2018 Jeep Wrangler JL
The 2018 Wrangler is the first year of Jeep’s next-generation JL platform. Always a fan favorite for its customizability and off-road capability, the JL promises to keep this trend and further add to it. The introduction of a new diesel engine and 4-cylinder turbo with electric assist add some spice into the lineup, and all new Dana axles, transfer cases and electronic off-road programming are sure to keep the JL a king of the trails.
Enjoy the Outdoors
One of the main selling points of a 2018 Jeep Wrangler is the ability to strip it down and enjoy the fresh air nearly unencumbered. The doors, roof and windshield are all removable, allowing for refreshing fun-in-the-sun adventures. Outfitting your JL with a bikini or mesh top for those sunny days is a superb way to experience the open-air feel of your JL whilst also giving some protection from UV rays. Spanning across the roof bars, a sunscreen top easily straps around the bars and provides some shade for the occupants. Generally made from a mix of nylon strapping and mesh webbing, the sunshades are available as complete or partial blockers, allowing you to decide what level of shade you would like. If you’re out and about in your JL Wrangler all day, a sunshade can absolutely help prevent sunburn and dehydration without diminishing the open air safari experience.
Open Air Security
A really handy accessory to keep in your 2018 JL is a set of grab handles. When the sun comes out and the doors come off, breaking out a set of grab handles and looping them over the roof bars will give onboard passengers a secure hand hold to latch onto should the road or trail become too bumpy. Made from nylon strapping and attaching via Velcro, the only aspect to look at is the hand grip itself. Cheap models may just use a foam cylinder which will wear faster and become mushy when wet versus a molded or padded rubber grip. Otherwise, detachable grab handles are a great item to keep packed away in your Jeep at all times – deceptively simple yet dearly useful.
A Utilitarian Cargo Solution
Due to limited trunk space and cargo volume inside the JL, another great idea to up the utility factor of your 2018 Wrangler JL is through the installation of a roof rack. There are many different rack styles and manufacturers, however following are the most popular:
- 2-bar rack: This type of rack is certainly the most common type found across all vehicles. Comprised of two crossbars (generally aluminum or mild steel) that clamp into the drip edge, a 2-bar system is inexpensive but is limited to lighter loads.
- Carrier Rack: Available in full length or partial length, a carrier rack essentially looks like a shallow basket. With raised sides all the way around the perimeter, a carrier rack offers many strap points to secure cargo alongside the benefit of those raised sides helping to prevent anything from sliding out. Lighter duty versions will mount into the roofs drip edge whereas those with a higher weight capacity will mount to bumper and/or body hard points.
- Modular rack: These tubular racks are made from mild steel and run the entire length of the roof with several cross braces in-between. Mounted to bumper, body and windshield hard points (some racks may require additional drilling), these flat racks are ideal for carrying long items such as canoes and kayaks. However, their major strength is their versatility. Being a modular design, you can consider them the foundation of your roof rack setup. Additional baskets, ladders and other storage boxes can be integrated with these full length racks to achieve a custom and complete roof-top storage solution for your 2018 JL Wrangler.
