Gray Wolf - The low key, stealthy overlander

I think that’s a good plan. I have heard of a couple guys that have their RTT mounted to a roof rack that they can detach and hang like a hardtop. I have been toying with, someday, building a small trailer to tow to the trails for camping and such with a RTT on it. Other wise I think I’m just going to use a ground tent.
 
Got my frankenlift installed by West Coast Off-Roaders in Vancouver.

My setup:
Springs: Clayton Off-Road - 1.5" springs
Shocks: Fox 2.0 IFP 2-3" (177/178)
LCA: Mopar 2" lift LCAs
Swaybar End Links: Mopar 2" lift Swaybar links
Bumpstop: Teraflex 1.5" jounce bump stops
Trackbars: Metalcloak (I didn't plan this and was a last min decision to add trackbars and had to go with what was in stock)

Initial reaction:
I got cold feet that I might not have enough lift, and added 0.5" teraflex load leveling pucks all around. In hindsight, I should have skipped this :( - may be the lift will settle a bit after 500ish km , lets see at that time. If it still has a huge gap in fender I might remove the pucks or expedite my move to 35x11.5x17s

Ride:
It's tricky to put a pin on what changed but here are my observations
- Steering is tighter, and I don't have that mild tracking to right side that i had on stock
- The squishy-ness and floaty feel in corners is gone!!! I don't feel like I will topple over with the RTT on
- It's a firm-er ride but not harsh, in fact when going over bumps it doesn't transfer that feeling to the steering at all - likely down to better shocks?

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Should I remove the 0.5" pucks or wait for it to settle? 🤔 It looks a bit odd on 33s - it's subjective and it's in the eyes of the beholder.
 
If you’re planning any more weight, I would leave it alone. It will settle a bit. Looks great.(y)
 
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Netted about 3"-3.2" lift with the spring+spacer+shocks. It will settle a bit and eventually be around 2.5"?? I thought it was a lot of lift for the 33s that I have.. but I gotta admit the look is growing on me.

Ride is fantastic. I used to feel that the stock suspension was squishy and leaned much after I installed the roof tent. Clayton springs are a good blend of firmness and plush ride without making you feel every bump on the road. The Clayton spring rate is high (180) but I don't feel that its super harsh/firm.. it takes a lot of cargo to make the rear spring compress down even 1" 🤣 - the pic below is from fully loaded camp cargo, fridge etc. yet there is no reverse rake or sagging. I have been very happy with the choice of suspension springs.

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graywolf.trails said:
Netted about 3"-3.2" lift with the spring+spacer+shocks. It will settle a bit and eventually be around 2.5"?? I thought it was a lot of lift for the 33s that I have.. but I gotta admit the look is growing on me.

Ride is fantastic. I used to feel that the stock suspension was squishy and leaned much after I installed the roof tent. Clayton springs are a good blend of firmness and plush ride without making you feel every bump on the road. The Clayton spring rate is high (180) but I don't feel that its super harsh/firm.. it takes a lot of cargo to make the rear spring compress down even 1" 🤣 - the pic below is from fully loaded camp cargo, fridge etc. yet there is no reverse rake or sagging. I have been very happy with the choice of suspension springs.

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I think 35s would fill in nicely. If you're happy with the ride quality and ride height, leave it.
 
The tire prices are toooooo high. 420$+ CAD per tire for a 35x11.5/17 - Recon grappler, Trail Grappler or Toyo OC AT3
I am going to get the most out of the grabbers and think about 35s when I need a new set. I can't blv i got these grabbers for $240 CAD per tire only 6 months back
 
Cascadia 4x4 Flipster V3 number plate installed. I was driving around anxiously for 5 days praying that I avoid a ticket for not having front plates.

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Before Lift:

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After Lift:

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Regear Experience Log

Noise and stiff gears
  • First 150-ish kms, the rear had a radio static-like noise (likely due to new gear stiffness) and when decelerating/coasting with foot off the pedal there was a mild aircraft engine like a whistle
  • At 250kms, it got much calmer and I only hear a very very mild aircraft engine whistle when coasting. Also noticed that now it's only audible when cold (first few miles)
  • At 800+kms - No noise, seems almost stock-like.
Ride Quality and Fuel efficiency on 33s
  • It just wants to launch itself from a stop, I had to retrain my reflex to feather it.
  • When there is an abrupt downhill or a stop sign after a steep descent, the gear downshift is so dramatic that I was genuinely worried I was going to blow my gears. I have since learned to anticipate this and use manual override to control the gear-down shifts myself. (I am hoping this will be less of a problem on 35s)
  • Very smooth gear transitions on the highway. Shifts early and without fuss (low rpms) - has been helping with the fuel efficiency massively.
Before re-gear my average fuel efficiency was about 14.5-15mpg (mix of highway and in-town driving)

Post re-gear I am able to clock upper 19s or 20+ - even during my 600+kms road trip with a mix of trail driving, highways, and steep climbs.
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Notes / Rationale on my wheel and tire choice:

The below link is a comparison between a
Rim & Tire Size Calculator. Custom Offsets - Wheel-Size.com
  1. Sahara stock spec vs
  2. Rubicon (285/70/17) and
  3. my eventual setup (17x8 +30 wheels with 34.5x11.5/R17)
The scrub radius of my setup is the same as a stock Rubicon; the only thing to care about is the lift height needed to increase the clearance to the wheel well.

The +30 offset and 8" rim width puts the setup at a stock-like state to clear 11.2-11.5" width tires - in other words, the backspace compensates for the axle width difference compared to the rubicon.

A 35x11.5 C-rated tire is only 60lb in weight and will help with handling and is easy on the components when stressed.

Stock Sahara vs 35x11.5/R17 on 17x8 +30 wheels
  • Tire is 5 mm closer to suspension components. Acceptable for most cars
  • Positive scrub radius (about 5 mm). Almost no difference.
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Planned upcoming upgrades:
  • 35" (35x11.5/17 C) Toyo Open Country AT3
  • AutoLYNX Swaybar disconnects
  • Tailgate hinge reinforcement and relocation.
  • Spare tire mounted carrier for 3-5lb propane tank.
  • Mud flaps and/or XR fender flare extensions (it pains me to see the number of paint chips from rocks)
  • Some decal ideas for the side and doors.
  • Neoprene seat covers (pending installation)

Most of the build was done by the amazing and friendly folks @ West Coast Off-roaders in North Vancouver, BC Canada
West Coast Off-Roaders | 4x4 Suspension & Truck Builds (westcoastoffroaders.com)
 
LasFit AUX Panel for JL

The best looking (stock-like) switch panel for the JL. Comes with 2 separate fuse boxes with 20 amp for red side and 40 amp for black side switches. The center thing is for some CB antenna wiring that I have no idea how to use.
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This is how I operate my front & rear lockers (with fully stock like CANBUS restrictions that prevents me from turning them on accidentally and also prevents me from turning on the front without the rear locked)
The air compressor is connected to Aux A and I am reserving the Aux B for any future air/electric-activated sway bar disconnect solution. AutoLYNX apparently are working on a new version with a switch.

As an when I add ditch lights and rear lights for the kitchen, I will wire them up on the right side panel.
 
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