Like most of your finer strippers, Jeeps were meant to be topless. Or at leastsporting a little bikini top. And like most of your finer strippers, Jeeps can be touchy, problematic, and cause no end of grief. However, unlike most of your finer strippers, you can simply order the parts and components you need to make your Jeep stable, reliable, and free of Daddy issues. That last one is a bit of a stretch, but let's face it, both in the gentleman's club and on the trail it's better to be unencumbered by problems.
We had a Jeep and it had some issues. Rather than hit the trail and wait for the thing to wig out on us like, well, you know, we picked up our trusty Omix ADA catalog and selected a mix of factory replacement and aftermarket upgrades that will ensure our day on the trail is safe and sane. Then, since ya can't order directly from Omix-ADA, we rolled over to Quadratec with our part numbers in hand and placed our order. And even if your Jeep isn't the same model as ours, has a different set of issues, or if you just plain don't like what we selected, you still owe it to yourself to check the huge selection of parts available from Omix. Here are some items we chose to increase our Jeep's reliability, function, and enjoyment during our off-road excursions.
Our radiator was in okay shape...
Our radiator was in okay shape internally, but externally the brackets had broken off the tank and the fins were starting to corrode. We tried to solder the brackets back on, but it just didn't take. Although our '89 Wrangler's soldered brass construction is more desirable than the modern two-piece unit with its crimped-on plastic tanks, the replacement Omix aluminum/plastic radiator (PN 17101.11) runs much cooler than our stocker, was relatively inexpensive to purchase, and will definitely outlast our little 150K-mile 2.5L engine.
Rugged Ridge's diff skid plate...
Rugged Ridge's diff skid plate (PN 16597.30) installs easily in a couple of minutes with no need to remove the factory cover. Simply remove the five lower diff cover bolts, put the guard in place, and install the supplied button head screws. The unit's construction is plenty beefy for rock crawling and will ensure that a rock hit won't tear or dent the thin factory cover and ruin your day on the trail.
An area of safety you don't...
An area of safety you don't want to overlook is a fire extinguisher. There's not a lot of room in most Jeeps, but this Rugged Ridge extinguisher holder with Velcro straps (PN 13305.20) makes it pretty easy to strap your bottle to your roll cage, seat brackets, or other places within easy reach of the driver. It's adjustable to swallow most popular extinguisher bottle sizes.
One thing that can spoil an...
One thing that can spoil an off-road excursion is trying to find a place to store your extra gear that doesn't get in the way of your rear seat occupants. This Rugged Ridge Easy Load Trail Rack (PN 11237.11) mounts solidly to the tailgate. You need to remove the factory spare tire carrier and rubber tire snubbers to install, but the unit goes together easily and the mounts sandwich cleanly between the tailgate and factory tire carrier.
Once you add a lift and bigger...
Once you add a lift and bigger tires you may get some death wobble up front. Usually it's related to tire balance, tired steering linkages, or axle caster, but sometimes it's caused by worn unit bearings. Although we didn't have death wobble, we did noticed our unit bearings were getting a tad sloppy the last time we had the front axle apart, so we ordered up some new Omix ADA replacements for our '89 under PN 16705.06.
Every part you put on your...
Every part you put on your Jeep doesn't need to be hardcore. How about these Rugged Ridge roll bar drink cup holders (PN 769901) that attach with Velcro straps to your rollbar or other vertical surface? They're soft-sided and padded so they just collapse when you knock into them when not loaded with a drink. Their size is perfect for most water bottles and soda cans.
Although the rack's height...
Although the rack's height places additional leverage on the tailgate hinges and latch, allowing the tailgate to flex when the rack is loaded, the Easy Load rack doesn't get in the way of trail obstacles and allows you to back closer to rocks and ledges than most racks that hang straight off the spare tire area.
And what self-respecting Jeep...
And what self-respecting Jeep would be complete without a bikini top for that open-air feeling without giving up protection from the sun? We ordered a Rugged Ridge bikini for '76-up CJs and '87-'91 YJs (PN 13554.15) as well as the windshield channel (PN 13308.01) necessary to run the top. Unlike a lot of bikinis on the market, the top includes a rear bow that extends the bikini to the rear of the tub to protect the rear seat occupants. The bow installs on mounting feet that screw into the downtube with supplied hardware. And don't forget the mirror relocation brackets (PN 11205.01) for safe running without the doors.