Jeeps have a lot of personality because they're highly customizable and easy to work on. It's no surprise that a Jeep looks awesome with big wheels, aggressive tires, new bumper pieces, and upgraded Jeep suspension components. It's also not uncommon to see some unique modifications on Jeeps like snorkels and winches.
While Jeeps are customizable, getting started is overwhelming. Fortunately, Morris 4x4 has everything you need to start modifying the exterior of your Jeep.
Upgrading Your Jeep Rims & Tires
Rims and tires are often the first components that are upgraded on a Jeep. Upgrading Jeep rims and tires improves the look of a Jeep and also how it performs. Some tires are made specifically for off-roading and even tires that improve your Jeep's highway fuel efficiency.
Upgrading Your Rims
Rims are a great thing to upgrade on almost every Jeep. New rims will improve the curb appeal of your vehicle and complement the rest of your exterior style choices. Rims are simple to upgrade and you only need to consider the wheel bolt pattern (lug pattern), the size of the wheel, and its appearance.
Many wheels vary in size but you can locate the size of the wheel on the tire. Once you know the size of the wheel you need to find a matching lug pattern. Lug patterns are found by counting the lug nuts and measuring the diameter of the imaginary circle formed by the lug nuts. An example of a lug pattern is 5x5". In this case, the wheel has five lug nuts and a diameter of five inches.
Knowing what lug patterns are compatible with your vehicle makes it easy to focus on the style. There are a few types of rims and rim materials but the most common include aluminum, steel, and chrome wheels. Steel wheels are what come on many vehicles and while they're strong, they add a lot of weight to the vehicle.
On the other hand, aluminum wheels are another strong material you can choose. Aluminum wheels work well for most aftermarket applications and forged or cast aluminum wheels will hold up during bouts of off-roading.
Upgrading your Tires
Tires are another exterior upgrade that will set your Jeep apart. There are a few routes you can go with tires and it depends on what you're planning to do with your Jeep. Overall, the three primary tire types to be aware of include highway tires (H/T), all-terrain tires (A/T), and mud-terrain tires (M/T).
When upgrading tires many Jeep owners want the most aggressive-looking option. The most aggressive-looking tires are mud-terrain tires but there are some tradeoffs. Your Jeep will look aggressive and perform well when driving on rocks or off-road but you sacrifice fuel economy on the pavement. Depending on how often you go off-roading, M/T tires aren't for everyone.
Typically, Jeep owners benefit the most from A/T tires. All-season tires look aggressive and perform well off-road but they're also effective when driving on pavement. The mpg loss with A/T tires is negligible but there is more road noise.
Highway tires for Jeeps lack the aggressive appearance that A/T and M/T tires offer. However, H/T tires perform better on the highway and for general daily driving. These tires perform better because of increased fuel efficiency and less annoying road noise. For people commuting to work with a Jeep, it's best to choose H/T tires.
Benefits of Snorkels and Winches
Snorkels and winches are two exterior Jeep upgrades that nobody should miss out on. Winches and snorkel will save your Jeep in off-roading conditions and they even have uses outside of driving in the mud.
Benefits of Snorkels
Jeep snorkels function in the same way that snorkels do for people. The snorkel sticks out and up from the hood of the Jeep to pull in dry air. Jeeps that are driving in the mud or swamps benefit the most from snorkels because they prevent the air intake from sucking in water. Sucking in too much water, especially salt water, will damage the engine.
Jeep snorkels are also helpful for other reasons that go beyond water. First and foremost, snorkels function like a cold air intake. Air from outside the hot engine bay is being pulled into the Jeep from the snorkel, so there are slight boosts in engine performance. Snorkels also serve as an additional air filter for your air intake, which prevents dust and debris from damaging the intake manifold or cylinders.
Benefits of Winches
Winches are torque-multipying pulling systems that you place on the front or rear bumper of a Jeep. Having a winch allows you to rescue people from hills, remove other vehicles from mud or water, and more. Winches are also useful during the winter months to help with snow removal or vehicles stuck in the snow.
While a good winch is also useful for Jeep enthusiasts who enjoy off-roading. With the right electric winch, it's possible to pull your Jeep through mud and other challenging conditions. Overall, winches serve as the ultimate insurance policy for off-roading.
Why Suspension is Key When Off-Roading
A vehicle's suspension system is responsible for keeping it stable and absorbing shock. Upgraded suspension systems on Jeeps are helpful for off-roading because of the additional shock absorption and stability that off-road suspensions offer.
Better Handling
One of the first things you'll notice with an off-road Jeep suspension is better handling. An off-road suspension will have specific upgrades that better distribute the weight of your Jeep. Upgraded off-road Jeep suspensions will also reduce the risk of your Jeep tipping.
Smoother Driving
Upgraded Jeep suspensions also offer smoother driving. Improving your Jeep's ability to absorb shock will prevent off-roading from becoming a jarring experience in the cabin. Ultimately, you'll feel less vibration in the cabin. Improving the suspension in this way also helps you focus more on the road instead of being thrown around the cabin.
Improved Tire Life and Fuel Efficiency
Upgrading your Jeep's suspension will also improve its fuel efficiency and preserve the tires. Fuel efficiency increases because upgraded suspension reduces the amount of drag on a vehicle. As for the tire life, better weight distribution means more even tread wear. In fact, a good suspension will reduce tread wear.
Whether you need a winch, new tires and rims, or off-roading-specific equipment to tackle the trail, you’ll find all the Jeep accessories you ever need at Morris 4x4 Center.
