How brand loyal are you?

[Alpine Warthog]

I'm always wondering about stupid random things... Today's randomness brought to you by boredom and avoiding college papers..

How brand loyal are you when building your Jeep? DO you stick to just one brand? Or do you go the cheapest route no matter what? Is Dr. Frankenstein your uncle?

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[Badunit]

I have no need for any big mods (lifts, overlanding or rock crawling stuff, etc) but, for the mods I do, I try to go with the best solutions/mods that suit what I want/need, whoever makes them. Frankenstein it is.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm always wondering about stupid random things... Today's randomness brought to you by boredom and avoiding college papers..

How brand loyal are you when building your Jeep? DO you stick to just one brand? Or do you go the cheapest route no matter what? Is Dr. Frankenstein your uncle?

I try to choose the best possible part to fit my need. So - if I am looking for part A, I find the best of that part. When it comes to the next part, I look for the best of that part - for my use and needs.

These days it's not easy if even possible, but it's a reason I HATED the all-in-one printer. You might get a decent printer but the scanner software sucked.

Same for auto parts - I try to go with the best of that particular part. They may make the best spring, but someone else has a better control arm, for example - at least for MY purposes.

 

[MoparToYou]

I also try to get the best part. But I've been doing this for a long time, so some things I have settled on as being the best without having to piece something together. I've used a number of different suspensions, like AEV, JKS, Teraflex, and others, and for the Rock Crawling I like to do I have settled on Metalcloak as the makers of the best suspension systems, meaning control arms, springs, track bar, etc. I've used Fox, Bilstein, Rancho, and a lot of other shocks and I have decided I like progressive valving better than digressive valving, and I have settled on King shocks as my preferred brand. They are both plusher and more controlled than any other shock brand. I've used Warn winches for 50 years and never had a single problem with any of them. I did break a Ramsey winch in half pulling a Jeep out of the rocks, and I've had other "off brand" winches on ATVs and UTVs fail on me. So now I don't even look at cheaper brands. I just ordered a winch yesterday for a new 2 door Jeep I am going to build up, and I ordered a Warn winch. For rock sliders I have settled on RSE Step Sliders. They are the only rock slider made that is tough enough to pivot off of all day long, that still has a deployable step that drops low enough for an old guy driving a Jeep on 40s to easily get in the Jeep. I have a set on my JLUR, my wife's JT Mojave, and just ordered a set for the new 2-door.

For motor vehicles I am even more brand loyal. It's Mopar.

I do think I am open minded and willing to try new quality parts though. I just installed Apex Autolynx sway bar disconnects on my wife's JT Mojave a month ago. I also just installed 3Wliners floor mats and a bed mat in the Mojave. And I just installed a Decked system and a Smart Cap on the same JT Mojave. All of those were new parts for me, and they are all great quality. So, for me quality wins out, and if something works, I tend to stick with it.

 

[Vtur]

Since i do my own wrenching, I prefer to goes with what i think is a good functional design, easy to works on, low maintenance, and with a practical replacement parts availability. I don't have any matching brands on my suspension or steering components...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I try to stick to USA made parts. Generally, anything other than Amazon is fair game. Not elitism or anything, but amazon almost always lets me down when it comes to Jeep parts.

I treat Amazon like a swap meet or marketplace that it is - many vendors selling many different things from different sources - some drop-shipped from China, some from USA manufacturers.
I found over the years that I can buy the name brand stuff on Amazon just as cheap as from their own web site - but because of the many things we buy - I save a bundle on shipping. It's worth it to us.
I can buy from some of the "favorite Jeep parts" people on Amazon and save the shipping and often get things faster. I've had things in 2 days, free shipping where otherwise I'd be waiting a week or more - and pay heavy shipping.
But there are things I just don't buy there, too........ it's a place where you definitely need to do your homework, look at the "sold by" name and so on.
BulletPoint is one example.......... got it shipped free, 2 days.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

I try to avoid Amazon for most things as well. I'm brand loyal in that once I find something that is good quality, I'll stick with that brand as much I can. For lights I stick to one brand, for suspension I'll stick to one mostly. Although my lift is SkyJacker and my steering is about to be Rusty's Offroad. I've got some Rough Country stuff but that was more about price more than quality. They'll get swapped out eventually

 

[Greg_L]

@Metalcloak went above and beyond to help me out with a problem I was having with another company. So while I'm not technically a brand loyalist, they will always be my first choice and first option whenever possible.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

But you can still get much of your favorite things on Amazon - with FREE shipping - and some items in under a week - this one would be 1 week but other items are faster and free if a prime member.

People talk as if Amazon is only cheap Chinese things - but your favorite US-based businesses also sell there.

Here's a common item for JTs - how many have had that factory bracket bust out?

 

[Metalhead]

I try to stick with USA made parts. Found a few local companies in my area that make good parts.

 

[Zachanadandy]

I'm very much a fan of @Metalcloak both their products and their customer service, but will go with other products if the deal is too good to pass up or metalcloak doesn't have what I want. My JT has evo drop brackets up front as they were $100 shipped new/ never installed from a forum members. The rear has the rock krawler triangulated 4 link as metalcloak does not have anything similar. The springs are metalcloak 3.5" as are the sway bar discos and flipped drag link and track bar relocation.

 

[RCKLNDR]

In the past month, I’ve installed parts from:

Clayton
Rockhard 4x4
Metalcloak
Rancho
Teraflex

So…

 

[Sweetums]

On my last vehicle I didn't even have matching brands between the front and rear axles. Radflo shocks and Eibach springs up front with Bilstein and Alcan on the rear.

 

[Hootbro]

Being on my 4th Gladiator, I probably started out on the Frankenstein path but now make a effort to stick with one brand going with any suspension changes but it is not a cross I will die on as an absolute.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

Being on my 4th Gladiator, I probably started out on the Frankenstein path but now make a effort to stick with one brand going with any suspension changes but it is not a cross I will die as an absolute.

It does make it easier to get replacement or repair parts if it all came from one source!

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