2013 Jeep Wrangler – Packed Full of Off-Road Mods and Upgrades

For decades people have been adding upgrades to their Jeep Wranglers in all kinds of ways. Wranglers find so much popularity because they’re a strong and modular vehicle that shows off on the road and backs it up off-road. This 2013 Jeep Wrangler JK breaks the mold unlike those before it with a searing lime green and black paint job accompanied with a vast selection of auto-accessories. We went straight to work adding vinyl graphics, boosting the stereo, and attaching all new off-roading features to take this Wrangler where no other has been before.

Custom Windshield Pillar Wrap

Since Jeep Wranglers have such a boxy body style wrapping the windshield pillars with vinyl creates a reinforced look. This gloss black vinyl wrap helps to bridge the gap between the matching hardtop and hood. What that does is make this Jeep Wrangler look even more sturdy.

Painted Hood & Grille

To match the hard top we painted the hood and grille gloss black. Now the top half of this vehicle looks as if it had black draped across it. Using a dark color like black to contrast the original bright green paint creates a good amount of contrast drawing the eyes attention. You can also catch a glimpse of the KC Hilite performance headlights that we installed on this JK Wrangler in the photo below.

Blackout Emblem

Of course when the grille was painted black it left the old chrome jeep logo looking out out place. We ended up blacking out the Jeep emblem by replacing it as opposed to painting or wrapping it. This new blackout Jeep emblem rises out off the gloss black grille in support to the Wranglers new look. Blackout accents upgrade the look of any vehicle because they create a more stern personality unlike factory chrome.

Smoked Tail Lights and Indicators

Next up in our “paint it black” phase we smoked the Indicator lights. Smoked lights and emblems are made using a tinted clear coat to darken the desired features while still maintaining a level of visibility. Having that slight dark hue to the indicators lets the dual color paint job keep more of the attention and matches the look of this Jeep better.

We like to do a lot of black out work in our shop because they are great mods that bring a vehicle out of the 2010’s into more modern styling. Blackout features change the look of a car pretty quick making it more sleek.

Interior accent Paint

Another unique aspect of customizing Jeep Wranglers is that there are small accent pieces in the interior of the car. These accents on the handles, speaker mounts, and vent covers all received gloss black paint to match the top half of the car. We chose black instead of bright green because the doors added a lot of color already.

Off-Road LED Lighting

Maintaining a good visual of your surroundings while off-roading is imperative, which means lighting is a big factor. LED lighting features also help add character to your a Wrangler as it starts to look more built-up. On this Wrangler we started by hooking up Rough Country 2″ ditch lights and adjustable brackets in the lower corner of the windshield. These are angled down at the sides of the vehicle for more awareness when maneuvering.

Above the ditch lights is a mounted bar with a row of 3″ flood lights sitting up on the roof. Lights like these provide a vast amount of illumination ahead of the driver to clearly see the on-coming terrain.

The final bit of lighting added was a 22″ light bar that’s attached to the bumper guard, which also has two more built-in LED lights. All of the LED lighting accessories were sourced from Rough Country. They’ve designed their products to easily integrate together and be controlled with a mounted switch. In this case it’s located by the rearview mirror.

Bumper Guards and Winch Kit

Now on to the muscle of this build which is the armored front bumper guard and winch kit. Having a bumper designed to fit with the light bar and winch is a big plus. It makes things easier to put together and ensures they work together while having a nice sharp look. The rear bumper matches the styling of the front nicely and affords the same kind of protection minus the winch and lights.

This bumper guard covers a ton of space therefore provides a big shield to the grille. The winch inside is ideal for pulling yourself out from tight spots or to flip over your buddies when they end up rolling over. The winch houses 85ft of synthetic rope attached to a forged winch hook. Having this added gear improves the strength and capability of this custom Jeep Wrangler.

Cat-Back Exhaust

To take this Wranglers performance one step further we added an aftermarket cat-back exhaust. The exhaust allows for more flow than factory exhaust due to its larger pipe size. This change results in less back pressure, which helps your engine perform smooth with more horsepower and torque. The cat-back design arches up and gives some extra ground clearance too. You can see how these Wrangler upgrade are ideal for off-road use!

Additional Performance Upgrades

With all of the increased weight and performance more upgrades were required to balance out this build. For one thing hauling more weight meant we needed some Power Stop brakes for improved safety. A high strength Optima Red Top battery was also installed to ensure a reliable start to this vehicle when put to the test time and time again. It’s important to think of how changing a certain part of your build effects your vehicle. Upgrade things evenly to properly maintain your vehicle.

Side Steps

Whenever you have a taller vehicle as a result of a lift or larger tires, then it’s going to be harder for you and your passengers to get into. Some people just hate to admit that and like to struggle. We think having well made side steps can make life easier.

Not only will they help improve passenger accessibility, they also offer protection to the sides of your vehicle. Another perk of this upgrade is that side steps contribute to a tough and fully constructed look of your vehicle.

Powder Coated Wheels

Below the steps are a set of off-road wheels and tires. To add more custom features and raise the protection on the wheels we had a gloss black powder coat finish applied to the inner wheel. Powder coat finishes make great modifications because they can be customized to nearly any color and help extend the life of your wheels.

DS-18 Sound System

This Wrangler now looked the part, but it still needed to have its sound amped up. So we boosted all the audio by installing these DS18 bass speakers in the trunk along with some mid-range and tweeters to the cabin. They have full control LED and sound as good as they look. Of course with the new speakers we needed a new stereo to bring everything up to date. This led to us installing an Alpine iLX-W650 stereo along with a few smaller audio upgrades for complete control.

Window Tint

Adding a tinted film to the windows was a big change to the character of this vehicle. It helped to give along with added privacy. Tinting windows is an affordable and practical modification because it delivers style while protecting you and your car from the sun.

Tinted films come in varying levels of darkness. We offer 35%, 20%, and 5% levels of tint. The % measures visual light transference (VLT) and the lowest % will always be the lowest.

When you go to select your tint you need to keep in mind your local laws so that you don’t get ticketed. We always recommend a professional install for this modification. Poor tint jobs will bubble and discolor over time. Make sure your window tint installer has a good warranty to protect your investment!

Custom Graphics

Creating awesome vinyl graphics for a ride is something we really enjoy doing. It seemed appropriate to apply a black topographic wrap on this off-road Jeep Wrangler build. We wanted to break up the solid bright lime green paint with some dark black topographic pattern. Doing so helps to give the Wrangler some more depth and emphasize its unique character.

To go along with the other pieces of vinyl we made a black lettering HEMI decal outlined with a bright green outline. Having this HEMI decal helps highlight the new power the Wrangler contains and hints at the level of performance it delivers.

Additional Features

With all these customizations we brought modern comfort to this 2013 JK Jeep Wrangler. Apart from the more exciting upgrades we installed a back-up camera for the convenience of seeing directly behind you while reversing. In addition we gave this SUV a remote start system, so that you can get a head start warming up or cooling down your car. With everything in this Wrangler more modernized, drivers and passengers can enjoy more of this Jeep than they ever could before.

Interested in getting a blackout or wrap on your vehicle? We offer professional customization services across the contiguous U.S. and accessories internationally. Visit our website to learn more!