Upgrading your Jeep isn’t a simple matter of just buying a more expensive version of what you’ve got. That might work if you’re just trying to have the best commute possible, but if you’re going out adventuring in a Jeep, your favorite activities should influence the choices you make. The best wheels and tires for an afternoon on muddy trails near home will not be the same ones you want for running dunes near a beach or for overlanding in unknown areas. So how do you decide? It starts by understanding your options.

Suspension Reinforcement

No matter what your off-road activities of choice are, it’s a good idea to reinforce the suspension and upgrade the tires if you’re leaving pavement. Step one is usually a lift kit, which provides both improved off-road suspension performance and a little more distance from the ground when you’re running on uneven terrain. Choosing between Jeep Wrangler lift kits is a matter of asking yourself a few quick questions and then comparing your choices to your answers:

• How much can I afford right now?
• What other upgrades do I need to buy with this?
• What kits fit my favorite activities?

Any lift kit upgrade is better than none, so if you’re just starting to customize your Jeep, an all-terrain kit designed as a starter upgrade is probably your best bet. If you’re overhauling your build to change its performance profile, you’re probably going to get more out of an investment in a top-end, specialized lift kit build.

Choosing Your Wheels and Tires

It’s usually a good idea to buy off-road wheels and tires that are a little larger than your stock tires for the same reason it’s a good idea to get a lift kit. It’s easier to manage uneven terrain when you’ve got bigger, deeper treads that can power over small obstacles like stones. So what do you need in Jeep wheels and tires packages? That depends on your choice of outing:

• All-terrain riders into overlanding, camping, and generally powering through trails and low-maintenance service roads should opt for a simple all-terrain tire upgrade
• Mud tires are designed to push liquid, slush, and of course, mud away from the center tread, and their large, deep treads provide traction in all that slick muck
• Beach and dune tire packages feature large, knobby tread designs for traction in the dry sand, with no clear channels for liquid
• Snow tires are somewhere between the last two, being designed for powder, ice, and wet slush in turn and look a lot like all-terrain tires as a result

That should help you pick out a good upgrade, but read up on each choice before you finalize anything. See what the manufacturers made them for.

Additional Off-Road Upgrades

There are a couple items that are an absolute must-have alongside any off-road tire and wheel upgrade. On top of the lift kit, you need to buy the tools to stay safe and get yourself out of trouble. Winches for Jeeps have been a staple for decades because they let you pull yourself free if you get stuck in the great beyond, but they’re not the only must-have for an adventurer. Consider a winch/hoist combo to get the best of both tools, and ask yourself if you’d benefit from upgrades like rooftop tents and cargo racks as well.