JEEPS ARE MORE THAN JUST A VEHICLE, more
even than sturdy off-road workhorses — they’re a lifestyle. That piece of wisdom comes from
Tom Richardson, head of Warrior Products in Tualatin, Oregon, near Portland. What he
means is that there’s a joie d’vie about the little WWII veterans. Call it sportiness,
spontaneity, openness — they all refer to the feeling that every day should be another grand
adventure.
In a way Warrior Products dates back as far as 1975 — at least that was the year the seed
was planted. Richardson and his brother were deep into drag racing, but the lure of the
asphalt paled in comparison to the challenge of the dirt. So they sold their dragster, bought
an off-road rig and started racing, winning the Grand Nationals, back-to-back, in 1978-79.
To feed their habit, they developed an off-road parts retail business that enjoyed a 25-year life
span. Warrior Products was a logical development when Richardson decided he’d rather
make their products himself.
“Our first product was a hitch,” Richardson says. “I was dealing with a hitch company that
wouldn’t warranty their product, so I decided to manufacture one.” Starting with the hitch in
1992, the company has expanded to a catalog of 400 Jeep Parts and accessories, from
bumpers and grille guards to body armor, roof racks and suspension systems, sold through a
nationwide network of retailers such as 4 Wheel Parts. The company also makes
accessories for the Suzuki Samuri, Landcruisers and other light trucks, but 90 percent of their
line is Jeep.
With Richardson’s engineering background, the evolution from retailer to manufacturer wasn’t
that much of a stretch. He had also acquired a strong sense of customer service during his
years in retail as well as an appreciation for the devotion of Jeep owners to their rides,
whatever the model or year.
“The early Jeeps were good off-road rigs, but were pretty rough on the pavement,” he says.
“When they added the coil spring suspension, the Jeep was more user friendly. But whether
it’s the early version or the more recent, Jeep owners are loyal to the brand.” And, even
though post-coil spring Jeeps have a broader appeal, Warrior products’ common denominator
is heavy-duty dependability, starting with the materials.
The key to the strength of Warrior’s accessories is HRP&O steel — hot-rolled, pickled and
oiled. While that might sound like something gelatinous you’d find in a big jar at the corner
bar, it’s really a more expensive form of the raw material. “It has a shiny, glossy look,”
explains Richardson, “not flaky like conventional steel. And, it creates a better part with a
nicer finish.” The same standards apply to the polished aluminum diamond tread used on
Warrior’s Jeep body armor — nothing but the best suppliers.
Quality control makes up another part of the equation. Warrior products are manufactured
in-house at the facility in Tualatin, Oregon as opposed to being mass-produced overseas in
countries known for poisonous dog food and tread-separating tires.
Since Richardson started out manufacturing hitches, we’ll focus on them first. Warrior’s
heavy-duty Class III-designed bolt-on hitches work with factory bumpers as well as
aftermarket tube bumpers and handle a 3500- to 5000-pound capacity, depending on the
vehicle application. The company’s ball mounts, available in either black or chrome, range
from a 2-inch to a full 12-inch drop to accommodate vehicle lifts. Even though Richardson
expanded into manufacturing out of frustration with a hitch company that wouldn’t provide a
product warranty, interestingly enough, Warrior products doesn’t carry warranties on the
theory that if something never breaks why warranty it?
Richardson and his staff’s understanding of the specific Jeep market is reflected in the range
of products and material options. “Each part of the country has its own category of exterior
products,” he says. Example: half-doors work in Southern California where the worst thing
that can fly up at you is sand.
Polished aluminum diamond tread accessories take center stage of Warrior’s product line.
The lineup includes corner and backplate panels, front frame covers, sideplates, tailgate and
front fender covers, door inserts, half doors and gas-tank covers. The armor transforms a
banged-up Jeep into a work of art, or gives that urban runabout the look of a serious off-roader.
Manufactured from #3003 aluminum treadbrite, the body panels are durable, won’t peel or rust
like chrome-plate and won’t break like plastic. These diamond-patterned accessories are also
available with a scratch-resistant black powder coating or in polished aluminum.
You’re probably thinking this is all well and good, but your rig powers through brush with
some species strong enough to carve pinstripes in a rig that gets too close. Or you bounce off
unavoidable boulders sticking out into a narrow wash. What about Richardson’s keen
understanding of that market? No worries. The body armor comes in 12-gauge HRP&O steel,
black powdercoated — nearly impervious to heavy brush, flying rocks, stationary boulders or
charging rhinos. Maybe the rhino is pushing it, but we dare you to find one and prove
otherwise.
The polished aluminum diamond tread, polished aluminum, black powder- coated aluminum
and 12-guage steel accessories keep on coming. There’s a full-wrap for the back of your CJ5,
Nerf bar step plates and factory step covers. If you want to carry the motif into the inside of
your Jeep, try a shifter cover, full dashboards or panels and floorboards. Not every accessory
is available in every finish or material option, so check the company website to see what fits
your ride.
A common issue with steps or Nerf bars on a true off-road rig is, for want of a better word,
flimsiness. One of our first bounces through the Buttermilks in the Eastern Sierra resulted in
steps that looked as if a really sharp bread knife had had its way with them. Not a great look.
Warrior’s wheel-to-wheel Nerf bars are constructed of three-inch round, powder-coated tubes
that actually protect the vehicle without showing the effects. The Nerf bars come with “slots”
to accommodate Warrior’s Knight Guard step, available with a standard threeinch drop or
six-inch drop for lifted rigs.
This same off-street smarts is obvious in the Warrior safari rack system. The base, which
works as a canoe or sailboard rack, is one-inch tubing that attaches to the side of the body,
runs up the windshield pillars and arches above the roofline. The design serves two purposes:
the body mount is the strongest area to support cargo and the space between the roof and
the rack base allows the Jeep’s soft top to be removed without dismantling the whole system.
The separate cargo rack holds up to 400 pounds when you’re cruising down the highway or
150 pounds when you’re bouncing along the trail. The rack is easily removed with snapper pin
disconnects. The cross bars include mountings for four auxiliary lights in the front and two in
the back. Additional Safari accessories include a bike rack, tire rack, High-Lift Jack, shovel
and ax mounting bracket and airdam to redirect air up and over your cargo.
To suit your Jeep up for rock crawling, take a look at Warrior’s Rock Crawler Steel Bumpers
with rounded face for additional clearance for entry and exit. Add the series’ steel brush guard
and rock slider side plates with seven-inch under body wrap for extra protection.
For an expensive way to gain clearance for bigger tires, Warrior offers a range of leaf spring
shackle kits. For more of a lift, there’s a full, heavy-duty suspension system for the TJ and YJ
that gives you from two to four inches of extra height. The suspension systems can be bought
as complete kits or as individual parts so you can really customize the ride.
If your 4x4’s sway bars restrict articulation too much in the dirt, sway bar disconnects with
polyurethane bushings solve the problem quickly and easily. At the other end of the
suspension spectrum, Warrior’s traction control system puts an end to wheel hop on
heavy-duty pickups, especially the high-torque diesels towing or hauling at near capacity.
To get back to the whole “Jeep is a lifestyle” theory — another thing most Jeeps and Jeep
owners have in common is the inability to leave them stock. Whether it’s an off-the-showroom
model or a recycled older Jeep, one of the first things the new owner wants to do is add
accessories, lift it higher, add protective panels — the possibilities are endless. It’s an empty
canvas, waiting to be reinvented with Warrior’s armaments.
