Ancient Machine

Let me preface this with a few things:

I love my Jeep. Really love it.
Money IS an object.
I REALLY love my Jeep!

So I live in Alaska. After busting shafts and the C and ball joints on my front passenger side wheel I have been really gun shy wheeling my Jeep. That was my first wheeling trip, and where I did the damage was actually just a rut in a dirt road. The fact that I did so much damage with such little force amazed my other Jeeper amigos. They litterally shook their heads But suffice to say that I'm hesitant to wheel with such weak parts. I'd definitely like to upgrade, but please read on...

I'm at an impasse. I am not comfortable wheeling without stronger parts. I also want a vehicle that'll last me forever, and that has more power. Can I make my JK into a long-lasting light-wheeling machine for the cost of a more reliable but less capable vehicle? (I'm thinking FJ or Tacoma, and yes I did put on a nomex jumpsuit before I wrote that).

I am also making a move within the next six months or so, and I'll be driving my JK and towing a trailer from Alaska to SoCal, in the Ontario/Redlands/Victorville area. I'm worried if my Jeep will have the power and reliability to tow for so long through mountainous terrain.

So while I love my Jeep and would love nothing more than to dump a metric ton of $100s into it, that's not wise for me at this time. I'm starting a family and need to make the best decision for us on a functional, utilitarian, reliable and cost-effective vehicle that we can still use for some camping and fun and light wheeling.

I'm thinking of a few options here. A Tacoma, as it's a reliable vehicle that could handle wheeling and camping, has power and is fairly cost effective. I don't like the unsecured storage of a truck bed though, as most of what I'd store I'd want locked inside. IFS and a long wheel base could be good and bad.

An FJ, I see this as a cross between a Tacoma and a Wrangler. It's admittedly far less capable (though still able) on the trails. Has power and the reliability of Toyota vehicles, secured storage, decent price tag. Bad visibility, IFS, and "tool factor" are things to consider haha.

A Rubicon upgrade. This would still be within my cost range I believe, but would I have survived that dirt road rut with Rubicon parts, or does it still suffer the strength issues of my X? Would I have to drop a bunch of cash into it to upgrade parts to make it more reliable and long-lived? Should I wait for the new engine I've heard about?

I mean, it's a Jeep, I really WANT to argue myself into trading in for a Rubi, but I'm doing my best to ground myself and make the wise choice. It'd be worse on the road than the other two choices, better on the trails, more fun for the family, lack the power, be more of a money pit... I would be ok making an initial investment in upgrades if I could be sure it'd make it more reliable but I'm really out of my element with experience here.

What would you guys do? I could always get another Jeep down the road... I could trade for a more reliable and powerful vehicle now, then trade again for a new Rubi (yay! ) or probably any number of other options.

Do you guys have any other ideas that I haven't considered? Drop some cheddar into my X and keep it? How much would it cost to make my X into a vehicle as reliable, strong and powerful as a toyota and as capable as a rubicon? Am I being unreasonable with my "Daimler Chrysler has crap engineering and quality!" mindset?

Wow this turned into a long post, I'm sorry about that guys. I just kinda brain dumped. I've asked both Jeep and Toyota evangelists here locally and am getting so many different answers. You guys have all remained really loyal to Jeep but also fair and objective when someone has presented questions like mine. I humbly request your wisdom and advice!

Lauryn2000

Nissan Xterra--sounds like this would fit your needs...

Alec

I'll just address two options you posed:

1) Toyota Tacoma or FJ. These are decent vehicles, on and off-road. However, they are less capable stock than the Jeep due to the axles and they also have weak parts. The weakest part of them is probably the steering / front suspension. Both stock and with lifts, these systems have issues and can have bad drive-ability. When I worked at 4WP, there weren't many upgrades available, dunno about now. But again, they are decent. Given the choice, I'd get a Taco any day over the FJ.

2) Upgrade to Rubi. I'd stick with yours and upgrade it. Yes, you get lockers, the 4:1, and some other features. However, besides the money for the upgrade itself, you're looking at money spent due to depreciation on yours, etc. That's a bunch of money towards upgrades. Besides that the front axle still has many of the weak points of yours.

Just my cents.

Brashanic

when i bought my rubi i was looking at an FJ.

For my NEEDS i almost bought the FJ. but i caved into my WANTS and bought the rubi.

i don't regret it and often wonder if i would even still have the FJ . My needs for a utility vehicle have passed and normally i would of sold whatever vehicle i bought after it's purpose was served. but not my jeep. no way.

if i was younger and money and reliable towing for distance were important i would of chosen differently.

i hate to say it but from the info in your post i think you should strongly consider the FJ.

Good luck

Mark Doiron

There's no other vehicle in the world that you can upgrade like a Jeep Wrangler. The after-market is huge. Having said that, from your description of your off-roading carnage, that does sound very unusual. Plenty of us here are wheeling the stock parts you broke on much more than rutted dirt roads. I have 60K miles, and quite a bit of that off-road in some technical areas. My damage is limited to a sliced open tire sidewall (got into a rock), a slightly banged up hardtop (got into a tree on a hill trying to make a turn that two-door Jeeps made look easy, LOL), steering wheel cocked (realigned in five minutes), and lots of dents and scratches on the skidplates. I'm very impressed with what my Jeep can do, and I really think that your problem was a freak.

Ancient Machine

Wow thanks everyone so far with the responses, exactly the kinda opinions I'm looking for If nothing else I'd wanna stay in the Jeep community!

33 williys 77

You can stay in the Jeep community no matter what you have, Trail bud, Eddie, othere's have busted more equipment than most , and what do they do, upgrade.

So take it slow for now, the upgrade's will come.

33

Ancient Machine

Good point... there's a big part of me that just wants to stick with my X, upgrade the heck out of it and keep it forever. But would that be the wise choice? Like really how much would it cost and what would need to be done to make this thing able to make the trip with a trailer as far as power and reliability? And then when I get there I can work on things, but I just get this sinking feeling that 15 years down the road I'll have put three Tacomas worth of work into it :(

33 williys 77

When I went looking for a vehicle to tow behind the MH I looked at everything that I could fit in ( and thats far and few between )
for vehicle that can be towed out of the box, I looked very close at the JK , tapping the axle tubing with a coin it sounded like
it was made out of sheet metal along with all the fixture that go with it. That's the expense of making it lighter for the ECO world we live in now, all mfg are doing it now, even my MH has a aluminum drive shaft, nodular Iron is a thing of the past, but we can always upgrade, for you Dynatrac 44 might be in your future, it just takes time, take what you already have and make it the way you want it.

33

Merlin4979

With the "starting a family" part of your statement, what about looking into getting an Unlimited Rubicon?