Matt's 392 Build

You are making we want to call Monday and switch from trail to ridge grapplers
 
I’m very happy with the RGs. I feel it’s a nice balance between really solid on and offroad performance. I’d definitely recommend.
Thank you very much. I am calling to make the switch. looks like they are lighter than the trail grapplers as well
 
Part one of my Midland MXT 275 install is complete. I got the unit mounted and power and mic cables run. Next weekend I’ll run the antenna cable and mount the antenna. I’m still waiting for the antenna cowl mount to arrive.

I decided to mount the unit deep in the driver footwell using Velcro to stick it to a steel brace. It is completely hidden away. I ran the cables under the steering column and tapped into the 12V DC outlet in the front console for power. I must credit @Stonehide for the idea of the mic pass thru connector. It was pretty easy to access behind the trim by removing the glove box so I could find a good spot to drill the hole for the mic connector. In all I’m pretty happy with how it’s turning out so far.

Unboxing:
F950AE70-ABE1-4DED-9855-844C8488FE48.jpeg


Running mic cables:
99A3456C-B09F-46DD-8734-AECB2FA71960.jpeg

82C5DC16-E9F0-4CA8-9A9C-2D5AF27955BC.jpeg

D4811E91-1D09-4B7B-A069-1AAA1D0C3387.jpeg


Connecting power:
42EFCFBF-3875-49D7-9E61-7ACF12738481.jpeg

B879AC3A-E9AB-4B91-AFAC-E482A4DC7954.jpeg


Mounting the unit:
AB622231-EA35-4E89-8B07-426809222AD9.jpeg

C08F2C9D-052D-460D-BDF7-68CE880EB88D.jpeg

E6A71143-2095-4029-87F1-3DE26168D548.jpeg


Mic mounted:
48075FB0-FE1A-4EC2-AACF-AE2DF943A938.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Do you feel like you have enough clearance at full articulation? Are you happy with the lift you chose?
 
Do you feel like you have enough clearance at full articulation? Are you happy with the lift you chose?
We need to add a tad more bump stop to the rear but otherwise I was very pleased with the articulation. Especially with 38s and no modifications to the fenders, I thought it would dig into the rear wheel well a lot more but it didn’t at all until full articulation and then was still only barely touching. Also after adding over 120 lbs to underbelly the springs didn’t sag one bit.
 
Had busy week between the Metalcloak skid install (installed by the shop not me) and midland install. Not to mention I’m a CPA and working like 80 hour weeks right now. But was able to sneak away for a few hours tonight to mount the midland antenna and finish the midland install.

I ran the antenna cable under the windshield. There was just enough room to fit the head of the antenna wire through.

I wasn’t a fan of the T tap connectors for the power, so replaced them with a much more reliable lever connector (I forgot to take pics of that part of the install process but I’ll put a link below to them). They were real easy to work with.


E987737D-4D17-41D9-ACEA-272FF1900C53.jpeg

9CA676E0-F5C8-4D9E-8FD0-8BEFED8CB0A7.jpeg

BA50E89A-5C4D-42C8-9030-1BF3234066BE.jpeg

24696B10-AD15-42E6-85E5-8F60CDC1FB98.jpeg
80CCBD8F-06CF-4E97-8480-F79E2A819D9E.jpeg

6A869163-ACEA-45B5-A026-AD29F340285E.jpeg

C5A44F75-F408-4BAD-AB85-0B9990DF2F47.jpeg

0035F734-C1CE-4F61-99F5-8A9FE3FB5E96.jpeg
 
Had busy week between the Metalcloak skid install (installed by the shop not me) and midland install. Not to mention I’m a CPA and working like 80 hour weeks right now. But was able to sneak away for a few hours tonight to mount the midland antenna and finish the midland install.

I ran the antenna cable under the windshield. There was just enough room to fit the head of the antenna wire through.

I wasn’t a fan of the T tap connectors for the power, so replaced them with a much more reliable lever connector (I forgot to take pics of that part of the install process but I’ll put a link below to them). They were real easy to work with.


View attachment 19435
View attachment 19436
View attachment 19443
View attachment 19438View attachment 19442
View attachment 19439
View attachment 19441
View attachment 19440
Those connectors do look better than other types I have seen. Why didn't you use the switched power that is available with the Aux switch leads?
 
Those connectors do look better than other types I have seen. Why didn't you use the switched power that is available with the Aux switch leads?
I thought about it, but all of those connections are on the passenger side. I like the mounting location of the head unit tucked up and away deep in the driver footwell, and I wanted the antenna on the driver side so as to not interfere with the car radio antenna, which is on the passenger side. It was just easier for me to tap into the 12V outlet in the center console since the provided power cable with the head unit wasn’t long enough to go to the passenger side.
 
Installed the front and rear AEV diff covers today to add some protection ahead of my first wheeling trip of the season this weekend. These things are solid, and the tin can stock ones don’t compare.
DAACA2B2-D1C3-480E-B761-928037E722AB.webp


Back was very easy and took about 30 minutes start to finish. Ring gear looked flawless and saw no evidence of large metal chunks or flakes in the stock oil or around the diff housing.
83E9ABEE-F642-4298-8253-EF99FEB9C4BB.webp

B3989C78-D454-4360-B7F0-3700E155F408.webp

58DDB8F7-AFA4-4FAC-B41B-0DCEE58DE616.webp

429F383A-1C44-4C7E-A314-C6825D91BA12.webp


A little tight maneuvering in the front with the tie rod and steering stabilizer but with a little help from my wife we got it in place and bolted it up without issue. Gears and stock oil in the front were also clean of metal shavings and chunks and looked flawless.
0B2862E9-9380-45B2-9D82-DA7BCD547192.webp
A530B1DD-6BEE-4DA5-B750-A1289114CFA5.webp
322CF102-9D4D-4E3F-8482-0D795B3A88CE.webp


While the stock oil I removed was free from metal shavings or chunks, the oil was thick, almost sludge like. I’m glad I changed it out. For new gear oil, I used Royal Purple 75W90 in the front and 75W140 in the rear.

I also replaced the Clayton 2x1” rear bump stop pads with 3x1” Metalcloak pads on either side to keep the rear tire from running into the frame, as it was at full flex when we put it on the forklift at the shop. If I’m still running into the frame I have another inch for each side I can throw on when on the trails this weekend. I like the Metalcloak bump stops better than the Clayton ones as the Metalcloak ones are softer and seem like they would absorb impact better.
C5A47DE0-5675-44CB-B580-A8BDB0CA7EA9.webp
D201EE50-35C7-4D29-9ADB-C1F69EA0FED9.webp


Next up ARB twin install. Just waiting on the Epic Kraken to arrive. In the meantime looking forward to a weekend of wheeling!
 
Great day of wheeling at AOAA. Got to test the new suspension and tires out finally and other than a tad bit of rub on the back, it ran flawless, and took everything I threw at it in stride. Even got to conquer my first black trails. Got way too off camber and came a little too close to flipping the Jeep on The Pit trail, but survived. Looking forward to the next event in 2 weeks!

E3C479CE-93D4-4D96-B8EB-22A6FB5FE92F.jpeg

0F325122-38E9-4D45-A4CA-776320726BC9.jpeg
EB71F2BD-AF55-44F5-9073-3A64D036DE2B.jpeg

0CA0D7DF-6738-40A0-B04E-8832668B04AE.jpeg
71F55F39-D1E2-4B96-A80E-ADF48D7A8EA8.jpeg
2FB9B9F0-831B-42C1-A7B2-1C3CEB796826.jpeg
2CCEB0FE-40E5-4BE8-8599-78DA4EA5806A.jpeg

95ADDD1A-6C61-4B70-AE8A-9A7819F955E2.webp

5A243A37-70E1-460A-A7FE-2737CACDCEB0.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Great day of wheeling at AOAA. Got to test the new suspension and tires out finally and other than a tad bit of rub on the back, it ran flawless, and took everything I threw at it in stride. Even got to conquer my first black trails. Got way too off camber and came a little too close to flipping the Jeep on The Pit trail, but survived. Looking forward to the next event in 2 weeks!

View attachment 20450
View attachment 20451View attachment 20452
View attachment 20453View attachment 20454View attachment 20455View attachment 20457View attachment 20456
Wow looks like an awesome day! Glad you didnt flip it 👍
 
Last edited:
ARB Twin + Epic Kraken install today. No more waiting in line for the air stations!

Install was pretty easy. The ARB supplied power harness is not very long, there was BARLEY enough cable. Supposedly will fill up all four of my 38s together from 15 to 35 psi in about 6-7 minutes, we’ll see next weekend after the Recovery for a Cause event at AOAA.

A7C7600F-A91C-4EE7-A4D9-AE670129B49B.jpeg

8F9C4149-43F3-461B-BE3D-A2E373D72D9D.jpeg

9599FE5A-BBE0-4BBA-AFE3-056F409843E8.jpeg

75055628-7364-485C-8CB1-6A8ACA341BD4.jpeg

B73EB4F0-4BD6-471F-9E2D-E1ABC9AA3F42.jpeg

276ADB6F-B96A-4F20-AC48-AEA29D1BF519.jpeg

16CF5766-54DE-4E39-AAC6-5BC3E4C0575E.jpeg

CF903A3B-9305-4E11-B6A0-C9F8D170B544.jpeg
 
In preparation for the next off-roading event tomorrow, did a little trimming of the factory skid plate to keep the drag link bracket from running into the skid plate, which happened on a few occasions on trails 2 weeks ago.
1E3E60CA-9DAD-40AD-BB02-DB95C2C9B36B.webp

BFB4012C-D8DD-4FD0-883A-C195E7A7B194.webp


Also added an extra inch of bump to keep the tires out of the rear wheel wells, had some rubbing last time out. Talking to my local shop about trimming the pinch seam of the tub behind the fender liner, but for tomorrow the extra bump will have to do.
2B0A500F-09E4-4D54-B481-53AFF1635FEF.webp


Looking forward to another great day out on the trails tomorrow!
 
Installed the Outback Adventures Trailgater tailgate table this afternoon. Took all of about 10 minutes. Looks real good and the Hammertone Grey matches real well with the Granite Crystal.

The bamboo cutting board is raw, I want to get some food grade bamboo cutting board oil for it to give it a darker stain and seal it. Has anyone else done that? If so which oil did you use?

FE76E770-3301-4BA9-9D10-4B342EC712B9.webp

8562DFBC-8B14-43D1-B745-FBD2966FD649.webp

F09319EA-6DC8-4AC0-B934-808F1A15DBA5.webp

0B421C3F-5E75-4D50-87D9-CB48EBD2D4B4.webp

4DE71A52-71C1-4041-871B-927C32B415EF.webp
 

Create an account or login to comment

Join now to leave a comment enjoy browsing the site ad-free!

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Latest Discussions

Back
Top