Protect the Carpet in your Jeep!

If you are a Jeep owner then you more than likely have a tendency to take that Jeep off road every once in a while.  Even if you tend to stick to the highway, every single time you get in and out of your Jeep you are putting dirt and other ground grime into the carpet of your Jeep.  You may have even stepped in gum or (heaven forbid) animal scat and then tracked it into your Jeep.  You may have kids or even pets that have stained your Jeep carpet.  We have all spilled drinks before…those spills lead to even more stains.

How do we protect the floors in our Jeeps and keep them looking and even smelling nice?  Read on to find out.

Floor Mats

Floor mats are a great way to protect the investment that you have in your vehicle.  They are easily installed…most of them you just lay on top of the floor of the vehicle.  They come in different sizes and styles depending on what type of vehicle you have.  Anyway, they can protect your carpets from dirt and spills.  They are as easy to remove as they are to put in and that means that they are easy to clean.

Manufacturers

There are too many manufacturers of floor mats for me to go through them all here.  You can find them easily on the internet.  To find floor mats in general, your local parts house will have them.  Your local big box store will also have them.  Just today I saw at least 5 different vendors at my local flea market who were selling quality floor mats.  In other words, you can find them nearly anywhere.

Materials

The materials in various vehicle floor mats will vary.  Most have a rubber backing and then fiber carpeting on the side that shows.  There are some though that are made entirely of rubber.  This type is probably the easiest to clean as you just simply hose them off.  All of the materials used in the making of floor mats though makes them both durable and protective to your original Jeep carpet.

Customizing

Yes, you can even get custom floor mats.  My cousin got some for Christmas one year with Elvis on them along with her name for the driver’s side and her husband’s name for the passenger side.  Now, you may not be that much of an Elvis fan, but that was just to illustrate my point.  You can get nearly anything on them.  Around here the most popular designs have to do with SEC football and Roll Tide!  (Scariest words in college football for those who are not football fans)  What do you want yours to have on them?

Protecting your Jeep

When you own a Jeep you are a member of a rare breed.  Jeeps are special.  I say this because they give you the capabilities of going to where other vehicles just won’t take you.  Not only that, you can also personalize it more than any other vehicle on the market today.  Your Jeep can literally be an extension of you and your personality.

Think about it this way: when you are riding down the street people see your Jeep.  They know a person is driving it of course, but the image that they initially get it your Jeep.  I am sure you have heard the saying “You never get a second chance to make a great first impression”.  What is the impression that people get when they see your Jeep?

If it looks run down and ratty, what impression do people get?  Now conversely, if it is sharp and detailed what do people think then?  Which Jeep would you want to take on a first date or to a job interview?  I know which one I would choose.  What about you?

Let’s take a minute and talk about a few easy ways to keep your Jeep looking sharp.

Jeep Covers

Jeep covers are a great way to keep your Jeep looking nice.  They protect it from the dirt that is in the air.  They protect your Jeep from the rain, snow and sleet.  They also protect it from the harsh sun.  Sun damages vehicles in many ways.  Sunlight has UV rays which can damage your paint and fade it.  The heat from the sun can dry out and crack the dash, doors and seals in your Jeep.  In my opinion, the only thing that can damage your vehicle worse than the sun is having an accident.

Jeep covers can be relatively inexpensive if you get a universal one or if you want to spend a boatload of money you can get a custom made one.  Either one will protect your Jeep.

Washing

Washing your Jeep regularly is also a great way to protect it.  When you drive, no matter where you drive, the tires are throwing up dust, dirt and rocks from the road or trail.  Vehicles around you are also throwing that mess up at your vehicle.  The air that you are driving through has dirt in it.  Bugs go splat on your Jeep.  All of this (dirt, rocks, dirt, and bug guts) can cause damage to your paint and even cause scratches.  The longer they are on there, the worse the damage and harder to remove they are.  You should wash your Jeep at least once a week to ensure that you are keeping your Jeep protected.

Detroit Locker

Today we will spend a few minutes talking about the Detroit locker.  This article is intended for those who may have never heard of one or even if they have heard of it, they don’t know what it is. 

What is it? 

A Detroit locker is also known by a few other names.  You may have heard of it as a locking differential, diff lock, differential lock or even just as a plain old locker.  It is a differential that works differently than the open one that comes standard on your vehicle.

What does it do?

What it does is to allow you to gain more traction than you get with an open differential. 

How does it do that?   

With an open differential, both of the wheels on the axle are able to rotate independently of each other.  In other words, one can be spinning while the other is not.  At the same time though, the torque that is applied to the wheels is always the same.

With a Detroit Locker both wheels must be spinning at the same rate simultaneously no matter what the situation is.  This means that there will be situations when one wheel will be getting more torque than the other.  This makes you get the most traction no matter what the terrain or situation is. 

Why would you want that?

If you are an off road enthusiast, this would be a great thing to have because of the terrain.  See, when you are on the highway, the road is generally even and you know that you will have traction.  When you are off road the terrain can be varying.  In cases like this it can be very beneficial to have your tires able to get the most tract ion as possible so that you will not end up stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no cell signal and miles away from anyone that can help you. 

Types

There are different types of Detroit Lockers.  One is the standard type.  I have been talking about that type.  The other type is the automatic one.  This type is unique in that it can unlock or lock itself as the situation calls for.  It works on sensors that allow it to make the decision automatically without the driver ever having to worry about it.  This type of locker does have some cons.  The biggest con for this type would be the additional wear on the tires.  It also makes a noticeable difference in the way the vehicle handles.

Now maybe you know a little bit more about these than you did when you first started reading.  Maybe this will help you decide if a Detroit locker is what you have been looking for.  

Jeeps: half doors or full doors?

One of the really cool things about being the owner of a Jeep means that you get to decide on a day to day basis what your Jeep will look like and which type of ride you want.  Yes, we all know that Jeeps are full of possibilities.  You can take them on the highway, on the trail, you can rock crawl in them or even ford water if it is properly rigged out.  You can choose what the interior of your Jeep looks like.  You can add all sorts of after-market equipment both inside and outside of the Jeep.  You can add snorkels, bull bars, lift kits, winches, auxiliary lighting, larger wheels and tires, custom seats, seat cover and floor mats.  You can add roll bars or patriot bars, KC Lites or Hella Lights.  Like I said, the possibilities are endless.  A Jeep is nearly the only vehicle that you can make ENTIRELY yours.

This making a Jeep yours can include even the type of doors that you put on it.  Yes, it comes with doors and some people choose to keep the doors that the Jeep comes with.  There is not a thing in the world wrong with them.  We will discuss those in a bit though.  There are also all different kinds of other doors.  Let’s take a look at a couple of those now.

Half Doors

Half doors are after-market parts and accessories for Jeeps that a lot of people enjoy using.  They come in different styles.  Some are mesh, some are metal and some are tubular bars.  They are great for off road driving.  They give you the feel of being one with your surroundings while still providing you with the sense of protection that a door offers you.  They are all easy to install and use the factory installation points.  This is just one more way to make your Jeep your own.

Full Doors

Full doors are what a Jeep normally comes with.  They go from the floor of the vehicle to the top and are generally metal and have windows.  They keep you safe from the wind, bugs and the weather.  They do offer more protection that the half doors and if you never get different doors then you won’t have to mess with them.  They also give you more protection from branches and wildlife while you are on the trail.

The type of doors that you choose to have on your Jeep is entirely up to you.  What are you comfortable with?  Will you be in town or on the trail?  What is your style and even more importantly, what is your budget?  Think about all of these things before making your decision.  Once you get half doors though, if you keep your full doors you can always put them back on.

How to Install a Smittybilt Nerf Bar

In case you are just reading this out of curiosity over what a Nerf Bar is, it is a metal or heavy duty plastic bar that runs along the body of a vehicle under the doors.  Most people call them step bars.

Installing a Smittybilt Nerf bar is actually really simple and is you know how to use a socket wrench you can have the job done in no time flat.  So, you have your Smittybilt Nerf bar and your vehicle, so let’s get started.

Step 1

First you should make sure that you have the correct Nerf bar for your vehicle.  They come in different sizes and will work best when you have the correct size for your own specific vehicle.  Now beyond that, the first step on any project should be making sure that you have all of the materials necessary to complete the project safely and correctly.  In this case along with the proper size bar you will also need a couple of chocks for the wheels, 4 jack stands and a floor jack as well as a complete set of sockets.

Step 2

Once you have decided which side of the vehicle you will be working on first, put the chocks in place against the back and front of the front tire on the alternate side of the vehicle.  Use the jack to lift the side you will be working on.

Step 3

When you have the vehicle lifted, place the jack stands (one near the front of the vehicle and one near the rear…both at the rail of the frame.  Once you have them in place, lower the vehicle down until it is resting on them.

Step 4

Put the other two jack stands just outside the doors of the vehicle on the side you are working on.  This is where the Nerf bar will rest while you put it on.  While it is on the stands, align the brackets on the bar up with the pre-drilled holes that you will find on the vehicle frame rail.

Step 5

Your bar came with nuts and bolts.  Use these to bolt it into place.  Once you have bolted it in the front and rear, make sure that the bolts are as tight as you can get them.

Step 6

Lift the vehicle with the jack again, move the jack stands to the other side of the vehicle and let the jack down again.

Step 7

Repeat the process on the other side.

As you can see, this is a very simple project that nearly anyone can do themselves.  This is a very simple and cost friendly way to upgrade your vehicle while adding a bit of style to it at the same time.

Upgrading your Jeep

Jeeps are not just an investment; they are a way of life and can easily become an obsession.  This is because they offer you so much freedom.  They don’t just offer you the freedom of the road; they also offer you the freedom of the trail.  That goes without saying but what about freedom of expression?  Yes, they give you that too.  See, Jeeps are a world of possibility.  You can buy your Jeep standard at the dealer.  Then you can change things on it, add to it and even upgrade the parts that it came with.  You can add your own style and personality to your Jeep.

Today we will just gloss over a few of the possible upgrades you can make and then I am sure that you will come up with more than a few of your own.

Doors

Jeep doors are easy to modify and upgrade whether you know it or not.  I am sure that you have seen Jeeps with half doors or even with no doors at all.  People like to change the doors because not only is it easy to do, but it also gives your Jeep a new look while offering you a totally different type of Jeep experience.

Tops

Just as you have seen Jeeps with and without doors, you have more than likely seen Jeeps with hard tops, soft tops, half tops, bras and even no tops at all.  Jeep tops are just as easy to change as the doors.  Well, let me rephrase that just a bit.  The hard top is heavy and unwieldy, but with the help of a friend or a hoist you can get it off.  Everything after that is easy.  You can have the beach, summer look in no time.  If you are a fan of going topless, go ahead.  If you like being able to roll the top back at will then go ahead.

Lift Kits

Lift kits are a great way to enable your Jeep to accommodate larger wheels and tires while upgrading your suspension system at the same time.  This will allow you to gain added ground clearance for those times when you are on the trail and need the extra height.

Bumpers

There are all types of bumper upgrades from the factory ones.  You can get bull bars, winch mounts, metal, rubber or many other types of bumpers.

Whatever upgrades that you might want to make to the body of your Jeep, there are options out there for you.  All that you have to do is look around and you will find whatever you need and maybe even some items that you were not aware were even available.  You will be able to get your upgrades done in no time.