Electrical and Lighting Upgrades
Throughout our overlanding adventures, we are consistently evaluating and analyzing the needs for our rig. This includes electrical and lighting upgrades that are necessary to ensure our safety and security while exploring in remote and off grid destinations. Here, you can find a list of some of our favorite overlanding gear we have tested and now include in the Road Rash Off Road Jeep.
One of the coolest upgrades I made to my Jeep was a smartphone remote start by MPC. I’d wanted this for years—not just to feel like James Bond, but to pre-warm my car on cold winter mornings. Getting into a freezing Jeep before work is the worst.
Most remote start options required clicking the key fob lock button three times to activate, but this meant you had to be close to the Jeep and often didn't know if it had started. Then I found MPC's solution, which uses an iPhone app. Now, I can start, stop, lock, and unlock my Jeep from anywhere. I’ve even started it from another state for my son. Usually, I just start it from bed to warm up before heading downstairs, and the app confirms it's running.
This is the perfect smartphone remote start for the Jeep Wrangler
Off-roaders are always enhancing their vehicles for better performance both on and off the road. Lighting upgrades, especially roof lighting, are a common focus. I recently tested an affordable switch pod from Xprite, paired with roof lights from Aux Beam.
For the roof lights, I chose round LED lights for their aesthetic appeal and versatility. I opted for a set of bright white lights and a set of amber lights for varied conditions. These lights mount directly onto the Jeep's roof rack and provide powerful illumination without any bluish tint.
To control these lights, I installed a 6-button S Pod switch from Xprite. It features a digital display for monitoring battery health and can accommodate multiple switch-controlled accessories. The system is easily installed in the engine bay. If you're interested in these products, you can find the bright white LEDs and the amber LEDs, and check out the S Pod by Xprite.
Picture this: You're off the grid, enjoying a serene camping trip. But then, disaster strikes: your rig's battery dies overnight because something was left on. No one's around to give you a jump. That's where the Hulkman Jump Starter comes in. With its red and black clamps, you can jumpstart your engine in no time. It's a must-have for any trip, charging fully in just 90 minutes and capable of jumpstarting your car about 9 times before needing a recharge. Plus, it has USB and USB-C ports for charging your devices.
I was contacted by an Amazon brand about reviewing LED smoked black taillights for the Jeep JK. Coincidentally, I was dealing with a short in my Jeep’s tail light that kept blowing each replacement bulb. Interested in the offer, I decided to look into LED taillights.
After researching, I was drawn to the bright white backup lights of this set, which provided a wide flood light for my backup camera. This convinced me to test them out.
These LED taillights not only updated the Jeep's look but also consumed less power, were DOT approved, and had an IP67 waterproof rating. The installation was quick and easy, taking about 8 minutes. If you like the JL style LED look for your Jeep, I recommend these taillights.
