Hey everyone, I'm new to the Jeep community and I just bought a 2016 Jeep Renegade Latitude and I'm very interested in doing some off-roading, any advice on any mods I can do, to make my Jeep more capable. Also is the latitude well off road? I know it's not the trail hawk but is it still capable? Sent from my iPhone using ToasterJeep mobile app
Things you might want to consider for off-roading with a 4x4 Latitude model fall into a couple of general categories. 1.) A large number of people head right for the lift kits, wheel spacers, off-road-oriented wheels and tires, and related modifications. These sorts of things can make your Latitude more off-road capable. There are plenty of options, not to mention opinions. A search by topic will yield plenty of suggestions, pictures and experiences. 2.) The second category is underbody protection and the features needed when "things go wrong" off road. That's an area where you'll find much less information. A Latitude differs from the more off-road-ready Trailhawk model in areas such as ground clearance (an easy fix), skid plates (potentially costly), approach angle (also costly; Trailhawk front bumper allows much more clearance), and tow hooks (nearly unfeasible to duplicate the Trailhawk tow hooks). Unfortunately, the aftermarket has not yet developed a robust array of choices in these areas. You can shop for Trailhawk parts, but things like the tow hooks are not simple bolt-ons. And the over-the-counter price for Trailhawk underbody protection is quite high. Addressing these issues with aftermarket parts is currently either not feasible or quite expensive. To answer your more general question, yes, the 4x4 Latitude model has a certain level of off-road capability. Enough, in fact, to get you into some trouble and possible expense if you head off without preparation. Caution is called for due to things like its stock tires, lack of protection and lower ground clearance -- all compared to a Trailhawk. You can also bang up some expensive underbody parts. And if you get good and stuck, there's a real possibility of damage if you try to snatch it out with traditional off-road methods. To sum it up, this doesn't mean you can't off-road in the Latitude. Just use good judgement, know your limits and spend your money where it will do the most good with respect to the conditions you expect to encounter.
First study the 4x4 system and understand how it works, stock you should have a great time on access/fire roads and most basic trails... gain some experience and check out what other owners are doing, then you can invest in those things that make the most sense for you. You'll be surprised how agile these buggers are. Sent from my SM-T810 using ToasterJeep mobile app
Yea I've driven on some light trails and have been mudding, I'm thinking about investing in a lift, some skid plates, and in the future a winch once I get more experienced. Sent from my iPhone using ToasterJeep mobile app
Invest in a full size spare! Don't rely on the repair kit when on the trail... my experience with tire damage off-road is that they're not usually going to be repairable. Also, a rack and extra provisions for gas, water, minor repairs and find methods for extraction as you don't have tow points built in. Sent from my SM-T810 using ToasterJeep mobile app
If you want to do some inexpensive things, look at things like the interior protection (the dealer-available or aftermarket rubber floor mats), wheels/tires, and even the factory-type trailer hitch which would allow for the installation of a rear recovery hook. You can add a touch of extra ground clearance with bigger tires, without having to resort to spacers or a lift. Consider going through your manual and getting under the vehicle, look for actual recovery points at the front end so that if you do get stuck you know where you can hook on without tearing the front off by accident like has happened to other non-Trailhawk models. I'd bet that you're going to be fine on most forest-service roads, power line maintenance roads, that sort of thing. I wouldn't go romping, I'd use the vehicle to go see the sights, where you happen to benefit from having a 4x4.
Not as a rule, but they can... Consult with your dealership, I know quite a few guys with lifts on Jeeps and Ram pickups and no issues with their bumper to bumper FCA warranties (not including the non-stock parts). BUT... some lifts can cause real issues if they're poorly designed and void a warranty. Sent from my SM-G920T using ToasterJeep mobile app
I just got my Latitude 4x4 a couple weeks ago and finally got it off of the pavement last weekend. We had a blast on the forest access roads, but since I still have the stock "car" tires on it, we found a couple spots (river crossings) where things got questionable due to wet rocks and/or sand. Take your time and go easy! I am definitely looking into some more aggressive tires and adding some underbody protection before trying anything too difficult. I stopped by the local dealer yesterday and got one of the guys looking into the Deserthawk rock sliders for me. Hopefully I will hear back from him soon. I do have one question to piggyback off this thread, I have the 1.4L manual transmission so does anyone know what the different 4x4 modes do? I understand on the automatics it can change which gear they start in but I have no idea about the manual. Also, is there a benefit to having the traction control on or off while offroad? (Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere, I haven't been able to find it yet.)
As somebody with 14yrs of dealership experience, I can tell you the lift kit WILL technically void the warranty on the suspension components and some of the driveline components likes axles & u-joints because the lift changes the working angles & loads on those components. At the dealer I work at we don't really bust people's chops that much on lifted trucks because it's usually not worth the fuss of them getting corporate involved so we'll still warranty the FACTORY parts the first time they fail. What it should NOT void is the warranty on every other system on the truck unless they can prove your lift kit directly caused that component to fail. It's not a blanket warranty void that covers the entire vehicle. That's not to say the dealer employees won't try to BS you into thinking your whole warranty is void tho. There are shady folks in every business. Some dealers are just better than others. You may have to make a few phone calls & emails but everything non-suspension related should still be covered. Sent from my iPhone using ToasterJeep mobile app
Im pretty sure it'll change the sensitivity of the traction control (or even turn it off in sand) and it might change other sensitivities too. I've only really used snow and mud. Snow seemed to pump brakes for me on ice when I had trouble with stopping, and mud allowed enough slip to the wheels to toss mud everywhere while driving
This will help you understand your 4x4 system a little better, they've really put alot of work into making it effective. I've had my Trailhawk in snow, sand, rock, washes full of gravel and windy mountain roads that were wet and icy... the system works great. http://www.jeep.com/en/4x4/ Sent from my SM-G920T using ToasterJeep mobile app
WE WANT PART NUMBERS! Seriously, that's the biggest deficiency on the Trailhawk model, and being able to consider the factory parts in addition to the aftermarket options would be helpful.
I was at my dealership here in Vegas yesterday and the parts guy couldn't find a part number for me. He knew what I was talking about and this dealership is all about off-road mods, they do Jeeps and Ram pickups... It's a big part of their service business. Bummer. Sent from my SM-G920T using ToasterJeep mobile app
