Any Wrangler owners?

GreenMtnMan

Bigger Hammer
All-Star
Feb 27, 2011
182
Springfield, Vermont
First Name
Mike
Willys Model
  1. Wagon
Willys Year:
  1. 1960
Have not bought a new vehicle since 1987. Just started researching ordering a 2018 Wrangler JK Sport. Very few options, soft top. We have a Jeep dealer right here in town.
 
Can't blame you for being drawn in, FIAT does make a very jeep like vehicle. It goes to show that both Germany (Daimler) and Italy (Fiat), saw value in the American Jeep.
 
Son drives a 2010 JKU, brother drives 2012 JK Rubicon. They are both manual transmission vehicles. Both were bought used with less than 30k miles on them. They both are soft tops driven daily to work and the grocery store. My son takes his out camping, shooting, or with his off road club at least once a month. My brother's wife hates his. Too bumpy, too noisy etc. I think that is why he is drawn to it.

Wife and I borrowed my son's for a desert wildflower trip this past May. It was nice to drive, did it's job when the pavement ended. It has limited slips diffs, regeared to 4.10 from 3.31, slight lift, winch, sway bar disconnects, rock sliders, and a few other mods. It came with mud terrains. They sucked on the highway. He is now running Cooper ST Maxx tires. They are great. He does an annual trip to Yellowstone from Southern California. Great highway ride for a 4x4. With swaybar disconnects, they are very capable and out flex any old style jeep.

I have owned Modified Willys Wagons, CJ2a, CJ5, FSJ Wagoneers, square body Chevys and have been off roading for 35 years. I would buy one if I wasn't so head strong on building my dream Wagon.

Haters of the new Wranglers have most likely never driven one.

My two cents.

I say go for it.

Duane

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I've always said they wheel better than anything you can build for on/off pavement
 
Have not bought a new vehicle since 1987. Just started researching ordering a 2018 Wrangler JK Sport. Very few options, soft top. We have a Jeep dealer right here in town.
I have a 99 Wrangler and a 99 Cherokee and my willys build is on a 2014 jku frame. 99 wrangler is loud on hiway. Cherokee is luxury comparitifly. Both has done 14ers with ease. Expect the willys to do the same or better

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Currently have a 99 TJ Sahara and a built '11 JK Unlimited Rubicon (my daily driver). Used to have a '07 JK 2-door sport before the Rubicon. Very capable vehicles right from the factory, comfortable, fun to drive on and off road, still easily modifiable.
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*The JKUR is 4 inches taller now than it was in this picture
 
We've got one, it's my wife's daily driver. Her round trip to work is 10 miles. It doesn't get great gas mileage but, for as far as she drives, it doesn't matter to her. The ride isn't too bad considering it has a straight axle- the spring rate is pretty good. Had it for three years and only put a battery in it. No other issues with it at all. She loves it.
David
 
​I've got a '99 Sahara. It shares daily driver responsibilities with my '03 Subaru Legacy.

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2015 JKU here. It's been awesome. I spent last winter rescuing people in the snow with my winch. I couldn't get it stuck to save my life. I even tried many times, like when I got a new winch. My thought being I couldn't use the winch without getting stuck, so I took places I had no business going. No luck. Had to hook a fully loaded trailer to it and then drag it through several feet of snow quite a ways. It's handled everything I've thrown at it so far.
 
Married my current wife in '97, she had a minivan that was almost a deal breaker. She said she liked Jeeps, but when I planned an off road trip she corrected me with "you get one that looks good with your hair color, put the top down, and cruise around town". Well four Wranglers later, and currently a Cherokee Trailblazer, we will most likely always have at least one in the garage. Oh, and my Willys wagon of course, '61 with TJ suspension, V8, auto, disc brakes etc ...
 
I have not seen any JKs with locking front hubs, there must be someone who makes them. I think a new JK would look pretty cool with the old style rims & tires.
 
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all I've eve driven were wranglers. Learned to drive in a 72 cj, prom in a 79 golden eagle, etc. I've had this jk since 2007 and love it more every day!


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I have not seen any JKs with locking front hubs, there must be someone who makes them. I think a new JK would look pretty cool with the old style rims & tires.

I don't believe the stock JK front axle can be converted to locking hubs easily or cheaply. Most of the JKs I see with locking hubs have had extensive mods, including the replacement of the axles with something beefier, like D60s.
 
Dynatrack makes a locking hub conversion for JK's. You can probably buy a one ton axle with locking hubs for about the same price, my Dana 60 front axle was way cheaper !
 
Kinda off subject: With an old fashioned Dana 25, not what you're currently discussing, it's good practice to run
with your hubs locked from time to time even on the highway... It keeps bits like the knuckle bearings well lubed.
I almost never use my 4WD but keep the hubs locked quite a bit...Everything gets lubed and IF I need 4WD I don't
have to get out and lock the hubs... I just shift and keep on movin'... Please pray for rain and snow in So.Cal. the
ground is powder dry........Not even tumbleweeds are growin'..
 
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