If you are interested in taking your jeep off-road then you may be needing to make some modifications before you are able to do this.
Standard jeeps just aren’t built for use on extreme terrain, they tend to be low to the ground and contain plastic parts that could easily break off. Take a look below for some ideas of the top five modifications you can make to your Jeep.
Winch
If you have ever spoken to someone about taking a Jeep out on extreme terrain then they will tell you that a winch is an absolute necessity. If you or some buddies were to get stuck in the mud for instance, then your winch could help get you out of a sticky and potentially dangerous situation.
When you are looking at getting a winch line installed onto your Jeep, you will likely be faced with two options. You have the choice of a synthetic cable or a steel line. There are, of course, pros and cons to both of these options. There is a lot of talk about which one is better, only you can decide.
If your Jeep will already contain a lot of weight behind it then perhaps the lighter of the two options would suit you better, this would be the synthetic cable. A lot of Jeep owners decide to choose this one simply due to its lightweight features.
Suspension Kit
The problem a standard jeep has is that it is not actually suitable for extreme terrain. This is due to the height at which it stands from the ground. A standard jeep is around eight to ten inches off the ground. If you find yourself driving over deep grooves and steep hills then you are likely to catch the underside of your Jeep.
There are suspension kits available for your Jeep that will lift it and give it a much higher clearance from the ground. However, it can be pretty tricky knowing which ones to get. Before you buy your suspension lift kit you will need to have a rough plan of how high you want your Jeep to be.
This is due to the technical aspects behind lifting your vehicle. The higher you lift it, the more parts you will need to add to retain a factory-like ride. One thing you may want to change when you lift your car is the tires, a higher car gives you more options to change the rubber.
Tires
One thing that will certainly need to be modified when you create the perfect extreme terrain Jeep is the tires. Those four circles that keep your car on the ground will more than likely still be the factory tires that are designed for street and slight off-road ventures. They certainly won’t be suitable for driving around extreme terrain for the day. Your brand-new extreme terrain tires will feature the best combination of rubber compounds that will give you a smooth ride on both pavements and off-road.
You might be wondering what the difference is between all-terrain tires, street tires, and mud tires. The main difference is that all-terrain tires are much quieter than mud tires while being tougher than street tires. They are made for better traction control, meaning their tread is tight with plenty of grooves.
Better Lighting
If you will be driving over extreme terrain in the dark then the standard lighting that comes with your Jeep won’t be powerful enough for this. This can lead to you being in dangerous situations and not being able to see what is ahead of you.
The production line LEDs are suitable for driving on the road with the help of street lights and house lights. You will need to modify these lights and the best ones you can get are close to twice the brightness as your standard ones.
There are a couple of options for the housing of your new lights as well, you can choose between reflector or projector-style casing. Another option, if you want to provide yourself with a lot of light, is an LED light bar installed at the top of your jeep.
They are lightweight and easy to install on your vehicle. If you need to find your way to a campsite or back to the road then this is the thing for you.
Heavy Duty Bumpers
When you are taking your jeep on extreme terrain you will need a better bumper than the one that comes with your factory Jeep. The one that comes installed on your car off the production line is just a lightweight piece of plastic, this won’t give your Jeep the right protection it needs.
This calls for the need for a heavy-duty bumper, the best one you can get includes mounting points and space for a winch in case you get stuck. You have a choice of three different styles when it comes to your front bumper. There are full-width, mid-width, and stubby ones available.
We hope you found this article helpful and that it gave you some useful tips and tricks on how to make your Jeep suitable for extreme terrain.