Question for Jeep owners

[Treize69]

And by that, I mean the CJ and the Wrangler, not the rest of that crap that calls itself 'Jeep' these days.

For those of you that have made modifications to yours, what company do you recommend to get parts from? I'm talking things like bumpers, brush guards and roof racks. Also, possibly, things like intake and exhaust kits to give it slightly better power or efficiency.

I'm looking at getting a used one I've found that is in GREAT condition (already test driven it and had a mechanic go through it with a fine toothed comb), and am looking to do some personalization on it. I know there are several owners of customized Jeeps on these forums, and I'm wondering where they got their parts and who they would recommend (either to buy from or avoid).

[saggs]

And by that, I mean the CJ and the Wrangler, not the rest of that crap that calls itself 'Jeep' these days.

For those of you that have made modifications to yours, what company do you recommend to get parts from? I'm talking things like bumpers, brush guards and roof racks. Also, possibly, things like intake and exhaust kits to give it slightly better power or efficiency.

I'm looking at getting a used one I've found that is in GREAT condition (already test driven it and had a mechanic go through it with a fine toothed comb), and am looking to do some personalization on it. I know there are several owners of customized Jeeps on these forums, and I'm wondering where they got their parts and who they would recommend (either to buy from or avoid).

I'm not a Jeep person, but I do trails with Jeep guys and follow the off-road scene in general.

For body protection like bumpers, brush guards and rock sliders it's hard to beat ARB, also ARB air lockers are very popular along with lots of recovery gear by them.  For roof racks, I know that Surco Safari is a popular brand.

Intake, you can check out K&N intakes/filters.  But you will find very mixed opinions on them, some love them, some hate them, I'm in the middle.  I've never messed with an intake personally, I figure the engineers who designed it are smarter then me.  For exhaust the 2 most popular options seem to be Flowmaster and Magnaflow.

[guttboy]

Jeep = Just Empty Every Pocket   

I have a 93YJ that I have a ball with.

First off....figure out what you want to do with your vehicle.  Do you intend to use it off pavement or do you just want things for looks?  Are you looking to do the modifications yourself or are you going to have a mechanic do it (or 4wd shop)?

Second.....FIGURE OUT A BUDGET!  Stick to it.....the cost of mods can increase exponentially and doing one mod say just putting larger tires on the vehicle will probably lead to some sort of a lift.  Depending on the gear ratio you may find that you are now incapable of maintaining full highway speed limits.   Get the picture?  Choose your modifications wisely as you may end up doing things that will cost  you more later (i.e. you have to redo what you had already done).

If  you have access to a Jeep Club or 4wd club in your area, visit them!  Most have beginner runs for new members.  Some of the folks may be really good at making things!

My bumpers and armor came from a buddy in our Jeep Club in New Mexico.  He manufactured the bumpers and tire carrier at a buddies machine shop.  VERY sturdy and has taken more abuse than I thought it could handle....life saver when in Moab Utah a few years back.  Another guy in our club was an expert welder and fashioned roll cages that put many of the Bolt-On kits provided by Poison Spider and others....so it pays to look and see if there are folks locally that have a good handle on what you may need.

Some places to look that have pretty decent selections are:

http://www.quadratec.com/
http://www.jcwhitney.com/jeep-parts-jeep-accessories/j4s2.jcwx
http://www.4wd.com/

Be certain to get on their mailing lists for the paper catalogs.

Once you see some things that you like, take a peek at Ebay and Craigslist.  You may find a great deal!  Also if there are folks that are authorized resellers for certain products, they can get you a SIGNIFICANT discount.

Zap me a PM if you have any other questions....I know you will be happy with your Jeep.....

 

[jeep00]

Company to choose from will come down to availability in your budget. I have a 2000 TJ, and have done little in the way of mods, staying within the abilities of my budget and the capabilities of the rig itself. A minimal lift is all you truly need with a Jeep, more than 2" and you are looking at some very pricey upgrades, unless you are lifting it for looks. Tires make the rig off road and on, choose those wisely. My TSL's are unbeatable off road, but a bit of a compromise on the road. Again, what you want to do with it. With no lift at all, you can get 31" tires under a TJ with minimal rubbing off road. Add 2" lift, and they are perfect.
I am not much for appearance mods, which ot me a snorkle will always be. It doesn't matter how much snorkle you have if your tranny and diff breathers are under water, so make sure they are as high as possible. Mine come out as high as the top of the hood, and I really don't want to take it that deep, so no need for a snorkle. I have been up to the bottom of my headlights using it in it's present state with no worries.
Exhaust and intakes, do some review. I am not interested in an intake upgrade of any kind, including the oiled filters. OEM for that. Maybe exhaust some day, but only for the benefits of stainless when mine finally rusts through.
Guttboy hit it with gearing and such, again, research deeply. The thing with Jeeps is the information is out there, all over the place. Research with your budget in mind. And your needs. Offroad? Those roof racks are a liability off road in my area, where the trails are tight. The best mods for offroad use that you can do are gas tank and engine skids. Especially if it is your DD (daily driver).

[jeep00]

think I ran out of room. Anyway, good luck. guttboy has the description of JEEP also accurately. VonMessa has a good one in his sig that is just as accurate.
Some helpful sites:
www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums
www.jeepforum.com

And find a local club, or get an Atlas and Gazetteer for your area,a nd start investigating. That is to me the best part, I spend 75% of my time alone in the woods rather than with a club. I hate 10 rig or more runs. I like being away from it all. That is why I got it in the first place, for me, not everyone else. 

Bob

[Masherbrum]

And by that, I mean the CJ and the Wrangler, not the rest of that crap that calls itself 'Jeep' these days.

For those of you that have made modifications to yours, what company do you recommend to get parts from? I'm talking things like bumpers, brush guards and roof racks. Also, possibly, things like intake and exhaust kits to give it slightly better power or efficiency.

I'm looking at getting a used one I've found that is in GREAT condition (already test driven it and had a mechanic go through it with a fine toothed comb), and am looking to do some personalization on it. I know there are several owners of customized Jeeps on these forums, and I'm wondering where they got their parts and who they would recommend (either to buy from or avoid).

Two companies that have fantastic customer service are:

www.4wd.com

&

www.quadratec.com

Those are the only two I used when I had my 83 CJ-7.

[Treize69]

I've been looking at this site- http://www.autotrucktoys.com/jeep/

My plan is to make it a bit more off road capable by adding better bumpers and a brushguard, and probably a roofrack so we can take it on longer trips and still have room for baggage and supplies (and can actually fit a weekends worth of rations and tentage for three or four men in it). I'm not doing much to the interior aside from getting seat covers and some added storage for the inside for all my tools and supplies when I go to encampments- you have no idea how much stuff you need to repair and service a couple of dozen flintlock muskets. Power wise, I have no ambitions aside from probably putting a CAI on there and retuning the computer for better performance- I've had good luck with that combo on every vehicle I've tried it on. Might put on a new header and exhaust if I can find an affordable set, but it's not a high priority.

All the work aside from the possible exhaust I plan on doing myself.

[jeep00]

Two companies that have fantastic customer service are:

www.4wd.com

&

www.quadratec.com

Those are the only two I used when I had my 83 CJ-7.

I'll second that for 4wd, I have had very good luck with them. Never had the opportuinty to use them with my first Jeep, which was also an '83 CJ-7 Laredo

[Wiseguy980]

The most important question not answered so far... What Year is it?

I use:
www.g503.com (my #1 pick)
www.dlbensinger.com (if Ron doesn't have it in stock)

Mines a 1944 Willys, so all of those make sense.

www.1944mb.com <= great articles on "How To"

www.kaiserwillys.com/ <= a bit pricey for my taste but has some later model stuff.
wwiijeepparts.com/ <= good site, great info, decent pricing
www.42fordgpw.com/ <= Great site with a lot of info
http://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/the-longest-journey-begins-with-a-single-step_topic4611_page1.html <= Really great thread showing a complete rebuild/restore of a CJ2A piece by piece

(After all the $$$ that goes into the Jeep this is the trailer I'll be getting http://www.just-a-trailer.com/just-a-trailer_002.htm )

So... gimmie a year and I can direct you to some more resources. Although, in my opinion anything past 45 or a CJ2A is just a brand name anyways  

[Wiseguy980]

Hey Guttboy... you're in my neighborhood! (MVPA???)

Everything he says about budget is right on. My project is probably going to last through out the summer just getting everything that Bubba tore out back in and correct. Throw in body work, pulling the tub, and restoring the drive train and you're looking at lots of time and money. In missing parts alone I know I've already spent a few grand, correct tires was close to that as well. Find your local Jeep Gods. If it's an old military Jeep I bet there's an MVPA chapter in your area. If it's an agri-Jeep or CJ there's also lots of groups and forums out there too.

Good luck with it!

[VonMessa]

Get on the Jeep forums.

Shop around.

Jeeps are like lego sets for adults, and parts can be found almost anywhere, so COMPARE PRICES and keep an eye on the shipping costs.

                                              Just
                                              Enough
                                              Essential
                                              Parts

I fab most of what I have, rather than purchase it but you may not have access to the equipment that I have.  So far I've made my own shovel mount, Hi-lift jack mount, body lift, shifter handle, cut down the front bumper into a stubby one and mounted a winch on it, welded up a rear bumper that also serves as the air-tank for my on-board air compressor (which I made from an old air conditioner compressor)  I will be making some old-style flat fenders and I will beef up the differential covers as soon as it gets warmer out.  I do not have any body armor because, well, because it's a jeep and I really don't care about the paint.

As guys have said, it can get pricey very quickly.  

You have to ask yourself what you want your Heep to be capable of.

Bumpers do not really do much for capability and I really believe (IMO) that a lot of the aftermarket stuff out there is overpriced garbage with a laser-cut logo in it and powdercoated.  Ohh Ahh     If it covers your tires, than you not be able to get a tire up on an obstacle when you need to.

The fastest and dirtiest thing to give you more off-road capability is to get more clearance.
This means taller tires.
Taller tires usually means a lift of some kind (suspension or body) so the tires clear the body.

I you plan on doing any deep water crossings (higher than the hood) some kind of snorkel  is needed.

Some winches are pricey.  I have a SmittyBuilt XRC8 (8,000 lbs).  No, it's not a fancy Warn, but I maintain it well and it has not failed me in 5 years.  Sure, I've been stuck many times but I've never been immobile for long as I haven't gotten stuck badly enough that the winch didn't save me.

A hi-lift jack will most likely be necessary if you get bigger tires, as the stock jack won't lift you high enough after a certain point, but, a hi-lift is useful in many ways as you can expand OR contract it with force and can use it as a come-a-long in a pinch (don't ask me how I know this) and you can also use it to jack yourself up a bit for those pesky obstacles that you may get hung up on.

Locking rears are worth their weight in gold and I really don't care what kind they are.  If you don't have Posi rears and you have a loss of traction (say, in mud) it doesn't matter HOW big your tires and lift are.  If your tires are spinning, you are screwed.


So...  You can see how this can pyramid quickly  

It all depends what you want to do, how much you plan on off-roading with it and does it have to have to survive the weekend abuse enough to still take you to work on Monday morning.

[guttboy]

Hey Guttboy... you're in my neighborhood! (MVPA???)

Everything he says about budget is right on. My project is probably going to last through out the summer just getting everything that Bubba tore out back in and correct. Throw in body work, pulling the tub, and restoring the drive train and you're looking at lots of time and money. In missing parts alone I know I've already spent a few grand, correct tires was close to that as well. Find your local Jeep Gods. If it's an old military Jeep I bet there's an MVPA chapter in your area. If it's an agri-Jeep or CJ there's also lots of groups and forums out there too.

Good luck with it!

Wiseguy,

I am in-between Colorado Springs and Denver now....if we are in the same area would love to find a decent club around.  We had a great club in New Mexico... NMVJC.org that was a bunch of fun and I owe a ton to the guys and gals there for getting me hooked on Jeepin'!

Great advice from the folks here......one of the GREAT things about tinkering with your Jeep and learning by either helping folks at "wrenching parties" is that you pick up SOOOO much information quickly it can save your bacon when you NEED it.  And when you do you REALLY DO!

Back in 2004 several buddies and our wives took a camping trip up to Ouray Colorado and did the majority of the trails up there.  Black Bear Pass was great fun and we got all sorts of looks from the Dirt Bike crowd when two 93yj's and a heavily modified Ford F150 made the descent past Bridal Veil Falls.....we had to get the HiLift out to move the rear of that 150 around two of the switchbacks....was not for the faint of heart!

Depending on how much you get into the addiction....you want a good set of spare parts.  A Pick and Pull can be your best friend!  They usually have some stuff that hasn't been picked yet.  When I do decent rock runs or long camping outings in the Mts I always have my spare parts kit.  It is in two old WW2 ammo crates.  I carry axles, two spare drive shafts and misc other parts.  Serpentine belt, U Joints, tools etc.  For air I have a CO2 tank....while some may say that is overkill I have saved more than a few rigs (including my own) when a bead is blown.  The cheaper (and expensive) compressors simply do not have the PSI to reseat a bead in my opinion.

A couple of GREAT books to get your teeth into are listed below.

http://www.amazon.com/Jeep-Performance-Handbook-Motorbooks-Workshop/dp/0760326878/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331358258&sr=1-1-fkmr0
http://www.amazon.com/Four-Wheelers-Bible-Edition-Motorbooks-Workshop/dp/0760335303/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331358258&sr=1-2-fkmr0

The first is Jim Allen's Jeep Performance Handbook and the second is Jim Allen's Four Wheelers Bible.  Both are really good to get you started and explain things in a very simple fashion.

Depending on where you live Benchmark makes a great paper atlas for the area you may be wheeling in.  Use any and all available resources because sometimes a road or trail may not be found on various map sources.  If you have an android phone a little utility/app I simply LOVE is:

Back Country Navigator.....

Well worth the 9.99 in the app store for android.  It uses the phone's built in GPS and you can either download the free USGS maps and imagery....very helpful when the maps are out of date and you can compare with sat information.

http://www.backcountrynavigator.com/content/android-gps-software

You can use the demo version for a couple of weeks to see if you like it.


Well there are just a few tidbits....always be prepared, file a trip plan with people, safety first, and always TREAD LIGHTLY!

 

[guttboy]

Ohhh By the way....

What year Jeep are you looking at?  What engine does it have?

I will be honest, the Jeep 4.0L is one of the most indestructible engines on the planet IMO.  I have seen them rolled, swamped, starved of fuel...etc...and they keep on ticking (and yes mine does have the "tick"....something to love )

Also be aware, as you probably know, when you start adding things to your rig....performance will change.  Center of Gravity, performance on and off road, fuel economy...etc are all things to consider as you add mods.

 

[VonMessa]

Wiseguy,

I am in-between Colorado Springs and Denver now....if we are in the same area would love to find a decent club around.  We had a great club in New Mexico... NMVJC.org that was a bunch of fun and I owe a ton to the guys and gals there for getting me hooked on Jeepin'!

Great advice from the folks here......one of the GREAT things about tinkering with your Jeep and learning by either helping folks at "wrenching parties" is that you pick up SOOOO much information quickly it can save your bacon when you NEED it.  And when you do you REALLY DO!

Back in 2004 several buddies and our wives took a camping trip up to Ouray Colorado and did the majority of the trails up there.  Black Bear Pass was great fun and we got all sorts of looks from the Dirt Bike crowd when two 93yj's and a heavily modified Ford F150 made the descent past Bridal Veil Falls.....we had to get the HiLift out to move the rear of that 150 around two of the switchbacks....was not for the faint of heart!

Depending on how much you get into the addiction....you want a good set of spare parts.  A Pick and Pull can be your best friend!  They usually have some stuff that hasn't been picked yet.  When I do decent rock runs or long camping outings in the Mts I always have my spare parts kit.  It is in two old WW2 ammo crates.  I carry axles, two spare drive shafts and misc other parts.  Serpentine belt, U Joints, tools etc.  For air I have a CO2 tank....while some may say that is overkill I have saved more than a few rigs (including my own) when a bead is blown.  The cheaper (and expensive) compressors simply do not have the PSI to reseat a bead in my opinion.

A couple of GREAT books to get your teeth into are listed below.

http://www.amazon.com/Jeep-Performance-Handbook-Motorbooks-Workshop/dp/0760326878/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331358258&sr=1-1-fkmr0
http://www.amazon.com/Four-Wheelers-Bible-Edition-Motorbooks-Workshop/dp/0760335303/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331358258&sr=1-2-fkmr0

The first is Jim Allen's Jeep Performance Handbook and the second is Jim Allen's Four Wheelers Bible.  Both are really good to get you started and explain things in a very simple fashion.

Depending on where you live Benchmark makes a great paper atlas for the area you may be wheeling in.  Use any and all available resources because sometimes a road or trail may not be found on various map sources.  If you have an android phone a little utility/app I simply LOVE is:

Back Country Navigator.....

Well worth the 9.99 in the app store for android.  It uses the phone's built in GPS and you can either download the free USGS maps and imagery....very helpful when the maps are out of date and you can compare with sat information.

http://www.backcountrynavigator.com/content/android-gps-software

You can use the demo version for a couple of weeks to see if you like it.


Well there are just a few tidbits....always be prepared, file a trip plan with people, safety first, and always TREAD LIGHTLY!

 

No, this is overkill

[SmokinLoon]

No matter what, it is mandatory that if you own a jeep you MUST have this sticker applied:

http://www.allthingsjeep.com/atj30142.html