[tucsondave]

I got a stock '04 WJ a month ago after my 84 4-runner died and am in the process of getting it dirt road worthy. No crawling. Also I want to reduce the laughter if I get stuck. This is my business DD so no outlandish add-ons.
Since the rear tow hook is NLA and the front Mopar hooks are in limbo (September maybe?) I am looking for any suggestions.
Do I wait for OEM hooks to resurface or go with shackle mounts for the front (S4xC for $173)?
Then there's the rear. Curt trailer hitch? Anything else out there?
I never got stuck in my 4-runner so I'm due.

Thanks,
td
(New(b) but used, both me and the jeep!)

[theksmith]

not sure which trailer hitch other than the mopar one stays tucked up high under the bumper - have you seen the Curt one in person? all the websites seem to use generic pictures when you try to research hitches.

have you seen what the rear factory tow hook was? it looks like it would be simple to fabricate something similar... though time is money so maybe a hitch is the simplest option.

another option is to skip all that and go directly to a bumper - c4x4 has the best priced one i know of (without the tire carrier, can be added later): http://custom4x4fabrication.com/rear_wj.html

for the front... there's a set of used factory chrome (bling!) hooks on ebay right now: http://www.ebay.com/itm/COMPLETE-CHR...item337affd445

those saguaro4xcomponents.com shackle mounts look really nice, and with shackles you don't have to worry about the loop sliding off... but yeah, the price is a bit hard to swallow. personally i'd probably shell out for them, but if you're on a budget and can't wait for factory ones, then Rusty's (ick) makes some that probably do the job.

[theksmith]

I got a stock '04 WJ a month ago after my 84 4-runner died and am in the process of getting it dirt road worthy.

also be sure you have a t-case skid, not sure what the "special edition" version came with in that department.

other than that you'll just want rock rails if you don't have them, there's a guy on here selling his factory overland ones which can take mild abuse. i know you don't plan to crawl, but it really sucks to smash in the rocker panels on some random little boulder even on a moderate trail.

oh and welcome to the dub club

any plans for a budget lift perhaps? or just some a/t tires for now (and maybe disconnects)....

[ducksface]

Front receivers, cheap and bolt on, then you can have both and they'll fit the hitch also. See my album, they show up in the picture labelled 'winch'.

[tucsondave]

Thanks all.
Skids were the first thing I did. Mopar, but better than nothing.
Hooks:
From my reading, Rusty's hooks mounting holes don't line up with the frame holes.
May wait to see what Mopar comes up with, if anything, next month. The S4xC shackle mounts are still an option.
Rear. The Curt hitch hangs down. Bumper right now is not in the budget.

Rails:
Looking at JCR rails for WJ but when I click on the pdf WJ install instructions it shows XJ. Maybe a clue to stay away.
Kevins rails or factory? Since I'm in AZ Kevin's shipping won't kill me.

Tires? I'm more clueless in this area than the other stuff.
Came with Pirelli Scorpion ATR in front and Geo Trak Radial XLT in rear. Don't know what that's about.
P245/65R17

I posted a photo over in the Your Rig forum.
Any advice always welcome.
td