Hey all.. This year for our 2 year anniversary... my wife and i decided to go camping/offroading out somewhere in Arizona (I have a friend who lives out there and knows of some trails).

Instead of getting each other gifts... we're just gonna buy something for the jeep . Unfortunately... we're just a young newly married couple... and we were just got ourselves into a forclosure - which is awesome to own our own home... but... money is T..I..G..H..T

I'm thinking we're gonna have hopefully around $600 or $700 to spend. Based on what we already have on the jeep in my sig... is there anything you think would make the jeep work better offroad?

Our first thoughts are to recovery - a new front bumper and winch... but most are expensive, so Im not sure... I saw this on here forever ago... https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...t=25095&page=1

Anybody know of any current specials with any manufacturers on here that is somewhat close to this? I love this bumper... but wish I could keep my factory fogs and have maybe a little less stubby so I have room for some lights later on... Would an 8k lb winch like on this old special even do the trick?

Anything else anyone can recommend that I havent thought of? I'd love to do a little bigger lift... but cant afford to do it AND rims/tires. So were at kinda a loss for what to do.

Who'da thought modding the jeep would be so hard for me to decide on

 

anyone?

 

Can you ask your friend what he has for recovery gear. Also what kind of trails he will send you on? I'd say some basic recovery gear is in order like tow strap, hi-lift jack, CB, etc... Looking at the sig I'd have to say I'd go Winch, Front bumper, Armor, 35" tires and then extra lighting. (in this order) Gerry cans will have to go inside for now.

Also since I see in your gallery you've already did some pretty moderate trails I wouldn't worry to much about Lockers.

Have fun!!!

 

Depending on the terrain, I'd start acting on a deal towards some Rubi wheels/tires. The OEM 32's are just not very good in very muddy conditions IMO. And being on limited budget, I don't think you could get a set of more extreme tires in a 32" with any money left over.

Winch - If you aren't stuck in sucking mud (which you can more than likely avoid), 8000# is plenty. You usually just need a helping hand...and that's when you are ALONE. If your friend is with you, pull out the recovery strap first. Also, prices have gone up a little on the cheaper Smittybilt winch. They've gone up about $30 from the introductory price, so you're looking at maybe $330 for one now. That thread price looked like an awesome deal. Wish I'd seen it when it was new. I've seen a few threads on mounting a winch inside the front OEM bumper...might consider that as a near term solution if you can't afford the bumper too. The bumper is a nice to have but will not help you in recover like the winch will.

Make sure you have recovery points on both the front and rear of the vehicle, and that your friend does too.

Consider small stuff like a fire extinguisher for $15 at Wally World...and flashlights, knives, gloves, misc stuff.

And what about tools? Do you have basic tools to take on the trail? Checkout the Offroad 101 section for ideas there.

Do you have the soft top or hard top that you prefer? Maybe a bikini/safari top is in order? If you don't already have a soft top, this can get expensive if you want it to fit snug and want all the door frames and hardware.

Do you have front quick disconnects for the sway bar? These are an excellent choice.

With limited funds, it really comes down to what you might NEED versus WANT out on the trail. What are you likely to NEED to get you out of the jam? If your basic NEEDS are filled, then you can look at what you WANT.

Keep in mind pawn shops, junk yards, smaller shops where you can negotiate prices, this forum, eBay, and Craigslist can be your friend. Price shop everything and ask yourself if you really NEED this item and if it NEEDS to be new or is used ok.

 

Thanks for the ideas guys

Yeah, I have been wheeling for a while, so I already have tow straps and tools and all that good stuff to bring along. Jeep has the factory front tow hooks and a rear hitch with a D ring for recovery. I love the soft top I have, and really am not looking for any accessories... just something to just plain and simple make it work better in the dirt.

Tires would be great. Just not sure if I wanna spend my money on the used BFG mud tires... There's no way I could afford brand new tires... especially not on my stock 18s. Maybe those rubicon wheels and tires are my best bet- I have them on my Z71 and they do work great... I just didnt wanna buy tires until these wear out and could afford to go up in size.

 

I vote tires !

With the right tire ( & common sense ) you won't need much in recovery gear.
Those factory Duelers belong on soccer moms SUV's. My 32" km's have gotten
me out of alot of trouble.

 

You also might want to consider skid plates for the evap canister and oil pan, the evap canister is really vulnerable I got to relocate it on the trail last time out.