The Jeep Wrangler is one of the highly modified SUVs, we have customized our Jeep Wrangler for off-roading, and performance improvements and some accessories are just for aesthetic purposes.
During the process, we realized there is not enough research materials on the internet dedicated to exterior modifications of the Jeep Wrangler, for this reason, we decided to classify our Jeep modification accessories, and write an article that will only focus in-depth on the accessories, and parts that you will need to modify the exterior of your Jeep Wrangler, and some of the best aftermarket parts in the market available for purchase today.
Whether you want to modify your Jeep exterior for off-roading purposes, performance upgrades or just to give your Jeep Wrangler a more aggressive and rugged look, you are in the right spot.
Top Exterior Modifications for A Jeep Wrangler
In our top ten exterior modifications, we have taken into consideration must have external modifications that you will need in most of your day-to-day activities, and will improve significantly your Jeep expeditions.
For owners with off-roading, Overlanding, and Camping Jeep Wranglers, exterior modifications are tailored to allow the Jeep Wrangler to drive through remote areas, improve comfort, and also allow you to be self-sufficient by incorporating recovery, Overlanding, and camping gear.
Here are some of the Jeep Wrangler exterior modifications for your off-roading Jeep Wrangler.
3.5-inch lift kit Jeep Wrangler
There is a reason we advise our readers to install 3.5-inch lift kits instead of smaller lift kits sizes, this is installing a lift kit is an expensive exterior modification for your Jeep Wrangler, now let’s say you have 33-inch tires a 1.5-inch lift will be good enough for you, but once you start using your Jeep, there will come a time you will need to upgrade your tires to 35- or 37-inches tires, for those you will need at least 3.5 inches to lift kit.
Installing a 3.5-inch lift kit will give you more options when upgrading your Jeep Wrangler tires when you will need to upgrade them in the future to increase your ground clearance or increase the performance of your Jeep’s off-roading capabilities.
We recommend installing Rough Country 3.5 Inch Lift Kit, we have one installed on our Jeep Wrangler and it gives our Jeep exactly the 3.5-inch lift we expected and ensures a proper fit and alignment of our Jeep.
Continue your Jeep lifting Journey, with these lift kit-related posts:
- Best lift kit for Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
- Best JK lift kit for 35 Inch Tires
- Body Lift vs Suspension Lift
Good off-road tires for Jeep Wrangler
Most Jeepers use their Jeeps to visit their favorite Jeep destinations, for these reasons we would recommend upgrading to off-roading tires or A/T terrain tires. Our number one recommendation is BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 Radial Car Tires.
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 Radial Car Tires are the kings when it comes to Jeep tires, you will find most off-roaders Jeeps equipped with KO2 tires, this is because the tires have improved traction off-road, and despite the abuse they last long after maintaining them by rotating your Jeep tires after 3,000 miles or 6 months depending on how you use your Jeep.
If you have a lift kit installed, they offer additional ground clearance and improve the handling of your Jeep. Did we also mention they look good on our off-road Jeep? Check the image below and see the aggressive treads and bolder look they give our Jeep Wrangler.
Further reading on Good off-road tires for Jeep Wrangler
- Top 7 Best A/T Tires for Jeep Wrangler That Push You to Your Limit
- Best Snow Tires for Jeep Wrangler
- What Jeep tires should I get for my Jeep?
Front Bumpers & Tailgate Spare Tire Carriers.
Installing a front bumper and a tailgate spare tire carrier is essential for any off-roader, we recommend Smittybilt Jeep Wrangler Front and Rear Bumper Combo when it comes to the front and rear protection of your Jeep Wrangler because they enhance your Jeeps looks and also their functionality and their capabilities when it comes to protecting your Jeep Wrangler.
We recommend Smittybilt XRC Gen 2 Front Bumper because of the quality of materials used to construct the front bumper and the bumper functionality, you will easily be able to install off-road accessories such as Jeep Winches, Lights, and other off-road accessories because of the many mounting options the Smittybilt XRC Gen 2 Front Bumper offers.
Protection of your Jeep exterior will not be complete without installing a rear bumper to protect the rear of your Jeep Wrangler, we recommend Smittybilt XRC Atlas Rear Bumper with Hitch, not only will the Smittybilt rear bumper add an extra layer of protection to the rear of your Jeep, but it also comes with a rear Jeep hitch adding to the functionality of your rear bumper at no extra cost.
You will need a tire carrier for your Jeep to add extra tire capacity for your Jeep, we recommend Smittybilt XRC AtlasTire Carrier because of its design that distributes the extra weight of your tire on the rear of your Jeep and also is made from heavy-duty materials that will able to withstand the rigors of off-roading your Jeep Wrangler.
Finally, don’t forget to purchase a spare tire cover as part of your Jeep exterior modifications for an added layer of protection for your Jeep spare tire and wheel.
You might also be interested in this post:
Jeep Wrangler fender flares
We recommend installing Jeep Wrangler fender flares as part of your Jeep Wrangler exterior modifications, fender flares are essential for off-roading, Overlanding, and camping Jeeps, they protect the Jeeps body and paint from debris and rocks thrown by the tires, this later causes your Jeep to rust if the paint is removed and the Jeeps body is exposed.
We recommend installing Steel Front & Rear Inner Fender Flares, not only will they protect your Jeep’s body and paint from debris and rocks, but they also protect the body and paint from your tires rubbing due to suspension lifts or if you have larger tires installed on your Jeep.
We recommend the above steel fender flares because not only will they protect your Jeep’s body and paint from off-road debris and rocks, but they also improve the appearance of your Jeep Wrangler, especially if you have a lifted Jeep.
Jeep Rock Sliders & Rocker Guards for Wrangler
Rock sliders are essential Jeep exterior modifications you should consider, they protect the Jeeps rocker panel and undercarriage from obstacles when off-roading in your favorite Jeep trails.
One of the few rock sliders we would recommend include the Rampage TrailCrawler Rock Slider Steps, not only do the rock sliders add to the aesthetics of the Jeeps exterior, but they also don’t affect your Jeep ground clearance, and they are also easy to install during your free weekend without having to drill the frame of your Jeep.
Rampage manufacture high-quality off-roading products, they test their protects for off-road capabilities and ensure their products will withstand heavy abuse when off-roading, installing Rampage TrailCrawler Rock Slider Steps will add an extra layer of protection to your Jeep while also improving the exterior looks.
More related rock sliders post you might like:
Jeep Wrangler Light Bar
For Overlanders and Jeep campers, adding a light bar is part of their exterior Jeep modifications to light up their camping grounds, however light bars are also useful for off-roaders who might need them to light up the trails when it’s foggy or during the night.
We recommend AutoFeel LED Light Bar Kit due to their brand reputation as the ultimate Jeep Wrangler light bar, having installed on ourselves, we would attest to the manufacturer’s products descriptions as they offer 260 watts wider angle of 32000LM 6000K light spread and also capable of withstanding the harsh weather and brushes from bushes and branches that might occur when off-roading.
The AutoFeel LED Light Bar Kit comes with its installation kit, however, for an off-roading Jeep Wrangler that will be used in rough terrains, you will need premium products to fit and power the light bar without damaging the light bars themselves or draining your Jeeps battery power due to unreliable connection.
We do recommend buying a lightbar lighting harness that can withstand extreme off-road temperatures, and weather, the wiring harness recommended below can handle up to 300 watts of power considering our recommended light bar handles 260 watts making it wattage compatible with the light bar.
A Nighlight wiring harness is a complete Light bar wiring harness that includes a switch, a lit fuse, and a relay that will power your light bar while protecting the lightbars from power sage.
Finally, after purchasing the light bar, and wiring harness you will need a heavy LED light mount that will be able to secure the light bar on top of your Jeep Wrangler, and vibrations emanating from off-road driving.
We recommend the Westin Snyper Pillar LED Lit Mount, not only will the LED mount kit design improve the looks of your Jeep Wrangler, but it will also protect your LED lights from off-road driving vibrations.
Westin Snyper Pillar LED Lit Mount is compatible with most off-roading light bars on the market today, they are also compatible with your Jeep Wrangler, and not only will they add to the aesthetics of your Jeep, but they are also durable and are not made from cheap plastic materials, you can also adjust the light bars mounted on the Westin Snyper Pillar LED Lit Mount easily as they are designed to allow angular tilting to focus the light beams to your desired area of focus.
Winch for Jeep Wrangler
A winch for Jeep Wrangler will also be an accessory you should consider for your external modification for Jeep Wrangler, to be specific we would recommend the Smittybilt XRC GEN2 9.5K Waterproof Winch with Steel Cable, just because of its aesthetic looks and its 9.5K rated line pull capabilities.
Smittybilt XRC GEN2 9.5K Waterproof Winch with Steel Cable is made from high-quality durable materials, for example, the steel winch is more durable than synthetic ropes, and can be able to withstand off-roading elements and weather, the high-powered motor of the Smittybit is also capable to pull a loaded Overlanding or camping Jeep without damaging the winch or the Jeep in the process.
Talking about damaging your Jeep while winching, we would also recommend adding a Grille Winch Brush Guard if your Jeep bumper doesn’t have one, we have added the Lokstar grill guard below for your consideration, not only is the Lokstar Grille Winch Brush Guard rugged, it will also protect your grill from damage in case the winch breaks when recovering or using your Winch.
Looking for a budget-friendly Jeep Winch, check out our related post:
Jeep Wrangler Trailer Hitch
A Jeep Wrangler trailer hitch attaches to the rear of your Jeep Wrangler frame, not only will adding a trailer hitch add exterior aesthetics to the rear of your Jeep, but it also improves the towing capabilities of the Jeep Wrangler by increasing the number of accessories that you can tow with your Jeep.
We recommend the Rugged Ridge trailer hitch for Jeep Wrangler, the trailer hitch is a class 2 hitch that attaches perfectly to the Jeep Wrangler 2-inch receiver and will safely allow you to tow a wide range of accessories up to 3,500 pounds such as Jeep Hitch racks, Jeep Trailers, Jeep bike racks, etc.
Similar Jeep Wrangler Trailer Hitch-related posts you might like:
Jeep Skid Plates for Wrangler
Due to the high ground clearance of the Jeep Wrangler, the undercarriage of the Jeep Wrangler is normally exposed and shows lots of parts and accessories underneath of your Jeep Wrangler, Jeepers prefer adding skid plates to protect the undercarriage of their Jeeps and also as part of their exterior modifications for their Jeeps.
For the front of your Jeep Wrangler, we recommend the Body Armor 4×4 steel skid plate, the skid plates are made from steel making them strong and durable for Jeeps, the front part of the Jeep is the most exposed part of the Jeep, and installing a heavy-duty skid plate will protect your off-roading Jeep from obstacles that might damage the parts under your Jeep while also improving on the looks of the Jeep.
On the rear of your Jeep Wrangler, you can install the Rough Country Skid Plate Muffler, a muffler is an essential part of your Jeep and control the emission of your Jeep, however, due to its low-hanging position it’s one of the highly exposed parts of your Jeep Wrangler from being damaged by obstacles when off-roading. The purpose of the Rough Country Skid Plate Muffler is to protect the muffler while also adding to the cosmetics of the exterior of your Jeep.
Conclusions.
When customizing your Jeep Wrangler with the above exterior parts and accessories, it’s advisable to note that aftermarket parts will affect your Jeep’s fuel economy and handling because of the weight and will affect the aerodynamics of your Jeep Wrangler.
It’s also important to make sure the parts are compatible with Jeep Wrangler before making a purchase.
Here are other Jeep Wrangler customization articles you might like:
- 10 Jeep off-road mods (Must have Jeep Modifications)
- 30+ Essential Jeep Wrangler Overlanding Gear Checklist
- Camping in a Jeep Wrangler
About the Author: James Ndungu
James Ndungu is a seasoned automotive professional with a deep passion for Jeeps. With 40 years of experience in owning, testing, and reviewing various Jeep models, James has gained extensive first-hand knowledge and expertise. He shares his insights, tips, and advice through his engaging writing, helping fellow Jeep enthusiasts navigate the exciting world of Jeeps.
Last update on 2024-10-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
