Been a busy week so I havenāt really updated anything. @AndyG and I are constantly tossing ideas around and he pointed out the ānannyā defeat for the Rubicon lockers to make them independent but keep the factory functions. Idk how I have never run across this but I dove into it and now I can independently operate the factory lockers with the factory sensors and lights. This can be done in any drive mode.
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All I did was tap into the factory wiring with Posi-Taps, right behind the switch. It does the job without hacking up wiring.
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I took a page out of @LONGJP2 book and put the switches right under the 4WD shifter. They are out of site and cannot be tinkered with by anyone else.
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Front locker on only, in 2WD. Factory dash lights work 100%.
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One of the biggest benefits is I can now lock it in 4H when Iām cruising down forest roads. I donāt have to worry about the stress Iām putting on the LSD and potentially grenading the rear. Just one of those little things.
Also hereās a video.
Been a busy week so I havenāt really updated anything. @AndyG and I are constantly tossing ideas around and he pointed out the ānannyā defeat for the Rubicon lockers to make them independent but keep the factory functions. Idk how I have never run across this but I dove into it and now I can independently operate the factory lockers with the factory sensors and lights. This can be done in any drive mode.
View attachment 508072
View attachment 508073
View attachment 508074
All I did was tap into the factory wiring with Posi-Taps, right behind the switch. It does the job without hacking up wiring.
View attachment 508077
I took a page out of @LONGJP2 book and put the switches right under the 4WD shifter. They are out of site and cannot be tinkered with by anyone else.
View attachment 508079
View attachment 508080
View attachment 508081
Front locker on only, in 2WD. Factory dash lights work 100%.
View attachment 508082
One of the biggest benefits is I can now lock it in 4H when Iām cruising down forest roads. I donāt have to worry about the stress Iām putting on the LSD and potentially grenading the rear. Just one of those little things.
Also hereās a video.
What took you so long??? After I talked with @zackcj7 about it while we were on Popcorn Road wheeling, I did the mod the next weekend.
Although I relocated my locker pumps and didn't care if my factory lights worked or not.
@Jerry Bransford had been talking to me about this for a couple of months and I just followed his directions.
Never come across the mod before that retains the factory functions. I know you can just wire them separately but I like having the factory lights that also use the factory sensors.
I also plan on relocating the locker pumps. Iām going to actually cut the wiring back in the engine bay, pull the factory wiring out of the leg going to the pumps, and splice the wiring in directly from the PCM to the ABS tray.
Ok guys, I am at an utterly annoying crossroads; TIRES.
Mopar is running a buy 3 get 1 free on a ton of popular off-road tires. I am stuck between two and every time I think I've made a decision something else pops up. Poor @JMT has tried to help but I'm being a woman about this.
Two contenders are the Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, which I have always liked and was planning on using when I upgraded. Load range E, 56lbs, aggressive sidewall, good reports of quiet and excellent traction. It is built for heavy towing so probably extremely stiff, even for an E, and only has a 2-ply sidewall.
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The other contender that piqued my curiosity is the Falken Wildpeak AT4/W. After doing some reading, this tire also appeals to me. Load range C, 3-ply sidewall, and again, good reports of traction and noise. Really the biggest downside is this tire is 10lbs heavier than the Cooper! We're all about weight savings and I did not expect this tire to outweigh the Cooper.
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I had pretty much decided on the Falken until I saw the weight between it and the Cooper. I thought a load C 3ply would be perfect since I'm trying to keep this thing light and comfortable. But with an extra 50lbs over the Coopers (including spare), I'm not so sure. My current tires weigh 47lbs. What a jump!
This is where I call upon all of you to help me spend my money
Oh yeah, they'll be getting mounted to these. I almost feel bad knowing they're going to get rock rash!
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Sidewalls over lbs. And I hate you for those rims. I'll come take them off your hands so you won't have to worry about scuffing them up.
Hi guys, itās been a minute. Another shoutout @P man who was able to get me some used Ten Factory 4340 chromolly shafts out the door for $300. That was a tremendous help to me and my wallet. They are installed and I am finally roadworthy again.
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I also decided on running the Falken AT4/W. To get a 3 ply with the load C seems hard to come by, and while some say itās negligible, Iāll take all the road comfort I can with the softer tire. I love the bites on the side as well and Iām excited to run them. Iāll be getting these in the 33ā flavor.
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I also decided Iām going to run the Pintlers. I was toying with some factory JT wheels but all stock Mopar wheels are set at 6.25 backspacing. With my Pintlers and the spacers I have sitting on the shelf I will have 4ā. This seems pretty ideal for 33s so Iām going to run them. I also like how the spokes are set farther back, so theyāre not as susceptible to rock rash.
I know there were lots of issues in the past with cracking and whatnot. I think these issues were solved and mine are new enough to miss that era. I think @Mike_H could speak more on that since he dealt with repairing a set. Iām trying to avoid this happening!
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Can't elaborate too much. I know they used to replace them under warrenty, but that stopped right about the time I found a used set for my Dad. He had two cracked ones that didn't hold air. He called to get them replaced and the told him they wouldn't do it. "The guy that had been giving them away wasn't supposed to be doing that, We are real sorry, but we can't cover it anymore. If you want to buy a couple more, we'll make you a deal". He got them for maybe 15% off retail.
Anyway, His new ones have been fine. Mine have been good too. Mine came from a wheeler that bashed the wheels on rocks. As such, one of my wheels had a broken bead. I had it welded up and that it has been good for YEARS now.
I wish we knew when the bad lot was made and how to tell if a wheel was in that lot.