New 2021 Willy's

[Oneshotlucky]

Okay, went and bought one! I love it! (Wife, not so much...) JustEmptyEveryPocket.... That's an understatement. I got stock everything right now. I need help.

1.) Gotta replace that stock air dam/skid plate? Want to keep the stock bumper, (For Now) - Can anyone point me in the direction? Not too expensive bolt on option please?
2.) Skid plates for under? - There are crap loads!!! Again, not too expensive yet,... I need oil pan protection and what not. Control arm bracket protection?
3.) Factory bumper winch options? Anyone.?

Yes never owned a Jeep before, this is gonna be fun!!!! Wife is hatin' it already!!! He he he...

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[DocMike]

Welcome and where are you located? Lot of guys wheel together out here in Colorado.
Do you have the plastic or steel bumpers?
Rock hard has Control Arm and shock mount skids. Metal Cloak has a good rear diff skid.
Winch is expensive any way you slice it and depends on he bumper you have.

Okay, went and bought one! I love it! (Wife, not so much...) JustEmptyEveryPocket.... That's an understatement. I got stock everything right now. I need help.

1.) Gotta replace that stock air dam/skid plate? Want to keep the stock bumper, (For Now) - Can anyone point me in the direction? Not too expensive bolt on option please?
2.) Skid plates for under? - There are crap loads!!! Again, not too expensive yet,... I need oil pan protection and what not. Control arm bracket protection?
3.) Factory bumper winch options? Anyone.?

Yes never owned a Jeep before, this is gonna be fun!!!! Wife is hatin' it already!!! He he he...

 

[Oneshotlucky]

Welcome and where are you located? Lot of guys wheel together out here in Colorado.
Do you have the plastic or steel bumpers?
Rock hard has Control Arm and shock mount skids. Metal Cloak has a good rear diff skid.
Winch is expensive any way you slice it and depends on he bumper you have.

I have the plastic coated bumper. I'm in Arizona.

 

[DocMike]

I would read on here about the mods you need vs want. Have you wheeled stock yet?
These things are beasts from the get go. See my post on China Wall. Stock Rubicon in those videos. I ran the same stuff with zero lockers.


Please don't read this post as anything but helpful. We all have a finite budget. Buying what we need vs what we want is important to sort out. I really want a giant ass KC light bar. but I spent that money on re gearing to 4.88 when I put 35s on. Gives me the power I need with big tires and makes wheeling at high altitude a breeze.

I have used my winch all of one time when a fellow JT I wheel with went into a mud pit and didn't quite make it.

Things I use a lot....
I dropped 33s on mine right away. Then I did JKS quick disconnects for the sway bar (easy to pop off and get full flex on trail) and a GMRS radio (talk to people you wheel with and call for help). An ARB twin helps me air down and air back up (wheeling at 20psi is a game changer). Skids. I did the Rock Hard ones and a Metal Cloak rear diff cover. Rock sliders. Prevent lots of trail damage and door dings in the parking lot.

Plus I added Rubicon shocks and springs. (gave me an inch of height over my stock sport S)

https://www.rockhard4x4.com/category_s/495.htm
I'd focus on rock sliders and some skids.

Still want the winch first?

Lots of good options for bumpers. Winch runs expensive.
You need a winch compatible bumper. I went with the mopar 3 piece. Then you need a good winch plate. Mine was Warn and ran under 300 on sale
Focus on a quality one. Do not want it to bend when you are doing a pull.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/warn/winch-mount-plate-jeep-wrangler-jl-factory-steel-bumper

I went with a Warn 12k evo. You can probably get away with 10K and another brand. I think I was 850 for my winch. I ditched my hook for a Factor Five Flat Link. Closed winching is much safer.

I have the plastic coated bumper. I'm in Arizona.

 

[Oneshotlucky]

I would read on here about the mods you need vs want. Have you wheeled stock yet?
These things are beasts from the get go. See my post on China Wall. Stock Rubicon in those videos. I ran the same stuff with zero lockers.


Please don't read this post as anything but helpful. We all have a finite budget. Buying what we need vs what we want is important to sort out. I really want a giant ass KC light bar. but I spent that money on re gearing to 4.88 when I put 35s on. Gives me the power I need with big tires and makes wheeling at high altitude a breeze.

I have used my winch all of one time when a fellow JT I wheel with went into a mud pit and didn't quite make it.

Things I use a lot....
I dropped 33s on mine right away. Then I did JKS quick disconnects for the sway bar (easy to pop off and get full flex on trail) and a GMRS radio (talk to people you wheel with and call for help). An ARB twin helps me air down and air back up (wheeling at 20psi is a game changer). Skids. I did the Rock Hard ones and a Metal Cloak rear diff cover. Rock sliders. Prevent lots of trail damage and door dings in the parking lot.

Plus I added Rubicon shocks and springs. (gave me an inch of height over my stock sport S)

https://www.rockhard4x4.com/category_s/495.htm
I'd focus on rock sliders and some skids.

Still want the winch first?

Lots of good options for bumpers. Winch runs expensive.
You need a winch compatible bumper. I went with the mopar 3 piece. Then you need a good winch plate. Mine was Warn and ran under 300 on sale
Focus on a quality one. Do not want it to bend when you are doing a pull.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/warn/winch-mount-plate-jeep-wrangler-jl-factory-steel-bumper

I went with a Warn 12k evo. You can probably get away with 10K and another brand. I think I was 850 for my winch. I ditched my hook for a Factor Five Flat Link. Closed winching is much safer.

Jeep looks Great! Thank you for the support! Is there a Front Skid plate I can just bolt up and get rid of that Plastic Air Dam Thingy? I mean I know that's what I want to replace first. (I do not like it), Some say I can replace it with the Rubicon Steel one? Aftermarket out there? I have found some but most say it goes with 'their bumper' , Not changing out the bumper first...

 

[DocMike]

You can do the Rubicon one. You need to order a few extra parts. Mostly the right bolts and brackets. But it's not too bad. Search on here are CL for a good deal on the Mopar steel one if you can find one. I waited for mine and snagged one.

I literally started with a stock sport s. Build it up over a year and a half. Read a lot. Learned even more and asked a lot of questions.

That pic below is DAY ONE.

Have fun, enjoy the ride. It is your Jeep, build it how you want.
You come out this way you are welcome to wheel with us. We have a tentative Ouray trip for next summer.
Second pic is up on Imogene at 13,100 feet. Your stock Willys will make it no problem. See the pic of a bone stock sport on the same trail? Note happy tags and tiny tires.

Do you mean the part between the bumper and the fender?

Jeep looks Great! Thank you for the support! Is there a Front Skid plate I can just bolt up and get rid of that Plastic Air Dam Thingy? I mean I know that's what I want to replace first. (I do not like it), Some say I can replace it with the Rubicon Steel one? Aftermarket out there? I have found some but most say it goes with 'their bumper' , Not changing out the bumper first...

 

[WILDHOBO]

Jeep looks Great! Thank you for the support! Is there a Front Skid plate I can just bolt up and get rid of that Plastic Air Dam Thingy? I mean I know that's what I want to replace first. (I do not like it), Some say I can replace it with the Rubicon Steel one? Aftermarket out there? I have found some but most say it goes with 'their bumper' , Not changing out the bumper first...

@DocMike is a good resource. I’ve had mine less time than he has, and have learned a ton about what’s important “to me”, and where things sit on the priority list. Regarding the air dam you have, it’s not pretty, but the reason it’s plastic is because there’s not a sway bar disconnect motor on yours to protect. My family fun ourselves on trails alone reasonably often, so replacing the Plastic bumper with one that could take a winch was high on my list. I went with a Warn bumper with 12k rated built-in winch plate. Not the cheapest, but not most expensive. $1,700 for both. I also have the warn 12k EVO synthetic. We tow an off-road trailer and I wanted the capacity to recover it as a full rig. I found out the hard way that there are not very many options for skid plates that work with lots of bumpers. Most are designed for the bumper you have. I really was interested in oracle’s new one with LED lights, but it wouldn’t work with my bumper. It does work with your plastic mopar bumper, but you’d then need to make sure any future bumper works with it. The mopar steel skid plates also don’t work with lots of aftermarket bumpers.

Mods/ Accessories for me at this early stage

Soft Truck topper
Bumper
Winch
Short antenna
Cross bars
Sunrider
Recovery kit
Hi lift jack with under seat mounts
Hitch skid
Differential skids (not installed yet)
Full Belly pan skids (not installed as haven’t received yet)
Aux/extra reverse lights
Roll bar mounted mag light and fire extinguisher
Bartact seat covers.

On list
small lift
35’s
Possible regear

you can do a ton with stock suspension on these things. Welcome. And have fun spending all your money with no regrets.

 

[Trickster]

I’ve been waiting on this one. Need a sale price or coupon for me to jump on it. Note price is in CDN Monopoly money.?
Can’t stand that cheap OEM one either.

 

[DocMike]

@Summitdan makes a great point. His list is very different than mine, but he and I did the EXACT same trail yesterday. He has lockers( I call em cheaters til I get my ARB ones) ....I have 35s. So maybe an inch taller. I scraped less. HE did forget his GMRS and should add that as he has one.

So...for shits and giggles. Stock Rubicon in white 33s... Me, Sport S on 35s. no lift for each of us and Rubicon on 37s with 2.5 clayton lift. Same Section. Everyone does it. Just how easy do you want to make it? Enjoy spending the money. You will only regret it if you don't hit the trails.

@DocMike is a good resource. I’ve had mine less time than he has, and have learned a ton about what’s important “to me”, and where things sit on the priority list. Regarding the air dam you have, it’s not pretty, but the reason it’s plastic is because there’s not a sway bar disconnect motor on yours to protect. My family fun ourselves on trails alone reasonably often, so replacing the Plastic bumper with one that could take a winch was high on my list. I went with a Warn bumper with 12k rated built-in winch plate. Not the cheapest, but not most expensive. $1,700 for both. I also have the warn 12k EVO synthetic. We tow an off-road trailer and I wanted the capacity to recover it as a full rig. I found out the hard way that there are not very many options for skid plates that work with lots of bumpers. Most are designed for the bumper you have. I really was interested in oracle’s new one with LED lights, but it wouldn’t work with my bumper. It does work with your plastic mopar bumper, but you’d then need to make sure any future bumper works with it. The mopar steel skid plates also don’t work with lots of aftermarket bumpers.

Mods/ Accessories for me at this early stage

Soft Truck topper
Bumper
Winch
Short antenna
Cross bars
Sunrider
Recovery kit
Hi lift jack with under seat mounts
Hitch skid
Differential skids (not installed yet)
Full Belly pan skids (not installed as haven’t received yet)
Aux/extra reverse lights
Roll bar mounted mag light and fire extinguisher
Bartact seat covers.

On list
small lift
35’s
Possible regear

you can do a ton with stock suspension on these things. Welcome. And have fun spending all your money with no regrets.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I’ve been waiting on this one. Need a sale price or coupon for me to jump on it. Note price is in CDN Monopoly money.?
Can’t stand that cheap OEM one either.

I looked at this one, but it interfered with bumper winch plate to frame brackets. I finally ended up waiting three months for the warn plate that matches my bumper. I do like it though. I like that the one you posted doesn’t attach to the bumper, but it may only work while you have the oe bumper. If you don’t have a sway bar disconnect motor, I’d wait on this. You might spend money you end up spending again after you swap your bumper. The only way I see to avoid that is if you drastically narrow your bumper choices.

Edit, I also see this as high priced. The warn one I have made from 1/4” steel was only $179.

 

[Trickster]

I looked at this one, but it interfered with bumper winch plate to frame brackets. I finally ended up waiting three months for the warn plate that matches my bumper. I do like it though. I like that the one you posted doesn’t attach to the bumper, but it may only work while you have the oe bumper. If you don’t have a sway bar disconnect motor, I’d wait on this. You might spend money you end up spending again after you swap your bumper. The only way I see to avoid that is if you drastically narrow your bumper choices.

Edit, I also see this as high priced. The warn one I have made from 1/4” steel was only $179.

Agree that it’s overpriced, but what isn’t nowadays?
This mall crawler/grocery getter won’t be getting a new bumper, winch, lift or bigger tires. Why? Because it’s the wife’s daily driver and she likes it stock. I just see that plastic shield cracking at -40 when she decides to drive over a frozen windrow of snow. Plenty of plastic shrapnel on the roads here when it gets stupid cold, vehicles don’t like it much.

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