jadmt

I am running 35's as are the other two jeeps going. I have 2.5" RK lift and flat fenders lockers, winch etc. Not heavily armoured tho have front diff skid, lca skids, gast tank skid, heavy duty cross member stock rubicon rails etc. one jeep is a 2 door aev 3.5" lift and the other is a 4 door with 2.5" aev. all rubicons.

Albino Lizard

Buy some frame mounted rock sliders. Your Rubirails are going to leave you very exposed to body damage. My LOD rails took a thrashing, but not my jeep.

I also did this on the rubicon two months ago.

TheDirtman

You can tear stuff up on just about any trail if you want. A JK with 35's and lockers with good tires should be a cakewalk unless you are trying to make it hard and it is only on a handful of spots. I ran it with a guy that had a tj on open diffs and 35's in 6 hours with no real problems. You will want someone to spot in 3 places that I can think of. People take days to do the trail so they can camp and enjoy the beauty of the trail and surrounding mountains and lakes. Rubicon springs is a great place to explore on foot and take in the scenery, Buck island is another spot you just have to stop and enjoy.

jadmt

So stock rubi rails enough or do I need better rocker protection?

Albino Lizard

I wouldn't go on rubi rails.

JK-jeepit

As three of us were newbies on the Rubicon I wouldn't even suggest going both ways in three days if you guys are also new to the Rubicon.

Take the suggestion earlier and go from west to east and enjoy it... if your like us the three day trip going one way will be enough and you'll have enjoyed it and not rushed it and got yourself broken down due to hurrying... etc... attempt the little sluice, etc,
just my 2 cents... but what ever you decide to do post up your journey and be safe...

Here's a summary of our trip...

Three of us just ran the Rubicon for the first time July 22-23-24, right before the Jeepers Jamboree.
All of us have experience, many trips to moab, Colorado, NM areas, and AZ trail, rock crawling etc.. I posted pictures of our Jeeps below.
It took us ~20 hrs to go from Loon lake to Observation hill. ~23hrs total time from Loon lake to Lake Tahoe air down area. (this included our stop at observation point. we didn't rush our trip but then again we didn't waste a lot of time either.. we enjoyed the trail. took pictures etc..
we only saw 4 other groups in that 3 day period (not including the guys at Rubicon springs and the Jeep/Trailers.)
The first group was only 1/2 mile from Loon Lake broken down with a busted axle shaft..
One group on Tuesday had built TJ/LJ's and knew the trail extremely good,, this was there 29yr doing the Jamboree.
One thing that was kind of funny was two of the groups (experienced Rubicon trail runners) on Tuesday both told us we where ## minutes away from the springs and we'd get there by or before dark,, (it was late Tuesday and had been raining off and on) we didn't make it..

The trail obstacles never end... and when they do it doesn't last long... the longest mellow part is by Rubicon Springs and it doesn't last long, (not including the forest road area after Cadillac Hill).
I was surprised we spotted each other as much as we did.
All three of us did admit that in some areas we didn't need to spot, but then again we were able to drive our Jeeps home the 1300 miles with no issues..
And then when we didn't spot each other, this happened. I was leading and my wife got out to walk as we came to an area with three ways to go... one was no way in hell, one was yea maybe and then the middle way was this should be the easiest, not off camber no possible body scraps, so I looked it over (late Tuesday and trying to get to Rubicon Spring to Camp, remember we are trying to make it to Observation point by 1pm weds) and so I proceeded to go... well my idea was perfect but my excursion wasn't, I ended having to winch out... (passenger tire was half a tire to far passenger) (second winch of the day for me,, if I only had 1-1.5 more inches of clearance)
both my buddies went over exactly as I had planned to but then again they had the advantage of spotters...

We started at ~2:30pm Monday and camped a Ellis Creek ~5:30pm (we did stop to early due to a weather system that turned out to be a false alarm) but it was a good spot even had an out house across the bridge for the wife..
Tuesday we spent 12hrs on the trail and camped maybe 1/2 mile from Rubicon springs, Just passed, downhill from the Tree squeeze.
On Tuesday it rained some, some delay maybe, but was a great day. both of us with JKU did the little Sluice, Eric, LJ decided to take one of the bypasses since it had taken so long to get 2 jeeps through.
Weds we spent about 4.5 hrs on the trail between our camp and Observation point (while in Georgetown we stop at the Jeep Jamboree office and they asked if we could be off Cadillac Hill by 1pm Wednesday, or at least try our hardest to be off, they had there Jeeps with trailers (food, beer, ice) going in for the big event.
We got there at 12:40ish and only had to have 1 jeep/trailer wait for us on Cadillac Hill, he actually had a mechanical problem which we helped him with. Cadillac Hill goes on forever... lower part has several obstacles.

Problems on the trail.. minor.
08' JKU won the mechanical issue award with minor issures
1 - had a punctured tire just after he made it over the last big boulder on the little sluice.
2- loose power steering fitting causing a leak,, we caught it as soon as it started.. tighten a fitting and good to go.
3- loose tie rod jam nut,
4- I don't remember as he fixed it while I was spotting the LJ.
13' JKU won the winch award.
1st- had to winch out of the little sluice, 1/2 Jeep (rear driver tire away from making it. another 1 to 1.5" and I would have had it)
2nd- squeeze/straddle over two boulders on the downhill portion before the tree/boulder squeeze.
then 1 1/2- mechanical issues after the trail. I had to re adjust the draglink for correct steering position (I've had to do this twice now, once after metal masher in moab) and I had a new synergy tie rod with and it appeared I had slightly bent it so while in Lake Tahoe we replaced it...
05 LJ won the no issue award.

I used the 08JKU as a guide for me to find numerous different lines to clear rocks as I am 1-1 1/2" shorter..
We all consistently were scrapping our skid plates, using rock sliders to slide around boulders... etc.
we all had a great 2 1/2 day run on the Rubicon.

The Top Ten Ways you know you are on the Rubicon Trail.
10 - Within a half mile to mile you run into broken down 4x4's.
9 - You cannot drive 300 yards without having a committee meeting on how to drive the next 300 yards
8 - Your spotter sees more of your undercarriage than any other part of your vehicle.
7 - The long lines carved into the rocks are not Petroglyphs, they are scrapes from those who preceded you.
6 - It takes you eighteen hours to go the 8 miles from Loon Lake to Rubicon Springs
5 - You've broke something, and or loaned your tools, expertise, and given away your gas to help your buddy or a fellow 4x4er get through.
4 - You are driving over granite ledges steeper than a cow's nose and you think it is easy.
3 - The experienced rock runner tells you it will take you 3-4 hours and it takes you closer to two days.
2 - You meet a Jeep coming down Cadillac Hill and the only way around is to call in a Sikorsky.
1 - Your wife walk 90% of the trail from Loon Lake to the top of Cadililac hill at a faster pace then you and your buddy's drove it.

08' JKU 4" 35's call it a Rubi ++ full armor with LOD sliders upgraded suspension etc


13 JKU Rubi 3" 34's full armor LOD sliders beefed up front suspension and drive shafts


05 TJ Rubi 2.5" 33's full armor upgraded sliders

Brigitta2

You are not budgeting much time to run the trail in both directions. Starting on a Monday will cut back on some traffic, but you will be running against the grain from the get go. I know Barlow Jeep Adventures will be running a group (rental jeeps) through the same days you are running. They go the traditional west to east travel route.

We live 90 miles from the Tahoe side and know the trail well. On average, with our 6" long arm lifts and 37'" tires (4 dr Rubicon with a doubler ) it's a full day's drive to get from Loon to the springs in the summer months.
They just finished running 2 jamborees through the trail so it's probably pretty torn up. I believe you will be making a mad dash which will increase your chances of breaking stuff. I would avoid the "old big sluice" aka "old sluice" aka "true big sluice" and take the slabs down to/from Buck Island Lake. The trail is not well marked here and will take time to find your way through.

I would strongly suggest you run the trail first from Wentworth Springs to Observation point. Take in the true Rubicon experience then decide if you have time to run back the other direction.

This is an iconic trail and you should take the time to enjoy it. It's no fun getting beat up and breaking things. Just a few weeks ago we had a plea on our local 4x4 forum from a JK owner who broke 4 axle shafts, broke the steering shaft, and grenaded a locker up on the Rubicon. Luckily folks in his group were local to our area and new where to go for help. He got the parts he needed and got safely off the trail.
Take your time, have fun, stay safe!

Desert Fox

Please reread my response on page one of this thread. It states that the stock Rubicon rock rails will not work. You are going to spend a lot of time scraping your rock rails on the tops and sides of rocks, plus you are going to drop from one rock to another and land on the lower rock with a force you won't believe. With stock Rubicon rock rails that is going to transfer that force from the rock rail to the rocker panel and ultimately to your door. Get the strongest RRs you can afford with at least a 4-6 inch stand-off capability and they must attach to the frame, not the body. Others on this thread have also confirmed that the stock Rubicon are not up to the job. I also want to reiterate what others have said about running the Rubicon. Other difficult trails are about 75% moderate and 25% difficult. The Rubicon is 95% difficult and 5% moderate - and that 5% is not all that moderate. It's just one damn rock after another for 22 miles. I say again, run it one way, Loon Lake to Tahoe and enjoy every minute.
DF

jadmt

Ordered some LoD rock rails today and will probably hit it from the west end and enjoy the trip.

Albino Lizard

If you have a manual transmission, let me know. I have a pointer on install.