The new JL Rubicon, the ultimate mall crawler?!?

[johnnyp26]

I am going to run 37's and am figuring on a 3.5 inch lift. I guess we will see. I am waiting for the Evo coilovers to come out. Any word on Metalcloak's development of lifts for the JL?

Also, did you truss and put c gussets in to run 40's on your JK? Stock axles?

Yeah I am going to run coilovers as well, likely the Kings that Rebel puts out but I'm going to take a close look at the EVO setup as well. My goal is a low center of gravity, so I'll keep it at 3.5 unless I need to adjust the coils higher for tougher wheeling, but I hope to not have to do that often. To be honest I don't wheel anything hard, my Jeep is on the street 99% of the time since there isn't many good wheeling options here in FL that don't involve mud which I'm not at all a fan of.

Yeah the current Jeep was built with 37's in mind which I ran for a year, then a buddy got 40's and I got the itch. So I have the rubi D44's now, front is trussed, sleeved and gussetted, left the rear stock. That was enough in my mind for the wheeling around here for 37's. I have barely wheeled it since I got the 40's, I didn't want to dump any more into the D44 setup and figured if I was going to keep the Jeep I would save up for one tons. Then I drove the JL and decided to just upgrade it all and part out the JK. I'm going to run stock 44's and just do a regear on the JL at first and save up for one tons once the market for the rubi 44's builds up with the JL sport owners.

I heard summer for Metalcloak but I haven't talked to them about it too much, I figured I'd wait until I put my order in to start bugging them. Most of my mods on my current rig are metalcloak, I run their lift, fenders, sliders, bumpers and steering currently. It sounds like I can move the front bumper over to the JL so I'm hoping they are going to put out a similar style rear JL bumper so I don't have to buy a whole new setup.

Sponsored

 

[crash13]

I certainly do not NEED a Rubicon. I just WANT a Rubicon.

100% agree! This will be my daily driver, and first Jeep (waiting for Mojito!). Having said that, I'll be joining the local OffRoad clubs and will be looking for some rocks to climb at least a few times every summer. I want the Jeep to have more capability than I will ever use and don't want to be afraid of banging it up - so a Rubicon it will be.

 

[OldGreen]

Same as all my Jeeps. . drive it every day to work. Drive it to every trail I can find all over the western US. I'm taking it to the Rubicon in June and then all over Colorado in July/August with a bunch of cool stuff in between.

 

[Tunesoul]

Same as all my Jeeps. . drive it every day to work. Drive it to every trail I can find all over the western US. I'm taking it to the Rubicon in June and then all over Colorado in July/August with a bunch of cool stuff in between.

Awesome!

 

[Cudadust]

I mostly need the JLU for fire roads to trail heads. But I have taken my TJ more places than simple fire roads. Camping in the wild (non refugee style), Engineers pass outside of Silverton Colorado, and I plan to run the Rubicon in tandem with my son (he & a bud in my old TJ. Me and a bud in the JLUR with whiskey for emergencies). Mostly though, around town, top off, bikes on back, bombing fire roads at Mach .06, give or take.

I grew up in Silverton. Engineer is a good trail but has been torn up quite a bit by the little ATV's over the last couple of years. It has been discovered and has become a zoo in summer. I did most of those trails in a 4X4 long bed truck to cut firewood when I was a kid. Needed fire wood to stay warm in winter up there. Nothing like camping way up in the mountains away from civilization. Also I know some trails that are not on the maps. Glad you got to enjoy the high country!

 

[PewPewDie]

Trails, forrest and camping with the occasional trip to Uwharrie national forrest for rock crawling.

 

[Billy]

I grew up in Silverton. Engineer is a good trail but has been torn up quite a bit by the little ATV's over the last couple of years. It has been discovered and has become a zoo in summer. I did most of those trails in a 4X4 long bed truck to cut firewood when I was a kid. Needed fire wood to stay warm in winter up there. Nothing like camping way up in the mountains away from civilization. Also I know some trails that are not on the maps. Glad you got to enjoy the high country!

I have a great picture looking through the windshield of my 2 month old 1997 TJ at the top of 13,000ft Engineers pass. The day we drove it, there were rain squalls all around us, but we never got wet! All the rental Jeeps had people wearing garbage bags, and they were all still soaked and cold! Haha! Watched by Father in law take a bad line in his Exploder on the way back down toward Ouray, nearly going over. Eesh!

 

[Cudadust]

Billy there is definitely some spots you don't want to go over the edge! Long way to the bottom. I go back home every summer can't wait to hit some trails. Looks like it might be an early season they have hardly any snow so far.

 

[Billy]

Billy there is definitely some spots you don't want to go over the edge! Long way to the bottom. I go back home every summer can't wait to hit some trails. Looks like it might be an early season they have hardly any snow so far.

Not much here in Central Oregon either.

 

[Krondor]

I'll have to be back to Ouray this summer. So much I haven't seen yet. Don't need to soak in the sulfur heavy springs again. lol

 

[Cypher]

A month after picking up my 50k GC TrailHawk we were exploring Colorado and MOAB. Due to a missed turn we ended up on a trail rated significantly harder than my stock GC was ready for and I installed some nice desert stripes down the entire passenger side, gouged the plastic window trim, and the rear wheel flare. Glad I ordered it with the $800 steel rock rails, they saved me from much more damage and held up great

I plan to get 35” on the JLU Rubicon as soon as I get it and heading to MOAB to hit the trails we could not finish before. I will not do any major rock crawling, but we plan to do a lot of overland exploring and using the Jeep for what it was designed for. It will not be a mall crawler for sure.

 

[Hip2u77]

We've been going to Moab once or twice a year since '04. We spend a few days hitting the trails around Moab then hit Colorado for a couple days and drive back home to KC. We'll be there the week of July 29th this year. (I'm also dragging our RZR1000 out there, so we'll have a couple options.)

I've said it before. . . the best reason to get a Rubicon, imo, isn't the lockers, it's the swaybar disconnect. I use it every single time I'm off pavement on anything even remotely bumpy. Hit the button and when it starts to gets rough I pull it in to 4 high (even on bumpy gravel roads) and the swaybar will auto disconnect when I go below 18 MPH and smooth out the ride. Once we get to high traction areas I stick it back in 2wd and keep on going.

 

[mbuck45]

Trails, mud, malls, work, Rinks, golf courses, parks, beaches, liquor store, more mud.

 

[Tunesoul]

Trails, mud, malls, work, Rinks, golf courses, parks, beaches, liquor store, more mud.

I like it! :-D

 

[That One Guy]

I'm amazed how many people pony up several thousand extra for the Rubicon, just to get functionality they don't need, or even want. You're not paying for extra luxury anything with a Rubi. That 4:1 transfer case, those lockers and swaybar disconnects, those are what you're paying for.

But it's your money (or the banks), spend it as you please!

Sponsored