removing gas tank skid plate on a wk jeep grand cherokee

Or… you can walk onto pretty much any Jeep dealer’s lot and drive out with a V8 (or even a turbo diesel!!) Grand Cherokee for less than half that. You can also certainly pony up $80-100 thousand for an AEV JKU350 or Brute Double Cab and have a world class overland platform. The enthusiasts with deep pockets end up spending tens of thousands of dollars making that dream happen. You will read all the time from Jeep vehicle enthusiasts and overlanders how they want a diesel or V8 powered Jeep. Driver fatigue at the end of the day is real.

It isn’t “X-TREME!”, but it’s still a Wrangler. So why repent of a beloved YJ so well built? Why leave behind years of R&D that resulted in a one-of-a-kind Wrangler that can take you wherever you want to go and back? Well, that YJ is as uncompromising in its capabilities as it is compromised in comfort. I was convinced it may even replace my YJ on the next big trip… The WK proved to be capable enough that I didn’t hesitate taking it on some weekend warrior missions.

The cruise control! The air conditioning! The digital media navigation radio I could actually hear on the interstate! The roominess! The ride! The fuel economy! Oh, I was in love, and this was just a Laredo! Not fancy by Grand Cherokee standards at all. After returning from another “trip” to Afghanistan, I purchased a 2005 WK Grand Cherokee Laredo with a 4.7 V8 and a pile of miles. I wanted something capable for my continuing adventures but also comfortable and quiet for the long trips. I am over a decade (and thousands of dollars in modifications) deep into my second YJ, and it is thoroughly built out for overland adventures, complete with an expedition trailer. You can’t blame me, I was in my twenties. Well, I didn’t buy that red ZJ, I had recently bought a 1991 YJ Wrangler SE and was in love with the topless freedom and short wheelbase.

Removing gas tank skid plate on a wk jeep grand cherokee