Applies to:Jeep Wrangler JLU – 4-Door

Jeep Wrangler JLU Build the OG - J-Low

The Original JL, Built One Iteration at a Time

J-Low was our 2018 Jeep Wrangler JLU Rubicon, the first JL we could get our hands on and the vehicle behind AAL’s first blog-style YouTube video. It became a development platform as the cargo layout and other equipment changed.

This page is an archive of that build. The early video shows its beginnings; the gallery includes later trail and camp configurations, with MASS storage, a fridge slide, drawers, and a tailgate table.

Questions About This Build?Browse Jeep Wrangler JLU - 4-Door Gear
J-Low in a later photographed trail configuration.
J-Low in a later photographed trail configuration.
Historical BuildEquipment verification date not recordedPhotos may show different stages. Check current product fitment and included components.

Build Details

Build at a Glance

Vehicle: 2018 Wrangler JLU Rubicon, four-door
Powertrain: 3.6L V6, eight-speed automatic
Role: Early AAL JL development vehicle
Photo Record: Multiple stages of the build

J-Low Wrangler JLU archived fridge and drawer cargo layout
An archived rear view showing the fridge, drawer stack, and smaller items carried above them.

Build Story

A Cargo Layout That Developed With the Jeep

In the photographed rear cargo layout, the Dometic CFX3 45 sits in the left column on a Flat Slide (6×4). The right column is stacked from the bottom up: two 6-inch MASS drawers, one 4-inch MASS drawer, then a Flat Slide (6×3) on top. A JLU MASS Cargo Shelf spans directly above the fridge and drawer stack.

J-Low used the older 6×4 Flip’n Slide for a while before switching to a flat slide. It went through several cargo arrangements over the years; the numbered photo below documents one of those configurations. The flat slides used on J-Low were the original versions. Ultralight flat slides came later and were not installed on this Jeep.

Our recollection is that this Jeep kept the original JL MASS platform until it was sold, with MASS Plus arriving afterward. The later MASS Plus platform and newer JL–JK Flip’n Slide Drawer are excluded from this build’s documented equipment.

Food preparation on the tailgate table, beside the rear cargo equipment.
Food preparation on the tailgate table, beside the rear cargo equipment.

Build Story

Put the Kitchen Within Reach

The JL VersaTable gives the open tailgate its own working surface. The camp photos show how that surface sits beside the fridge slide and drawer system.

Think through the open layout before choosing parts. Allow space to stand between the extended equipment, open the fridge lid, and reach the drawer you need. Check fridge ventilation and keep wiring clear of moving slides.

J-Low at a wooded camp alongside another Jeep.
J-Low at a wooded camp alongside another Jeep.

Build Story

Use the Photos as a Development Record

The gallery moves between mountain terrain, desert rock, wooded camps, and shop displays. It also shows changes in lighting, exterior equipment, and cargo packing.

Those views document the Jeep’s history. They can help you compare mounting locations and working space, but they do not establish one current parts package. Start with your own seating and storage requirements, then confirm the current version of each component.

J-Low in its gray AAL wrap, photographed during its time as the original JL shop build.
J-Low in its gray AAL wrap, photographed during its time as the original JL shop build.

Build History

A Shop Jeep and a Family Travel Companion

The original shop-build page recorded J-Low’s role in AAL’s beginnings and the family’s farewell when the Jeep went to its new home:

This vehicle, and our passion to improve it, is what put AAL on the map. Most of our JL products originated from this particular vehicle and it has been a prized member of the family from day 1.

To say I hated to see it go would just sound cliché, but the adventures we have been on as a family in this vehicle changed our lives and our children’s lives forever. It was amazing and still has decades of amazing trips left in it.

I hope its new home can make as many memories as it has for us.

The photo archive brings together the earlier shop-build gallery and the later J-Low record. It includes different cargo arrangements used over several years.

Build Story

Back to the First Video

“Off the Wagon” was AAL’s first blog-style video about this 2018 Wrangler. It belongs to the beginning of the build, before the later cargo arrangements shown above. The original page also noted the learning curve of filming it, including camera placement.

Play Video▶ Play Video

Build Sheet

Recorded Build Specifications

Engine

3.6L V6 – Stock

Transmission

ZF 8-speed Auto

Suspension

3.5″ Short Arm Lift from IVD
Remote reservoir shocks
Stock steering

Tires/Wheels

38″ Nitto Trail Grapplers
20″ Compression Wheels by Icon powder coated textured red

Understand the Setup

Equipment Layout Guide

The photographed setup uses a Dometic CFX3 45 beside a three-drawer stack, with flat slides and a JLU MASS Cargo Shelf.

J-Low’s photographed rear cargo configuration, with the fridge, flat slides, drawers, and upper shelf identified below.123
J-Low’s photographed rear cargo configuration, with the fridge, flat slides, drawers, and upper shelf identified below.

  1. Dometic CFX3 45 and 6×4 Flat Slide

    The Dometic CFX3 45 occupies the left column and sits on a Flat Slide with a 6×4 pattern.

    Flat Slide – 6×4
    Dometic CFX3 45 model details

  2. Drawer Stack and 6×3 Flat Slide

    From the bottom up: two 6-inch MASS drawers, one 4-inch MASS drawer, and a Flat Slide with a 6×3 pattern on top.

    M.A.S.S. Storage Drawer – 6 Inch (6×3 Pattern)M.A.S.S. Storage Drawer – 4 Inch (6×3 Pattern)Flat Slide – 6×3

  3. JLU MASS Cargo Shelf

    The JLU MASS Cargo Shelf spans directly above the fridge and drawer stack.

    Jeep JLU M.A.S.S. Cargo Shelf – Adjustable Height

This photo explains one configuration, not a complete installation plan. Confirm the current product version, mounting requirements, seating needs, and clearances.

Build Questions

Questions About J-Low

Equipment, fitment, and planning details from this build.

Is This a Current Shop Build?

No. J-Low is a former AAL development vehicle. This page preserves its photos and recorded configuration.

Do the Video and Gallery Show the Same Stage?

The video documents the early Jeep. The gallery includes later configurations, so expect equipment to differ.

Did J-Low Use MASS Plus or the Newer Flip’n Slide Drawer?

According to the owner’s recollection, J-Low retained the original JL MASS platform until it was sold. MASS Plus came later, and the newer JL–JK Flip’n Slide Drawer is not part of this build’s documented equipment. The older 6×4 Flip’n Slide was used for a period before a flat slide replaced it.

Can You Help Plan a Similar Four-Door JL?

Use the questions button above the main photo. Include your year, Wrangler model, fridge dimensions, passenger needs, and the part of this layout you want to reproduce.

Still Have Questions About This Build?

Tell us about your vehicle and the setup you want to build.

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Build Equipment

Products Used in This Build

25 products

Compare current product details with the photographed configuration. Versions and included components can differ.

25 products shown

J-Low Build Archive Photo Gallery

Trail, camp, shop, and show photos from our original 2018 JL. These include the earlier shop-build history and later development stages, with duplicate views removed.

66 photosClick any photo to enlarge
Jeep Wrangler JLU Build the OG – J-Low: gallery photo 1 Jeep Wrangler JLU Build the OG – J-Low: gallery photo 2 Jeep Wrangler JLU Build the OG – J-Low: gallery photo 3 Jeep Wrangler JLU Build the OG – J-Low: gallery photo 4 Jeep Wrangler JLU Build the OG – J-Low: gallery photo 5 Jeep Wrangler JLU Build the OG – J-Low: gallery photo 6 Food preparation on the tailgate table, beside the rear cargo equipment.

Full-size photos open in the gallery viewer