Wow lots of great info. I appreciate the help, I test drove the rubicon the other day and loved it. I will definitely keep it stock for a while or until I get most of it paid off, but when I lift it and get those mods, what is the price range for a good setup, plus the mods you said to get first?

 

See? you already rush it...

The contact between your Jeep and the terrain, is 4 small areas of rubber. That's where you get the grip. I'd say that the two most important factors that determine how easily would a Jeep cross an obstacle, are driver skill and tires. Gain experience and wait with the mods...

Then, I'd start by choosing the tires and wheel size. There's hardly a thing that 37" do and 35"s can't do. I've seen good drivers with 33"s do things that astonished other drivers with 35"s.
Gain experience. Pay attention to the finer points of offroad driving. Picking the right driving line is important, sometimes a few inches to the left or right make a big difference.

Watch offroad driving on YouTube. Look for why one driver went smoothly, while another tried 2 or 3 times. Watch capsizes too, and analyze the cause and what should have the driver done differently.

As a general rule, learn to feel what each wheel is doing and the Jeep as a whole. How weight shifts from front to rear, left to right, from corner to corner -- because of the terrain angle, or by accelerating or braking.
Ease it over obstacles, rather than "attack" them.

 

It really varies to much to give you a straight answer. Lifts can be $250 for shock extensions and spring spacers or $X,XXX for long arm, high lifts and steering correction. Once you get some experience wheeling and determine what you think you like need/like there's a one of threads on quality lifts and heights. If you've got a question, chances are the forum has a thread that could help.

 

I know, crawl, walk, run! But the imagination goes to quick I will look at those threads when that time comes, thanks. When I buy the jeep I need to find one with 4.10, is it more or just a standard option?

 

I'll echo the spectacular advice you are getting here, as a stocker...

...I'm running mostly stock in my '13 JKU Sport S and have a blast. I don't deal with snow here, at least not the type I grew up in. I've found my stock Jeep is very capable of doing what I want and more. I am mechanically inclined, so I went with a Sport. If I weren't, I would have went Rubi. I had all kinds of things in my mind as far as mods before I really started reading many Jeep forums. Yes, I look at those high dollar, massive builds for fun, but what stuck with me most was people either regretting going overboard right away with the cheapest stuff they could find and/or saying us newbies should wheel it stock for awhile.

I've gotten through a ton of obstacles that caused a lot of "pucker factor" and have been stuck too. I'm a weekend warrior wheeler when time permits and mostly to get to places for family time in the wilderness.

 

Awesome advice, that makes a lot of sense. I am most likely going with the Rubicon and will keep stock, I think that stock will do everything I want. Some of the looks the jeeps have make me go crazy! Thats where I get the urge from stock Rubicon and start easy.

 

I honestly dont recall 100%, I know the Rubicons used to come standard with the 4.10's. Check the window sticker and if that doesn't say, MAKE the dealer run the VIN number for the build sheet. It took one phone call and 5 minutes for me to learn I had 3.21's... And I still bought the dang thing (but I love her!)

Yes the imagination runs very quickly, I just wish my bank account could keep up!

 

Glad to offer my experience, limited as it is. Do a lot of reading and driving then decide what you want to go with that works for you. It's your Jeep in the end. I love all those heavily modded rigs but my Jeep is my favorite, well, because it's mine!

 

Here is one of the first threads I subscribed to, just to reference later. https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-t...rently-263343/

There are tons more out there like this. Of course you will read a lot of "I wish I would have gone bigger" too. Good luck!

 

Well first off, all the real men drive 2-doors....