G2 Covers
The Dana 44 is one of the most common and mass-produced solid axles in the world. Found under everything from International Scouts and early Broncos to late-model Dodges and Jeeps, they've stood the test of time. And while gears, shafts, and housing upgrades are extremely popular, one of the easiest and best ways to protect your Dana 44 is to equip it with a differential cover. New from G2 Axle & Gear are beefy cast iron factory replacement covers that are designed to give your 44's differential a little added protection from off-road obstacles. Provided with each cover are a gasket, sealant, and new hardware for the install.
Information: G2 Axle & Gear, 310.900.2687, www.g2axle.com; $99.99
Tera Spacer
Modern factory rim sets are better than ever, but the OE backspacing usually doesn't work well with larger-than-stock tires. This means when you fit your 4x with bigger rubber you run the risk of rubbing the oversized claws on the frame, suspension, and brake components. To solve this issue, Tera Flex offers wheel spacers and adapters for 5-on-41/2 and 5-on-5 wheel bolt patterns. So whether you are trying to give your stock wheels a little offset or convert over to a different wheel bolt pattern, Tera Flex has a wheel spacer for you.
Information: Tera Flex, 801.288.2585, www.teraflex.biz; $141.99.
Mirror Mover
Driving your Jeep with no doors is a great pastime, but can be a little dangerous and illegal in some states when done without a driver-side mirror. American Rock Rods' mirror relocation bracket allows Jeepers to maintain their factory mirror while hitting the terra without a door. This is accomplished by relocating the mirror from the door to the windshield hinge. This heavy-duty mount ships anodized black and is built from solid machined billet and 3/16-inch plate aluminum. Currently, brackets are available for the '97-current Jeep Wrangler, and they maintain the factory detent.
Information: American Rock Rods, 303.683.8009, www.americanrockrods.com; $49.95
Hood Holders
If you wheel a Jeep Wrangler TJ or JK, you've probably noticed that your Jeep's hood likes to flutter at highway speeds. While we haven't heard of many cases where the original rubber latches let loose, we decided to err on the side of caution and strap our hood down tight, once and for all. To get rid of our hood buffet we swapped out our original rubber latch connecters for a set of Daystar's heavy-duty polyurethane replacements. These bolt-in units install in just a few minutes and come with everything you need to make your Wranglers hood more secure.
Information: Daystar, www.daystarweb.com, $24.99 (JK or TJ)
Skid Steer
Brakes and steering are two of the most important parts of any vehicle. And while brake lines and calipers are easy to protect and keep out of harm's way, your steering gearbox is often an easy target for abuse. This is especially true of the '97-'06 Jeep Wrangler TJ, as the forward-mounted box hangs low and is exposed at the front of the round-eyed wheeler. To protect your valuable steering box, Rough Country has developed a two-in-one steering box skid and brace. The skid-steer brace takes less than 30 minutes to install and uses your Wrangler's factory mounting points. This lightweight skid is a cheap way to protect expensive parts.
Information: Rough Country Suspension Systems, 800.222.7023, www.roughcountry.com; $65
Spyder Skid
If you wheel a '07-current Jeep Wrangler JK then you might want to take a peak under your Jeep and make sure that your EVAP canister is still there! Though a damaged emission's canister might not leave you stranded, replacing one will cost a pretty penny at the dealership and prevent your Jeep from passing an emissions test. A great way to protect the vulnerable canister is with an EVAP skid from Poison Spyder Customs. This beefy 3/16-inch steel skid gives the EVAP a 3/4-inch boost and protects it from end to end. Each powdercoated unit comes with all the necessary hardware and detailed instructions to make it a simple driveway install. So stay green and protect your vehicle's EVAP canister and the environment.
Information: Poison Spyder Customs, 951.849.5911, www.poisonspyder.com; $99