One Year of Ownership: Milestones

[Stormin’ Moorman]

Since it’s almost been one year since I bought my 2019 JLUR I figured I would give a rundown of it’s accomplishments and mods.

Miles: 33,209

States visited: 12

Badge of Honor Trails Completed: 6

Number of times in the shop: 0 (not counting mods and self-inflicted damage)

Windshields broken: 2

Number of times had to self-extract: about 4 I think

Malls Crawled: too many to count.



MODIFICATIONS

Smittybilt SRC bumpers, front and rear. Eh, they work

Smittybilt rock rails/steps. Same as above

Warn M8000 winch with epic hook and Marlow synthetic rope. Been on three Jeeps now

Rough Country cube lights (ditch lights). Eh, not so great

Rigid 20” light bar. Phenomenal

35” Nitto Ridge Grappler tires. Worked “real nice”. 37” Pattys on the way.

DV8 Beadlocks. No complaints

Yeti Track Bar. Insanely overbuilt.

Yeti Tie Rod

Fox ATS steering stabilizer with steer smarts relocation bracket

Metal Cloak full skid system. Wooo! Bad ass

Dynatrac EnduroSport suspension lift. Eh. Take it or leave it.

Stubby Antennae

Midland GMRS radio

WPN Gearz rifle mount

WPN Gearz pistol mount

Molle packs for seats

Window tint

Console organizer

CMM grab handle balls (2)

Tackform iPad Mount

Tackform phone mount

Tackform radar detector mount

Tackform inReach mini mount

67 Designs mounting plate thing

Tazer

Replaced 12v outlet with USB plugs

Etc…..



DAMAGES

Fenders pulled off on trails (2)

Passenger door dented (my fault, dropped it)

Front driver-side fender smashed a little

Driver-side back door scuffed a little (I think on Dickie Bell)

FAD skid smashed (it did it’s job though)

Smashed y-pipe on the exhaust (still working through that)

Dented tranny case and cooler lines (it still works so not fixed)

Exhaust leak…shocker! The leak is coming off the manifold and I can’t seem to get it nailed down

Smooshed tail pipe. (You’re lame if your tail pipe isn’t smooshed)

Big scuff on front grill (I used some touch up paint)



SUMMARY

In summary, I have thoroughly enjoyed my Rubicon. I use all the 4x4 goodies quite regularly and love the peace-of-mind it gives me when off-roading a million miles home. The Sky Touch is my fave non off-roading feature. I think the 3.6 is kind of lame but It could definitely be worse. I love the Jeep community and the wave. I know it’s silly but when I’m driving my wife’s car and I pass a Jeep, I miss not being able to wave.

My peccadillos would be the steering and the seats. The steering sucks. I’ve changed almost everything but the steering box and it’s gotten a little better, but it still sucks. I feel like I’m treating the symptoms and not the disease. I’ve had other SFA axle vehicle and they drove better than the Jeep. I think the seats could be better. Of course, I spend a good bit more time in them than the average Jeep owner, but I would like something squishier for the old buttocks.

Overall, I am happy with it and would do it all over again if I had to.


Pics are first day and last day (to date) of ownership

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[JRod]

I saw you were "eh" on the Duratrac Endurosport lift. Can you go into more detail? I'm torn between that lift or the Synergy 2" starter system.

 

[sourdough]

You wheel it like you stole it. Bravo! My one year was a couple weeks ago. Lot's of mod's and trail scrapes. Aftermarket 2dr. support is my only complaint. No cracked windscreen and the steering has always been good. Just lucky I guess

 

[Stormin’ Moorman]

I saw you were "eh" on the Duratrac Endurosport lift. Can you go into more detail? I'm torn between that lift or the Synergy 2" starter system.

I should have gone with a more complete system. You get what you pay for

 

[sf5211]

Since it’s almost been one year since I bought my 2019 JLUR I figured I would give a rundown of it’s accomplishments and mods.

Miles: 33,209

States visited: 12

Badge of Honor Trails Completed: 6

Number of times in the shop: 0 (not counting mods and self-inflicted damage)

Windshields broken: 2

Number of times had to self-extract: about 4 I think

Malls Crawled: too many to count.



MODIFICATIONS

Smittybilt SRC bumpers, front and rear. Eh, they work

Smittybilt rock rails/steps. Same as above

Warn M8000 winch with epic hook and Marlow synthetic rope. Been on three Jeeps now

Rough Country cube lights (ditch lights). Eh, not so great

Rigid 20” light bar. Phenomenal

35” Nitto Ridge Grappler tires. Worked “real nice”. 37” Pattys on the way.

DV8 Beadlocks. No complaints

Yeti Track Bar. Insanely overbuilt.

Yeti Tie Rod

Fox ATS steering stabilizer with steer smarts relocation bracket

Metal Cloak full skid system. Wooo! Bad ass

Dynatrac EnduroSport suspension lift. Eh. Take it or leave it.

Stubby Antennae

Midland GMRS radio

WPN Gearz rifle mount

WPN Gearz pistol mount

Molle packs for seats

Window tint

Console organizer

CMM grab handle balls (2)

Tackform iPad Mount

Tackform phone mount

Tackform radar detector mount

Tackform inReach mini mount

67 Designs mounting plate thing

Tazer

Replaced 12v outlet with USB plugs

Etc…..



DAMAGES

Fenders pulled off on trails (2)

Passenger door dented (my fault, dropped it)

Front driver-side fender smashed a little

Driver-side back door scuffed a little (I think on Dickie Bell)

FAD skid smashed (it did it’s job though)

Smashed y-pipe on the exhaust (still working through that)

Dented tranny case and cooler lines (it still works so not fixed)

Exhaust leak…shocker! The leak is coming off the manifold and I can’t seem to get it nailed down

Smooshed tail pipe. (You’re lame if your tail pipe isn’t smooshed)

Big scuff on front grill (I used some touch up paint)



SUMMARY

In summary, I have thoroughly enjoyed my Rubicon. I use all the 4x4 goodies quite regularly and love the peace-of-mind it gives me when off-roading a million miles home. The Sky Touch is my fave non off-roading feature. I think the 3.6 is kind of lame but It could definitely be worse. I love the Jeep community and the wave. I know it’s silly but when I’m driving my wife’s car and I pass a Jeep, I miss not being able to wave.

My peccadillos would be the steering and the seats. The steering sucks. I’ve changed almost everything but the steering box and it’s gotten a little better, but it still sucks. I feel like I’m treating the symptoms and not the disease. I’ve had other SFA axle vehicle and they drove better than the Jeep. I think the seats could be better. Of course, I spend a good bit more time in them than the average Jeep owner, but I would like something squishier for the old buttocks.

Overall, I am happy with it and would do it all over again if I had to.


Pics are first day and last day (to date) of ownership

Great to see you're enjoying your jeep Mike. I can't believe your "damages" section. Wow I go nuts when I get a road rock chip. One last thing.....I'll take the "lame" label and slap it on my forehead, ( plus I'll probably get killed from my Jeep family here) but what's a "smooched" tail pipe? lol

 

[Stormin’ Moorman]

Great to see you're enjoying your jeep Mike. I can't believe your "damages" section. Wow I go nuts when I get a road rock chip. One last thing.....I'll take the "lame" label and slap it on my forehead, ( plus I'll probably get killed from my Jeep family here) but what's a "smooched" tail pipe? lol

LOL, it just got smashed on a rock.

 

[oceanblue2019]

Since it’s almost been one year since I bought my 2019 JLUR I figured I would give a rundown of it’s accomplishments and mods.

<<snip>>

Sounds like you are enjoying it for what it was built to do. Kudos to you!

 

[ale70]

Great job!!! I am very jealous of all the badges....Here in the Northeast there are at most 2 and they are pretty inconveniently located.....

Well, I'm glad somebody can....Keep up the good work!!!

 

[oceanblue2019]

I saw you were "eh" on the Duratrac Endurosport lift. Can you go into more detail? I'm torn between that lift or the Synergy 2" starter system.

I'm in the middle of a RK install that might one day be complete if my wife ever stops giving me other tasks to do....

I've also helped teach some newb owners to wrench on their jeeps by helping instal a couple Synergy starter kits, one Dynatrack kit, and 2 Mopar kits. Oh also one MetalCloak and one Evo kit. I should charge to help newbs....

You are a bit more $$$ into the Synergy starter kit plus a set of Fox shocks but you have something you can continue to expand as needed. It's the way I suggest if anyone wants my opinion.

As to why I have the RK kit? I got a really sweet sale over Black Friday so could not justify the added $$$$ for Synergy. The RK is good stuff with the only downside is it's a bit more maintenance intensive due to the style of joints they use over the Synergy stuff. I also hate jam nuts but thats a personal bias.

 

[HeavyUser]

Glad to see you are using your Rubicon in the way it was designed to be used and not just as some kind of status symbol.

 

[Stormin’ Moorman]

Great job!!! I am very jealous of all the badges....Here in the Northeast there are at most 2 and they are pretty inconveniently located.....

Well, I'm glad somebody can....Keep up the good work!!!

I completely get it. The closest badge trail to me is about 5 hours away. I travel all over the SE for work, so when I'm close to a Badge Trail I'll try and swing by if i can. There is one in GA that I've tried to do twice and its always closed due to rainfall and a couple in TN. Then I'll be done with the SE

 

[scgmc]

The OP is part of that 10% you always hear about. Using his $50k+ machine for its intended purpose. No “Bought a Sahara, shoulda got a Rubicon” regrets for that guy. Kudos for having the balls to bash it!

 

[NewJLU2019]

Great to see you're enjoying your jeep Mike. I can't believe your "damages" section. Wow I go nuts when I get a road rock chip. One last thing.....I'll take the "lame" label and slap it on my forehead, ( plus I'll probably get killed from my Jeep family here) but what's a "smooched" tail pipe? lol

I think he gives it a Smooch after he comes off-trail and it's still there !!! Hence (Smooched) He might drive over me NOW !!!
Please let it cool before smooching Stormin !!

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