This month we've added some exterior upgrades from Kilby Enterprises and out of Quadratec's catalog to update our '97 TJ's appearance, including a set of genuine Mopar Rubicon fender flares, Mopar '03-'06 rearview mirrors, and a Bestop fuel door hatch. We nabbed four low-mileage Rubicon wheels and tires cheap from a buddy. Quadratec sells genuine Mopar 16x8 Rubicon Moab wheels and the correct 245/75-16 Goodyear MT/R, so we now have a fullsize spare.
The quality of the Kilby Enterprises products floors us. They're truly top notch, with 3/16-steel construction and a powdercoated finish. We had TAG Motorsports in Escondido, California, capably handle the install of the armor, bumpers, and winch. TAG doesn't skimp on the effort and always goes the extra mile to ensure any install it tackles is done to perfection.
Check out the rest of the story for more details on the 354 pounds of armor and recovery gear we added this month. Tune in next month when we'll be adding a slightly taller stance to Steal-J.
-The Superwinch EP 9.0 winch made our list of screaming deals in the April '06 issue, so we put our money where our mouth is and ordered one up for Steal-J along with a Superwinch accessory kit and receiver shackle bracket.
-The Kilby Enterprises 50-inch wide front bumper has built-in clevis tabs and is drilled for a winch. We used Kilby's optional roller fairlead mount and the company's steering box skidplate. The parts look great and fit like a glove.
-The Rubicon flares are 1 inch wider than standard TJ flares and allow the wider 31-inch 245/75-16 MT/Rs on 16x8 Rubicon wheels more clearance. Plus, they look way better than the faded flares that were on our Jeep. Quadratec has everything you need to update and improve your '41-current Jeep.
-Kilby's rocker guards attach to the body on two planes using a combination of nutserts and a support plate that runs inside the tub. The guards have a boxed lower portion that doubles as a step and keeps the body away from trail obstacles.
Kilby's rocker guards attach to the body on two planes using a combination of nutserts and a support plate that runs inside the tub. The guards have a boxed lower portion that doubles as a step and keeps the body away from trail obstacles.
-The Kilby gas tank skid not only provides an additional 1 inch of ground clearance compared to the stock unit, it provides much more room around the rear track bar and shocks. Associate Editor Trasborg is in living hell working on an intensive rear bumper/tire rack shootout. We pirated a M.O.R.E. TJ rear bumper with carrier once he was done with it. It's a beefy unit that Trasborg will tell you more about in a future issue. We went with a convenient Olympic 4x4 Products Sierra Rack for when our trail gear outgrows our TJ's storage space. It bolts to any tire carrier with a 5x4.5 or 5x5.5 pattern, and the rack portion is easily removed with the pull of a pin.