Ain't nothin like a Jeep

[Widewing]

Those were the words of a spotter at the very end of the video in the link below.

This was a factory stock Jeep Wrangler Sahara, with 70 series factory street tires (the Sahara is the most street oriented Wrangler version). The guy filming the Jeep refers to it as a TJ... TJs were discontinued after 2006. This is newest version of the Wrangler, the JK.

A $250 budget boost 2.5" lift and 35" tires would have made this even easier (the Sahara runs 32" 255/70-18 Bridgestones)


This is what I run on my '08 Wrangler, in 285/70-17


Here's the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1nflfygI3M


My regards,

Widewing

[texasmom]

The jeep next door has a cute emblem on it "H2 Recovery Team"

[Wingnutt]

The jeep next door has a cute emblem on it "H2 Recovery Team"

I think they come with that sticker from the factory now.  Im more impressed with the ones that dont have that crap on them..

they should have a better one like  

"your vehicle seats 3x what mine does, but I burn more gas!"

or

"sure yours is better in every way, but mine is a jeep"

or

"there is no way I will ever fall asleep at the wheel on the highway"

or

"I cant even hear all the wind noise over the sound of how awesome my jeep is"


I could go on

[Maverick]

Best viewed with the sound off to avoid "bubba" camera person commenting, coughing and taking a phone call during the clip. 

[DREDIOCK]

Best viewed with the sound off to avoid "bubba" camera person commenting, coughing and taking a phone call during the clip. 

Guhuh YeeALL Nowticed Thayat Tew huh?

 

[saggs]

At the risk of getting flamed, I'll bring in a dissenting viewpoint here.

Personally I'd take a Scout, '68 Bronco, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi or Isuzu over any Jeep.  In fact I did, take an Isuzu that is, and I get angry when people call it a Jeep.  

I got turned off on Jeep back in high school, mid-90s Wranglers (the ones with square headlights) were very, very popular there, and everytime (that's not an exaggeration) I went off-roading with them 1 or 2 broke.  I saw broken 4wd driveshafts, tie rods, transfer case linkage, diff covers, shock mounts.  (YES the shock mount broke, BEFORE the shock) brake failures, stuck thermostat, and all kinds of electronic engine gremlins.  Meanwhile the other vehicles, Toyotas (p/u's and a 4runner), a modified Montero, a Pathfinder, an old 70's Wagoneer (OK one Jeep worked) and a couple Scouts never had any issues on those same trails.

Now I understand that the late model Wranglers probably are built to a much higher quality.  But I still wouldn't take one, Jeeps have become so popular with everyone from soccer mom's and mall cruisers to hard core rock crawlers, that I couldn't.  I like to be a little different, stand out and not follow the crowd.

Also, saw a new Rubicon at a dealer the other day $34,000!!!!     are you kidding me.

For the record my off-road rig is a '99 Isuzu Rodeo, 3" lift, 32" tires, homemade rocksliders and bumper protection, LSD rear, and saving up for an ARB front locker.  I will concede the Wrangler has the advantage of a solid axle front=more flex, I get front wheels hanging in the air quite often.

Used to have a '90 Bronco, 3" lift, 33" tires and Detroit lockers front and rear.  Liked it (with the lockers, it could go more places then my Rodeo) but sold it, decided it was a little bigger then what I needed, plus getting 8-10 mpg was not cool.

The jeep next door has a cute emblem on it "H2 Recovery Team"

Yeah, the H2's really are awful.

[AKHog]

I hope they put those rocks back where they found them. I don't need that line sissified when I blast up it in my yota. 

[DREDIOCK]

At the risk of getting flamed, I'll bring in a dissenting viewpoint here.

Personally I'd take a Scout, '68 Bronco, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi or Isuzu over any Jeep.  In fact I did, take an Isuzu that is, and I get angry when people call it a Jeep.  

I got turned off on Jeep back in high school, mid-90s Wranglers (the ones with square headlights) were very, very popular there, and everytime (that's not an exaggeration) I went off-roading with them 1 or 2 broke.  I saw broken 4wd driveshafts, tie rods, transfer case linkage, diff covers, shock mounts.  (YES the shock mount broke, BEFORE the shock) brake failures, stuck thermostat, and all kinds of electronic engine gremlins.  Meanwhile the other vehicles, Toyotas (p/u's and a 4runner), a modified Montero, a Pathfinder, an old 70's Wagoneer (OK one Jeep worked) and a couple Scouts never had any issues on those same trails.

Now I understand that the late model Wranglers probably are built to a much higher quality.  But I still wouldn't take one, Jeeps have become so popular with everyone from soccer mom's and mall cruisers to hard core rock crawlers, that I couldn't.  I like to be a little different, stand out and not follow the crowd.

Also, saw a new Rubicon at a dealer the other day $34,000!!!!     are you kidding me.

For the record my off-road rig is a '99 Isuzu Rodeo, 3" lift, 32" tires, homemade rocksliders and bumper protection, LSD rear, and saving up for an ARB front locker.  I will concede the Wrangler has the advantage of a solid axle front=more flex, I get front wheels hanging in the air quite often.

Used to have a '90 Bronco, 3" lift, 33" tires and Detroit lockers front and rear.  Liked it (with the lockers, it could go more places then my Rodeo) but sold it, decided it was a little bigger then what I needed, plus getting 8-10 mpg was not cool.
Yeah, the H2's really are awful.

My son has a Rodeo although a bit older then yours and he doesnt take it off road. Not a bad vehicle though he doesnt particularly care for it anymore. (usually when he has to have something fixed) but I love it. when he finally does decide to get a new vehicle I may just take it off his hands. It'll be handy for me to do estimates with ans use as an emergancy work vehicle when my van is in the shop.

He picked it up for like $2500 5 years ago and has probobly had to do like $2K worth of repairs since then. He moans about that but I tel him its still alot less then he would be paying if he had something brand new. And alot of the money he's had ot put into it it would have had to have done even in a newer vehicle.
Like tires, brakes, tune up. Alternator. I think the single worst things thats gone wrong is he needed a new exhaust.

[Widewing]

I'll state this to avoid confusion...

The current Jeep Wranglers are the most capable off road vehicles you can by off of a new car showroom anywhere on earth. You can spend a ton of money on whatever you like, and you may equal a stock Rubicon. Of course, the Wranglers have one of the largest aftermarkets of all cars, trucks and SUVs. A 4" lift, 35" Mud/Terrains and some additional armor puts the Jeep beyond 99% of what would try to match it.

How about the Rodeo? You need a 3" lift to run 32" tires. I'm running 33" rubber on a stock heavy duty (same as a Rubicon) suspension (32" is standard, but 33" fit without rubbing at full deflection). Specifically, 285/70-17 Mud/Terrains. I have 11" of ground clearance, likely more than your lifted Rodeo. All Wranglers have BLD (Brake Lock Differentials). While not true lockers, they mimic lockers to the point that Jeep's testing show that BLD will enable a Sport or Sahara to tackle nearly any obstacle that a Rubicon can manage. BLD requires a different driving style, more RPM less reliance on low end torque. Add the Trac-Lok rear axle (as I did) and it only enhances traction as the BLD algorithm is optimized to work best with this axle. Approach, break over and departure angles are the best on any SUV. Rodeos have independent front suspensions. Not a lot of flex and far more prone to damage. Rodeos can be built into capable off road trucks, but you have add a lot of mods and $$ just to keep up with a stock Wrangler JK.

If there was no Jeep, I'd consider a second generation Disco or a Hummer H3. However, the little Suzuki Samurai is probably the next most capable with a minimum amount of dollars in upgrades. Not much power, but you don't need much power if you have the proper gearing.

The guys over at Project-JK organize some of the most challenging off road adventures in the southwest. These guys drive seriously upgraded Jeeps. On one such trip, they were joined by stock Wranglers (2007 and later) JKs. Guess what? The stock JKs were able to negotiate these insane trails, with stock All Terrain tires to boot.

In Britain, they tested a Sahara diesel against a Land Rover Defender 90 (also a diesel). The Defender has been touted as the best off road vehicle on the planet. The D90's price tag was nearly double that of the Jeep. Test results.... The Sahara easily matched the D90 off road, and was vastly superior on the road. It would have been no contest at all if the Brits had tested a Rubicon... I don't believe Rubicons are sold in Europe.

How about some really well made, eye popping videos from Project-JK?

The Bullfrog Jeep trail.. Rated "difficult". Watch the stock Wrangler hanging in there with much modified JKs.
http://www.youtube.com/user/wayalife#p/a/f/1/aLERd3D4HCo

More great Project-JK videos... Should start with part 2 of the Easter Moab run...
http://www.youtube.com/user/wayalife




My regards,

Widewing

[Ripsnort]

My opinion:
I just didn't feel comfortable with the Jeep interior when I was looking in 2007. The FJ Cruiser gave me more room for about the same price.

Some videos of our "straight off the car  lot into 4WD country". Nothing extreme mind you, I have to use this as a daily commuter/kid hauler too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AveGcSIOpA

Short version above here>> : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM_vfZaqd7E

On a side note, I just forked out $954 for (4) new Bridgestone Revo 2's and a front end alignment. ((I have 56k on my Yoda)

[sluggish]

I haven't driven a newer Jeep.  The short wheel-base makes them treacherous on ice.

[JunkyII]

Last Tuesday I bought a 2009 Laredo with 24K miles on it. Interior is awesome, I got it just before "The blizzard of 2010"...while Baltimore City was only allowed to have emergency vechicles out...my Jeep was handling 10 inchs of powder to give my stuck buddy a ride home.

My buddy has a Chevy 2500HD

This is my second Jeep, hand a Wrangler with the "sqaure headlights" That thing would put any rodeo to shame on the trail...sorry Saggs as soon as you started comparing a Jeep to a rodeo you lost me.

BTW the new Cherokees come with a new 4x4 system that you dont have to engage, I couldnt even feel it kick in.....probably because I wasnt spinning at all  

[Shuffler]

The jeep next door has a cute emblem on it "H2 Recovery Team"

Unfortunately factory jeeps can't hold a candle to factory H2s. It is funny though.

Of course a jeep is much much cheaper.


Tires on my Z-71 (stock no lift) BF Goodrich  KM2's 305 70R16

.

[Saurdaukar]

Personally I'd take a Scout, '68 Bronco, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi or Isuzu over any Jeep.

Im not an offroader but I had a 91 Cherokee for years - ran it well past the point where the odometer stopped working.  Have a 99 Grand now.  More capable but not as much fun.  Either way - they were/are daily drivers for me.

That 91, I miss.  So far as my experience dictated, that old 4.0L six-pot and cockroaches are the only two things that would survive a nuclear holocaust.  The car was a tank. 

[Widewing]

Unfortunately factory jeeps can't hold a candle to factory H2s. It is funny though.

You're kidding, right?

We use stuck H2s as trail markers for the bypass.


My regards,

Widewing