Throwback Thursday: Was the Jeep LJ the Best Wrangler Jeep Ever Built?

Jeep Wrangler has a long and storied history. It is tough to pick the best, but the LJ makes a strong case for itself.

The Jeep Wrangler has been around since 1987. And while to some of us 1987 feels like just yesterday, that was 35 long years ago. And during that time Jeep has cranked out a lot of Wranglers. It all started with the YJ generation. Then the TJ came out to replace it. That was followed by the JK and now of course we have the JL generation Wrangler. Each generation has its own charm. And each had a series of special editions or equipment options to make them a bit more special. So, to name one Wrangler as the best is not an easy task. It will also lead to many friendly debates within the Jeep community. We are all for friendly debates, so can the Jeep LJ be the best Wrangler of all-time? It is a bold claim.

In this week’s “Throwback Thursday” we take a closer look at the Jeep LJ and what makes it special within the Wrangler ranks. The LJ we are looking at here is owned by Harry Wagner. Wagner made some modifications to his Jeep, and he talks all about it in a video he uploaded to his Harry Situations YouTube channel. Whether or not you would agree that the LJ is the best Wrangler ever made is of course up to you. But we think that even if you don’t rank it as best, you can’t argue that this is a pretty cool rig.

The Backstory

The Jeep LJ, debuted late in the Wrangler TJ model run. LJ stands for ‘Long Jeep’ and that is exactly what it was. Introduced late in 2004 was the Wrangler Unlimited, which is known as the LJ. It featured a longer wheelbase, which offered a more comfortable on-road ride. It also came with 13 inches of additional cargo room. In 2005 the Rubicon Unlimited was introduced. The Jeep in the video is a 2006 model, which marked the final year before the introduction of the JK generation. So, the LJ Rubicon is a bit of a rare bird as it was only in the market for two years. The LJ that Wagner bought already had some nice upgrades from AEV such as the wheels and highline hood. But, like most of us he could not leave well enough alone and added even more modifications.

Drivetrain

Here is something you don’t hear every day. Wagner does not like the 4.0L inline six, but at the same time he is not interested in going down the engine swap slope, so the original motor remains, albeit with an intake, headers and exhaust upgrade. Wagner is also not a fan of the stock automatic transmission. He finds it hunts for gears too often on the highway. But he admits it is likely made worse by the fact that he installed a set of 37-inch tires.

Axles, Suspension, and Steering, Oh My

Now for the tough stuff underneath the Jeep. The front and rear factory lockers remain in place. Dana 44 axles with RCV axle shafts, and 5.38 gears are now installed. The 2.5-inch remote reservoir King shocks that were on the Jeep when Wagner bought it were revalved. JKS control arms were added at all four corners. A PSC Big Bore XD steering box and pump was installed. Custom track bar mounts were made to improve the roll center. A GenRight 31.5-gallon Safari fuel tank and skid plate sits out back and a bit low. That skid plate gets a workout, but it has held up well so far. This might not be the best rock crawler in the world, but it is capable enough and is still easy to drive on the street.

Why the LJ Is Best

So, this is a nice Jeep for sure. And it has a decent number of upgrades. But why would it be considered the best Wrangler? One is the relative rarity that we mentioned at the beginning. The other is the fact that longer wheelbase Jeeps have always been cool, going back to the Jeepster and Scrambler. And while the LJ has a longer wheelbase it still has tidy dimensions overall which is beneficial on the trail. The TJ generation also was fairly simple. A lot of the electronics found in the more modern Wranglers do not exist in the Jeep we see here. You may see that as a good thing or a bad thing, but sometimes simple is better. The LJ is the sweet spot in size, technology and capability.

LJ Rubicon In Action

If you need more convincing checkout the video below of the Jeep LJ Rubicon in action. There are newer, safer, and more capable Jeeps out there. But when you consider everything, this offers and factor in the cost of an LJ, is there a better Wrangler out there right now? You decide.

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