John Swanagon's Blog

It's a Jeep Thing

18 November 2009 by John Swanagon

I bought and took delivery of my new Jeep Wrangler (JK) about three months ago. When I picked it up, it was a stock ’09 Detonator Yellow Rubicon with a hard top and a 6-speed manual transmission. Since delivery, I have put over 2,000 miles on it, been on a couple of trails, and begun the process of upgrading it inside and out. I think I’m beginning to understand what “It’s a Jeep Thing” is all about. I knew I would be able to upgrade my Wrangler, but I had no idea just how “upgrade ready” one of these things were out of the gate. So far, I have upgraded the air intake, reprogrammed the engine for maximum performance, and installed billet pedals, grab handles, various security components, and a number of visual upgrades. I know others have done way more than me, but I am just getting started. My wish list currently includes KMC XD Series Black Wheels, an AEV Front Bumper, a WARN Winch, and a Borla exhaust system upgrade to name a few.

Upgrading a Jeep is a blast. There is something so cool about picking out what you want to do and doing the work yourself. It is even better, when it is all done, to drive it afterward. I’m glad I am not some mega billionaire that could buy all this at once. It wouldn’t be as much fun or carry as much meaning. To Jeep enthusiasts with suggestions, bring them on!! I’m just getting started and want (and need) the advice. Below are the upgrades I have done for my Jeep thus far:

Performance
All JK’s come with a 3.8L 205HP V-6 from the factory. It is a gutsy V-6, but there are a number of components I can upgrade in order to get the maximum amount of power out of it. To get started, I ripped out the stock air intake and replaced it with a K&N 63 Series High Performance Air Intake. I can only describe the stock unit as a serious piece of crap; the filter must be replaced at regular intervals and it is like having the engine breathe through a straw. It took me about 2 hours to put the new intake in, but I gained 8 horsepower. It may not seem like much, but I can really feel the difference, especially in 2nd and 3rd. After installing the intake, I reprogrammed the engine using a Superchips Flashpaq. Although this forced me to upgrade to premium gasoline, I netted 18 more horsepower. Between these two upgrades, I now have 231 HP, a little more than 10% increase in power. It puts a smile on my face, trust me. I can feel it and I can hear it. The sound from the engine is absolutely sublime now. I have more upgrades planned, most notably in the exhaust department.

Security
One of the coolest things about a Wrangler is how just about everything can be disconnected, removed, or folded down like the top, doors, or windshield. While this makes it an extremely capable vehicle, it also makes it a very “theft friendly” vehicle. Although I cannot entirely prevent theft, I have added a number of components to make it difficult. My defense is a hybrid of active and passive systems and includes a Viper alarm system with all options and sensors, wheel locks, a heavy duty hood lock (keyed to ignition), a locking gas cap (keyed to ignition), locks for the door hinges, and Lo/Jack. All of these components, in combination with one another, should be enough to deter most people from making my Jeep a target. However, if someone tries to take it or succeeds in taking it, they’ll have to deal with Z, one of my guardian angels. Z is why I have the Jeep in the first place and I share it with him, so he wouldn’t take too kindly to someone making off with it. My philosophy is… “You want one? Buy your own! This one is MINE.”

Visuals
Out of the box, the Wrangler is a rugged vehicle. I love that and don’t want to change it. However, from the factory, it is in bad need of customization. To make mine unique, so far, I’ve installed tinted windows, door sill guards, billet pedals, custom decals on the left and right, a gas tank door, and a “Hang on, I want to try something” warning sticker on the dash. LMAO. I can’t wait, though, until I can get new wheels. Metallic wheels just don’t go with yellow. I want that hornet color scheme baby!!!! The front bumper will make a huge difference as well. Not only is it visually stunning, it provides additional light (at night) and has a specific place for the winch. Oh, and anyone wanting to install the gas tank door, get ready to bring on the pain. If your hands aren’t small, it won’t be easy dislodging the base unit.

What’s Next
Wheels, bumper, winch; in that order. Yup, it’s in the order of cost. heh. Next summer I plan on getting a soft top so I can enjoy the trails without having to worry about the hard top. No matter what though, I love how much can be done to a Wrangler. Really, there is so much I can do, I don’t have to worry about “end state” since it’ll probably keep changing anyway (in my head, that is). For now, it’s a Jeep thing… and I’m beginning to understand.

John Swanagon’s Jeep in Various Stages