First Jeep 2022 High Tide Xtreme Recon

[JLUHT]

My wife has wanted a Jeep for a long time. We built it on the Jeep website in May and ordered it through our dealer via $500 down and waited ..and waited and within the forecasted 12-16weeks we got the word that the High Tide had arrived. I believe it was right around the 12-13 week mark. Sometime in early September.

It's the first Jeep either of us has driven. We both enjoy it. She's taken it up to 65 on the highway and I watched in the rearview and the thing looks great.
I need to take it out on the interstate to try to induce any white knuckle experiences but so far other than not driving as smooth or with the ease of a Cadillac the Jeep drives perfectly within reason.

If I have any complaints it'd be the whining or squealing from what I assume is the electro-hydraulic power steering (accessory?) pump. The small gas tank is annoying. The doors are hard to shut and seemingly impossible to shut in two steps of "pulling" the door as opposed to shutting/closing/slamming. My F-150 can be shut with ever so gentle presses in stages while being nearly silent. The Jeep is loud to shut any door. I'm really struggling to find things to complain about. The windows could use auto-up to go with the auto-down (1st world whining.) No dead pedal or space for left foot for driver, seems tight and I'm not a big guy.

Otherwise it's freaking awesome. It's a blast to drive.

I haven't had any of the travel or bump stop issues others have. Haven't taken it off-roading nor have I disconnected a sway bar, ever.
I'm really enjoying and glad we got the Xtreme Recon package on the High Tide. I was convinced it was the "meanest" Jeep offered that I was willing to pay for. The 392 was what we came for but I'm sorry guys I have a 5.0 in my F-150 and that price is crazy.

The Xtreme Recon lift is aggressive and attractive for a stock vehicle. It looks like a build out the box in my opinion. The tires are freaking heavy. The underside looks like a dream to work on as some of the things are accessible on the ground with clearance to work.

So far we're impressed. If rates were better I'd consider trading the truck or even buying another Jeep for myself I kind of fell in love with them already.

First picture is the day we brought it home, no mods.

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[JLUHT]

First mod:
16" antenna.. I bought it in a hurry and didn't want to lose much on the AM capabilities going too small and this one sure is an improvement over stock both in color and in length.

16" stubby antenna Quadratec

 

[JLUHT]

Mod 2:
3rd wheel brake light

so many choices and options with this one.. my selection came down to keeping the factory wiring as stock as possible so I opted for this version which came with a fancy Y splitter allowing me to keep the factory light + this 3rd wheel accessory light while making reverting to stock the easiest path of all options I considered.

Putting that wheel back on is "loads of fun."

This is the part:
Quadratec 3rd brake light LED Ring

It's a neat idea that I think anyone with some soldering skills should be able to come up with some really creative designs around this kind of a platform. I've seen them being made with the lid from a black bucket. Now that I have the Y adapter for easy connecting I may come up with something.

My only complaint on this one is they don't hide the space or gap where the beginning and end of their string of LEDs meet so it's not a continuous circle. Big whining, I think it looks great otherwise.

 

[JLUHT]

Done with mods for now until the rest arrives. Some of it's here but I'll build the suspense.

Here's photos for my own reference and if others find value in that then go team internet!

Driver front looked like 41" at the time I took the photos

no idea what I'm doing, parallax error so take a guess at what actual measurement is

Driver rear

Passenger rear

Passenger front

Close enough to put the rears at 41" and the fronts at 40" give or take.

This is in my driveway which is a fairly decent decline and nowhere near level. Use the reference ya got.

 

[JLUHT]

I mentioned in another thread that I thought it looked like there was 2-3" between bumps and the compression foam bits on the jounce towers. Forgive me if I misspeak my understanding of Jeep jargon is very young.

Stock bumps. This is on that same driveway decline so level may be more or less.

 

[Steph1]

It does look great. If I was you, I'd look into the Mopar satin black grill, to break a little of all that yellow.

Your doors most likely need lubing. Pull them out of the hinges, grease the studs and reinstall. be careful, cause then they litterally shut by themselves going-in past the mid-way lock/stay position. One of my left fingers can testify to that. Never knew how fast I can open a door with my other hand while a finger is crushed by a closed door

Check your power steering level, mine is completelyt silent. The dead pedal can be found on amazon.

If you leave it the way it is, you shouldn't have to worry about white knuckle situations on the highway. Most of these things happen when you start effin around with the suspension geometry.

Do yourself a favor, open the fuse box cover and make sure all fuses and relays are pushed-in all the way. Very often they are not and the reason why all kinds of trouble codes are thrown.

Normally measurements are taken at the hub.

 

[JLUHT]

No matter the angle tried, couldn't get the tape to read 35

 

[Byrds8]

Grats on the Jeep. My wife has the same color as your :D. I was in your shoes when she got hers, I had a 22 Silverado. After a week of playing with hers, I traded in the truck and never looked back. Love the Jeep. These were our first also. Best place to measure ride height is through the center of the hub from the bottom of the wheel to the fender. Taking it from the ground will change based on tire pressure.

I understand what you mean by closing the doors. I have found that the times mine do not close, I am in the way. Im no small guy and hit my shoulder or arm trying to shut the door so it pushes back on it. Try shutting it after you are completely out of the way....it helps.

The whine you are talking about is the electronic assist of the steering. It happens on both of ours and folks on this very forum have said its normal.

 

[Byrds8]

No matter the angle tried, couldn't get the tape to read 35

If you are trying to only measure tire height, measure through the centers to the ground. They should be about 34.4" They are not exactly 35s.

 

[kakwvu]

I thought the XR packages came with steel bumpers. Am I misunderstanding something?

That said, High Velocity looks bitchin.

 

[Pinky Tuscadero]

The small gas tank is annoying

How small is the tank on yours ?
Ours is 21.5 gallons, are some models smaller ?

 

[quick66]

TL/DR

I love my JLU HT, but the suspension just isn't cutting it for how I want to use the vehicle...

I love your story because it's very similar to my own. I was in the market for something other than pick-up trucks after having driven them for the past 20 years. I actually had my heart set on a new Bronco Badlands Sasquatch ( I know, blasphemy lol). After looking for a while and not finding one quite like I wanted, and even making an over MSRP offer on a really nice 2dr Bronco Sasquatch loaded, I decided to look at Jeeps. I researched what Jeep offered that was similar to the Bronco Sasquatch, and started reading up on the High Tide XR Edition. After calling around I found a dealer close to me that had 3 of them: Two in High Velocity and one in White (which I ended up buying).

I went to the dealer to have a look at these High Tide Editions first hand. Like you I was really taken back by the looks of a "lifted" factory Jeep with big tires. Just looked the business. Mine was optioned mostly the way I would have ordered one save not having the towing package which I purchased and had installed through the dealer. I have logged 6k miles in the past 5-6 months that I've owned it, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every mile driven.

One of the primary reasons I wanted an off road vehicle was that I'm looking for a new hobby for the next stage of life. I've spent a ton of years drag racing cars and motorcycles as well as road racing motorcycles. After having a bad off on a motorcycle ~2 years ago, I figured it would be wise to find a hobby that is a little less dangerous to transition into as I get older.

I bought the JLU HT with the intention of taking it off road and learning how to "wheel." I quickly found that the platform as shipped has some compromises that were made with regards to the lift. I've experienced bottoming out on the front end on pavement and off road. Trying to avoid big modifications, I ordered a set of after market shocks (Rancho 9000XLs) to see if the improved dampening would eliminate the jolting/bottoming out of the bump stops. While these shocks greatly improved the ride and handling and helped with the bump stop contact, the issue was still present.

I've since decided to order and install a Clayton 2.5" Overland lift kit and Falcon shocks. I feel this is the right way (for me at least) to address the bump stop issue and be able to enjoy wheeling some moderate to harder trails.

I'm glad that you're enjoying your JLU HT. It's an awesome looking rig. I love mine and I love it even more as it gets closer to being able to do everything I would like for it to do in my new hobby.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

The door thing is odd. Ours shut very easily.

 

[Canucklesammich]

FWIW the speculation for no auto-up windows is that the sensors necessary to stop the window for any obstructions would make the doors that much heavier when removing. Makes sense.

 

[Remorseless]

No matter the angle tried, couldn't get the tape to read 35

BFGs run small. They're 34.4 as measured when not under the Jeep, from the manufacturer. 33ish is about right for that size BFG when actually under load at the right air pressure.

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