New to this! Top ten list of Expo Mods for new Jeep?

[Carolyn]

1) Dual Battery System. I had National Luna installed with 2 yellow tops.
2) Bit of a suspension lift, shocks etc... to handle the weight of what was to come. I chose Full Traction 3" and a couple of their skids.
3) Roof Rack. I chose Garvin Wilderness....
4) Tires and wheels (wheels with less backspacing than factory) I chose American Racing Mojave wheels and 33" Duratracs by Goodyear. I am an overlander, and don't want/need 35's ....
5) Removed rear seat (4 door jku) and installed Kilby Floor Kit.
6) Expedition One front bumper with Warn winch (10,000) - synthetic line.
7) Re-gear to 4.88's, ARB air lockers up front and onboard air.
8) After the rear end failed due to improper install of bearings behind.... added Auburn Ected-Max limited slip/full lockers behind. Runs limited slip, until activated to full lockers.
9) AEV seat covers
10) Safari straps, hung one set just under the top, attached to the roll bar to stuff light weight (as in down) things... and another to keep my dogs in the back.....
Lots and lots of other stuff..... but the first 5 I did, or had done pretty much within about 3-4 months. Then the rest came within the first year. My jeep is a 2011. I travel off road and work in the back country. Sometimes I'm out of cell range, and don't see another person for days... gotta love it.
Next comes the rear bumper and tire swing.
Should have added aftermarket headlamps.... went with Cibie Headlamps and harness. The factory light are awful... particularly for me where I live up in the mountains...
Overbuild? No. I use my jeep. I'm alone a lot of the time. I want best case scenario to get me out there... and hopefully get me home.

 

[bob91yj]

1-10, get out do some easier trips in your area, find out what the Jeep won't do and build it to meet YOUR needs. I know too many people that built monster vehicles and ended up hating them because they didn't meet their own needs.

Get a good first aid kit, and a quality recovery strap for starters, a fire extinguisher if you have room for it. Those cute little chrome ones at the local auto parts store MIGHT put out a cigarette. Home Depot/Lowe's usually have a decent selection of chemical fire extinguishers, at least 2.5lbs if you're going to bother, and mounted where you can reach it easily. Assemble a first aid kit that you'll want to have handy to put yourself/family back together enough to get to a hospital. I find most of the store bought's to be lacking IMO, we have back pack and stocked it ourselves, use it as a walk out bag if it comes to that.

 

[McZippie]

I'm just the Guy you don't want hear from. (smiley face winky crap)

Our 2010 JKU Rubicon came with a "trail-rated" sticker!
Learned long ago, those Detroit Engineers know a thing or two and aftermarket mods are many times problematic.
So my 1 thru 9 modification would be to resist all those cool looking Expo mods.
10, add some 18 inch bling rims and 33" tires that are more highway capable.
We just won the Michigan Upper Peninsular Overland Challenge with our "trail de-rated" JKU Rubicon.
When needed, we strap down in rear an Action-Packer with tools, recovery/camping gear and cooler etc.

Now if you want to modify your Jeep as a hobby, for rock bashing or for the Expo cool factor, that a different matter.

 

[Carolyn]

One problem with 18" wheels: you can't air down as much... and get that longer footprint that many times can be the difference in being stuck, bruising your tires, not having the needed traction available..... 'cause if you do, with such a short sidewall - you'll lose your bead. Unless of course you are putting huge tires on - and from your description - that's not going to happen.

 

[County98]

1) Dual Battery System. I had National Luna installed with 2 yellow tops...

Overbuild? No. I use my jeep. I'm alone a lot of the time. I want best case scenario to get me out there... and hopefully get me home.

Carolyn, love your Jeep. Yours is one of the best setups IMHO. You built it to work for you and spent the money to get quality on the things you felt were important. Well thought out ma'am. Also, I was wondering when a dual batt setup or similar was going to show up. I read your writeup on it the other day and it's very impressive. Kinda spendy for a weekend warrior, but again, that's the awesome part of this thread. It has a distinct purpose for you, so was worth the coin. A winch and reserve power (havent researched options fully yet, maybe just a yellow top and an sPod would work for me) are on my fantasy list only because I have a hidden terror that the first time I need either one it wont be there. That goes back to my wife killing me dead part.

I'm just the Guy you don't want hear from. (smiley face winky crap)

Now if you want to modify your Jeep as a hobby, for rock bashing or for the Expo cool factor, that a different matter.

Dude! You're exactly the guy some of us noobs probably need to hear from, lol. (smiley face winky crap) I also believe that well executed function has a cool factor all it's own.

 

[ManleyORV]

Check out the Sears Platinum deep cycle, they were getting much better reviews than Optima when I was looking a couple years ago. I've been good so far with a single one of those and my winch. Although I do love the idea of a dual battery setup on an expo rig.

-Josh

 

[Carolyn]

Carolyn, love your Jeep. Yours is one of the best setups IMHO. You built it to work for you and spent the money to get quality on the things you felt were important. Well thought out ma'am. Also, I was wondering when a dual batt setup or similar was going to show up. I read your writeup on it the other day and it's very impressive. Kinda spendy for a weekend warrior, but again, that's the awesome part of this thread. It has a distinct purpose for you, so was worth the coin. A winch and reserve power (havent researched options fully yet, maybe just a yellow top and an sPod would work for me) are on my fantasy list only because I have a hidden terror that the first time I need either one it wont be there. That goes back to my wife killing me dead part.

Thanks County98 for the kudos on my jeep... I was camped not too far up in the La Sal Mountains (S.E. Utah) for 1 night. Snow on the ground, more on the way. No cell phone coverage. Tons of camera gear, myself and my dog. Of course it started to snow. No big deal. I didn't have a tent, as I was sleeping in my (last) jeep, traveling light and fast. In fact, I sleep in my jeep a lot anyway. Turned on the ignition key to roll up the windows.... battery was dead.
Fortunately for me, I had chosen a place to camp, then driven out, marking my location.... called a friend that was joining me the next day to give him directions.... and went back up. It was a cold night... I sure didn't want to hike out (no other folks around that time of year) with all my (camera) gear... so glad my buddy made it the next day. It wasn't long after returning home from that trip (1.5 months) that I got the new jeep. Dual bats high on my list. Now, if I lose power, I can just jump start myself :sombrero: Yes, kind of pricey, but gives me a much better feeling when I turn left onto dirt, instead of right onto pavement - heading off to places where I hope I don't see other people :ylsmoke: