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Moab/rubicon upgrades

J

jeeptech1

NAXJA Forum User
Location
springfield/eugene oregon
Im planning on going on a wheeling trip next year some time so im trying to get my jeep up to snuff. so for all of you lucky ones that have gone to moab or the rubicon-what do i need? im running 33"s and am planning on front bumper with winch, rock sliders, possibly a rear bumper, some sort of air system and a regear with a rear locker. i would like to be able to run the fun trails at moab or be able to get through the rubicon without having to take all the bypasses. so in your experience what do i realisticly need? 35's? front locker? etc? oh and which one would you pick to do first moab, or rubicon?
 
You can do a ton on 33's. It has been talked to death but I am of the school of thought that a front locker will help over a rear locker more often. Of course lockers front and rear would be preferable on difficult trails.
 
You should consider that at Moab you can do plenty of trails in a lesser built / stockish XJ than you could at the Rubicon. A locker(s) will benefit you at either location. You can do some Moab trails without a locker, but it will be a very long day on the Rubicon if you don't have at least one locker.

For the Rubicon you should have rocker protection, control arm skids, and diff protection, especially if you are running tires smaller than 35's.
 
EricsXJ said:
You should consider that at Moab you can do plenty of trails in a lesser built / stockish XJ than you could at the Rubicon. A locker(s) will benefit you at either location. You can do some Moab trails without a locker, but it will be a very long day on the Rubicon if you don't have at least one locker.

For the Rubicon you should have rocker protection, control arm skids, and diff protection, especially if you are running tires smaller than 35's.
Click to expand...

Good advice. I run milder trails than the rubicon, but my sliders, lca skids, and diff covers get a work out.

You'll want better steering too. My tie rod is DOM tubing, home built, and it has taken a ton of abuse.
 
i did plenty in moab on 33s with a rear locker... fins n things, hells revenge, moab rim.. cant remember every trail. i was only denied on one step on mab rim (tried to take the hardest line), the VERY top of potato hill, and the top of escalator.
 
XJensen said:
You can do a ton on 33's. It has been talked to death but I am of the school of thought that a front locker will help over a rear locker more often. Of course lockers front and rear would be preferable on difficult trails.
Click to expand...


I did a ton of hard trails on 32's and a rear locker. Wheeled that way for almost 2 years.


Remember, going uphill, all the weight is on the back tires and that's where I want the most traction. Get enough traction in the rear and it'll push the front end over things. I'd wait until you can afford a selectable in the front. Lunchbox locker in the rear works perfectly and is cheap.
 
I've heard all the arguments over front vs rear locker, and I have to say, they sound pretty logical. I have a rear locker and when I'm climbing, especially something slightly off camber, the rear end has a tendency to slide down hill, often screwing up my aim when choosing a line. I've never wheeled a front only locker so I can't say if the situation would improve definitely, but the logic seems sound.
 
all good advice so far. not trying to start the topic of front vs. rear. im putting in a rear locker. i figure a front is a good idea but its gotta be selectable. moab has been my dream forever but the rubicon is starting to look good, so which would you rather go to?
 
Coming from OR, I'd probably hit the Rubicon first since it's gotta be quite a bit closer than Moab.
 
You really dont need bumpers or a winch to wheel.


Get some good recovery, sliders, tcase skid, hd tie rod, LCA mount skids, gas tank skid.

A set of lunchbox lockers would make you damn near unstoppable.
 
its about 17 hours to moab and around 9 hours to the rubicon. my wife has given the ok for the jeep mods and the trip but the catch is she wants kids afterwards so im thinking go to moab since it is farther away. at that point the jeep is done (what jeep is?) and then its a smaller trip to the rubicon.
 
if you have a disco put the locker there I have a lock rear and sometime no matter how hard I try I cant climb over certain obsticles because I cant get a bite with the fronts .I too am waiting for the wife to ok me driving my XJ to Moab Im just waiting on a belly skid and front locker And NEW tires
 
No disco, mines a 96. so i guess if funds allow some sort of selectable locker. wonder if it would be more expensive to do dedenbear knuckles and put hubs on the front with a lunchbox locker compared to an ox or arb?
 
Eaton E-locker in the front.
 
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