Its been some time since I really updated this thread, I've just been busy doing other things.
After getting the hard top I decided to sell my soft top and reconfigure the "summer mode" as it were. I bought a Smitty Built extended bikini top and a Bestop windjammer. The windjammer is actually for the 2 dr JK as they don't make a wrap around one for the 4 dr's. It does fit pretty well though. I also pulled out my stinky rear carpet and sprayed truck bed liner on the rear tub. Eventually I want to get the entire tub professionally coated by Line-X or Rhino but that'll have to wait.
I brought the bed liner over the "bed rails" in the back to help with scratches.
While out wheeling the other weekend I had an opportunity to get a good side by side comparison (there is a pun there I think) and snagged some photo's showing just how big a Razor 4 seater is.
With my plush RE springs only netting me between 1-1.5" of actual lift (they're 2.5" springs) and my metric "35's" only measuring out to be just shy of 34" my belly is extremely low and likes to drag on everything. I've got just a hair over 11" under my skid plates from the T-case cross member back. As such I've managed to dent up my engine skid to the point that now my exhaust crossover rubs on it.
Now I need to take it into work and flatten it back out with the press, its just too wide to fit into my little HF press at home.
I've managed to wheel this thing a lot and have been hitting it pretty hard the last couple of weeks. I think I've ran 10 or 11 trails in the last 2 weekends. Nothing crazy hard by any means, but still enough that the JK was finally starting to complain. My front CV/Rzeppa Joint was starting to "pop" at me under hard load in 4-Low and it had a fair amount of play in it. The boot is fine and the grease inside is still greasy but it was time for an upgrade. I removed the front shaft and pulled the still functioning CV/Rzeppa of to keep as a trail spare for the rear drive shaft (it has two of the damn things on it). Then I installed my new Coast Driveline 1310 double cardon shaft and yokes I got through Northridge 4x4 just up the road from me.
I also finally installed the new shifter cable bushing at the t-case. I replaced the one inside the cab last fall as it was completely MIA but with the skids in place I couldn't get to the one at the t-case. It was also MIA but the cable never fell away from the t-case shifter so it wasn't a huge issue. With me pulling all the skids off for the driveshaft I finally had the access to replace that missing bushing.
That gets me caught up on the JK. Its been a pretty good rig so far and I'm happy with it for the most part. There is some issues with Chrysler's lack of build quality and the electronics can be temper mental but its by far the most comfortable wheeling rig I've owned, and that includes the YJ. The Hemi is still in the garage and will get installed eventually, but for now I want to focus on revising the suspension and steering. The RE 2.5" lift kit is a good bang/buck lift but its time to get some quality components under the thing and actually get the lift height that I was after. I'll be going to PolyPerformance/Synergy 3" springs and probably going to their control arms as well. I also need to weld on my Artec trusses still and regear the axles at the same time. Then I'll be working on upgrading the tie rod and doing a drag link flip. Eventually I also want to add air bumps so I can go even faster on the trails between obstacles. As always, its a money pit and will never be done.
