If I knew what I know now...

[Phoenix]

I'm posting this here to get opinions from a wider audience.

This was originally posted in a forum for mainly Jeep Owners that are primarily located in the NE. I think this could lead to a broader discussion on mods and gear, and if our moderators want to move this to a more appropriate location, no issues here.

I've been kicking around the idea of discussing what mods / gear should be done / acquired in what order based on what I have learned over the last few years. Lets remember that what I don't know vastly exceeds what I do know, so this list is based on my limited knowledge and experience. I hope that those with more knowledge and experience chime in to make this discussion both lively and informative.

Below is a table of mods and gear I have for my 2012 JKU Rubicon, I have ordered those mods based on my best recollection of why I or others have made these modifications or acquired certain gear. I have also included why I wanted to do these, and my best understanding of the true mechanical or "perfect world" reason for doing this.



I then sorted this list based on Safety, my limited knowledge of Off roading standards like Tread Lightly, and the goal of spend dollars once



And go.

 

[bvanderberg]

With my last Jeep, I did most of that stuff, but found that the more I added, the less fun most trails become. It also cost a lot of money in parts and expensive lessons. And it became less and less drivable on the streets and highways. It cost me a lot of weekends of downtime getting things working. Eventually, it was stolen.

Now I drive a 13 JK Rubi SWB. I installed a ham radio and carry some basic recovery and emergency stuff - been wheeling it like that for about 2 years now and am still grinning. I'm still tempted from time to time, but it's getting easier to resist the urge after every successful trip running stock.

Guess my 2 cents comes down to this: If you need to go bigger to wheel where you want, then by all means do so, but beware of the 'just because' upgrades.

Happy trails.

Brandon

 

[Dean]

I adhere to a "build backwards" philosophy. Basically start with the end goal, or rather purpose, of the rig in mind then work backwards from that and prioritize things in a similar fashion to what's outlined above.

For me I know my Jeep had to pull triple duty. it need to be a reliably daily-driver, overland capable, and still handle itself on the occasional mild rock-crawling trail ride. I knew the "sweet-spot" for me would be 33" tires and set that as a limitation to help box in my build plans. From there I worked backwards prioritizing some things (recovery, body armor, gear storage, safety) over others (lights, winch, snorkel, etc). I also knew there were some common failure points I needed to pay particular attention to (like motor mounts) and some things I wanted to do before others (like doing a "tummy tuck" before a suspension lift).

With that in mind I ended up doing heavy duty bumpers and rocker guards on the LJ before anything else because I wanted to protect myself and the rig. I also did a quick 1" body lift and new 1" taller heavy duty motor mounts because I had a perfectly good set of 31's off my old Jeep I could run. In hindsight I probably should have done the 2" suspension lift first, but I did have a tummy tuck plate just turned out to not work on the LJ. Other than that there were no major modifications done to the LJ when I did my 5,000 mile trip this year. I think a lot of people don't realize exactly how capable stock 4x4's are these days. Wranglers, Tacomas, etc are all very well equipped for overlanding in OEM trim.

The other mantra I subscribe to is, "Every dollar spent on the kit or rig is one less dollar spent on fuel." I'd rather go 5,000 miles in a capable near-stock 4x4 than have the coolest looking rig with all the gadgets and gizmos in the farm field at next year's big show with no cool stories to tell.

There is also a trade-off in that more expensive parts are more expensive to replace, and sometimes harder to find in a pinch. "Field Serviceability" ranks high on my list of principles.

 

[Mr. Leary]

So Ive built a few rigs, and Ive learned every time. I dont think that will ever change. That said, here are my nuggets of "wisdom" regarding a build.

1. Before you even buy a rig, take a good hard look at what your needs are and what you need the rig to support for as long as you plan to own it. Your starting platform should be a reflection of this. If comfort is a priority (and the heavy load of gear that is required to support that priority), dont start with a Jeep or other small vehicle. If capability is a priority, dont try to force a full sized truck to be a trail machine. Its never going to keep up with the little trucks. Dont waste money trying. Everything is a compromise. Period.
2. Make small improvements based on your needs, not someone else's. Yeah, those aggressive rigs look sweet, but why would you spend tens of thousands (people routinely spend that much, that is a deep rabbit hole) on a rig that is built for the wheeling park when all you want is to hit some remote campsites out on public land?
3. Simple is better, and less is more. Your rig will never be more reliable than in its stock configuration (with a few notable exceptions). When you begin to operate outside design specifications, you risk failure. Its really that simple. Programming your engine to produce gobs more power can (and usually will) result in shorter engine life. Putting 35" tires on a vehicle designed for 30" tires will result in increased wear, and possible failure somewhere in the driveline.

 

[Dave]

Sage advice there by @Mr. Leary - agree 110%