Words by Perry Mack
In recent years we’ve been modifying our Jeep for trail and overland use. Priorities have included a 3.5” lift, bumpers, winch, 33” tires and rock sliders, all for improved trail performance. Overland accessories included a trail kitchen, fridge/freezer, mobile battery, cell reception extender, tents, sleeping bags, cook stove, and awning. However, gnawing at the back of my mind was a number of ‘forgotten’ accessories that have been continually glossed over in favour of my other 4x4 priorities.
I made a list of all the things I wanted from Rugged Ridge and gave it to my wife saying, ‘here’s my Christmas list.’ This was in May. I got ‘the look’. The one that silently says, in a mixture of surrender and sufferance, ‘of all the choices I could have made, I picked you,’ but the words I heard after the heavy sigh were, ‘buy it yourself’.
Score!
Merry (summer) Christmas to me, I hit the Summit Racing website, clicking like someone was going to cancel the holiday. If you too, have to buy your own Christmas gifts, or if you are kind and caring enough to buy for someone else…consider these. While many are specific to a Jeep Wrangler JK, rest assured there are equivalents for most models of 4x4.
1. Aluminum Hood Latches
- SKU 11210.17 - $140 CAD
- Install - 30 minutes
The OEM hood latches are rubber. Rubber stretches. When a semi-trailer drives by at a 120 kph (87 mph), the rubber stretches and the hood flutters and shakes like a baby bird about to take flight, or a kid on the edge of a diving board for the first time. It’s funny when it’s not you or yours. ‘It’ll never happen’ you say. No, but I’ve had a light brow (angry eyes) grille accessory flutter, flutter, fly off. While I suspect this was a successful sabotage by Editor Irons, I am now scarred and scared for life. The quality built machined aluminum hood latches are secure and look a great deal more worthy than the two hunks of rubber that came with a $40,000 SUV. After mounting them, I took the Jeep down the highway at 120 kph (75 mph) where the semi-trailers pass close by (at the same speed or more). The result? There was no tremble, tremor, shiver or shudder from the hood.
Perry Mack
After installation, the hood was solid with no tremble or shudder at highway speeds.
2. Headlight and Taillight Guards
- SKU 11230.12 - $75 CAD
- SKU 11226.04 - $90 CAD
- Install - 20 minutes
I’ll blame Editor Irons for this as well, however he’s not the only driver to shoot rocks at me from the mud terrain tires of a 500-horsepower trail rig, or as I follow a semi-trailer on the highway closing in to pass. Most often, this results in a cracked windshield (I limit myself to replacing it only once per year – like teeth on a hockey player at the end of the season). My J.W. Speaker headlights are expensive and losing one at night is doubly disturbing. The Elite Headlight Euro Guards are made from cast aluminum providing protection from larger rocks and branches on the trail. Although they don’t provide enough protection to run the Baja 1000, they do provide more than the stock – which is zero. I have fewer reasons to purchase the Elite Tail Light Guards other than Murphy’s Law would take out a tail light if I didn’t. The install is ridiculously easy especially of you have some experience removing the front grille.
Perry Mack
The Elite Headlight Euro Guards provides protection from rocks or damaging debris.
3. Dash Multi-Mount Phone Kit
- SKU 13551.16 Kit
- Install - 10 minutes
Argh! I have a drawer full of cheap phone mounts – ones that stick on the window and vibrate until they pop off or mounts that attach to air vents (every vent but Wrangler) and some spidery wire contraption I bought in desperation at a flea market in Palm Springs after sampling too many ciders. Then the angels sang and Rugged Ridge designed a phone mount that bolts securely in place and I can also mount an action cam. It mounts conveniently in place of the dash tray and you still have use of the dash tray. It’s designed so you can have nothing mounted, a GoPro only, a phone only or a GoPro and phone simultaneously.
Perry Mack
Rugged Ridge designed a solid phone mount that bolts securely in place.
4. Fire Extinguisher Holder
- SKU 13305.21 - $26 CAD
- Install - 15 minutes
Safety first (unless it slows you down, kid) my Dad used to say. Fire extinguishers won’t slow you down and could save your life, or a forest. This fire extinguisher holder works on any 8 cm, (3 in) roll bar, which includes just about every Jeep ever made – and that’s not a comment on how Jeeps are built. The thick nylon web straps are fully adjustable to securely hold a 1 kg (3 lbs) extinguisher out of the way but still within reach. I picked up a .9 kg (2 lbs) fire extinguisher (shown here). The buckles allow you to very tightly cinch the holder to the roll bar and in my case I could double wrap the Velcro. This is a very solid attachment.
Perry Mack
The Fire Extinguisher Holder has a very solid attachment with quick, easy access.
5. Hood Lift Support Kit
- SKU 11252.51 - $117 CAD
- Install - 30 minutes
Ever been working on your Jeep tired? Ever had someone close the hood for you? Ever had the hood slam shut narrowly removing your fingers? Here’s an accessory you find in fancy vehicles, like minivans. I’m joking of course (sort of); the hood lift support kit is a pair of gas struts that mount off to the side replacing the need for the prop rod, and providing better access to the engine compartment in the event you don’t want to (our can’t) fold the hood all the way open. The gas struts mount very cleverly in factory hood holes and existing fender bolt holes – no drilling required. I had a moment of panic when I realized the driver’s side fender holes had already been used in a vacuum pump relocation (during the front bumper install), but the hood prop bracket still mounted securely. Easy open, easy close, no lost fingers, what’s not to like?
Perry Mack
This hood lift support kit has gas struts to replace the prop rod and offers better engine access.
6. Seat covers
- SKU 13297.09 - $312 CAD
- Install - 60 minutes
It’s safe to say that Jeep interiors get more abuse than your average truck – the top comes off. Mine have been covered in dust, mud, leaves, twigs, branches with a healthy dose of unexpected rain – they probably shouldn’t be called ‘interiors’. The Rugged Ridge neoprene seat covers are as tough as they are good-looking. Rugged Ridge custom tailors these to snugly fit over your existing seats and attach using nylon straps, hooks and elastic cords. They have a very tight fit, which is good as it results in a ‘came-from-the-factory’ quality appearance. Getting these on resulted in more grunting and groaning from us than an elk during mating season. Install tip – I used my kids’ old hockey stick to feed the covers between the back and seat of the JK, which is too tight for fingers to fit. Didn’t damage the covers and stopped attracting elk.
The covers come in a set that includes the two front bucket seats as well as the rear and there are a few different colour combos to choose from. Before your OEM seat covers are worn ragged, or maybe because they are, slip these on.
Perry Mack
The Rugged Ridge neoprene seat covers are as tough as they are good looking.
7. Hard Top Insulation Kit
- SKU 12109.04 - $260 CAD
- Install - 60 minutes
‘Silent Running’ was definitely not a movie about a Wrangler. It’s loud and proud, and no Wrangler owner will argue that, but we all wish we could take the edge off. These insulation panels are custom fit for the OEM hard top and not only reduce the interior noise, but insulate against heat and cold from the outside. Hook and loop fasteners make the installation a snap (without the snap) and can be done without removing your hard top. Although I couldn’t see a quantitative noise reduction on my phone’s decibel measurement app – there was an appreciable improvement in the sound quality (stereo) with less noise bouncing around off the hard tops’ interior. I also liked the change from the glaring white roof to a calming black.
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Perry Mack
These insulation panels fit OEM hard top/interior panels reduce interior noise and provide insulation.
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Perry Mack
These insulation panels fit OEM hard top/interior panels reduce interior noise and provide insulation.
8. Metal Grab Handles
- SKU 13505.50 - $144.44 USD
- Install - 60 minutes
Yeah, it seems like a lot of dough to help you get in, but I’ve hated the flimsy stock grab handles since they first starting sliding around my roll bar. It always seemed that my poor rig made a cheap first impression when folks got in, maybe I shouldn’t care. If your Jeep is stock, it’s not too hard to get in. If, like mine, it has a 9 cm (3.5 in) lift, oversized tires, with no step and track and field high jumpers are the only folks who can get in without using their hands. In the opposite direction, people have literally fallen out and hit the ground. The aluminum grab handles make you feel as tough as having a set of brass knuckles in your pocket. Actually the front handles look like a set of brass knuckles, and the rear like hockey sticks. What could be tougher? They attach solidly using factory mount points for both front and rear passengers. Why not set the mood as you get in?
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Perry Mack
Both front and rear handles attach solidly using factory mount points.
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Perry Mack
Both front and rear handles attach solidly using factory mount points.
9. Switch Pod Kit for the A-Pillar
- SKU 17235.21 - $65 CAD
- Install - 30 minutes
All your accessory switches are clearly visible and within easy reach – it sounds like a dream. The kit replaces the existing A-Pillar cover without any cutting or other modifications, and it has the same molded, textured finish as the original A-pillar cover. It has places for four switches but the SKU described here comes with five etched two-way rocker switches marked Light bar, Rock Lights, Off-road Lights and two essentials - Zombie Lights and Sasquatch Lights – perfect for British Columbia as Big Foot lives here, as do zombies every night downtown when the bars close. Other rocker switches will also work if you have more mundane concerns like power to your air compressor. To save myself some effort later on down the road, I installed all four rocker switches and ran the wires under my dash. As I add electronics, I won’t have to remove and re-install the switch kit.
You can chastise me for buying my own gifts but if ‘it is better to give than to receive’, it must be ‘best’ if you can give and receive, n’est-ce pas?
As I glowingly showed my wheeling buddies my new accessories, they asked which one I liked best (after expressions like ‘you bastard’). Tough call. Now that I have them, they’ve gone from accessories to ‘neccessories’. I wouldn’t part with any of them.
If you have a truck, trail or overland enthusiast on your gift list, you honestly can’t go wrong with any of these choices.
Perry Mack