I am new to JKs, but not to wheeling. I used to carry things like extra U-joints, but I hear the JKs don't have them. I also saw a thread about the clip on the transfer case cable being a weak point. What else should I consider having on hand when wheeling in a JKUR?

I still have my recovery kit, jack, winch, ect, but I am more interested in specific JK weak links.

 

I carry some OEM rear axle shafts but thats so I can limp home if I break my good G2 shafts.

 

You'll need to be a little more specific on how you wheel and how hard you are on equipment. Otherwise you'll get crazy answers ranging from a tire plug to the whole axle and spare motor.

 

It isn't so much how hard I wheel, as it is where I wheel. One can wheel really hard in an Off Road park, and not need any spares. On the other hand, one can take it easy on not often traveled trails, way out of cellphone range, and may need a spare jeep. I try to wheel with a friend, but that isn't always so easy.

About the axle, do all JKs use the same rear axles? I know the front varies between the D30, and D44. I did carry a spare axle, and driveshaft in my previous 4X4.

 

No rear Rubi shaft ms are different spline counts than non Rubi. Also Rubi passenger vs driver side shafts are slightly different lengths.

Northridge 4x4

 

To answer your original question, JKs do have u-joints on the front axle shafts. So yes, carrying some of those might be a good idea. You said you have a JKUR... I see bent rear axle flanges all the time, especially if you are running a heavy wheel and tire combo. So either get some spare Rubi shafts (and yes, different than non-Rubi Dana 44 shafts) or upgrade yours and carry your stock ones as spares. Other common issues I see are bent tie rods. It's just in a vulnerable place... come down wrong on a rock or tree stump and its toast.

Get some of the spare plastic clips that hold the fender flares on. Usually not a big deal if you rip a fender flare off, and having the extra clips to put it back on is nice.

 

I carried a spare drive shaft and a set of D30 axle shafts when I went to Moab for EJS. On the second day of wheeling I needed the spare axle shafts as I blew both on the same obstacle in about 30 seconds. I was able to limp the Jeep back to town and change them in there. I could have changed them on the trail but it seemed smarter to do it in town. I also carry spare u-joints. If memory serves me the U-joints for the drive shaft are the same as the axle shafts on a Rubicon.

I have heard of people carrying a spare steering box, water pump, serpentine belt, alternator, thermostat, brake lines and a host of other items along with spare fluids.

While on the trail in Moab one of the other Jeeps had a transmission line come loose and they needed transmission fluid. Between two other Jeepers we were able to get them back on the trail and home.

R/
Will

 

I thought that might be the case, thanks!

 

Hmmm, I guess what I saw about u-joints only applies to the driveshaft. I will get some for the front axle. Spare fender clips are a good idea too.

Thanks!

 

I learned yesterday when we broke down on the trail to never forget your tools at the campsite and carry extra transfer case shifter bushings. Half way through fins n things in Moab when I was shifting from 4lo back to 2wd the bushing underneath the center console broke and got stuck in neutral. We got a few recommendations from rr4w Facebook page about trying to shift the transfer case manually but it wasn't working for us. So we hiked out the rest of the trail and thank god one of the first campgrounds we passed was a man with a rock crawler that was willing to pull us out the rest of the way. He also let us borrow his tools and all we needed was one wrench to get underneath the center console and put the cable on enough to get get back into 2wd drive. I can't thank him enough! Also, when we got back into town we were recommended to Moab 4x4 outpost who provided us with a bushing and an extra one cause supposedly they are know to break easily and it was only like ten dollars. Moral of the story. Had I remembered my tools and known to carry those extra bushings I could have finished out the trail no problem. Haha.