Popular Jeep Accessories
Whether your Jeep is a decades-old Cherokee or a brand new Jeep Wrangler, there are accessories that some owners swear are ‘must-haves.’ Most of these have to do with protecting your vehicle and keeping it clean, especially for those who do a lot of off-road driving.
The Basics
Top of the list is floor mats…really. Mud, dirty footprints, sand, gravel and dirty paw prints—these can make a car look old and uncared for fast. Protect your Jeep with slush style floor mats-ribbed and molded and matching in color to your make and model. Speaking of protection, another popular accessory is seat covers. Protect the original upholstery with custom seat covers made specifically for your vehicle. They’re easily removable for washing, won’t block seat controls and keep your upholstery looking new now matter how much wear and tear your Jeep takes. Organization is also high on the list. Your Jeep will be clean and organized with custom cargo liners organizers, molded cargo trays, cargo nets, and bags.
Popular Exterior Add-ons
Moving to the exterior, another popular upgrade is changing out the bumpers for authentic Jeep tubular bumpers, which are available in several styles, all of which give your Jeep a rugged, tough look. This is a fairly low-cost change with a big uptick in style.
You’ll want to supplement carrying capacity, too, by adding a roof rack for transporting bikes and other sporting equipment. Roof rack side rails expand hauling capacity even more, while cargo baskets and cargo nets hold everything in place. There are dozens of styles to choose from, including side rails and cross rails that are sold separately, depending on what your needs are. Utility bars added to original side rails allow you to add all kinds of roof top carriers. There are even rack systems for specific carrying requirements, like kayaks, bikes, skis or canoes. When you need to protect cargo from weather, you’ll want a heavy duty nylon carrier that zips up and can be strapped down securely.
Off Road Must Haves
If you’re doing a whole lot more than driving to work and back, consider serious off-road accessories.
- Steel skid plates provide crucial protection when traveling off-road and are a good value. Although some models come with skid plates for various parts, you’ll want to make sure to protect the transmission, gas tank, oil pan, etc. This is especially important for off-road driving over obstacles. Without skid plates, one big hit and you’ll be walking home.
- Keep the exterior looking great no matter how far off-road you go with accessories like door handle guards, front-end covers, hood covers and mopar splashguards. Yes, some find it cool to drive around in a mud—covered off-road vehicle, but your Jeep’s finish, chrome and tires will last longer and look better with some protection.
- Add front and rear air deflectors to keep road debris and insects away from the windshield.
- Some off-roaders’ first add-on is a winch and mounting kit. Because you never know! A winch can be mounted on almost any bumper or no bumper at all since it’s mounted to the frame.
- Make your off-road vehicle more versatile by adding front and rear tow hooks. There’s a lot of debate in the Jeep community about winches versus front tow hooks. Hooks will usually get you (or someone else) unstuck from ditches or holes. Front tow hooks are relatively easy to install and will do most jobs. Don’t forget a tow strap, too.
Keeping Safe
Last, but most important, your vehicle shouldn’t leave the driveway without a roadside safety kit. It will typically be equipped with jumper cables, flashlight, tow strap, leather gloves and a fleece blanket all packed in a nylon tool bag, with the Jeep logo. Seriously-and especially for off-roading-don’t leave home without it.
If you want to compare notes, get ideas or just hang out with other Jeep enthusiasts, there are some forums to check out. Lively ones include the Jeep Wrangler forum, JeepForum.com and the Jeeps Unlimited forum.
And when you’re ready to jazz up your Jeep, Leeparts.com has original Jeep and mopar accessories made specifically for your vehicle.