First Look - The Interior of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL/JLU!

THE JL INTERIOR!
 (Image Credit: autoblog.com, Spied Bilde, Brian Williams) 

With the latest leak of interior shots of the upcoming Jeep Wrangler JL, we are beyond impressed!

This new interior is an impressive change from the current JK - it seems to be a highly-polished refinement of the interior update done for the 2011 JK model year.

All the major switches are in the center, with the UConnect system at the top. Overall, everything appears to be done with a great attention to detail. We can't wait to see and sit in one in person!

Below are some additional images of the JL interior and then the exterior (all camoed up) plus some recent exterior renderings from various sources.

Stay tuned for more info on the JL plus the upcoming 2019 Jeep Pickup "JT" - this is going to be an exciting year!

(Image Credit: JLwranglerforums.com)

(Image Credit: JLwranglerforums.com)

(Image Credit: autoblog.com, Spied Bilde)

(Image Credit: autoblog.com, Spied Bilde)

(Image Credit: JLwranglerforums.com)

(Image Credit: allpar.com)

_______________________________________________________________

Additional images and analysis of the JL's interior and exterior may be found here:

• https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/
• http://www.autoblog.com/2017/05/11/spy-shots-next-gen-jeep-wrangler-interior/?hcid=hp-tile-small-1
• http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/wrangler/2017.html
• http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/news/a31472/2018-jeep-wrangler-pickup-rendering-spy/

Winter Kits: What's in Your Jeep?

This is what we carry in our Jeep during the winter!

With Spring on hold and Winter Storm Stella arriving tomorrow, I guess it's not too late to talk about Winter Kits for your vehicle.

During the colder months, the ability to self-rescue, rescue a fellow motorist, or wait out in your vehicle until help arrives becomes much more important - being prepared may actually save a life or two.

Winter Car Kits

You should always carry in your vehicle some basic tools, a first aid kit, a flashlight, and your cell phone charger - but during the winter, it's time to ramp things up.

And I'm not saying you should rush out and go on a shopping spree at your local Army/Navy store. You probably have many of the following items already, just not in your vehicle.

And they don't have to be in a huge duffle bag either - all the items shown above fit easily into our Jeep - by spreading things around and utilizing the spaces under seats and in the corners of the trunk.

Here's a great list that I borrowed from MEMA that you can use to start building your own kit:

• Flashlight with extra batteries

• Charged cell phone/automobile charger

• Basic first-aid kit

• Necessary medications

• Pocket knife

• Blankets or sleeping bags

• Extra clothes (include rain gear, boots, mittens, socks)

• High-calorie, non-perishable foods (dried fruits, nuts, canned food)

• Manual can opener

• Container of water

• Windshield scraper & brush

• Fire extinguisher

• Shovel

• Sand/road salt/cat litter for generating traction

• Tire chains or traction mats

• Basic tool kit (pliers, wrench, screwdriver)

• Tow rope or strap

• Battery jumper cables

• Road flares/reflectors/warning lights

• Brightly colored cloth to utilize as a flag

• Road maps

For more tips on safe winter driving, visit the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) site.

Reposted / edited with permission from a Nov 22, 2014 blog.

Photo credit: PatrickOConnor.Info

Tech Review: AuxBeam's 4 inch 18 Watt Flood Pattern Light Bars

This is my first review of an AuxBeam Lighting product. This light set was sent to me by the AuxBeam marketing team, but this review will be an impartial product evaluation.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The packaging of the lights was excellent – very professional and complete. This set includes 2 lights plus all the mounting hardware, complete wiring harness with lighted switch, and a basic set of instructions.


DEEP DIVE

Front view.

Side view - notice cooling fins.

Rear view - notice light mount.

The lights feel very solid with a heavy heatsink on the back of the housing. The fit and finish of the lights were excellent – no scratches or dings on either the lenses or the housings. Each light came with approximately 12 inches of protected cable sealed into the bottom of the housing.

This set came with the newer style mounting brackets, which are simpler to install and adjust, plus allow the lights to sit closer to your vehicle’s mounting surface. (Note: the instructions that came with these lights were for the old-style brackets, but I figured out the new brackets without any issue. They are so simple to set up and install, the instructions really aren’t needed.)


INSTALLATION

Light mount is highly adjustable.

The mount for these lights is a simple, curved piece of aluminum that attaches to the bottom of each light using the supplied bolt, washer and a captured nut already in a channel in the bottom of each light’s housing. 

As you can see from the images below, this captured nut may be slid along the channel and then its bolt tightened at any spot to allow for some very flexible installation options when trying to fit these lights onto your vehicle.

Mount moved to left.

Mount centered.

Mount moved to right.

I mounted these 4 inch LED lights on the corners of my Jeep’s after-market, stubby bumper. The new, lower mounts allowed them to sit very close to the bumper and not block the turn signal lights at all. Also, while I haven't done a long-term torture test on these lights - this sturdy, simpler mount looks like it will be able to stand up to a ton of trail abuse without loosening.

Also included in this kit is a complete wiring harness with connectors, an in-line fuze, and a switch with LED indicators and self-adhesive backing for easy mounting almost anywhere inside your vehicle.

Complete harness with fuze, lighted switch.

(Since I already had wiring, a relay, and switches installed for a planned set of lights on my Jeep’s bumper, I did not use the supplied wiring harness.)


ACTUAL PERFORMANCE

These 4 inch light bars cast a wide, uniform flood pattern that almost overpowers our Jeep Wrangler JK’s stock headlights (with upgraded non-LED bulbs).

Base line: The image below is only the Jeep’s low-beams, reaching out approximately 100 feet.

Only JK low-beams.

Low-Beams plus LEDs: This next image is now both the Jeep’s low beams and the two AuxBeam 4 inch LED light bars filling the entire field with light beyond 100 feet out.

JK low-beams plus AuxBeam 4 inch light bars.

LEDs only, angled out: In this final test image, I turned off the Jeep JK’s low-beams and angled the AuxBeam 4 inch LED light bars out approximately 20 degrees to not only light up the area in front of the Jeep, but also much of this field on both sides.

Only AuxBeam 4 inch light bars.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, I’m very impressed with these AuxBeam 4 Inch 18 Watt LED Light Bars. They produce a blinding, uniform flood pattern that will be extremely useful for navigating our favorite trails after dark. They are an excellent value, providing a complete wiring harness and instructions for the price that some no-name manufacturers charge for just lights in an empty white box. If you’re looking for a set of affordable, excellent LED flood lights in a small housing that can be mounted almost anywhere, I highly recommend you try out these 4 Inch LED light bars.

Free shipping, 30 day money-back guarantee, and a 1 year warrantee – I don’t think you can go wrong.

- Patrick
Chief Innovator
AddictedToJeeps.Com

Note #1: Find these lights here: https://www.auxbeam.com/70022170 

Note #2: Use our coupon code "ATJ" to get 10% off your entire purchase. AuxBeam's website has many discount offers, but if you find something that is not on sale, Auxbeam has graciously given us our own coupon code "ATJ" to share with our readers.

Image credits: AddictedToJeeps.Com

Get Ready for some Amazing Off-Road Events in 2017!

Looks like 2017 is going to be an awesome year!

Below we've listed both local Northeast events plus more distant expos and races. If you can't get to all of these this year, remember to attend "virtually" through the magic of social media!

We'll update our Events page on addictedtojeeps.com during 2017 as more local events, rides, and runs are scheduled.

OK, so here's our top 20 events and races happening in 2017!


KING OF THE HAMMERS
February 3–11 | Johnson Valley, CA
Hammerking Productions is pleased to announce that 2017 dates have been secured for the Nitto King of The Hammers presented by Optima Battery. The 11th annual KOH week will commence with Hammertown opening to the public on Friday February 3rd, 2017 and will continue through Saturday, February 11th, 2017. The actual King of The Hammers race will take place on Friday, February 10th, 2017. All races from 2016 are expected to return for 2017 including: The Smittybilt Every Man Challenge, Polaris KOH UTV Race, Klim King of The Motos, and Vision X Shootout.
ultra4racing.com


2017 JEEP JAMBOREE USA
Series starts March 2 | National Event - see link for locations (LOCAL EVENT!)
There are 31 Jeep Jamboree USA events in 2017! Each Jeep Jamboree is a full two-day, family oriented four-wheel-drive adventure that’s probably unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Jeep Jamborees cater to every level of expertise so they’re fun for everyone – from novice to veteran and everyone in between. Any Jeep vehicle with a 4-LO transfer case can participate – that includes everything from showroom stock all the way up to highly modified rigs. Experienced guides help navigate you through scenic switchbacks and some of the most challenging off-highway situations you never thought your Jeep vehicle was capable of. And, perhaps best of all, you’ll be meeting and making new friends along the way. Registration is open now - Hurry! These trips close out quickly. See https://jeepjamboreeusa.com/tripsregister/ for what's still available.
jeepjamboreeusa.com


TIERRA DEL SOL'S DESERT SAFARI
March 3–5 | Salton City, CA
This year is the 55th Tierra Del Sol (TDS) Desert Safari. What started as a small group of friends exploring the Colorado Desert back in the ‘60s has grown into the largest 4x4 meet in the West Coast. It’s also the longest running four-wheel drive event in the United States. You’ll find everything from stock to highly modified Jeeps, 4x4s and UTVs running around Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreational Areas (SVRA) during the three-day event.
tds4x4.com


SPRING OFF-ROAD EXPO
March 18-19 | Scottsdale, AZ
Off-Road Expo® is expanding in 2017 to meet the growing demand of off-road adventurers. Join the organizers March 18 & 19, 2017 at WestWorld of Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona for the Spring Edition of Off-Road Expo presented by Nitto Tire and the City of Scottsdale. The event will be a great addition to the Off-Road Expo that takes place each October in Pomona, CA.
Both events will offer you the greatest collection of off-road companies, parts, equipment, gear, and experts ever assembled in America. From off-road racing to rock crawling, trail riding to sand sports, to motorcycles and UTV/ATV’s, to camping and adventure travel, you have the unique opportunity to meet and talk with the most knowledgeable people in the off-road industry. With a full weekend of excitement you don’t want to miss any Off-Road Expo!

offroadexpo.com


EASTER JEEP SAFARI
April 8–16 | Moab, UT
Easter Jeep Safari consists of trail rides, mostly day long trips, departing from Moab Utah throughout the 9 day long event. Full information about the Safari is available in a colorful newspaper. Click here to request paper. The official event is hosted by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers Inc. one of the the local four wheel drive clubs of Moab. Registration for the 2017 Easter Jeep Safari will be on the website on January 31st at 10:00am MST.
rr4w.com

OVERLAND EXPO - WEST

May 12-14 | Flagstaff, AZ

The WEST show is held in beautiful Flagstaff, Arizona, gateway to the Grand Canyon and Four Corners region. Nestled in cool ponderosa pine forest, the venue includes plenty of camping, food vendors, and miles of onsite and nearby trails for walking and riding. Hotels, restaurants and shopping are just moments away in downtown Flagstaff, and the international airport is just across the interstate.
Several overland shows now offer worthwhile classes. But no other event comes close to the breadth and depth of education available to Overland Experience attendees at the Overland Expo, from choosing the right vehicle for your needs, to packing it with the proper equipment and provisions, to comfortably handling challenging driving conditions, to winching it out of a hole. Our team of instructors is simply the best on the planet: from ex-Camel Trophy team members to trans-Africa veterans to professional expedition leaders.
Register now through May 13, 2017, or while available. Overland Experience packages are limited in number will likely sell out.
overlandexpo.com/west


2ND ANNUAL LUNG CANCER AWARENESS RIDE 2017

May 13 | Lincoln, NH (LOCAL EVENT!)
White Mountain Jeeps will once again join Granite State Offroad and event host Chris Jones for the 2nd Annual Lung Cancer Awareness Ride across the Kancamagus Highway! Details to come!
facebook.com/groups/whitemountainjeeps


NEW! QUADRATEC PRESENTS 1ST ANNUAL 2017 WHEELERS OVERLAND ADVENTURE
May 18-21 | AOAA, Coal Township, PA (LOCALISH EVENT!)
Come join Quadratec and Wheelers LLC for a three (3) night four (4) day overland camping and wheeling event for the first time ever at Anthracite Offroad Adventure Area! (AOAA).
Off Road instruction will be provided by Off Road Consulting and Driving Instruction!
facebook.com/events/369595480040974/


10TH ANNUAL GO TOPLESS DAY

May 20 | National Event - see link for locations (LOCAL EVENT!)
Clubs and organizations worldwide are joining All Things Jeep to celebrate Go Topless Day with picnics, trail rides, convoys, trail clean-ups, beach parties, and other social events. Find Jeepers in your area to celebrate with!
allthingsjeep.com/go-topless-day.html


BANTAM JEEP HERITAGE FESTIVAL
June 9-11 | Slippery Rock, PA (LOCALISH EVENT!)
The Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival is a tribute event for the father of all jeeps, the history behind it, the people who created it, and its birthplace, Butler Pennsylvania. The event provides Jeep enthusiasts with on and off-road experiences to embrace the vehicle's past and the lifestyle it now promotes.
The family-friendly event is held at Coopers Lake Campground, about an hour north of Pittsburgh, PA every year on the second weekend of June. The Festival has on-site off-road trails, playground with obstacles, Jeep History exhibit, huge vendor area with 150+ companies and more!

Registration for this year's event is open!

bantamjeepfestival.com

TEXAS HEATWAVE

July 21–23 | Austin, TX

Custom Sounds Texas Heat Wave is a Custom Truck, Car and Audio event held in Austin Texas. This event supplies an opportunity for vehicle enthusiasts to show off their vehicles and compete against other enthusiasts for awards and cash prizes. If it has wheels it can be registered for our event. All make and models ranging from Model A to 2016 are welcome!!

heatwaveshow.com

JEEPERS JAMBOREE

July 26–30 | Georgetown, CA

The Jeepers and Jeep Jamboree have been offering guided off road trips on the legendary Rubicon Trail in Northern California for over 60 years. Considered to be a 10 on most scales; the trail changes year after year as winter storms create new challenges. Jeepers Jamboree has the experience and the expertise to help you traverse the trail. It is a challenging trip over the Rubicon trail, but you will have plenty of fun and relaxation along the way. Come join the Jeep and Jeepers Jamboree for the experience of a lifetime. 2017 Registration open's November 1 2016.

jeepersjamboree.com

NEW! 5TH ANNUAL WARRIOR SALUTE
August 26 | Oxford, ME (LOCAL EVENT!)
Warrior Salute’s mission is to raise money for wounded veterans that return home after being injured in the line of duty, and to honor all those who have served. Funds raised are donated to Warrior Legacy Foundation’s Wounded Heroes Program of Maine.
Highlights to look forward to: Mudruns, Food Trucks, Raffles, and Great Company!

warriorsalute.me/

OVERLAND EXPO - EAST

September 29–October 1 | Asheville, NC (LOCALISH EVENT!)

Overland Expo is pleased to partner with The Biltmore Estateand Land Rover for another unforgettable experience!
Several overland shows now offer worthwhile classes. But no other event comes close to the breadth and depth of education available to Overland Experience attendees at the Overland Expo, from choosing the right vehicle for your needs, to packing it with the proper equipment and provisions, to comfortably handling challenging driving conditions, to winching it out of a hole. Our team of instructors is simply the best on the planet: from ex-Camel Trophy team members to trans-Africa veterans to professional expedition leaders.
Tickets will go on sale in May 2017.
overlandexpo.com/east

JK EXPERIENCE WEST COAST

September 2–9 | TBD

Back in 2009 Mel Wade of Off Road Evolution started a new jeep adventure called the JK-Experience because the other high profile events frowned on the new Jeep Wrangler JK models participating in their events. He wanted an event that showcased the capabilities of the new Jeep JK and JKU models while providing participants something more than an off-road event he wanted to provide an “experience!” Since that time, JK-Experience had been an annual week-long event, beginning Labor Day weekend, that most JK owners dream of participating in someday.

The premise of the event is that there are 10 sponsors and 8-10 participants who must meet stringent requirements (i.e., sport cage, minimum 37″ tires, etc.) and submit an application in the spring - crossing their fingers they get selected for the trip of a lifetime. You are notified approximately 4 weeks before the event as to the starting and ending location. Once there every day is a surprise as to where you will end up. The only thing that is not a surprise is that there is going to be hard core wheeling and some spectacular site seeing along the way.

jk-experience.com

3RD ANNUAL WHITE MOUNTAINS JEEP INVASION 2017

September 9 | Gorham, NH (LOCAL EVENT!)
This year's White Mountains Jeep Invasion will be held at the Mt. Washington Auto Road base fair grounds. Once again it will be hosted by Granite State Offroad and will benefit AbilityPLUS Adaptive Sports. There will be a dozen or more vendors. The organizers update with details shortly.
facebook.com/groups/whitemountainjeeps

GREAT AMERICAN JEEP RALLY
September 16* | Ellington, CT (LOCAL EVENT!)
The Great American Jeep Rally is a registered non-profit organization that raises money for charity's in the New England area. We are a one day Jeep Extravaganza that no Jeep enthusiast should miss! Our event includes a Rock Garden, Mud Trench, Vendors, DJ, hundreds of Jeeps, Kids fun area. Family friendly atmosphere. *Estimated date.

jeeprally.org

OFF ROAD EXPO

September 30–October 1 | Pomona, CA

73,000+ HARDCORE FANS | 350 EXHIBITORS | 10 ACRES OF EVERYTHING OFF-ROAD
The 2017 Lucas Oil Off-Road Expo Powered by General Tire is truly the greatest collection of off-road companies, parts, equipment, gear, action and experts ever assembled in America. From off-road racing to rock crawling, trail riding to sand sports, motorcycles and ATV’s, to camping and adventure travel, fans have the unique opportunity to meet and talk with the most knowledgeable people in the off-road industry. Fans can experience the dynamic world of off-road thru ride alongs, racing demos, celebrity appearances, live music, industry media events and product giveaways all weekend.
offroadexpo.com

CRAWLING FOR A CURE OFF-ROAD EVENT

October 14* | Monson, MA (LOCAL EVENT!)

This event is an annual off‐road family & survivor friendly event designed to raise money for breast cancer research and survivors.

The 5th annual event will be held in Monson, MA at the Quabog Riders Motorcycle Club and includes trail rides, raffles, vendors and more! *Estimated date.

crawlingforacure.org

BAJA 1000

November 14–18 | Ensenada to La Paz, Mexico

The SCORE Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place in Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. The 2016 SCORE Baja 1000 is the final round of a four-race series, previous events are the SCORE Desert Challenge, the SCORE San Felipe 250 & the SCORE Baja 500. The 2017 round will be the 50th SCORE Baja 1000, occurring from November 14–18 over an 800-mile loop both starting and ending in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

The Baja 1000 allows various types of vehicle classes to compete on the same course – from such small and large bore motorcycles, stock Volkswagen, production vehicles, buggies, Trucks, and custom fabricated race vehicles. The course has remained relatively the same over the years, about every other being either a point-to-point race from Ensenada to La Paz, or a loop race starting and finishing in Ensenada.

score-international.com

SO LET'S MARK OUR CALENDARS AND SEE HOW MANY OF THESE EVENTS WE CAN ATTEND THIS YEAR!

Photo credit: AddictedToJeeps.Com

Welcome to our blog!

Welcome to our blog! 

We've been working on building up our Facebook and Twitter presence plus our new YouTube channel - now it's time get our blog up and running! There's so much we'd like to share that really only fits in a blog format.

Our mission here at AddictedToJeeps.Com is to provide information and discussion about the latest off-road trends, events, vendors, and tips & tricks. We're mainly focused on things here in the Northeast U.S. but will share info from around the country and the world if we believe our followers are interested those topics.

In the coming months, we'll be writing about Jeep events, Jeep improvement projects, off-road trips and news, new technology plus walk-arounds of interesting vehicles we find at events and club meets.

Thank you for visiting - we're really excited to share with you our passion for off-roading and the Jeep community! Please let us know what you'd like us to cover in future blogs or videos by commenting below!

 - Patrick
Chief Innovator
AddictedToJeeps.Com

Photo credit: AddictedToJeeps.Com