Round 2 Wrangler JLUR - Sport, Sahara or Rubicon

[JB3]

I have a 2019 JLUR and love it. I've upgrade tires to 35s, added a 2" lift, winch, upgraded drive shafts and differential, upgrade rock rails, bellypan, diff covers, upgrade lower control arms and LCA skid... I'm sure I'm forgetting about a few things. These upgrades have me thinking, if I was doing it again would I start with the Rubicon as the "base" model from which to apply upgrades. I've been right on the edge of buying a rhino rack and going up to 37s (part of why I upgraded the gear ratio) and I'm wondering should I start again.

I don't think I can have the matching hard top color with a Sport but maybe I could get over that detail. I would expect upgrades would include:
3.5" Clayton Off Road lift and
Clayton sway bar disconnects (if I didn't chose the Rubicon)
Various skids (LCA, Diff covers, belly pan)
Front bumper
ACE Pro Series Rear steel bumper
Warn Winch
ACE rock sliders
ARB air lockers (if I didn't chose the Rubicon)
Dana 60 axle
Adams 1350 driveshafts
Corbeau seats; this is really if I didn't go with another Rubicon. I do like the Rubicon leather seat with the red stitching detail
Rhino rack with KC Gravity LED G34 lights for driver and passenger side; KC rear facing chase light
KC Gravity LED Pro 7" headlights
KC Gravity LED G4 Amber fog lights

Given the above, what model would you start with? It feels like starting with the Rubicon and taking off a bunch of factory upgrades is bad decision.

Sponsored

 

[Notorious]

...Starting with the Rubicon and taking off a bunch of factory upgrades is bad decision.

Age old discussion that happened with the TJ, the JK and continues with the JL.

Some will argue, start with the base and build up. Others will argue buy a rubicon, lift, add larger tires and be done.

At the end of the argument (because that’s what it’ll become), the conclusion will be that it depends on what’s affordable at the time and how far to take the build in terms of mods, not distance.

 

[JB3]

While I like my JLUR, I do feel like I learned a lot about how I drive it, how I use it and what's important to me. It has been a great choice and I don't regret it. That said, the "learnings" have been a little pricey and I feel like given another chance, I might start with a lower end model and upgrade accordingly.

 

[Sheepjeep]

the rubicon trim buys you 3 big components that the sport and sahara do not really get as options

1. Electic Swaybar disconnect - it is a nice feature but something that is not really needed and can be replaced by a cheap manual disconnect
2. Axles - strong axle out of the box with a good gear ratio and lockers
3. Transfer case - nice 4:1 low range

Your build plan accounts for the first 2 items. The swaybars, agree go discos and you are happy, the axles, if your plan is to go 37s you could get away with throwing in some good chromo shafts and regear and be happy with the results for a faction on the cost of doing 60s, any bigger than that and start thinking of ditching the axles, also the rubicon axles have a much higher resale value over the sport axles but I do not think it would cover the price difference between the trims. The last big thing is the transfercase, if you really want the 4:1 low range then really your only option is to go with a atlas transfercase which are really really nice but really pricey, or hope that you can source a second hand rubicon t-case.


With all of that being said looking at your parts list, I would also start with a sport, because most of the parts that you get from a rubicon are getting replaced, and the only thing you are missing is the t-case. But with 37s I think you can get along just fine with the M2{1-2}0 axles that come with the rubicon and tossing in chromos and maybe a truss will serve you very well. Anything above 37s then you are deep in in D60 range, and I would not run anything less than a 37 on a D60 else they just turn in to boat anchors with how large the pumpkin is.

Sponsored