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Jeep Body damage and stock.

A

anzenketh

Member
Location
Orem, Utah
Now that I have a jeep I really want to do some offroading. I have been thinking about a few things though.

1. I only have two vehicles so I don't want to take my jeep out of service very much. So I want to avoid offroading that will guarantee damage to my jeep.
2. My wife cares about how my car looks. Me not so much. So I am looking for offroading that does not guarantee noticeable body damage. Accidents happen and I am ok with that but if it is preventable I rather try.
3. The jeep is stock. What parts can I add to a WJ that can protect my jeep. These I think will be my first mods.
 
Stephen

Stephen

Who Dares Wins
Moderator
Location
Never Far From Nowhere
anzenketh said:
1. I only have two vehicles so I don't want to take my jeep out of service very much. So I want to avoid offroading that will guarantee damage to my jeep.
2. My wife cares about how my car looks. Me not so much. So I am looking for offroading that does not guarantee noticeable body damage. Accidents happen and I am ok with that but if it is preventable I rather try.
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Go with people who have similar vehicles or outlooks regarding 4-wheeling. There are LOTS of trails out there that are challenging for a stock jeep, but are not going to land your vehicle in the shop. That said, the inherent nature of this sport does mean that you are exponentially increasing the likelihood of some sort of damage.

There is a "Noob Run" being put together here on RME. Pay attention to that thread and others in the Upcoming Trips section.
Check out Expedition Utah for lots of camping and exploring trips being planned and general information.
Pick up a 4WD Adventures Utah book and a Benchmark Atlas of Utah and start exploring. The vast majority of the trails in those books will be drivable by a stock WJ.
Finally, ask questions like you are doing. Go out often and learn what your vehicle is capable of and what your own personal threshold is. You'll be amazed at where you can get.

3. The jeep is stock. What parts can I add to a WJ that can protect my jeep. These I think will be my first mods.
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I'm not a WJ guy, but I'd say first off I'd get some more aggressive tires and maybe a mild lift. If you want protection, look for rock sliders, bumpers and skid plates.
 
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DOSS

DOSS

Poker of the Hornets Nest
Location
Suncrest
Stephen covered most of it.. I think it really depends on how hard you want to play.. there is a 'threshold' that once you have passed it not receiving body damage is the oddity. But yeah.. noob run would be a good place to start getting your feet wet..

Oh and just ignore Blacky.. noobs are welcome around here.. it is just hard to type nice things with only one hand I guess...
 
A

anzenketh

Member
Location
Orem, Utah
Thanks for your help. The book recommendations are really helpful. You also calmed my concerns of not having fun doing some 4x4. I am not looking to play too hard when I went out with my dad on a YJ when I was a teenager I was afraid of the cliff. Still am on mountain drives so that limits me a bit.

As for the protection getting a better tires and a mild lift would be a good first buy. I Read that Jeeps come with some skid plates not the best but still some. So I think sliders are after that the passenger side near where the skid plates would go is getting rusty anyways.

As for Blacky I ignore someone telling me to go google every time I ask a noob question. It is a standard response to a noob question.
 
TJDukit

TJDukit

I.Y.A.A.Y.A.S.
Location
Clearfield
Lots of good recomendations here. I'm not exactly new to the sport but I still ask a lot of Noob questions sometimes. Sometimes it's just better to ask a question even though it may have been answered numerous times in the past. A lot of times those threads are old and outdated and forgotten and new experiences and new products will have come to light and it gets new information back to the top.

I personally like to do the google search first and figure out sort of where I stand, then ask informed questions because they are usually easier to answer.

There are lots of trails around here that you can take a stock rig and have a lot of fun with bypasses for the scary body damage prone areas.

In your case body protection, lockers maybe and then a moderate lift with more aggressive tires will go a long way. It is an amazing difference when you wheel with open diffs compared to at least one locker.

So I'd say wheel it as it is and figure out what you want to do from there. You will learn the WJ's limitations as well as your own fairly quick.
 
A

anzenketh

Member
Location
Orem, Utah
Do you think that a 2" lift would be good enough to give good clearance on most trails. I was able to find a vender to do it in orem for around $300.(Wish I was mechanically included enough to just buy the kits and do it myself.) Or do you think that someone who knows how to use tools and read instructions and follow instructions could do it. Goodyear wanted to replace the shocks too for a 2" charging me 600+. Or is a lift really not all that necessary for most trails.
 
DOSS

DOSS

Poker of the Hornets Nest
Location
Suncrest
Honestly if you are able to read and follow instructions and have tools and maybe a helping hand a 2-3 inch lift is rather easy to install.. I would suggest getting a good kit, not just the cheapest you can get as your on road performance will suffer more with a crappy lift. I am fond of Teraflex.. but others may have a better suggestion for the WJ.

I would not lift your rig until you have driven more.. even stock you can go a lot of places.. "Wheel what you got" and then find out exactly what you want ;)
 
jeep-N-montero

jeep-N-montero

Formerly black_ZJ
Location
Bountiful
anzenketh said:
Do you think that a 2" lift would be good enough to give good clearance on most trails. I was able to find a vender to do it in orem for around $300.(Wish I was mechanically included enough to just buy the kits and do it myself.) Or do you think that someone who knows how to use tools and read instructions and follow instructions could do it. Goodyear wanted to replace the shocks too for a 2" charging me 600+. Or is a lift really not all that necessary for most trails.
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Found this for you http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=16398173&cat=&lpid=1&search=part cherokee
 
2

2INSANE

Guest
I hit a lot of trails and tend to avoid a lot of damage. I think practice makes perfect. Start out with practice runs to get comfortable with your ride and tune your driving skills. You really don't need a heavy mod vehicle to enjoy the fruits of wheeling. I've seen stock drivers go places a heavily modified rig can't go due to driver issues. Your always welcome to join my fun filled adventures each month.
 
2

2INSANE

Guest
Farmington is a fun mountain ride that almost any stock rig can do. U know where those big radar domes are on the peak?
 
2

2INSANE

Guest
TJDukit said:
Too bad its still closed until further notice.
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Is it? I have not gone on it this year yet. Flooding issues I assume? I usually go to the 3 hidden Glacial Lakes up there each year. Maybe I can hit the trail from Bountiful side:)
 
A

anzenketh

Member
Location
Orem, Utah
2INSANE said:
You really don't need a heavy mod vehicle to enjoy the fruits of wheeling. I've seen stock drivers go places a heavily modified rig can't go due to driver issues. Your always welcome to join my fun filled adventures each month.
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Thanks for calming my aspirations to go all out. I also found out that the newer Cherokees are higher then the older ones. So I should be just fine with the 8.7" clearance that I have. Which is also good because I am expecting some heavy expences soon do to my wife is pregnant. (The entire reason why I bought another vehicle in the first place hard to place a carseat in a Acura Integra).

That means that tires may be first(depends on how long the current ones last). I only got all season radials. Going to ask my brother how they preformed when he went offroading with them. Then maybe some sliders and armor. Or depending on how things drive I may just keep it stock and just change tires.
 
2

2INSANE

Guest
anzenketh said:
Thanks for calming my aspirations to go all out. I also found out that the newer Cherokees are higher then the older ones. So I should be just fine with the 8.7" clearance that I have. Which is also good because I am expecting some heavy expences soon do to my wife is pregnant. (The entire reason why I bought another vehicle in the first place hard to place a carseat in a Acura Integra).

That means that tires may be first(depends on how long the current ones last). I only got all season radials. Going to ask my brother how they preformed when he went offroading with them. Then maybe some sliders and armor. Or depending on how things drive I may just keep it stock and just change tires.
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I once had a set of 285/75/r16 (Tad smaller then a 33") Dean Radials SXT from Les Schwab. Had them sipped and they gripped well to the ice during winter. They also have the pilot holes for studs if u ever wanted them installed for winter and then taken out in summer. They were amazing on and off-road. They cleaned well and flopped the clay out like butter on a hot knife! Had them on my old Toy.
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Yea I think with your current situation, you should keep costs as cheap as possible and reliable! Tad bigger tires and recovery options. Tow hooks, straps, chain, hi lift jack, small shovel, weinch, and a good dependable friend with a good rig to pull you out in tight places. I usually go wheeling on my own unless a friend or family member has the time off. Congrads on the baby!
 
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jeep-N-montero

jeep-N-montero

Formerly black_ZJ
Location
Bountiful
If my wife were pregnant I would make every attempt to save my money and keep my vehicles in the best condition possible. That being said, there are many fun places to go in a stock Jeep. I would invest in a set of 30x9.50 BFG A/T's and call it good until you have the time and money to go bigger.
 
A

anzenketh

Member
Location
Orem, Utah
2INSANE said:
Yea I think with your current situation, you should keep costs as cheap as possible and reliable! Tad bigger tires and recovery options. Tow hooks, straps, chain, hi lift jack, small shovel, weinch, and a good dependable friend with a good rig to pull you out in tight places. I usually go wheeling on my own unless a friend or family member has the time off.
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Ya I am thinking I am going to get the recovery options first. Front tires are new so I really don't want to replace them yet. Anyone have good offroad supply shop recommendations for Orem/Provo Area.
 
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