Gearing Up Your Jeep for Spring

Spring is prime time to gear up and geek out your Jeep with the latest, greatest parts and accessories. Whether replacing a well-worn soft top or treating your Jeep to new wheels, there are factors to weigh in when you’re sprucing up. Quality, durability, affordability and appearance are all considerations. Here are five springtime parts and accessories that will put a kick in your Jeep and a spring in your step.

Soft Tops

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb as springtime toggles between sun and rain in a heartbeat. A soft top offers perfect solution whether you’re making the leap from a hard top or dressing your Jeep with a new one. There are tons of soft top styles ranging from Bikinis to Halftops to Supertops and you’ll want to select a fabric that retains its shape in a range of climates. Throw in the flip-back sunroof for open-air rides, UV-treated plastic windows and plenty of colors to consider and you’ve got options.

Tires and Wheels

New tires are a considerable investment and the first question to ask is will they be primarily for street driving or off-roading? Once you’ve determined your main terrain, weigh in factors of tread pattern, ply-construction and design. The safe bet for mostly street driving with rare off-road journeys are all-terrain tires. Coming to grips with wet, muddy conditions is easier when your Jeep is outfitted with mud tires and rock crawlers and side-biters offer optimum maneuverability on desert and firmer surfaces. As far as wheels go, stronger steel wheels perform better off-roading while lighter alloy rims excel in highway driving conditions.

Winches

Having the foresight to purchase a winch or upgrade shows you have a proper respect for the unexpected. Springtime is full of recovery situations ranging from flash floods to creeks and streams that turn out to be deeper than they appear. Know the weight of your vehicle to determine if you need line pull between 8,000-10,000 lbs. It’s also an ideal time to upgrade to an electric winch or switch from steel line to synthetic rope, that’s 30-40% stronger than steel.

Floor Mats

Floor protection can get overlooked, but mats are key interior accessories. Mats and liners have made a smooth transition into the digital age and DigitalFit models offer precision fits based on digital laser measurements. State-of-the-art surfacing channels springtime wetness and debris into a built-in reservoir. All of that rain and mud will have nowhere to go and you can select between different material textures and colors.

Lights

It’s staying lighter longer in the springtime, but outfitting your ride with reliable lighting increases safety and can transform your Jeep’s look. High intensity discharge (HID) lights are tried and true while LED lighting offers high lumen output without the high power draw. Choose from different lights to modify the color and beam pattern to fit your driving conditions.

Whether you’re looking for commanding output, extreme durability or minimal vibration there are lights for all nighttime driving scenarios.