Our introduction to Jeep modifications...

As mentioned previously, we decided on a Jeep Wrangler as our tow vehicle. Jeep is one of a limited number of vehicles that is set up to flat tow, which allows all four wheels of the tow vehicle to touch the ground vs having to trailer all or part of it. A side benefit is that I've always had my eye on owning a Jeep.

The biggest lifestyle adjustment has been literally, the wind in our hair. Curly hair and wind do not mix very well, but I'm embracing the mantra of "Life is too short...just open the damn windows." Frizz is just a byproduct of having fun! Now you know.

Chad did copious amounts of research on YouTube, connecting with other Jeep owner friends, and general Googling to find out what should make the list for our first modifications.

He found Total Offroad & More in Gilbert, AZ that was very helpful with our questions, and also conveniently offered installation of said products. The first round of mods included:

* 2.5" TeraFlex lift kit

* TeraFlex alpine adjustable arms and trac bar

* Bilstein performance shocks

* 35" Mickey Thompson Baja Boss tires

* Wheel spacers, so we could wait on replacing our stock wheels

* Rough Country spare tire kit to accommodate the larger spare

FaceBook Marketplace also is a great place to find gently used Jeep parts from those that also have gotten the bug to make some changes to their ride. Chad found a set of Fishbone front and back bumpers that are infinitely cooler than our stock bumpers. When we went to the seller's house, he also had a collection of other parts that were available. He is originally from Wisconsin, so our Midwest connections helped us get a good deal! We got a super functional interior storage rack that gives us another layer for storage. Yes, we absolutely store stuff in our Jeep. You have to take advantage of all available space when you have downsized!

To round out the first round of upgrades, we made a stop at Harbor Freight for:

* 12,000 lb Badland winch

* Recovery rope, snatch lock, tree saver loop, and a sweet bag to store it all

We have not yet been part of a group ride, so we wanted something "in case" we get stuck while off adventuring on our own. It's used by Matt's Off-Road Recovery, who does recoveries for a living, so we trust that it can help us. Check out their YouTube channel@MattsOffRoadRecovery. He and his crew do awesome work and are pretty darn entertaining.

Chad and I completed the install of the bumpers and winch in our RV site. I like to compare Jeep parts to Legos. It is like Jeep knows their buyers are going to replace parts on their products, so the process was pretty straight forward. Props to Chad's skill again; on top of figuring out how to get the bumpers on/off, he had to route some electrical wiring for the winch to get power and figured that out.

We love how it turned out! The lift kit does require a new technique for getting in and out, so we may be looking for some step guard/rocker plates next!

Before

After

Before

After