8 Winterization Tips For Your Jeep

 Jeeps  No Responses »
Nov 062011
 

Are your ready for this?

Winter is fast approaching and some areas have already seen snow. It is still warm enough that you may not have noticed any issues with your Jeep, but if you do not properly winterize your vehicle, you could be setting yourself up for a breakdown on a cold night. Here are eight essential winterization tips that all Jeep owners should heed, even if yours is brand new.

  • Consider switching to a winter tire if your area receives significant snow each year. Even if you have off-road tires, a winter specialized product can give your Jeep a better grip in snow and slush.
  • Look in your owner’s manual and change your tire pressure to maximize grip in the snow. A little spongier stance often helps traction.
  • The battery is the most common culprit when you get stranded in cold weather. Change yours if the power windows are moving slowly or your headlights seem dim. It is definitely time to buy a new battery if yours is more than three years old.
  • Have your brakes inspected.
  • Have your anti-freeze tested and/or replaced. If your Jeep is several years old, you may want to consider having the coolant system back-flushed.
  • Replace your wiper blades and top off the wiper fluid reservoir with a product that includes a de-icer.
  • Check all belts and hoses for wear. Look for cracking, bulges, or fraying. Replace any item that looks a bit dodgy.
  • Run your four wheel drive in all settings. You will want to make sure it operates smoothly and that you do not hear odd noises when it is engaged.

Driving in the wintery conditions is often a source of anxiety and frustration. The only thing that you can do to alleviate some of the stress is to insure that your Jeep is ready for what may come. A proper winterization regimen should keep you driving all winter without having to call for assistance at any point.

 Posted by Jerry at 8:04 am  Tagged with: ,

Winches, Suspension, And Superchips, Oh My!

 Jeeps  No Responses »
Oct 282011
 

When people talk about Jeep accessories, they want to cover a new top, or some pretty thing-a-ma-jig for the interior. Real Jeep enthusiasts want to talk about getting themselves or others out of sticky situations and improving their Jeep’s performance; hence the title, winches, suspension, and Superchips.

Should you be so bold as to take your Jeep off the asphalt, you may find yourself in a jam. Just driving in the winter, you could come across someone in a ditch. When that happens you are going to want a winch around to tackle the situation. Warn has been producing top of the line winch systems for over 50 years. You are going to want to buy a winch that is rated to pull in the 8,000 to 10,000 pound range to insure you have enough capacity for whatever comes your way.

Every Jeep comes with a decent amount of clearance. That doesn’t mean that it is enough for certain conditions or attitudes. In many off-road situations, the more clearance your Jeep offers the better your chances of not bottoming out. Then there is the added factor of just lifting a Jeep purely for the sake of lifting it. The average kit will offer you an additional 2.5 inches of clearance and you can put a 16 inch tire underneath it. Why stop there? Move up to the 4 inch kit. That will allow you to travel over some seriously rutted terrain and plenty of room to add 35×12.5 tires.

Now we come to performance enhancement. Superchips has been working on a product called the Flashpaq Programmer for years; tweaking this, changing that until the unit now works with a wide variety of Jeep models. Using a convenient hand held remote, you can change engine and drivetrain settings to enhance the way your Jeep performs in changing situations. Want better fuel efficiency, press a button. Want to shave a little time in the quarter, press another button. The unit offers such a wide spectrum of features that you may wonder how your Jeep ever performed without it.

If you want to talk about Jeep accessories, you have to start with performance enhancement first. Changing your top or adding seat covers is nice, when your Jeep is tuned correctly, but what good will they do you if you are stuck in mud or sand? Performance over pretty always makes sense.

 Posted by Jerry at 5:32 am  Tagged with: , , , ,

Choosing the Right Top for your Jeep

 Jeeps  2 Responses »
Aug 072011
 

When you bought your Jeep it certainly came with a top of some kind – very much likely with a hardtop, but possibly you got it with a soft top. Usually, one doesn’t really get into this discussion of tops unless they want some variety. If you live in the area, where the winters are cold, a hardtop is a must have for the cold months. On the other side, quite a few Jeep owners purchase a soft top of some kind, to turn their Wrangler or Sahara into a stylish ride, where you could enjoy the sun and the air.

Jeep tops come in a variety of styles, ranging from fully covered hardtops to semi open tops, known as bikini tops. It is very common to have different tops for different seasons. Hardtops are known to provide the best protection from wind and rain; however you would need a hoist to take a hardtop off, if you do it by yourself, and also a place to store it. Soft tops, on the other hand, are very easy to store or to remove, but they’re not as secure as hardtops. Bikini tops represent a nice variation, allowing one to drive, basically, with the top down, while not being scorched by the sun.

If one is looking to replace an already existing soft top, it is a good idea to see the make of the top, in the first place. Some soft tops were designed to fit over the original hardware, while other will come with their own hardware that you would need to install. When opting for a top, and the tops are not that cheap, if you haven’t already noticed that, it is very important to go with trusted names that had been in a business for a long time, those that earned their reputation for consistent production of quality products.

One of the companies that have long been supplying Jeep Corporation with high quality tops is the Bestop. This company works hand in hand with Jeep and understands very well Jeep specs. The other ones that are also known for their craftsmanship are Rugged Ridge, Pavement Ends and Mopar.

And once you defined the brand that you wanna go with, it is very important to choose the right model. There is quite a lot of variation in the tops, for instance you have the standard soft top, the flip-top, the bikini top and the additional accessories, such as the windbreaker and the duster, which are aimed to give your Jeep different appearance and looks, while keeping away the wind, the dust and the debris.

 Posted by Leonard at 3:27 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

Introducing Jeep Compass

 Compass  3 Responses »
Apr 172010
 

When Jeep has finally added a compact car-like SUV to its line in May 2006, an obvious question of interest to all its potential buyers arose, as to what is this new little Jeep like.

Chrysler knew full well the need for expansion of its model line and that Jeep would eventually  introduce more car-like models, something that wouldn’t be easy, as the company didn’t want Jeep to lose its go-anywhere off-road reputation. So, Compass is a car that promises its owners the capability to tackle rugged terrain like any other Jeep.

Coming off the assembly line in Belvedere, IL it is sold in the States for MSPR $18,465 – $24,575 with 4 trims available, making it both a good buy and also the first front-wheel drive Jeep with rear drive engaged on-demand, and a fully independent suspension. The transmission lacks the transfer-case with low range gearing needed for serious off-road use, but allows splitting torque in half between rear and front axles for some low traction surfaces.

Jeep Compass is powered by a  2.4 L 172 hp 4-cylinder engine developed in association with Mitsubishi and Hyundai. It is more than adequate for the city use, and even though Compass is fairly heavy for its size it renders estimated 25 mpg in the city and 29 on highways with the standard manual gearbox.  A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that raises cost by $1,000 is also available.

But moving from a more formal presentation to some personal impressions it is worth mentioning that its exterior does create an ambiguous impression. The headlights are round, the front is that of Jeep, but the rear looks like that of a Hyundai. However design is a matter of taste, especially since Chrysler positions Compass as vehicle for young adults. No complaints on the interior, the seats are comfortable, plenty of room for four people and a spacious trunk.

One of the strong points of this car is its handling and steering, which is not any different than that of a sedan. You can negotiate curbs with a speed of 85-100 miles per hour and still be confident. But off the asphalted roads Compass is also capable of performing. Most important part here is to switch off ESP and engage the part-time torque splitter. Here the Jeep’s heritage shines and shows that it is truly capable of much more as opposed to other crossovers.

After all Jeep Compass leaves a very good impression. It is a crossover, but one step above Nissan Xtrail, Hyundai Tucson, Mitsubishi Outlander or Subaru Forester. And even the die-hard fans of Grand Cherokee will enjoy driving it! So welcome Jeep Compass – a good car worth every penny.

 Posted by JeepGuy at 8:39 am  Tagged with: ,

Statistics – No-one offroads anymore (except Jeep owners!)

 Jeeps  1 Response »
Mar 172010
 

The statistics inform that as many as 90 % of the SUV owners don’t ever take their vehicles off-road.

What is this – an excessive concern for a rather expensive investment or just an absence of an actual need to do it? It is a known fact that many people buy SUVs, and in our case various Jeep models, just for the sake of their potential capabilities. The ladies claim that they feel much safer driving a larger vehicle. Men want to know that if all the sudden a snow storm breaks out, they will do fine. So, what if this winter is exactly the chance to turn the usual commuting into a real northern adventure?

And you don’t even have to drive it off the road. The actual road conditions can present a handful of troubles. Intense snow fall, slippery road, reduced visibility, high blizzards… Of course having a Jeep signifies that you are in good shape, but keep in mind that a 4-wheel drive won’t help you stopping any better. There are other things to consider, such as to always slow down when the road is slippery. It’s great to know what kind of 4×4 transmission your Jeep is equipped with. Some models come with a part-time transmission with front axle electronically engaged, when the wheels start to slip, while others have the more serious full-time transmission, and yet the third may look exactly like any other Jeep, but have a modest 2-wheel drive.

And a universal rule that applies is that tires make all the difference. Once could take a modest Subaru Forester, equipped with winter tires, and put it against a full-blown Land Cruiser with summer tires and easily beat it on an icy road. So in stead of putting groundless expectations on your Jeep, change into winter tires ahead of time and give them some time to break in.

And lastly, if you want to please the adventurous spirit in you and take your Jeep off the road, we advise to follow some basic safety rules. Know the terrain you are going to storm. A white layer of snow may insidiously hide trunks of fallen trees, rocks, and other dangerous obstacles. Take with you a shovel and emergency survival gear in case you get stock in a blizzard, as it can take hours to get out. Having a CB radio, traction strips, a tow strap, and a flash light is a must. Remember also to throw in some extra worm clothes and blankets, a buck saw, food and water. But most importantly, tell your close relatives where you are going, and when you are to be expected back. Drive carefully! And now, with all these considerations, your Jeep should be equipped and ready to give you all the pleasures of a winter adventure!

 Posted by JeepGuy at 8:52 am  Tagged with: , , , ,
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