With all these great mods and products, I haven't seen any mention to build order.

When building a new 4-Door JK, what do you do first?

My plans are:

4" Suspension Lift
37" Wheels and Tires
Steering Assist
5.13 Gears
Front and Rear Bumpers
Winch
Headers and Exhaust
Bigger Brakes - (Any suggestions?)
Aux Lighting

While some may seem more obvious than others, I would think that the suspension
sould be done after the bumpers and winch be cause of the weight.
(But it's the thinking that usually gets me in trouble.)

 

1) Rock Rails
2) Evap relocation
3) Oil pan skid
4) Go wheeling

 

Evap relocate? Why? & Where?

 

1. LIFT
2. RELOCATE- evap canister, steering stabilizer
3. PROTECT-rocksliders, skidplates
that seems like the most important steps to me...atleast it was to me after wheeling hard for the first time

 

Relocate your evap cannister or loose it on your first outing. Look under your Jeep. Passenger side, about mid-way back and you'll see it mounted in harms way. Do a search and you'll find plenty of information on relocating the evaporation cannister

 

only brake upgrade that I know of requires you to run 20"+ wheels

 

I would think you should look at what you want to do with your Jeep.
Do you want to offroad?

If yes in rocks then go for protection first...

If yes in woods, sand, mud....then get your winch first

If no offroading till you are done then get lift and tires first..

 

Uh oh! Then what's that black plastic box on my driver's side?

 

That is a bit of an overstatement. Many wheelers havenot relocated the canister (me included) and I have beat the heck out of my undercarriage with no problems. I am going to relocate it, but it definately would not be the first thing I do.

If you are not running a Rubicon, and you intend to seriously wheel, lockers are in order, along with a lift tires, rock rails and a high lift jack. Then I would look at a belly skid plate so you don't crush your oil pan and exhaust pipe ( a more likely point of damage then the evap canister).

This set up will get you a tone of wheeling with no problems. The rest is noce to have and just makes it better...things like a CB, bumpers, winch, lights...the list never ends.

Have fun.

 

There are skid plates for the evap canister if you do not want to relocate.