Notices
The New Member Registry If you're new to JK-Forum.com, please take a moment to sign-in, introduce yourself and show us your Jeep JK Wrangler!!

Newbie in Philly Area

Thread Tools
 
Old 05-25-2011, 12:13 PM
  #1  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
sq-pa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Villanova, PA
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Newbie in Philly Area

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum and to the world of Jeeps/Wranglers in general-picking up a new Unlimited Rubicon any day now (as soon as the freakin' dealer gets it delivered-it's killing me that it's "in transit" still, and seems like it has been forever, which is only 3 days but I want it now...).

I'm in my mid-30's and I always wanted a Jeep growing up but could never afford one ("I was born a poor black child..."), and then spent the last 15 years in big cities and living overseas so the Jeep dream was never fulfilled, until now. And the 4 door options has opened, or reopened, the Jeep world to so many of us family men and women-thanks Jeep, Inc.!

A few questions:

-anyone know of good off-roading areas in Southeast PA? I see that Rausch Creek looks very cool, but anyone know of anything closer to Philly (PA, South Jersey, Delaware)? Rausch is more of a full day trip from where I'm living (Villanova), and while I plan on doing it when I can, reality strikes when you have kids and a family and you just can't do exactly what you want and take an entire day out every weekend. I'm new to this also, so starting out slow and not doing big rock crawling at first is probably in my best interest, so I'm not looking for an East Coast version of the Rubicon trail.

-I will fully admit that I'm new to real off-roading and I'll probably be the kook doing something wrong on the trail. Can anyone recommend good books, or even an off-roading course somewhere in the general mid-Atlantic states?

-I see tons of advice on what to do for your first mods and I'd more than welcome advice from anyone. I don't mean this in a snotty or bragging way at all, but I don't really have an upper limit to my budget for mods, so fire away. That said, I don't want to be the tool who just bought his way into a really cool ride, or end up looking like the Vanilla Ice of the Jeep world with a bunch of shiny bolt on pieces of cr*p. I'd also like to do most of the work myself, at least what doesn't involve lifting an engine or opening up a transmission box. And while I probably will cave in some day and have an outrageous lift and massive tires, I'd like to use it as an every day driver also, so I don't really want to go too big.

Thanks everyone and I'm really looking forward to getting into this Jeep!
Old 05-25-2011, 04:51 PM
  #2  
Sponsoring Manufacturer
 
Vector Offroad's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Utah
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Welcome to the JK-Forum!
Old 05-25-2011, 04:52 PM
  #3  
JK Freak
 
dillUSMC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 946
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

welcome, im 5 minutes outside penns landing,
Old 05-25-2011, 05:07 PM
  #4  
JK Junkie
 
GreenJK07's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Covington, LA
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Welcome to the party!
Old 05-26-2011, 06:29 PM
  #5  
JK Freak

 
TxCop07's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Somewhere Down in Texas
Posts: 992
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Welcome bud to the forum.
Old 05-26-2011, 07:17 PM
  #6  
JK Super Freak
 
Jeepin Dad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Oxford, PA
Posts: 1,905
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Welcome to the forum. Your two main options for wheeling in SE PA are Rausch, technical wheeling lots of rocks and rutted out forest trails, and Warton Sate Forest in southern NJ, not as technical with lots of water.

The Rubicons are very capable out of the box. If you are going to do rocks I would recommend armor as the first mods, heavy duty diff covers, evap cannister relocation or skid, possibly an engine skid. If you think you are going to do more deep water raise your beather tubes on your diffs, tranny and transfercase, and add a snorkle.

At the Topless for Tatas ride one of our members is doing a 101 course, but spots are filling up quickly so you would need to get your registration in fairly soon.
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...ugust-6th-2011

Rausch Creek offers monthly guided rides for beginners and 101 courses once in a while. Check out the East Coast staging area we have rides and get togethers happening all the time.
Old 05-26-2011, 08:06 PM
  #7  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
sq-pa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Villanova, PA
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thanks all! Jeep's coming in tomorrow so I'm picking her up just in time for the long weekend. Psyched.



Quick Reply: Newbie in Philly Area



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:52 PM.