OK guys, I have seen this on other forums, and I think something to this effect will be good for us too!

So, you just got a jeep. You are REALLY excited and can't wait to get it on the trails. Let's take some advise from someone who has been there, and has taken some shortcuts (and paid dearly I might add). BEFORE YOU SET FOOT ON ANY TRAIL, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD DO FIRST!

Get it on 4 jackstands (or a hoist, whatever you have!) and do some inspecting.

First, pop all your drain plugs. Axles, tranny, t-fer case, and oil. Change all of them. Doing this now will prevent any more damage being done. While your at it, take a good look at the seals coming out of each assembly. If you have leakers, fix em' now. Then, check all the u-joints. Any movement? Replace em'. Check the front end. Any tie rod ends loose? Replace em'. Look at brake lines, brake pads, fuel lines, engine seals, etc... Anything that could leave you stranded, fix now.

Put the drain plugs back in, then fill everything back up with the proper fluids.

Now, pop all 4 tires off. Check them brakes over. The last thing you want on the trail are bad brakes... believe me! If they look suspicious, replace em'. Don't skimp here, do it right.

Ok, back on with the tires. Check for play in the bearings and ball joints. If they move, well you get the idea.

Now, make sure to change all the filters. Fuel, oil, and air. Cheap stuff that will be big if they fail because of age. While your at it, a tune up is always a good way to start off too. Plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. Of you have an older jeep, toss that crappy coil and pick up an Accel one. Those old girls only had about 4-6 thousand volts, the Accel one runs 40 thousand. You'll thank me later for that one.

While your under the hood, give the wiring a good once over. Repair any bad connections and replace wires if the insulation is worn off. Nothing more frustrating than electrical problems on the trail. Make sure your battery connections are good. If the battery is old, you may want to think about replacing it. Most major name auto parts places will load test it for free, so a stop into one of them may be a good idea. Also check for oil leaks up top. Fix em' now, and you won't have to worry about it later.

Now check all your belts and hoses. If the belts have major cracks, replace em'. If the hoses feel soft and squishy, you know what to do.

Check your brake and power steering fluid. If they look funky, replace it out.

OK, now we can get it back on the ground and fire it up. First, check the brakes. If you slam on them, does the jeep try to put you through the windshield?? If not, you have more work to do on the brakes. Make sure they bleed out good, and replace the Master Cylinder if it's bad.

BAD BRAKES EQUALS BAD ACCIDENTS ON TRAILS. No discussion there.

OK, I'll update this more as my brain allows. Also, any suggestions to add to this just post below. I'll add to the main body as needed.