The Build Begins! 5 Jeep Wrangler TJ Upgrades 

I hope you all are staying safe and healthy! We've got a few more garage projects we'll be doing over the next couple days while we are staying home. If there is something you would like to see, let us know.

THIS IS SOOOO FREAKING COOL A BUILD SERIES ON A TJ!!!!!!

As a TJ owner myself I can’t wait to see this thing progress.

LOVE the father son aspect of the channel. Reminds me of my dad and I, with a lot less frustration lol. Jordan and you are twins! Great vid as always brother! Stay safe. Perfect time for upgrades!

I like the lights on the fairlead. Some smaller squared wide lights off to the sides would be cool too. Please continue to show us this build especially the LIFT!! Your channel and a couple others inspired me to make my own. You & the family stay healthy!

Celebrating 20 years with my 97 TJ Sahara this week and I also have a 2014 JKUR. Keep the TJ simple, light and functional. So fun!

I don't know why you guys don't have more subscribers. Your videos are high quality! The offroad community needs to show the love and get the word out for you guys. Especially the newbies like me! Take care and good luck with the project.

Great information! I’m Inspired to start on my 97 TJ. With 297000 miles and still going strong Can’t wait to see more and get some ideas. Thank you!

Looks like you are going to have fun with this rig! Excited to see how you build it out! Oh, mad thank both of you for your service!! I am an Army Desert Storm veteran and have been in or worked for the Army for the last 33 years ... love my military !! Now overland is my passion! Love watching your videos! Carry on!!!

I’m convinced Jordan is US Navy issued robot

1.25 BL Savvy, Currie Lift. 1"MML, low clearance T-Case pan (tummy tuck) GCF, and finally SAVVY T-Case Shifter linkage

There's so much you can do with a trusty old TJ! So many mods out there to choose from. If you plan to take the doors off a lot, you could mount mirrors on the A pillars. That way they're always on. You could switch out the gear shifter head, put leds in the dashboard, put in all kinds of storage boxes under and behind the seats, new head and tail lights, decorative decals, side rails, flat fenders for more clearance... Since he wants to put a roof rack on top for a tent, you're probably not putting down the soft top so you could even get one of those hatchback soft top replacements that doesn't really go down but adds a new look that follows the roll cage.

Yes I am enjoying a lot with your videos and over all getting ideas to improve as well my TJ 1997. Greetings from Spain guys. Still alive! Take care there in States

Jordan, your Jeep is shaping up nicely. Keep up the good work. Good Dad/Son time.

I'm also a jeep enthusiast from South Africa this has made me realize that it is not that bad to get a functional cheap jeep and upgrade it the way you want this is so interesting I'll come back to this vids once mine is bought thanks trailrecon

Thank you for putting this together!! What a great escape of all the craziness going on in the world!! Great video!!

I love my 67 Designs phone mount. It is incredibly solid, and is one of my favorite mods.

I had one of the first 2 door Rubicons like this. That was one of my favorite jeeps of all time. I have had 8. It was a beast! Yall will have fun with this! I cant wait to see where you go with it!

Love the light location with lights above the winch. Honestly the bumper isn’t the worst, maybe some texture paint (like bed lining) would make it look better? Looking good so far, can’t wait for the new video. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

Love the build. This makes me miss my old TJ, but the JL-U is more family friendly. Have fun!

Excited to come back to the channel and see work done on a TJ! 03 Owner here with 140k miles.

When I lifted my 05 TJ, I installed a 1 inch body lift, 1 inch M.O.R.E. motor mount lift and a 33 Engineering skid plate which only hangs down 1 inch below the frame and pushes the transfer case and transmission back to it's stock location under the body. Its too bad they don't exist any more. Good start, Jordan!

I’m offended he killed Cookie Monster to make his sweater 😂 just playin

I’m a TJ owner!! Love this video seeing your upgrades its awesome!!!

Since I was 16 I've had a TJ, best MOD that is very inexpensive is the TJ dome light switch that quadratec has... easy install and very convenient when u want the doors off.

i installed the smittybuilt SRC Cage in my daughters TJ.. Best safety investment ever .. Then added Lockers.. Jeep ran the rubicon on 33's with no issues

👏👏 New Trailrecon Video! Best way to pass time in quarantine

At first glance, l thought Jordan was sporting a bathrobe.

Your a great dad. I love wrenching with my kids.

I’m 6’6” and I found the big boy seat bracket was a huge help on my TJ. Adds a ton of leg room, it really helps for those long drives. Love the new rig!

Thanks to him AND you guys for your service. Great way for a son and father to hobby together. And I'm sure the TJ vs JK vs JL will come out

It’s so thoughtful to post such a nice video on these hard days..keep up the good job and we are looking forward for the next one!

Looking forward to watching this build. After 4 years I finally have time to replace stock steering components and install lift kit on our TJ.

So pumped that there is a TJ build in 2020. I own one myself and its nice to wrench on something that is simple for a change. Keep it up.

Love the TJ videos! Takes me back to my first Jeep which was a brand new red 2002 TJ X I bought after graduating college. The 4.0 really responds to basic mods like a quality intake, header, bigger throttle body, exhaust and a tune to tie it all together. You’re gonna need more power after the 35s, even with gearing. Keep the TJ videos coming!!

Very cool. Look forward to watching the build unfold.

I'm glad to see things getting closer to the roots around here.

Love wrenching with my son. As I just bought my son a 2008 jk sahara. I know you enjoy the father son time just as do!

Thanks for the share guys looking forward to the continued videos

Great to see you guys.....Thank goodness for trail Recon and You Tube!!!

Wow! Not only do I enjoy your channel, but I respect your channel. Your son, a Navy Corpsman saved his money while stationed in 'Okinawa'! so few Americans understand what this means. But I do. You should be very proud of your son! As a matter of fact, I am proud of your son! This young man as earned every ounce of this Jeep! This young man is doing what so few would ever consider, serve & save. I really hope you two have some great memories building this Jeep, and driving it, may God bless both of You! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!

Great to see this build as we shelter in place here in Colorado. I like the comment "don't tell mom she doesn't have a winch". Good stuff

I’ve been out of the Jeep game for several years but one of my Favorite accessories I added to my LJ were the Misch Big Boy Seat brackets. They made riding in an LJ/TJ that more comfortable. Since he looks like he has some Long legs I’d bet he’d appreciate them.

Beyond excited for this build!

Father and Son projects ! Good times, Great adventures !👍🇺🇸

This build has me more excited than the gladiator build. Can't wait to see what lift wheels are tire he chose. And being a father son build really ads to the fun of the videos. My son is 15 and I've been throwing the idea around about getting him a beater tj to play with.

1 to 1.25 inch body lift. Motor mount lift, 2-3 inch suspension lift, belly up/tummy tuck. With flat fenders and 35's. Great combo. Run this set up myself and absolutely love it.

Navy Corpsman. Following in dads footsteps. Very cool.

looks great hoss! from one vet to another....thanks for your service

Don't forget a out bending the relay in the fuse box to run your fog lights and your high beams at the same time. I like the lights mounted on the winch! Cant wait to see what lift you got.

lookin forward to the lift and bigger tires. It's about to look like a beast.

This is great...enjoy watching the upgrades so far. I’m about to start on my 2006 LJ...looking forward to the lift install.

I like the lights mounted on the winch in the center. I have a similar winch now I might be ordering me some lights 🤙🏽

Just came back from korea. Just bought a LJ rubicon and I’m loving every bit of it.

THANK YOU ! BE SAFE ! HAVE FUN ! GOD BE WITH YOU ALL ALWAYS ! ENJOYED !

Thanks for sharing a true home build rather than some thing that is just blown out by outrageous sponsors. Good to see father and son working together.

So happy to see a TJ on this channel! 👍🏻

I LIKE THE WAY THEY ARE NOW, LIGHT WISE!, CHEERS! Jon

Pristine TJ Rubicons are becoming unicorns... Really hard to come by. Hopefully it will retain some of its stock appeal. Good luck, Jeep on! 😎👍

Thanks for the entertainment I'm a XJ owner but have loved all jeeps since I was a kid I'm 41 year old kid lol, anyways looking forward to more build videos to come!

Good quality times with your son.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice young man! Glad to see some father and son team ups especially in the youtube jeep world. Great TJ content keep it coming. Hope to see more in the future!

Can't wait to see the lift kit installed! My first Jeep was a red TJ!

Well done guys nothing like father and son time. Please be safe out there

Love the videos thanks for something fun to watch i did the same thing on my jeep couldn't find a front bumper i liked and went with winch plate your son's a good man be safe guys

The TJ is coming out really nice!!!

Absolutely love your personal and professional brand!!

Great job Jordan she’s coming along 👍 ,this build is going to be so sweet congrats again can’t wait , great stuff brad as always be safe

Its great to see father and son working together in a TJ :). I have my TJ still from factory and I want to start making improvements on it when this Covid thing finish! Greetings from Spain.

Enjoyed the video. I like the lights centered on the fair-lead myself. I like that you do videos on the TJ, JK and JL. Something for everyone!

Great. I'm enjoying you guys change this jeep. Look forward to the next one.

So glad I found this channel. I'm brand new to jeeping and loving it. I just purchased a 2000 red TJ just like this one...sort of. Mine is not the Rubicon. But your videos are helpful and I'm really looking forward to building mine the way I want it. Thanks for the quality videos and inspiration. Blessings.

I own a 06' tj Rubicon. Cant wait to see your upgrades...

I love these father and son projects...thanks for sharing...take care and be safe, guys

Like the lights on the winch. Thanks for showing the how-to; great video.

In the Marines we called that "appropriating" ;) Thanks for serving Docs, nobody appreciates Navy Corpsmen more than us Grunts. Another great video!!!

I’m excited to see what this TJ will do!

Great video Brad. Your son looks just like you !!! Looking forward to the next video.

Hooyah Doc and Baby Doc!! Glad to see yall keeping busy during this time. Cant wait to see how the TJ progresses.

Love the look of the factory bumper with a winch. Very clean and simple.

Good starter mods! Can't wait to see what's next!!!

Another fun video Brad! I hope to be able to wheel with y’all someday!

I’m loving these TJ videos! I also own a TJ Rubicon. Thanks for the great content!

I thought about a 3" lift w/ 33's but fortunately very early on getting into off roading Jeeps, many told me, their TJ became very sluggish going from just 32's to 33's in addition to a domino effect of needing additional expensive parts. And I'm glad I listened! Because I drove a TJ with this set up and it didn't have that low end torque and was very slow off the line. And most of them returned to 32's while some fell for the aftermarket bait, very expensive bait. I get many who want to know what is the perfect build. Which is not easy to answer because everyone does different things with their Jeep. But I would like to share mine since my '05 TJ Rocky Mtn drives and handles absolutely amazing on and off road. Keep in mind, I am NOT a rock crawler, although I don't go out seeking rock crawling it's still a lot of fun encountering them on the trail and knowing the TJ can handle it. I'm an adventurer who takes the family beach wheelin, beach camping, surf fishing, and we hit fun, moderate trails in the fall and winter getting to our favorite fishing holes and camp sites. Which is why the build is for what's near and for what we do, nothing was put on this TJ unnecessarily for show. I see too many "spotless Jeeps" with 33's - 38's. As long as you have good off road instincts and common sense, a modest, high quality build will allow you and your family to have a lot of fun! All in, I'm at $25k with my '05 TJ Rocky Mtn. And I can honestly say build wise, I'm done!! I might Raptor line it since the TJ has a few rough paint spots and won't ever have to worry about off road pinstriping again. The best part is, this TJ not only keeps up, but outperforms a lot of these $40k - $75k JK's & JL' s. Due in part to people's inexperience and just "over building". The '05 TJ has a modest build, yet is extremely capable, durable and best of all, affordable. I encourage any Jeeper to search for a rust free TJ 4.0 I6, preferably stock, 3.73's w/ LSD and a Dana 44. And to use my build as a "guide". But I highly recommend this build for anyone who is an adventurer, not a rock crawler. Best of all, it will eliminate you from chasing your tail, and the aftermarket will have one less "just empty every pocket" victim out there! It was a lot of trial and error but it has been well worth it. 2" Old Man Emu coils 32" KO2's or 32" BFG MT's Quadratec Baja alloy rims - perfect backspacing - no rub! Currectlync steering Freedom Off Road front Adj track bar M.O.R.E steering box brace JKS quick disconnects Freedom Off Road front lower Adj control arms The rest are fixed Detroit Axles Transfer case drop kit Fox 2.0 Shox Fox steering stabilizer Professional 4x4 shop to do the alignment Since doing this, I have had the best experience with any vehicle I've ever had. Staying with 32's allows us Jeepers to maintain that great low end torque, saves us a lot of money on unnecessary aftermarket parts and still be able to wheel most anywhere. It's the best of all worlds! One of my favorite mods was adding a Banks cat back exhaust giving it a throaty growl, but not obnoxiously loud ticking off the neighbors. Absolutely perfect for the 4.0 I6. Most importantly, be honest with yourself, build your TJ for what you will be using it for. And know YOU CAN do great trails and much more with just a 2" lift and 32" ko2's or MT's! DO NOT let the aftermarket pushers fool or shame you into thinking you "need" 33" - 40" tires and a 5" lift to wheel. That's 🦬💩! They know full well, once they get you at 33's, it's a freaking cash cow for them! Because you just embarked on their multi thousand dollar build conveyor belt. And it's 100% unnecessary for moderate wheelin'! Your axles, drive train, drive shafts, engine, gearing and a host of a lot of other stuff now "needs" to be upgraded. The aftermarket pushers feast on naive people. Don't be that guy! Like cereal companies saying breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the aftermarket will continue to take advantage of the misinformed. And anyone with a 2 door JL Rubicon, while I definitely prefer my '05 TJ Rocky Mtn over anything from '07 - present, I have to say these 2 dr JL Rubicons are absolutely complete, no reason to do anything to them! 33" MT's, perfect stock height lift, 4:1 ratio, lockers, etc. I wheeled with a couple that have this animal of Jeep and told them to leave it alone, it's perfect! They knew what they had and I don't forsee them changing anything. I tell them mine is just as capable and $40k less. 😎 But at least they won't have to spend so much as a dollar in unnecessary upgrades. O|||||||O 🇺🇲 Only in a 2 Dr 🇺🇲 '41- '06

I love it, I might have to take some anger from mama bear but my boy is setup. Reminds me of my dad❤️

Coming along nicely! Definitely like the lights mounted above the winch.

Had my Tj since October 2016. Tailgate Table is a must. If you haven’t already, upgrade the dome light to an LED. With the soft top, make sure the canvas above the front seats is taught or else water will pool up. Another thing I’ve been considering doing to mine is running a 12V power connection and a switch for the dome light to the back of the Jeep at the base of the C pillar. Good luck and happy wheeling!!

Enjoyed watching the video and was recalling my first winch install using the Warn winch plate with Warn Power Plant winch on my then stock bumper. I liked the KC Lites. Good start on the upgrades. Looking forward to more videos.

Remember to check the OPDA on a 2006 TJ is a Crown replacement and cam condition! Thrilled to see a TJ build!

I am new to the channel. Just wanted to say thank you for creating these videos. Stay safe and healthy everyone.

The more lights on the rig, the better. Thanks for sharing mods to an older model.

TJ's are really good honestly just keep everything nice and greased up and keep and eye on you ball joints

I prefer these smaller installs as they are the types of mods I can afford and will actually put on my Jeep (though mine is a JK).

If the kit doesn’t come with them, I would look into getting some Beefy control arms, as a previous TJ owner I remember that being a weak point for mine. love the build !! Cant wait to see more

awesome content cant wait to follow this build as I build my own TJ!

Brad & Jordan, Love, Love, Love the TJ(especially the color 😉) My first Jeep was a '99 TJ and I totally miss it. Can't wait to see all of the mods. One recommendation...my last jeep was a soft top and had the fire extinguisher mounted in the cargo area. The only issue was getting that rear window open quickly. Here in the desert the dust and sun murder the zipper and getting the window open was somewhat of a chore. I found a mount for the rail on my driver seat for quick and easy access. Just a thought...thanks for keeping us entertained.

Great video as ever Brad & Jordan !

Nice family. Nice Jeep. Thanks for sharing.

Super nice to be able to spend time with your son. Great channel.

Awesome build, looks new!