Project: MF JK Part 1

(ANNOUNCER)>> THE 2013 JEEP JK, IT'S SPACIOUS, REFINED, AND LOADED WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY.

BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE IT TO THE TRAILS YOU'LL WANT SOME UPGRADES. TODAY ON XTREME 4X4 OUR WRANGLER RECEIVES THICK BODY ARMOR, A COMPLETE SUSPENSION REBUILD, PLUS A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE SOUND SYSTEM.

(IAN)>> NOW THERE'S A LOT OF COOL THINGS ABOUT GETTING TO WORK HERE. NOT ONLY DO YOU GET TO BUILD SOME PRETTY NEAT RIDES, YOU

GET TO MEET A LOT OF INTERESTING PEOPLE. NOW DEPENDING ON THE WEEK YOU COULD BE HANGING OUT WITH FAMOUS RACE CAR DRIVERS. NEXT WEEK THERE COULD BE MOVIE STARS WALKING THROUGH THE BUILDING. AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS THE WHO'S WHO OF THE AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET JUST WALKING AROUND AND LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS THAT WE BUILD. NOW SOME PRETTY COOL IDEA COME OUT OF TALKING TO THESE PEOPLE, AND THAT'S EXACTLY HOW THE IDEA OF OUR ROYAL PURPLE BLOG BUGGY GOT STARTED. GUYS FROM ROYAL PURPLE WANTED AN OVER THE TOP BUILD AND WE PUT TOGETHER A 100 PERCENT CUSTOM CRAWLER BUILT OFF OF THE THEME OF THEIR PRODUCT. NOW NOT TOO LONG AGO THE GUYS FROM MAGNAFLOW WERE IN THE BUILD AND THEY WANTED SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR, A THEM BUILT RIG, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA GIVE THEM, AND IT'S GONNA START WITH THIS 2013 JK.

THE POPULARITY OF THE JEEP JK IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND. WITH MORE ROOM INSIDE THAN THE PREVIOUS TJ MODEL, A LONGER WHEEL BASE, AND WIDER TRACK, THE JK HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR JEEP MODELS EVER PRODUCED. AND WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW THREE POINT SIX VARIABLE VALVE TECHNOLOGY ENGINE IN 2013, THIS RIG IS A GREAT BASE FOR THE NEWEST MAGNAFLOW PROJECT. THIS JEEP WILL BE USED BY MAGNAFLOW TO PROMOTE THEIR NEW CLOTHING LINE, MF GEAR. BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE IT STAND OUT IN A CROWD? MAGNALFOW DOES HAVE ITS SHARE OF SHOW CARS AND TRUCKS, WITH PLENTY OF MAGNAFLOW MUFFLERS ON DISPLAY. BUT WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE IS A VEHICLE THAT'S BUILT FOR THE ULTIMATE THREAT TO OUR SOCIETY, THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. THE FIRST STEP IN TRANSFORMING THIS JEEP INTO A HARDCORE ZOMBIE HUNTER IS GOING TO BE TO TEAR IT DOWN IN PREPARATION FOR SOME ARMOR. ENTIRE FRONT SHEET METAL'S GOTTA GO, INCLUDING THE FRONT BUMPER. ONE THING THAT WILL CHANGE THE PERFORMANCE AND THE LOOKS OF ANY JEEP WRANGLER IS A GOOD ARMOR PACKAGE. NOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE JK, AND THAT IS THAT THE FENDERS ARE PURELY COSMETIC, MADE OF EXTREMELY THIN SHEET METAL, AND DESIGNED TO JUST BOLT ON TO THE STRONGER BASE SUPERSTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH. NOW YOU DON'T WANT TO GO ADDING ARMOR ONTO THIS THIN SHEET METAL FENDER CAUSE WHEN YOU HIT SOMETHING ON

THE TRAIL IT WILL JUST CREASE THE FENDER AND CAUSE BODY DAMAGE ANYWAY. NOW YOU SAW WHEN WE REMOVE THIS FENDER THAT THERE'S A STRONG STRUCTURE UNDERNEATH HOLDING IT IN PLACE, AND THE GUYS AT SMITTYBILT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WITH THEIR

NEW XRC FRONT FENDERS AND REAR CORNER GUARDS. NOW THESE COMPLETELY REPLACE THAT THIN OUTER SKIN FENDER WITH A THICK EIGHTH INCH PLATE UNIT WITH A THREESIXTEENTHS STIFFENING RIM AROUND THE EDGE. NOW THE NICE THING IS IS ANY OBSTACLE THAT GETS INTO THIS FENDER ON THE TRAIL, ALL THAT ENERGY WILL BE TRANSMITTED INTO THAT SUPERSTRUCTURE, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO TAKE THAT KIND OF ABUSE. NOW ONE PROBLEM THAT IS PRONE TO DAMAGE ON THE FOUR DOOR JK'S ARE THE ROCKERS. SO AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE GONNA INSTALL A SET OF THEIR NEW HEAVY DUTY ROCKER SLIDERS. NOW THESE ARE MADE OF THREESIXTEENTHS PLATE AND HAVE A UNIQUE WEB DESIGN INSIDE TO GIVE IT EXTRA STRENGTH. THEY ALSO INCLUDE TWO SMALL TREAD STEPS TO MAKE IT EASIER JUST TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE JEEP. AND THEN TO FINISH IT OFF WE'LL WRAP THE BACK CORNER WITH THE SAME CORNER GUARD AS THE FRONT, WHICH WILL NOT ONLY PROTECT THE BODY BUT ALSO THE TAILLIGHTS

AND THE FUEL FILLER NECK. THE BEST IS BECAUSE THERE ARE DESIGNED TO BOLT ONTO THAT SUPERSTRUCTURE, ONCE THE FENDER SKIN'S OUT OF THE WAY, THESE SIMPLY BOLT IN PLACE.

WITH OUR NEW FRONT FENDER IN PLACE A SINGLE HOLE IS MARKED ON THE ROCKER, DRILLED, AND A NUTSERT IS INSTALLED. THE FACTORY FENDER FLARE EXTENSIONS NEED TO BE

TRIMMED BACK FLUSH WITH THE BODY FOR OUR NEW FENDER TO BE INSTALLED. THEN IT CAN BE BOLTED IN PLACE, FOLLOWED BY THE SPLASH SHIELD, AND FINISHED OFF WITH A TRIMMED DOWN FRONT INNER FENDER LINER. OUT BACK TAILLIGHTS ARE REMOVED ALONG WITH THE LICENSE PLATE BRACKET. AFTER THE HOLES ARE MARKED, THE QUARTER PANEL IS DRILLED AND THE NUTSERTS ARE INSTALLED. THEN THE CORNER GUARD IS BOLTED IN PLACE AND IT'S FINISHED OFF WITH OUR NEW HEAVY DUTY ROCKER PROTECTOR.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, A HEAVY DUTY THREE INCH LIFT KIT MAKES ROOM FOR TALLER TIRES.

(IAN)>> ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT THE JEEP JK IS YOU CAN FIT A RELATIVELY LARGE TIRE BY SIMPLY REMOVING THE FACTORY FENDER AND FLARE COMBINATION. YOU CAN ACTUALLY FIT UP TO A 35 INCH TALL PIECE OF RUBBER IN HERE BY SIMPLY INSTALLING THIS FENDER AND CORNER GUARD

OPTION WITH MINIMAL RUBBING AT FULL ARTICULATION.

BUT WE WANT THE JEEP SITTING UP JUST A LITTLE BIT TALLER FOR A MORE AGGRESSIVE STANCE. SO NOW IT'S TIME TO UPGRADE THE SUSPENSION. WE'RE GONNA GET THREE INCHES OF ADDITIONAL LIFT ON OUR JEEP THANKS TO A COMPLETE KIT FROM DAYSTAR. NOW IT'S A SPACER KIT THAT RETAINS THE FACTORY COIL

SPRINGS AFTER THEY'RE INSTALLED UNDERNEATH THESE POLYURETHANE SPACERS. AND IT COMES WITH EVERYTHING WE NEED TO RETAIN A LOT OF THE FACTORY GEOMETRY IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM, DROP DOWN TRACK BAR BRACKETS, BUMP STOP RELOCATION KITS, AND NEW SCORPION SERIES SHOCKS ALL THE WAY AROUND. BUT THERE'S STILL ONE PROBLEM WITH THE JK, AND THAT IS THE SUSPENSION ARMS. THEY'RE MADE FROM STAMPED STEEL AND IT'S VERY LIGHT CONSTRUCTION, SIMILAR TO THE BODY PANELS. WHICH MEANS THAT MILD OFF ROADING THEY'RE USUALLY OKAY, BUT ANYTHING HARDCORE THEY TEND TO FAIL. NOW TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING WE'RE GONNA REPLACE ALL THE SUSPENSION ARMS OF THIS NEW KIT FROM METAL CLOAK. IT'S MADE OUT OF TUBULAR DOM STEEL WITH HEAVY DUTY JOINTS FRONT AND REAR, AND IT'S FULLY ADJUSTABLE TO ALLOW US TO FINE TUNE THE SUSPENSION. BUT THE BIG NEWS IS THE JOINTS ON EITHER END. FROM THE FACTORY JEEP USES THESE RUBBER STYLE JOINTS AT ALL THE PIVOT POINTS IN THE SUSPENSION. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THE RUBBER'S FAIRLY HARD AND DOESN'T ALLOW THE JEEP TO FLEX. NOW ON THE METAL CLOAK KIT THEY USED THEIR NEW DURAFLEX JOINTS. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS CUTAWAY, IT HAS A STEEL SLEEVE INCASED IN A RUBBER HOUSING. NOW THAT ALLOWS THE JOINT TO ARTICULATE A LOT AND STILL SELF CENTER, WHICH HELPS KEEP THE SUSPENSION UNDER CONTROL. THE RUBBER WILL HELP PREVENT ANY VIBRATIONS INSIDE THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM, AND THE BEST PART IS THEY'RE FULLY REBUILDING BY JUST REPLACING THE DURAFLEX CENTER. NOW ALL OF THIS CAN EASILY GO INTO A JEEP JK IN AN AFTERNOON IN YOUR DRIVEWAY.

BY UNBOLTING THE FACTORY SHOCK AND SWAY BAR END LINK, THE AXLE CAN BE LOWERED OUT OF THE WAY AND THE FACTORY SPRING REMOVED. EACH OF OUR HEAVY DUTY METAL CLOAK ARMS ARE INSTALLED ONE AT A TIME SO THE REMAINING THREE ARMS KEEP THE AXLE LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK. WE'RE JUST LEAVING EVERYTHING LOOSE FOR NOW SO THE SUSPENSION WON'T BIND WHILE WE ARTICULATE IT AND

HOOK EVERYTHING BACK UP. THEN THE NEW DAYSTAR SPACER CAN BE INSTALLED ALONG WITH THE BUMP STOP RELOCATION MOUNT. THE FACTORY BUMP STOP IS INSTALLED AND THE STOCK SPRING GOES BACK IN.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, READY TO ROLL AXLE ASSEMBLES, AND A FREE FLOWING EXHAUST KIT.

(IAN)>> WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF PUTTING TOGETHER A JEEP JK FOR OUR FRIENDS OVER AT MAGNAFLOW. WE'VE ROLLED IT UP ONTO THE LIFT TO DEAL WITH SOME DRIVETRAIN ISSUES. NOW YOU PROBABLY NOTICED WHEN WE INSTALLED OUR METAL CLOAK ARM UPGRADE THAT WE DIDN'T TIGHTEN ANY OF THE BOLTS, AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE AXLES BOTH FRONT AND REAR.

NOW JEEP DID UPGRADE THE AXLES FOR THE JEEP JK TO MAKE THEM A LITTLE BIT STRONGER THAN THE SAME AXLE THAT YOU'D FIND UNDERNEATH THE PREVIOUS MODEL, THE TJ. NOW THAT IS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LARGER SIZE OF THE JK. THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU'RE GONNA RUN A TIRE AT LARGER THAN 33 INCHES, DO SOME MILD OFF ROADING, OR WANT TO JUST INSURE THAT YOU'RE NEVER GONNA HAVE AN AXLE FAILURE WHEN YOU'RE ON THE TRAIL, YOU WANT TO GET INTO THESE AXLES AND UPGRADE THEM. YOU CAN COMPLETELY TEAR THEM APART AND REPLACE ALMOST EVERYTHING INSIDE, OR YOU CAN REPLACE THEM AS AN ASSEMBLY. CURRIE ENTERPRISES OFFERS A COMPLETE LINE OF REPLACEMENT AXLE ASSEMBLIES FOR THE JEEP JK. NOW SURE, WE COULD TEAR INTO THE STOCK AXLES, THROW A RING AND PINION AT IT, SOME LOCKERS AND SOME CHROMOLY SHAFTS, BUT WE'D FALL SHORT IN UPGRADING THEM IN SOME KEY AREAS THAT CAN ONLY BE DONE BY REPLACING THE ENTIRE AXLE ASSEMBLY. NOW THESE HEAVY DUTY FNINE UNITS FROM CURRIE ARE A FULLY FABRICATED NINE INCH AXLE ASSEMBLY WITH THICK WALLED THREE INCH DOM AXLE TUBES. ALL THE BRACKETS ARE IN THE FACTORY POSITION TO ALLOW US

JUST TO DROP THEM INTO THE JK, BUT THEY HAVE MULTIPLE MOUNTING HOLES FOR KEY SUSPENSION COMPONENTS

TO HELP FINE TUNE THE SUSPENSION ONCE THEY'RE IN PLACE. THE NODULAR NINE INCH DROP OUT CENTER SECTION IS A LOT STRONGER THAN THE FACTORY UNIT IN THE JEEP. IT HAS A YUKON ZIP LOCKER IN IT, 486 GEARS, AND THE THREE BEARING PINION THAT WE'VE SHOWN YOU MANY TIMES THAT PREVENTS RING GEAR DEFLECTION. NOW THE UPGRADES IN THE FRONT END ARE EVEN BETTER. FROM THE KNUCKLE OUT WE HAVE A HEAVY DUTY F-350 INSPIRED KNUCKLE THAT GIVES US A 35 SPLINE AXLE, INCREDIBLY LARGE UJOINT, AND A LOCKOUT HUB AT THE WHEEL TO HELP ALLOW US TO UNLOCK THE WHEEL AND TIRE COMBINATION TO GIVE

US BETTER DRIVABILITY AND BETTER FUEL MILEAGE WHEN WE'RE ON THE STREET. ALL IN ALL THESE TWO AXLES UNDERNEATH OUR JEEP WILL PREVENT ANY FAILURES IN THE FUTURE, WHETHER WE'RE WHEELING OR HUNTING ZOMBIES. IN ORDER TO RETAIN THE FACTORY EBRAKE SETUP, THE CURRIE AXLES WILL REUSE THE BACKING PLATE AND SMALL DRUM BRAKE KIT OFF OF OUR FACTORY AXLE.

WITH OUR NEW AXLE HOUSINGS PREPPED, WE'LL GIVE THEM A

COAT OF DUPLICOLOR HIGH BUILD PRIMER, FOLLOWED BY SOME TEXTURED SILVER METALLIC. THEN THE AXLES CAN BE INSTALLED WITH THE FACTORY BRAKE ASSEMBLY CAPTURED BEHIND THE BEARING RETAINER. THE AXLE INSTALLS USING ALL THE FACTORY MOUNTING HARDWARE. THE METAL CLOAK ARMS ARE BOLTED UP, ALONG WITH THE TRACK BAR BRACKET AND THE SPRINGS. UP FRONT THE PROCEDURE IS THE EXACT SAME, AND ONCE THEY'RE INSTALLED THIS TRUCK IS READY TO WHEEL. WITH OUR AXLES UNDERNEATH THE JEEP WE'RE READY TO INSTALL OUR WHEEL AND TIRE PACKAGE. NOW WE OPTED FOR A SET OF GENERAL GRABBERS 35 INCHES TALL.

NOW THE GRABBER HAS A VERY AGGRESSIVE RACE INSPIRED STRAKE AND CHAMFERED TREAD DESIGN THAT NOT ONLY LOOKS COOL BUT WORKS REALLY WELL OFF ROAD THANKS TO THE LARGE TREAD BLOCKS AND OPEN AREAS FOR EASY CLEAN OUT. NOW WE WENT AHEAD AND MOUNTED THESE UP ON A SET OF 20 BY NINE RACE LINE OCTANE SERIES WHEELS IN THEIR BLACKED OUT POWDER COAT FINISH. NOW WE DON'T NEED BEAD LOCKS ON THIS TRUCK BECAUSE WE'RE NOT BUILDING A HARDCORE OFF ROADER. WE JUST WANT A VERY AGGRESSIVE WHEEL AND TIRE PACKAGE. NOW WE GET THAT THANKS TO THE LARGE DIAMETER WHEEL, SHORT SIDEWALL, AND AGGRESSIVE TREAD.

(ANNOUNCER)>> TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD, SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK TO CLASSIC DRIVELINE TECHNOLOGY.

(IAN)>> SO FAR TODAY EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE TO OUR JEEP JK ARE PERFECT UPGRADES TO TURN IT FROM AN EVERYDAY DRIVER INTO A HARDCORE OFF ROADER. AND ANY JK THAT'S GONNA SEE SOME SERIOUS TIME OFF PAVEMENT DEFINITELY NEEDS A COMPLETE SKID PLATE UPGRADE. NOW WE GOT AN ENTIRE SYSTEM FROM RIVER RAIDER OFF ROAD, AND IT WILL PROTECT OUR JEEP'S DRIVETRAIN FROM THE FRONT OF THE OIL PAN, PAST THE TRANSFER CASE, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE END OF THE FUEL TANK. NOW THE SKID PLATE SYSTEM LOCKS TOGETHER TO GIVE US ONE UNIFORM SURFACE UNDERNEATH THE JEEP, AND

THEY'RE MADE OUT OF LIGHT WEIGHT ALUMINUM SO THEY DON'T ADD A LOT OF WEIGHT AND HAVE THIS HEAVY DUTY UHM COATING OVER THE TOP OF IT TO MAKE

THEM NICE AND SMOOTH. NOW IT'LL JUST HELP THE JEEP SLIDE OVER OBSTACLES ON THE TRAIL. AND THE ALUMINUM UNDER SKIN WILL JUST BOLT UP THE FACTORY LOCATIONS UNDERNEATH THE JEEP. ONCE WE HAVE THIS INSTALLED, THEN THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF OUR RIG IS DONE. WITH THE FACTORY SKID PLATES REMOVED, THE RIVER RAIDER KIT STARTS BY MOUNTING THE ENGINE OIL SKID PLATE OFF A SET OF BRACKETS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE MOTOR MOUNTS. THEN THE REST OF THE SKID PLATES USE THE FACTORY MOUNTS, ATTACH TO THE FRAME, AND WRAP TO THE BACK OF THE GAS TANK. JEEP COMPLETELY REDESIGNED THE DRIVESHAFTS IN THE JEEP JK. THEY NOW ALL HAVE THESE LARGE BODIED SHAFTS WITH HIGH SPEED C/V JOINTS AT EITHER END. NOW THE PROBLEM WITH THESE JOINTS IS THAT THEY ARE NONSERVICEABLE, SO YOU CERTAINLY CAN'T FIX IT ON THE TRAIL, AND THEY DON'T HANDLE STEEP ANGLES VERY WELL. SO IF YOU LIFT YOUR JK, THEY CAN BIND QUITE EASILY.

NOW REAL DRIVELINE HAS A FIX FOR THAT AND THAT IS TO CONVERT THE DRIVESHAFTS OVER TO THE STANDARD TYPE OF SHAFT WITH A C/V JOINT AT THE TRANSFER CASE AND A STANDARD UJOINT DOWN AT THE AXLE. BUT WHAT MAKES THIS KIT A TRUE BOLT IN IS THE NEW FLANGES THAT WE'LL BE INSTALLING AT THE TRANSFER CASE. THIS WILL CONVERT IT FROM THAT HIGH SPEED CV BACK TO THE STANDARD STYLE SHAFT.

NOW IF WE STILL HAD STOCK AXLES IN OUR JEEP THEY'D ALSO SEND A SET OF FLANGES FOR THOSE AS WELL. BUT BECAUSE WE UPGRADED TO THE CURRIE AXLES, WE JUST HAVE A 1350 UJOINT FOR THAT MOUNT.

THE LAST ITEM WE WANT TO INSTALL TODAY IS OUR NEW MAGNAFLOW EXHAUST SYSTEM. NOW WE OPTED FOR AN AXLE BACK. IT IS A TWO AND A HALF INCH FULLY MANDREL BENT, FULLY WELDED, FACTORY REPLACEMENT EXHAUST SYSTEM. NOW IT'S GUARANTEED MORE HORSEPOWER AND MORE TORQUE THAN THE FACTORY MUFFLER THANKS TO THE NEW FLOW THROUGH DESIGN OF THE MUFFLER ITSELF. NOW QUITE OFTEN WHEN YOU SEE US INSTALLING A MAGNAFLOW EXHAUST KIT IT'S USUALLY A FULL POLISHED MUFFLER, OR MAYBE RAW STAINLESS STEEL PIPE, BUT INSTEAD WE OPTED FOR THE NEW FLAT BLACK CERAMIC COAT FINISH. IT'S STILL 100 PERCENT STAINLESS STEEL UNDERNEATH AND STILL CARRIES THAT LIFETIME WARRANTY, BUT THE FLAT BLACK JUST MAKES IT LOOK A LITTLE BIT MEANER.

NOW WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED ON OUR ZOMBIE HUNTING TRUCK. NEXT WEEK WE'LL DEAL WITH ALL THE COOL STUFF. WE'LL COMPLETELY CHANGE THE LOOKS OF THIS TRUCK, ADD A KILLER STEREO, AND A COUPLE OF CUSTOM FEATURES THAT'LL MAKE HUNTING ZOMBIES JUST A LITTLE BIT EASIER.