-
My 2003 Jeep TJ X/Commando
-
Being a Toyota owner all my life, I purchased my Jeep with one idea in mind, to explore Arizona's remote trails with little vehicle limitations. Little did I know that going from a stock Jeep TJ to a fully trail ready rig was going to be such a long and expensive journey.
Months of research and trying to avoid all the marketing hype I found that a 4 inch Tera Flex lift was the best for what I needed. Figuring the lift with 33 inch tires would be a great start so I began saving money. I chose to have the work done by Desert Rat since they are near my work.
With bigger tires - I needed gearing (chose 456), with the drive train angle - a yoke slip eliminator kit and a custom rear drive shaft. The lift came with fully adjustable lower control arms and sway bar disconnects which helps with tractions by keeping all four tires on the ground. But with the crappy open differentials that come with a stock TJ I chose to throw in front and rear ARB lockers. Talk about Just Emptying Every Pocket!
Next was a cheep Costco winch. Cost = $250
At this point the Jeep is trail ready...
-
Poison Spider Roll Cage (weld/bolt-in)
-
After seeing the last YouTube video of a TJ rollover I realized what little front cab protection there is in a Jeep. One day I decided to drop the windshield and discovered that the driver and passenger side roll bars slide out and are only supported by two star bolts. These bolts go directly into the weak windshield frame. What a false sense of security, even more so for us who are over six feet tall.
I chose the poison spider weld in/bold in cage from recommendations by experienced Jeepers on the Virtual Jeep club. And seeing how it holds up on a real life rollover – I was sold! (Watch the YouTube) Video)
This Poison Spyder Jeep TJ roll Cage came disassembled. The roll cage Kit components are constructed from 1.75" .125 wall DOM, all plates and gussets are 3/16" laser plate. The parts came cut, coped and ready for weld in assembly.
The roll cage is an eight piece set that utilizes the factory cage as a platform. The kit came with two dash to floor supports, two upper pillars that welds to factory windshield bars. A dash and upper windshield bar, and two center spreaders that can be located in several positions.
-
Off Road Communication – Cobra 75WXST CB Radio
-
If you’re a TJ owner then you know the importance of cabin space. With the crap I have attached to my dash I had a hard time purchasing a CB. After all, where the hell am I going to mount it? I found a perfect solution that was compact enough not to get in the way and it had some great features such as weather radio and noise canceling. The Cobra 75WXST was an easy choice for me and it has worked great.
The C75-WXST is an all-in-handset Mobile CB with Soundtracker and weather channels. SoundTracker is the first patented technology that dramatically improves the transmission and reception of CB radio signals. The result is a cleaner, clearer sounding CB with more "powerful" transmissions and less static or noise on reception. The C75-WXST provides complete access to all 40 Citizen Band Radio channels. 10 National Weather Channels (7 NOAA and 3 International) provide full coverage to keep you informed of weather conditions anywhere you go. Remote installation box installs out of sight under your dash and the quick disconnect allows removal of the headpiece for security or use in other vehicles. Dual Watch allows simultaneous monitoring of any two preselected channels. Full Channel Scan allows you to scan all 40 channels. All the information you need is provided from the full-featured LCD display panel. Choose normal CB channel readout or five-digit frequency display.
-
Off Road Navigation (With Topographical Data)
-
Before purchasing a GPS device, I spent a great deal of time researching. Reading online reviews and listening to what other Jeepers were saying I was at a lost. I wanted a durable, shockproof and waterproof GPS that could be hard mounted in my Jeep. Another requirement was to have a large enough screen that could be viewed with very little effort from my front seat AND MOST IMPORANT, have the off road trail data that I needed. After all, I needed to find where I was going in the Arizona back country and not the local grocery store. The Lowrance GlobalMap Baja 480C Baja color was the best fit.
- 5.0" (12.7cm) diagonal 16-bit color SolarMax™ TFT display
- High-detail 480V x 480H pixel resolution
- Expanded and updated built-in background map of the continental U.S. and Hawaii with additional features
- Ruggedized, shock-resistant case
Extreme GPS, ruggedized and shock-resistant for off-highway use. Displays brilliant 16-bit color at an amazing 480x480 resolution. Compact enough to be dash-mounted, and large enough to be easily readable. Add straight-line GPS navigation to your off-road vehicle!
-
Painless 250 AMP dual battery isolator
-
My 03 Jeep TJ was the first vehicle I ever owned with an automatic tranny. All my other vehicles required just a slight push and a pop of the clutch to cure a dead battery. After being stranded on the trail once due to a dead battery I told myself never again! At least not due to a dead battery.
After searching around net I found a kit made by Painless Performance Products. The kit ended up being just that – PAINLESS. It took about three hours for installation and allows for both batters to be connected in a series. With the flip of a switch both batteries can be isolated saving one battery's charge for starting the vehicle. I used a Yellow Top optima battery for the primary and a Red Top optima staring battery for the secondary. Here is the location of the switch. I located it out of the way to prevent accidental engaging.
The 250 AMP dual battery controller includes a three position switch to control the second battery through the operation of the solenoid. Switch position one isolates the second battery. Position two connects the battery while the ignition is on. Position three connects the second battery at all times. Kit includes solenoid, switch, pre-terminated wire/connectors, fuse holder, fuse and mounting hardware.
-
Jeep Wrangler TJ ARB Safari Snorkel
-
When I decided to purchase the ARB Safari Snorkel it was not for looks or increased fuel economy. The purpose was to provide piece of mind when crossing rivers, washes and mud holes without the concern of engine damage. The Safari snorkel system relocates the engine's air intake point from the low and vulnerable position under the hood to a much higher and safer location where a constant source of cool, clean, and dry air is available.
I chose the ARB Snorkel due to the premium quality polyethylene construction. There are a number of generic knock-offs and I would not recommend running the risk of engine damage to save a few bucks. The ARB snorkels are incredibly tough and UV stable making it resistant to the Arizona sun. The complete unit is positively sealed to ensure trouble free protection.
- UV stable crosslinked polyethylene body for the ultimate in strength
- High flow air ducting & body ensures air supply in excess of engine requirements
- Each component is designed for maximum dust & water sealing
- Stainless steel & plated hardware for corrosion resistance
- Fully compatible with optional 7" or 10" precleaners ~ some models
- Unique evacuation system effectively disperses rain and unwanted moisture
-
Warn Rock sliders
-
The warn rock sliders were a great investment. They do require drilling holes in the body but have held up nicely.
The cost of the armor is much cheaper than the cost of the body damage. The thick steel plate construction and black powder coat finish ensure durability. The plate bolts right to the Jeep body, reinforcing its weakest spot. PN 71500 '03-06 TJ