Summer is an awesome time to go off-roading. The great outdoors beckons with new obstacles and challenges. Of course, you’re gonna need to gear up your Jeep. But how? Keep reading for some useful mod and upgrade suggestions.
Performance Lift Kits
While off-roading in the summer, you’ll come across all kinds of ground: soft and muddy, rocky, sandy or even highly technical terrain. Standing water is also a strong possibility. Unless you plan on water fording, you can better overcome such obstacles by upgrading your Jeep with a suspension lift.
Your preferred JK Jeep Wrangler parts dealer offers a large selection of suspension lift kits. As you shop, you should recognize some major brand names like Rough Country, Skyjacker, Maxtrac and AEV. Before you purchase a kit, check out its specs: Look for info such as the amount of lift achieved and the types of parts it contains, including any shocks. You may notice that gas-charged shocks are popular lift kit components — they tend to deliver a smoother ride with reduced vibration and fade.
So, how much should you lift your Jeep? Well, that depends on your performance goals. Many off-roaders can safely accomplish a three-inch lift without requiring extensive modification to their braking systems.
New Bumpers
Upgrading your bumpers may not be the first upgrade that comes to mind. However, it’s a possibility worth considering. After all, off-roading puts your vehicle through some serious wear and tear. Your stock bumper may not be able to handle the extra action.
So, what Jeep Wrangler front bumper options do you have? Quite a few, actually. While grille guards aren’t technical a bumper upgrade, they’re worth considering. With sturdy models like Warn’s Stinger and Smittybilt’s XRC MOD Stinger, you can easily push small debris and objects out of your path.
If you’re purchasing a new winch, you need a bumper durable enough to handle the extra weight. Smittybilty’s XRC GEN2 bumper is an all-in-one solution that upgrades your bumper and installs a winch mount at the same time. Those of you with strong, sturdy bumpers can just install a separate winch mount to match an existing winch. Your retailer carries many mounting options from brands like Warn, Rugged Ridge and Smittybilt.
Tires and Wheels
Equipping bigger tires makes sense if you’re off-roading. Besides raising your vehicle up for increased clearance and height, larger tires offer more ground contact. Rolling over tricky terrain feels a little less bumpy. An aggressive set of Jeep wheels and tires adds to your vehicle’s aesthetics. Just make sure you buy tires designed to perform on your typical terrain.
Bumpers, lift kits, tires and wheels are just a few ideas for tricking out your Jeep. Don’t forget about other great extras such as LED lighting, speakers, head units, soft tops and half doors. Warmer weather means more mud, so be sure to swap out your old floor mats for a new set from excellent brands like WeatherTech or Husky Liners. Your favorite off-roading parts and accessories dealer offers plenty more possibilities.
