Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

Definitely looks like a test mule now. If the price point on these can be kept down with a good quality Ild wager they would sell.

The uppers could be fairly inexpensive. I call these uppers a "hard shell retrofit kit"; they're fiberglass outer shells that replace the fabric cover of a factory upper - since the factory inner shell is retained the fit to the door is factory and they slip in place just like the factory uppers. They use the slider window kit Retrofit Offroad sells and only two other things: the fiberglass outer shell and a special adhesive for bonding to the fiberglass to the factory plastic shell. The fiberglass outer shell is very simple to mold and wouldn't be expensive; the adhesive retails for about $40 for enough to do the job.

From the inside you can see that they're factory uppers with a new outer skin and a slider window:

They could be a DIY kit, but bonding the fiberglass outer shell to the plastic inner shell requires a specific procedure and a special gun - it's a two-part adhesive that comes in dual tubes and requires a dual-tube gun, something all auto body shops would have but few DIY-ers (except me) would have.

Any chance you are gonna try and do the lower half in fiberglass for a complete set?

I've done a preliminary design for the lower half doors but haven't yet decided if I'm going to build them. I may have posted concept drawings of the door design before, I can't remember.

Has any company shown interest in producing the fenders?

I haven't tried to find a company that may be interested in the fenders. My Jeep will be on display at the SEMA Show in the beginning of November, maybe some company will see them there and be interested.

 

[jscherb]

The November issue of Four Wheeler showed up yesterday and the Trail Kitchen made an appearance... an article entitled "Overlanding Gear!" lists only three products, and tops on the page is this:

Also in the mail was the October (SEMA Show Preview) issue of SEMA News, the Trail Kitchen was in the new products section...

It's always a nice surprise when a magazine comes and something I designed is in it .

The Trail Kitchen will be on display at the SEMA Show and for the show will be outfitted with options I've posted about - the sink option, the enclosure, the drawer unit and more.

 

[jscherb]

I've been working on a quick install/remove front receiver for my JKU. Mostly it's for a receiver-mounted winch that I'll use on all 3 of my Jeeps, but it will also serve as an attachment point for a tow bar and occasionally for maneuvering trailers around.

I've finished the basic construction, all that's left to do is add d-ring eyes and a vertical receiver tube for storing the winch when it's not in use - stored vertically it's behind the bumper and out of harms way. Here's the current state of the project:

With the winch cradle in place:

When I finish the vertical receiver, the winch will store like this:

Over the past few weeks I made similar receiver for the TJ/LJ, that one's completed and back from powder coat - here's a photo it on my LJ, you can see the d-rings and the vertical receiver, the JK version wil look the same when it's done.

The TJ/LJ version installs/removes in minutes using the tow-hook bolts on top of the bumper; because of the design of the JK the JK version requires 6 bolts but all of them are easily accessible and all are above the bumper so the JK version will install/remove about as quickly as the TJ/LJ version and no need to get under the Jeep for any of the bolts.

More photos to come as I complete the fabrication and get it powder coated.

 

[jscherb]

I finished the construction of the JK quick install front receiver today by adding the d-ring eyes and the vertical (winch storage) receiver. I've got a little metal finishing to do before I send it off to powder coat, but all of the fabrication and welding is done.

The idea behind this receiver is that it sits in the garage until I'm doing an expedition that I may need a winch for, then I install the receiver and winch for that trip and remove it all when I get home. With that in mind, it's designed to install/remove very quickly, here's a video showing how long it takes to install for an expedition (a little over a minute):

 

[jscherb]

I adapted a Harbor Freight tow bar to the new front receiver - I made up new swivel brackets for the end of the tow bar arms that attach to the d-ring eyes on the receiver.

I don't have the correct size clevis pins on hand to attach to the d-ring eyes so for these photos I've got the d-ring screws sitting in there, by the time I have receiver and the brackets powder coated I'll have the pins on hand and can try taking a Jeep for a tow.

This tow bar will work with both front receivers - the TJ/LJ version and the JK version, so if I need to tow any of my Jeeps I'm all set.

 

[jscherb]

The JK front receiver and the tow bar hooks are off to sandblast and powder coat. I expect them back by the middle of next week.

 

[jscherb]

On my next road trip I probably will have two passengers for one leg of the trip so I may need extra cargo space. I'll have the Overland Rack on the tailgate for that trip so I will be able to store things up there, but I'll need that space to be weatherproof. In the photo below I've got a large plastic tote on the rack, but I think a soft bag would be more useful so I looked today for bags that might fit well on the rack. I found lots of bags for rooftop and hitch rack applications, but all of them were too larger for the Overland Rack (and for racks like the Teraflex Alta rack and others).

I found many bags similar to the ones pictured below, but nothing in an appropriate size.

The only one I ever recall seeing was the one below, it was on display at the SEMA Show last year. It's very nicely done, but perhaps not quite tall enough for many loads one might carry on a tailgate rack. Doesn't matter anyway, as far as I can tell it never went into production, I checked today and didn't find it on the company's web site (I blurred the company name in this photo).

Does anyone know of a source for weatherproof bags an appropriate size to be used on a tailgate rack?

If there's nothing useful on the market I'll design one and sew a prototype, maybe it would be useful to more people than just me.

 

[jgaz]

These guys make an excellent product in a variety of sizes.
https://www.drybags.com/

I bought one used 3 years ago and it’s been great. I had it in the back of a pick up in a driving rain storm at 70 mph and it didn’t leak a drop.

 

[jscherb]

Thanks, those look like great bags. The largest one I see on their site is about 27" long; the Overland Rack cargo area is about 44" long x 19.5" deep and I'm thinking the bag should fill most of that space and be large enough so that a bag the size of an airline carry-on bag should fit inside along with other cargo, so I don't think any of them are large enough.

I've been doing some thinking about a design for a rack bag, I'd make it the full 44 x 19.5 to fill the space, and perhaps 12" tall, although I'm undecided about the height. Probably would do it in the same coated Cordura nylon fabric I've used for other projects, such as the Tactical Spare cover.

Here's a concept drawing, being fabric the bag wouldn't be as square and crisp in the corners as in this drawing, but this shows the approximate size I'm thinking about. I also pasted an ACU camo Tactical Spare cover on this photo, it wasn't on the Jeep when this photo was taken. Shown in the photo are tie-down points on the bag, I'm thinking of a series of 1" d-rings sewn around the edge of the bag cover, these would be used with web straps with parachute buckles, so no additional tie-downs wold be required, everything would be part of the bag. The cover would be secured with a zipper under a wide flap, below the zipper would be a velcro closure, the combination of the wide flap, zipper and velcro closure should make the cover very weather resistant.

 

[jscherb]

Donny texted me one possible bag solution: https://www.quadratec.com/p/rightline-gear-4x4/hitch-rack-dry-bag-pair

Those look like they'd do the job, and they're not expensive. They're a little large for the rack, but since they roll up to fit whatever cargo is inside they might work out well.

Someone else sent me this idea: https://www.quadratec.com/products/12033_1010_07.htm

That's like my concept drawing, although it's 48" long and the space in the rack is 44". It probably could be stuffed in the available space.

Both options worth considering, thanks.

 

[Bobzdar]

On my next road trip I probably will have two passengers for one leg of the trip so I may need extra cargo space. I'll have the Overland Rack on the tailgate for that trip so I will be able to store things up there, but I'll need that space to be weatherproof. In the photo below I've got a large plastic tote on the rack, but I think a soft bag would be more useful so I looked today for bags that might fit well on the rack. I found lots of bags for rooftop and hitch rack applications, but all of them were too larger for the Overland Rack (and for racks like the Teraflex Alta rack and others).

I found many bags similar to the ones pictured below, but nothing in an appropriate size.

The only one I ever recall seeing was the one below, it was on display at the SEMA Show last year. It's very nicely done, but perhaps not quite tall enough for many loads one might carry on a tailgate rack. Doesn't matter anyway, as far as I can tell it never went into production, I checked today and didn't find it on the company's web site (I blurred the company name in this photo).

Does anyone know of a source for weatherproof bags an appropriate size to be used on a tailgate rack?

If there's nothing useful on the market I'll design one and sew a prototype, maybe it would be useful to more people than just me.

I've used hockey bags for years for my camping equipment and the only time stuff gets wet is if I forget to close it. They come in all kinds of sizes for junior up to pro goalie equipment transport and are waterproof - designed not to let icy/wet hockey equipment leak out of them but work in reverse as well. Back before overlanding was big business, they were the only readily available waterproof duffels out there.

Back when I was a young single guy, I threw all of my camping equipment in a hockey duffel, threw it in the back of my Jeep with a cooler and hit the woods for the weekend. I still have the duffel and most of the equipment - folding shovel, poncho, fire starters, 2 man tent, sleeping bag, toiletries, over fire grill, flashlights/lantern, hatchet, hand chainsaw and a bunch of other stuff. It will fit an amazing amount of stuff, sturdy as hell (the straps will never pull out of it as it's designed to carry soaking wet hockey equipment) and I've worn it as a backpack before as the straps are just about the perfect length to throw on. Of course, much more than a mile of hiking with it and your arms will fall asleep (especially filled with eveything), but it'll work in a pinch. Still take it with me.

 

[jscherb]

Thanks - not ever being a hockey player, I wouldn't have thought about that. Here's a goalie bag that would be a good fit: https://www.icewarehouse.com/Sherwood_Heritage_Goalie_Carry_Bag_40/descpage-SHCBG.html It's a bit tall (20") but otherwise could be a good choice.

I also checked out bags in the ATV market, someone suggested to me that the typical racks on ATVs might be close to the size of a typical "over spare" rack. Turns out there are some nice ones in that market but they max out at 36", which wouldn't make use of the full space available.

 

[jgaz]

The second quadratec bag looks good especially for the price.

Just an FYI, the dry bag site I linked has a model (the Mississippi) that is 43.25” long
https://www.drybags.com/product/mississippi/

I have the Colorado and it’s almost 3’ in length

 

[jscherb]

Just an FYI, the dry bag site I linked has a model (the Mississippi) that is 43.25” long
https://www.drybags.com/product/mississippi/

I have the Colorado and it’s almost 3’ in length

Thanks, I saw the Mississippi, but it's only 15" in diameter so it definitely wouldn't hold a carry-on size roller suitcase. A suitcase like that is part of my decision criteria.

 

[jscherb]

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions on bags for the tailgate rack... a Rightline Gear bag would definitely do the job, and I think the Quadratec bag could be stuffed in place even though it's a bit too long, and a hockey goalie bag would work too. I also checked bags in the ATV/UTV market, there are some nice ones intended for ATVs that looked like they might do the job although they all seem to max out at about 36" long so they wouldn't make use of all of the 44" of available space. I could just order one of any of the above and call it done.

Any one of those would "work ok" in the rack, but those of you who have been following my work for any amount of time know that "work ok" is almost never the standard I'm going for, so I think I'm going to sew one that's custom-fit to the rack.

The thing that tipped the scale in favor of a custom bag is that the Jeep is scheduled to be on display about 4 weeks at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and a week later at the Overland East vendor expo (in both cases it's being borrowed by MORryde to show off the Trail Kitchen, the Overland Rack and a bunch of other new/unannounced products). For those shows I could either have nothing in the rack, a bag that works ok but doesn't fit well, or if I sewed a custom-fit bag I could have that on the rack. Always being focused on the details, I think it would look best if I had a custom-fit bag in the rack. I do plan to have an ACU camo Tactical Spare Cover on the spare, so I think doing a matching bag for the rack in ACU camo would look nice.

I've got to order a few bits & pieces for the project, I'll post more about it when the sewing begins.