Hello everyone, I am VERY new to 4x4's and such. I am picking up an unmodified 2004 Jeep Rubicon later this week.

Now to start with, I have always wanted a Jeep, but have no experience with one.

First, I am curious about modifications. Things I know I want on this are a front bumper and winch along with a tow package. I like the look of the smittybuilt bumpers, but I don't know what would be the best set up. What are the recommendations for Winches and bumpers?

This Jeep will be my primary transportation as well as something I hope to have fun with. I have lots of questions about suspension modifications and how best to balance a suspension for daily commute as well as off-road.

Finally, I am sure there is more to learning this pass time than just turning off the road and heading across a field. I guess I am very curious about how one goes about learning how to navigate different terrains and different conditions. For that matter, how does one go about finding a place to go to? Theres a lot of private ranch land around these parts (central Texas), but how do you go about getting permission and how do you know where you can and can't go, or whats on to drive on and whats not ok to drive on.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, cause I really want to use this Jeep for it's intended purpose.

Hi and welcome to the Jeep world!
You're starting out with a great piece of equipment. The Rubicon is very capable right out of the box. It will also serve you well as a daily driver. There are lots of opinions as far what may be the best after market parts but it really comes down to what's best for you and how you plan to wheel.
A great starting point would be connecting with and joining Texas Four Wheel Drive and finding a club near you. Attend their events and talk to other Jeepers. See how their rigs perform on your terrain and take notes if thats what you plan to do. They should be able to provide you all the info you need on local wheeling.
Real quick, some of my equipment choices, and remember these are only my opinion.
Winch- If you think you'll be using it a lot, I would stay with a Warn 9500 or Ramsey. If you want the winch for just in case you need it, you can save a lot and go with a Mile Marker 9000. We have that on my wife's TJ and it's perfect for her since she rarely uses it.
Tires- For a daily driver, I would stay with a 33" tire maybe a BFG MT.
Bumper- What ever bumper you choose, pick one that allows you to use D-rings. Warn bumpers are priced well, not too heavy and do hold up.
Lift- Rubicon is great stock. Maybe some Old Man Emu springs and shocks. They'll give you about 2" of lift without changing the control arms. I would get some quick disconnects for the front sway bar.
Well I hope this helps. Hopefully we'll get a few others to chime in here. Happy Wheeling!

hey, thanks for the response. I know for a fact that one of my first purchases will be the Bumper/Winch package. I want full recovery capabilities, so I really do not want to skimp on the Winch. I read the review here on the Ramsey 9500UT, and while it sounded good, I am not sure what I am looking for in a winch.

I have a BulletProof Bumper setup - they are expensive but had all the features I wanted - The rear bumper - and it's tire support is the most expensive - since the winch plate attaches to the frame the biggest issue with the front it is how the D-rings attach and how much overhang you have in front of the tires and down to cover the steering box and cross over arm.

Getting in touch with a few jeepers at a club and seeing what they are using in your area will go along way toward finding what will work for you.

If you are doing upgrades think about the entire plan - it may take you a few years to do all the things you want but - if you are working to a plan then all the add ons work together - and you don't have to keep selling parts - at a loss - to do the next upgrade.

I have been jeeping hard for ten years - I am doing a new build up this year and the order off things I added to my jeep are as follows:

Roll Cage - Six point fully welded with seat tie in and cross overs
Seats - crash worthy ones - suspension seats
Five Point Harness - both sides
Security Trunk - rear and overhead console
Lift - RE 5.5 with custom additions
Wheels/Tire - 35s with
Rear Bumper - Bullet Proof with all the mods
Front Bumper - Bullet proof with all the mods
Air Compressors - two with tank and tools
Gears and Lockers - 4.56 ARBS - I just like them

Armor includes rocker guards, corner gards, tanks skid, engine
tranny plate tied to RE belly plate - and add on to protect the
stearing box ...

Just Empty Every Pocket (JEEP)
Winch
Lights
Radios

Sounds like you're on the right path, but may I recommend taking your new Jeep out wheeling a few times and see what you like and don't like? It's pretty good as is, and like mentioned before, go with a plan to complete an overall well built Jeep instead of just bolting on a bunch of parts and you will be much more satisfied overall.

Best way to find what you may like and see it in action is find a local club and join up on a run with them. You'll find Jeepers are nearly universally welcoming to new folks and happy to talk about their mods, and likes and dislikes about them. (My wife says Jeepers are like dogs, whenever we meet we have to go sniff each other!)

Where are you located at? Maybe we can help set you up with some experienced locals...you may even be around the corner from one of us!

You had asked about winches and stated you didn't want to skimp and also wanted to know what to look for. There's a quick write up at 9,000 to 9,500 lb winches
For starters, the high end winches hold up much better to the elements. The cheaper winches have parts that rust, stickers that fade and fall off, plastic parts that become brittle and crack and the overall finish just doesn't hold up.
I noticed SQUID has a Mile Marker Hydraulic winch. Now that's one nice piece of equipment. They run off your steering pump and as long as the engine is running, you have constant power. I had a Humvee with one and those winches run and run and run where an electric would soon overheat. They are fairly simple to install but do require the running of some hydraulic hoses.
Electric winches run off your electrical system and are the easiest to install. If for some reason your engine isn't running, you still will have limited use of your winch. Well, until your battery craps out. Getting a deep cycle battery like an Optima Yellow top will help out. So there are pros and cons to each.
When choosing a winch, it's a good rule of thumb to be sure that it can handle at least 1 1/2 times the weight of your vehicle. (I prefer to double the weight) For instance, a stock Rubicon weighs in about the 4015lb range. Double that and you get 8030lbs so that would put you in the 9000lb winch rating. My personal picks would be the Warn 9500ti or the Mile Marker Hydraulic 9000.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: COL Mustard,

Not to get off topic but THANKS SQUID! Thanks to you I may be going out this weekend to get a MM Hydraulic winch.

You won't be sorry, I've played with hydraulics for years in the Navy, got a lot of respect for fluid power.

I'm still running the stock pump, haven't felt the need to upgrade. It runs a little slow, but recovery isn't something I've ever thought should rushed anyways. Upgraded pump costs about the same as an Optima needed to upgrade an electric winch, with the added benefit of increased power to move those heavy tires when jammed up offroad.

I took delivery on it this afternoon. Black '04 Rubicon. I LOVE it. It's my first Jeep

After doing some research and learning more about what to expect, I think my first purchase is going to be some sway bar disconnects. So far, I am looking at the JKS Set.

I suppose then I really need to ask the question...Since I have never been off roading in my life, What would be more important? Whats the first thing I need to do after the sway bar disconnects? Winch? Skidplates for the bottom? Lift Kit? what becomes the next thing I do?

For a winch, it seems to me that one might want a winch that can run if the jeep is stalled. The price of a mile marker Hydraulic winch is quite lovely compared to a Ramsey UT. Whats the better option?

As far as Bumpers go, I am looking real hard at this one by smittybilt.

Edit: oh yeah, I live in the Austin area

This message has been edited. Last edited by: skrap1r0n,

Congrats on the new Jeep! Where are you located at? What kind of wheeling is available to you? (Desert, woods, mud?)

OK, first is find somebody to go offroad with. That's the safest way to go. You will learn tons just watching an experienced wheeler preparing his rig and also watching what lines he takes on various obstacles. Plus you can support and assist each other in case one of you do get stuck.

Next I'd look at some basic survival gear like first aid kit and a decent knife and the like. Make a bag with some warm weather gear in case you get stranded...basic Boy Scout stuff. Also ensure you still have the recovery points (tow hooks) front and rear. Some armour is usually a good next step, maybe stronger rocker guards and an engine skid.

Take your time when looking at bumpers, make sure it has all the options you want. Recovery points, integrated winch plate, tire carrier, light mounting points...all very important considerations.

There are very few positive reviews of any Smittybuilt products or any other Chinese knockoff company for that matter. Jeep parts is truly an area where you get what you pay for.

You can throw a ton of money at your Jeep and not be happy with the results if you don't step back a moment and come up with a plan for upgrading. First is decide what size tires you want to run, that will determine the gears needed in the axle and the amount of lift to safely clear it.

My Jeep was a stock Wrangler X when I bought it, I started wheeling on the stock 27" GSA's. The largest improvement overall was going to 31's and disconnecting the front. Everything since then has been incrimental and expensive. Go wheel as is, see what you like, and what you want to change before you empty your wallet.

Oh yeah, I do want to find someone to go with. I know the importance of learning the right way. No way am I just going to head off into the wilderness and hope for the best...Well, not just yet

I have plenty of gear, we are hunters/campers, so we have lots of first aid, GPS, Radios, etc, however I will have to put together a recovery kit.

Thanks for the tip on the smittybilt. I will look closer. I believe the Rubicon is sufficient out of the box, so honestly, I am not sure about raising it at this time.

I know I want disconnects, winch, hitch, and skidplates. I am on a budget, so I will not be throwing bucks at it without a LOT of thought.

What about Jeep jamboree's? any thought on these events? Theres one at Palo Duro in Amarillo in may I might try to attend.

I've never been to a Jeep Jambo, I like my Jeep because it takes me away from crowds! I think the perfect group is 4 or 5 similar rigs that will be able to run the trails without a lot of probs, with the occasional large club run.

I also enjoy showing new folks around, and all the other things the club allows me like wrenching oportunities helping folks install lifts and stuff...but sharing an intimate moment with 2000 other folks on a trail just seems a bit to much for me. Plus, like many, I don't have money falling out my butt, so the admission price they ask would cover the gas to many decent places.

Speaking of budget...you can take the floaties off your front and rear bumper, and use Harbor Freight's winch plate to install your new winch and save a bunch that way. Look at the budget discos writeup here on for another way to save money. You will need some zip ties or similar to tie the sway bar up outta the way.

ah I didn't realize there were that many people showing up at an event like that. I would like to at least go to one so I can figure out what it is I am doing and what to look for.

I would highly recommend attending an organized Jeep event. Since this Rubicon is your first Jeep, you'll have an opportunity to learn a lot about it's capabilities and, well, they're just a lot of fun. MFGs' will usually hold some type of show as well as a raffle.
The Rubicon comes with some decent stock skid plates. Whether you need heavier plates or not will depend on how you wheel.
Like Squid said, I would do some good research on bumpers before making a purchase. Besides the overall design, pay special attention to the quality of the hardware and finish.
The first mod I would make are the quick dissconnects. After that I would really take it out several times and play with it before you change anything else. Then I would get some bumpers that can take a few bumps without folding over like the stock ones. Next, a winch and then maybe a Kilby gas tank skid plate. Once you have those items, that Rubicon will be set.

I think I am going to go ahead and order the JKS disconnects. I wasn't aware the Rubicon has skid plates under it. Due to my work schedule, and it being dark when I leave and get home, I haven't had a chance to crawl under it. If it has plates, thats just a bonus (and savings) for me.

SO let me ask, what bumpers are recommended? What are some proven, quality bumpers?

One skid your Rubicon might not have is for the steering box. I know both Warn and Kilby offer one.
As far as bumpers go, Some names that I would trust include Currie , Turbo City , Hanson , Kilby , Body Armor , and Warn .
*** Note that not all rear bumpers with receivers are rated for towing. So if thats important to you, research before you buy ***

The JKS are probably the best and quietest disconnects on the market. For my wife's TJ and for the price of about $30-50 less, I chose the Teraflex disconnects and they have been fine for 2 years now. They aren't adjustable so you have to specify the length you need according to ride height. Still, you can't go wrong with the JKS.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: COL Mustard,

I would agree with the advice already given. My first Jeep (79 CJ-7) I bought it already lifted. My Second Jeep (01 TJ) I lifted it with 4 miles on it. My current 05 LJ Rubi, I drove it 2-1/2yrs stock. I was quite impressed with what it would do in stock form. The shovel did give me trouble one particular time anyway. I lifted it back in Nov and did a LCG setup with a tummy tuck. So far this has been my best Jeep. It rides and handles better than any of the other Jeeps I've had or driven. So I think my patience paid off. I took a lot of time figureing out what I wanted and how I wanted to build it. So don't get in any hurry on things. It's hard not to, but don't. Plus you can end up spending your money twice. I don't have a winch and really have not found where I really needed one. A recovery strap will usually do. If you think you'll put on board air on it, you might look at Warn's Power Plant winch and get an all in one package. Some prefer having a separate air source, but if you can get a power plant for the right price, I'd do it and not look back. I've got Expedition One bumpers F&R and like them quite well. My next choice would be a Hanson. I'd planned on Hanson to start with but I got to put my $0.02 worth in on the ones I got so that was the deciding factor. Congrats on the Jeep. Enjoy your life change.

skrap1r0n,

Check out the Lone Star Jeep Club, they may have a run coming up soon. I know they're coming up to Superlift in the spring the same weekend my club is going, and the Arkansas Crawlers. Ol Yeller is also from TX and may have more club info for you.

One of the things out here in the desert WE have to consider is the Jeep Kit - what goes in the jeep when you wheel - what you have to save your life - or someone else's when the bottom drops out. Personal Bail Out Kit - Day packs, boots, cloths, coat, emergency rations, WATER, and water carrier(s). First Aid - Max out here if you know what you are doing. Water cans, Tire Repair Kit, Tools, U-joint repair kit (tools and parts) , Jacks, jack plate, wires, cable straps, turning block, tree saver etc - the winch kit - radio, cell phone, CB, etc.

After then years of wheeling I have a count of - 22 gas saves, 10 water, 2 oil/fluids, 40+ tire - air - have compressors - 3 medical - 6 communications - 7 tows - 12 pulls - 100 directions and travel instructions (MAPS, GPS, COMPASS, binoculars, trail guide).

I remember a young couple - they got a new TJ - no gear at all - and just hit a dirt road
and wheeled until they were stuck in a pot hole in a dry river bed. Only problem was it was thirty six miles from their entry point - a seventeen miles from help.... They were
a bit surprised that someone showed up - that could help them - since they were about ten hours from dieing of exposure ... I was surprised too. Since that day I never question WHY I am on this planet - cast your bread upon the waters ...