10 Best Jeep Wrangler Mods
Whether this is your first Jeep or your third, knowing what mods to purchase could mean the difference between being stranded somewhere in the great outdoors or continuing your journey with nothing impeding your progress. The sheer number of modifications you can add to your Jeep Wrangler is mind-boggling. So, to help you, we've assembled a list of the top 10 Jeep Wrangler Mods.
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1. Replacement Hood Latches
If you've ever driven your Jeep at high speed (who wouldn't), you might have noticed that your hood jostled around. The hood moves this way because the factory uses a soft, stretchy rubber that leaves enough space for the hood to jump around while the Jeep is moving fast. However, watching your hood jump around can be distracting. Replacement hood latches give you heavier duty options to keep your hood in place while you're putting your foot down on the gas. Furthermore, they eliminate annoying distractions while you're enjoying "Jeep time" on a rugged road somewhere.
2. Entry Guards
The door frame experiences a lot of wear and tear due to heavy traffic. The lower door area is where you place your foot to climb into your jeep. After years of abuse, the door frame is going to start looking a little bit worn. If your transfer case and gas tank can have skid plates, why can't you have something to protect the one area in the Jeep that's trampled on the most? You don't need anything fancy to solve this issue. Simply install an entry guard. Most entry guards are made of aluminum, thermoplastic, or stainless steel material to protect the frame, and most brands use 3M adhesive for easy attachment. It doesn't matter where you take your Jeep; entry guards are an easy and affordable modification to help your Jeep withstand the wear and tear of trampling feet.
3. Grab Handles
Grab handles are useful for gripping onto when you hit a severe turn in your off-road vehicle, and you don't feel your seatbelt will completely balance you if it happens to roll. Jeeps are perfect for this type of mod because of their design. You can easily attach a grab handle onto the roll cage or the front A-pillar. Now when you're driving, you can grip the grab handle anytime you need to. Not only that, but you can also use it as a support to climb in or out of your Jeep.
There are many types of grab handles to choose from, such as heavy-duty, nylon, and even foam grip. Grab handles are affordable, and most simply slip around the roll cage or front A-pillar via Velcro. If you're looking for more stability during your ride, grab handles are the way to go.
4. Floor Liners
No one likes to track mud, dirt, or grass into the interior of their Jeep. It's messy, a general pain to clean up, and takes away from the beauty of the interior. The best way to combat this issue is to invest in floor liners. Most floor liners are designed to fit over factory or aftermarket carpets, and they're the perfect solution to keeping your floor looking new. There are various types of floor liners, including:
• All weather heavy-duty floor liners - floor liners with a curved outer edge design and a stain-resistant or thermoplastic carpeted base. These floor liners will protect your Jeep from anything and everything that you could track inside. They're also easy to clean.
• Stain-resistant carpeted floor liners - protects against spills or anything else that could stain your carpet.
• Trail tough floor liners - much like the all-weather floor liner because it protects against anything you track into your Jeep. It has a molded polyethylene liner with a tread pattern resembling what you would find on a tire. Its raised edges add an extra layer of protection against anything you may track inside.
• Rubberized slush floor liners - the grooved bodies of this floor liner specializes in protecting your Jeep from moisture such as snow or mud.
Floor liners come in cargo, front, and rear styles. Ultimately, you have an option to protect every part of your Jeep.
5. LED lights
If you don't modify anything else on your Jeep, at least upgrade your LED lights. What you might not know is that the factory lights found on most Jeep models are severely underpowered. There are plenty of aftermarket LED lights that can give you twice the power of factory LEDs while using half the amps. Aftermarket LED lights are also affordable. You can make two different types of LED bulb upgrades to your Jeep: projector-style or reflector-style housings. They differ in how they cast light down the road as well as output pattern, but they both work great.
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6. Lift Kits
Lift kits are among the most popular mods that Jeep owners invest in, and for good reason. A Jeep with a good lift increases clearance, approach angle, departure angle, and more. That means you'll be able to drive over rocks, boulders, and anything else that might get in your way while you're driving off-road. Understand how you plan on driving your Jeep when you invest in a lift kit. If you're driving slow and steady over boulders and river crossings, a basic spring will do the trick. However, if you're driving in an open area at high rates of speed, then a solid coil over system would make the most sense.
7. Recovery Gear
No matter where you're driving your Jeep, there's a need for recovery gear. This is especially the case if you intend on taking your vehicle off-road. Modding out your Jeep with recovery gear doesn't have to be a grand expense. You don't have to do something drastic like switching out your hydraulic winch or anything else along those lines. A simple winch accessory kit is all that you need to get the job done. Winch accessory kits come with a variety of items that'll get you out of most precarious situations - d-rings, gloves, and recovery straps (used to pull your vehicle out from the mud, snow, etc.) are just a few items you'll find in these kits. Other items that would be wise to have on hand are fire extinguishers, a first aid kit, and a heavy-duty jack.
8. VersaHitch
As the owner of a Jeep, it may be a dream of yours to add a rear cargo rack in preparation for a big trip or latching a bike onto the back of your vehicle. The factory hitch that comes with most Jeeps will most certainly get the job done, but once you've installed these accessories, you'll lose your ability to tow. A VersaHitch comes with a standard 2" receiver hitch, but it also sports two additional 1.5" receiver tubes. Therefore you can add additional accessories without losing your towing capabilities. The usefulness of this mod is in the name - adding versatility to your towing capabilities.
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9. Soft Tops
One of the hardest decisions a Jeep owner makes is whether or not they should go with a soft top. After all, soft tops are practically synonymous with Jeeps, and they allow you to enjoy a nice summer day by pulling the top down or zipping open the window. On the flip side, hardtops also have their benefits. They provide more security, they're more durable, and they're on the quieter side.
If, after careful consideration, you decide to go with a soft top, installing one is a simple process. You can find soft tops in a variety of shapes, sizes, and price ranges. You can purchase an outright replacement top or go with a frameless soft top. Whatever the case, there are plenty of styles to keep you busy when you go shopping. Soft tops require extra care if you store your car outdoors to prevent fading from the sun and tears from falling branches and flying debris. Give your Jeep an added layer of protection with an SUV car cover.
10. Interior Security and Storage
Jeeps aren't really all that roomy. Furthermore, soft top Jeeps aren't the safest place to store your belongings. So, what can be done to rectify this issue? If you're looking for a more secure option, invest in a 16-gauge steel lockable console. These consoles are designed to fit overhead, under the seat, between the front seats, and in the rear cargo area. If you're looking to increase your storage space, you could always invest in specially designed storage bags that attach to areas around your Jeep, such as the roll cage, tailgate, or soundbar.
Conclusion
Owning a Jeep Wrangler is a delight that few people can truly relate to. However, modding it out can make your Jeep safer, more efficient, and a heck of a lot more fun to drive. Start with a few simple modifications, and over time you can pull off your car cover and start doing some serious modding.
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