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Noob gonna buy Rubicon...Questions

2K views 29 replies 14 participants last post by  joshzilla 
#1 ·
Hey all, I joined the forum just to find out from guys who know.....
I currently have a 90' XJ with 4" rusty's lift, 33" BFG mud terrians and some others, Also my other toy is an extreamely modded out tuner car,
In the past 2 years the wife and I had 2 kids and I dont have time to race any more...no more going to car shows for 15 hrs on sundays and for the XJ it's 20 years old and the ride is rough, the I6 is a bit doggy on the HWY getting up to the mountains in Colorado.

I have decided to sell both of these to get a used 4 door Rubicon. My brother has Sahara model and I like it alot but what problems has anyone had?

Is the 3.8L more powerful than the 4.0?

Any advice on things to look out for when checking out used 07' or 08' Rubicon?

Everyone on the XJ forum is very helpful....hope the info pours in over here too, thanks alot.
 
#3 ·
Well, the 07 and early 08s had roof leaking problems on the hard top. Mine got bought back by Chrysler. I now have a late 08 and it doesn't leak. Some of the recent models pop out of first on the standards and that has been causing some owners some aggravation. The transmission oil on the automatics can overheat and spill out onto the exhaust manifold and subsequently catch the jeep on fire but Chrysler has had a recall now where they install an idiot light on the dash that tells the driver the the oil is hot...lots of good that repair does. Other than those major issues, all is well and good...mostly. Most of the time the leaking is solvable. The JOG (jump out of gear) problem Chrysler is working on but it is taking some time and some owners are annoyed with their response. Persistence will eventually pay off though getting it taken care of under warranty. I'm sure there will be others who will chime in also. Good luck in your search. Be sure to post with pictures of what you get. Welcome to the forum.
 
#4 ·
The 3.8L is more of a dog than the 4.0L I think, but don't go changing your mind based on that statement. You'll love a Wrangler, the gearing in a Rubi should be fine for you in the mountains. And I think the JK's are more chip friendly than my TJ to undoggify it some. :)

Welcome to the forum! :) If you search the JK forums, you'll find answers to questions you didn't even know you had... :)
 
#6 ·
^^ My rubi does that easily. I'm totally in love with it. Got it bad.
 
#7 ·
thanks jk'n and inferno,
Can't an aftermarket trans cooler coil be bought? I bet I could make one....there I go, already trying to add crap.

Also have another question bout the sway disconnector...surly the linkage doesn't actually disconnect right? how level does the truck have to be for it to re-engage? Or is it some kind of hydraulic that just allows more travel?
 
#8 ·
Good luck finding a used one.... I have had mine since new (about 18 months now and 29000 miles. Except for 2 recalls I have had no problems, except for the soft top.... If you dont get it "exactly" right it will leak, especially at the A pillar. Although the mountians of Colorado is a bit different than the coast of VA, I did make a trip to Dallas TX and it wasn't too bad. I also regularily tow a 3000lb trailer for my scout troop.
 
#9 ·
Jeep has a transmission oil cooler that can be purchased. If under warranty and the correct series of events occurs, they might put it in at no charge.

Regarding the disconnects, I know that they work because I have used them but dang if I know how they do what they do.
 
#11 ·
The 3.8 is slightly weaker than the I6. It's not bad though. You'll notice it during acceleration. Generally this doesn't cause problems till you start getting big tires. The JK Wranglers should have been geared a little better from the factory. It's a heavier vehicle, with a weaker engine. The TJ's and XJ's seem a little zippier. JK's respond VERY well to chips though and engine tuning via computer manipulations. So if it really bothers you, it is fixable.

Common problems with JK's are...

Leaky tops, hot automatic transmissions, torque converter chatter, 1st gear popping out on manuals, hood flutter, and driveshaft issues with even mild lifts on 2 door JK's.

The aftermarket has solved most of these issues though. Problems are starting to surface with the e-lockers and electronic swaybar, as expected.

JK's have alot of good features though. A frame is a nice upgrade for you XJ guys :p

very strong axles, Trac-Loc, BLD, big stock tires, nice crawl ratio...excellent offroader. With a few mild, basic modifications, you can run black trails with patience.

If you can't get a used Rubicon, get a used X. I bought one used with a rear 44 and 4.11 gears. That's what you want. Only Rubicons get 4.11 now. 3.73 geared new Sports just don't cut it. The D30 in the X seems good. I'm not affraid of the gas pedal offroad, and I haven't hurt mine yet.

Good luck though on your search.
 
#12 ·
The sway bar is made in two pieces that come together inside the disconnect case. Push the button and you will hear a slide move back and forth to connect/disconnect the ends of the two sway bars. You wont actually see anything on the outside
 
#13 ·
Groundhawg
Thats all good, the tuning is familiar ground with my EVO VIII so if some power can be found for a few bucks.....I'm all in! What problems are coming out with the E locks and sway, those are reasons why I wanted Rubi. My sis-in-law has the X with "Rubicon Package" and I'm assuming it is the one you speak of w/ rear D44. Is that maybe a better way to go If locks aren't trustworthy?

N39
Thanks b/c I was really wondering how they would do that.

Thanks for all the feedback, and fast too! Keep it coming, I have loved my Tuner Car and am really quite sad to get rid of it....I want to know exactly what I'm getting into.
 
#16 ·
My sis-in-law has the X with "Rubicon Package" and I'm assuming it is the one you speak of w/ rear D44. Is that maybe a better way to go If locks aren't trustworthy?
There is no such thing as a "Rubicon Package" for the X. All JK's come with the D44 rear. The Rubicon has a D44 front also. It also has a 4-1 transfer case. Aside from the E-lockers and discos, those are the two biggest differences and probably the most important. Your SIL might have tires, wheels, and shocks, but that hardly makes it a "Rubicon Package."
 
#14 ·
I haven't seen a lot of posts on this forum about problems with the lockers or disconnect. That doesn't mean it isn't happening. Mine has made it 33,000 miles without any problems.

Regarding the disconnect, I get to the trail and disconnect. I come off the trail and the disconnect gets reengaged. It has, I'm sure, made a difference while I'm rock crawling at funny angles. My first few times off the road with it my knuckles were too white to notice what the disconnect did. The important thing is that I was out there giving my heart a pounding....and testing my jeep too. And a lot of thanks go to my spotters who did that without me even asking. So, the Rubicon has been sweet. I may never spank it like some who do it better than I but it really gives me enjoyment off the beaten path. I am adventurous and God knows where I may end up next where tow truck fear to travel.

With regards to which one? You'll probably know when you see it. Jeeps have a way like that. Snap yourself out of it long enough to be practical and check things out mechanically to convince yourself that you will be satisfied with both price and condition.

Best wishes on your choices.
 
#15 ·
It's hit and miss. Check out JKO or JK-Forum. Alot of folks are starting to pop up saying they won't engage/disengage. You know how it goes with electronic stuff like that. It gets wet or dirty and it screws up. I wouldn't really let that issue keep you from getting 1 though. Warranty covers it.

I think you'll really enjoy a Rubicon coming from an XJ. I say do it. The only MAJOR issue is the transmissions. The auto's get fixed with a $60 aftermarket trans cooler, so no sweat there. Jeep should have a fix for the sticks shortly too. Everything else is just typical Jeep sh*t :rofl:

Just make sure you AT LEAST get a rear 44 and 4.11's. Those 2 things are major upgrades and expensive. Anything else can be added later. But if you want those e-lockers, grab em' if you can.
 
#20 ·
If your buying used, there are a handful of X's that indeed have a rear D35. So look under it before you buy.

New jk's all have a rear 44...but only rubicons get the 4.11's. My jeep's a little rare since it's an x, 4.11's, and a rear 44.

Correct me if I'm wrong...I THINK you can get 4.11's as an option on x's, but I may be wrong.
 
#21 ·
If your buying used, there are a handful of X's that indeed have a rear D35. So look under it before you buy.
Rumored to only be early 2007's built in 06. Anything else has a D44. You should also be aware that a few X owners have put Rubicon stickers on. There was a story not to long ago about someone who bought one of these. He successfully got money back from the dealer.
 
#28 ·
:cool: I made the same mistake a while ago, having always called the Chrysler/Dodge rear diff's (4.11), but

The Dana 44's used on the JK's have a 41 tooth ring gear and a 10 tooth pinion gear--hence 4.10/1 !!

It's no biggee !!

:rofl::rofl: JIMBO
 
#29 ·
4.11:1-37/9, 4.10:1-41/10, 4.09:1-45/11, depending on manufacturer, all 3 sets are compatable with each other. In the Jeep world nobody calls the gear set 4.09, but it's extremely common in pickups. We call them 4.10 or 4.11. They are the same gear set. It's not uncommon to have both either.

My Jeep has 4.10 front, 4.11 rear for example. By design, it's next to impossible to get the same exact ratio. But some people call it 4.10, some 4.11. There's no difference. It's just a matter a preference what folks call it. You say tomato, etc
 
#30 ·
Sorry I have been messing around trying to get my Evo sold, having trouble trying to not get totally robbed so Im gonna have to part it out to get somthing fair,

so for a guy that doesnt know....what to look for underneath? how can I recognize a D35 vs. D44? and is there a way to tell visually the gearing that it has? Or do I need to pull some paperwork to see what the unit was originally equipp with?

Rs4ockies: I really havent worried about the price too much since I havent got rid of the evo yet but a buddy o mine is a broker and can usually take good car of me. He got my brother an 07' 4dr sahara w/ 6k miles auto hardtop for $20k. I thought that was pretty good.
you mind telling me what you paid?
 
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