Well, it's been a month now since we got a 3-inch lift kit and new tires for our 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.

We ordered everything from the 4WheelParts store in Nashville ...which took a long time. The lift kit was setting in our foyer for weeks before the wheels arrived at the Nashville store. Then the tires took even longer for some reason.

That said, it was the best thing we ever did for the Jeep!

Here's the scoop.

But first, some before (top row) & after (bottom row) shots:

Shari B. asked about taking Jeep doors off an '04 Wrangler:

How do i get the doors off my wrangler with out tearing them up?

 

Here's how. It's pretty simple, really.

Victoria and others have asked how to open the Sunrider portion of the Jeep soft top -- so you're riding around as if you have the sunroof open (rather than lowering the entire soft top on your Jeep).

This is actually something that can be done by one person alone. It only takes me about 4 minutes to do it myself. It's even quicker with 2 people!

Here are the step-by-step instructions for turning your Jeep Wrangler's soft top into a sun roof...

Thinking about adding a hard top to your Jeep Wrangler?

Our 1990 Jeep Wrangler (our pride & joy before we got the '04 Unlimited), was the only Wrangler we've ever had a hard top for.

We used the hard top in the winter and a bikini top in the summer.

Here are the best hard tops for Jeep Wranglers...

To replace the soft top on our '04 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, it would cost about $1,400 for a MOPAR replacement soft top. That's for the Jeep soft top with the Sunrider (sun roof) built in.

Our next best option would be the Bestop Sunrider Replacement Soft Top for just under $800.

If you've got a Jeep Wrangler and you need a new soft top for your Jeep, there are actually a number of replacement soft tops to choose from.

So let's take a look at what's available in terms of replacement soft tops for Jeep Wranglers...

Ever since the day we got it, Jim has been wanting to add some lift to our '04 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. Not much, just enough to give us a little breathing room offroad and allow us to put some bigger tires on the Jeep.

I guess if I had an opinion in the matter, it would be that I'm looking forward to our Jeep looking a little "beefier" and a tad less "stock". (I never thought those things would mean much to me, but I've seen so many HOT looking Jeeps... I'll admit, I'd love for ours to look that great. So I'm all for just a little "umph" in the looks department.)

Of course Jim says he's doing it mostly for the better ground clearance off-road. But we all know he's got a soft spot for beefier tires and hot wheels -- whether they ever go offroad or not!

For those times when we have the entire Jeep sunrider soft top down on our 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, we use the Clover Patch Jeep Window Cover.

The reason we like this one best, of all the other Jeep window covers out there, is because the Clover Patch is an all-in-one system -- so everything stays in the Jeep! Yet it's completely out of the way and you don't even notice it's there.

We think it's one of the best inventions ever for Jeeps with removable windows. We like knowing that our Jeep windows won't be getting scratched when they're not being used. Plus, the windows are always within reach, should we need to put the soft top & windows back on in the event of sudden rain storm.

An article I wrote about the pro's and con's of Jeep Wrangler Unlimiteds always been a popular one, but some who are in the market for a new or used Jeep may just be interested in a run-down of the top reasons to buy a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited -- instead of all that detail. Hence, today's post.

First The Facts...
The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (TJ) was introduced late in the 2004 model year in a Sport trim. Jeep added the Rubicon trim to the Unlimited model in 2005. And finally, the 4-door model with a longer wheelbase (JK) made its debut in 2007.

Overall, I'd say those who enjoy taking their Jeep Wranglers offroad will appreciate having even more room inside for passengers and cargo with the Unlimited model. But there's actually much more to the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited than just that...

This is Tenor. He likes Jeeps.

But it wasn't always so.

It has taken us about 2 months of "going for a ride in the car" practically every single day to get him accustomed to the unbalanced nature of riding in the back of a Jeep Wrangler. (Had we started when he was younger, it probably would have been much easier.)

Plus, since we took the back seat out, there's a lot of open space back there -- especially in a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. It has taken him some time to get used to all the twists and turns, starts and stops.

Don't worry... From day one, he's been tethered to the seatbelt with a doggie harness every time he goes for a ride in the Jeep. But still, it took him awhile to truly get comfortable riding back there.

Here are some highlights...

Much to my dismay, we can't ride around in the Jeep with the top down all of the time. Because here in Franklin, Tennessee it gets pretty chilly from October through March each year.

Still, we couldn't be happier with our Jeep(s), and we've had a lot of great times -- top up and top down -- in both... our 1990 Jeep Wrangler YJ... and our 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited TJ.

Here's a run-down of all of the things you need to consider if your Jeep has a soft top...

Here's a video we made as a how-to guide for removing your Jeep soft top...

This is a picture of us in our Jeep.

...Actually a shadow of us in our Jeep!

See the full-size original photo below...

If you own a Jeep (we've owned 3), especially a Jeep Wrangler (we've owned 2), then you already know the appearance of the soft top and windows plays a large part in determining how good your Jeep looks... and how it will look for years to come.

Here's everything you need to know about how to clean the windows on your Jeep Wrangler, plus which products are the best to use that won't damage your soft top windows.

We are preparing for our first Winter with a Jeep Wrangler soft top. No, staying warm will not be the problem... the heater works GREAT!

What's troubling me most at this point is how to remove snow and ice from the vinyl/plastic windows of our soft top when we drive from Tennessee to Ohio (and Indiana) for the holidays. (Our other Jeep had a hard top. This one does not.)

I learned a couple valuable lessons today that other Jeep owners might find helpful...

How to go from "riding-in-a-convertible-while-dodging- the-rain" to "top-up" in a flash... while staying dry in the process!

I took the Jeep out for a spin this morning (with the Sunrider top down, and the back window rolled up & out of the way), and I got caught in a sudden rain storm.

Oh sure, I saw the skies darkening, but I only had "one more place to go" before I'd be back home -- then the Jeep would be parked safe and dry in my garage.

Wrong! Today's rain storm almost got the best of me...

Our 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited has been one of the best (and most FUN!) vehicles we have ever owned!

While this brief overview about the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited covers most of the basic points, what follows is an overly-detailed review of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited -- from my own firsthand experience.

Yes, we bought ANOTHER Jeep... our 3rd one!

This one is a Jeep Wrangler "Unlimited". Which doesn't exactly mean what it sounds like: that it's some special edition Jeep like an Eddie Bauer version or something.

Instead, Unlimited refers to the fact that it's an "extended model". The rear seat and trunk area are double that in an ordinary Jeep Wrangler -- like dear 'ol Scruffy.

You can barely tell that the Unlimited is larger, but it suits us just perfectly -- especially with the two dogs and all the outdoor gear we always tote along.

Plus it's a full-blown 4x4 off-roader, so we're eager to put this Jeep through its paces to see how it handles off the beaten path.

For years, Jim has been the Jeep lover in our family. For the most part, I've been the quiet Jeep passenger -- both on-road and off.

But who knew that I would become a future owner of a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited? And an almost new one at that?!

Here's a preview...