Newbie off roading questions

[caged]

on our new rubicons, we can run 35's on stock suspension. rubi's now come with 33's stock. any larger will require a lift.

on your sport s, you may be able to run 33's on stock suspension, while keeping your sway bars hooked up, and it may still rub slightly, but if you want 35's you will need at least a 2.5 inch lift, and some minor trimming.

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[Uhdinator]

On fire roads/logging roads or trail head where terrain is easy to start with, I use 2WD until terrain dictates that I need more traction. This way as a noob you will learn the characteristics of the traction capability of your tires on the given terrain and the traction control.
Then if the terrain is fairly smooth/easy but more traction is needed I use 4H. At the point the terrain is getting rough, slowing down is required to keep from beating you and your jeep to death.......I switch to 4L.

When encountering a mud/standing water crossing that is significant. I'll stop and if I can find a stick to poke around to deduct how deep and soft on the bottom and to assess if there are big rocks or stumps that's gonna break stuff if I go barreling through in 4H. Whether using 4H or 4L an option is to attach a tow strap and drag it behind you as you go thru and if you get stuck your wheeling buddy can drag you back out without climbing out in the mud. Having some zip ties in your survival gear is handy to insure the strap does not come off the tow hook.

When climbing or descending steep terrain use 4L and try to assess/pick the best line that keeps your tires on the most level ground. The exception being don't try to straddle large objects like stumps or rocks. You have twice the clearance or more under the side body panels than you do in the center.

With my Auto trans the hill descent works very well. In 4L I push the descent assist button and put the auto stick in manual mode. A message tells you to use + or - with the stick to control speed. You don't have to ride the brakes, just let it do its thing. If you want to turn it off you stop and hit the button and you are on your own.

When turning around I dis engage 4WD if turning sharp is needed and traction is not a problem. If 4WD is needed to turn around in a tight spot I try to avoid turning hard with 4WD as it is more stress and wear on the front axle u joints so I will go back and forth turning a little at a time.

 

[Uhdinator]

I just got my first wrangler as well. For all the experienced people here, since my wrangler just got the highway tires I’d like to upgrade before I hit some trails. I got a deal for 5 new 285/70r17 ko2’s mounted and balanced for $987 out the door but I haven’t decided if it’s be better to start with 33’s or 35’s. Any input if you guys could do your first build again? Thanks in advance.

Gearing of a non Rubicon will like 33's better than 35's. The Auto trans seems to handle bigger tires fine. Re cal of the speedo is needed also to hopefully keep your ABS and traction control working as designed. 35's will likely result in manual trans 6th gear being useless. Fuel economy has suffered very little for me with 305/65's and a 2L Auto.

Rubicon fenders with no lift will keep your stock ride comfort and give you room for 33" tires. Going larger will also require wheels that stick out further.

 

[Billet_JLU]

Gearing of a non Rubicon will like 33's better than 35's. The Auto trans seems to handle bigger tires fine. Re cal of the speedo is needed also to hopefully keep your ABS and traction control working as designed. 35's will likely result in manual trans 6th gear being useless. Fuel economy has suffered very little for me with 305/65's and a 2L Auto.

Rubicon fenders with no lift will keep your stock ride comfort and give you room for 33" tires. Going larger will also require wheels that stick out further.

This morning I had the 285/70r17 ko2's put on. I also bought some rubicon takeoff suspension off here and it'll be here in a few days.

 

[ChattVol]

This morning I had the 285/70r17 ko2's put on. I also bought some rubicon takeoff suspension off here and it'll be here in a few days.

Here's a sneak peak of what it will look like. The rubi suspension gave it a 1.75" lift.

 

[Billet_JLU]

Here's a sneak peak of what it will look like. The rubi suspension gave it a 1.75" lift.

Nice that looks great! Im excited to swap the suspension out. How’s the ride with those tires? The ones I got were brand new but at ~68-74 mph on the highway they shake. I have them at 34 psi cold. I think I should have them re balanced at the dealership. Everything was fine before with no shakes.

 

[ChattVol]

Nice that looks great! Im excited to swap the suspension out. How’s the ride with those tires? The ones I got were brand new but at ~68-74 mph on the highway they shake. I have them at 34 psi cold. I think I should have them re balanced at the dealership. Everything was fine before with no shakes.

Sounds like you need your tires balanced. The ride is smooth similiar to stock tires. However, gas mileage dropped about 2 mpg and it has a little less pull with the stock 3.45 gearing. For example, 6th gear is now used largely on flat or downhill hwy driving. It's fine on 33" tires... I'd regear to 4.56 if going to 35" tires.

 

[Billet_JLU]

Sounds like you need your tires balanced. The ride is smooth similiar to stock tires. However, gas mileage dropped about 2 mpg and it has a little less pull with the stock 3.45 gearing. For example, 6th gear is now used largely on flat or downhill hwy driving. It's fine on 33" tires... I'd regear to 4.56 if going to 35" tires.

Yeah I am going to have them checked, I talked to the dealership today when I made an appointment for hitting 10k miles. I would agree, gears 1-4 feel fine, 5th is about all it wants, and 6th I'll slow down going up a hill. I never used 6th under 70mph on the stock tires anyways. I think the jeep needs different gearing stock.

 

[vavaroutsos]

Sounds like you need your tires balanced. The ride is smooth similiar to stock tires. However, gas mileage dropped about 2 mpg and it has a little less pull with the stock 3.45 gearing. For example, 6th gear is now used largely on flat or downhill hwy driving. It's fine on 33" tires... I'd regear to 4.56 if going to 35" tires.

I would go for 4.88 gearing with 35" tires and a manual transmission (both 5th and 6th gears are overdrive). I have a Rubi with stock 33" tires and find 6th almost useless unless going down hill. The 4.88 gearing with 35" tires would make 6th gear similar to 5th gear with the stock 4.10 gearing and 33" tires.

 

[Billet_JLU]

I got the rubi suspension and spacers put on. I had the front sway bar still connected and with the synergy 1-5/8” spacers I would rub the rear fenders just slightly.

And a word of advice, make sure the traction control is turned off when you shift into 4hi. I went into 4lo and traction control turns off automatically but I went back to 4hi I didn’t realize traction control was on again. I almost got stuck in this big mud puddle because of it.

The puddle is pretty long and you can’t see all of it but I just barely made it though. Coming back through I had traction control off and I got through no problem. It was pretty deep, part of the front bumper was submerged under the water.

 

[Halstem1]

This is a useful thread. thanks for the info from everyone that contributed. Taking my first real wheeling trip to San Juan Mountains area of colorado later this month.

Any advice on must have gear? I'm ordering a portable compressor today. Likely the smittybilt one. I'll do onboard air later but not this year. I wanted to get a winch but also not this year. I don't think I'm doing any passes that will need it. Is there any other recovery gear I should have? Debated getting a tire repair kit. Maybe a tire deflater to speed that process up. Anything else you'd recommend???

Thanks!

 

[kkuntz01]

This is a useful thread. thanks for the info from everyone that contributed. Taking my first real wheeling trip to San Juan Mountains area of colorado later this month.

Any advice on must have gear? I'm ordering a portable compressor today. Likely the smittybilt one. I'll do onboard air later but not this year. I wanted to get a winch but also not this year. I don't think I'm doing any passes that will need it. Is there any other recovery gear I should have? Debated getting a tire repair kit. Maybe a tire deflater to speed that process up. Anything else you'd recommend???

Thanks!

When I first started out, I carried a kinetic recovery strap (not to be confused with a tow strap) that has weight rating for your vehicle (20-25k break strength should be more than enough), Staun tire deflators, a cheapie Slime compressor (still have it and use it occasionally) and basic tools set (not a 265pc craftsman socket set), and zip ties of all sizes and basic first aid kit that I picked up from Target for around $10. That got me by on a number of trips to the local off road parks, Moab as well as Colorado.

If the goal is later down the road to upgrade the compressor to a better one, start of with the lowest cost compressor with the highest output. The slime I had was okay, but there are compressors with better output for around the same money. I definitely recommend deflators and I'd recommend not cheaping out on them. For deflators, I ponied up for the Staun deflators 10yrs ago and have been happy with my decision. Set the tire pressure that you want to air down to once and forget about it after that. A buddy of mine saved a few bucks and bought the Staun knockoff Smittybilt deflators about 5yrs ago and he's since replaced them because they weren't working right.

Over time the more you wheel the better handle you'll get on what you'll need, what you want and what you can do without. These days I travel with a more comprehensive tool box stocked with an assortment of metric and SAE sockets that I use on my vehicles, metric and some SAE box wrenches for, cheap vice grips, pliers, wire cutters, screw drivers and allen/torx multi tool, ball peen and 4lb sledge. I also roll with a work light, portable Arb dual compressor (I also have a 10lb Co2 but that doesn't always come with me), dewalt 20v impact gun with an assortment of impact sockets. My recovery bag has a kinetic recovery strap, tree strap, winch weights (really work out leg weights but they do the same job) as well as a snatch block and extra clevis shackles.

 

[Timmyjoe]

New to the JL Jeep but used to 4-wheel back in the early 80's with a 1980 Toyota 4X4 Pickup, it was totally manual everything with lock out front hubs, transfer case, the works. We used to have to jump out and lock in the front hubs before using 4 wheel drive.

Probably not going to do too much 4-wheeling with the new JL 2-door Sport S, but will have it offroad occasionally. I keep hearing folks talk about disconnecting the sway bars. Is this what I'm thinking it is, getting under the Jeep and taking the sway bars off, or is this something that you can now do electronically with the new Jeeps?

Best,
-Tim

 

[kkuntz01]

New to the JL Jeep but used to 4-wheel back in the early 80's with a 1980 Toyota 4X4 Pickup, it was totally manual everything with lock out front hubs, transfer case, the works. We used to have to jump out and lock in the front hubs before using 4 wheel drive.

Probably not going to do too much 4-wheeling with the new JL 2-door Sport S, but will have it offroad occasionally. I keep hearing folks talk about disconnecting the sway bars. Is this what I'm thinking it is, getting under the Jeep and taking the sway bars off, or is this something that you can now do electronically with the new Jeeps?

Best,
-Tim

Congrats and enjoy your new Jeep. Even the most basic of model in the Wrangler family is pretty darn capable off road. The best thing about what you have, if your needs or wants change, it's easy enough to build the vehicle into something that will suit your needs.

As far as disconnecting the sway bar, it may not be same as what you're thinking. On non-Rubicon models you have to remove the sway bar links, push the sway bar upwards out of the way and zip tie it to the frame to prevent it from getting in the way of the front tires during any sort of wheel articulation off road. (You "might" even be able to leave the links attached to the sway bar, though you'll want to research that on your own. I've only every owned Rubicons with the e-disco sway bar.)

Good luck and enjoy.
Kevin

 

[Timmyjoe]

Thanks Kevin,

So just to get this straight, are you saying on the Rubicon you can electronically disconnect the sway bars? That's insane . . . and probably damn convenient.

Best,
-Tim

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