- Purchasing a new or used Jeep Wrangler
is a bucket list item for many,
and trying to figure out what you want to do
to it first can be quite overwhelming.
So to help keep things a bit less complicated,
today, we go through a few tip
and tricks for modifying your new to you, Jeep Wrangler.
One of the biggest mistakes we see with new Wrangler owners
is buying the wrong suspension kit
to match the off-road performance capabilities
you may be looking for.
Too many times, we've seen people try
to piece together a kit
with either used suspension components
and try to match them with new parts
or just buying the most basic kits.
And then trying to figure out the correct shocks,
coil springs, control arms
and other bits and pieces.
Doing that will almost always leave you desiring
a better performing suspension,
especially if you drive your Jeep daily
and go off-roading on the weekends.
So couple of things to keep in mind when purchasing a
suspension system on TrailBuilt,
number 1, it pays to save up some extra money
and purchase a complete suspension system.
And notice I said system instead of a suspension kit.
A system of suspension components are designed
to work together to provide you
with the best performance possible
for your particular application.
The suspension should include things like
an adjustable track arm and a track arm bracket,
adjustable control arms, extended brake lines,
and extended bump stops.
Also, coil springs and shock absorbers
that match the amount of weight in gear,
you intend on carrying with you on your adventures.
The adjustable track arm and bracket allows
for adjustments to keep the axle centered
under the Jeep and is especially important
when lifting your Jeep more than 3 inches.
The adjustable control arms will help
offset the pinion angle
and castor angle of the front suspension
to help maintain a factory like geometry setup.
Extended brake lines will prevent them
from being ripped apart while drooping out the suspension
and the extended bumps stops are
to prevent your upgraded larger tires
from contacting the fenders when stuffing the tires
on full flex situations.
And if you intend to upgrade to recovery bumpers,
rock sliders, and various other recovery gear,
and maybe overlanding gear,
it will also be equally important
to make sure the coil spring rates
match the extra weight of all the gear.
And to also make sure the shock absorbers
are going to be able to hold up
to all the extra heat generated from them,
working harder with all the extra weight.
So instead of a monotube shock,
a bypass shock might be the best option there.
And guys, if you're not sure,
you can either call or email
our awesome customer service team
and they will get you pointed in the right direction
and we'll have their contact info in the description,
or you can also find their info right
at the bottom of our homepage on TrailBuilt.
Otherwise, make sure and check out
TeraFlex Icon and Rock Crawler Suspension Systems
for a great place to start for Jeep Wranglers.
Picking out new wheels and tires
can also be quite the undertaking,
especially with how many options there are on our website.
Fortunately, we have a whole bunch of videos
that we've done over the last couple of years
to get you pointed in the right direction.
And our fitment gallery is another great source
of information for what fits
and to also see how they look as well.
But the 2 biggest problems that we see
when someone goes to larger tires is,
1 going too big,
and number 2, not having extended bump stops.
Too big of a tire can really rob you
of gas mileage and power,
especially on JK's with the older 3.8 liter
and can often lead to overheating the engine
or even worse burning up the transmission,
which is more of a JK thing.
Too big of a tire size
can also make the Jeep handle horribly,
plus make them harder to stop in emergency situations.
In most cases, up to a 35 inch tire will be okay.
Heavier mud tires with thick sidewalls
can be a bit much even in a 35 inch tire size,
but 35's with extended bump stops and in most cases,
at least a 2 inch lift is about
as big as you'll wanna go.
Any larger than that and now you're gonna have
to start considering other expensive upgrades
like re-gearing the axles for example.
Although 2018 and newer JL Rubicon seemed
to handle 37's quite decently from what I've been told.
Not so much the case with 2018 and older JK's though,
but make sure and let us know
what your personal experiences are
with running larger tire sizes.
What size do you run and what modifications, if any,
did you have to do to run the larger tires?
And if you haven't already,
definitely make sure and add your Jeep to our gallery,
with the list of mods you've done as well,
so that others can see what works
and maybe what doesn't.
Also with getting a new set of wheels and tires,
keep in mind that you'll want
to get a matching spare as well.
It's a bit more pricey,
but will definitely save you a hefty tow bill
or a pull off the trail,
if you should get a flat.
The other thing with a matching full-size spare
is to also upgrade the spare tire carrier
to handle that extra weight,
especially if you do a 35 inch tire or larger.
With all the stress that a spare tire carrier takes
from the weight,
the factory spare tire carriers will fail after time
and up until they do, they'll rattle
and make some pretty annoying sounds every time
you hit a bump on the road or on the trail.
The JL's spare tire carrier is a bit better than the JK's,
but you'll still want to upgrade it
to prevent any sort of failure
from the extra weight of the bigger tire.
TeraFlex has some great options to upgrade to
and can be found right
in the accessories section on TrailBuilt.
They start at a couple of hundred bucks
and go off from there, but worth it nonetheless.
Also when upgrading to a new front bumper on a JK,
it's also important to purchase a front bumper
where the winch is below the grill
and not blocking the airflow to the radiator,
especially on earlier JK's,
same thing when looking at grill mods.
Earlier JK's need as much air flow
to the radiator as possible to avoid overheating issues.
All right guys, just to recap a few things
to watch out for when modifying your new to you Wrangler,
look for a suspension kit
that has all the right components
to make it a full suspension system that works.
Don't go too big on the tires,
unless you're planning some major drivetrain upgrades.
Make sure and check out our Jeep fitment gallery
and add yours if you haven't already.
And remember that JK's are a bit more sensitive
than the newer JL's
and are a bit more needy of your attention.
Also, don't forget
that we have an awesome customer service team
to help you out,
should you have any questions on modifying your Jeep.
Besides that, make sure and let us know,
what else should new Jeep Wrangler owners be looking for
or aware of when modifying their Jeep?
Just let us know in the comments below.
And guys as always,
we appreciate all of you for watching
and all of your support.
I'm Josh from TrailBuilt
and we'll see you guys out in the trails.
(fast rock music)