How to make it stronger and better?

[Jobofly]

I have a 22 Mojave and I love this truck. I don’t want to lift it at all however I want to make the suspension components better. What recommendations would you have for that? I want to keep the shocks and struts but I’m sure there are better made components to replace.

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[Barnaby’sdad]

What are your goals? Intended use? Just replacing serviceable parts for the lol’s?

You’re going to need to provide some details if you want relevant feedback.

 

[Commodus]

I have a 22 Mojave and I love this truck. I don’t want to lift it at all however I want to make the suspension components better. What recommendations would you have for that? I want to keep the shocks and struts but I’m sure there are better made components to replace.

Look at your weak spots, front and rear differential skids, front control arms, rear control arms frame side, rear shock skids, rear sway bar brace and then if you’re not out of money yet go for inner fender liners and larger tires and belly pan skid system

 

[Camaroboi13]

Fix/upgrade as you break it. No sense in throwing money at it if it’s not really beneficial. You said you wanted to keep struts… Jeeps don’t have struts.

 

[Jobofly]

Fix/upgrade as you break it. No sense in throwing money at it if it’s not really beneficial. You said you wanted to keep struts… Jeeps don’t have struts.

??‍ I meant springs. It’s my daily driver but I do go off-roading in it. Nothing too crazy but I like having the best parts on it. I was watching Truck U and they installed a lift kit on a gladiator and they put in a bunch of heavier arms. I’m not sure what those are but they look beefier.

 

[CJ99x]

Is this the episode, the components they use on the show are usually listed at the bottom of the episode online https://truckutv.com/snazzberry-taste-like-snazzberries/

 

[HooliganActual]

Fix/upgrade as you break it. No sense in throwing money at it if it’s not really beneficial.

+1 to this. I like having robust parts on my Jeeps as well. But I don't like throwing good money after bad; so I upgrade things as they wear out/break.

It's a fine balance between doing nothing, upgrading to stronger stuff and NOT breaking down on the trail. However, the reality is that the typical things you may break on the trail are things that won't prevent you from getting off the trail. Can it happen, sure. I don't shy away from the difficult obstacles and as long as you don't "send it" everywhere you go, you probably won't catastrophically break things.

In 40 years of wheeling, the only time I haven't been able to get back off the trail is when both of my JTR's batteries failed on an overnight camp out.

The advice given about skid plates and diff covers, would be the best items to get. Then just upgrade as you go.

 

[Jobofly]

Thanks everyone! I just like to tinker on my Jeep and upgrade things.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

My TJ is nearing 20 years old now, and I'm finally lifting it to put 33's on it. Not upgrading anything else, other than lift items, as not needed.

My Gladiator has done trails in Moab, Windrock, Stony Lonesome, Uhwarrie, and around here, only mod was adding Rubicon sliders, JKS sway bar disconnects, and suspension... I wanted to run 35's so needed the lift, Needed the flex, and knew that I would tear off the plastic overland steps. I bumped a rock with the factory plastic bumper and damaged it, so I installed the Rubicon steel bumper and a winch to replace the plastic.

Moral is, there are certain parts to upgrade before you hit the trails , but that is usually for something to fit or know you are going to damage... wait until you see a weak link before upgrading.

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

My TJ is nearing 20 years old now, and I'm finally lifting it to put 33's on it. Not upgrading anything else, other than lift items, as not needed.

My Gladiator has done trails in Moab, Windrock, Stony Lonesome, Uhwarrie, and around here, only mod was adding Rubicon sliders, JKS sway bar disconnects, and suspension... I wanted to run 35's so needed the lift, Needed the flex, and knew that I would tear off the plastic overland steps. I bumped a rock with the factory plastic bumper and damaged it, so I installed the Rubicon steel bumper and a winch to replace the plastic.

Moral is, there are certain parts to upgrade before you hit the trails , but that is usually for something to fit or know you are going to damage... wait until you see a weak link before upgrading.

Exactly. The issue to me with “proactively” replacing parts (what I referred to as “for the lol’s”) is that there’s a good chance that you’re going to end up having to buy that part twice. I.e. Shocks.

You replace those now for something “more rugged,” but you don’t want to run a lift. 6-12 months later after checking out all of the JT’s rolling around town on 37’s, you decide you want bigger tires and a lift to accommodate them.

Think it through (OP) and upgrade as needed when you’ve got a vision for your rig in mind.

 

[ajkaz]

From the title only, there are many generic drugs that can help with this. Oops sorry, thought this was the [Banned Site] forum.

 

[dajudge]

Mine still has stock suspension. I would definitely recommend control arm and shock bracket skids. I bent one of mine the first time I did a moderate trail. I also added an engine/transmission skid and a transfer case skid that is a belly pan. They have both been dragged over many obstacles.

The oem control arms are fine. You aren't going to do anything with stock suspension that would require new ones. (of course that doesn't mean they cant be upgraded, we all add things we don' "need")

Have fun!

 

[H1ggsB300]

They

??‍ I meant springs. It’s my daily driver but I do go off-roading in it. Nothing too crazy but I like having the best parts on it. I was watching Truck U and they installed a lift kit on a gladiator and they put in a bunch of heavier arms. I’m not sure what those are but they look beefier.

They did a lot of unnecessary mods to that gladiator in that episode, and not much that was really beneficial. My wife made me watch it, and I rolled my eyes a lot.
follow the advice of the other commenters on this thread and only replace/upgrade/add what you might really need for your purposes. Skid plates, etc.

 

[Jaxmax]

I have a mostly stock Mojave, and do mild off-roading at Rausch Creek Pa. I took off my Rough Coutry contour steps and put on a set of OEM performance steps which are pretty nice, Rusty’s lower control arm skids, rear shock skids , rear control arm skids, cast iron Diff.covers, Astec FAD skid, Sheridan hitch skid, small winch on front, and I would really really like to get the New Venture full belly skid. I don’t want to lift and don’t want larger tires do to my use and towing, so protecting the vitals underneath is what I did. The new venture skid gets about 1/2” more ground clearance, and last thing, the rear springs were too soft for towing or hauling so went with a set of Max tow rear springs and Icon aluminum 1 3/8”spacers to make up for the shorter max tow springs. White Rabbit (RIP Chris) helped with springs , but having a RSI cap makes the ride very comfortable, without might be too stiff. I don’t think you need to upgrade from factory control arms if not lifting or running larger tires…..Jack

 

[Camaroboi13]

You said you go off roading but nothing too crazy.

My wife was the first with a new "daily driver but want to off road" Jeep in the family. She was not confident on stock wheels, tires, lift, no winch, etc. So the first thing I did was lift it 2" and put 33s on it. She wheeled a little bit but felt like we needed a winch in case we got stuck. Fair enough, I bought steel bumpers and a winch. Then she felt like the 33s weren't big enough, so I bought Icon wheels and 35s. With every mod done I could see her confidence level going up. She was able to run trails in Sedona by herself. So when I purchased my Gladiator she told me I needed all that stuff to run the same trails. I respectfully declined, and did all the same trails she did but I was bone stock. She thought I was crazy for doing so, but I did them with no problems.

Moral of the story is you may think you need all this stuff to do wheeling, but in reality you may have seen one too many YouTube videos with guys on 10 thousand dollar suspensions with all the bells and whistles and now you think those parts are necessary. I've seen guys on stock rigs do a lot more than I'm willing to do on a modded rig, and they sustained no injuries to their Jeeps. It's all about how confident you can make yourself in choosing the right trails as well as choosing the right lines.

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