kifaru

Looking for some opinions. I'm trying to decide between a 2011 Rubicon or 2013 Sport. I will be building more for a expedition truck, 35's, 2.5 lift, aftermarket bumpers. I will also be pulling our M416 adventure trailer (around 1500 lbs loaded). I live in Colorado and visit Utah often. I don't plan on running anything harder than something like Poison Spider Mesa, but only time will tell.

Is the new engine worth the loss of equipment on the Sport? How will it wheel without lockers? I would get one with the tow package and 3:73(?) gears. If i go with the Sport, it will obviously take me longer to get it to the build i want and cost more in the long run.

With the gearing on the Rubicon already being 4:10s will i have enough power to pull our loaded rig with trailer over the passes? Will the Sport be any better? I'd prefer not to be in the slow lane doing 45 mph redlining the engine, been there.

What else should i be thinking about?

New Rubicon is out of the budget.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

-Kifaru

2yellowlabs

Your going to build it out anyway so why not get the new Sport with the warranty? No brainer really.
3.73 is available on the Sport ,good for towing and from what I understand is the way to go with a moderate lift and 35" tires

Idaho

Oof... The new engine kicks butt. The Rubicon is a great package. If I were on a budget, I'd look for an 03 to 06 Rubicon with low miles. The 4.0 is a solid motor.

zstairlessone

08, 33s, 4.10 and a 6-speed Rubicon with hard top. Going up the 14 north of Santa Clarita I can do 70 and above or 50-55' in between I'm slowing down and waiting to get to the less vertical areas to pick up again. I hear the new engine can just rip up there from any speed, that should tell you about towing and mountains. Love my Rubi, but really need a bit more power at times.

Mizippi

2007, new axles, and a hemi

jeepmojo

to rubicon 4 10 gearing / low transfer gear speed, elec disco , lockers front and rear, dana 44 front and rear,
lets face it your vehicle will be being worked on by someone all the time trying to build it . When the rubicon is ready for it allready . Don't forget the 3.8 has been around and proven itself somewhat with out sayin . I do have the 3.6 in my rubicon but I also had a 2011 sport and thers no comparison of a stock sport and a rubicon ! Now if your prepred to rip apart the stock sport and tie it up a lot , and spend a small fortune and have some shop tear to it , hope for the best ? go for the new sport ! on the otherhand 13 has 0 miles on it ... Depends who owned the rubicon was it wheeled or used as a dd
beat up at all? then cleaned up ???? thers all kinds of stuff you have to concider. but if it were me in your shoes id learn to live without the lockers and all that stuff and get a 13 with tow package 3.73 and just forget going that deep to changing axles and stuff though I traded my 11 sport for a 12 rubicon I wanted the stuff I felt was going to keep me from sending it off to who knows who and rely on them to get stuff right . the rubicon is awesome but a new jeep with 0 on the trip meter is kinda a better choice prob . your call a sport will never be a rubicon, some don't care I know this
but no matter how they build it, its a built up sport period. A rubicon as a base plate has better platform to start from isn't it fun making hard decisions it can keep you up nites lol good luck enjoy whatever you choose .

get the 2012 rubisport

joearod524

I'd go with the '13 and more power...mainly because of where you live and what you'll be using it for. I have an '09 4dr Rubicon and I used to have a 2dr '07 Sport. I pull an old Willys MBT around Utah.

I've run most of the stuff in Moab (Poison Spider, Hell's Revenge, Golden Spike, Gold Bar Rim, Pritchett Canyon, etc) with the Sport and no trailer. Only mods were a budget boost, some 33s, and a winch. No lockers, manual disconnect, etc. The only trial I had to winch on was Pritchett.

I'd go with more power, the mods you already have planned, a winch, and put any other money towards expedition goodies.

kifaru

Thanks for all the input. I think I'm going to go with 2013 sport. I can't pull the trigger until the end of February. So I will keep playing the lottery and hope I win and can go with the 2013 rubicon.

-kifaru

whiterave

I think that if you are going, build up your jeep to a rubicon level jeep, you should save and get a rubicon. If your not then a sport is fine. But on this forum I have seen so many people regret not getting a rubicon. But if you know how to do it your self then buy a sport, or if you don't ever see yourself using those features within the life of the jeep then it's a waste of money.

Jonathan_JK

I went the sport route because I want a custom ride. When the time comes and I get the money I will get an Eaton E locker for the rear. I can just toss the 225's and put 315's on instead of paying for ugly 17" rims. Put aftermarket bumpers on. All for less than the price for a Rubicon Clone you can just pick up at the dealer.