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2007 Jeep JK Wrangler Paint - UAJK

Part 5: The Rubi Wagon Gets Paint & Bumpers

Photography by The 4-Wheel & Off-Road Staff
  • Since we now had a modified Jeep body on a modified Dodge frame, we couldn't just bolt on the standard Jeep bumpers. Luckily AEV and Fab Fours were able to share some of the digital drawings of the project so custom mounting brackets for the frame were ready and waiting for us upon arrival. However the front and rear framerails were left extra long and had to be trimmed with our Hobart plasma cutter.
    Since we now had a modified Jeep body on a modified Dodge frame, we couldn't just bolt on
  • These brackets are different from the standard JK bumpers since we're using the Dodge frame and we have a JK body. Also the bumper itself has been modified slightly to accommodate the upright Warn 8274 winch we chose for the front of our Rubi Wagon. Otherwise it is the same as your normal Fab Fours JK bumper made from 3/16-inch steel and outfitted with 1 3/4-inch tubes and hefty 1-inch-thick shackle-hanger recovery points.
    These brackets are different from the standard JK bumpers since we're using the Dodge fram
  • The rear bumper with swing-out tire carrier was also modified to work with our Jeep/Dodge. With leaf springs we had to cut the bumper to clear the shackles, and mounting it farther away from the body meant a small filler piece was added. Due to the added leverage of our giant 42-inch spare tire, we chose to weld this bumper to the rear of the frame. Notice the AEV rear corner guards. These are stamped to fit nicely around the rear corners, yet are made of 1/8-inch steel to protect the tub from trail abuse.
    The rear bumper with swing-out tire carrier was also modified to work with our Jeep/Dodge.
  • The rear bumper uses a positive locking mechanism which is followed up with a safety pin. Plus we added a special brace with a caster to help support the 150 pounds of spare tire and bead-locked wheel that will be hanging off the rear end. In addition there is a locking pin that snaps into place when the tire carrier is open to allow easy access to the rear of the Jeep.
    The rear bumper uses a positive locking mechanism which is followed up with a safety pin.
  • The front bumper looks great on the Jeep, especially with the 42-inch tires, and the 8274 sitting nicely down in the bumper so it doesn't block much airflow. We also installed one of AEV's heat-reduction hoods. This hood is aerodynamically designed to pull heat through the radiator and out from under the hood, and is specifically designed for engine swaps, and we think it gives any JK a much more rugged look. With bumpers on and paint drying, we loaded up the Rubi Wagon and headed towards Denver. We had less than a week to get it finished and a list of things that needed to be done, so we called all our friends in the area and recruited (bribed with pizza) them to come help us. See the conclusion in 30 days.
    The front bumper looks great on the Jeep, especially with the 42-inch tires, and the 8274
SOURCES
Bestop Jeep
800-925-5337
www.jeep.com
Mastercraft Seats
www.mastercraftseats.com
Poly Performance
N/A
www.polyperformance.com
Twisted Customs American Expedition Vehicles
www.aev-conversions.com
Warn
5-03/-722-1200
www.warn.com
Heat Shield Products
Lizard Skin
877-278-9468
www.lizardskin.com
PSC Motorsports
www.pscmotorsports.com
Knoll Racing Optima Batteries
5757 N. Green Bay Ave.
Milwaukee
WI  53201
414-524-1200
www.optimabatteries
Superlift Suspension Off Road Design
www.offroaddesign.com
Hobart Welders
N/A
www.hobartwelders.com
Rhino Linings Of Western South Dakota
www.rhinolinings.com
Centerforce
9-28/-771-8422
www.centerforce.com
S&B Filters
787 S. Wanamaker Ave.
Ontario
CA  91761
Lowrance
N/A
www.lowrance.com
ARB
2-06/-264-1669
www.arbusa.com
Griffin Radiator
100 Hurricane Creek Rd.
Piedmont
SC  29673
864-845-5000
Slee Off Road
Ingersoll Rand
Annandale
NJ
8-00/-866-5457
irtools.com
JE Reel
Rapco 4Wheel Drive Hardware
N/A
www.4wd.com
BFGoodrich Tires
877-788-8899
www.bfgoodrichtires.com
Ford Cummins
Advance Adapters
4320 Aerotech Center Way
P.O. Box 247
Paso Robles
CA  93446
805-238-7000
Poison Spyder Customs
Flowmaster Mufflers
Santa Rosa
CA
8-00/-544-4761
flowmastermufflers.com
Fab Fours
www.fabfours.com
Powertank
N/A
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