What's a mod that you wouldn't do again?

[Alpine Warthog]

In short: black Mini? yes, black Jeep? no.

I could not agree more!

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[Shopshirt]

Not exactly a mod I wouldn’t do…I’d do adjustable control arms again, but would run screaming from JKS arms. They have garbage bushings. I’d start with Teraflex and be done.

@WILDHOBO your review along with some order issues helped me decide to back out of my JKS purchase.

 

[WILDHOBO]

@WILDHOBO your review along with some order issues helped me decide to back out of my JKS purchase.

I’m glad I could help someone avoid the problems I had. The frustrating thing is that they’re wasted. They’re extremely strong arms, but who cares if the bushings are terrible. They’re on my garage floor in boxes. If someone wanted them to use with different bushings, I’d give away the whole set, just so they didn’t end up as metal scrap.

 

[ABQJeep1848]

Discussions like this are always useful to new members on the forum. So, I’ll revive it as a gesture of goodwill to my former self who made many regrets on his first Jeep build.

1. Mojave suspension take offs: yes, these are a great deal and if your Jeep is stock (and I mean plastic bumper/no winch stock) then they are your ticket to great ride quality.

However, once you throw on steel bumpers, winch, and camping gear—especially oVeRlAnDiNg gear—then the shocks are pointless due to their lack of adjustability. Plus, the Mojave coils are designed for very little additional weight.

Then you’re left with adding coil spacers and shock extensions. By the time you’re done, you’re halfway to a proper lift system with adjustable shocks

2. Tires: I went through so many tires these last two years. It’s honestly embarrassing. But let me just say the last ten years I was driving BMWs and Mini Coopers and was restricted on tire size compared to the Jeep world.

My Gladiator came with Bridgestone street tires that I quickly replaced with Bridgestone A/Ts. That lasted a month. They road great, just like the highway tires, but off road they were too thin to touch anything but forest roads.

I ended up getting a set of Mojave take off wheels with 32” Falkens A/Ts. Worst riding tire I’ve ever had. Quickly got rid of those and got a pair of 33” Kenda R/Ts. They rode better than the Falkens, but they sang a song at speeds higher than 10mph.

Decided I wanted something quieter (and taller), so I ordered some 35” BFG KO2s. When they were delivered, I gulped and my stomach went uneasy. “I should’ve got the 37s” repeated over and over in my head. Ended up exchanging for the 37s and they’re the best riding tire that’s been on the Jeep since the OEM highway tires.

3. Rooftop tent (and all that goes with it): in 2019, I got a really good deal on a RTT. It wasn’t even on sale, but before trust fund babies discovered what national parks were during the pandemic, RTTs weren’t that costly or as common place as they are now (my 70 year old neighbor has one mounted to her Outback).

I didn’t get to use it much, because I didn’t have a truck to put it on until 2021. Took a 2 month trip with it and it was absolutely dreadful. It absolutely sucks having to go to a BLM site before 3:00pm just to beat all the Sprinter vans and Tacomas all because your tent is tied to your vehicle.

Once you set up camp, you can’t move until the next morning, and with how crowded public land is getting in the US that means you have from sunrise to about noon to be on the road until you have to start getting to a decent campsite.

Sold the RTT and went back to a ground tent, albeit a nicer one. Best decision ever. I feel like the only way I’d go back to a tent that’s part of my vehicle is with an Ursa Minor JLU. Because then at least you can go from the drivers seat to your bed/kitchen without getting out of the Jeep.

4. Bed rack for stupid RTT: I didn’t want to sacrifice my bed when I didn’t have the RTT mounted, so I got BillieBars. Great in theory, but since they’re easily removable, it also means they’re not as strong as something more permanent.

Just driving down the highway with a RTT on the BillieBars broke the bolts that connect the aluminum rails to the steel bed brackets. Company was great enough to replace the whole set with an updated design. At first, it really did seem more rigid.

First trail at Moab was a shakedown run, White Rim Road, which is probably the most laid back 4x4 track in the area. By the time we got to the end, the tent was being supported by the only two bolts left on the rails. Just friction between the brackets were keeping it elevated.

I’m sure those with more structurally sound/permanent bed racks don’t have this problem, but then they also don’t have full access to their bed and have to carry the weight of the rack when they’re not using it.

5. Paint color: when I got my Jeep, there were two 2021 Gladiators left on the lot. Both were Overlands optioned the same, but one was black and one was white. I should’ve got white…

White reflects heat, so it stays cooler in the desert. It’s also more visible. Most importantly, and this pertains especially to Jeeps, it stays cleaner.

Jeeps have nooks and crannies in their nooks and crannies. And when you take them off road in the mud, sand and snow, those hard to reach places fill up even faster. Black makes this so much more apparent. In short: black Mini? yes, black Jeep? no.

Honorary mentions of other regrettable Jeep upgrades: Cascadia solar panel, Rugged Ridge snorkel, and AFE rock basher exhaust.

What I don’t regret would be anything stamped with “ARB.” Along with their lockers, I have front and rear ARB bumpers and they are by far the best you can buy.

Not only are they stronger than AEV or Mopar, the powder coating and quality of the steel is better than anything else I’ve seen. Even after you scratch it up, surface rust is afraid of the steel ARB uses.

Also, like AEV and Mopar, ARB crash tests their bumpers and creates provisions in their construction to retain crumple zones and air bag deployment in high speed crashes. And they’re usually the same price as Mopar and 1/3 the price of AEV.

Honorary mentions of non-regrettable Jeep upgrades: pretty much anything from Synergy, Fox and Diode Dynamics.

Things I don’t regret, but wouldn’t do again: JCR Molle panels (wish they were aluminum), Kraken inflate system (overpriced for what it is) and Line-X (could’ve done it myself with Raptor).

I already wrote too much, so my conclusion is that you should just buy a Rubicon XR and do nothing to it

Billy, thank you for this. Several things I wouldn't have considered (all though I'm well versed in the nooks and crannies problem). You've saved us all thousands....
JP

 

[Mogus]

Rugged Ridge Voyager Soft Top

Even after letting it stretch out, it doesn't quite fit properly, and it's god-awful noisy at highway speeds. I didn't even bother putting it on last summer (though, admittedly, it rained twice where I am, once for two weeks and once for three), and I don't know if I'll put it on this season.

I'd have been far better off getting the Mopar top.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I don’t think the list is terribly long, but here are a few:

Rugged Ridge black locking lugs. The metal is so soft the keys just round off the pattern and they’re stuck on. I had to forcibly remove them at the first tire rotation. And I DO NOT use power tools on my lug nuts. All manually torqued to spec.

JKS control arms. Their bushings fail VERY quickly, making the arms junk. And they have no solution

Weather tech bed protector. It doesn’t stay in place well, especially the tailgate piece. It’s gone and was replaced with a bed rug, which I’m very happy with.

I can’t think of anything else I don’t like or haven’t kept. I’m not counting the fact that I started with inexpensive shocks (basic Fox 2.0) and I killed them. It was a conscious choice to save some money in the beginning of the build. But they were not up to the task.

 

[kevman65]

That one Mod over on BurlyGurlJeepers, I wouldn't do her again......

 

[kevman65]

I know, just lazy of late and do not feel like laying on the ground in the cold.

Have someone else lay on the ground while YOU turn the steering wheel.....

 

[Vestigo]

The Mopar Performance Wipers are a great idea but garbage materials.
I have replaced them once as the hoses crack at the wiper connection in cold temperatures.

 

[WILDHOBO]

The Mopar Performance Wipers are a great idea but garbage materials.
I have replaced them once as the hoses crack at the wiper connection in cold temperatures.

Too bad that’s the case. The concept is great. My wife’s car has sprayers in the wiper arm, and they work beautifully. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[OHJeeper]

If I was doing it again there are a number of things I would do different. For a variety of reasons.

The only mod that I felt was completely a waste though was the steer smarts sector shaft brace. It was fine at first, but it didnt even make it 10K miles before the bearing seized and it just started squeaking and grinding. I replaced the bearing with one from a member that had taken theirs off, and its already squeaking again. Perhaps its just florida wheeling where there is water and sand everywhere, but giant waste of money.

Second mod I regret is the steer smarts track bar. This track bar is great in every way but the adjuster sleeve bolt size. If i had a non fox ATS it might be ok, but with the fox ATS there just isnt room for it along with beefy rpm steering tie rod and draglink.

Sorry to hear that. I have both mods and have had no issues.

I can see how the beefy track bar might interfere with other mods, but I don't have that issue (yet).

The Sector Shaft brace has been good for me so far and I have right at 10k on it. I hope I didn't just jinx myself. But... I will say (after reading your original post on your experience with the brace WAY back in the forums) I covered mine in marine grease to try and prevent any infiltration.

 

[CWGrisw0ld]

The AAL high line fender braces - I just had my 2nd set fail, both sets failed within 3 months of the 1 year warranty expiring. I probably wouldn't do their quick-release fender liners either. The driver side fit great, but the passenger side has been a nightmare from the start. Oh yeah, and if you leave a product review on their website that is anything less than glowing, they delete it.

I'm switching to the Infinite Offroad fender chop kit now, I have no idea if the quality will be better, but at least they have a 25 year warranty.


Update:
Installed the Infinite kit in February and the passenger side has already failed. Seems like the electrical components in all these fender chop kits are trash. Warranty claim submitted.

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