Whether we are inside all winter wrenching or outside all winter wheeling, once spring hits we get the fever to modify and upgrade our rides. To that end, we’ve compiled a slew of afternoon upgrades that are easy to do and won’t necessarily break the bank. While a couple of our picks are a bit spendy, for the most part these are cheap and easy ways to spruce up and dial in your 4x4 for the wheeling season. We got all the editors to pitch in here, to give you a taste of what each of them thinks, writes, and does as far as easy upgrades go. Check it out and let us know what you think at 4wheeloffroad.com. Hitch Which? Backing up to hitch a trailer or a towable by yourself has always been a pain, or an art. Some people can nail a ball hitch nearly every time with a sixth sense of where it is. For the rest of the towing population though, the constant backing, getting out and checking, and fiddling around makes hooking up a hitch a pain. We recently found a product that helps hitching as long as we get the ball close to the trailer. The Swivel-Loc hitch alignment system uses a movable plate and locking mechanism to locate the ball under the trailer tongue. Once attached, you simply drive to align, and the pin locks down. It doesn’t get much easier than that. The load rating is for 6,000 pounds and a 600-pound tongue weight, but for our flat-towed Jeep this alignment system was a simple solution to backing a motorhome just to hitch up our Jeep. The Swivel-Loc fits into any class III 2-inch reciever. It's rated at 6000 pounds and 600 pounds of tounge weight. When you pull up on the locking pin, the plate moves out and can rotate 180 degrees for easy hitching to a trailer. While this model is a fixed 2-inch drop, others are available in a 5- to -6inch drop or rise.The Swivel-Loc fits into any class III 2-inch reciever. It's rated at 6000 pounds and 600 Flaming River is known for steering systems and components, but also for electrical goodies. The kit comes with a bracket, a switch, and mounting hardware. This is the easiest theft protection ever. The L-bracket can be mounted almost anywhere. We bolted it to the inside fenderwell near the battery. We only needed one battery cable to connect the positive side of the battery to the switch, then all the other cables that were on the battery were moved to the switch. The stainless steel key is simply two prongs that stick into the switch to turn it. The little bump on the one prong indexes into the switch, so a person can’t use some other tool. The key easily goes on your keychain, unlike the large plastic versions. Now we can walk away from the Jeep and feel more safe and secure that it will be there when we return.Flaming River is known for steering systems and components, but also for electrical goodie It’s as easy as pie to get close, and then the Swivel-Loc does the rest. The plate can extend up to 10 inches in an arc, so close counts in the towing game as well.It’s as easy as pie to get close, and then the Swivel-Loc does the rest. The plate can ext SOURCES Currie Enterprises 382 North Smith Corona CA 92880 714-528-6957 www.currieenterprises.com Inventive Products 2-08/-580-1904 http://www.inventivehitches.com/store/pc/home.asp Flaming River Industries 800 Poertner Dr. Berea OH 44017 866-798-8064 www.flamingriver.com By Rick Péwé Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
