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Jeep JK Jack Base by AEV

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Jeep JK Jack Base by AEVInstalling a suspension lift on your Jeep Wrangler is one of the most exciting and most common upgrades any Jeep owner can think of. Lifting your Jeep results in better approach, departure and break over angles, as well as the ability to put on larger tires. When you install larger tires, that’s when you actually increase your vehicles ground clearance. Since the lowest point on your live-axle Jeep is the differential, and it’s part of the axle, only increasing the size of your tires will give you more ground clearance. One aspect of installing a lift and putting on larger tires, which many Jeep owners forget about, is the ability to change your new tires in case you get a flat. Due to your axles being raised, your factory “scissor” jack becomes unsafe to use (remember: since the axle tubes are the proper jack points on your Jeep, it’s the tire size that impacts the location of those points and not the amount of your suspension lift).
You have to consider what you want to use from now on in the event of a flat tire. There are of course several options available. The simplest is to get yourself a couple of pieces of 2×6 lumber and store it somewhere in the Jeep. They would be wide enough to provide a stable base for your stock jack and would raise the jack about 3 inches from the ground.
Other options are: an aftermarket base for the factory jack, a high-lift jack, a bottle jack, or an inflatable exhaust jack.
Here is a good video explaining the differences and advantages of the different options.
A high-lift jack is a very useful recovery tool and can perform several functions on the trail, however it was never really designed for tire changing and can be very dangerous if you are not careful when using it.
A bottle jack is a very good option for lifted vehicles, especially for maintenance performed in your garage on a hard, level surface. It is however a very heavy tool with a small footprint, that will need to be stored in your Jeep, together with probably a couple of pieces of 2×6 lumber serving as a base in soft terrain.
Inflatable exhaust jack offers a very wide footprint preventing it from sinking on soft surfaces, however it will not provide much lift, is very bulky and heavy making it difficult to store inside the Jeep, and is quite expensive. For those reasons exhaust jacks are not very popular in offroading community.
After considering pro’s and con’s of all the options I decided that for everyday driving as well as wheeling trips, I am going to stick with the factory scissor jack. It comes standard with a Jeep, it’s compact, easy to use, much more practical and safer to use than a Hi-Lift jack for changing tires and stores away nicely and out of sight when not in use.
For all the maintenance tasks I perform on my Jeep, I keep a floor jack and a bottle jack in my garage as well. Based on experience installing my lift kit, there are situations when you might need all three jacks at the same time.
Since the stock jack will get extended beyond it’s safe limit when using on my lifted Jeep with 35″ tires, I considered simply carrying couple of pieces of 2×6’s, however after coming across the AEV’s Jeep JK Jack Base and seeing how it perfectly fits inside my rear floor compartment, I decided to give it a try.
I understand that due to it’s pretty high price, it might be considered a luxury item by some Jeep owners.
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June 28, 2020 |

Slickrock Gear JK Pockets

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JK PocketsI have never been a big fan of the netting used by Chrysler on the doors and dashboard of the Jeep Wrangler JK, instead of actual pockets. I honestly do not use the door netting at all, since I try do drive doorless as much as possible. I am lucky to live in a warm climate of Arizona, which makes it possible to enjoy doorless driving most of the year.
I tried using the lower dash net pocket few times, when my JK was brand new, however it didn’t take long before the netting stretched out and started sagging so bad, that it became completely useless. On top of that, the netting started to deteriorate and fall apart. I ignored it for a very long time, and simply accepted that I will never use that pocket again.
I was doing some research online and came across a product recently, that offered a solution to the issue of the “sagging netting”. The company called Slickrock Gear, located in California, started manufacturing JK Pockets™ as replacement for the often useless netting in Jeep JK. These plastic pockets replace the netting and give you actual real storage on the inside of the doors and the dashboard.
I decided to purchase the Lower Dash JK Pocket™, since I had no need for the door pockets at this time. I bought the JK Pocket™ with my own money and did not receive any special deal on it. I do want to mention that these products are not cheap, however they are made in the USA.
This might be considered a luxury item by some Jeep owners.
Slickrock Gear’s website provides a lot of information and reviews about their products as well as installation instuctions.
It literally takes five minutes to install these things, however per provided instructions, you will be removing the factory netting permanently.
I did find a forum thread where some creative jeepers demonstrated that it’s possible to install the Slickrock Gear JK Pockets without removing the stock netting.
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January 28, 2020 |

Bivouac Camping Trailers

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BCTRick Russek and Ron Bernaud, the owners of Bivouac Camping Trailers, set out to design and build the most rugged, functional overlanding trailers on the planet. Their design concept encompassed a trailer that is capable of maneuvering along rough dirt roads, which also contains an entire campsite that can be set up or torn down within five minutes. BCT makes trailers for the intrepid explorer who doesn’t want to stay in the same place all weekend. If you want to see and do more than the average camper, and if you want to go places where the roads can’t take you, then Bivouac Camping Trailers are made for you.

Bivouac Camping Trailers has been operating in Phoenix, Arizona since June 2008. The company was founded on the basis of providing unique quality off-road expedition trailers and toy haulers for outdoor enthusiasts. We are a tight-knit, local company consisting of family and friends who have come together to fulfill a dream. Our unique designs were created in an effort to fill a niche that had been previously ignored. Our trailers allow adventurers to access camping areas that other style trailers simply cannot reach. With at least 16 inches of clearance underneath, Bivouac Camping Trailers ride higher than most of the vehicles towing them!

Along the way, we have aligned ourselves with companies that have allowed us to manufacture the best off-road camping trailer possible. One of our partners is Tepui Tents out of Santa Cruz, California (www.tepuitents.com). Tepui Tents are made with incredibly durable materials that will stand up to the most extreme conditions. They use high quality rip-stop fabrics with a superior ventilating coating that provide excellent water and wind protection, yet are more breathable than other tent brands on the market. For added versatility, the M.O.A.B. Fort’s Kukenam tent, for example, can be easily removed from the Fort body and mounted directly onto your SUV’s roof rack or aftermarket roof bars.
Our camping trailers are also extremely customizable in order to meet your specific requirements. From private porta-potties and hot water showers to grills and even lift kits, you might be surprised what we can add to your Bivouac Camping Trailer. Plus, we can even paint your trailer to match your wheeling vehicle. And with an impressive amount of cargo space, you can haul in all the gear and supplies you’ll need for a long wheeling trip.

Bivouac Camping Trailers is located at 1 W. Deer Valley Rd., Suites 116 & 117 in Phoenix. Our shop is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and we are also available by phone at 480-235-5557. You can learn more about our company and see images of our trailers on our website, moabaz.com. Rick and Ron look forward to sharing their passion project with you and answering any questions you have.

 

 

February 1, 2015 |

SpiderWebShade mesh top

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It is obvious that a huge part of the great fun of owning a Jeep is the open-top wheeling that goes with the vehicle. However, it does not take long to realize that open-top fun comes with the bonus of a free sunburn, especially when you live in a state like Arizona, where it’s sunny almost every day.

When you own a Jeep with a hardtop and you wanna loose it for a while and enjoy the open air, you have few options. You can buy a soft top and only use it when it rains, you can get a Bikini top or a mesh top. Soft top and bikini top are good options, but they are really thick and once put on, they block all the sun, breeze and the view of the sky. They will protect you from the sun rays very well though. They are pretty expensive, and with bikini tops you have to remember to buy a separate windshield channel, which is as much as the top itself.

As I was trying to decide which option would be the best one for me, I accidentally came across few pictures of another jeeper, who had a mesh top intalled and it looked really good on his jeep. I also liked that it seemed like a really easy install with apparently few bungy cords. He seemed very comfortable with a nice amount of shade inside his jeep. After talking to him and getting his feedback, I decided to order the mesh top for myself. It is made in Orlando by SpiderWebShade.
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October 10, 2014 |

GearPods

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GearPods makes modular, lightweight adventure and survival gear to help the outdoor enthusiast to prepare for the unexpected. The gear combines an innovative container system – GearPods Connect – with a range of pre-built GearPods Kits. The result is a configurable kit system that caters to casual and serious outdoor enthusiasts looking for pre-built kits and a-la-carte components respectively.

The GearPods Connect system represents a new approach to organizing and packing adventure gear. GearPods Connect is a flexible and modular container system that is perfect for building kits. Sharing a common diameter as most sports bottle holders, GearPods are also easy to pack: in a bike water bottle cage, lumbar pack, hydration pack, backpack or even a pocket. Our pre-built GearPods Kits cover the essentials of adventure and survival: first aid, survival, shelter, and cooking. These kits provide the best of both worlds: highly compact yet capable adventure and survival gear.

GearPods are suitable for virtually every outdoor sport, including: hiking and backpacking, climbing, mountain biking, off-roading, kayaking, adventure racing, winter sports and hunting.
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May 31, 2011 |

Tie Down Strap Sack

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How many times have you gone to use your dirt bike tie down, ATV tie down, etc… and had to tie-up the excess strapping to prevent flapping or dragging of the excess strapping of the tie down straps. Not only is this annoying to spend the time tying up the excess strapping, it is equally as frustrating un-tying the knots made. The Strap Sack attaches to your existing tie down straps and hold all of the excess strapping and when you are finished, the Strap Sack stores the entire strap in the bag. No more tie downs laying in the bed of your truck or a in a bucket or bin all tangled-up. Using the storage capabilities of the Strap Sack, many store their tie downs in the side pocket of the truck.

 

Most of us keep our tie downs in a bucket, crate, box, on a shelf, or in the back of our vehicles. This storage system tends to produce one thing- an aggravating mess! There is usually frustrating loss of time needed to unravel the straps that are entangled with other straps, rope, bungee cords, etc. When the tie down straps are applied to whatever you are attempting to secure there is always excess strapping that needs to be dealt with. For most of us this means tying several knots to secure the excess strapping that needs to be untied once you reach your destination. And of course, then the strap is thrown back in its previous unorganized storage space.

THE SOLUTION IS STRAP SACK! The Strap Sack allows the user to secure the excess strapping without tying knots, preventing flapping or dragging. After use, the Strap Sack stores the entire tie down preventing a “spaghetti like” mess with other tie down. The Strap Sack installs to your existing tie downs in seconds.

 

The Strap Sack quickly installs to any existing tie down strap. Take the end that is attached to the ratchet and slide it through the top of the bag (where the drawstring is located). Continue to feed it through the bottom of the bag and use the zip tie to cinch it to the strap. Cut off the remaining zip tie and the bag is installed. To use the Strap Sack simply remove the tie down strap from the sack, ratchet the tie down tight, pull the Strap Sack over the ratchet and the extra strapping goes in the bag. Use the drawstring to close the bag and away you go!

 

Strap Sacks are made for different applications. All of the Strap Sacks have parachute cord drawstrings with cord stops and installed zip-tie for easy installation. The most common is the Medium duty 1″ – 1.5″ Strap Sack which is made of a quality rip-stop nylon fabric that is available in: red, orange, blue, black, and camouflage (not rip-stop). For a more demanding environment there are the new Heavy-duty Strap Sacks that are made of 7oz, 430 denier poly coated Pack Cloth. These are made for more rugged application or those who want to throw their straps in the back of the truck and then pile some wood on top.

 

There are three versions available currently:
– Strap Sack for 1″ – 1.5″ Tie Down Straps (4 Pack = $15.00)
– 1″ – 1.5″ Heavy Duty Strap Sacks (4 Pack = $19.99)
– Strap Sack for 2″ Tie Down Straps (2 Pack = $15.99)

 

You can pick up the Strap Sack at www.tie-down-storage.com

 

If you own Strap Sack and have used it, make sure to COMMENT and let others know what you think.

 

April 24, 2011 |

GoPro’s HD Helmet HERO camera

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GoPro’s HD Helmet HERO is the world’s highest performance wearable 1080p HD video and still photo camera. Professional quality 1080p / 960p / 720p HD resolutions record at 30 and 60 frames per second (60 fps in 720p). Record up to 2.5 hours on a single charge and up to 9 hours total on a 32GB SD card (not included).

In addition to HD video, this digital action sports helmet cam also shoots 5MP still photographs at 2/5/10/30 or 60 second intervals. Press the shutter button once and record up to 2.5 hours of poster-print quality POV photos of you and your friends’ most memorable moments.

Helmet camera mount options include a headlamp style head strap that you can quickly share with your friends, a lace-through strap-mount for vented helmets, two curved and two flat adhesive mounts for attaching to gear, vehicles or whatever else moves you.

The HD Helmet HERO is compatible with all other GoPro HERO camera mounts & accessories, so it’s very easy to expand the functionality of your camera to attach with a suction cup to vehicles, clamp to bike handlebars and seat posts, mount to surfboards, and even be worn on the wrist or chest.

Waterproof to 180’ / 60m, shockproof, and protected from rocks and other hazards thanks to its removable polycarbonate housing. Replacement housings and lens kits are available, making repairs or refurbishing your HD HERO camera affordable and convenient.
It’s a GoPro…go for it.™

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April 18, 2011 |
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