Wheeling with a 2 day old Jeep Wrangler JK.

[GtoRA2]

A friend of mine bought a brand new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon over the weekend, replacing his Xterra.

Here it is parked next to mine.


The new Wranglers are pretty nice, from the articles I have read Jeeps goal was to make the wrangler much better on road without losing anything off road. I think they did it.

The New Rubicons have electric lockers front and rear, and push button sway bar disconnect. Rear Dana 44 with limited slip when the Lockers are off, a front High pinion Dana 44 and a 4.1 transfer case. Also 32inch BFG muds from the factory.

The older models didn’t have the high pinion 44, or the electric lockers, mine are air operated.

The interior and ride in MUCH nicer then the older TJs, the top is also make way less noise.

He bought this Jeep Saturday afternoon. These picks are from Hollister off road vehicle park the very next day.

My heep going over a big pile of dirt and rocks.


The new jeep coming down.


This is the new jeep sunk pretty deep



Right after I pulled him out


The plastic sub bumper cover that ripped  loose after I pulled him out. A real skid plate will replace it.


Here is the new jeep at the beginning of a black diamond trail.


Both Jeeps at the high point of the park.



It was a blast even though the park is a bit boring, we were able to do harder trails this time. The X was unable to do most of them in the past.

Next weekend will probably be Coral Hollow or Slickrock up in the sierras. Then the weekend after that I put on my Jeep medic tummy tuck!.

[Ripsnort]

Looks like fun!

[Masherbrum]

From my hearing of some folks who have the JK.   They HATE the "no balls" minivan engine.   Torque has been lost, and the flares while condusive to wider tires, are at the same time, too cumbersome.  

Jeep dropped the ball on this redesign IMHO.    I know someone who "couldn't wait to get one", did, and threw a 4" Lift and 35's on it, and now regrets not getting a Used TJ.

BUT, you guys had fun and that really is what counts!  

[GtoRA2]

Originally posted by Masherbrum
From my hearing of some folks who have the JK.   They HATE the "no balls" minivan engine.   Torque has been lost, and the flares while condusive to wider tires, are at the same time, too cumbersome.  

Jeep dropped the ball on this redesign IMHO.    I know someone who "couldn't wait to get one", did, and threw a 4" Lift and 35's on it, and now regrets not getting a Used TJ.

Thats odd, I had trouble keeping up with the Jk in acceration on the freeway, and it had no trouble with lack of power when we were out and going up some steep hills.

When I drove his it seemed at least as powerfull as mine.

Maybe thats the 4.10 gears though.

[Gunslinger]

Yup wat GTO said, it's all about the gears.  Did he get the 4cyl?

[GtoRA2]

Originally posted by Gunslinger
Yup wat GTO said, it's all about the gears.  Did he get the 4cyl?

They do not make a 4 banger now.


They dropped that and the sport model.

I am betting they offer a V8 in the 4 door soon.  

The 4 door ones also have the same motor but are much bigger so they could be the ones that seem gutless.

[Airscrew]

I believe this is call being in "Deep Dodo"




[/QUOTE]

[john9001]

Originally posted by Airscrew

[/B][/QUOTE]

to do list, (1) buy winch.

[GtoRA2]

LOL yes it is, I was a bit worried, but he didnt get the read to deep so I was able to pull him out pretty easy.


A Mile marker Hydro winch is one of the next big purchases I am going to make.

Its funny there is a hill to the right of the stuck Jeep and I was sitting on the top looking down at the mud thinking, "that does look so bad".

I am glad I didnt go down, it would have put me out in the middle...  lol. That would have made for a lot of shovel work.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by GtoRA2
Both Jeeps at the high point of the park.

I believe you would be a member of "California Assoc. of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs"?    I believe they are affiliated with United Four Wheel Drive Assoc.  As I am the Recording Secretary for the Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association, as they are also affiliated with UFWDA.

Small world

[GtoRA2]

Originally posted by Masherbrum
I believe you would be a member of "California Assoc. of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs"?    I believe they are affiliated with United Four Wheel Drive Assoc.  As I am the Recording Secretary for the Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association, as they are also affiliated with UFWDA.

Small world

Yup, and just like the NRA we need clubs to keep the hobby alive.

Why is it leftist hate everything fun?

[GtoRA2]

The X and Sahara models come with standard 3.31 gears. No wonder people find them gutless lol.

[john9001]

Originally posted by GtoRA2
The X and Sahara models come with standard 3.31 gears. No wonder people find them gutless lol.

standard is 3:21, opt is 4:10

[Brenjen]

If you have ARB lockers then that mud might not have stopped you.......or like you said you'd have gotten stuck for real; not just playing at getting stuck like your buddy did lol

 Looks like you had fun. You should hook up with some of the guys from Yotatech, they have a California branch, aren't jeep haters & are very active wheelers.

[GtoRA2]

Originally posted by Brenjen
If you have ARB lockers then that mud might not have stopped you.......or like you said you'd have gotten stuck for real; not just playing at getting stuck like your buddy did lol

 Looks like you had fun. You should hook up with some of the guys from Yotatech, they have a California branch, aren't jeep haters & are very active wheelers.

The Rubicon comes with lockers front and rear.

They have some limits put on how you can use them from the factory.

Mine has air operated ones, as all the 2003-2006 Rubicons do.  The new 07 models are electric.

You can not turn them on if you are not in 4 low and I think under 10 MPH.

4 low in a 4to1 Tcase isn't all that usefull in the mud.

You can install a switch to allow the lockers to be used any time, but I havn't done it yet.  

That was just the edge of the mud hole, so I think lockersor not you would be in trouble.

I think a few Built rigs had been through it but the smallest of those was on 35s lol.