AEV Gladiator Rubicon

[Flyin6]

So, with some cursing and gnashing of teeth somehow, you slide those heavy clevis brackets into the outer shell slots, then moose that up to the existing winch plate which is being forced forward by a 75lb winch and then miraculously you have to fish some nut plates in behind the bumper cover to a place you cannot see. In my opinion that is a poorly designed way of installing this. It is very, very difficult to get all that happening. Somehow, I managed it by myself, but it is a two to three-man job unless you are triple-jointed, have extra hands and can remove eyeballs and set them to remote locations to see the other side of where your body contortions has placed you.

[Flyin6]

Besides the $$$ in, replacement is crazy. Didn't you just get a new Sub?

Yes, but the Yukon XL Denali.  We don’t want to talk about what those are going for nowadays.

Here’s a random thought.  Don’t has a penchant for taking brand new vehicles and modifying them in a very thoughtful and appealing way.

If he had a contract with a local dealer to modify factory new vehicles and put them back on the dealer lot for sale there might be some money in that.  Kids willing to finance all their mods in with the new truck are in plentiful supply.

I could see it now.  Instead of an AEV it would the RMTW Edition….it could work.


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Tell you what, my friend, you finance it and I'll get it going...gotta do something with my spare time.

[Flyin6]

Last up for the bumper install is the bolting in of the hoop. It also has two threaded studs which are shrouded and difficult to get to.

I am glad I got it done, but when that last nut came up to torque, I was ready to walk away. I'll get the lights tomorrow!

[Flyin6]

So now for the numbers.

I was shooting for 50-pound weight savings.

The bumper and lights I removed weighed in at 136 and change.

The new Arcus bumper and lights (when I install them) weigh a total of 69.9 lbs.

I am very satisfied to have just shed over 66 pounds from the front end of the Jeep.

Additionally, I really opened up those front tires to the terrain. No bumper to get in the way any longer. This is about what a Jeep needs for what I intend to do with it.

[TexasRedNeck]

So now for the numbers.

I was shooting for 50-pound weight savings.

The bumper and lights I removed weighed in at 136 and change.

The new Arcus bumper and lights (when I install them) weigh a total of 69.9 lbs.

I am very satisfied to have just shed over 66 pounds from the front end of the Jeep.

Additionally, I really opened up those front tires to the terrain. No bumper to get in the way any longer. This is about what a Jeep needs for what I intend to do with it.

Im going to internet jail for this one….

So 70lbs….just about the weight of a supercharger kit……


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[Flyin6]

So now for the numbers.

I was shooting for 50-pound weight savings.

The bumper and lights I removed weighed in at 136 and change.

The new Arcus bumper and lights (when I install them) weigh a total of 69.9 lbs.

I am very satisfied to have just shed over 66 pounds from the front end of the Jeep.

Additionally, I really opened up those front tires to the terrain. No bumper to get in the way any longer. This is about what a Jeep needs for what I intend to do with it.

Im going to internet jail for this one….

So 70lbs….just about the weight of a supercharger kit……


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You have a free pass, remember? Well, you just used it! ;-)

Also, you may recall that my generation of Jeep (Post mid-year 2021) has a new computer system and no superchargers or anything else is available.

[dave945]

What he is trying to say is that since a supercharger is not possible, he is researching duramax and LS swaps.


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[JR]

Yes, I see an LS or maybe a little dmax in there.

Preference, but I kinda like the tires protected with a bumper some.

[Flyin6]

The bumper swap project ended today with the installation of the new lights.

It was so simple, almost a plug-and-play. I could not believe it, but the AEV harness plugged directly into the new lights. No cutting or splicing of wires required.

[Flyin6]

The hoop clamps are aluminum and clamp to the bar with the addition of a rubber isolation filler strip that is also double-sided adhesive.

[Flyin6]

The lights come with a cradle mount. This stuff is just getting better and better. "Light" years ahead of the old KC Daylighters (That I still like)

[Flyin6]

One, then two, then tuck in the wires and adjust the aiming. I set them a couple of degrees above the headlights. These are 6000 Kelvin amber driving lights, single mode. Amber because it does not reflect back into your eyes nearly as badly and it pierces dust and fog much better. Everyone is onto the HID and LED blue/white spectrum of lighting, but blue light is actually fatiguing on our eyes causing strain. Our eyes work harder because blue light does not penetrate into the shadows as well and therefore your eyes are always focusing to pick up more detail in washed-out areas. That's how we determine depth perception, and the yellow light fills in the shadowed areas much better.

[JR]

Thats why I went with yellow driving lights on the Tahoe. Will likely change the DMaxs too.

When I was into HP off road driving in my youth, I preferred night driving as you concentrated on what you could see, and the shadows showed holes and ruts better.

[oklawall]

Did the dogs approve? LOL

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[Flyin6]

Did the dogs approve? LOL

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Ya, I think so...The big one was all up under my feet while I worked on that bumper... ;-)

[Flyin6]

For my next trick, let's keep it short, easy, and sweet, shall we?

Ever heard of Bullit point phone and device mounts?

Way over the top in quality and performance.

Here's mine:

[Flyin6]

Essentially, they take the modular approach and have designed-in a universal mount plate system that works like the M-Lock rail systems on our M4s. A base plate secures to the vehicle and a secondary base to mount your stuff mounts to that. It's metal and precision made. Has powder coating too.

[Flyin6]

The ball mounts are lightly grooved and are made of aluminum. They feel and look to be very robust.

[Flyin6]

You can mount up to three ball studs to your base plate (In the Jeep) and to the ball stud, mount anything to possibly include your mother-in-law if it suits both she and you.

I picked a GoPro camera base and an arm to hold my cell phone.

Not sure if you can opt for a maple leaf if you live near Sam.

[Flyin6]

To begin, you pry out the rubber cover to the top of the dash cubby. Next, remove two screws that secure the dash to the under-structure.

[Flyin6]

Then you separate the top from the bottom of that modular mount, then use solvent to clean the flat bottom of the cubby, peel off the sticky tape from the lower part, then lay it into place. Secure it with the two factory screws.

[Flyin6]

Optionally, you can add two more self-tapping screws. I did so

[Flyin6]

Now you place the ball stud bases where you'd like them to reside and screw them into place through the grid. They give you some good quality hardware too.

[Flyin6]

To those studs, I added the rest of the business and just like that, was done!

[Flyin6]

You get this cool "F" tool which is used to further tighten up the thumb screws and a bottle cap opener made from what looks to be a 30-06 cartridge.

[JR]

The ducks look happy.

[Flyin6]

The ducks look happy.

Never asked, but I think I can accept your assessment! ;-)

[Bigdave_185]

Had mine since truck was new, switched the phone mount out recently to the mag base and wireless charge option.


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[Bigdave_185]

The mag base for charging is slick for in and out grabbing your phone. I have one in the box for the second phone holder for the boss lady but I haven’t installed

You will like it. Well planned design. Ok customer service, Iv had better elsewhere.


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[Flyin6]

Your setup looks great!

Mag charging phone base...Was thinking about that.

Currently have a quad-lock cover bc of bike requirements

But

Wife

Just

suddenly

announced

she           hates       me              ridin'               cause            another             

                                         person                         she                     knows was just killed on one

Suggested something about my never riding again

Now, I spent all those "Risk-taker" dollars with her already

She had to endure all those years I was in Afghanistan and Iraq. So I can't do risky things without her pulling the flag and sometimes tossing it.

So maybe my love of riding my fav KLR are coming to a close

In which case the ONLY bright spot other than freeing up $7K-$8K is that I can change my phone case and use a mag charger again...

[Flyin6]

So we may have an interesting development on the horizon with the Jeep.

I was researching lithium batteries and posting suggestions on the Jeep gladiator forum. Guys there say no-go to the only battery being a Lithium. They can't stand up to long high amp pulls like a lead acid of AGM.

That generated an interesting conversation.

Then a gentleman who races Porches suggested the Braille battery. OK, fine, I sent them an email. They claim they have a battery, lithium-based, but different somehow that can take sustained winching and produces like 1000 CCA and it weighs under 10 pounds. It's Lithium, of course.

So we are now discussing possibly putting one in the Gladiator. I think the factory battery which actually produces around 1000CCA and is an AGM weighs in around 50 or more pounds.

And I did not know this, but Jeep actually buries a secondary battery below the primary one. They have that hated start-stop system and run the aux battery to maintain constant voltage for the sensitive electronics while doing all these engine starts.

So my initial plan is to remove the aux battery and disable the ESS system. That will also save me another 10 pounds. Replacing the main with their fancy Li unit would yield a significant weight saving AGAIN!

Let's see how the conversation turns out and see if I can test one of these cool new Braille products.

[JR]

Lithium has come a long way from 10 years ago. All these power units, EV cars, military and RC stuff has made lithium main stream.

They can give incredible amps with no issues and are just getting better.

Stay away from polymer based is all (fire issue too) and the newer Lifo based are rated for at least 3000 full cycles. Thats a full discharge, which we rarely do.

[Flyin6]

Lithium has come a long way from 10 years ago. All these power units, EV cars, military and RC stuff has made lithium main stream.

They can give incredible amps with no issues and are just getting better.

Stay away from polymer based is all (fire issue too) and the newer Lifo based are rated for at least 3000 full cycles. Thats a full discharge, which we rarely do.

Looking at these folks to see if we can make some magic...

https://braillebattery.com/

[JR]

Now if the price would come down a little. I remember when the RC batteries were crazy expensive, now they are in line with the old nimh and nicad round cells.

[Flyin6]

Now if the price would come down a little. I remember when the RC batteries were crazy expensive, now they are in line with the old nimh and nicad round cells.

The economic princilal is called, "Economies of scale."

All these higher priced batteries will gradually come down as production ramps up, unless the supply of raw materials is interrupted.

On that, Most of those raw materials come from the DRC. I know a little about that place... The Chinese are moving in there as fast as they can build roads and rail roads. I would say we have lost to them in Africa based on their rapid rate of expansion.

[Flyin6]

Time to delete the auxiliary battery. This motorcycle-sized thing is only necessary because with the ESS (Engine start/stop) function in stop-and-go traffic, the battery can be forced to supply a bunch of its capacity doing all that. The auxiliary battery provides a stable voltage to the sensitive electronics when the main battery is being taxed.

It (spare battery) becomes unnecessary and just added weight when the ESS system is no longer used. I have the option of turning off the system via a dash-mounted button, and that's what I do now. That means there is some weight that can be cut with no side effect on overall vehicle performance.

Here is the picture of the stock setup:

[Flyin6]

The positive cable has a catch (shown) that has to be pried open and even the felt cover for the battery has a latching system. I have to say, these Jeep engineers really put a lot of thought into just about everything on the vehicle.

[Flyin6]

The main battery must be pulled, and that operation is straight forward.

[Flyin6]

51.6 POUNDS!

Wow, that's a bunch of weight I am carrying around. I am now hoping more and more I can make something happen with the Braille battery folks to cut that number down some.

[Flyin6]

Next up I had to get after the power distribution panel.

[Flyin6]

To trick the system into thinking the aux battery is still there, you have to pull fuse F42 which controls the BITE test for that circuit. Everytime you start up the ECM tests to see what condition that battery is in. Now it will never know.

[Flyin6]

This next step is easy, but nerve-racking. You have to pry up the fuse holder tray and free it from four large companion plugs. I have heard some people can bend the pins, then nothing works right thereafter. Gentle is the operative principle here.

Four E10 or 4mm bolts hold the plugs to the fuse board

[Flyin6]

Next you remove the tray that securely holds those plastic plugs

I secured everything out of the way with masking tape.

[Flyin6]

Then there is a plastic cover for the battery. Four 10mm bolts hold that down. Pop those out and you can finally see the aux battery.

[Flyin6]

And the thing weighs in at 11 pounds and will be relegated to starting a mower or something. This is not going back in.

and five more Oz for the fabric battery covers.

[Flyin6]

And this is the starting point for the reassembly..

[Flyin6]

I used di-electric or spark plug grease on those large plastic plugs for corrosion resistance, and ease of re/disassembly.

[Flyin6]

I just taped up the little battery ground and strapped it out of the way. I then connected the positive aux battery connection directly to the hot post of the remaining, main battery.

I started and ran the vehicle and noted no abnormalities nor dash lights illuminated. I'll call this one done for now!

[TexasRedNeck]

https://www.autostopeliminator.com/collections/jeep/products/2020-jeep-gladiator-autostop-eliminator

Best $99 you’ll ever spend.  Put one on the denali and I love it..


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[Flyin6]

https://www.autostopeliminator.com/collections/jeep/products/2020-jeep-gladiator-autostop-eliminator

Best $99 you’ll ever spend.  Put one on the denali and I love it..


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Good lead, Tex

Ordered!