After 6 years or so in a few different Jeeps, I finally made the jump to a new (to me) 2019 Ruby Red Raptor. I've gone from a 2014 2-Door JK to a 2016 4-Door JKU Rubicon, and I also managed to pick up 1991 YJ along the way. Each of the Jeeps has been a unique experience and a fun adventure in modding and off-roading (or as my wife says... money pits). Both of the JKs were lifted, on 35s with probably 1/3rd of the factory components replaced for one reason or another. Most recently, I went as far as supercharging my 2016 JKUR, and it had just over $17,000 in mods when I sold it (so maybe it was a money pit, but don't tell my wife I said so!). Here's a few pictures of what my JKUR looked like before I sold it:
During this time, I've had two kids, got two dogs, and had two cross-country moves, with a third move planned for this summer, and for various reasons the Jeeps have become less and less practical for my family, and the places and types of off-roading I've been doing have changed significantly from rock krawling in the deserts of California, to mudding in Florida and now camping road trips with my kids. Also, I've found that I have less free time than I used to, and a queue of projects that need to get done before I move. Speaking of projects, here's what my 1991 YJ looks like right now:
Because of this, I decided that I needed something that could haul more gear for camping, fit my kids and their seats better, perform Offroad for some mild overlanding and trail rides, and hold 80 mph on the highway without fearing for my life. I've been wanting a Raptor since the Gen 1s came out, so now seemed like a good time to get one. I found this Ruby Red, 2019 Raptor with the 802A package and only 9,600 miles on it within a few hundred miles from where I live. After a few days of negotiation I went and picked it up.
Once I had it back at the house, the first thing I did was hit the forums, researching and building a relatively mild (comparatively) list of things to get for it. Here's what I came up with:
Performance:
ORA 550 Tune w/ SCT BDX Tuner (ordered)
AMS Boost Tubes (ordered)
Wagner IC (ordered)
Cobb Intake (ordered)
JLT Oil Separator (ordered)
Appearance:
BuiltRight Stubby Antenna (ordered)
WeatherTech Wind Deflectors (ordered)
Husky Wheel Arch Liners (ordered)
TBD Wheels/Tires
Storage:
Ford Bed Divider (ordered)
Lomax Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover (installed)
Tuffy Security Console (ordered)
BuiltRight Bed Storage System
Du-Ha Underseat Storage Box (ordered)
Lighting:
BajaDesigns 30" S8 Behind Grill Kit (ordered)
BajaDesigns Reverse Light Kit
ORA Triple Bezel Foglight Kit (lights TBD)
Diode Dynamics Rear License Plat LEDs (ordered)
Electrical:
BlackVue DRX900X 2 Channel Dash Cam
Ford Security Plus Module (ordered)
TBD Radio Setup
I've already installed the Lomax Cover, and a bunch of parts are scheduled to be here next week. More updates soon!
During this time, I've had two kids, got two dogs, and had two cross-country moves, with a third move planned for this summer, and for various reasons the Jeeps have become less and less practical for my family, and the places and types of off-roading I've been doing have changed significantly from rock krawling in the deserts of California, to mudding in Florida and now camping road trips with my kids. Also, I've found that I have less free time than I used to, and a queue of projects that need to get done before I move. Speaking of projects, here's what my 1991 YJ looks like right now:
Because of this, I decided that I needed something that could haul more gear for camping, fit my kids and their seats better, perform Offroad for some mild overlanding and trail rides, and hold 80 mph on the highway without fearing for my life. I've been wanting a Raptor since the Gen 1s came out, so now seemed like a good time to get one. I found this Ruby Red, 2019 Raptor with the 802A package and only 9,600 miles on it within a few hundred miles from where I live. After a few days of negotiation I went and picked it up.
Once I had it back at the house, the first thing I did was hit the forums, researching and building a relatively mild (comparatively) list of things to get for it. Here's what I came up with:
Performance:
ORA 550 Tune w/ SCT BDX Tuner (ordered)
AMS Boost Tubes (ordered)
Wagner IC (ordered)
Cobb Intake (ordered)
JLT Oil Separator (ordered)
Appearance:
BuiltRight Stubby Antenna (ordered)
WeatherTech Wind Deflectors (ordered)
Husky Wheel Arch Liners (ordered)
TBD Wheels/Tires
Storage:
Ford Bed Divider (ordered)
Lomax Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover (installed)
Tuffy Security Console (ordered)
BuiltRight Bed Storage System
Du-Ha Underseat Storage Box (ordered)
Lighting:
BajaDesigns 30" S8 Behind Grill Kit (ordered)
BajaDesigns Reverse Light Kit
ORA Triple Bezel Foglight Kit (lights TBD)
Diode Dynamics Rear License Plat LEDs (ordered)
Electrical:
BlackVue DRX900X 2 Channel Dash Cam
Ford Security Plus Module (ordered)
TBD Radio Setup
I've already installed the Lomax Cover, and a bunch of parts are scheduled to be here next week. More updates soon!
