New from Eastern Massachusetts
 

Hi all. New to this forum. I've had my 14 JKU from new but only discovered my offroad club, Baystate Jeepers a bit over a year ago, which begun my offroading adventures. I've very slowly modified my Jeep to keep my budget low, my ability to take these mods off in the future to apply to perhaps a Rubicon and to be able to sleep at night without fearing my wife with a big knife making me pay for expensive mods. I stick with club runs only, so have thus far stuck within northeastern CT, Eastern and central Mass, New Hampshire and an NEA meeting/wheeling day up in Maine.

So far, I've shod this thing with some 295-70-17 Dick Cepek Extreme Country, raised the front with home made spring spacers (2.25"), rear with 1" Terraflex spacers, trimmed the front fender lips to keep these things from ripping the fenders off during full articulated turns, made my own DIY sway bar link disconnects, Built my own bracket and reversed the stock steering rod mount to bring the steering stabilizer to the top, protected the oil pan with a Rubicon Express skid, protected the sides with some White Knuckle Offroad rock sliders, and added some 1.5" wheel spacers so I'm not constantly rubbing on turns. I'm a big Craigslist guy and managed to pick up a premium dual top setup with all the parts so when I'm off camber and against a tree, I'm not smashing fiberglas.



Yesterday, a Smittybilt front stubby bumper was dropped in front of my garage (father's day present from my family) and I'll likely pick up a winch. I don't daily this thing at this point, but once my younger son gets his license in a month or so, will be. I do have a nice garage setup with lots of space, air tools and a 4 post lift.....all the better to find the mud after a run that I missed with my hose.

Below picture was taken on a class 6 (unmaintained) road in NH a couple weeks ago.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jk-...fc3dcb14d9.jpg

Looks fun! I could tell you stories about young drivers and jeeps... but it might be more fun to find out yourself. Do you have a good recovery vehicle? LOL!

Your stories would not be surprising to me, I'm sure. Son #1 totaled my first JKU (13) when it was 9 months old. Can't completely blame him. Ice flash frozen. The tow truck that came to get him also went off the road. Insurance paid out more than I paid for it. Ordered this one exactly how I wanted it.
I always run with my offroad club. Lots of skilled people and winches and tow straps.