TJ: What does my Jeep need?

[ChrisJ13]

First off, my budget is low because I'm 16 years old and have to buy every aftermarket upgrade for my Jeep on my own, currently I make about $130.00 a week. I own a 99 Wrangler Sahara, with auto tran and a hardtop, as far as I know everything is stock. So I just wanted to know what does my Jeep need to perform well off road and in waht order should I get these things. I plan to start off with basic off roading and eventually move to advanced stuff. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[alittleoff]

Think safety first

Fire ext., first aid kit, basic tool kit, CB radio. Others on this board will have more to offer. The Sahara is a great Jeep to start with. Have fun with the build up.

Steve

[stevens243]

Yep. For the budget you are on, stay with the required stuff. Get the tools/first aid/basic recovery stuff and then find some experienced offroaders to go out with.

You'll want to be able to disconnect your sway bar and have tie straps or bungies to strap it out of the way and maybe a pump so you can air back up.

Your jeep is plenty capable as it is. Grow with it and don't do too much until you need then and can afford the non bottom basement upgrades.

Lots of folks here announce runs and will let you know if a stock will make the trip they are planning.

Enjoy!

[blackZZR]

you have a rare opportunity, you are going to be able to learn more about wheeling than most will ever know. You see you will buy the basic recovery and safety gear and go out with a stock Jeep and learn how to get from pint a to point b without all the upgrades that most start with. What that will do is teach you to be a patient and steady wheeler more dependent on skills than equipment. Go on out and tackle a few easy trails and start going for a few harder ones. Soon you will realize that Jeep is a fine platform stock and learn to do with what you have. Putting your abilities way ahead.

[JeepGal]

As they have already said, and you probably already know, youll be very suprised what youre stock Jeep will do with some finesse.

I agree with everyone in getting the basic stuff to start with.

You can fit 31s in there with no lift. Look for a set of used 31's. You can also make some disconnects. Youll want to air down and disconnect your front sway bar each time you go out.

That should start you out with a minimum of cost.

Make sure you go with folks that will keep you from getting in over your head. Your Jeep is way more capable than you are.

Good luck and have fun

Tam

[Roger]

Do you know the history of the Jeep? Can you tell if it was wheeled hard? A Mall crawler?

Since it looks like you'll be wheeling pretty hard (in mud) the best thing you can do (on a budget) is keep up the maintenance. Change your oil & filter every 2,000 miles or so, grease every fitting you can find, pressure wash the mud off, and clean or replace your air filter. Check your fluid level - in both diffs, tranny, transfer case, brake fluid, coolant, and yes, even your window washing fluid

Enjoy! Jeeping sure beats video games!

[ChrisJ13]

Would a Hi Jack be good to buy? Also would stiffer shocks help, such as Rancho RSX or Skyjacker Nitro 8000's?

[inVERt'D]

All very good advice above. You're smart and humble enough to ask for advice, and that's the best attitude to have. Go wheeling with older, experienced wheelers. That said, being completely dependent on others is not a wise habit. You will want some emergency recovery gear for sure, because you and I both know you might get into trouble when there's no one around with a winch to help you--even if it's sliding off an icy road into a ditch. Here's some red-neck tech for ya:

Get 4-ton come-along, and learn how to use it. Lube it up with white lithium grease and keep it clean. Spray down the cable with some dry lube to keep it from rusting. A 4-ton come-along can be got for $40. A $100 come-along would be a great investment. I pulled a buddy's FJ Cruiser up a steep hill with a 2-ton, $20 come-along, a choker chain, and a yank strap. I pulled my Jeep out of a deep snow drift with a similar come-along and some heavy-duty tie-down strap.

Come-alongs are only good for about 5' of pull at a time, so get a 30' yank strap, maybe 10' of heavy-duty choker chain (with hooks), and some 1/2" to 3/4" bow shackles. For extended reach, a synthetic winch line extension (eye splices on both ends would be great. You can get 1/4" Amsteel Blue or similar fairly cheaply. Even a length of heavy duty rope or nylon strap can be useful if you know some good knots.

Besides your pulling line, an additional safety line is a great idea. A heavy-duty rope works well as a backup in case something breaks in your pulling assembly. This is safe winching practice even if you're using a 12,000 lb Warn, but it's even more valuable with a come-along. You can secure your rig with it if you need to undo and unwind your come-along so you can pull another 5 feet. Use chock blocks too.

Your rig should have come with (4) recovery hooks on the bumpers. If not, buy some and mount them on your bumpers where they bolt to the frame. Learn how to use these. Do not put a clevis, hook, or chain on them. Use the eye of a yank strap, and wrap the strap once around the bumper so that the eye is pulled securely against the hook.

Make sure you know what your recovery equipment is rated for in terms of weight, and give yourself a safety margin. Don't try to use the above equipment to pull yourself up a waterfall. On the other hand, if you're high-centered on a rock, stuck in a ditch, etc., the budget pulling equipment described above can be invaluable for emergencies. It can save your life, but it can also end it if you are careless or don't know what you're doing. Get educated on safe winching/ recovery practices, and drill yourself (practice). You live in Colorado. Keep a set of warm stuff in your rig--the kind of stuff you'd want if you were working or hiking in freezing cold weather. You should be prepared to hike to safety.

If you get into trouble, it's not the time to beat yourself up; everyone makes mistakes. Focus on what you need to do; slow down and do it right.

Here's a list of suggested recovery equipment for you, winch or no winch:

• Shovel, fiberglass short handle (1 ea)
• Leather gloves
• Cold weather gloves
• Good boots and socks
• Parking brake that works (locks rear wheels)
• Come-along 2- or 4-ton (1 or 2 ea)
• Choker chain, 10', 3000# rated or better (1 ea)
• Yank Strap, 30' (1 or 2 ea)
• Bow Shackles, 1/2" to 3/4" (2-4 ea)
• Chock blocks, heavy-duty, (2 ea)
• Winch line extension, 1/4" synthetic or better, 50' long
• Large Ammo Can for stowage
• Tie downs for said ammo can so it doesn't hit you in the head if you roll
• Warm clothes
• Energy food
• Backpack
• Cellphone and charger
• CB Radio
• Knife, with seatbelt cutter and window breaker
• Hi-Lift jack (careful with this one!)

[blackZZR]

great post inverted
If more guys started this way we would have a better base of wheelers to teach others.
Bottom line is learn the skills first, then once you can afford the goodies you will be miles ahead of the pack

[inVERt'D]

Thanks BlackZZR, I wholeheartedly agree with what you're saying about skill over equipment.

[Kodiak Spirit]

wow, on that budget the first thing I would say is stay single.

seriously, there is not enough room in that budget for Jeep and dating to co-exist. :devil:

I would not put money in shocks just yet, if you lift it some time down the road that money will be lost. You should not do any costly stuff to the jeep until you have wheeled the snot outta it, and start getting stuck on a regular basis. :cake:

I'm serious! others have said it allready, the stock jeep is a great platform and after you learn to wheel it right and what lines you can take and make you will start doing more difficult stuff and THEN when you start getting stuck -and only then- you should think about upgrading the jeep. It's a Bell curve thing you start out getting stuck and then you won't for a long while and then you will start getting stuck again. :gun:

Then you upgrade- I would do a front locker first, but that's a long time off. start putting money in a jar :2:

[Schmo]

ARMOR it up!!! Especially without a lift, you will need some armor. I'd start off with a good set of rockers, followed by diff guards and oil pan protection (main and auto). Obviously all the recovery/safety gear is a must, but I've yet to be out with a group (which I would suggest so you can follow their lines, get a spot, get a tug, etc), where tow straps, hi-lifts, etc are in short supply. I'd rather see you have to borrow a hi-lift vs. smash your oil pan and be stuck on the trail. Just my :2:

[JJsKJ]

After you nail down all the basic safety and essentials mentioned above, Shop for good used parts from your local clubs, craigslist, etc. to mod on a budget. Join a local club and most likely you will get the help of others in your group when it comes to working on your Jeep saving you lots of dough in labor.

[RAT]

go out with a stock Jeep and learn how to get from pint a to point b without all the upgrades that most start with. .

Sorry, I know I'm getting a little off topic, but getting from pint A:beer: to pint B :beer:is definitely a skill you need to learn...

[Schmo]

Sorry, I know I'm getting a little off topic, but getting from pint A:beer: to pint B :beer:is definitely a skill you need to learn...

He's only 16 . . . plenty of time to learn Might be hard to get extra hands to help you wrench when you're not old enough to buy beer!!!