Is my logic flawed in this?

[wibornz]

Thank you guys for the advice and kind words! I bought a Warn Zeon 12-S winch, some KC HiLites Pro Gravity 6 off road lights, Hi Lift Jack and other recovery gear.

I think my other hesitation too has been not knowing the trails out here in Colorado. In San Diego, numerous areas in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah I know a plethora of trails. Here in Colorado, I’ve never off roaded before and don’t want to go on a trail that turns into something to severe and you have no way of getting off of the trail or around the area that is to extreme but I have also been watching YouTube videos of complete Colorado trails so I can see what the entire trail looks like first. I’m definitely looking forward to doing everything though and think when I start hitting the trails it’s going to be a blast!

When I was in high school and right after I got my drivers permit in 1989 my Dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis that he contracted from being sprayed with agent orange in Vietnam after he got drafted into the Army. As a family we literally lost everything overnight and had to move in with my Grandparents. I was an only child so everything fell on my shoulders. In a way though that was a good thing because I could simply make a decision and go. I didn’t need to get approval from siblings on what decisions to make. And the transition from being the man of the house and taking care of my Mom when my Dad was on the road was a natural transition/addition to now taking care of my Dad too.

In April of 2020 and what was 4 days after my 46th birthday my Dad passed away from his bout with multiple sclerosis. Losing him sucked too but at least he is now, no longer suffering! After he died I wanted to do something to pay tribute to him and to honor him. He loved truck driving and seeing the country. I did too but owning and operating a semi and changing careers was something that I was unable to do. But my Dad started teaching me to drive a stick and even a fully loaded semi when I was 12. And even though he lost his career and started losing his health he would go on a few trails with me and it was there that he started sharing with me his knowledge and his philosophy when it came to off roading. And as a result of that, and the fact that I had really been wanting to get back into off roading again getting this Jeep was a no brainer. This will be my way of paying tribute to my Dad!

Sounds like your Dad was a great man. It is good to see that listened to him and that you acknowledge the things he taught you. Wise of you.

Now get out and enjoy that Jeep. One of my favorite trails in Colorado is Red Cone Pass. From the North, take Websters Pass, go down the Gultch, and circle back to Red Cone. It is beautiful.

This is coming down into the gulch from Webster Pass with Red Cone in the background.

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[J.Ralston]

Red Cone is definitely on my “To do” list of trails out here in Colorado. It’s absolutely beautiful there.

 

[JL MADDOG]

In my view the break in period is over. I totally understand what your Dad was saying (I heard the same things from my Dad and Grandfather) but modern machining techniques & equipment, material specifications and assembly quality control have eliminated all the reasons why they did what they did back in the day.

With respects to going out on the trails and possibly damaging the JL a lot of that is up to you. At this point in time your JEEP is probably a bit more capable in stock form than you think. The initial limiting factor in your vehicle's performance may simply be the driver.

A progressive start to your off-road adventures would be indicated. Since all trails have a rating, find some easy trails and try them first. Get in some seat time & experience. Join up with a small group and don't be shy about letting them know you may need help in the more technical sections. As you spend more time on the trail you'll develop the expertise needed to safely traverse the outdoors. You will also begin to understand what limitations your vehicle has with respects to the more challenging terrain and you'll begin to build that list of modifications that suit your preferred off-road experience. Not all off-road vehicles have to be set up to crawl through boulder fields, go up and over tall ledges or buzz through the desert at 100+ MPH.

Get into the habit of having your recovery gear with you regardless of the trail rating. Not because you may need it. Rather, by doing so you start to develop a process you will become familiar with associated with the off-road experience and tasks. As time goes by, that process will help you focus on what you are doing and how to do it.

Good luck and have a great time!

 

[J.Ralston]

Thank you and great advice too! In my Tacomas, I could simply eyeball something and know if either one of my trucks could do the obstacle or not. Obviously, my Rubicon is going to be even more capable, thus why I bought it but you are right in that I need to get some seat time in it while off roading to see how it handles. And yes, anytime I go out off roading anywhere, all of my recovery gear and tools come with me as well as survival equipment, first aide supplies, ELB’s and Sat phone etc. and so on. And it’s just not for me either. I may run into an individual or group in need of help and/or rescuing.

 

[OllieChristopher]

Another recommendation I will make is to get on your dirt bike and observe some of the drivers in the hard sections. While there will be a huge learning curve behind the wheel, your off road experience on 2 wheels will be invaluable.

I was always put off by what I saw in regards to 4 wheels on hard core trails. The carnage, broken down and torn up rigs were disheartening. Almost all of the time it's due to driver inexperience. The guys and gals to pay attention to are the ones that are in the least capable rigs that navigate the hardest trails.

 

[rcadden]

First time Wrangler owner here, as well. Never driven off-road outside of a dirt parking lot, so I had a lot of hesitation, as well.

You can watch all the YouTube you want, read all the blogs, but at some point you're just going to have to get out there and get dirty.

My recommendation is to find/join the local Jeep club. They're probably on Facebook, which is unfortunate because FB is the Devil, but it's worth it to have a connection to a local group. They will likely frequently organize trail rides, group outings, etc - you should go to as many of these as your schedule allows. Be open and up-front about your skills, experience, and concerns. Any group worth being a part of will welcome a newbie and your desire to learn/test and help you out.

What I've learned in 4 months and 3 outings to the local offroad park (we don't really have public land in Texas) is that even right off the factory floor, your Wrangler is significantly more capable than you probably think/expect. I took my bone-stock Sahara out there and was handling pretty tough climbs with no damage - as has been pointed out, a good spotter is invaluable, IMO.

Get a group who knows their stuff and have fun. Don't feel like you need to be fully kitted out, either. My first trip I went out there bone-stock - plastic bumpers, no winch/lights, etc. I bought an air compressor, recovery kit, and handheld radios, and that was it.

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