A built Wrangler gets heavy fast. Add 37-inch tires, armor, suspension, and trail gear, and the stock 4.0L has to work a lot harder on the highway and on the trail. Our turbocharger kit was the simple answer here: keep the stock engine, add about 65 horsepower, and bring in the power and torque needed to move the extra load. That meant the Jeep could stay in gear and hold speed on the freeway, then respond right off idle in sand, mud, steep ravines, and rocky hill climbs. Instead of going to an expensive engine swap, the turbo gave this LJ the pull it needed everywhere it was used.
Peter and Jared recapped their experience on the 2014 4-Wheel & Offroad Magazine Ultimate Adventure, a week-long wheeling trip held at undisclosed locations until the event was over. With the secrecy lifted, they used the recap to share photos and video from the trip and to explain how they prepared their Jeep for the demands of the route.
The vehicle started as a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited. Rather than completely re-engineering the platform, they kept the basic combination relatively simple and focused on modifications that would support both trail performance and highway travel. The major powertrain change was the addition of a turbocharger kit to an otherwise largely stock setup, chosen as the most practical way to offset the weight they planned to add.
The Jeep was built heavier than stock to survive the trip and carry the equipment required for extended off-road travel. It was fitted with 37-inch Trail Grapplers mounted on TrailReady HDTL wheels, along with substantial armor plating and a Rock Krawler long-arm kit front and rear. Those upgrades improved durability and suspension capability, but they also added significant mass and increased the load on the engine, especially when combined with the larger tires.
Jared explained that the turbocharger was selected because the Jeep needed more usable power without resorting to a much more expensive Hemi conversion. The added weight, larger tires, and travel gear made the vehicle harder to push down the highway, particularly when trying to maintain freeway speeds of 70 to 75 mph. With the turbo system installed, the Jeep could stay in gear all day long without constantly dropping out of overdrive, making it far better suited to long-distance travel between trail sections.
According to the recap, the turbo kit added about 65 horsepower. That increase was enough to materially change how the Jeep drove both on-road and off-road. On the highway, it restored the ability to carry speed despite the heavier build. On the trail, it delivered the extra power and torque needed to climb, crawl, and recover momentum when the terrain became difficult.
The trip covered a wide range of terrain across several states, which gave the Jeep a chance to prove itself in very different conditions. In Nebraska, they encountered sand hills. In Iowa, the challenge was muddy slopes. Illinois brought steep ravines, while Missouri featured rocky hill-climb sections. Across all of those environments, they said the turbo responded immediately off idle and consistently supplied the power needed to get up hills and over obstacles.
Their conclusion was that the turbocharged Jeep performed reliably every time they asked it to work. The combination of added low-end response, improved torque delivery, and better overall drivability made a noticeable difference throughout the event. Rather than struggling under the burden of armor, gear, suspension upgrades, and 37-inch tires, the Jeep remained capable in each terrain type they faced.
They closed by noting that their company builds more than diesel parts. In addition to diesel applications, they also support gasoline-powered trucks and Jeeps with products such as air intakes, exhaust systems, and turbocharger kits. The Ultimate Adventure Jeep served as an example of that broader product range, showing how forced induction could be used to improve the performance of a gasoline-powered off-road vehicle prepared for demanding trail use.