Mod Hesitant

OG05TJX

OG05TJX

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Mar 7, 2022
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5
Location
Kennesaw GA
I want to make my Jeep a little more rugged without having to do too many mods to it. I already cringe at the idea of putting a rack on it and mounting it to the body so I can throw camping/kayak stuff on top. I absolutely refuse to lift it but I'm willing to try some other stuff to make it a little better for heading out into the woods. Any suggestions on what's helpful and what doesn't really matter? I have a 05 TJ 4.0L 6spd btw...
 
After maintenance, good tires, and making sure you have front and rear recovery points.

The first modification I would do, would be a simple rock slider. Then you have protection off road, could even get a set of used OEM rubicon ones.

From there a nice set of LED headlights are awfully nice to have. Beyond that there is not really a “need” for anything.

It’s hard to beat a nice set of Black Magic Brake pads. to make the TJ actually stop.

I really like my new Hot Head’s Headliner for reducing road noise.

Basic shock upgrade like a rancho 5000x, and a set of sway bar disconnects can make driving off road a lot more comfortable too.
 
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Midnight LJR said:
After maintenance, good tires, and making sure you have front and rear recovery points.

The first modification I would do, would be a simple rock slider. Then you have protection off road, could even get a set of used OEM rubicon ones.

From there a nice set of LED headlights are awfully nice to have. Beyond that there is not really a “need” for anything.

It’s hard to beat a nice set of Black Magic Brake pads. to make the TJ actually stop.

I really like my new Hot Head’s Headliner for reducing road noise.

Basic shock upgrade like a rancho 5000x, and a set of sway bar disconnects can make driving off road a lot more comfortable too.
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Thank you! I was a little worried I'd have some pushback on not wanting to do mods to my Jeep. Thank you so much for this, I didn't really know where to start except for having looked at some rock sliders! This is perfect!
 
Possibly a winch also if you are going to be using it off-road where you may get stuck somehow. The winch also has other uses as well and can mount directly to a stock set up with only a low cost winch plate mounted to the existing bolts at/behind the front bumper.

You can also squeeze 31” tires on the stock set up for a little extra clearance (you will probably have to add a washer or two behind your steering stops but that’s an easy fix for a few cents).
 
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There is absolutely nothing wrong with NOT throwing endless $$$ into your jeep. Real world useful mods are tires, maybe a locker if you really think you need one, but they do have downsides as well. Recovery points and a winch,a snatch block and some straps are a must IMO. Take a look at something like the Camel trophy rigs, they are far from modded and run way harder than most jeeps will ever see. There are some exceptions like the rock crowd but remember every "upgrade" down grades another part.
 
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I wheeled my Jeep for more than 5 years and 50,000 miles (obviously not all on the trail) before I got more aggressive tires as my first "mod." Driver skill, time on the trail is worth more than anything you can bolt or weld on your Jeep. Get out there and have fun. Things like recovery gear and a compressor to air down your tires are worth buckets more. There is way too much focus on mods and way too little on time behind the wheel these days, you have a great attitude about not wanting to do much. Things like sliders will be obvious when you hit trails that are more difficult, in fact most mods are very easy to decide on once you get some time in the dirt.
 
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If the OP is not wanting to do a lift I'm hard pressed to believe he'll be interested in drilling a couple dozen holes in the tub to mount any quality rock slider.

If it were me, I'd do a set of 1" coil spacers and 31" tires, and call it a day. Consider sliders if you actually wind up on a trail with rocks that come anywhere near your tub, but that may be a while.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
If the OP is not wanting to do a lift I'm hard pressed to believe he'll be interested in drilling a couple dozen holes in the tub to mount any quality rock slider.

If it were me, I'd do a set of 1" coil spacers and 31" tires, and call it a day. Consider sliders if you actually wind up on a trail with rocks that come anywhere near your tub, but that may be a while.
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The lift IMO causes more damage and isn't really an addition to my Jeep, it's more for clearance which I don't need. It sucks to drill holes in the body but it's for protection so it's more give and take.
Also I'm a woman lol ;D
The guy before me actually already put bigger tires on it which I'm good with.
 
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OG05TJX said:
The lift IMO causes more damage and isn't really an addition to my Jeep, it's more for clearance which I don't need. It sucks to drill holes in the body but it's for protection so it's more give and take.
Also I'm a woman lol ;D
The guy before me actually already put bigger tires on it which I'm good with.
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Ah, sorry for the misgendering, haha. Male is usually a fair assumption around here.

A 1" spacer lift is about as harmless and reversible as jeep mods get but if you don't need it, you don't need it. I don't know what the wheeling like is in Georgia, but I could have wheeled 90% of the trails in Colorado without rock sliders.
 
freedom_in_4low said:
Ah, sorry for the misgendering, haha. Male is usually a fair assumption around here.

A 1" spacer lift is about as harmless and reversible as jeep mods get but if you don't need it, you don't need it. I don't know what the wheeling like is in Georgia, but I could have wheeled 90% of the trails in Colorado without rock sliders.
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You're good! I always find it a bit funny when it happens and it's understandable. Even my job is male dominated so I don't think twice about it.
I think I'm more worried about going through mud and hitting something on the side there where the sliders could potentially be an asset. I think as I go out, I'll really figure out what I need.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
Ah, sorry for the misgendering, haha. Male is usually a fair assumption around here.
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OG05TJX said:
I think I'm more worried about going through mud and hitting something on the side there where the sliders could potentially be an asset. I think as I go out, I'll really figure out what I need.
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Go forth and wheel that Jeep. Ask questions that arise from said wheeling. Enjoy the ride.
 
Budget boost lift (spacers) this will require nothing more than spacers and shocks 31" tires. North Ga equals rocks mostly hidden in the mud or jutting out the bank so sliders come in handy and look 😎. Get all your recovery gear in a bag and make sure you have recovery points front and rear ( you don't want to be that guy or girl)
Once you do all that and catch the bug we will be here in a year when your asking about lockers and 4" lifts🤣😜
Enjoy that Jeep!!!
 
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OG05TJX said:
Thank you! I was a little worried I'd have some pushback on not wanting to do mods to my Jeep. Thank you so much for this, I didn't really know where to, start except for having looked at some rock sliders! This is perfect!
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Your TJ - you should do as you please and just enjoy your ride. The TJ is quite capable in its stock configuration and with some of the mods recommended here you really can't go wrong! Enjoy!
 
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