Since the beginning, the Wrangler has been Jeep’s go to off-road vehicle. That didn’t stop us from transforming this Grand Cherokee. With help from ReadyLIFT, Black Rhino, and Chief Products (to name a few), we’ve turned this Grand Cherokee into an off-road beast!
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| PART LIST | |
|---|---|
| DV8 Winch | Chief Offroad Lift Kit |
| Chief Offroad WK2 Rock Rails | Chief Offroad WK2 Lower Front Guard |
| Chief Offroad WK2 Nudge Bar | Baja Sport LED Driving Lights |
| 275/65R18 116H FAL Wildpeak H/T02 Tires | 18-Inch Black Rhino Barstow Wheels |
| Yakima Crossbars | Yakima Platform Roof Rack |
| Yakima Roof Rack Spare Tire Carrier | Window Tint |
ReadyLIFT 2 Inch Lift kit
We elevated this Grand Cherokee to a new level with a ReadyLIFT 2 inch lift kit. They increase ground clearance for improved mobility in off-road environments. You also won’t be compromising any comfort on the daily drive. This kit is a perfect way to transform the Grand Cherokee from capable grocery getter to offroad beast.
Off-road Wheel Package
For this Grand Cherokee we went with the 18-Inch Black Rhino Barstow wheel. It features a classic split five spoke design with bead-lock style ring. The bead-lock ring is for styling on this wheel, but it does serve a purpose by protecting the wheel’s valve stem. These wheels look great on all four corners of the Grand Cherokee as well as on the spare tire holder.
We wrapped them in 275/65R18 Falken Wildpeak H/T02 rubber. This tire by Falken provides a quiet ride and comfort on the road. They also offer great off-road capability.
Nudge Bar
One of the stand-out features of this Jeep Grand Cherokee is the nudge bar by Chief Products. The WK2 Nudge Bar offers a slotted accessory mounting tab to add cube lights or accessories. It also works with most of Jeep’s standard safety features.
We’re a fan of the classic and clean design Chief Products went with on this Nudge bar. Behind the scenes we’ve added a WK2 Lower Front Guard to protect the lower front of this Grand Cherokee. The best part is it’s completely hidden below the lower front fascia. This allows for you to keep the stock front end look of the Grand Cherokee.
If you’ve got a keen eye you’ve likely also noticed the winch we installed from DV8. This 12,000 lb. steel cable winch provides a reliable recovery option while on the trails. It’s controlled by a wireless remote that has a range of up to 72 feet. Don’t worry, it also comes with a 12.5 foot corded control to serve as a backup.
For the lights we went with the Squadron Sport LED by Baja Designs. The Squadron sport comes in a square all-aluminum housing. They provide an impressive 3,150 lumen each–making them ideal for near field lighting.
Rock Rails
The Chief Products WK2 Rock Rails offer extra off-road protection and double as side steps. The similar appearance to the nudge bar ties it all together.
I should note that some employees said the rock rails make getting in and out of the vehicle a bit more challenging (it’s me, I’m some employees).
Roof Accessories
The clear standout feature of this Jeep is the roof mounted tire. We used a few Yakima products to achieve this look. We started by adding a set of Yakima SkyLine Towers and a pair of their CoreBar to serve as the base. Next we added Yakima’s LockNLoad Platform so the spare wheel has somewhere to sit. We topped it all off with the LockNLoad Spare Wheel Holder kit.
There were mixed reviews around the shop for this style of spare wheel holder. Personally I think it serves as a great way to top off this build with a unique offroad look.
Potential Addons
If you’re a die hard off-roader adding some extra Yakima LockNLoad accessories would be a great option! The LockNLoad Jerry Can Holder, and Corner Brackets are at the top of our list for potential additions. Besides the LockNLoad Platform accessories, some vinyl graphics could also be a nice addition to the hood or rocker panels.
