Looks. looks. looks and last but not least looks.

There is just some thing sad about a completely stock jeep, kinda like seeing a child that has never been taken care of, left all by its self to do the best it can with only what it was born with....ok maybe that was little over the top.

I have to say if I only had money for that I would do lift/tires first.

 

I did mine in reverse I guess but it was by accident. Got all my armor and a winch done first. Still want a EVAP skid plate then Im doing my lift tires and a Rear Locker.

 

I would have to agree on having to change the stock look. Those pizza cutters had to go. I did the lift first route on my x then wheels and tires. Now I have the not stock appearance that I wanted and my jeep is more capable off road. With the increased ground clearance and better off road traction I can push the jeep a little harder and further. Now I am looking at recovery gear for my next major purchase. Actually I'm not sure if I want to do that or get the flashpack and mbrp exhaust next. As far as side protection goes I am hoping to find a good deal on a set of used rubi rock rails. I want to cover up that pinch seam and those rock rails would add a clean look and offer all the protection that I need here in Fl. Ill just stubby the front bumper and leave the rear the same, going to go the budget route. Gears are last on my list. Mostly because I want to ride out the warranty for as long as I can and secondly I know I will need to save some serious $$$ because when those axles are torn down I will want to put in lockers as well. Really it comes down to how serious you wheel and how much cash flow you have going towards your rig. I don't see how you could ever be done with adding mods.

 

Lol! I get the picture.

 

IMO the JK is pretty well plated from the factory.

Except for two obvious places, the evap piece of shiiii.... errr.. cannister and the oil pan. those need addressng and there are cheap options to beef up the oil pan area and/or relocate the evap canofcrapister. The gas tank skid is fine for probaly 90% of us.

I do have a full set off rockhard skids on my jeep, but i did so specifucally because i went to areas loaded with treetops from logging operations and i was getting hung up on them. I bought them for deflection, not bash protection. I may well remove them to go to lighter armor as i dont really wheel in those ares anymore, and the excess weight is substantial if you dont need it. Any arguments pointed my way about this i would refer to Wayoflife's rig that has been through Moab and the Rubicon on stock skids with an oil pan upgrade and evap relocation only. "nuff said on that, just check the pics, fully 90% of us or better will never see that abuse. If it makes you feel better that is fine, i agree with piece of mind, i just dont think they are that needed.

Body armor/sliders i think are a must. but i waited on mine to see what was out in the future. I have my dream lift(mostly) in place (i am developing dreams of a longarm in my future...), the LoD sliders got the nod from me and are in my basement awaiting installation. (hard choice between those or the PJ ones, i was torn, but i need the lower step, especially now)

I dont need gears (yet) as i have factory 4:10's and for my 33's those work great.

 

For me off-road tires are priority over the stock crap. Therefore the direct line to the tires that I want (35's MTs) is the lift. I wouldn't wheel in places that is too tough for 32's requiring a winch. So until I'm setup properly, it's scenic trails and mild rocks. Body sliders will be next and then winch and armor, etc, etc.

 

One reason may be that the 3.8L is burdened enough with out a lot of extra weight.

What good is a tank if it can't move?

 

From my experience I started with the protection, but the biggest issue for the 4 doors is the break over angle. If I were to do it all over again I would start with suspension, then bumpers, then wheels and tires.

 

Everyone keeps talking about getting to far into a trail that you really shouldn't be on if you need a winch and only have stock suspension and tires....


I've had to use a winch on scenic trails and mild rocks.

Just ask the guys I was with at Bridgeport ORV Park here in Texas.

Was a nice "blue" trail, easily accomplished by anyone with 32" tires and 0-2" of lift.


However, it was wet. There was some snow, but most was melted.

One rock was almost impossible for anyone without sometime of locker to really make it. Your choice was a strap or a winch.

Winch was the choice as it was more controlled given the wet conditions and propensity for the vehicle to slide sideways on the trail.


Sometimes, a trail that was a 1 outta 5 or 3/4 outta 10 can be nice and easy one day...go back a few weeks later and it is suddenly difficult and the difficulty level hasn't changed.



I'd rather be able to self recover and recover others.


A very good example: Light mud, only a "few" inches deep, no big deal.

First three jeeps through a-okay and up a steep muddy embankment a-okay...what if you are #8 in the line of jeeps? That mud and hill get much more difficult as it gets chewed up more.


I was tail gunning and had to winch the Jeep in front of me backwards as the ground got so soggy and trees so narrow he couldn't get enough forward momentum from where he was to make it up. He was then not able to get up the embankment as it was chewed up just enough his tires wouldn't grab. They were a BFG A/T type of tire.


So, I opt for winch and bumper.


Difference makes the world go 'round.



PS: Being the only winch helps get you free beer from the guys you winch out when the day is over.