Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

Since we took possession of the new to us 200-year old house in January, I've made at least one trip per week transporting things from the old house to the new place. Most of these trips have been with the JKU but plenty of them were with the LJ or the pickup, depending on what I needed to carry. The trailer was on every one of the 500+-mile round trips, plus it did a trip out to Overland West and Bantam, so it's done a lot of miles this year.

My trips will end next week, actual movers are coming on Monday to move the rest of the stuff in the house. Mostly I've been moving the few things we need to live in the new place plus things I didn't want the movers to deal with, but transporting all of those items is now done and the movers can do the rest.

This trip I decided to bring the bicycles, this is the first time I've used the tailgate-reinforcement mounted bike rack along with the trailer. The bike rack and trailer don't interfere with each other so everything worked out just fine.

 

[DCH109]

@jscherb
Spotted you on I81 close the to PA/NY border heading north (I was stuck in that traffic heading south on Sunday.
Could not get a picture in time.

 

[jscherb]

@jscherb
Spotted you on I81 close the to PA/NY border heading north (I was stuck in that traffic heading south on Sunday.
Could not get a picture in time.

The traffic you were in was 3 1/2 miles long, I clocked it. Glad I was going the other way.

This is our last trip north to Elmira. The movers arrived yesterday and finished the packing, today they'll start loading. The move is going so quickly because of all the trips I've made since January with loads in the trailer. I'll be driving back south tomorrow, leaving Elmira for the last time.

I'll have to check Google maps before I leave, might decide to take local roads from Elmira to Clarks Summit (where I pick up 476 south) to avoid that traffic.

After the movers left last night I did some photography and videos of the Auxbeam rock lights I installed on the roof rack to test their use as campsite lights. Here are two frames from one of the videos... the rock lights do make excellent camp lights. Stay tuned for a full review...

 

[jscherb]

I haven't worked on any design ideas for Overland Outfitters in quite a while but recently they asked me to do a larger first aid bag for them, something that could be used for advanced first aid in the wild or used by first responders. I'm suggesting they do a version of their Tactical Tool Bag with different inserts optimized for medical supplies instead of tools.

The tool bag has "pages" that get secured inside the bag with Velcro, so doing a version of the bag in red with a first aid patch and a new set of inserts should be pretty easy.



I asked them to make me a red one for my design work, like the tool bag it can also zip to the back of the seat. A few quick photos of the basic bag prototype in my JKU:





I'm working on the insert "pages" now, in this photo some of them are laid out on a counter in a spare room. I researched what a typical first responder might carry and I think I've got most items accounted for, but if there are any first responders, nurses or other trained first aid people reading this who have advice for items I should accomodate in this bag I'd be very grateful for any feedback or advice.

 

[jscherb]

I used my tailgate-mounted bike rack today to bring my bike from storage to the house (until the garage is done, I won't have a place to store it at the house), and it occurred to me that while I've posted photos of this design before, I never posted a video showing how it goes into place. The two arms of the rack are collapsible and store in a minimum of space; to install, they hinge open and slip into receivers that are mounted between the spare carrier and the tailgate (ideally with a tailgate reinforcement installed as well). The arms are designed to hold two bikes, and spaces them out so the SpareHopper spare tire storage bag can remain in place. It takes about 30 seconds...


Add a few seconds to secure the straps that keep the bike in place on the arms, I didn't include that step in the video but they're standard bike-rack style straps that are quick to secure.

These photos show the receivers, on the left is my JKU and on the right is my LJ; the bike rack works the same on both.



There are also hitch pins that secure the arms in place in the receivers, and hitch pins that lock the arms in the open position but I've found that they're unnecessary and I never use them.

I've got a bunch of other accessories that slip into these receivers, such as an over-spare rack and Rotopax/jerry can carriers but the bike rack is the one I use the most.

 

[jscherb]

If there's one thing that almost all Wrangler owners can agree on, it's that the nets on the door panels suck. The first time you use them they'll probably stretch and before long they'll stretch to the point where they hang below the bottom of the door and prevent the door from closing.

Some years ago I designed replacement door pockets; OO picked up the design and they tell me it's been one of their very best sellers ever since.



The other net that stretches is the one in the dash in front of the shifter. I use mine to keep a variety of small items handy, and it's stretched over time as well.



I decided to try to improve the situation with a replacement pocket so I made one out of leather.



I sewed an OO emblem on it in case they like it enough to turn it into a product . I installed it with double-sided tape this morning.









In it I've got a small multi-tool, a flashlight, a chapstick, a pack of gum and a small camping salt shaker. I like this pocket much better than the stretched net and it's easier to get things into and out of.

I do need to find the right tape to install it though; I tried 3M Automotive Mounting Tape and it works but doesn't stick well enough to the plastic dash to give me confidence that it's going to last. I'm sure there's something better out there.

 

[DCH109]

The door panels yes, they are useless for anything other than a topo map. The middle console netting is worse as the holes are far to big for anything small, add in the joy of trying to get something like a sun-glass case out of it if it has pointy ends like my ray-ban case.
This is a great idea and I hope they pick it up.

 

[Zeep]

I installed the door pockets on my wifes JLU, and the nets were still perfect!
Great design Jeff, keep 'em coming.

 

[jscherb]

I installed the door pockets on my wifes JLU, and the nets were still perfect!
Great design Jeff, keep 'em coming.

Thanks for the nice comments. About the same time you were posting, someone on a JL forum posted this about the JL door pockets:

I am very happy with the Overland Outfitters pockets. I think they look great, and they've been very useful, while also not intrusive
Definitely happy with them.
(The front pouch is even large enough to hold my metal water bottle)

I'm glad so many people find them useful .

 

[jgaz]

I'm glad so many people find them useful .

No surprise considering they were designed by someone that saw a need for the product due to actually using the poor OEM design.
No substitute for real world experience