No one here is badmouthing Rubi's!
We just cannot justify the cost, which is substantial. I believe there's a huge markup. At first I did plan on getting the Rubi, but I figure the X is a better deal. It all depends on what the Jeep is used for, and trac loc is not for me. The rock trac would be nice b/c of ratio, but not for an extra $7000. An Atlas II would be cheaper. A lot of us here have other Jeeps and know what needs to be modified depending on what we do with our Jeeps.
2Cents

 

I dont think he's bashing the Rubicon.

But if your going to build jeep bigger than the rubicon is, Its Cheaper just to be a decked out X model and build.


He doesnt want electronic lockers, or the electronic disconnect. Tires will be taken off, so thats a waist to even buy the ruby if your just going to pull all it off anyhow.

This is the way I looked at it,. thats whY i upgraded to a d44 rear.

When im ready to wheel.. which it wont be for a couple years.. I already have trail rigs. I'll just swap in a front 44 and Lock it up. for less than the cost of a new ruby.,

I can see both sides of the debate. Its really on what your long term plans are.

If your into wheeling a a weekend a month or just a couple weekends a year, the rubicons it..

it also depends on where you wheel...and what kind of terrian your on.

 

damn the wife beat me to it!

 

I agree with your thinking, it appears there were more differances between a TJ/LJ X & Rubicon than a JK X & Rubicon

 

This had to be one of the most informational threads I've read here.((((Great thread))). I also banged the Rubi decsision around myself, drove me crazy, but I decided the "X with Trac Loc would do everything I would ever need it for. Out of the box the Rubi is the best out there for serious wheelin(bare none>period). I'm a little older>ok, a lot older now and I only need the capability that the "X" gives me(it's perfect). I like the idea that the Rubi is still our Big Brother in our jeep family, hey, it belongs to us. If I follow a Rubi into some bad sh#$, I think the "X" with Trac Loc, ESP, TC, and Brake Lock Diff would supply enough traction to make for a fun day, and if I can't make a certain part of the terrain, I'll pick a smarter path for my capabilities(that wouldn't bother me). I know one thing, I'm more than ready for the Central Pa. snow, fire trail's, and some great rocky mountain roads. We are all different in the use of our Jeeps, and it's great that DC offers 3 different models for all. One big thing WE have that FJ Cruiser, Hummer2/3 don't have, they don't have the Rubi, we do... So driving a loaded up "X" or Sahara, when either one pulls up to you just because your right there guys and they know it.......

 

OK, "bad-mouthing" was a bad choice of words.

Trying to look at it from a different perspective, it DOES make perfect sense to start with an X if you don't want the electronic lockers, electronic discos, and especially if you plan to seriously upgrade to Dana 60s and an Atlas II transfer case. Why pay A LOT for a whole bunch of hardware that you're just going to tear right off?!

I guess would do the same thing. My apologies if I offended anyone.

Tom
Bryson City, NC

 

Good Luck getting your "Rubi"...........Betcha can't wait.

 

Right now I eat, sleep and dream Jeep. My XJ is a terror off-road, but a new wrangler has been a dream for the past 5 years. It was a blessing when the XJ broke down. I finally had a good reason to get a new Jeep.

Out of oblilgation to the XJ, I kept dumping parts into it until I finally replaced a bad crank sensor, now I'm happily wheeling again. The guilt of abandoning my first Jeep love was too overwhelming. I just had to fix her no matter the cost.

Tom
Bryson City, NC

 

That is the ONLY way to accurately describe the wait!!!

 

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You're not willing to spend $7K for a Rubicon, but you're willing to spend $9K to rebuild the Jeep to make it better than a Rubicon? I'm just not sure I follow you there. I'm not against your position, I just don't understand it. The Rubicon was built pretty darn tough, heck the X is pretty darn tough. Might I suggest not replacing parts until you break them? You may wheel for 10 years and never break a Rubicon axle or blow apart a diff. Then again you may do it tomorrow. DC put the Dana 44 under the Rubicon, put the beefier axles this year, put the e-lockers, the electronic disco sway on the Rubicon so people wouldn't HAVE to beef up their Jeep. They could buy it PRE-BEEFED! It doesn't sound like you're even giving the Rubicon a chance. It cost too much, yet you'll spend even more to build it until you're happy. Most (actually all) of the magazines Ive read thus far say this Rubicon is tough. I plan to spend $7K to get a Rubicon, and IF I start breaking parts, THEN I'll start spending extra money to replace them with stronger parts. I'm willing to bet that in the long run (say 10 years), I'll spend less than you.
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LOL.... Dunno who you are, but you are clearly not a hardcore wheeler... The point is, yes, I AM willing to spend more to end up with a BETTER rig! Why wouldn't I be willing to do that?

I'm planning on 37's, and I have snapped more d44 shafts and joints than I care to recall wheeling 33s-37s, and while I think the Rube is a great rig, I know I'd break those damn axles way too often. So, we go bigger.

YOU may spend less in 10 years than me - but if I bougth a Rube, I'D spend more in the next 2 years than had I bought an X. I've gone that route - with my first CJ the first thing I did was upgrade my model 20 shafts. When they broke I went to full floater shafts. Then I bent the axle. went to a d44, broke that. the d30 front in that rig was also reconfigured too many times.

So if I'm gonna run 37's, I'm gonna run big axles. In fact I may just go d60 f+r and sell both the stock axles. Anybody interested???