First serious mod

[Dragon]

I\'m lookin to get my Jeep offroad ready and was looking for advice on the first mod I should be doing.
My Jeep as it is today:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~blkbear/Grimscale.JPG

I\'m thinking about either new tires/rims, or a new front bumper.

I know the Mudnut\'s rules require front tie-down points, but I also wonder if the street tires would be at all useful in any trail driving or offroading.
Right now, I can only afford one mod or the other.

I\'m thinking either this for a bumper:
http://www.quadratec.com/showcases/rugged_ridge/modular_bumper/default.php
(when you view the page, make sure to click the option for the prerunner guard as well)

Or a set of black steel wheels and 5 Cooper Discover STT 265/75 R16 tires

thoughts?

[MrMindless]

tires tires tires tires.

in my humble opinion.

you can *probably* pick up some hooks for cheap and bolt them to the top of the frame/bumper, but I have not looked at a JK closely enough to know for sure.

[gCracker]

I agree with Mindless.. some JKs come from the factory with front tow hooks so there are definitely attachment points, may just mean buying OEM ones from the dealer, but I am sure those can be had fairly reasonably.

[CoraC143]

look for tow hooks at tractor supply too.

Tires, Tires, Tires,

Can you go bigger than stock? Has anyone checked the clearance?

Check out tirerack.com for tires. you can search for sizes. General AT\'s preform as well as BF Goodrich AT\'s, and are about $40 cheaper. If you buy them at sears, you get a 50k mile warranty and lifetime rotating. I bought the BF goodrich AT\'s as my first tire, and had them for years, when they wore out I bought the Generals, which are just as good.

[MrMindless]

Dopple said the Generals do not wear as well as I recall.  remember he\'s run both on the ZJ.

Hopefully he\'ll chime in.

[Dragon]

I can go up to a 33\" tire if I get a rim with 4.5 backspacing.  I\'d have to be careful on the serious articulation stuff, but they\'ll clear the body and shouldn\'t rub in turns.   I figured a 265 should be ok...it\'ll be bigger than I have now, but not as big as a 33\".

I\'ll price compare the BFG with the Coopers.  I\'ve run Coopers on every truck I\'ve ever had and have been very happy with the quality and longevity, at least for street use.  Used to have the ST on my Dakota, and it helped winter driving immensely.  


The stock front tow hooks are just hooks.  nothing to hold a strap in place.  Not sure if you guys would accept something like that on a trail.  Also not sure if there\'s a way to \"mod\" them to hold D-rings.  But since I don\'t have a welder, that would be hard to do anyhow.
Here\'s a pic of a stock JK bumper with hooks:
http://tucson.craigslist.org/pts/718922183.html

and here is a close up of the \"hook\"
http://www.jk-forum.com/showthread.php?t=4882&page=3
(about half-way down the page)


If these are ok for running with you guys, then I\'ll go for tires/rims and add the stock hooks til I can get the Rugged Ridge bumper next year.

[gCracker]

Dragon wrote:
The stock front tow hooks are just hooks.  nothing to hold a strap in place.  Not sure if you guys would accept something like that on a trail.

Yeah those hooks are fine. There is no requirement to hold a d-ring.

[CoraC143]

I never had a problem with the generals

[Yukoneer]

I\'ll price compare the BFG with the Coopers. I\'ve run Coopers on every truck I\'ve ever had and have been very happy with the quality and longevity, at least for street use. Used to have the ST on my Dakota, and it helped winter driving immensely.  

 :chug:

Thumbs up!  The S/T defintely was the best wintertime tires I\'ve ever had on my yukon.  They also are the most aggressive all-terrain tires I\'ve ever seen.  They last quite a while too.



I\'d go for a S/T :)

[MrMindless]

If you\'d be interested in a more agressive tire, I have a set of 265/75r16 Interco Trxus M/Ts that I\'m looking to get rid of.  They are better than half tread.  I don\'t have a measurement on me.  If these are something you might be interested in let me know.

They are mounted on 5 on 5.5 wheels now, but I\'m willing to separate.

http://www.intercotire.com/site35.php

[Dragon]

Ok...I went with Mr Mindless\' Trxus tires on Cragar Soft 8 black steel rims in 16x7.
I must say, the handling is significantly different from what I\'m used to with this truck.  

I got rims with a 4\" backspacing, so they sit out more in the wheel well, and do not rub, even at full lock.  Articulation may be questionable (won\'t know til I can find a place to get a wheel up).

Here are the pics:
Before:


After:

[MrMindless]

different- better ar worse or just different?

that looks like it should have looked from the factory!  I like it a LOT.

[CoraC143]

looks very good!

[Dragon]

Hmm....\"Different\"

It feels a little squirrelly. Almost like the steering got more responsive.  And on hard take-offs, it\'s like the front pulls to the right a little (like the whole Jeep is twisting).

Granted these are a LOT heavier than the stock wheels.

I also want to get some center caps for the rims.  I don\'t want mud/dirt/snow/water/etc. to corrode the axle nut in front, or the center hub in back.  it was already a PitA to get the rear wheels off.  It\'s like the center hub rusted a little and wedged the stock rim.

But they are growing on me.  I like the look and the added height.

Next time, though, I will go with a 265 instead of the 285.

[MrMindless]

nah... don\'t make that call \'till you see how badly they do or don\'t rub.

I always say if it doesn\'t rub at all, they\'re too small :)