CJA's Greatest Know It All - Q.1. - What is the best jeep for wheeling and why?

[JackstandJohnny]

I like what you did Johnny, you broke down the pricing!

thats where i STOPPED..................... lord knows i'm into it for alot more..... and will be into it for more soon

[dunl]

Plus beltloops - how much are you into it for those? 

[JackstandJohnny]

Plus beltloops - how much are you into it for those? 

to date, none. this one has better latching mechanisms....... next is currie and a front locker....... perhaps an aussie............. it never ends

[Evil-Jeep]

Skip to 4:45

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl6e-n9jMQk

thats were my 4K would go

[Bnine]

The starting rig is irrelevant. It's what goes into them. That said, it comes down to the user.

I have all the parts to finish my yj. When it's done it will be locked front and rear, linked and coil overex on the front, beadlocked, bumpered, caved, and winched for well under 4k.

And it will weigh less then a factory yj.

But what I can do with 4k and a jeep is deferent than what someone new can do is an entirely different thing.

But, at the end of the day the wrangler series of rigs will always be the bang for the buck. Primarily the tj or rubi's.

The tj line comes with the best factory geometry for technical wheeling. Some aftermarket arms and you are off to the races.

Even the zj is linked, it's factory geometry is the absolute craps. I'm sure weight distribution comes into play. Tj's climb so well because their weight distribution is 50/50 front to rear.

Xjs suffer from leafs in the back and often poor weight distribution. I don't think I ever met an xj'r first getting into the hobby that didn't feel obligated to load the back of the wagon with 600lbs of crap. Then they look at you funny when they can't climb the easy stuff at top of the world.

With the right amount if knowledge you can get any body style to do anything. But for beginners the bang for the buck when it comes to 4 wheeling capability is tj wrangler line.

With 4k you can lock, bead lock, winch, body lift, and do suspension on a tj for 33's. 

[Spinalguy]

i beg to differ young master billy,
starting rig is relevant. As the years go by, the price on making the initial purchase plays a big factor.
If i take a brand new 4 door JK and add 4 g's...
versus
a used bone stock TJ allows me to add 'x' number of dollars to catch up to a newer JK and in spending 'x' number of dollars, i will have a WAY better jeep than any newer product.
 

[Bnine]

Oh I couldn't agree more Tom. But I thought we were supposed to compare regardless of initial purchase price.

Initial prices considered there really is no comparison to a 97-98 tj or a mid nineties yj if you have the ability to customize on you own.

[dunl]

If disregarding price, then 00-04 TJ with the NV3550, 4.0L and Dana 44 rear option.

[Spinalguy]

:laughing: yeah, i have no idea what the topic meant.
The best jeep for wheeling with a 4g add on option.
In order
LJ Rubicon
TJ Rubicon
2 door JK Rubicon (new engine years)
4 door JK Rubicon (new engine years)
i am not sure how Rubicon can be excluded as it comes factory that way.

So, OP what are you actually asking?

[Greg-100]

This topic reminds me of Fultah Fisher's Broading House, they may have be sailors but sound alot like Jeep owners.

'T was Fultah Fisher's boarding-house,
  Where sailor-men reside,
And there were men of all the ports
  From Mississip to Clyde,
And regally they spat and smoked,
  And fearsomely they lied.

They lied about the purple Sea
  That gave them scanty bread,
They lied about the Earth beneath,
  The Heavens overhead,
For they had looked too often on
  Black rum when that was red.

They told their tales of wreck and wrong,
  Of shame and lust and fraud,
They backed their toughest statements with
  The Brimstone of the Lord,
And crackling oaths went to and fro
  Across the fist-banged board.

http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/ballad_of_fisher.html

$4000 would set up a good CJ.

Own a CJ,YJ and TJ.

Greg

[Toyman]

#1 - LJ Rubi - wanted one after watching some XJ's pass thru ledges a Rubi couldn't make it, all the goodies of TJ Rubi + more space, wheelbase

#2 - TJ Rubi - have one, it's OK

#3 - 97-00 XJ, had 3, the 8.25 is a better axle than the D35, low pinion D30, can fit lots of gear, locked and geared can follow most Rubi's around with no probs.

[morerpmfred]

The very first post asks which jeep is best.
It is not the jk . The suspension works awesome but the umlimited is so heavy and once you load it up with all the offroad farkles you might as well get a powervvegan.
It is not the tj. They are nice but again to heavy , just slightly over weight.
The xj ,well they are so unbalanced so and none of the cool guys drink xj coolaid. but they are lighter then tj, jk, and even yj so they are contenders.
The yj,s are in they got modern heating and leaf springs. Suspension is reliable. no track barbolts or control arm bushings to wear out.
the cj,s the 5 and 7 are lighter then all the rest but have no heat. does that matter ?
And the 2a, 3a 3b flat fenders all classics . New of the showroom floor 2000 to 2200 pds. Built up 2500 to 2800 pds. Forwheeeling anywhere but maclean on the tight trails  perfect.
oh and the cost to build choose your koolaid
2 lunch box lockers  $800
winch plate $100 to $300 depending on model
buying winch locally on sale $400
tires and rims $3000 if you have 17 inch rims on a jk or $1700 for 15 inch rims and tires.
Lift ? $1000 for a good set of leaf springs that flex with shocks or up to $3000 +for those coil springy jeep kits that work. But if you know your way around the shop you can build for less.

[cLAY]

By that logic you should be building a Suzuki sidekick.   

Did you ever wheel with the Stampeders when Terry had has old CJ5 with the narrow track axles? I cant't count how many times he either put that thing on its side or stood it on its rear bumper.

[dunl]

CJ5's aren't flatfenders, and are known for tipping.

[Hi Lo Silver]

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