What first? Lift or camping essentials?

[Night Krawler JLU]

I guess my question for everyone is, where do I start?

I have a JLU Sport 2020. Currently running 33 inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on old stock Sahara rims from a buddy's old JK (black jeep pictured). I've been researching and budgeting for months and obviously none of my family or friends understand my expensive addiction so I want advice from those who understand

My rule is that whatever I want to spend, I must have double that in my savings in order to get it, so I'm basically limiting myself to $4k-$5k max right now, plus whatever I get for the tires if I decide to sell them.

I basically have two routes: 1) lift and go to 35s now or 2) get roof rack, bumpers, lights, etc. first and stick with the 33s I have (no lift) and when I pay of my car in a few years and my tires are bare than I can do all of the lifting that I want.

Option 1: About $4k-$5k from savings, plus money from selling tires, with about $750 quote for installation of parts
-teraflex ST3 kit with 2.1 monotube shocks
-mini tazer
-teraflex steering stabilizer
-teraflex spare tire relocation bracket
-most likely Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T 35r17s with new rims with an offset of about 0 to -12
(it would look like the picture of a red jeep from teraflex's showcase of the st3 on their website). Then as time goes on, I would look for lights, racks, winch, bumper, etc. when I have paid off my loan (which I got a family deal and won't have to start paying until I graduate college in 3 years).

Option 2: about $4k-$5k from savings, no money from tires, install all by myself
-gobi stealth rack
-arb awning (with enclosed room to use as a tent)
-50 inch light bar
-air compressor kit
-front bumper
-winch
-camping gear
-quake headlights and the quake chopped fender turn signals (because I was stupid and didn't get the LED package, basically went bare bones and figured I'd start from scratch which now looking back, it's probably more expensive this way)
Picture is not exact but I used on online simulator:

I know a lot of it is what do I want, what do I use it for. I understand that I don't need any of this, believe me I heard it a lot from my parents lol, but I love the look of a lifted jeep rolling down the street. Honestly, couldn't care what anyone else thinks about what it looks like because they didn't pay for it. I'm a car guy, I want my car to look good to ME because I'm the one driving it everyday. I also don't want to climb a mountain anytime soon, mostly because I don't have the money to replace parts if I destroy them trying to rock crawl. I like to say "I don't want to crawl up a mountain with it, but I do want to see the mountain." There are so many options to do, and honestly, I will most likely but all of this once I'm out of college, have a stable job and can save and budget for it all.

So to reiterate my dilemma, I'm too indecisive, and want both and just keep bouncing back and fourth. What is your opinion on where to start? Pros? Cons? Regrets with how you started?

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[RusM]

Rock sliders first.

 

[xaugievike]

what kind of camping gear are you needing?

you can spend the money on vehicle upgrades....but then buy simpler camping gear (ground tent, cooler, Coleman stove)

Or you can spend the money on fancier camping gear....and chip away at vehicle upgrades since you have a capable rig already.

 

[Night Krawler JLU]

what kind of camping gear are you needing?

you can spend the money on vehicle upgrades....but then buy simpler camping gear (ground tent, cooler, Coleman stove)

Or you can spend the money on fancier camping gear....and chip away at vehicle upgrades since you have a capable rig already.

Honestly, not much of a camper. Last year my family decided to get out of the house and rented a RV and drove it to yellowstone for a week and it just like opened up my eyes. I want to do more trips like that. My main focus is to be able to get a few guys (or kids when I'm older) to sit comfortably in the back without the trunk being too small to fit our stuff. Quite honestly, I could do with less, just getting a simple tent and grill like you said. A college kid doesn't need much to sleep we can find about any place to be comfortable haha! I just also love the look and capability of a roll cage styled roof rack that my buddies and I can throw our kayaks up top, tents up there, lights, etc. That's why I think to myself like for what I want to do, option 2 sounds better. But then my brain asks the question, but how much will option 2 be used to its cost compared to if I waited until I actually need that gear for later. Because who knows, in a year I could just be like nah maybe I don't want to go on these trips anymore, and then I could regret not getting the lift because like I don't know. My mind thinks of every possible scenario and that's why I go back and fourth so much

 

[dpike]

It took the fit it out approach first, I may settle with just a small spacer lift until a burn the stock tires down, then lift, new wheels and tires. It seems like such a waste to dump the stock ones at this point.

 

[Jocko]

What’s your priority? Remote camping or technical off-roading/rock crawling stuff?

I would always recommend not proactively buying stuff. Especially if you’re new to both off-roading and camping. Otherwise you’re going to end up buying some stuff you don’t need and ultimately discovering there other things you really do need that you had no idea about.

if it were me, I’d get a little bit of decent initial camping stuff and just get out there with the stock Jeep and do some basic camping in some semi-interesting place. Get experience, see what problems you run into and solve them as they come up. All the while you’re getting experience at both.

Now of course there is also just building out a Jeep for the sake of building out a sick Jeep and that’s something many people enjoy. So yeah I guess it comes back to what your priority is.

 

[xaugievike]

To me it sounds like the destination and your experience there is the objective. Get the stuff that will allow you to enjoy those moments and build as you go and find more precisely what it is you need....like you said, if you want to go kayaking, etc wherever you go....get the roof rack first and go from there.

 

[brsasquatch]

I decided to start with lift and 33s. Just because of all the added weight on the stock suspension doesnt make sense in my head.

So lifting her and getting new shoes. Then adding weight with what I consider the first essential for offroading - winch! So next step will be winch and bumper. Cant afford them both at the same time... So spacing it out.

 

[SlowPoke21]

I voted camping gear. It would get you out and about, camping sooner.

your jeep in stock form will take you many places where a lift and tires aren’t needed!!

 

[Retrograde]

What first? Lift or camping essentials?

I dunno... what do you want to do more, lift or go camping?

 

[ScottieGfunk]

Camp first. Get cheap camping gear to start out and see if you like it. It's a lifestyle and it isn't for everyone. I just put 33's on my stock Sport and can get anywhere I want to camp with ease. Simple ground tent and basic gear work great for me year after year. I got Rhino Rack roof rails to strap exta gear/kayaks on if I need to. Try it cheap before investing in a lot of gear and weight on your vehicle.

 

[Night Krawler JLU]

It took the fit it out approach first, I may settle with just a small spacer lift until a burn the stock tires down, then lift, new wheels and tires. It seems like such a waste to dump the stock ones at this point.

I was able to sell mine for $1000! Literally they were taken off within the first couple hundred miles, but otherwise I agree!

 

[Night Krawler JLU]

Rock sliders first.

Got rubi rocksliders brand new for $100 off a guy because he said he needed a step for his wife haha!

 

[Night Krawler JLU]

What’s your priority? Remote camping or technical off-roading/rock crawling stuff?

I would always recommend not proactively buying stuff. Especially if you’re new to both off-roading and camping. Otherwise you’re going to end up buying some stuff you don’t need and ultimately discovering there other things you really do need that you had no idea about.

if it were me, I’d get a little bit of decent initial camping stuff and just get out there with the stock Jeep and do some basic camping in some semi-interesting place. Get experience, see what problems you run into and solve them as they come up. All the while you’re getting experience at both.

Now of course there is also just building out a Jeep for the sake of building out a sick Jeep and that’s something many people enjoy. So yeah I guess it comes back to what your priority is.

Probably not going to do any real difficult rock crawling just because I am scared to damage such a new vehicle. But this summer I am planning a road trip across Wisconsin (I'm from the Chicago area), which doesn't require any kind of real off-roading, we'll hit some dirt roads but nothing dangerous. So maybe I'll just continue to save up, see how that trip goes and move on from there.

 

[Night Krawler JLU]

To me it sounds like the destination and your experience there is the objective. Get the stuff that will allow you to enjoy those moments and build as you go and find more precisely what it is you need....like you said, if you want to go kayaking, etc wherever you go....get the roof rack first and go from there.

For sure! I'm really loving all of this feedback it's really nice to get someone else's opinion thank you!

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