Hi guys, I just got my JKUR and was wondering what mods were really recommended for a mild wheeler on 33s/35s?

I have a ton of XJ knowledge, but am still learning about my JKU.

I bought it with some mods already.. 2" spacer lift, 285 KM2, ARB winch bumper..



So far, I bought a rear Mopar offroad bumper, superchips flashpaq, and daystar dash kit.

I've been doing some reading and am thinking about buying the JK bolt kit. Any other mods that are a good investment? I am curious why they sell drop brackets also for a 2" lift?

TIA

 

What year is your JK?

Must have for 33's and 35's will be different. If you run wheels larger than 33's definitely get your front axle C's gusseted. Armor is always a good investment, oil pan skid, diff covers, LCA skids. Etc. Armor and recovery will be the best investments you make.

 

'Must Haves' will depend on needs/use/budget. Winch, recovery gear, stronger tire carrier, front housing upgrades, an LS would always be a nice addition. But basically, if you 'needed' it offroad with the XJ, it's a good bet you might want it with the JK.

If you haven't browsed the modified faq's yet, that might be worth a few minutes also.

 

I think the bushwhacker flat fenders look good , especially if you want to run a bigger tire.

 

Lights. Lots of lights. Oops, and a KLEIN air horn

 

Armor Armor Armor!!! EVO front and rear lower control arm skids along with an EVO Protek engine/trans/crossmember skid system! Then reinforce your Dana 44 with Nitro sleeves and EVO C gussets. Then you'll never be second guessing yourself or too afraid to try big things!

The only bolt I replaced was the lower front track-bar bolt with a Grade Eight 9/16th fine thread.

 

You can hit mild trails right now no problem. I've done mild rock crawling with just a 2" spacer lift, 33's and nothing else just fine. You got rockers guards and the stock skid plates will get you by for quite a while. You will drag your belly in a 4 door. Armor is always a good investment but I wouldn't say urgent except for rocker protection. C gussets should be high on your list I think everyone will agree. The more you take it out and wheel with other people the better idea you will get about what you need for your kind of wheeling.

 

Thanks guys! I have a 2008.

It seemed by looking underneath it had plenty of skids? (compared to my XJs at least)... C gussets for 33s? Wow.. I never had issues with running 33/34s.. on my XJ D30. Are the JK axles weaker? Is it because the JKU weighs an extra 1000lbs?

I read about the slop in the stock bolts. I could see how.. I just replaced my lower front shock bushings, and they were completely shot. No sleeve in the bushing, and the bushing hole was 3/4" for a 1/2" bolt. Crazy.

I will probably order some LCA skids and burn them in soon.

I know there are some factory corrections that are musts on the XJ, like the rear shackle angle, and toothpick tie rod.. Just wondering what most people recommend to fix, that came out wrong from the factory on the JKU.

I know the JKU should be very capable out of the box. Even more w/the small mods it has now.

Thanks

 

JK's have wider axles than previous models, with taller, thinner C's, sitting under bigger and heavier bodies. Some are reporting out of spec camber straight from the dealers lot. The housings have been known to be pretty weak in general, (jk d30 and d44 have the exact same specs. Tube diameter, tube thickness, c's, all the same) the internals are where you see the big improvements over older models.

The steering components aren't really known for strength either. So don't be too surprised if you come home from a wheeling trip (quite possibly every wheeling trip) and have to recenter the steering wheel.

If you plan on being near any rocks, it might not be a bad idea to move the evap canister up a bit.

 

Triple steering stabilizers.

No , seriously, my favorite upgrade on my JK has to be my center armrest pad. The JK bolt kit is a nice upgrade. The evap relocation kit is another good upgrade