TexasJK.Com's First Annual JK Jamboree

129 1010 Jeep Wrangler Jk Invasion Red Jk Front

Alfredo Corona is a financial analyst with a nice Flame Red Unlimited, and he's not afraid to take it anywhere. His rig's mods include an Aussie Locker up front, 21/2-inch TeraFlex lift, beefy rock rails, and 35-inch Toyo Open Country M/Ts. He says his favorite mods are the lift and tires, and his least favorite are the rocklights because he never uses them.

Alfredo Corona is a financial analyst with a nice Flame Red Unlimited, and he's not afraid

In 2007, Brendan Bogan of Lake Dallas, Texas, bought his first Jeep. It was an '07 Wrangler, and while he knew a little about wheeling and jeeping, he did not know many people who had the new model of Wrangler. He and his friend Jason Pruett, also a JK owner, talked about getting a group of other JK owners together so they would have an avenue for talking through the upgrades and needs that wheeling these new Jeeps would create. As it turns out, that was a great idea.

In the three years since Bogan launched his vision of JK owners sharing info and experiences at a monthly meeting, it has morphed into TexasJK. "We have roughly 500 members on the forum and regularly see over 50 JKs at all of the monthly meetings. I'm not sure we are really a club, but more of a calling for those that are looking for a family that likes to wheel and hang together on and off the trails. We typically host four to five events per year in and around Texas, and have multiple outlets for the folks that support TexasJK to hang out, whether it's on the forum or an event that is hosted by us or one of our great sponsors," Bogan says. He goes on to say, "I stay true to the people, and it only seems to grow on a daily basis in return. I have a small group of folks that dedicate their time to helping run the events and a wealth of great sponsors that are locally involved in every aspect of what we do. From Gerry Pifer with Lunatic Customs to the local State Farm agent, Jeff Key, our sponsors are always stepping up to make sure our members have every avenue to build up their rigs and to go test them when ready."

129 1010 Jeep Wrangler Jk Invasion Superlift Orv Sign

Last March, TexasJK hosted the First Annual National JK Jamboree at the Superlift ORV Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The event drew over 100 rigs despite the threat of bad weather. We were there and tagged along on numerous trails with the TexasJK folks over the course of two days. We saw a lot of cool JKs and met many fine people from Texas and beyond who are passionate about the Jeep JK and wheeling. Here's some of what we saw.

129 1010 Jeep Wrangler Jk Invasion Superlift Orv Store Interior

About Superlift ORV Park
They say first impressions are everything. They may be right. For instance, the minute you drive into the 1,250-acre Superlift ORV Park, it's hard not to be impressed by the spacious, clean parking lot, views of the quaint creekside campground, the new office/convenience store, cozy rental cabin, shower house/restrooms, and 3,900-square-foot pavilion. It looks like a four-wheel drive resort. Moreover, the good impression keeps going strong when you hit the trails because the park fee includes a map, and all of the trails are clearly marked and difficulty-rated. And speaking of trails, Superlift ORV Park has a mind-boggling variety that'll keep everyone happy from the novice to the hardcore. Many of the trails and obstacles have been named, so when you're bragging about your adventure at the end of the day you'll be able to mention what you owned by name. Like mud? It's there. Rocks more your style? Got 'em. Killer views? Yep.

Bottom line: Superlift ORV Park makes a great first impression and it leaves a lasting impression. Get more info at www.orvpark.com.

129 1010 Jeep Wrangler Jk Invasion Fraziers Suspension Close Up

Coilover Unlimited
We had a chance to ride in Mike Frazier's unique '07 Unlimited Rubicon. Why is it unique? Well, he has fitted his Jeep with a custom four-link front suspension with Radflo coilovers and a custom four-link coil spring rear suspension. The front axle is a trussed Dana 44 with RCV chrome-moly axleshafts and the factory Rubicon electric locker, and the rear is a Dana 60 with Strange chrome-moly axleshafts and a Detroit Locker. It rolls on 39.5-inch IROK tires.

129 1010 Jeep Wrangler Jk Invasion Fraziers Jk Side View

Additionally, the JK's wheelbase has been stretched to 120 inches and it has a custom fuel cell, body armor, and skidplating. It was amazing how smoothly the rig rode on the trail and the suspension flex was impressive. Frazier says he built the rig because he wanted a streetable rig that could carry his entire family and then hit the trail and keep up with the buggies.

It's not often you get to wheel with an insurance agent, but at the JK Jamboree, many people got to do just that. State Farm agent Jeff Key owns this Unlimited and it's fitted with a TeraFlex 3-inch lift, rear E-Locker, Shrockworks front bumper, Warn XD9000 winch, and Toyo Open Country M/T tires.
It's not often you get to wheel with an insurance agent, but at the JK Jamboree, many peop
Brian Stange is an IT administrator who says his wife wouldn't let him drive her JK two-door, so he went out and bought this Unlimited. He says his favorite terrain is "ledges," and he says that Superlift ORV Park is one of his favorite wheeling spots, so obviously he was a happy camper at the JK Jamboree.
Brian Stange is an IT administrator who says his wife wouldn't let him drive her JK two-do
When we rolled into the park, event check-in for the JK Jamboree was in full swing. Superlift ORV Park was a natural choice for the event because it's only a 4.5- to 5-hour drive from the Dallas area.
When we rolled into the park, event check-in for the JK Jamboree was in full swing. Superl

TexasJK founder/owner Brendan Bogan isn't the kind of guy to sit on the sidelines, and he was out on the trail all weekend in his '07 Rubicon. The rig has a slew of mods including a Full Traction 4-inch long-arm suspension, tube doors, OR-Fab rock rails, Rock Hard skidplates, and 35-inch Pro Comp Xtreme M/T tires. What does the future hold for his rig? Maybe a Hemi conversion, Dana 60s, and 37s.
TexasJK founder/owner Brendan Bogan isn't the kind of guy to sit on the sidelines, and he
The Superlift ORV Park has on-site camping, and a few of the JK Jamboree participants took advantage of the relaxing, picturesque campground.
The Superlift ORV Park has on-site camping, and a few of the JK Jamboree participants took
On Friday, we hooked up with about a dozen vehicles for an afternoon run. The JK Jamboree was technically a one-day event, but scores of Jamboree participants arrived early, so it was game on.
On Friday, we hooked up with about a dozen vehicles for an afternoon run. The JK Jamboree

Rusty Rommel made the long trek to the JK Jamboree from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, but even being that many miles from home didn't stop him from hitting some of the more challenging trails. His sharp-looking Unlimited Rubicon is fitted with LoD bumpers, a Warn PowerPlant, Tom Wood's driveshafts, TeraFlex suspension and 37-inch Cooper Discoverer STT tires. He says his wish list includes a Hemi swap and a pair of Dynatrac ProRock axles.
Rusty Rommel made the long trek to the JK Jamboree from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, but even b
Jason Pruett's JK Unlimited has a 4-inch Rancho suspension, Detroit Locker in the rear, Aussie Locker in the front, and 35-inch Toyo Open Country M/T tires. Notice the front fender flares? This is a popular mod with the JK crowd. They're simply modified factory units. Some JK owners even use cheap plastic clips to attach the flares to create a fusible link in case the flare should meet an immovable object on the trail.
Jason Pruett's JK Unlimited has a 4-inch Rancho suspension, Detroit Locker in the rear, Au
One of the attractive things about the JK Wrangler Rubicon is that it doesn't take many mods to make it almost unstoppable. Case in point is Troy Freeman's '07 Unlimited. It has been fitted with a M.O.R.E. 1-inch body lift and JKS adjustable coil spacers. This allowed the rig to be fitted with 35-inch BFG M-Ts. The result was a lightly modified rig with incredible trail capabilities.
One of the attractive things about the JK Wrangler Rubicon is that it doesn't take many mo

Bret Lovett, owner of Superlift Suspension Systems, made the trek to the JK Jamboree from Superlift's headquarters in Louisiana. He hit the trail in one of Mopar's ex-SEMA rigs.
Bret Lovett, owner of Superlift Suspension Systems, made the trek to the JK Jamboree from
Everywhere we looked, there was great scenery or a JK. Or both. All trail rides at the JK Jamboree were led by experienced guides who were very familiar with the park. The event concluded with an awesome barbecue and a raffle.
Everywhere we looked, there was great scenery or a JK. Or both. All trail rides at the JK
Unlike Moab, the rocks in Arkansas are very slippery. Add some dirt or water, and things get even more fun. Chris Jones demonstrated how to dominate the terrain in his '07 JK. His rig is equipped with a slew of mods including a 3-inch Full Traction suspension, custom stubby bumper with stinger, custom rock rails, JKS sway bar disconnects, SpiderWeb ShadeTop, and 35-inch Toyo tires. He estimates his rig is worth about a million dollars.
Unlike Moab, the rocks in Arkansas are very slippery. Add some dirt or water, and things g

Yet another example of a mildly modified JK that performed extremely well was Rusty Kennedy's '07 Rubicon. With just a 21/2-inch TeraFlex lift and a set of 35-inch tires, his JK was amazingly nimble on the trail. His rig also has Shrockworks bumpers, a Warn 9.5ti winch, and 5.13:1 gearing.
Yet another example of a mildly modified JK that performed extremely well was Rusty Kenned
Remember how we told you that Brian Stange had to buy his own Jeep because his wife wouldn't let him drive hers? Well, this is the Jeep that belongs to his wife, Jamie. Yep, the Stanges came to the JK Jamboree with his-and-her Jeeps. Her Jeep has a TeraFlex suspension, painted stock wheels, beefy bumpers and rock rails, and 33-inch Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ tires.
Remember how we told you that Brian Stange had to buy his own Jeep because his wife wouldn