Well, Dave, Car Guy is now also Dave, Jeep Guy. This one is intended as my camping and fishing vehicle, with some snow/ski expectations as well. Since I have a good friend that has described for many years the amazing fun of the Rubicon Trail and various Jeep Jamborees, my intent is also to take this on the Rubicon Trail as soon as I can. With that in mind, I have been given tons of advice ny many different people about a few modifications the Jeep may need.
Keep in mind that we are starting here with the Rubicon edition of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (4-door version), so it already has such of the required capabilities straight from the factory. Namely it has fully locking Dana 44 axles both front and back, and it has a sway bar disconnect button to allow for quick disconnect and greater "flex" of the suspension while on the trail. Along with rock rails on the side, various skid plates, and heavier suspension, this Jeep is pretty much trail-ready. But for the extra large boulders and obstacles that might be fun to tackle along the trail, I will be increasing ground clearance with slightly larger diameter tires (315/70/17s) compared to the 255/70/17s that come stock on the Rubicon. I'll also increase the suspension travel and tire clearance (to avoid rubbing when flexed) by adding a small lift kit. I have chosen the Teraflex 2.5" lift with new shocks. The car was ordered in teh new-for-2017 color "Gobi". I'm pretty happy with the old-school khaki-safari look.
In my very short experience with the Jeep I now realize that there are thousands of ways to spend money and accessorize these vehicles. My needs would suggest I should be looking for some racks to carry extra camping equipment, and maybe some racks specialized to carry my fly-fishing gear. We shall see.
Because this will be mainly a fair-weather vehicle for us, we ordered it with soft top and half doors. Day one at home and we first pulled out the removable framed windows from the four doors (easy), then zipped out the rear windows, and ultimately pulled down the top. First accessory order was a boot cover to stow that top so it doesn't look so sloppy back there.
I will update this post with photos after the lift kit is installed with the larger tires soon new wheels. For now, off to the mountains!
Update: My modifications lists growing to include a new bumper and winch. But for now, I added my first piece of aftermarket stuff: the Spiderwebshade SW1-JK-4D "Bikini" mesh top, to keep a bit of the sun off my delicate old forehead.
A few weeks into ownership and I took it to "The 4x4 Shop" in Livermore, CA to have them install a Teraflex 2.5" lift kit (with shocks), Fuel wheels (trophy Matte Black/Anthracite Ring 17"x8.5"), and BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires in size 315/70/17. the increased travel and clearance should help tackle the trails I am intending on trying. Looks good, too! Only problem is the step up into the Jeep is now a little tougher and might now require a side-step on the rock guard rail.
Also, the increased lift now shows in these separation between front bumper and fender, but that will change with the new bumper I have planned!
One of the first "moderate' trails we try is the Slickrock Trail off Highway 4 near Bear Valley, CA. It runs past Lake Alpine and along Silver Creek. We made it to a great camp spot along the creek, but not without having to try out a few key features of the Rubicon, like the push-button detachable sway bars and the front and rear Dana 44 locking hubs. At full articulation, we had some rubbing of tires on the fenders, but other than that, the Jeep knocked our socks off with it's crawling capability! Very happy that I had it lifted (for suspension travel) and added larger tires (for ground clearance).
Getting ready to tackle harder trails requires a bit more body armor and retrieval capacity, so teh next additions are side rock rails to protect the sides under the doors, a heavy duty rear bumper (the stock one is plastic), and a heavy duty front bumper with winch mounts. The front bumper is narrower than stock to allow more room for tires and suspension articulation upon approach to larger obstacles. Bumpers are Barricade Trail Force HD, with bumper-mounted tire carrier in back and mounts for factory fog lights in front. Both come with D rings for recovery work and were slightly lighter weight than some other aftermarket bumpers.
Next modification was teh addition of the winch: a Smittytbilt X20 10,000lb winch with remote and synthetic rope. My installation advice: attach the winch to the bumper first, then install the bumper. I didn't do this, so just trust me on this, it'll save you time and struggles.
Additional proaction and functionality added with M.O.R.E. 3/16" steel oil pan and transmission skid plate and transfer case skid plate. Plus ARB heavy duty iron differential covers. This makes it trail ready for places like the Rubicon.
And in case you get in trouble on the trail, a hi-lift recovery jack is key. I chose a hood-mount so it wouldn't weight down the rear end and it can stay out of my way nicely.
Here's a short video of a fun medium/easy trail called the "Niagra Rim" Near Strawberry, CA. The later part was harder, more like MOAB style rocks.
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