My New Bugout Buggy

[mancat 2,368]

If the JK was available with a turbo-diesel in the US right now, I would trade in my TJ immediately and do whatever it takes to get one. That is the number one thing that keeps me away from the JK as it is. I feel like it was Chrysler's opportunity to make a move after the loss of the Liberty diesel, but they threw in the towel. The JK is the perfect platform for a small diesel.

 

I am sort of disappointed with the low frame clearance on the JK. It sort of reminds me of the frame layout of the S-10/Blazer platform - needlessly close to the ground. Even if I did no major mods to a JK, I would probably have to lift it just to not wreck the undercarriage doing even the casual off-roading that I do.

 

Besides that, I love my TJ, but as a DD it leaves much to be desired in comparison to the 4-door JK. I test drove one and it was one hell of a comfortable ride. I would still wheel it and treat it like a Jeep, but I like my DD to be comfortable. I drive 50 miles round trip to work right now, and the TJ is starting to wear on me.

[DogMan 2,343]

Man, this is a lot more involved than I thought. I've spent the better part of today just going over the pros and cons of 3.21 axles vs. 3.73. It comes down to gas mileage vs. towing capacity. In the end I decided on the 3.73 to make sure I can haul some toys around. Now I've got to get down there and buy that thing before I change my mind.........again.

 

If the JK was available with a turbo-diesel in the US right now, I would trade in my TJ immediately and do whatever it takes to get one. That is the number one thing that keeps me away from the JK as it is. I feel like it was Chrysler's opportunity to make a move after the loss of the Liberty diesel, but they threw in the towel. The JK is the perfect platform for a small diesel.

 

I am sort of disappointed with the low frame clearance on the JK. It sort of reminds me of the frame layout of the S-10/Blazer platform - needlessly close to the ground. Even if I did no major mods to a JK, I would probably have to lift it just to not wreck the undercarriage doing even the casual off-roading that I do.

 

Besides that, I love my TJ, but as a DD it leaves much to be desired in comparison to the 4-door JK. I test drove one and it was one hell of a comfortable ride. I would still wheel it and treat it like a Jeep, but I like my DD to be comfortable. I drive 50 miles round trip to work right now, and the TJ is starting to wear on me.

A diesel would be sweet. If that were coming out in 2013 I'd wait another year for it. Edited May 14, 2012 by DogMan

[DogMan 2,343]

do it!

if you have any questions on what mods work and what doesn't, good parts vs bad or whatever just PM me - I've been building JKs since they came out in 07.

Everything from mild budget boost builds to full on supercharged w/ coilovers, longarms and 40"s.

 

There are a lot of good parts out there and a lot of just plain crap especially when it comes to suspension.

 

here's the shop Jeep

 

Great, I will. Thanks! Your JK is freakin awesome. Edited May 14, 2012 by DogMan

[mancat 2,368]

Man, this is a lot more involved than I thought. I've spent the better part of today just going over the pros and cons of 3.21 axles vs. 3.73. It comes down to gas mileage vs. towing capacity. In the end I decided on the 3.73 to make sure I can haul some toys around. Now I've got to get down there and buy that thing before I change my.........again.

 

If the JK was available with a turbo-diesel in the US right now, I would trade in my TJ immediately and do whatever it takes to get one. That is the number one thing that keeps me away from the JK as it is. I feel like it was Chrysler's opportunity to make a move after the loss of the Liberty diesel, but they threw in the towel. The JK is the perfect platform for a small diesel.

 

I am sort of disappointed with the low frame clearance on the JK. It sort of reminds me of the frame layout of the S-10/Blazer platform - needlessly close to the ground. Even if I did no major mods to a JK, I would probably have to lift it just to not wreck the undercarriage doing even the casual off-roading that I do.

 

Besides that, I love my TJ, but as a DD it leaves much to be desired in comparison to the 4-door JK. I test drove one and it was one hell of a comfortable ride. I would still wheel it and treat it like a Jeep, but I like my DD to be comfortable. I drive 50 miles round trip to work right now, and the TJ is starting to wear on me.

A diesel would be sweet. If that were coming out in 2013 I'd wait another year for it.

 

Along with 3.73 I suggest you try and get factory limited-slip differential if that is still an option on the JK.. May be standard by now for the 3.73 ratio, but I have no idea what Chrysler is doing. LS makes a huge difference driving in the rain here in the NW, helps a ton in snow, etc.

Edited May 14, 2012 by mancat

[Venom 15]

There are a couple of schools of thought on options.

 

do you plan to go mod crazy? then you might want to buy as stripped of a JK as possible since you're gonna end up swapping most everything out anyway.

If you're gonna mod it mildly, then a rubicon is super capable out of the box and a lot of the mods you'd want to do anyway -lockers, lower gears, beefier D44 front axle, etc are already done and financed with the Jeep

 

If your going to spend most of your time on the road and mild trails then its not much a deal breaker - get what you want/can afford.

 

the new for '12 pentastar motor is a welcome improvement over the old 3.8

as is the 5 speed auto if you want an auto trans.

 

If you plan on larger tires - got for the lowest gears you can.

with the extra HP of the '12s you can pull 35"s fairly well with rubicon's 4.10s - especially with the 6 speed.

If you are going to wheel it - skip the limited slip - get a real locker, the computer does a decent job modulating the brakes for traction control - better than most limited slips,

 

as far as the TJ vs JK debate - been there done that.

 

running 35"s with a 2.5" lift on a JK is great. longer stock arms means better ride with a lift - you dont HAVE to go long arm to keep you teeth from getting jarred out on bumps. The new pentastar motor eats the old 4.0 for lunch.

The only thing the TJ really has over the JK now is price - its the older model so parts are a LOT cheaper and the vehicles themselves are cheaper.

I'm not bashing the TJ - hell I had 3 of them, just saying it's evolution into the JK was a good thing.

 

the bad parts of JKs - lots of them have seemingly unfixable top leaks - hard and soft, there were some problems inherent to 3.8 like broken exhaust manifolds, fuel spraying out when fill up at the pump,, fires from the automatic overheating and puking fluid onto the hot exhaust manifolds etc. but that should be fixed on the 3.6/2012s.

Problems on the 3.6 - still kinda too soon to tell, but the exhaust is goofy - look at the trumpet hanging down where they put a loop in it to keep the banks equal length. Kinda goofy and you have to either space the exhaust back or replace the y-pipe when lifting it to keep the driveshaft from hitting it. Also there's a vacuum pump on the front frame rail that needs relocated for most recessed winch bumpers - not big deals, just differences.

Headlights SUCK.

Also JK bodies are built from recycled beer cans. Fart on one and you dent it.

 

Anyway, figure out what you want to end up with and pick your options based that and you could save some money in the long run.

[DogMan 2,343]

Venom, what is the scoop on the "Death Wobble". I've heard it is caused when certain components wear out or loosen up. Is that still an issue on the 2012?

[Venom 15]

dw is kind of a random mystery thing, and its not unique to jeeps

any vehicle that relies on a track bar to center the front axle can get it - dodge trucks are prone to it

 

its usually caused by a loose track bar or worn bushings

but shot ball joints can cause it too

 

JKs are a little extra prone to it because they use 9/16' holes in the axle, frame and track bar bushings then stick a 14mm bolt through it so theres a tiny bit of slop to begin with. keeping the bolt tight will usually make up for it.

but theres also a ready made kit with all correct 9/16 bolts and grade f9 hardware you can swap in and be done with it too

 

some jeeps get the piss beat out of them for 100k miles with lifts and everything else and never have DW, other times, bone stock rigs wit 5k on them will get it.

 

its not a common problem, but its not incredibly rare either - big thing is that most of the time, it's caused by improper installation or crap parts.

little things like torquing the arm and track bar bolts while the jeep is on the jack with the wheels hanging instead of sitting on the ground at ride height will bind the bushings and lead to bad ride, squeaks, accelerated wear on the bushings which leads to DW. stuff like that

[DogMan 2,343]

dw is kind of a random mystery thing, and its not unique to jeeps

any vehicle that relies on a track bar to center the front axle can get it - dodge trucks are prone to it

 

its usually caused by a loose track bar or worn bushings

but shot ball joints can cause it too

 

JKs are a little extra prone to it because they use 9/16' holes in the axle, frame and track bar bushings then stick a 14mm bolt through it so theres a tiny bit of slop to begin with. keeping the bolt tight will usually make up for it.

but theres also a ready made kit with all correct 9/16 bolts and grade f9 hardware you can swap in and be done with it too

 

some jeeps get the piss beat out of them for 100k miles with lifts and everything else and never have DW, other times, bone stock rigs wit 5k on them will get it.

 

its not a common problem, but its not incredibly rare either - big thing is that most of the time, it's caused by improper installation or crap parts.

little things like torquing the arm and track bar bolts while the jeep is on the jack with the wheels hanging instead of sitting on the ground at ride height will bind the bushings and lead to bad ride, squeaks, accelerated wear on the bushings which leads to DW. stuff like that

If it happens, what do you do to recover? I'm assuming that ejecting myself out through the t-tops is not an option.

[Venom 15]

Just slowing down to almost stop will stop the dw.

Usually it starts at 45-50 mph.

 

[MT Predator 2,294]

JKS Manufacturing makes a steering sector shaft brace kit that stiffens up the front end nicely.

[MT Predator 2,294]

I want one really bad but with the Rubicon package.

Most people don't utilize the Rubicon's capabilities, therefore wasting their cash. Know how many Soccer Moms I see driving Rubicons on a daily basis? I bought a loaded out Sahara, lifted it, added bigger rubber, plus lockers and a manual sway bar disconnect for much less than a decked out Rubicon. I don't wheel it hard enough to warrant bigger axles so it is set up with plenty of capability. My prior was a TJ built for abuse with aftermarket axles and transfer case but lacked driveability as a daily driver. YMMV

[DogMan 2,343]

I want one really bad but with the Rubicon package.

Most people don't utilize the Rubicon's capabilities, therefore wasting their cash. Know how many Soccer Moms I see driving Rubicons on a daily basis? I bought a loaded out Sahara, lifted it, added bigger rubber, plus lockers and a manual sway bar disconnect for much less than a decked out Rubicon. I don't wheel it hard enough to warrant bigger axles so it is set up with plenty of capability. My prior was a TJ built for abuse with aftermarket axles and transfer case but lacked driveability as a daily driver. YMMV

What gear ratios did you get on the axles, and would you do anything different on that?

[G O B 3,516]

Our '98 ZJ has the 3.73 axles with the factory tow pkg. ALWAYS get the tow package! The small loss of gas mileage is worth it for the heavy cooling and better low speed 'grunt'.

[mogunner 240]

When we picked up the wife's Cherokee years ago, she was on the way home with it and shortly after getting on the interstate, experienced the infamous Death Wobble, slowed down till it went away and found a speed where it wasn't too bad and got it home. I did some in depth checking on it and decided to try new tires, dropping the pitman arm and installing the right shocks for the 4" lift instead of the ones that were on it that looked to be for a 6" or more lift. Went to a reputable front end alignment shop and had them do a four wheel alignment, that's been about 8 years since then and all I've replaced were the front axle ujoints and seals, and tires every two-three years. Rotating them front to back when they start showing signs of 4WD wear also stops any beginning DW.

[MT Predator 2,294]

I want one really bad but with the Rubicon package.

Most people don't utilize the Rubicon's capabilities, therefore wasting their cash. Know how many Soccer Moms I see driving Rubicons on a daily basis? I bought a loaded out Sahara, lifted it, added bigger rubber, plus lockers and a manual sway bar disconnect for much less than a decked out Rubicon. I don't wheel it hard enough to warrant bigger axles so it is set up with plenty of capability. My prior was a TJ built for abuse with aftermarket axles and transfer case but lacked driveability as a daily driver. YMMV

What gear ratios did you get on the axles, and would you do anything different on that?

I had 4.56s put in it with the lockers. It seems to get the power to the tires well.

[mgconnor13 206]

Jeeps are fun, I have an 89 Cherokee. Don't forget the fuel cans and a good tow strap to keep in the back

[MT Predator 2,294]

Jeeps are fun, I have an 89 Cherokee. Don't forget the fuel cans and a good tow strap to keep in the back

Or a wench! LOL

[mgconnor13 206]

I keep a decent tool set in the back. I have plastic tub from walmart I put all my tools, spare fluids, air pump, etc.. in and just leave it in the trunk along with my "get home" bag of medical supplies, foods, water, blanket and some other basic survival gear.

 

I'm not a serious off road driver but I live out in the sticks so having a vehicle that can get me out using the fire breaks and trails if I needed to was one reason I got a jeep. Still trying to figure out how to mount a chainsaw and some other logging tools on my XJ for the next tornado/ hurricane comes through.

 

Is there a way to upgrade an exciting vehicle with a tow package?

[DogMan 2,343]

Well, I picked it up late yesterday and I think I got a pretty good deal. Somehow though I ended up without the "automatic temperature control" feature so I'm not sure I'll be able to survive the apocalypse in this thing . Oh well, I was told ATC can be crazy expensive to fix if they have problems. But, I'm excited as hell to grab the dog, take the t-tops off, crank the stereo, and have some fun today. BTW the back seats do fold flat, no problem at all.

[scarbrough68289 76]

http://www.actioncamper.info/details.php?artID=7

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

http://www.actioncam...ils.php?artID=7

 

Nice makes it a transformer, would rather buy a pallet of ammo though

[storm6490 2,768]

Cool looking Jeep! I never liked white trucks 'till I moved to Montana. They appear cleaner for longer and don't get as hot in the sun. It's a good color for hunting season in the mountains as well!

 

I work with a young man who is obsessed with the JK platform and his truck is really coming together well. He and his fellow JK enthusiasts hang out on the JKFREAKS.com forum and share info and parts from around the country. It's amazing what they can do stock and what you can modify them to do!

 

Go for it! You're only here for a good time, not a long time!

[Doug Hartley 526]

Dude, buy a light blue helmet and get some big vinyl stickers that say "UN". When the shizzle hits the fan you slap on the stickers, pop on the helmet and boom, you are nice and safe. Nobody shoots at the UN, right?

 

Doug

 

[HB of CJ 1,263]

Do it have the french engine? Beware. I would ask a or another mechanic about that particular model run and see what he thinks of the chassis and running gear. Up here in SW OR the rural postmen all tried this looking Jeep (they were surplus postal service) and they all fell apart within months. Ask if you can find a new exhaust manifold? HB of CJ (old coot)

 

If they are all USA, then I say go for it, only ask to see if there are ANY computer chips in the vehicle. If there are, might reconsider. FWIW Just trying to save you some grief.

[ChileRelleno 7,071]

Dude, buy a light blue helmet and get some big vinyl stickers that say "UN". When the shizzle hits the fan you slap on the stickers, pop on the helmet and boom, you are nice and safe. Nobody shoots at the UN, right?

I've never contemplated it before

[DogMan 2,343]

Cool looking Jeep! I never liked white trucks 'till I moved to Montana. They appear cleaner for longer and don't get as hot in the sun. It's a good color for hunting season in the mountains as well!

 

I work with a young man who is obsessed with the JK platform and his truck is really coming together well. He and his fellow JK enthusiasts hang out on the JKFREAKS.com forum and share info and parts from around the country. It's amazing what they can do stock and what you can modify them to do!

 

Go for it! You're only here for a good time, not a long time!

The white definitely makes a difference in the heat and keeping it clean. Some people think it's boring but that's OK. I've had my white Xterra in Death Valley where the the color of your vehicle can literally mean the difference between being able to fry an egg on your hood or being able to hold the back of your hand on it. I wouldn't call myself obsessed yet but I can feel it coming. Kind of like the Saiga. Making it "yours" is half the fun.

[DogMan 2,343]

Dude, buy a light blue helmet and get some big vinyl stickers that say "UN". When the shizzle hits the fan you slap on the stickers, pop on the helmet and boom, you are nice and safe. Nobody shoots at the UN, right?

 

Doug

 

I don't know man. Judging by some of the comments I've seen on gun forums I think I might as well paint a bulls-eye on it. A big red cross might work though.

 

Or, wait a minute........How about the Dominoe's Pizza thingy on top. Nobody, and I mean nobody shoots the pizza guy.

Edited May 17, 2012 by DogMan

[DogMan 2,343]

Do it have the french engine? Beware. I would ask a or another mechanic about that particular model run and see what he thinks of the chassis and running gear. Up here in SW OR the rural postmen all tried this looking Jeep (they were surplus postal service) and they all fell apart within months. Ask if you can find a new exhaust manifold? HB of CJ (old coot)

 

If they are all USA, then I say go for it, only ask to see if there are ANY computer chips in the vehicle. If there are, might reconsider. FWIW Just trying to save you some grief.

I don't think anything is all USA anymore but this is a Chrysler engine and transmission. Computer chips are all over any new vehicle. There's no getting away from that. It's not always a bad thing. Any new or used vehicle is a gamble but I'm pretty confident in this one. Only time will tell.

[mancat 2,368]

French engine? Not sure what you're talking about. The only recent foreign engine used by Jeep in any of its trucks/SUVs has been either the CRD Mercedez diesel (Grand Cherokee), or the VM Motori CRD Diesel (Liberty).

 

The 3.6 Pentastar engine is interesting, but I hope it doesn't suffer from some of the problems that Chrysler has had with its "Magnum" series of all-aluminum OHC engines - oil pressure issues, camshaft failures, etc.

 

I also like the white JK with grey/black trim. I see too many JKs in ugly solid colors. No like. I like a good generic color like white, silver, tan, etc. They have a more military/utility appearance to them as well, and take well to mods that give the vehicle a similar appearance. Theoretically you should also be able to get a slight price discount for choosing white, but some dealers don't bother giving you a break on this.

Edited May 17, 2012 by mancat

[Doug Hartley 526]

Or, wait a minute........How about the Dominoe's Pizza thingy on top. Nobody, and I meany nobody shoots the pizza guy.

 

I don't know, it didn't work out so well for this pizza guy:

 

http://dailygunpictures.blogspot.com/2009/12/video-pizza-guys-head-blown-off_28.html