirearmynavy.com/col...40-m42-gas-mask-bag?rs_oid_rd=180006374375186

I found one of those at a favorite surplus store I visit in PA a while back and I posted about it (https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/barn-door-for-jk-factory-hardtops.127687/post-3059006). It's a great size and shape to store jumper cables in. I use it to store my 16' extension plus one jumper end (the extension plugs right into the engine compartment of any of my Jeeps, so I only need to carry one end).

Worth looking at if you want something to store jumpers in.

 

[jscherb]

Another sale alert...

This is the panel I extensively tested earlier in this thread and it works very well. Rated at 100 watts, I measured its output at about 6amps and that's plenty to keep my kitchen battery charged indefinitely even when the fridge cycles on a lot in hot weather. https://www.harborfreight.com/100-watt-monocrystalline-solar-panel-57325.html

They've gone up since I bought mine but with this coupon they're still a great buy.

I also use their 100 watt solar regulator (https://www.harborfreight.com/7-amp-solar-charge-regulator-96728.html), which is also a great buy at $19.99 and today could be bought for $13.99 with this coupon:

I highly recommend both.

I posted lots of details on the wiring and on building a slide-out for the panel to store it under the rack earlier in this thread.

 

[jscherb]

If I had a thread dedicated to the Gladiator I'd post this in that thread, but not having such a thread I'll do this post here. It doesn't seem worth starting a whole new thread just for these bags.

I stopped by the Jeep dealer today to test install a prototype Gladiator Saddlebag that OO sent me. Using factory threaded holes in the bed, they can mount in either the front of the bed or the sides; in the front two can mount one on either side or just one in the middle, and on the sides two can mount except on the driver's side front because the fuel filler takes up that space. Each bag has 900 cubic inches of storage capacity and they're made of the same weather resistant fabric that the spare tire bags are made from, so things stored inside aren't going to get wet.

Bed front:

Bed side, front:

Bed side, rear:

The craftsmen at OO sewed this prototype from dimensions and drawings I sent them. I made the attachment strip and sewed it to the back of the bag when the sample arrived because I wasn't sure of the exact placement of the strip on the back. I also finished off the belt closure, apparently they didn't have buckles on hand when they made the sample and rather than wait they decided to send it to me unfinished. Now that I've I've tested the fitment with the strip I made I can send the details and placement of the strip to them and these can go into production.

 

[jscherb]

A couple of years ago I designed and built what I called the PowerShower, it's basically an electric pump operated shower that uses any conveninent water source. I made a few minor changes to the design recently and what follows are a few photos of the updated version.

I didn't have a storage bag for it until now.

The unit installed on the roof rack:

It mounts using hardware store shelf brackets. I put 4 brackets on the rack - two for the PowerShower and two for the changing room/shower enclosure that's used with it.

The water source is a 20-liter (5 gallon) Swiss army surplus water bladder I found online. Being black, it heats the water fairly quickly in the sun.

Hose connections are quick disconnects, in this video I'm installing it on the rack:


In the next post - the changing room/shower enclosure.

 

[jscherb]

At SEMA in November I saw a changing room that had arms that slipped onto studs that were bolted to the roof rack. After seeing that I thought that a simple DIY changing room could be made with ordinary hardware store shelf brackets to support the arms, so I decided to make one. In the previous post I showed the shelf bracket mounts that I bolted to the rack, they're short pieces of dual-track shelf mounting rails.

I posted this photo earlier in this thread, it shows how shelf brackets are used to support arms made from 1/2" x 1" aluminum tubing and it also shows the short mounting rails:

Here's the finished changing room installed on the Jeep:

Inside there are two pockets for soap or whatever:

The zipper starts at the top and zips down to close. It's a large #10 zipper that's easy to start and operate:

Also in the photo above you can see the straps that hang the curtain from the arms, they're adjustable for different height Jeeps or ground conditions.

At each corner on the bottom there's a paracord with a rope lock, these can be used with tent stakes in the ground or since I'm setting this up on the hard driveway, bricks or rocks:

It only takes a minute to set up:


The storage bag has an outside pocket which contains 4 tent stakes.

I can see other uses for these same mounting rails and shelf brackets - supporting an awning, for example, or a Jeep-side table that mounts to the rack and rests against the side of the Jeep (and is removed for travel of course). I may make some other accessories for these brackets.

 

[jscherb]

This isn't specifically a Jeep product, but it does have MOLLE straps on the back...

Has your state elminated bags being given out with purchases at stores? Here in NY we've had to bring our own bags into grocery stores and most other stores if we want something to carry our purchases in. For the past year or so I've kept shopping bags in my SpareHopper on the back because there really isn't a convenient place inside the Jeep to store them. Overland Outfitters sent me a sample of an idea that seems perfect for this use. This is not a product I had anything to do with BTW, it's their own design.

It's a compact tote bag that's about 5" x 6" when stowed, it's made of leather and has MOLLE straps on the back.

Unzipped, it initially looks like this:

And expands into this:

In this photo I've got two large cereal boxes in it, the Raisin Bran box is "Family Size" so you can see how roomy the bag is.

My average trip to the grocery store will easily fit in this bag. I won't use the MOLLE attachments on the back because the stowed bag will fit nicely in the OO door pockets in my JKU - very convenient and it will always be there (assuming I remember to take it into the store, it's been hard to break the habit of expecting a bag in the store even though the law has been in place more than a year).

I don't know if OO is going to make this tote a product, but this sample will definitely get plenty of use in my Jeep.

 

[Jurfie]

That little bag is awesome! Our government has banned plastic bags and forces businesses to charge $0.25 per paper bag (it is probably the most profitable item that stores sell these days; grocery stores have figured this out and have reduced their bag size by at least 25% as well ).

I am not a big fan of those reusable grocery bags and hate having a bunch of loose bags in my vehicle. As you mentioned, there really isn't a convenient place to store them in the Jeep. This OO option is pretty slick, compact and looks good as well! I hope they decide to offer them for sale.

 

[jscherb]

That little bag is awesome! Our government has banned plastic bags and forces businesses to charge $0.25 per paper bag (it is probably the most profitable item that stores sell these days; grocery stores have figured this out and have reduced their bag size by at least 25% as well ).

I am not a big fan of those reusable grocery bags and hate having a bunch of loose bags in my vehicle. As you mentioned, there really isn't a convenient place to store them in the Jeep. This OO option is pretty slick, compact and looks good as well! I hope they decide to offer them for sale.

I like it a lot. Here's a quick shot of the driver's door panel of my JKU, you can see the bag peeking out from the large door pocket. Always handy, it's quite small but expands into a really useful size for my average trip into the grocery store.

I hope they put it in production too... I need at least two more - one for each of my other Jeeps!

 

[Florida Native]

My average trip to the grocery store will easily fit in this bag.

The bag looks great, but you must go to the grocery store A LOT! No way I could fit our weekly trip in less than two (three?) of those. And we’re empty nesters, so that’s for just the two of us.

-Mike

 

[jscherb]

The bag looks great, but you must go to the grocery store A LOT! No way I could fit our weekly trip in less than two (three?) of those. And we’re empty nesters, so that’s for just the two of us.

-Mike

If we ever do "fill the shopping cart" trips to the store, that's planned ahead of time and we'll bring larger bags. The nice thing about this collapsible bag is that it's easy to keep in the Jeep all the time and it's always ready for "honey, will you stop at the store and pick up a few things on the way home?". I also use it a lot for quick trips into other stores like Home Depot and Walmart and other local stores, all of which have stopped doing free bags (or any bags at all) according to NY law.

According to Google, Washington State and New Jersey adopted statewide bag laws in 2020, joining California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New York, Oregon, and Vermont. Coming soon to other states to be sure.

OO has decided to put these bags in production - they sent me a few photos via WhatsApp just this morning showing the first production bag sewn by their master craftsman. The first bag is sewn by him and while doing it he makes the patterns and documents the procedure so the production can be organized in steps for their production craftsmen.

 

[Jurfie]

OO has decided to put these bags in production

That’s awesome! I’ll definitely pick a couple up for the Jeep and other vehicle.

Question: can the bag be detached from the leather case? I’m just thinking it would be nice to toss it in the wash once in a while. If not, could they be connected with hook and loop to allow them to be separated?

 

[jscherb]

That’s awesome! I’ll definitely pick a couple up for the Jeep and other vehicle.

Question: can the bag be detached from the leather case? I’m just thinking it would be nice to toss it in the wash once in a while. If not, could they be connected with hook and loop to allow them to be separated?

The leather case forms the bottom of the bag when it is open, not sure hook & loop would be strong enough for a heavy load but I'll pass your comment along to them. Possibly could have the bag zip to the case but that adds cost so they'll have to evaluate that.

 

[Jurfie]

The leather case forms the bottom of the bag when it is open, not sure hook & loop would be strong enough for a heavy load but I'll pass your comment along to them. Possibly could have the bag zip to the case but that adds cost so they'll have to evaluate that.

Ah, I see. I thought perhaps the bottom of the bag was sewn closed but attached to the leather case (forming a more solid base).

Still a neat bag! I look forward to seeing it on their website for purchase.

 

[jscherb]

I spent yesterday afternoon at the OO factory, reviewing preproduction samples of their upcoming products and turning over a couple of new designs to them.

I've showed the collapsible tote bag before, here's a photo of the final product. They've added a carry strap to it. It still has the MOLLE straps on the back, so it can be stored on any convenient MOLLE panel; those straps also work nicely to carry it on your belt. BTW I am not the model in this photo

I gave them input on details for most of the upcoming products which they'll incorporate in the final preproduction samples over the next week or so. They'll also produce initial samples of a few new designs I suggested to them, which I'll report on when the samples are done.