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JDubya's build thread...09 WK Overland... meet Sparkles the Beast

41K views 104 replies 29 participants last post by  wkthursty 
#1 ·
My Jeep is already pretty "built" but I thought it'd be fun to go through everything in order.

Stock!




Sparkles!




 
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#2 ·
My first priority was to get rid of some of the chrome, especially the headlight bezels. Here's my writeup on that: How to open up OEM HID headlight housings to paint the bezels.

I found someone local with a Brilliant Black Laredo who wanted chrome parts so we swapped grills and liftgate handle/brow pieces. I also tinted the front two windows (20%)











I also tinted the two front windows (20%) and installed yellow 9005 Nokya bulbs in the fogs
 
#4 ·
KKeep in going!
 
#5 ·
Next up: Passport Escort radar detector stealth install

I like radar detectors but I hate exposed wires. I had the Direct Wire SmartCord but there weren't any spots I could put the control/info unit that I would be happy with. This is the SmartCord in OEM form:


The WK has a ton of "switch blanks" in the center stack so I converted one of those into an active switch to use w/my radar detector. Here's the writeup: How to "activate" a switch blank '08+ (radar detector hardwire remote mute/LEDs)

I added windows for the LEDs to the blank switch. It matches the heated seat button pretty well






I desoldered the LEDs and switch from the SmartCord control box and replaced them with leads leading to my new LEDs and switch




It works!


To finish it off, I added a label. It's the NATO map symbol for radar


Oh yeah, I also added SRT8 pedal covers, which you can kind of see in this photo
 
#9 ·
HID reverse lights

I can't take credit for this idea, some other guys here had been running them for a while without any trouble so I had to try it! I used the "premium" slim ballast kit from V-LEDS. Back when I used to retrofit halogen headlights with HIDs, I'd cannibalize OEM HID headlights for the parts. Luckily I had saved 9005 bulb holders from a set of BMW X5 headlights, which worked perfectly for this mod. All I did was epoxied the bulb holder over top of the reverse light bulb opening. Then I could just pop in a 9005 HID plug-and-play kit.

The full writeup is here: V-LEDs premium digital 5000K HID kit as reverse lights







The reverse lights are literally like headlights. No camera trickery was used in the following photos, they were made using the same settings/exposure.
 
#10 ·
The 5.7L is too nice of a motor to be muffled so much so I had to open it up a little. I wanted a nice growl but I didn't want anything obnoxious that droned on the highway. I decided on the stainless Gibson system because it's a full 3", stainless, and had a resonator (no drone). I also thought it looked the best. I didn't like how the Magnaflow dual-wall tip exited straight out, it looks ricey IMO. I thought the Gibson's single wall, angled tip looked more at home on a V8. It sounds great in a subtle way. It's loud enough that I can hear it from inside when I remote start it.

I also added an Airaid MIT and BT catch can. If you don't have a catch can on your HEMI, I highly recommend it. It catches so much oil/gunk that would otherwise end up in the intake manifold!

I made a bracket for the catch can: How to install a Billet Technology catch can on a 5.7L HEMI & retain the engine cover







 
#18 ·
Wow that is a sick Jeep! I cant wait to see more pictures of the mods
 
#19 ·
Talk about a great story man. Get it published and sell it. Call it 'The Ultimate Jeep How To'. Great rig lots of details that revoke extra threads or ?'s of how do/did you do this
 
#21 ·
I picked up a set of AEV Pintlers. The argent/gunmetal color was too light for me; I wanted something dark but I didn't want to go with black. After much sampling and deliberating, I chose to powdercoat them in Autumn Black from NIC Industries: Prismatic Powders. Although it looks dark, it's definitely not black. It's more of a graphite color.

I also had the shop powdercoat my receiver shackle semi-gloss black. I put it on the wheel so you could see how the color compares to a standard black






I forgot to mention it in the earlier posts, but I also have a rear Addco sway bar and front SRT8 sway bar, which was also one of my first mods
 
#22 ·
dam bro, that is clean! one of the best WK here, keep up the great work!
 
#27 · (Edited)
gracias



You knew it was coming.... SuperLift! :headbang::w00t:

I was going to get the SuperLift with upgraded rear shocks but they're discontinued so I got the standard kit. I did get new Bilstein front shocks though, which I highly recommend if you like a more precise ride.

I usually do installs/mods myself because no shop is as meticulous and careful as I am. However, the SL isn't a simple puck/BB install. It requires a good bit of cutting and some welding. I had neither a welder nor the space and time to do the install properly so I [reluctantly] handed my WK over to a local shop to do the install. I made some calls and read a bunch of reviews and decided on Mumbly's Offroad in MI. They had the best price and great reviews. I was very happy with the service and the work they did. They said the install was a PITA, and some things weren't complete from SL. For example, i think they said something that was supposed to have been tapped, wasn't, so they had to tap it. I don't regret having them do the install at all.

The SL is perfect! The ride is definitely firmer, but in a good way. In stock form, the WK is too "floaty". I like feeling more connected to the road, not floating above it. IMO the Jeep rides 10x better with the lift and big tires than it did stock.

Sparkles was sitting pretty in front of the shop when I went to pick her up :D


Next mod: painted door handles, and shaved & painted door moldings. I sent them to Daniel in TX because he had done a lot of these. He said it's better to use the black plastic moldings & shave the "GRAND CHEROKEE" than to use the chrome moldings and fill the letters, so I ordered some of the black ones. When I got the moldings back from Daniel, I was pretty surprised with the work because of all the rave reviews I've seen on the boards. There were flaws everywhere (pits/bubbles, paint burn through, creases, chips). However, he took care of me. He was more than willing to correct the flaws, which he did. He said he was super busy and had to rush them, which is why he stopped doing side jobs like this.

I purchased the door handles from Just for Jeeps and the Laredo door moldings (and SRT8 pedal overlays, and headlight housing covers) from Mopar Online Parts.

1DG40RXFAB Rear door - Exterior trim - Lower molding - Laredo Black Right
1DG41RXFAB Rear door - Exterior trim - Lower molding - Laredo Black Left
1DG42RXFAC Front door - Exterior trim - Lower molding - Laredo Black Right
1DG43RXFAC Front door - Exterior trim - Lower molding - Laredo Black Left

5290949AC OVERLAY BRAKE AND AC (SRT8 pedal covers)

55157129AA Front lamps - Headlamp components - Headlamp cover Headlamp cover Left
55157128AA Front lamps - Headlamp components - Headlamp cover Headlamp cover Right












The only mechanical issue I had post-lift was grinding/rubbing under hard acceleration (here's my thread on the issue: Front Drive Shaft Rubbing Under Hard Acceleration). The shop thought it was just the header/down pipe rubbing on the front drive shaft (I told them before the install that I didn't want the pipe flattened too much) so I took it to a guy who makes custom headers and stuff like that and he reworked it to this:


That definitely helped but it didn't cure the problem. Turns out the DS was also rubbing on a nut/bolt on the top side of the crossmember under the driveshaft. A tungsten carbide cutting bit for my Dremel took care of it though.


I forgot to mention my custom AEV Pintler center caps:

I didn't like the yellow AEV center cap dome sticker that came with the Pintlers, I wanted something to match. Because I was powdercoating the wheels, the only way to get perfectly matching center caps was to powdercoat them as well. The actual center caps are plastic so to accomplish this I got a small sheet of aluminum from Lowes/Home Depot then took it to a sheet metal fab shop and had them laser cut some circles the same size as the AEV dome sticker. I then had them powdercoated with the wheels so they match perfectly. To adhere these discs to the center caps, I used a liquid emblem and trim adhesive. So far they're holding up great!
 
#36 ·
Im lovin it
Great build thread..! +rep
she's an inspiration. one of my all-time favorite WK's.
Thanks, guys! Sparkles is blushing :D

Sparkles sure is pretty! :)

That radar switch looks 100% OEM, great job and attention to detail.

Absolutely love your photographs too, love the location in pics 1-3 on post #27. :thumbsup:
Mission accomplished!

Thanks! Those were just random buildings I spotted while driving, which I had to stop at for a quick photo

I love your latest picture Jdubya, the one you're using in your sig.
I used a camera rig that mounts under the vehicle via magnets. With this, you use a long exposure then roll the vehicle slowly to get the motion blur. This was my first time testing my new rig so the next one will be even better :thumbsup:

This was the shot straight-out-of-camera


My jeep has a major crush on sparkles.

Not to be a debbie downer, but are you keeping the antenna?
LOL aww shucks

I was thinking of painting the stock antenna black, or first chopping it shorter then painting it black
 
#29 ·
Im lovin it
 
#31 ·
Sparkles sure is pretty! :)

That radar switch looks 100% OEM, great job and attention to detail.

Absolutely love your photographs too, love the location in pics 1-3 on post #27. :thumbsup:
 
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