When Tony West, eastern regional sales manager at Bushwacker, set out to build up his brand-new 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, a vehicle with unlimited potential, he chose an interesting array of products. Then he called us to see if we were interested in covering the build. When we heard what he had planned for his JK, we were very interested. Not only was he using some cool products, he was also planning to fit the rig with 35-inch tires without installing any sort of a suspension lift. We figured that experiment alone was worth the trip.
Another bonus was that the build would take place at Moab Offroad in Louisville, Kentucky (see sidebar). We've never had the opportunity to work with the team at Moab Offroad before, and that lured us in as well.
So what components did West install on his JK? Well, the list included a Warn Rock Crawler front bumper with winch mounting plate and Warn 9.5ti winch; Warn Rock Crawler rear bumper with tire carrier; JKS Quicker Disconnects sway bar disconnects; Bushwacker Flat Style fender flares; and Dick Cepek Mud Country tires with Torque wheels.
So how did the installs go? Did the 35s fit? Read on.
1.This photo shows all of...
1.This photo shows all of the products we installed on the JK. All of it is quality stuff from Dick Cepek, Warn, Bushwacker, and JKS.
Everything installed as expected and there were no problems for the techs at Moab Offroad. The quality of the Warn bumpers was outstanding, and they look great in addition to being functional. We like the tapered ends that improve approach and departure angles, the welded eyelets for "D" shackles, and the powdercoated wrinkle finish. Both bumpers are CNC-formed and robotically welded from 3/16- and 1/4-inch steel. The optional winch plate mounts the Warn 9.5ti winch in such a manner that all controls are easy to access, and the drum is clearly visible-there's no mystery as to what's up with the cable.
We also like the sturdy optional rear tire carrier and the fact it gets the weight of the spare tire off the tailgate. The JKS Quicker Disconnects are made from beefy heavy-gauge steel, and they're robotically MIG-welded before being powdercoated. JKS says they offer up to a 30-percent increase in front wheel articulation. The Bushwacker Fender Flares are a neat setup, look great, and are incredibly sturdy. We dig that they offer 91/2 inches of tire coverage and they're made from Extreme Duraflex 2000 TPO material that bends instead of breaks and then returns to its original shape. We also like the fact that they'll never rust. Finally, the flat black Dick Cepek Torque wheels look handsome and the Dick Cepek Mud Country tires are a vast improvement over the stock tires, both in traction and ruggedness.
The stock tires on this JK were approximately 31 inches tall, so the rig gained about 2 inches of height from the tire diameter increase. With the addition of the front and rear Warn bumpers, with their tapered ends, the approach angle (measured tire-to-bumper) increased by an impressive 13 degrees (to 66 degrees) and the departure angle increased nicely by 10 degrees (to 47 degrees).
2.The first thing we did was...
2.The first thing we did was replace the stock 255/75R16 tires with the larger 35x12.50R17 tires. The tires were mounted on 81/2 -inch-wide wheels with five inches of backspacing. We wanted to see how the 35s fit on the bone-stock JK Unlimited and where the obvious signs of contact were. On flat ground, the front tires contacted the factory splash pan/skidplate before full lock, as you can see here. In the rear, the tires were very close to the forward section of the wheelwell splash shields and the protruding lower body lip in front of each wheelwell.
3.We began the installs with...
3.We began the installs with the Bushwacker Flat Style front fender flares. The first step is to remove the factory flares. On a JK, the flares and splash shields remove as one unit. See those black plastic clips on the body? They help hold the flares on, and they have to be removed using a pry tool or flat screwdriver. They are discarded.
4.The splash shields are modified...
4.The splash shields are modified and reused, so they need to be separated from the flares. This requires removing plastic fasteners and drilling out plastic rivets.
5.The splash shields are then...
5.The splash shields are then reinstalled in the JK and marked so they can be cut flush with the sheetmetal. They are then removed from the vehicle and cut along the marks as seen here.
6.Here you can see the driver-side...
6.Here you can see the driver-side splash shield after the unneeded portion has been removed.
7.While the splash shields...
7.While the splash shields were being modified, another Moab Offroad technician was bolting on the Bushwacker front inner pieces. These fasten to the JK's sheetmetal and are part of the mounting system for the new Bushwacker flares. After the inner pieces were installed, the splash shields were reinstalled, and the factory marker light wiring was modified to work with the new LED marker lights that come standard on the flares.
8.The last step for the front...
8.The last step for the front flares is to clean the sheetmetal with the supplied alcohol prep pad, install the flares, and remove the adhesive backing tape on the edge trim. The edge trim will have full adhesion in about 24 hours.
9.The rear Flat Style flares...
9.The rear Flat Style flares install similar to the front flares, in that the splash shields are modified and new inner pieces are mounted to the sheetmetal. All of the hardware needed to complete the install is included with the kit.
10.Here's the passenger-side...
10.Here's the passenger-side Flat Style flare installed on the JK.