Page updated: 10/29/2000 07:40 PM

Jeepaholics Anonymous:  Big, white, custom, guinea-pig, TJ-thing.  I've heard you reference your hobby as this a number of times...care to elaborate some?

Brad Kilby: Well, this TJ has been a guinea pig and test bed for numerous things.  From producing a product line to testing the goods on the trail.  There isn't much left on it that is stock or has at least been tinkered with.

JA:  So you (and others) have nicknamed this guinea-pig TJ-7, The Missing Link, etc...  Some are calling it madness, others genius.  What finally brought you to the point of giving up on your rear coil springs?

BK:  Bad handling on the street and scary handling on the trail.  My personal opinion is, coil springs are good if you want a cushy ride.  If you want to go extreme, leaf spring is the way to go unless you want to deal with a conglomeration of brackets, control arms, sway bars and track bars.  I'll stick to the leafs.  :-)  The rear leaf spring conversion was actually an experiment to see if I liked the way it handled, etc.  I definatly like it over coils so I'm gonna keep them but we're going to make some changes in the future.

JA:  Far as we can tell...you're the first person to do this.  Personally, I've seen your rig on the trail pre- and post-coils and I'm thoroughly impressed with the improvements in off-roadability.  You seem to be getting a lot of attention over this!  Think you'll start some kind of crazy trend in the TJ community?

BK: Starting a trend isn't what I had in mind but if it happens, so be it.  I've had quite a few TJ owners email me, asking specifics about the leafs and the problems they solved.  I think there will be more folks converting in time.

JA:  You hinted towards changes in the future...that top secret stuff?

BK:  Not really.  The plan is to convert the rear leafs to a SOA with Alcan springs (instead of SUA.)  The CJ hangers will be replaced with YJ hangers.  They have a mini ramp built into them and I think they'll be stronger too.  We'll have to address the typical axle wrap problem but at this stage, what's another mod?  :-)

JA:  Tell me about the best time you've had wheelin'.

BK:  That's a tough one.  I'd say it'd have to be wheeling with Dehesa at TDS or our annual New Years weekend at Ocotillo Wells.  Wheeling with all my buddies of course!

JA:  What's your favorite trail?

BK:  For scenery, Rubicon.  For the challenge, the Hammers (pick one)

JA:  What's the dumbest thing you've ever done in your Jeep?

BK:  Flipped it rear over front off a sand dune at Pismo.  It wasn't one
of my smartest moves.

JA:  You've recently ventured out into the ever-growing list of Jeep and off-road suppliers.  You seem to have taken the path of, "I think I can just sell what I built for myself..."  What makes you different from the other guys?

BK:  Quality and commitment.  We manufacture certain products and sell other products as well, but I try to specialize in things that not every shop sells.  Right now, we manufacture on board air brackets to install engine driven compressors on 2.5 and 4.0 Jeep engines.  The compressors that are being used are the Yorks and rotary compressors.  Mainly Sanden.  We manufacture two different racks that go on the inside of the TJ with other models to follow.  We also make a gas tank skid plate for the TJ.  CJ and YJ models will follow.  We are a stocking distributor for Con-Ferr Products and also the Four X Doctor.  We have a couple more possibilities in the works too.

JA:  So what's next on the horizon for Brad?

BK:  Who knows!  I might get tired of the front coils in the Jeep and put leaf springs in the front.  Only time will tell.  :-)

<--Clicking here will allow you to voice your opinions about this article (discussion started 11/1/00)

Brad Kilby's write-up on the conversion as well as his ever-growing product line can be viewed at the follow two web sites:
Kilby Enterprises
OnBoardAir.com

You can also E-MAIL Brad directly if you like...