Thinking about a jeep...

A few years ago we stopped by the jeep dealership to look at something for my mom. Sam was over looking at a 4 door wrangler that was all sorts of set up for "off road." On the way home I asked her what she was doing. "I love that jeep, it has Dragon stickers on it! Dragon stickers!!!!"

Yeah, okay, whatever.

 

Girls are weird

 

Yup, screw a Rubicon and all that fancy stuff that's just gonna get ruined.
I saved $5K alone by not buying a Rubi'...that buys a lot of hardware.
Another $5K saved by not gettin' a buncha stupid shit? Yup, more useful accessories.
I have $3.5K+ wrapped up in wheels and tires alone. The other $6.4K, not doin' the math, went towards suspension, fenders, winch, bumpers, half top, BedTred, reinforced spare carrier, serious seat covers...I'm almost done and already my Jeep is better than the same money for a floor unit.
Basically, the only thing left to do is fully upgraded axles and belly armor. <cough-cough> DynaTrac <cough>

 

I’ve done pretty much all on your list except bumpers / fenders (never really saw a need abd still don’t but my stock ones aren’t in great shape. I’ve also built some custom skid plates that really help with that as well, built my own skid plates for underneath it ncluding ones for control arm joints. ) and also transfer case out of a rubi as well. Also built a custom sub box which half of its storage with a pretty cool stun gun security feature

 

I have my OEM fenders if you're interested...prolly no hardware, tho'.
How far are you from 17815?

 

outside of putting a on lift kit, wheels and maybe some bumpers... I would definitely get the least expensive trim model (sport or sport SE) IF you could get the 3.0 diesel & 6sp in those. The only available engine is the V6 on ANY trim level... blah! Auto is a $2000 upcharge. If you changed the exterior color they wack you with upcharges to match the interior. The Rubicon level gets you the locking axles, bigger wheels and a few other minor things.

 

The improved axles is probably the only reason to get the Rubicon. Looking at a JL for the wife when they show up.

 

Used TJ + Cummins 2,8 repower kit

 

Yup, unless you have intentions of further axle upgrades or otherwise have a personal contention for the OEM set-up.

 

yeah but there is a $10,000 spread from the 4dr Sport to the 4dr Rubicon. Like @fastfreddie said you could buy ALOT of arguably better aftermarket components. Discounting the OEM warranty coverage and convenience charges.
Then I found this while searching around...
https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/d/2002-jeep-wrangler-diesel/6461321199.html

giggles galore! I mean you could have the best suspension $$$ can buy and still be under $20,000 all in.

For me I was interested in the diesel powered jeep because my mom lives near Durango. I would be doing most of my wheeling in NM, CO, UT, North Cal, and southern Oregon.

 

https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/d/2002-jeep-wrangler-diesel/6461321199.html

thoughts...lol

 

Didn't think diesels were going to be available until later in 2018.

 

There is also supposed to be a Turbo 4 cylinder. According to MotorWeek!

 

That and prolly the most important thing (if you're going to take it offroad) is a lot higher (numerically) ratio in the transfer case. It allows for a lot better crawling ratio over the standard transfer case in the sport and sahara models.

 

Yeah, but...

Actual crawling is prolly less than 1% of what anyone does offroad. Hence, a 4::1 transfer case ratio is, imo, a combination of accommodating the automatic transmission's shortcomings (torque converter, actually) and marketing hype.
4::1 in an automatic might prevent stalling the torque converter (you're otherwise gonna have to give it gas to move), but it's absolutely overkill on a manual.

In 4Lo, 1st gear of my manual transmission/standard transfer case (2.72::1), I don't have to give it any gas to negotiate obstacles. If the RPM drops 'cause the going gets steep, or whatever, the "brain box" gives it more gas to prevent stalling. It climbs up and over anything on which it can get traction and clearance...all I do is steer and cover the pedals. I'd fall asleep in 1st/4Lo...no use for it whatsoever. I'm runnin' 34" tires with 3.73 gears which is a little long for that tire size...and I'm not having any problems offroad that suspension and lockers can't fix.

When the chosen path is difficult enough to cause undo strain on the engine and you choose 4Lo, 4::1 is waaay too low for traveling (25mph max?) and now you're banging between 4Lo and 4Hi or screamin' along in 4Lo. Just sayin', imo, it's useless in all but a dedicated trail rig that you have devoted expressly towards crawling...which won't make it a street friendly vehicle.

 

All we do when I wheel is stay in 4LO, 4:10 ratio is way better than 2:72, plus they put the 4:10 in the manual rubicon as well. If you don't have to give it gas to negotiate an obstacle, then you're not wheeling very hard.

 

Without hesitation!
I only want to know how they made the dash work. The MB 5 will have more torque amd last just as long

 

I'm not saying I don't give it gas. I was just saying that as long as there is traction and clearance, I don't have to...

There's plenty of wheelin' under the axles that required gas but that's out of necessity to clear a reduced traction/clearance obstacle. With no belly armor, I'm in no hurry to be pushing it to its limits with controlled crashing.
Besides, it's a shit-ton more cool to casually overcome things that other people struggle on regardless of their technique.

Having said that, long, steep and rocky uphills, I don't idle...I like a little momentum. In those circumstances, the engine's temp and my ability to control the vehicle appreciate 4Lo. The only other times I desire 4Lo is when things get technical, which speaks to a necessity for control.

If you've checked out Used2Bfast 2's pics in the "dirt bikes" thread, you have an indication of the terrain that's prevalent in my area. Short of the trails that are obviously too narrow, ALL of what he has posted is just another day looking for an impossible 4x4 challenge and, yeah, Gandalf has stood in a few places and commanded "You shall not pass!"
A 4.00 transfer case would have made little difference in those places and not enough to warrant one for the other 99% of the time.

Again, just sayin'. YMMV, but I think another reason Rubi' owners want the 4.00 t/case is so they can run 37" tires without re-gearing their axles. It's the wrong way to do it.

You do understand I was talking about transfer case ratios, right? 4.00 in the Rubi' and 2.72 in the standard?

 

Yes, I understand the ratios in the transfer case.

As long as you're wheeling it's all good!

Lol on the gandolf reference!

This is my first Jeep and love every second of ownership. Definitely more fun than I imagined.

Currently stuck with trying to cut death wobble though.

 

Eeeeew...death wobble.

Have you checked the usual culprits?