Five JL Wrangler Rubicon Mods That Will Make It Even Better Off-Road
Jeep’s JL Wrangler Rubicon is already good out of the box, but these five mods help enhance its off-road capability.
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is a popular choice with buyers for a very good reason – this particular trim comes with a host of upgrades that make it quite formidable off-road, right off the showroom floor. But of course, Jeep enthusiasts are never satisfied with stock, so many also go to great lengths to modify their Rubicons. For them, this recent video from parts-seller extraordinaire Extreme Terrain covers five mods that will only improve the off-road capability of the JL Wrangler Rubicon.
The Recon Edition in this video is already packed with a ton of great extras, including locking diffs and beefier axles, so the idea here is to simply enhance it. That process starts with a Teraflex 2.5-inch Base Suspension Lift Kit, which “splits the difference between more basic spacer kits and far more expensive kits that replace practically everything under your Jeep,” according to our host, Eric. This is an important distinction given the fact that you don’t want to pay the money for the Rubicon’s upgrades only to replace them with something else.
Since factory shocks cannot be reused with this lift kit, ET decided to go with some of the best replacements available – FOX Performance Series 2.0 front and rear IFP Shocks, which are designed specifically for Jeeps that have been lifted 2-3 inches. FOX is one of the more highly touted brands in this space for good reason – it makes durable products that offer excellent performance and a cushy on-road ride to boot.
With the suspension wrapped up, ET takes advantage of the additional space provided by the lift kit with a set of 35-inch Nitto Ridge Grappler Mud-Terrain tires wrapped around 17-inch Mammoth Boulder Simulated beadlock-style wheels, one of the more popular and capable choices out there at the moment. With four inches of total lift provided by the suspension and tire upgrades, the owner of this Wrangler Rubicon can also take advantage of it with the addition of a Rugged Ridge AmFib Low-High Snorkel, so smaller bodies of water can be forded without worrying about getting bogged down.
Finally, even though this revised Rubicon is now highly capable off-road, it’s still important to note that getting stuck is pretty much inevitable at some point. Thus, an American Trail Products Winch Plate System and Smittybilt Gen2 X2O 12,000 pound Winch with Synthetic Rope and Wireless Control are always there just in case you do. The winch is also good enough to help rescue another vehicle, weighing up to 8,000 pounds without breaking a sweat.
While one can easily go hog wild and throw a bunch of upgrades at a Rubicon, these five upgrades do a great job of enhancing the SUV without going overboard or giving up the factory goodies that you’re paying extra for. And to us, that makes them the perfect way to enhance the Rubicon’s legendary factory goodness.
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