Well, it has been a year since I got my Jeep (January 1, 2025), and I wanted to round out Year One with the latest activities. December was busy for me and the Wastelander Wrangler, and it felt like a fitting way to close out the first chapter. We made some updates that should last me a while, added a few meaningful upgrades, and went off-roading one last time for the year, with a first for my clan.
DIY Upgrades
In terms of upgrades, I installed a few things myself, and Chris Johnson at Rock-Tech did a good bit of additional heavy lifting. I put my DIY work in right after Thanksgiving, and Chris handled the rest in mid-December.
First, I added new seat covers. They protect the original seats, and I like how they match the Wastelander’s High Velocity yellow. Not difficult to install, but there were a few bloody knuckles working in the tight spaces under the seats.
Next, I installed an auto start/stop bypass. Lots of vehicles have this now, where the car shuts off at stoplights. It’s supposedly there to reduce emissions, but the real-world impact seems minimal, while restarting the engine constantly does no favors for the vehicle—or the driver’s sanity. I bought the bypass on Amazon, and after more than a month with it installed, I love it. The install took about five minutes. I did have to pull back part of the dashboard (not hard) to access where it needed to go. Easy peasy, and absolutely worth it.
Last up were new performance LED headlights to replace the factory halogen lights. I went with the Oracle Oculus BiLEDs. I love the bright white output and the sharp cutoff that keeps from blinding oncoming traffic. These things are powerful, and the high beams really light up the night. The install itself was pretty straightforward, though there were definitely some squished hands getting the leveling just right. I also really like the running daylight halo rings. They look great and feel like a meaningful upgrade. I’m glad Lynn has smaller hands, which helped with the final adjustments. All in all, an easy install.
Rock Tech Heavy Lifting
Chris handled the bigger mods. With the larger tires, weight becomes an issue, and the stock rear door setup just isn’t up to the task, in my opinion. Chris recommended an AEV rear bumper with an integrated tire support that takes the load off the door while still working seamlessly with it. I opted to skip additional rear lighting for now and save that for a future round.
Up front, I went with the AEV stubby RX bumper with a skid plate, paired with a Warn VR EVO 8-S winch. We added lighting here as well, including Oracle Oculus fog lights to match the headlights and a Baja Designs amber LED light bar mounted below the bumper. When I flip these on, they absolutely light things up. Chris also did additional electrical work to support the new lights and allow for future expansion. The key to all of the upgrades was the advice Chris at Rock-Tech gave me. Call Chris or find your Chris!
I’ve already stretched the synthetic rope per instructions and added a Factor 55 FlatLink E. The whole setup looks fantastic, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. While I’m sure there will be more to do eventually, I feel like I’m set for major upgrades for the time being. I’ll continue to rely on Chris at Rock Tech, my growing Jeep community—especially Carlos Bautista of my_offrd_adv and Sean Holman of The Truck Show Podcast (among other things) and, of course, what I learn from OVR Magazine (which I highly recommend subscribing to – you can get a discount at The Truck Show Podcast page).
Back to the Mojave
If you didn’t know, the end of December in Southern California was soggy, so we sought some relief in the Mojave between Christmas and New Year—via Las Vegas. On the way back, we took the Wastelander into its natural habitat, exploring dry (or not entirely dry) lake beds just off the 15.
A big first: my daughter Grace drove the Wrangler for the first time—and off-road for the first time. The terrain was almost entirely smooth, with some beautiful scenery along the way. I really enjoy being in places where few people go, and we had the area completely to ourselves. That kind of solitude carries a quiet, almost metaphysical weight that’s hard to describe but easy to feel.
I say almost entirely smooth because we did have one scary moment. Some of the sand was much softer than expected after recent weather, and we hit a soft bank that put the Jeep at what felt like a precarious angle. I was able to back out and retry without tipping, but it definitely got my attention. Being relatively new (we’ve been out six times this year) I’m still learning how dramatic even small angles can feel, especially when the ground itself is shifting beneath you. The adrenaline spike meant I forgot to take pictures, which I regret a bit, but everything worked out just fine. Lesson learned.
Looking Ahead
At the end of a full year of Jeep Wrangler ownership, I’m still genuinely excited. I’ve put a lot into upgrading the base Sport S I started with, and it’s become something that feels distinctly me. The Wastelander has its own personality, gets compliments regularly, and, more importantly, has opened the door to a community I’ve found to be welcoming, generous, and a lot of fun.
I’ve made new friends, learned a lot, and I’m looking forward to what comes next. I’ll keep sharing the journey here as Year Two gets underway.
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