[theksmith]

Aimee and i did some exploring just outside of town today. we found a spring with a bunch of tadpoles in puddles and a valley full of humongous cacti!

[dzJeepChic]

[Like]

[theksmith]

loving the new headlights!

i haven't seen the JW Speakers or KC HiLites in person, so i don't know how they compare to other top brands, but i can't even begin to explain how much better they are than stock.

at around $300 for the pair with a lifetime warranty, i highly recommend them.





close up beam pattern test (~8ft from wall)...

Pro Comp low beams only:



Pro Comp low beams + no-name fog lights:



Pro Comp high beams only:




medium distance beamshots...

low beams + fogs:



high beams:

[theksmith]

i got to put Gadget on the MetalCloak CTI trailer at the LetzRoll Offroad anniversary event, she only scored a 600, but i guess that's not bad for her current level of mods.




ran a couple trails over Thanksgiving weekend, Walker Gulch area near Lake Pleasant and Zimmerman Point out behind Lake Roosevelt.

the Zimmerman Point trail was awesome, very scenic and a just the right level of challenging without being dangerous or risking body damage. Sarah (Kaspily) took these cool photos of gadget on the way up:

[theksmith]

we gots us a box-o-parts ready to be installed next week!

[scottL]

[theksmith]

we're back from the Havasu City area explorartory trip! photos & trip report thread here...


Gadget waiting for the rest of the group to arrive:



and taking an afternoon break, just sitting pretty on top of the world.

[theksmith]

Gadget is spending the night at LetzRoll Offroad in Mesa, it's taking them a couple days to get that box-o-parts welded on. i actually get a little unsettled when she isn't parked in my own garage overnight though!

then i have a whole other set of boxes to work on installing myself after she comes home!

[theksmith]

Gadget got to come home yesterday - with some newfound confidence in her legs!


the front axle now has a JCR truss, JCR C-gussets, and Rough Country control arm bracket mini-skids.






the rear axle also got some love with a JCR truss and Evo shock/control arm bracket skids. the existing bolt-on Teraflex track-bar bracket would have interfered with the truss, so it and the factory bracket were replaced with a weld-on Artec bracket.






a complete set of second gen Teraflex HD ball-joints were proactively installed.

with nearly 60k on the stock ones and running large tires, i didn't expect them to hold up for another year. this was a convenient time since otherwise you have to be careful to not melt the insides of the factory ones while welding the C-gussets.

[theksmith]