I'm new to this site and I don't own a jeep.....yet. Not sure what happened but I have become infatuated with the JK Wrangler. I am trying to figure out which one will be my new ride an X, Sahara or a Rubicon. I am not into rock crawling as I live in the armpit of the U.S.... Illinois. Although, I do like to get muddy and play in the snow.....I sound like my 4 year old. Anyway not sure if I need Dana 44's front and rear and all the other things a Rubicon has or from what I hear a Sahara is just a fancier (on the inside) X. Any help will be appreciated. I am already looking at after market parts, and other accesories for a jeep I don't even own.....yet. Also, are the Wranglers with tops painted to match the factory 3 piece removable one or are they after market? I just wondered what they look like close up after they are painted?

 

An X with optional D44 rear locker and electronic front swaybar disconnect with soft top and 6-speed is probably the best value in the turn-key, ready-for-the trail market. You'll be a set of good tires away from a very capable trail truck and you'll save significant coin over a Sahara or Rubicon.

 

Well as you already deduced, if you're not going to be doing much offroading theres no sense really in getting a sahara or rubicon. They are much better, no doubt, but if you aren't going to utilize it why pay for it. If all you're going to do is put on some bigger wheels and maybe go mudding here and there, just get an X and call it good.

And yes, the hard top painted is not factory. Welcome to the site!

 

welcome to the site. where are you in illinois? the great lakes group has a lot of very good wheeling spots. such as the badlands in attica. give me a hollar some tiime and I can give you some ideas on where to do a little more than play in the mud. after all it is a jeep and you wont be able to resist more.its a sickness

 

A Sahara is much better for trail driving than an X oufitted with factory locker and discos? The Sahara is probably the least desirable platform to start with. It's paint and trim plus abysmal 3.21 gearing.



Edit: btw, I wheel the gonads off of my X (admittedly, now modded). I drove up Potato Salad Hill last month (open Dana 30 front and all) while two tall, fat tired, Tera-Lo equipped TJs with long arm kits had to take the strap, so it's not like the X isn't formidable on the trail...

 

Agreed. Don't get the sahara package. IMO it is a waste of money for shiny fenders and trim that will get damaged on the trail anyway. Buy the x package with 6-speed and 4.10 and spend 3 grand on a front d44 and you are good to go. No need for that 4:1 rubi transfer case unless you plan on a lot of crawling. heck, i love the rocks and my stock transer case works really well for it!

 

Good post Dean, but after '07 the optional gear ratio is 3.73 <sigh> I did 4.88s front and back and am much happier. Most all my trail work is crawling, but with that deep of gearing, I don't tend to have a problem with the standard 2.72:1 t-case.

 

I have the X with the 24s package 30/44 axles 5.13s and the auto. I just gusseted the Cs and skidded the LCAs. and mine is very trail capable. if he is never to do much in the way of crawling why spend the xtra 3000. when that could be put towards more durable mods. that are not prone to probs. so a slightly modded X is just as capable as a rubi. IMO. minus the lockers but I think even air or soft lockers would be better than the electric that can give you problems and are very costly to replace. Just my 2

 

Sing it, woodweavil. Props to the X!

 

Thanks for all the input guys. I just wish I had one at this point don't care which one it was. Woodweavil, I am from Pekin Illinois. It's across the river from Peoria.