Wiring: Now that it was time to begin the installation of the electronics and wiring, we needed to have a good plan to ensure proper and reliable operation. I also have an aversion to exposed wires and like equipment to look more like factory issue rather than added on. A couple of days were spent mocking up communication equipment and house battery and battery management gear until we got it to all located properly. One key rule we wanted to…
Suspension: As usual we have been busy doing things out of order, Tent and other roof top accessories installed prior to installing the new suspension. Driving Eeyore in his factor livery became an unnerving experience at best. In addition, it seemed that we were dragging his behind down the road, not a good look for a Jeep. We had originally thought about a 2” lift to keep the build drivable under all conditions. The current handling and stance convinced us…
Roof Rack: The choice of Roof rack was a big concern for us, we wanted a clean look and as low profile as we could get. It also seemed like most rack manufacturers really want to avoid listing any real weight capacities, especially off-road dynamic loads. If they do, they are far too low to be of any use. We really do not like the exoskeleton look of the Gobi and similar racks, especially since we were wanting to be…
Tire Carrier: Knowing that we would be adding a bunch of weight to the Eeyore’s tailgate it was important to switch away from the factory tire mount to a proper tire carrier. The specifications were relatively simple; had to carry a decent amount of weight, allow the tailgate and carrier to open in a single one-handed operation, and have space to mount extra goodies. Terra Flex, AEV and Maximus-3 were quickly placed on the short list, and we elected to…
Modification Round #1 – Front EndWe had specific parameters that we wanted with a front-end package for Eeyore. Weight being a major concern, function, then appearance. Requirements included self-recovery, lighting, damage protection & ability to tow behind a motorhome. Combining a winch and towability proved a challenge requiring quite a bit of research and ultimately some modifications. We like the look of the stock Rubicon steel bumper, so we retained that as a base. Maximus-3 had the most compatibility and…