Howdy All
I'm considering next $ dump for the Jeep.
What would you recommend ?
Lift
Lights
Or winch
Or other?
Thanks
I'm considering next $ dump for the Jeep.
What would you recommend ?
Lift
Lights
Or winch
Or other?
Thanks
Lift, offroad rack lights 360, or winch
- Thread starter NonStop
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A lift and good tires will do a lot for a rig. But it will also lead to needing deeper gears and lockers. A winch while handy at times could sit on the front of your truck for years before it ever gets used. The one on my side by side has been used once for recovery. Every other time it has been used was to load a dead vehicle on a trailer. I’ve had it for ten years. Lights don’t have to be a huge money dump. Amazon light bars and pods, while no where near the best, will work for not a whole lot of money. Do you wheel a lot in the dark or do you just want camp lights?
Put some fuel in your tank and go out. A lot. Then see where you want to make changes. Most people seem to over build just to say they have this and this on their truck. Are you gonna be doing any crawling? Or will you be running 2 tracks 90% of the time? What terrain? Snow, mud, sand, rock, or do you want a jack of all trades master of none.
Take what you don’t put into fuel and buy a good tool set. Learn to use them if you don’t know how. And make sure you have some sort of communication. I love my garmin inreach. Other than that go explore.
Put some fuel in your tank and go out. A lot. Then see where you want to make changes. Most people seem to over build just to say they have this and this on their truck. Are you gonna be doing any crawling? Or will you be running 2 tracks 90% of the time? What terrain? Snow, mud, sand, rock, or do you want a jack of all trades master of none.
Take what you don’t put into fuel and buy a good tool set. Learn to use them if you don’t know how. And make sure you have some sort of communication. I love my garmin inreach. Other than that go explore.
you have lockers ??
cuz selectable lockers are a must have to Tread Lightly.
If you overland often, the priorities become obvious.
cuz selectable lockers are a must have to Tread Lightly.
If you overland often, the priorities become obvious.
Advocate I
If you do not know that it means you don't go out much. Put the money in some off days and trips, and it will come to you .
As a rule, suspension is done last, after you have everything you want/need on the truck. You do suspension now and add a winch next year. That means that it will add a heavy winch after you done the suspension, so you will have to do the front suspension again to compensate for the winch. Or you get a suspension now suitable for a winch, but not get the winch very soon due to god knows what reasons, and you have a hard/bouncy front for years...
As a rule, suspension is done last, after you have everything you want/need on the truck. You do suspension now and add a winch next year. That means that it will add a heavy winch after you done the suspension, so you will have to do the front suspension again to compensate for the winch. Or you get a suspension now suitable for a winch, but not get the winch very soon due to god knows what reasons, and you have a hard/bouncy front for years...
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you really don't have any info on what you are doing, so its a hard question to answer. if you are new to this, then a stock jeep already has more capability than you do until you get some serious time behind the wheel. my wife has a stock jeep sahara and it has a "trail rated" badge on it. not sure what that means, BUT i do know that it being stock will handle over 90% of anything i will come across here in the well developed country of the united states. if i did need to add to it, it would be specific to what i'm wanting to do: lights for night driving, lift for going over rocks, etc...only time and experience will let me know what direction i want to go.
if anything, just get some good AT tires and maybe a level kit to raise the vehicle enough to go up a size or so on tires and that will give a good look and give extra clearance without having to go nuts on the suspension and making expensive alterations you may not need. if you do need a lift later, it will be super easy to remove the level kit and install the lift.
a stock jeep is a VERY capable machine and can probably do things you're not ready to do yet....so spend time behind the wheel and get to where you are on its level of capability and then the two of you can grow together after that...
if anything, just get some good AT tires and maybe a level kit to raise the vehicle enough to go up a size or so on tires and that will give a good look and give extra clearance without having to go nuts on the suspension and making expensive alterations you may not need. if you do need a lift later, it will be super easy to remove the level kit and install the lift.
a stock jeep is a VERY capable machine and can probably do things you're not ready to do yet....so spend time behind the wheel and get to where you are on its level of capability and then the two of you can grow together after that...
Off-Road Ranger I
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In San Diego, a tank of gas will probably cost you as much as any of these right now.
I'd spend it on that and just go out and explorer.
I believe it depends on your goals. That said, I’m of the opinion that suspension should be last if you plan on loading down your vehicle with things like bumpers, skids/sliders, refrigerators, racks, sleeping systems, etc. You need to know your overall weight, both loaded and unloaded, to get the appropriate spring weights.
My suggestion, and my personal approach, is to just get out there and have fun as much as I can. Along the way (remember, the journey is the goal), I take note of anything that I feel holds me back or presents itself as a problem.
Proper tires and sliders are my priority on a new vehicle, after recovery and safety equipment are sorted. The rest comes after I figured out needs.
My suggestion, and my personal approach, is to just get out there and have fun as much as I can. Along the way (remember, the journey is the goal), I take note of anything that I feel holds me back or presents itself as a problem.
Proper tires and sliders are my priority on a new vehicle, after recovery and safety equipment are sorted. The rest comes after I figured out needs.
North40overland
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Ok so call me a stick in the mud but I don't get people dumping thousands into lights. They look cool for sure and when I have done everything else I will put some on. I know we are all different but I see running at night as a function of poor planning or time/distance estimating. We try to find camp and have dinner cooking by sundown. I always grit my teeth when I see someone passing on the trail as the sun is going down. I always wish them well on finding a place to bed down. *Climbs down off soapbox* Ok, so I say if you are going to do a winch, then do the winch before the lift. That way, when you get the lift they (or you) can set the spring rate in the front to accommodate for the weight of the winch when you install the kit vs. having to dial it in after the fact. Besides, jeeps have such good approach/departure/breakover angles from the factory you don't get as much bang for the buck as you do on other vehicles. There's my thoughts, that and 5.50 will get you a cup of coffee :-)
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Agree on not spending thousands but buying high end primary lights (a pair of rounds or a 20/30" bar) is well invested even if you don't really intend to use them all the time. Nothing is worse than getting held up and slowing to a crawl because your lights give you poor peripheral vision at night. I have a pair of Baja Designs LP6 on the bumper and they're so good I'm not adding any more forward lighting... massive coverage and incredible range means I'm pairing with ditch lighting and that's it.
I won’t spend thousands on lights. I refuse to do that. I have a $100 20 inch light bar on my dodge that does both white and amber light. The amber, actually orange, work awesome in the snow. During hunting season I want to be away from my truck at first and last light. That means I’ll be driving to a mountain top or to home/camp everyday in the dark. Sometimes I don’t need them but other times they sure are nice. I won’t question why someone has extra lights. I will never spend $1200 dollars for roughly the same light but from a name brand dealer.
Enthusiast I
Just my input. I work a lot of hours, so normally when I get off work I have 2 choices, lose a night out camping and start the next morning. I choose to go out that night to use the most of my little bit of the time that I do have. I run at night almost every time, or very early in the morning. As for lights, I've ran cheaper lights, those do not seem to hold up to the abuse I put mine thru. I've broken lights when I have needed them most. I have been running the same rigid industries lights for the past 6 years with the same abuse, with 0 problems. Yes they cost way more. In my opinion, I know they will always work when I need them the most. I also spend time in the dunes, and rescue stuck vehicles out in the pitch dark. Another reason why I have very bright dependable lights.
I'm not telling you that you have to go out and buy the most expensive, buy what works for you. This is just my input.
