There can be no doubt—owning a Jeep Wrangler is fun. Part of that fun comes from removing the Jeep’s hardtop and doors and hitting the road for some wild and free open-air adventures. However, as cooler temperatures work their way into most of North America, we scale back a little bit of that wild freedom and restore the jeep’s roof.
That doesn’t mean that the fun is over. Wranglers are almost infinitely customizable, and one popular modification is to install a roof rack—turning that roof you can’t wait to take off into a useful tool that’ll have you eager to put the roof back on. Here’s why you should install a rack on your Jeep’s roof and get the most out of a part of the Jeep you’d otherwise rather keep stowed away.
Video Overview
More Space in the Cabin
If you’re going on a camping trip, a Jeep is a great way to get you there. Without the right mods, however, it’s not the best way to get you, three friends, and the requisite supplies there. That’s where a roof rack comes in. By strapping supplies to the top of the Jeep, you’ll free up space within the vehicle for passengers to ride comfortably to your destination—cranky companions can ruin a camping trip before you even pitch a tent.
Canoe Believe In Miracles? Yes!
If you’re enthusiastic about hitting the water, you probably won’t be content to rent craft from some tourist-trapping agency. Eventually, you’ll want to make a long-term investment and spring for a canoe or kayak of your own. Congratulations. Once you do, you need a rack atop your Jeep to get it to the river or lake. Canoes and roof racks are a perfect match, and it’s no surprise that a roof rack is one of the most popular Jeep upgrades for the particularly outdoor-minded. Be careful with underpasses, however—you don’t want to misjudge your clearance and lose your brand-new canoe before you even use it.
Stop the Sliding Stuff
Our third reason why you should install a rack on your Jeep’s roof has a lot to do with the first. Let’s go back to the part about passengers in the cabin not feeling cramped. Comfort is important, yes, but safety is more important still, and having fewer contents shifting around the Jeep’s interior makes driving safer for everyone. Driving a Jeep—or any vehicle—through heavy traffic and over challenging terrain can lead to some bumps, sudden stops, or sharp turns, all of which can send cargo sliding and flying. It can be a distraction, a nuisance, or even a hazard. Securing that cargo to your Jeep’s new roof rack means less for you and your friends and family to worry about when the driving is less than smooth. That could be reason enough to get started on installing that rack.
