The Many Capabilities of Your Jeep Wrangler

Some makes and models just roll right off the tongue. The Ford Mustang. The Dodge Challenger. The Chevy Impala. And then there’s the Jeep Wrangler. While it’s a comparatively recent model in the long history of the Jeep, first coming off the assembly lines in 1986, the Wrangler has become just as synonymous with the Jeep brand as the flagship models of other manufacturers.

With seating for four and a combined fuel economy of 20 miles per gallon, your Jeep Wrangler is certainly enough to take you to and from work or your family on a much-need vacation. But your Jeep is capable of so much more than what you could do with a standard four-door sedan. After all, that’s why you bought one or are in the market for one. The Jeep has a World War II pedigree and is arguably the first sport-utility vehicle to hit the roads in America. And to this day, it’s not only one of the most popular, but it’s also still quite possibly the best for the job. If you haven’t found them out for yourself already, take a moment to learn about the many capabilities of your Jeep Wrangler and start getting the most out of this modern American classic.

Four-Wheel Drive

This should be obvious. Cars that keep to the roads stick with front-wheel-drive transmissions typically, where the rear wheels are mostly along for the ride, so to speak. However, the Wrangler boasts four-wheel-drive capability, as all Jeeps do. Indeed, the Jeep was the first four-wheel-drive vehicle to hit mass production for the civilian market. Not only does the Wrangler have the full four-wheel drive but also solid rear and front axles. Unlike an independent front suspension, a solid front axle requires simpler repairs, has higher durability, and boasts more traction. These advantages matter when you take your Jeep beyond the constraints of the streets and highways. As you trade the pavement for mud, sand, grass, and more, your Jeep’s transmission has the power to take you through.

High Towing Capacity

When you take your Jeep off the roads, you’re probably not heading there alone, nor are your off-road sojourns just some quick trips and shortcuts off the beaten path. When you’re heading to the trails, you’re usually in it for the long haul. That means you’ll be doing a bit of towing. When your camping trips take you off the grid, your Jeep Wrangler gets you and your friends to your destination. And with a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds, it can also carry some light accommodations. Pop-up campers are lightweight alternatives to full-scale RVs. As such, they’re motorhomes that pair well with your Wrangler. Airstream travel trailers—the iconic aluminum coaches that match lightness with comfort—are also solid options. Once you tow your accommodations to your destination, you can easily unhitch them from your Jeep and start setting them up. After your Jeep has finished its towing job and is ready for off-roading, that’s when the real fun begins.

Fording Capabilities

If you’re part of the Oregon Trail Generation, or even if you’re a little younger but have still acquainted yourself with the Oregon Trail game, you know of the excitement of crossing the rivers. You could pay the ferry, try to caulk your wagon and float over it, or go for broke and ford the river—throwing caution to the wind and attempting to drive straight through. Those primitive computer graphics of fording the river have nothing on the pure excitement of traversing a body of water in real life from behind the wheel of your Jeep. The fact that the act of doing so shares its name with a certain rival manufacturer is but an unfortunate coincidence. Your Jeep Wrangler can power through up to 30 inches of water, bringing a new level of excitement and freeform exploration to off-roading. Thanks to its moisture-resistant construction and an elevated intake system that keeps water out of its engine, trickling streams and babbling brooks are no match for your Wrangler. Of course, it should go without saying, but don’t try to ford any rivers outside of designated off-road trails. That’s no way to beat traffic.

Tough Terrain Traversal Ability

The same construction principles that allow your Jeep to cross over shallow water also enable it to handle all sorts of obstacles. The rough terrain you might encounter as you take it off the roads won’t stop your Wrangler. When you hit the trails, you’ll be able to drive over treacherous areas without worrying about bottoming out and scraping the more delicate parts of your vehicle. Your Jeep Wrangler boasts a ground clearance of over eight inches, which means there’s a whole lot of space between the lowest point of your Jeep’s undercarriage and the ground. Thanks to some steel reinforcements beneath the body, the jagged rocks and stubborn logs that would do damage to a lesser off-road vehicle are no match for your model. Are you looking for even higher ground clearance? If so, it may be time for you to join a subsection of the Jeep community: the modding community. A larger set of tires can nudge your clearance up by as much as an entire inch. This sounds small, but like football, off-roading is indeed a game of inches, and that nominally tiny bit of extra space could be the difference between whether your Jeep’s next trip is to more trails or the repair shop. If that extra inch still isn’t enough, some suspension lift kits can add several more inches to your Wrangler’s clearance, which may open up a whole new set of exciting off-road challenges for you to overcome. Just be sure that with these modifications, you’re still comfortable driving on the highways, too.

Removable Top

Of the many capabilities of your Jeep Wrangler, perhaps the best-known one is its removable hardtop. This component allows you to hit the roads and trails in the open air. When inclement summer weather calls for restoring some cover, the “ragtop” comes in handy in a pinch. Of course, removing the roof of a sport utility vehicle is no small feat, which is why TopLift Pros innovated a tool for quick and easy Jeep top removal. This remarkable tool allows you to remove your top unassisted in about two minutes while providing safe storage throughout the summer. Enjoying everything your Wrangler can do on and off the roads with the wind in your hair has never been easier.