Hello, all. I'm new here. As you can see, I'm a KJ owner. I was introduced to the Jeep family back in Dec 06 with my purchase of an '02 KJ Liberty Limited 4x4. I'm very pleased with the Liberty. Before that, I owned a Chevy Tracker and I always wondered why people would pay more for a Liberty than a Tracker when they were basically the same size.

Well, let's just say, I'm 100% convinced. The comparison is not even close. Heck, there is NO comparison really. My KJ is great. I've barely wheeled it (it's technically the mrs' vehicle since I've got an '03 Ford Ranger that I'm trying to sell now), but what little I've played around with it has been fun.

Once I sell my Ranger, I'm contemplating getting a 4dr Wrangler. I've got 3 kids so the 2dr is not an option. I took the wife and kids out wheelin' in my Ranger a couple weeks ago and she had a blast. So, she's agreed that after I sell the Ranger, we can get a 4dr Wrangler.

My question is, should I go for the Rubicon or will I be happy with just a Sahara? I know the main differences, but never owning either, I'm kinda unsure. As far as the Rubi lockers, what kind of lockers are they? I was under the impression that the TJ Rubi's had air lockers in them, but thought that I read somewhere that they were Elockers in the JK. Is that right? If I get the Sahara, I'm pretty sure I'm limited to a D30 up front, right? How big can I realistically go tire wise on that axle? I'm thinkin' of going with a 4.5"-5.5" lift or whatever it'll take to clear 37" tires.

I know I could get the Rubi axles after market for around $2800 or so. So, if I get the Sahara and swap out the axles, I'd only be lacking the 4:1 transfer case, right? Would I even need to swap out the rear axle, though? Is the Sahara rear axle the same as the Rubi w/o the locker? I so, I could just throw a locker in it and be good to go.

I know there are a lot of questions there and I realize there are a lot of answers already on the forum. I'll be searching, but in the mean time, I thought I'd get my own thread going for some direct advice. Feel free to share pics of any 4dr JKs on 37+" tires and let me know what lift you're runnin' and how happy you are with it. I really just want to make sure I do this right the first time.

 

I think, in your case, it comes down to the painted fender flares or the Rubicon decal.

With a 5 inch lift and 37's you will probably want to re-gear to 5.13 or at least 4.88 either way. You will also need to get rid of the D-30 up front on the Sahara.

You can add the lockers and sway bar disconnect to the Sahara if you can find one on the lot or order it (I don't think they are standard on the Sahara) but at that point you may have priced yourself into a Rubicon anyway.

Do the math and see what is the better deal.

Man I was no help at all was I?

 

I'm not completely sure, but I think the disconnect and the lockers were only ever options for the "X" and standard of course for the Rubicon. I own a Rubicon and have wheeled plenty of non rubicon TJ's(never an X or Sahara JK though) and it sounds like any of these options would be sufficient for you. You could swap out parts and "build" a Rubicon, but you couldn't do it cheaper, and it would not have a lifetime powertrain warranty. Yes, the Rubicons are Elockers, which is new and has not been tested for a long time, but there is always that powertrain warranty...

If you're running 37's, you're most likely going to want to have that D44 upfront. People have run 37's on the d30(SLICKWILL comes to mind, but I think he is on his 3rd front axle...always entertaining SLICK)

I see that you have wheeled a Tracker and a Ranger, and now you love the Liberty, any stock JK will blow any of those out of the water off road. I would seriously think about the decision of 37's though. A stock X with its cookie cutters will wheel better than those three you've mentioned, a stock Rubicon is extremely capable, and from what I've noticed, more capable than half of the built rigs I've wheeled with(when you're in that 4:1 t case, sway bars disco'd, and locked all the way around, you start to feel pretty unstoppable) 3" of lift with 35" tires take most sane people and some really crazy people anywhere they want to be. You could probably get away with the Rubi's 4:10 gears with 35's also whereas with every gear ratio, you'll need to regear with 37's and you'll really want to regear with the 3.21 and 3.73 with 35's. If you're going 37's, and you want to do it right, then you will NEED a regear, and you'll be better off with a long arm suspension for extreme articulation. This setup makes you question the idea of just climbing over other rigs you wheel with though.

Hope that helps at all. Whatever you get though, I'd wheel it extensively stock and understand what its capabilities are, and where its weaknesses are so that when you upgrade, you are hitting the right components.

You might be surprised at the stock capability...

 

Yep you are right. The lockers and Swaybar disco's are not available on the Sahara.
I didn't want the painted fenders so I never built one on line.

 

Ok, I don't want the painted flares. I take it that if I don't want the painted flares, then I have to get the X or Rubi, right?

You're probably right, I could swap the axle and add lockers, but then I'd be close to the price of a Rubi.

Yeah, you were no help. I guess I really just needed to hear it from someone else to make sure I was lookin' at things right.

Are the Elockers Eatons?

I definitely don't want to go through 3 front axles... that's for sure. I highly doubt I'll be happy with 4.10's with 35's, too. I'm runnin' 4.56's in the Ranger on 33" Boggers and I feel like I need more power. I'm sure the lower gearing of the 4:1 TC would make a big difference, but I think I'd rather have the lower gears, too.

I did not wheel the Tracker. It was a 2wd people mover. I was just making the comparison between the Tracker and the Liberty and saying how much I really enjoy my first Jeep. I'm just itching to upgrade again.

My Ranger is a bit beyond stock. Other than that damn IFS, it's really capable. I go out often with an '05 LJ and an '05 Rubi and it can definitely hold it's own. I'm sure that the JK Rubi will be a while 'nother world though.

So, once I go to larger tires, I'll more likely than not regear, too.

I will probably upgrade it shortly after purchase if I get it while I'm here in Guam. There are some crazy spots out here to wheel and I'll be itching to get out there and play with it. (did that sound right?)




You all helped a bit. I never realized that the disco's aren't available on the Sahara and that the Sahara only comes with painted fenders.

I guess I am stuck on a Rubi (isn't that awful...), but now I'll be tryin' to decide what to mod first!

 

Another question.

What's the best way to get more grunt behind the JK?

I'm seriously considering a 5.7 or 6.1 conversion, but that won't happen until around 2012 or 2013. Until then, what do the rest of you do? A friend of mine suggested a supercharger. Anyone run one on a JK around here?

 

LOL yeah, that's the only reason I got a Rubi.

 

Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

I think I'll convince the wife of that, too. Then I'm golden!