One Confusing part of the Rubicon vs. Sahara question.

[lightsout]

This must be your first Wrangler, welcome.

As history has shown over the last few decades with YJ/TJ/JK, the clutch-based LSD doesn't have a long service life. The only exception was the 2003-06 Rubicon which had a torsen-style LSD. No reason to bury your head in the sand.

Such a moronic statement, I would love to see the published data on this, I am sure the lifetime powertrain warranty providers would have considered this elusive FACT. Is that 50K miles highway, 50K miles offroad, 50K miles snow/mud, or 50K miles, If I drove with lockers on 50K miles there would be issues also. The clutch is only engaged when activated/needed, whereas all clutches are subject to wear over time. There is NO published data on this just gossip from a forum. If you say 50K miles that would assume an average meaning many will fail premature to that 50K I am sure, no I am positive that No car manufacture would warranty a known failure within their warranty period including OEM or aftermarket.

This is my 3rd jeep as well as 2 land Cruisers over the last 35 years. Limited slip has been a reliable technology for may years and it has only gotten better just like Lockers and open diffs and every other mechanical component used.

I am not saying that LSD clutches do not wear outr however however 50K is not a hard number it can easily double that in some cases. Even then it is an inexpensive maintenance repair DIY can do it (clutch Pack) for under $100 and it is not a complicated thing.

My overall point the entire wrangler is subject to failure due to wear and tear over time not just the LSD. A road warrior may get 100-150K before needing a new clutch, others that live in a snow environment may need it in 1/2 that time. This is just like brakes the harder you use them the more maintenance they need. Lockers create more excessive wear on your tires as well so you should factor that in. Then again it is all subjective to actual use...

The fact is some people have more benefit from Lockers and others have more benefit from LSD and considering about a $4k difference in cost as little clutch maintenance at some distant point I could replace that clutch many times over for the cost difference...

Sponsored

 

[Arterius2]

Such a moronic statement, I would love to see the published data on this, I am sure the lifetime powertrain warranty providers would have considered this elusive FACT. Is that 50K miles highway, 50K miles offroad, 50K miles snow/mud, or 50K miles, If I drove with lockers on 50K miles there would be issues also. The clutch is only engaged when activated/needed, whereas all clutches are subject to wear over time. There is NO published data on this just gossip from a forum. If you say 50K miles that would assume an average meaning many will fail premature to that 50K I am sure, no I am positive that No car manufacture would warranty a known failure within their warranty period including OEM or aftermarket.

This is my 3rd jeep as well as 2 land Cruisers over the last 35 years. Limited slip has been a reliable technology for may years and it has only gotten better just like Lockers and open diffs and every other mechanical component used.

I am not saying that LSD clutches do not wear outr however however 50K is not a hard number it can easily double that in some cases. Even then it is an inexpensive maintenance repair DIY can do it (clutch Pack) for under $100 and it is not a complicated thing.

My overall point the entire wrangler is subject to failure due to wear and tear over time not just the LSD. A road warrior may get 100-150K before needing a new clutch, others that live in a snow environment may need it in 1/2 that time. This is just like brakes the harder you use them the more maintenance they need. Lockers create more excessive wear on your tires as well so you should factor that in. Then again it is all subjective to actual use...

The fact is some people have more benefit from Lockers and others have more benefit from LSD and considering about a $4k difference in cost as little clutch maintenance at some distant point I could replace that clutch many times over for the cost difference...

Agree, anyone who argues that the reason not to get LSD is because it will wear out is like saying you shouldn’t buy tires because that will wear out too.

 

[Shooting or Jeeping]

What the hell is going on here guys?!?!?!!? Is this a math-a-thon or what?!

Hey, this has been rehashed for years. Figured we could have a math battle. Winner is crowned champion of the universe.

 

[SecondTJ]

Statements like that give the rest of us a bad name and reputation. It reminds me why the left hate us so much.

I am not saying that LSD clutches do not wear outr however however 50K is not a hard number it can easily double that in some cases. Even then it is an inexpensive maintenance repair DIY can do it (clutch Pack) for under $100 and it is not a complicated thing.

Sounds like your back tracking a little bit, this I can agree with. I never said 50k was a hard number. They can turn into toast just from street use. The electronic nannies today do a better job assisting with traction than the old clutch based LSDs. Yes it's a wear item like brakes, tires, etc. Except I'd bet most new owners don't realize it's a wear item. So they are probably not doing to DYI it. How many posts are there with people asking "when to use 4WD".

 

[Outdoors55]

We got the Sahara, rather than the rubicon. We are a soccer and sports family and our Jeep is a daily driver that we love tossing equipment in and out off.

The dual top was the biggest draw to us and having the top down in our “family sports convertible” in the summer our fav. No need to spend extra on the Rubicon for that.

Soccer Dad car = Sahara and don’t regret it once.

 

[Goheels050917]

Sahara's are for soccer dads

If you want a mans Jeep it comes at a premium

Good point. I guess I should turn my man card in right now, buy me a purse and get that shiny new off-road 'capable' Rav4 I've been eyeing for a while.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Goheels050917]

We got the Sahara, rather than the rubicon. We are a soccer and sports family and our Jeep is a daily driver that we love tossing equipment in and out off.

The dual top was the biggest draw to us and having the top down in our “family sports convertible” in the summer our fav. No need to spend extra on the Rubicon for that.

Soccer Dad car = Sahara and don’t regret it once.

Man, don't listed to that dude. He probably bought it because of the decal on the hood, rather than what's under the jeep. Clearly he needs something to make him feel important. Those people are the 'close-minded, ignorant, never-take-their-rubi-offroad' type that like to bully people and portray someone that they are not.

To me, I wish they built a Jeep Wrangler JL Rubi site, then a second site for everything else (Sport, Sport S, Sahara) so that they can have their own site and talk about how awesome they are and self boast themselves everyday, all day, while we can actually talk about important things about jeeps, trails, accessories, concerns, etc.

 

[Patinito]

Looks like the non-rubicons are putting up a good fight in this thread!

 

[8flat]

Yeah select trac is the biggest thing that would stop her. She liked the MOAB, but it doesn't have the 2.0L engine and she loved that more than the 3.6. Plus those mud tires are loud as hell on that thing lol

And god yes, why can't they just put the selec trac on the rubi's here

I'm guessing lots of people wouldn't want selec trac in a rubi since it doesn't have the lower range 4LO but if they just had both as options on rubis I think that'd be the best damn decision they could make? I would've sure paid extra for selec trac.......I sure don't need the lower ratios since I'll be fighting deep snowdrifts way more than rock crawling.

 

[8flat]

Keep in mind that the LSD is clutch-based and the packs usually wear out and need to be rebuilt before 50k miles

This is actually a good point. Clutch-based limited slip systems are not the best. I wish they'd put an eaton mechanical locker in the rear, like GM uses on their pickups, very sweet system that doesn't wear out.
Oh well.

 

[ViperJon]

To me, I wish they built a Jeep Wrangler JL Rubi site, then a second site for everything else (Sport, Sport S, Sahara) so that they can have their own site and talk about how awesome they are and self boast themselves everyday, all day, while we can actually talk about important things about jeeps, trails, accessories, concerns, etc.

Yikes. No self esteem issues here at all.

 

[lightsout]

This is actually a good point. Clutch-based limited slip systems are not the best. I wish they'd put an eaton mechanical locker in the rear, like GM uses on their pickups, very sweet system that doesn't wear out.
Oh well.

Sorry but that point you referred to was extremely ignorant, Everything mechanical Wears out or Breaks eventually including Lockers and electric swaybar disconnects. As well his less then 50K hours is Fake News. Regardless it is a relativly low cost maintenance repair and even a DIY repair. With that said just google "Rubicon Locker Problems" there is a lot to fail.

Look all these rigs are subject to excessive maintenance from sport to Rubicon.

It still boils down to the OP's question about the difference and it is simple The main difference between the Rubi and the Sahara is Lockers 4.10 ratio, Swaybar Disconnect and factory lift (which many replace anyway) oh and about a $5K difference, Sahara has Command Trac, LSD

That's it in a nutshell, Unless you are running trails like Hells Canyon at Moab lockers are not nessasarily a good choice for you where as Command Trac and LSD can run circles around Rubis in other off road or road condition senarios. It is personal choice and or needs, ego is not a valid response...

For me Rubicon was not an option simply because they are too heavy to tow behind most Gas Motorhomes which is why we bought the Sahara since it is lighter, plus we have no plans to rock crawl and our winch will get us out of more situations than lockers would,,,

 

[Instarand]

I bought a Sahara. I wanted a loaded Jeep with stick shift and a black interior. It'll be on-road almost entirely. What kept me from getting the Rubicon was simply the red interior. I just couldn't do it. And i wanted nothing to do with an aftermarket hack job. Also, to build the Rubicon the way I built the Sahara would be about an extra $3,000 ($50,050 to $53,100), AND I wouldnt have the interior I want OR the limited slip that i want. If I could have configured the Rubicon wiht the black leather interior, i probably would have considered paying a little more for it solely for resale purposes. I took Rubicon wheels/tires and put them on the Sahara and is looks awesome.

Alternatively, if the MOAB came in stick, i would probably have been tempted to pay even more for that one. At the end of the day, i LOVE the black/black interior color combo, don't care to pay $3K more for an interior i like less and for rubi mechanical parts that are invisible to me.

I love the Sahara. It looks amazing with the Rubi wheels. I get all the things I want, none of the things I dont... and I saved $3K. It was a no-brainer decision for me. I only have 500 miles on it so far, but i absolutely love it. i come from the sports car world (porsche 911, bmw m3) and the wrangler is such a cool chance of pace. so much fun to just drive around town. i can carry the whole family. so far, loving it!

 

[Goheels050917]

Yikes. No self esteem issues here at all.

must be your first day on here. Welcome!

 

[PatrickM]

Here in the UK I must say that FCA support sucks really badly. There’s huge demand for petrol Rubicons but Jeep have seriously overstocked diesel Sahara’s that nobody wants. A Rubicon is almost £50,000 or about $65000.
I’ve owned an Islander (1988), YJ, TJR, JKR, JKUR and ordered a JKUL in mojito.
My order was cancelled by the factory as Mojito has been dropped. They never told the dealer. I found out when I asked them to chase the order! I re-ordered a Punk’n which I should have before end April. That’s about 4 months from my initial order.
If FCA cared, they could sell a large number of the things here. But they don’t. It’s sad.

Sponsored