4xFish 2014 JKUR Build

[Comanche Scott]

Really like the idea of the aluminum skids.
Am very interested in how they hold up for you. Some kind of enhanced skids are in the plans for round three, so very much looking forward to reading how they work out for you guys. :beer:

That lift should be awesome!

 

[msoverland]

Excellent pics Matt and we loved having you on the trip; we were certainly overdue for meeting up! New friendships and more great memories to make as well. Cheers!

For our next trip we were fortunate enough to be invited by Mountain State Overland to join them on a trip through Appalachia with Blue Ridge Overland Gear, Venture4WD and Rick Stowe.

OK4WD generously allowed us to borrow a James Baroud RTT for testing. Initially we tried to mount our ARB Kakuda RTT (from our Manley trailer) on the AEV rack but it didn't sit flush with the slats. Thankfully we could snag the JB RTT and it mounted up in minutes. We were excited to try a new RTT and this trip would put it through its paces.

Our 4 states, 4 days trip was an adventure on old, outdated off road trails and dirt roads covering West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee & North Carolina. The route was created by MSO but never pre-run. We'd be the guinea pigs! The track varied from some technical (sketchy sections) to fun wheelin' to scenic dirt/grave/tarmac.

The trails reminded us how capable a stock JKUR is. We did our fair share of bushwacking on this trip.

It also provided a shakedown of our current setup. We were quite pleased with most aspects but like everyone its a work in progress.

We were thoroughly impressed with the James Baroud tent. After lots of miles it set up in seconds after pulling 2 latches. Closing took little time as well. The mattress was noticeably more comfortable than our ARB's. While we hadn't thought too much before of set up/breakdown times - on a trip when you're covering lots of ground and reestablishing camp daily, extra time becomes a luxury. We were aware of a roof load with the RTT (not a shocker) but off road - when things got technical - it really wasn't a concern. I thought it would be but was thankful it wasn't. We pulled the JB through tons of tight trails - smacking it with limbs and branches (sorry OK4WD!) but no damage apart from pinstriping. We thought in a couple instances that we damage the shell but it was resilient. FWIW with the JB RTT our loaded (but stock tires/suspension) JKUR with 2 people averaged 17.5MPG at 70MPH on the trip down and back.

As you can imagine MSO (thank you Jamie!) kept us well fed. :chef: Seriously - they dont' mess around!

Through teamwork and positivity we worked through the challenges and obstacles we encountered on this trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our traveling companions & our adventure. We left Appalachia filled with wonderful memories & new bonds of friendship... we look forward to future trips with this crew.
:beer:

If you're looking for more pics of this trip check out all participants Instagram & Twitter feeds for photos. The #4states4days trip will appear in an upcoming MSO web video and they're planning to post trip details as well.

 

[epiccosmo]

What made you not want to stick it out with the T4R?

The T4R continues to be enticing to me but if/when I go back to a 4wd vehicle I, like you, really miss my JKUR.

 

[Captain Texas]

I actually really like your Jeep with all the AEV gear with the Stock wheels and tires. Defiantly going to take ideas from your build!

 

[m(a)ce]

I actually really like your Jeep with all the AEV gear with the Stock wheels and tires. Defiantly going to take ideas from your build!

Thank you! Jeep did well like that. The breakover angle is the only thing that really held it back...sometimes quite literally haha.

What made you not want to stick it out with the T4R?

The T4R continues to be enticing to me but if/when I go back to a 4wd vehicle I, like you, really miss my JKUR.

I really missed being in a Jeep. Both have certain attributes which they excel at so it comes down to what feels better to the driver and the direction of the build/adventures. I do favor the Rubi's stock off road goodies - specifically the crawl ratio and the front & rear lockers. I think the 4R off road electronics are quite advanced & impressive but sometimes they felt intrusive. The Jeep in 4 low is a better fit for me & my needs but both trucks are quite amazing.

 

[R Stowe]

Nice thread Matt. It's cool to see the evolution of it. I'm digging the armor.

Rick

 

[m(a)ce]

End of Summer and into Fall

We just celebrated Betty's 1st birthday. Its been an awesome year with this Jeep!

This summer/fall we spent a good amount of time exploring, camping & fishing.


Some of the highlights:


We hit up Main Line Overland's Mid Atlantic Overland Fest. Matt & Peter hosted an excellent event on their family's beautiful farm in the rolling hills of PA. Lots of good vendors, cool rigs and TONS of adventure bikes.

Hot hot hot during the day so Winchester & Leo stayed cool by hanging out in the shade...

...and in the nearby water

It provided a good jump off point for us to explore Bald Eagle.

Next we took a trip down to GWNF:

and back down south again to attend the Appalachian Rendezvous:

Caught up with some old friends and made some new ones

We had a chance to explore Uwharrie & work the water

 

[m(a)ce]

VT Overland Rally:

Day 1 we got to hit the trails again with Venture 4WD, Blue Ridge Overland, Mountain State Overland & Jonathan Rutherford's sweet Trakka topped troopy
(some of our photos, some of theirs)

Day 2 we hit the trails with our friends from OK4WD along with ARB Eric & other friends.

After limbering up Chris Shontz led us on some sweet Class IV roads

VT Overland's last day trip - Hill Farmstexpedition: A happy-sad trip. We've had lots of terrific day trips with the VT Overland crew & we were sad to know their public trips ending. Thankfully we had signed up for this trip well in advance- it was an especially scenic ride. A big thank you to Peter, Steve, Lazz & Ron & the rest of VT Overland for this trip & sharing VT with us. we're hooked!

We traveled down from way up in the Northern Kingdom to the brewery mostly on scenic Class IV roads.

We stayed over in Waterbury so we could enjoy more local brews and eats.

We then pushed East to Portsmouth to check out Papa Wolf's Adventure Rig meetup. Got to check out some cool rigs & bikes plus chat up some Expo members.

delivered by winged monkeys

 

[Comanche Scott]

Awesome pictures, on what seems like another epic trip! :beer:
Very cool. Thanks for posting.

 

[Captain Texas]

The photos are GREAT!. What kind of camera are you using?

 

[m(a)ce]

Nice thread Matt. It's cool to see the evolution of it. I'm digging the armor.

Rick

hey! thanks Rick! nice to see you on here :beer: did you start a thread for your Taco?

Awesome pictures, on what seems like another epic trip! :beer:
Very cool. Thanks for posting.

thank you! I appreciate it

The photos are GREAT!. What kind of camera are you using?

most of those were on our Nikon D5100. some on iPhone 6.

 

[R Stowe]

hey! thanks Rick! nice to see you on here :beer: did you start a thread for your Taco?



thank you! I appreciate it




most of those were on our Nikon D5100. some on iPhone 6.

Not yet, but will definitely do so when I get a few more mods made.

 

[Captain Texas]

What kind of CB antenna mount are you using?

 

[m(a)ce]

What kind of CB antenna mount are you using?

Its a CoolTech GateMount bracket

Interior Storage update:

We've been using 2 pieces over the last several months we're pleased with.

The first was sent to us from Blue Ridge Overland Gear to test & fit. It's a version of their Landcruiser attic. It utilizes the wasted space above the rear seats. Install/removal takes just a few moments and it's a great spot for shells, hats, rain gear, etc. The exterior paracord lacing let's you hang & air dry damp towels/shells. Like all their stuff we've used its built well & made in the USA.

The second item (partially visible in front of the BROG attic) is a LoopRope strap set.

We were trying to figure out a way to safely carry our spinning rods. We also wanted something that could be removed easily & allow us to load/unload rods quickly for when we're working a lot of water.

LoopRope set up as rod holders has functioned well. With a little tweaking it works well with the Dirty Dog barrier net & BROG attic.

Note: We recommend some weatherstripping on speaker bar to dampen contact point to eliminate noise & prevent damage to your rod.


delivered by winged monkeys

 

[Comanche Scott]

Really like the BROG stuff! You've got a great setup going. :beer: