Not much love for the KK?

SETexasLibby · **Posted:** Fri Dec 03, 2010 11:46 pm

I have been contemplating how to begin modding my KK recently.I kind of came to a conclusion of something (now hear me out). I have high hopes for the vehicle but I've come to feel that the market hasn't taken to the KK like they did with the KJ. I feel like that is the main reason that fabricating companies have done so little to develope products. I own my vehicles till the wheels fall off. i've only owned 2 in my life, I believe in maintenance so that they run no matter how old or what mileage. I have honestly wanted to keep her at a top so I can give her to my son when he turns 16 and give it to him as a pretty rad rig. I just feel like I'll never have those products available to me.

Does anyone else feel like this?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:34 am

Well with the little to no market for the KJ and with the KK being killed off in a few years companies have no interest in a low interest market.This opens the door to smaller companies to take the whole market but the cost of making stuff like bumpers and such is high for a small company which has to be past onto the customer so that the company can make money to stay open and most(even here on this forum) will not pay those prices even for high grade products.Almost everyone wants this stuff for super cheap and that just is not going to happen.Just like the RL rear bumper and carrier setup was like $1800,poeple thought that was a rippoff but if you actually seen how much labor was involved in making that setup(and was actually doing the work) you would understand the cost,and yes I have personally been there helping make most of the RL rears out there today.Let's face it the Liberty is just seen as a "hardcore" offroad Jeep,though they are very popular the majority has no interest in mods besides stereo's and 20" rims anymore,sad but true.

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:53 am

He hit the nail on the head. What do you do? :juggle:

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:51 am

The KK was never #1 in it's class like the KJ once was.

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:59 am

Troy helped Martin out with the intial design and welding and as you can see by his rig and the one on rock lizards site he was also a test bed. Correct me if i am wrong just what i have picked up on so far

Budke · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 8:59 am

You can always get a wrangler. :mrgreen:

I have a hard time deciding what parts I want, rather than looking for parts. :BANANA:

rokee1998 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:48 am

or you can always build an XJ, soooo many parts available, easy to make an XJ unique.

kskj · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:50 pm

Until now!!! check this out.
viewtopic.php?f=88&t=57322

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:11 pm

Budke wrote:

You can always get a wrangler. :mrgreen:

I have a hard time deciding what parts I want, rather than looking for parts. :BANANA:

Yeah but that is no fun,making it yourself is so much better.

My 15 year old sister can build a Wrangler and never leave the computer.What fun is that?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:12 pm

rokee1998 wrote:

or you can always build an XJ, soooo many parts available, easy to make an XJ unique.

Same answer as my last post.

teckman02 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:19 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

Budke wrote:

You can always get a wrangler. :mrgreen:

I have a hard time deciding what parts I want, rather than looking for parts. :BANANA:

Yeah but that is no fun,making it yourself is so much better.

My 15 year old sister can build a Wrangler and never leave the computer.What fun is that?

that is one of the reasons that i did not buy a TJ i did not want a cookie cutter JEEP.
at some point down the road i want to build a Jurassic Park jeep sometime and that will be the only wrangler that i will ever buy... edit i may take parts of a few to build "other thinks" :twisted:

liquidxit2 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 06, 2010 8:10 am

One of the reasons why I love my kj is it is unique. I love the wranglers but like stated above its more cookie cutter. Plus I see 100+ wraglers to every kj/kk that's modded. While I will admit I do want a jk (minus the van engine and fire by wire) that will only come when I either a) win the lottery or b) can no longer drive Or stand to drive my kj. So basically if someone totals my kj or they stop selling parts for it.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 06, 2010 9:08 am

roll till the pinchwelds stop pinchin.. and the drivers seat falls through the floor.. patch it with plywood, sit on a bundle of news papers and keep truckin

never been a big fan of getting rid of something I still enjoy

as for aftermarket for the KK, i don't know.. many aftermarket companies and proprietors bought in too much too early with the KJ's and paid the price

aftermarket demand tends to be higher when at least 1/4-1/2 of the fleet is outside their warranties and the vehicle is paid off or re-purchased used as a new toy or second vehicle

of course, that point in the quantity occurring while the economy is in the turlet probably doesn't help

several of the AM companies that initially bought in with the KJ's refused to do so with KK's due to lack of profitability with the KJ's and have now ignored the Liberty line entirely

which on some products, is a dang shame, especially with modular built products like some rockrails which the outer ends are identical initially for an entire line of products, say XJ and KJ's then cut and welded to the supports in different jigs, so it's basically the companies refusing to buy in to the R&D for the other half, plus the stocking requirements and uncertain sales associated with an "Iffy" market

I personally like the KK's, it's a very nice platform, but I think they're basically going for higher volume lower price, rather than higher price lower volume

same situation you see with building TJ's and such, can pretty much get two bumpers and rockrails for the price of an ARB, but then you're talking lower quality high availability - which most probably care less about the quality than we'd expect

I honestly tried to at least keep TR's interest up with the KK's but even at the KJ prices or higher they weren't interested

There's a ton of custom shops out there who are capable fabricators, get to taking rough measurements and start drawing sketches and getting quotes is all I know to say

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 06, 2010 11:36 am

That is what i am thinking about i am a student once again after being laid off. So i am thinking why not put some of these programs i have at my finger tips to good use. Such as CAD or autoDesk and i know of quite a few metal fabricators here in town personally. I am seriously thinking about designing my own rear bumper for the KJ to start with a spare tire carrier and Roto Pax fuel carrier or extra spare. Something that is of course high clearence dont really like the idea of and intergrated hitch but intergrate the 7 pin and 4 flat into it for protection. But what will dictate all of this is of course cost. Time is not and issue at all and with Autodesk i can keep my tolerence down to almost nothing (.05'+-). But i will not build my first one till i have my drawings completely done and figure out which shop would be the best one for this project.

Not much love for the KK?

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