Need some info on Jeeps

Sold my RZR and going a different direction. I want to by a two door jeep, never owned one but have some questions.

Is there one year better than the other? I have been told the older models had leaf springs and rode like a tank and the newer models have coil and are much more comfortable and articulate better.

We are primarily going to use this off-roading at our lake house during the off season and may not see much pavement time but could occasionally.

I have been told the I6 motor is the one to go with because big tires, winch's and lifts drag the 4 cyl. down pretty bad. they said the fuel mileage is about the same but the I6 puts out 200 hp and is much better.

I think I like TJ better than the YJ because of the round headlights but don't really know the difference between the two.

Should I go with a 5 speed or 6 speed or just go with the auto?

Soft top or hard top, I think I want both. Winters can get down to -10 so I would think the hard top would be nice, however spring can start out in the morning freezing and get 80 by noon, so the soft top would be nice.

I guess I am more interested in what models, motors and transmissions were more problematic so I can stay away from them.

Any help would be appreciated!

Dan

The TJ is much better riding because it has coil springs.

My advice is to find a Rubicon TJ because it has some nice equipment on it stock.
Hard top is great during the heat of summer and chilly winter days. It is a lot quieter also and yes less dusty.

The Longer wheel base TJs are very nice but hard to find and they are expensive.

Auto or Stick

If I had my choice it would be a auto. I have a stick and go every where the semi stock guys go but it would be nicer with a auto.

I have an '04 Rubicon. I love it. It is an automatic. The TJ's have a straight six that has been around for years. Oh yeah, they suck on mpg.

Avoid the 4cyl and go auto. Kind of girlfriend has the 4cyl and its a manual. Drove it to Kelowna thinking it would be fun top down driving. In the mountains, was in first and second gear, had no power, crawled dead slow through the mountains. Hated all the shifting I had to do.

The V6 is gutless, I have a Nitro with it. Go with the inline, and when you want to add some ponies to the inline go here,,,, http://www.cliffordperformance.net/.

Under no circumstances consider a 4cyl AUTO . . . . you can walk faster pulling it up hill! And if you dare to put any kind of larger tire on it....forget about it.

I would go I-6 TJ for sure, and stick VS auto is preferance. The Rubicons are real nice, bigger front axle, lockers stock, deeper gears stock, 34" tires stock (i think they are 34"). But for what your doing, you may not need the Rubicon. you would be surprised where a regular stock TJ can do. I know the I6 motored TJ with a stick (non rubicon) is actually pretty quick on the street.

I can tell you this. I have run the Rubicon twice in the past two years and here is the target vehicle if you want to do some more serious off roading:
TJ Rubicon model with an inline 4.0lt 6 cylinder and a stick shift.
Rubicon models because they have the 4.11 gears and lockers. So you can run larger tires without changing gears.
6 inch long arm lift kit and 35 inch tires.
This will get er done.

I have an '08 JK Rubicon now and had a CJ7 before this one. For what you are wanting, I would suggest you look for an '04-'07 Unlimited. You will pay more, but you will be happier in the end. This is the model with the longer wheelbase. As suggested, look for a Rubicon model. This will get you lower gears in the axles and transfer case and Dana 44 axles. You will appreciate the auto. The big problem you will have, is that if you find out you really like off-road stuff, you have a problem on your hand. You will spend money on upgrades.....kinda like boats. If you find that you end up wanting to do harder trails, etc. you are going to have decide how hard core to go and try to do your upgrades once. You can be into easily the tens of thousands of dollars in upgrades to axles, wheels, tires, transfer case, armour, etc, etc.

A friend owns GenRight and they are a good source of parts:

http://www.genright.com/

Obviously, there are a lot of other companies out there in that business.

Happy hunting.

Oh, or you could end up like me. I have my JK and a rock buggy, for the stupid stuff.

Lolol... Welcome to the madness. I can't speak for the newer models... YES that means anything after 79":skull with the exception of the 2" lifted Rubicon we rented in Moab. 4 cyl Auto, crawled the crap out of Hells Revenge and Fins and things without issues on 32" tall tires. Moab is a bit different to wheel on, because your traction is insane.

Now, if you want to forget about the creature comfort, newer model Jeeps...:grumble: and stick with the old school, I would strongly suggest a 79 CJ-7 with the I6, T-18 Tranny, Dana 300 T-Case. There are tons and tons of aftermarket parts, and the upgrades you can do are endless.

I went with a 74 CJ-5 for smog purposes and love the thing, but it's far from stock and will beat the snot out of you on the road.

Happy hunting..... it only gets worse.

By the way.. A budget of what you are looking for would help narrow your responses.
Mines the little yellow guy....

Don't do it...lol

Round headlights are better

Automatic is better in the rocks

Longer the wheelbase the better IMHO

Rubicon is good because lockers up to 35's. If you plan to go bigger skip the rubicon and build your own axels with arbs.

I have an 05 LJ sport that I'm ready to sell. They are a great vehicle. I just don't have a use for it anymore. I've done a lot to it, but like any jeep, I have a laundry list of what else I wanted to do.

I had a 90 wrangler with a 4cyl, manual tranny. Sprung over, 3/4 elliptical springs, Lockers, 4.56 gears and 38in tires, before every grocery getter jeep came with them off the lot. I never had one major breakage with it and i wheeled it hard and even drove it across the country. If its for mostly offroad then i wouldn't hesitate getting a 4cyl manual if you find a good deal.

Ideally though, i agree that a 97 or newer is the way to go. The 4.0 is damn near bulletproof hell even the 2.5 is imo.

Currently i have a cj7 getting ready to undergo a 5.0 engine swap and coil over conversion.

Whatever you decide, good luck! You think boats cost money..........

The rock crawling thing is a horrible disease. It is instantly infectious, and unbelievably expensive. If I was to do it again, I'd buy a set of axles first. Then worry about what kind of vehicle to mount them to. I went down this road, and like many others on here, I will tell you this: it starts out that you want to do a little off-roading with the fam. Then you meet some friends that wheel. Then you go out more. Then you want more. Then you think I'll just upgrade my shit. Then you spend more. Then you wheel more. Then you break more. Then you realize that you should have spent your money on buying the right parts the first time, instead of upgrading your shit. Once the jeep rolls over the first time, it seems like it starts to roll over a lot. And you get into this cycle of fixing and breaking things. It is a hell of a lot of fun, and it is just like go fast boating. Except dusty. The good thing is that you don't have to polish it and wipe it down after every run!

RioLindoBob said:

I can tell you this. I have run the Rubicon twice in the past two years and here is the target vehicle if you want to do some more serious off roading:
TJ Rubicon model with an inline 4.0lt 6 cylinder and a stick shift.
Rubicon models because they have the 4.11 gears and lockers. So you can run larger tires without changing gears.
6 inch long arm lift kit and 35 inch tires.
This will get er done.

Click to expand...

Ol Man said:

I have an '08 JK Rubicon now and had a CJ7 before this one. For what you are wanting, I would suggest you look for an '04-'07 Unlimited. You will pay more, but you will be happier in the end. This is the model with the longer wheelbase. As suggested, look for a Rubicon model. This will get you lower gears in the axles and transfer case and Dana 44 axles. You will appreciate the auto. The big problem you will have, is that if you find out you really like off-road stuff, you have a problem on your hand. You will spend money on upgrades.....kinda like boats. If you find that you end up wanting to do harder trails, etc. you are going to have decide how hard core to go and try to do your upgrades once. You can be into easily the tens of thousands of dollars in upgrades to axles, wheels, tires, transfer case, armour, etc, etc.

A friend owns GenRight and they are a good source of parts:

http://www.genright.com/

Obviously, there are a lot of other companies out there in that business.

Happy hunting.

Oh, or you could end up like me. I have my JK and a rock buggy, for the stupid stuff.

Click to expand...

So the best combination for off road is arguably the 05-06 TJ Rubicon Unlimited or sometimes referred to as a TJL. The unlimited was made from 04-06 but the Rubicon was only 05-06. The 04 was not available as a Rubicon and was only available with Auto in that year.

Most hardcore wheelers seem to prefer the automatic transmission for ease of crawling.

The Rubicon not only has lockers but also has a different transfer case with 4:1 low vs. the standard 2.5:1 reduction, when you combine this with the lockers and the 4:11 gears it will pretty much go anywhere you have the ground clearance.......which is a whole other conversation. The 4.0 inline 6 is considered the best wheeler engine although the Pentestar motor available in 2012 or later models is considered far superior to the 07-11 models......if I was looking for a crossover commuter/wheeler I'd probably look for a 2012+ Rubicon, for the purposes you are proposing I would recommend the 05/06 Rubicon Unlimited or LJ.............which is exactly the choice I made about a year and a half ago.......like this 2006 Rubicon Unlimited




We've done some pretty aggressive stuff (for us) with a 2" lift and 32" tires..........the Hard top makes it comfortable in the Summer and winter and I even added seat heaters so we can take the top off into the colder months and stay comfortable........good luck!!

I have an 06 unlimited and a '12 four door unlimited. If you want a car and lots of comfort (for a jeep) get a '12+ (new motor more HP). If you want a JEEP..... get a 05-06 unlimited hard top. And real men drive manual's... both mine have clutch's :thumbup::thumbup:


BTW My '12 is for sale Only has 4300 miles on it. FUlly loaded rubicon. 3'" terraflex lift, 35's on walker evans, 6 speed hardtop four door

A Rubicon is a great way to go if you want something that is "plug & play", you don't have to do anything to it. It's is trail ready in stock configuration.

But we all know no one leaves anything stock very long! :yikes

An alternative to the TJ / Jk is the ZJ / WJ Grand Cherokees. They are cheap to buy and come with all the creature comforts you'd need and can be very capable with minor mods. Lot's of aftermarket parts for major mods as well, lockers, long arm kits, etc. My last one was a ZJ with extended JKS arms, trac bars, 6" lift on 34's, OX locker front & Detroit Locker rear with 4.56 gears. It could hang right in there with most Wranglers and while those guys were eating dust, I'd have my a/c and stereo on in comfort! :thumbup:

Fun toys

That's all you need to know!

I have spent a bunch of time in a TJ and owned two JKs (an 07 and now a 14). All with auto trans. Easier to drive with and drink a beer or have your hand on the old lady's leg...
They all get shitty gas mileage so get one with the I6 or the new penstar V6 which both have some power. The 07-12ish V6 is a gas guzzling gutless wonder.
My .02

If you want a real off road vehicle, get one of these

outboardrick said:

View attachment 363130 If you want a real off road vehicle, get one of these View attachment 363126 View attachment 363128

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Is that a Yamaha rhino?

How capable would a new unlimited rubicon be off-road. Could it handle the rubicon trail or Moab I stock form?

t&y said:

Lolol... Welcome to the madness. I can't speak for the newer models... YES that means anything after 79":skull with the exception of the 2" lifted Rubicon we rented in Moab. 4 cyl Auto, crawled the crap out of Hells Revenge and Fins and things without issues on 32" tall tires. Moab is a bit different to wheel on, because your traction is insane.

Now, if you want to forget about the creature comfort, newer model Jeeps...:grumble: and stick with the old school, I would strongly suggest a 79 CJ-7 with the I6, T-18 Tranny, Dana 300 T-Case. There are tons and tons of aftermarket parts, and the upgrades you can do are endless.

I went with a 74 CJ-5 for smog purposes and love the thing, but it's far from stock and will beat the snot out of you on the road.

Happy hunting..... it only gets worse.

By the way.. A budget of what you are looking for would help narrow your responses.
Mines the little yellow guy....
View attachment 363066

Click to expand...

Had a 75 with a small block, still one of the funnest toy's i have ever had:thumbsup

I have been actively looking for an LJ again and can't believe their resale value.

I actually want an 04 non rubi model with a hard top and auto. Completely opposite from my previous 05 Rubi soft top 6 spd.

I want to build it Hemi and all. So far $12 k for a 200k mile jeep is just hideous. That's about the best I can find.

OCMerrill said:

I have been actively looking for an LJ again and can't believe their resale value.

I actually want an 04 non rubi model with a hard top and auto. Completely opposite from my previous 05 Rubi soft top 6 spd.

I want to build it Hemi and all. So far $12 k for a 200k mile jeep is just hideous. That's about the best I can find.

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Wow...that's crazy!

Just out of curiosity what are you seeing for prices on 05-06 Rubi LJ's with most of the stock stuff.....say 60 - 100K miles??

Paul65k said:

Wow...that's crazy!

Just out of curiosity what are you seeing for prices on 05-06 Rubi LJ's with most of the stock stuff.....say 60 - 100K miles??

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If you can even find a real rubi LJ they are in the high teens. I looked at an 06 a couple weeks ago with 80k miles soft top in white and he wanted 19k firm. Completely stock I offered him 15k and he said no way. Sorry but I am sure he only paid 25k for it new. It was a stripped Rubi meaning no convenience package, no cruise, and it was a 6 speed which I don't want. Manuals suck about 90% of the time.


I sold my complete trail ready rig for 22k on eBay in a day but I needed to turn the money into payroll. I only had 12k miles but little of those were road miles.

OCMerrill said:

If you can even find a real rubi LJ they are in the high teens. I looked at an 06 a couple weeks ago with 80k miles soft top in white and he wanted 19k firm. Completely stock I offered him 15k and he said no way. Sorry but I am sure he only paid 25k for it new. It was a stripped Rubi meaning no convenience package, no cruise, and it was a 6 speed which I don't want. Manuals suck about 90% of the time.


I sold my complete trail ready rig for 22k on eBay in a day but I needed to turn the money into payroll. I only had 12k miles but little of those were road miles.

Click to expand...

Did you see this one? http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/4590510926.html ........could be a good start for your project if you could get it for ~10K

Wow......that's a lot of dough, on the other hand the 13K I paid a couple of years ago for a Rubi Auto with 75K miles is looking good in today's market!

poncho said:

Had a 75 with a small block, still one of the funnest toy's i have ever had:thumbsup

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Yup.. Mine has the 304. Sounds mean, but that's only because of the exhaust:skull Only thing I've done is an intake, injection, and ignition upgrades to the engine. Still burns a little oil and sounds like a boat. Fun to drive around.

t&y said:

Yup.. Mine has the 304. Sounds mean, but that's only because of the exhaust:skull Only thing I've done is an intake, injection, and ignition upgrades to the engine. Still burns a little oil and sounds like a boat. Fun to drive around.

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I blew the 304 within weeks of buying it, swapped in a 327 Chev, i was living on the Oregon coast and the dunes were a couple miles away...that thing was a blast with paddles in 2 wheel drive. Other thing i did was put in a tilt column, getting in and out of that was a bitch with the stock one....you have a cool rig, enjoy.

Thanks guys for all of the info guys!
Ok I found a 06 rubicon here locally it is a I6 with a 5 speed, AC, CC and has 126k on it, looks like new and he wants 10750.00 for it. This should be a good one to start with huh?

Needs a lift kit though, any suggestions on brand or size? The tires are 32-11.50s but I think I want to go 33-35's?

Sounds like a lot of money for a stock tired rubicon with a manual

Go with a 2.5" teraflex lift at most and keep the tires at 33 unless you plan on going full on harcore wheeling

Im friends with the Chief design engineer for the rubicon. He actually bought my CJ7 a few years ago. On his rubicon he runs a dynastar 2.5 spacer lift with new shocks and keeps the stock springs. A very cheap and capable way to go. He runs pizza cutter 34 or 35's i forget.

To me wheeling in a jeep means top down/off and no doors. I have a 2 door 2012 rubicon with the new motor and am really happy with it after having 6 other jeeps and 3 landcruisers

2Driver said:

Sounds like a lot of money for a stock tired rubicon with a manual

Go with a 2.5" teraflex lift at most and keep the tires at 33 unless you plan on going full on harcore wheeling

Im friends with the Chief design engineer for the rubicon. He actually bought my CJ7 a few years ago. On his rubicon he runs a dynastar 2.5 spacer lift with new shocks and keeps the stock springs. A very cheap and capable way to go. He runs pizza cutter 34 or 35's i forget.

To me wheeling in a jeep means top down/off and no doors. I have a 2 door 2012 rubicon with the new motor and am really happy with it after having 6 other jeeps and 3 landcruisers

Click to expand...

Dick..... I mean, good for you man:thumbup::skull

tunnel vision said:

Thanks guys for all of the info guys!
Ok I found a 06 rubicon here locally it is a I6 with a 5 speed, AC, CC and has 126k on it, looks like new and he wants 10750.00 for it. This should be a good one to start with huh?

Needs a lift kit though, any suggestions on brand or size? The tires are 32-11.50s but I think I want to go 33-35's?

Click to expand...

should be a 6 speed

t&y said:

Dick..... I mean, good for you man:thumbup::skull

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. LOL over 30 years and none were bought new.

Fun day with friends

Rvrluvr said:

should be a 6 speed

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Thanks for the heads up, didn't know.

2Driver said:

Sounds like a lot of money for a stock tired rubicon with a manual

Go with a 2.5" teraflex lift at most and keep the tires at 33 unless you plan on going full on harcore wheeling

Im friends with the Chief design engineer for the rubicon. He actually bought my CJ7 a few years ago. On his rubicon he runs a dynastar 2.5 spacer lift with new shocks and keeps the stock springs. A very cheap and capable way to go. He runs pizza cutter 34 or 35's i forget.

To me wheeling in a jeep means top down/off and no doors. I have a 2 door 2012 rubicon with the new motor and am really happy with it after having 6 other jeeps and 3 landcruisers

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I didn't say I was going to pay that, what do you think it's worth?

If you're not familiar with identifying the different Dana axles, the different transfer cases etc. that make up the Rubicon, have it looked at by someone who is.
The 6th. digit in the VIN will always be 6 for a Rubicon but it's not unheard of for someone to strip and sell the goodies that make it one.
Also, like Tim mentioned, the '06 all had 6speed trannies for manuals.

I just bought my first jeep an 05 LJ, it's not the Rubicon, however a friend of mine gave me his Rubicon transfer case that he took out of his 06 that was brand-new has 1500 miles on it because he put an atlas in it. It's been in his garage since 06 and I want to sell it, what is something like that worth? Thank you in advance!

so far I like it but needs 4:88 gears

tunnel vision said:

I just bought my first jeep an 05 LJ, it's not the Rubicon, however a friend of mine gave me his Rubicon transfer case that he took out of his 06 that was brand-new has 1500 miles on it because he put an atlas in it. It's been in his garage since 06 and I want to sell it, what is something like that worth? Thank you in advance!

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What are you trying to sell. The jeep or one of the transfer cases?

Sorry for not being clear, the rubicon transfer case. He took it out of his new 2006 rubicon LJ and it's been in his garage since then. He took it out to put in a Atlas four speed @ 1500 miles.

tunnel vision said:

Sorry for not being clear, the rubicon transfer case. He took it out of his new 2006 rubicon LJ and it's been in his garage since then. He took it out to put in a Atlas four speed @ 1500 miles.

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Ahhh.. check Pirate4x4 classified section. You will need to figure out what transfer case it is first.

It should be the NP241 that you are trying to sell. I don't know the value, but it should sell quick. Those are a great swap to get rid of the 231 in the non Rubi.

If you wouldn't mind, could you pm me what you paid for your Jeep. I have an 05 LJ that I want to sell and I'm looking for a going price.

Thanks, DT1

Here are a few pics, it's literally brand new!