Live: 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL Press Briefing

[Karl_in_Chicago]

Noooo. I've been watching the forum for a while but finally had to get an account because noooo!

The founder pronounced his last name "Willuhs" and if you find old commercials on YouTube that's how the company was pronounced.

Yes, I had always heard it pronounced that way as in "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?" or "Sears Tower".

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[Jabs]

For the sake of anyone who may ever own your Jeep down the road, I emplore all of you; beef up the tire carrier! Nothing worse than a perfectly fine pre owned Jeep that is just, creek, creek creek, down the road because someone overloaded the swing gate. Please help me here! Beat the shit out of it but don’t warp / loosen that gate. You can try but you can’t unring that bell.

Dealer Guy, do you suggest upgrading the tire carrier on the JL Rubicon for 35’s? Reading that the stock one should be able to handle it and would love to save that extra $ if possible.

 

[Niteshooter]

Hmm good point, thought I had seen a footman loop but the head on shot of the red JL above doesn't have one. I've seen several new Jeep owners crack their CJ windshields because they didn't know to strap it down before driving off.

Ok, so the stops have holes, but that sounds kind of convoluted to thread something through. Will have to find a video on how it works as that is something I suspect I would be doing fairly regularly.

 

[AZCrawl]

Live: 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL Press Briefing: More Than Everything You Ever Wanter To Know



Admin edit:

Summary

• Functional side vent - vents air out from under the hood where it tends to collects.
• Aluminum hood, aluminum windshield frame, aluminum doors, aluminum tail gate.
• Every piece of glass on vehicle is larger for better visibility.
• Spare tire moved lower.
• Blind spot monitoring module is located on rear tail light assembly.
• Rear headrests can drop independently of the seats.
• Tailgate opening wider.
• Sky One-Touch Power Top demonstrated.
• Soft Top folding demonstrated.
• Soft Top panels removal demonstrated.
• Every switch and button in interior was designed specifically for the JL Wrangler.
• Front armrests elongated.
• Rear door armrests wider by at least 2 inches.
• Center console storage is 50% larger and illuminated.
  
• 200 lbs saved on the vehicle overall.
• Aluminum hood, aluminum windshield frame, aluminum doors, aluminum tail gate.
• Freedom panel hard top is 20% lighter
• 100 lbs saved on frame.
• Torsional stiffness up 18%
• New metal checkstraps can be removed.
• Carpet still removable and has locator guides for easy reinstall.
• Drains in the floor.
• 9% improvement in drag coefficiency Cd
• Most tested Jeep model ever.
• 4 million miles of testing in total.

On-Road Improvements:

• Roll center and height of vehicle is raised.
• Control arms moved out and down.
• Shocks engineered for on road improvements.
• Tires developed with manufacturers for refinement in on-road driving.
• Electro hydraulic power steering for better steering feel.
• A lot of head toss/shake movement eliminated in on-road driving.

Off-Road improvements:

• Approach, departure, breakover angle all improved.
• Skid plates standard.
• Crawl ratio on Rubicon has improved from 59:1 to 77:1 (automatic) and 73:1 to 84:1 (manual)

Why would they consider this an improvement?

• Roll center and height of vehicle is raised.

This is only true because of the larger stock tires I believe...

Approach, departure, breakover angle all improved.

 

[E in DC]

Noooo. I've been watching the forum for a while but finally had to get an account because noooo!

The founder pronounced his last name "Willuhs" and if you find old commercials on YouTube that's how the company was pronounced.

You're right. I looked up some old Willys commercials for a few of the actual cars they made, and they do pronounce it Will-is. I doubt they would've mispronounced it in the commercial.

 

[bilash31]

Ok, so the stops have holes, but that sounds kind of convoluted to thread something through. Will have to find a video on how it works.

I haven't seen a video of anyone doing it yet. And it looks like even in videos of JLs running around with the windshield down do not have them secured. Page 152, step 7 of owners manual does acknowledge you should pass a cinch strap through the hood footman loops (diagram shown too-what I assume you call the stops) and the windshield frame. So there must be footman loops similar to previous models attached to the windshield which haven't been seen yet. I can't believe they've been allowed to run around with an unsecured windshield down.

 

[BRjeepr]

ill be excited to see its on road manners and what they have done with the rear seats

 

[bilash31]

Will have to find a video on how it works.

Actually I just rewatched the folding windshield demo video posted here on the forum. Guy says the strap locks into place here (points to what looks like a hole in the inner side of windshield that accepts some sort of hook) and then wraps around hood footman loop.

 

[JLWF Dealer Guy]

Dealer Guy, do you suggest upgrading the tire carrier on the JL Rubicon for 35’s? Reading that the stock one should be able to handle it and would love to save that extra $ if possible.

I know the JK's took a beating without them. Will have to see on the JL. Personally, I'm going to beef it up on mine. I've driven too many used JK's that didn't have any extra support and to me it just ruins the whole thing. I'm sure someone on here has one that rattles like a can of spray paint. It's like nails on a chalkboard.

 

[JAY]

Actually I just rewatched the folding windshield demo video posted here on the forum. Guy says the strap locks into place here (points to what looks like a hole in the inner side of windshield that accepts some sort of hook) and then wraps around hood footman loop.

We have a DIY write-up on folding windshield now @ https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ld-diy-instructions-write-up-with-video.2213/

Hope that helps.

 

[Dim]

it will be super difficult to choose between power top and soft top + hard top....

nice argument for people living in appartement... BUT which on is the most close of the Wrangler spirit .... if someone has the answer... please let me know

 

[Jeepsterfreak]

it will be super difficult to choose between power top and soft top + hard top....

nice argument for people living in appartement... BUT which on is the most close of the Wrangler spirit .... if someone has the answer... please let me know

I'm not overly impressed with the Power top. From a driver's viewpoint, does the Power top really offer a better driving experience than simply removing the freedom panels? I'm actually more interested in the new soft top design and leaning toward the dual top option once pricing is known. I will most likely purchasing the JLU with Freedom top then order a soft top later or do the dual top option. If you don't have room to store the Freedom top then I can see the advantage of the Power top. I owned a Mustang Convertible for many years and rarely lowered the top and that was as simple as pushing a button.

If I hear rumors of a newly designed Freedom Top with removable rear quarters for 2019, then I may have to delay my purchase.

 

[wanderer]

the power top may have some additional benefits thnk of overlanding if your Rtt is set up right you might be able to form the inside of the jeep to the inside of the tent without stepping out side. maybe? For me I am 90 % sure that I am going soft top and stick becasue i fure I can save roughly 3500 not getting the auto adn 1500 not getting a hard top, Got to get th eprice down if the guestimates are true. if they arent then probably the hard top . Donno?

 

[macintux]

That does look a bit awkward, but the plastic header on my TJ also sticks up quite a bit, and the JK was so curved it looked absurd. This windshield at least can be trivially removed, which is quite interesting.

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