Very curious about the typical forum member - why all the modifications?

[jjdustr340]

For me it’s simple.....I’m a Jeeper. Have been for more than 20 years. I was a hot rod/muscle car guy before that (1973 340 Duster with 425 horses was my daily).
I like to build/modify/tinker with my vehicles. Thats one thing that drew me to Jeeps. The ability to go anywhere was another. Also the Jeep community. We wave to each other, we go on rides together, we’ll have hours long conversations about our Jeeps with total strangers who also drive a Jeep.
I converted my wife and now she owns a Jeep. Converted my daughter and she too owns a Jeep.
That being said, since my wife now has a JLU, I decided it would be a great time to trade in my JKU for a Gladiator. I still get to live the Jeep life, but also get the benefit of a truck bed!! Now I can haul around or move stuff whenever I want to and don’t have to borrow a friends pickup. Then if the urge strikes, I can go run in the mud, climb some rocks, or run through deep snow.

Sponsored

 

[TheHime]

The reason for all the modifications is because to each person a Jeep is there own. For example, you like your Jeep stock with mud flaps. Most people do not want a vehicle that looks the exact same to everyone else’s. It’s fun to design a Jeep and make it the way you like it. Some put lifts with 40 and others like 35s with no lift. It’s pretty neat to own a vehicle that no other person has. I think for that reason jeeps have become so popular. I remember when everyone wanted fancy sport cars and Jeeps were a small community of folks that built them to their own specs and a Jeep wave was common. Now everyone and their mother wants one. Which is not a bad thing it’s just that more people recognized the fun of owning and modifying a Jeep to their liking. It’s not a bad question just coming from a common vehicle you wouldn’t notice why it’s such a infatuation. Also Jeep recognized this and made them modular like putting threaded inserts in the frame to add on steps or other mods.

 

[Gobi Wan K]

Depending on where you are you may see a lot of stock Jeeps. I have been to areas of the country where, as you say, they are the best tool for the job. A stock Jeep is a very capable vehicle for accessing ranch land and back country areas that may just have forest type roads. But if you really look around you will see the modified ones. They are there even if they don't stand out to you. Jeeps have been a sort of lifestyle vehicle for a while now. It really blew up with the introduction of the 4dr JK as anyone with a family could now have a Jeep without sacrificing a family friendly car. Let's face it, a lot of people just don't have the funds for 2 vehicles. Especially at the cost of a Jeep these days. I remember when the YJs passed 10k on the lot and I figured my Jeep days were over as there was just no way I was paying that much for what is sort of a toy. Not sure my JT is still much more than a toy but it was sure a lot more than 10k lol.
Somebody with a stock Jeep has little reason to post up on a forum such as this. Same as someone with a stock sports car posting on their corresponding site.
I think you asked a fair question and no reason to be sorry you asked.

 

[Burton79]

I didn't mean to make everyone defensive. I thought the question was clear: why all the modifications? We use them in their stock form, use them every day, feel no need to express ourselves through them. They are simply an every day, common tool here. I assumed there was something different about our surroundings that caused that.

I asked all the off road shops within 100 miles, then I came here. It was just a question; I am sincerely sorry I asked.

Don’t ever be sorry for asking a question.

To put it plainly, it’s all very personal. Each person that owns, or has owned, a Jeep brand vehicle, driven a Willy’s MA or Ford GP, or even getting into it loves the adventure lifestyle in some form or another. Stil, there are others like you and yours that use them as tools, which is perfectly fine. However, there are those of us who love the beach, woodland trails, dunes, and pretty much everything in between. Due to that individuals personality, it almost certainly bleeds through into the Jeep we drive. To me, and I may be out of line is saying this, is almost akin to asking why someone got a certain tattoo or hairstyle. Everyone wants to express themselves in their Jeep more so than any any other vehicle owner I’ve come across.

 

[danielspivey]

The question is why does no one in Oklahoma mod their Jeep....? 95%, really?

 

[Ohio JKU]

Maybe it’s a Dry county? With no girls?

 

[Ellbee]

For me it’s a hobby. I’m always tinkering with something. Anything remote control, mounting bikes, what ever vehicle I own, I’m building and/or modding.

I’m always diving into something new for a few years, then I get excited about the next project and move on to it. Right now the Gladiator is that project. So for now, I love eating, sleeping, and breathing all things gladiator.

The forum is great because I can learn, share, and tell people when they are wrong. Basically, vent my gladiator enthusiasm here, instead of driving my friends and family nuts.

Me too. Retired Machinist/Milwright. Love to build and work on things.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I love the truck stock - but like all vehicles that aren't primarily my wife's vehicles, I do make some changes. Usually it's to make them more useful for what I use or need them for............ I want to haul stuff so I'll add some sort of a rail or tie-down system in the bed. I wanted convenience, so I've added passive entry. I put the Rubicon tires and wheels on because the Overland stock tires suck on slick roads (this is Iowa - you never know until you get there)
I won't be modifying heavily - no need for a real lift, no need for wider, fatter, taller tires.

I have my cars to play with, modify, show, show off, make the cops pay attention (two carbs sticking through the hood, headers) or add something because I almost have to (traction bars to control the rear end when I nail it), or do things just because I can or want to (engine swaps)

The truck will only be modified a little bit, or where needed to fit my purposes - towing, hauling stuff. I love how Jeeps look stock - frankly, they look great just as they come from the factory. The only ugly Jeeps I see are some distastefully modified. (IMO, of course)
ANY VEHICLE is a personal thing. Madison Avenue knew that decades ago - thus the car commercials with young females singing and dancing in the car so they could sell to a certain group, the guy with square jaw, a day old beard, square wire rim glasses - they'll sell the Lincoln vehicles.
Or we could all own black Fords with a 4 cylinder flat head engine and buzz coils and foot operated gear shifting.

My "garages" here will show what I do with my other vehicles..........

 

[Gumidaka]

Why all the modifications?

Because you can.

 

[DirkG]

Why all the modifications?

Because you can.

This is so true. I've owned many different brands with the primary vehicles being Acuras and you're lucky to get a few aftermarket intake selections.

I got my JT and when I Google'd aftermarket options, I almost fell out of my chair. From a stubby antenna to a full-blown Hemi swap, everything goes.

As mentioned a few posts back, JL/JTs are like Legos for us big kids.

 

[Mark Doiron]

I live in OKC. But, as someone else already stated, it's not where you live, it's where you travel and what you do while you do so. And I travel all over--literally the U.S.-Mexican border to the Arctic Ocean. This is my second Jeep, and the first is still with me (a heavily modified 2007 Wrangler X at 270,000 miles). The Wrangler will remain my primary overlanding rig, but I do take the Gladiator out occasionally, so its receiving a few mods, too.

I'm retired and love photography. So, I take pictures and make videos about my adventures. These rigs get me to places that are less frequented by most people. If you're interested, here are a couple older videos (BG: Before Gladiator) from my YT channel that may help you understand the "why" of what my friends and I do ...





And here are a couple teaser videos with the Gladiator (full video series are now online, if you're interested) ...






Here are a few samples of my landscape photography work ...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DQwT2SetJyR2Q7hw5

Finally, in response to your remark about NE OK, check out Disney at Grand Lake. Personally I'm not into rock crawling anymore, but that does have some interesting routes and obstacles. Here's my JK back in its early days (my kid driving) ...

 

[cgflyer]

I snicker at stock Jeeps and just assume that everyone driving a stock Wrangler or JT is envious when they see mine...A Jeep is a personal statement. I have done performance mods on many cars, but never anything to the exterior form...Jeeps are unique and they should be unique to their owner (minus angry eye grills and light bars...)

 

[Jeeperjamie]

I mod mine because for one it looks better and two it's mine and that's what I want to do. I mod every vehicle I buy in some way to make it my own, I don't like having the same looking thing as someone else, I like being unique. I also like taking mine off road and doing light wheeling in it. I'm not into rock crawling but I will hit a fire road or a unpaved trail when I see one and see where it leads me. If I'm by myself I got all the stuff I need on board in case something happens because you never know if your riding out somewhere when you might run across that patch of road that looks interesting and you gotta find out what's down it. Just saying it never hurts to have a winch, bigger tires, steel bumpers and a lift even if you never use it, you never know when it might pay off for you. Ask the guy who was driving this last week how he feels after trying to do battle on the road with my JT, he lost and the JT walked away without a scratch on it.

 

[cgflyer]

I snicker at stock Jeeps and just assume that everyone driving a stock Wrangler or JT is envious when they see mine...A Jeep is a personal statement. I have done performance mods on many cars, but never anything to the exterior form...Jeeps are unique and they should be unique to their owner (minus angry eye grills and light bars...)

Also as others have stated, this is a enthusiasts forum, another thread on here mentioned that there are only about 2,000 members and over 77,000 Gladiators have been sold (I can't verify the numbers)...but you are right, the majority of the JT's are probably stock which makes me like my mods even more because I don't want anyone else to have my Gladiator...I sure there is a bit of a D*** measuring factor to it too...street or trail credibility. Demonstrating your offroad prowess and that you're not just a mall crawler.

 

[JT1]

I didn't mean to make everyone defensive. I thought the question was clear: why all the modifications? We use them in their stock form, use them every day, feel no need to express ourselves through them. They are simply an every day, common tool here. I assumed there was something different about our surroundings that caused that.

I asked all the off road shops within 100 miles, then I came here. It was just a question; I am sincerely sorry I asked.

I'm in Oklahoma also. I see maybe one stock Gladiator for every 2 that are lifted. My proximity to some of the better places to wheel in Oklahoma may have something to do with it. Stock ones get their back bumpers ripped off getting to where we wheel.

If you're out west in the red dirt and not south near Davis, it's pretty flat. A 10ft tall dirt pile will let you see all the way to Texas.

Sponsored