SimonandSimonBeast Build

[SimonandSimonBeast]

Back to business with the Power Wagon. I went a little crazy with the bonus this year.

First up, The Thuren front bumper I ordered on Mar 23rd looks about to ship. Got a tracking number anyway...

Also ordered a Jackery 1,000 for some portable power in the house and on the road. Arrived today, pics to come.

Lastly, can't have mobile power without a mobile fridge. An ICECO VL60 dual zone fridge/freezer should be here tomorrow. The Yeti will take a back seat, maybe become a really good fishing cooler. But, I'm done with the whole food and drinks sloshing around in ice. Moving onward and upwards.

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[Mule007]

Hope your installs go well!

[RustyPW]

[SimonandSimonBeast]

Here's the Jackery 1000 getting it's first charge via wall outlet.

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[jeep_boy02]

Thanks guys. Looking forward to wrenching and wheeling with him. Already spent a few hundred on bringing the interior, which wasn't bad, up to date. Rough Country seat covers, Weathertech mats, Grabbars, bluetooth JVC marine spec stereo and Infinity speakers all around. Next mods will probably be sliders and diff guards, before we tackle lift, tires and driveline. Got to eliminate that slip yoke for sure. Any suggestions based on experience are welcome.

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Long arms help TJ/LJ tremendously. Could go used, cheap, salvage route and find stock JK arms that would be a bit in between the short and long arm route.

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[SimonandSimonBeast]

Thanks guys. Looking forward to wrenching and wheeling with him. Already spent a few hundred on bringing the interior, which wasn't bad, up to date. Rough Country seat covers, Weathertech mats, Grabbars, bluetooth JVC marine spec stereo and Infinity speakers all around. Next mods will probably be sliders and diff guards, before we tackle lift, tires and driveline. Got to eliminate that slip yoke for sure. Any suggestions based on experience are welcome.

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Long arms help TJ/LJ tremendously. Could go used, cheap, salvage route and find stock JK arms that would be a bit in between the short and long arm route.

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Thanks. I agree a long arm kit is the way to go for the LJ. I was looking at the Rusty long arm kit. I can even pick up the advanced adapter slip yoke eliminator and proper length Woods driveshaft from them.

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[SimonandSimonBeast]

The ICECO VL60 arrived and here it is getting the first shake down with the Jackery. Will run it until the Jackery poops out to get a feel for run time. Of course outside temps will impact that, but just trying to get a feel for consumption with this combo.

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[SimonandSimonBeast]

Verdict on the VL60 / Jackery 1000 is about 2 days (48 hrs) without any charging and with the left side set to 36F and right side at 0F in a controlled environment I will need to test both sides set at 36F and also one side turned off.

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[SimonandSimonBeast]

The Thuren bumper showed up today in all its bareness. I want to get it coated professionally in black. I am tossed up between powder coat or something like Rhino Lining or Line-X. Any recommendations based on experience are very welcomed.

Here's a couple unboxing picks.

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[TommyG]

I did bed liner on my sliders and kind of wish I had gone a different route. They look great and have held up for many years but they are split and starting to peel a little now in spots where I have hit/drug them. Thinking I am going to have them blasted and start over.

Talk to your painter about it. Here in the salt I would do POR 15 or something like it then a high solids paint for the finish coats. You could touch that up when it gets tired. Power coat will be a real pain to redo when it gets crusty too.

[SimonandSimonBeast]

Yeah, that's what I worry about with power coat. It looks great to start, but once it fails moisture tends to get behind it where it cracks. I was thinking something textured or flat would be more touch up friendly.

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[RustyPW]

Powder coat. The first rock chip and it's done for. My front bumper is done with Line X. It's held up well. But the red in it is fading bad. If you get it done in black. You then can always touch it up with rattle can spray liner. I'm planning on redoing mine with rattle can bed liner in black.

[ScubaSteve]

Just use a quality rattle can...Steel It or something else...Eastwood makes a two part paint in an aerosol can that has a special chamber with hardener and mixes when puncture it. It comes out harder like an automotive paint rather than a soft like Rustoleum can. That way when it gets scraped up or rock chipped you can fix it cheap yourself.

[PWJouster]

whatever you do....do not linex or overcoat the mounting sides and modular end sections where they attach.

the clearances for install are toight and there can not be linex in between bolted parts.

i actually wish i went with linex instead of the "military grade" powdercoat paint i had done.. paint obviously scratches and chips but linex really doesnt. not good for friction parts like sliders, but great for a bumper that dings and bumps stuff.. dragging bumper isnt all that common when running a thuren!

[SimonandSimonBeast]

That's good to know. I have a meeting with the local Line-X shop today. So, the side attachments can't bolt up with Line-X in there? And where the bumper mates with the frame rails can't have Line-X in there? Just confirming. Is there something you recommend coating those parts so that they don't rust?

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[SimonandSimonBeast]

Out with the old. Finishing touches on the Thuren bumper install to be done tomorrow as well as pictures.

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[Mule007]

looking good!

[SimonandSimonBeast]

In with the new. What a bitch, but it was worth it.

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[SimonandSimonBeast]

More pics. I did go with Line-X.

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[SimonandSimonBeast]

Warn roller fairlead on order, as well as Baja designs pod lights to replace my fog lights.

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[RustyPW]

[TommyG]

Looks great. Really changes the entire look of the truck.

[SimonandSimonBeast]

Looks great. Really changes the entire look of the truck.

Thanks. Functional, too. I kissed my OE bumper on a monster boulder when I was in Virginia a few weeks ago. This would have cleared easily. It would have been all tire. Now I have to get a rear matching bumper to finish the de-chroming. Liking the Maple bolt on bumper. When all is said and done the grill and the badges will be the only chrome.

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[Mule007]

TommyG x 2!

[SimonandSimonBeast]

I picked up a Warm roller fairlead 5742. I discovered that although stout the vertical opening between the horizontal rollers are not wide enough to allow the crimp and loop on my wire rope to feed through so that the hook can reel back flush. I see another Warn 69394 roller fairlead that states it is spec'd for the M15000. Does anybody have experience with this and can confirm the space vertically between the rollers?

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