JKU purchasing advice?

I too am new to the forum. I'm considering getting a willys wheeler addition but I'm not sure on which package to get not sure if there's much difference is between the sport S the willies wheeler or the willys wheeler W or the Big Bear addition, I know I don't the rubicon too many people have told me it's not with the extra money, as I want to do a number of mods. Any advice from you guys would be great thanks the Brit

 

rubicon gets sway bar disconnects, 4:10 gear ratio, 4:1 transfer case, locking differentials front and rear.

If you were so do all those aftermarket:
$2k for Arb lockers
$300 for sway bar disconnect
$699- $1000 for transfer case
$1000 for gears

 

It would be hard to find anyone in Houston to get those prices listed above. It depends on what you are going to do. I can get a Rubicon for about $8K more than a stocker. I have been pricing. If you are not going bigger than 37s you probably can get away with a trussed up rubicon. The Rubi also comes with a Dana44 front axle.

If you plan on doing some pretty HEAVY wheeling and your goal is a 4in or bigger lift with 37-40s, you will likely be installing Dana 60 axles at which point every benefit in going with the Rubi was just wasted.

 

Thank you for the input it's great to other people's opinions on things. I've been pricing a Rubicon runs about $42,000to $45,000 where as a sport s runs about $8,000 to $10,000 less than the Rubicon in the Houston TX market. I do plan on 3" to 4" lift kit and 35" to 37" tires so I'm still need to change gear ratio higher than 410s, I can rebuild my transfer case, yes I still need to buy lockers, and sway bar disconnects. But as Rc jeep suggests I would only spend about $4300. Which would leave enough money for me to buy wheels and tires, but not the lift kit (yet) I was thinking about the Teraflex s/t 3" kit but not sure whether to go with a short arm or a long arm. I will be using my jeep for a bit of everything from mudd, fast in the sand dues, and some technical driving on the rocks, but it's not my daily driver Mainly after work and weekends. Thanks again

 

My opinion is that up to a 4inch lift the long arm kit doesnt give much more than the short arm kit. Def not worth the extra $. This was also the same info that was given to me by an associate who is a sales rep for Teraflex. Now my fathers 6 inch long arm kit is way cool, but the long arms get hung up on ledges a lot, and he has a Jku. The long arm works better with the sHorter wheelbase of the JK.

 

Ok cool good to know. The short arm it is then thanks for the info

 

if you plan on 37s and your not upgrading axles then the Dana 44 front will help out vs the Dana 30 front on all other models.
If you plan on 35s and had a rubicon with the Dana 44 you wouldn't have to do an axle upgrade.

 

It's a good valid point. So if I did decide to go with 37 is what I need to replace the 44 axles or just strengthen them with a gusset kit, also would you advise waiting for the new 2018 JL or just sticking with I JK and if I was sticking with the JK is there any benefit to be buying new vs preowned and I'd been looking for something in 2012 two present. Is there any rumors that could be somewhat true of a diesel/diesel Turbo in the 2018 that would also interest me with the low rpm torque of a diesel

 

Really depending how you drive "wheel" you can run 37s on a Dana 30 successfully, but really the Dana 44 is a better option. I ran my 2008 JKU which has been strickly a trail vehicle and runaround vehicle when I visit my parents in Moab, UT with stock axles (Dana 44 rear, Dana 30 front) Detroit locker in the back open diff in the front. 4in Teraflex lift and 37s on raceline beadlocks. No trusses or gussets. I put 40000 miles on it like that and the only thing I ever broke was shear off the pitman arm tie rod end. I did all the trails like that, Sidewinder, Metal masher, Hells Revenge, Fins and things, Cliffhanger, and others. Many people tend to wheel heavy footed especially in panic mode and that is when you break things. This last Christmas I bumped up to 40s and Dana60s front and rear. Hindsight; Dealers were asking over invoice prices for Rubicons in 08, but I bet you could get a New 2016/2017 Rubi for $37k and I think that would be a worthy purchase.

The 2018 JL is rumored to have many changes. It will probably have some lag time before the aftermarket catches up. Might be worth the wait. From what I can tell too many people are asking more for 2014 and newer jeeps than what you can get a new one for. I would rather spend $30k on a new basic JKU and build it how I want without the miles on it than buy a 2015 built JKU for $35k or more.

 

I tend to be a bit heavy footed when I drive on the street so I imagine that is how I would wheel , It is been far too long since I've been wheeling. Where I live the base model Rubicon is just under $38,000 and with the hard top and a automatic transmission in a couple of other things it's right at $48,000. But pull a baseline Sport S start at about $32,000 and with this pretty much the same options as the Rubicon it's about 35,500. So I keep them back-and-forth between him and that's for a new jeep 2017 obviously the Rubicon is more capable off road tires, lockers and Front End sway bar disconnect. A couple of people of spoken to said the sport S for the most part gets the job done or you can upgrade later, say get the Rubicon very capable you can wheel it pretty much anywhere and then you can upgrade and you have to come later rather than sooner. I just don't want to buy something and regret not going with the other I don't want to buy sport and can't go places I want to go out on the other hand I don't want to buy a Rubicon and change all the parts out that I got with the Rubicon. It's just really frustrating not knowing which way to go. I know the color and I know the options

 

I think you'll be happy just to get out in the wild no matter which one you buy. Your looking at allmost 12000 difference. You can do a lot to the S for 12000. I see lift, wheels, tires, rear Detroit locker, gears, and teraflex swaybar quick disconnects for probably half that. When you have a little money set aside then buy a teraflex44 or core 44 front axle built the way you want it. Both are much stronger than a rubi 44. You'll still come out cheaper in the end. If later you find you need a little more umph find you a used rubi Tcase or get an atlas.

 

Thank you for the great advice I kinda was leaning that way. And I can't want to back out in wild and wilder. Sounds like you to are a fan of Teraflex, I'm going get a S/T3 suspension complete kit. How much is Detroit locker for a 44 axel.

 

Locker around 600ish plus install if you don't do it yourself. You should gear then too. That will save you some in labor doing it all together. Better to say what you like than what you don't like. Less offensive. I've heard that others are good too like BDS and their no questions lifetime warranty. my family has four Teraoutfitted JKUs and none of us have had any issues Over the last 7years.