[nodor]

Hello all. I am new to this forum. My family has driven Jeeps our entire lives but they've always belonged to my grandparents. My family is now buying a Jeep and we want to make sure to get everything right. We're aiming for a 2011 Rubicon Limited with a manual transmission. The Jeep will be used quite a bit off road on mountain passes with steep ascents and descents. Outside of that it will be used year round as a "ranch" car.

Right now we aren't sure between a soft top or hard top. We're looking to do several aftermarket modifications as well (lift, wheels/tires, winch, bumpers) but I am not sure where to begin on that. I've scanned the forum for pictures in order to get ideas but as far as lift brand, height, wheel/tire size I am still unsure what would be best. We only want a minor lift. My guess would be no more than 3".

If you have any suggestions we are very open. Is there anything you would have done differently when buying your Jeep?

Thanks all and Merry Christmas!

 

[jshaffer]

I would go with a Rubicon Express 3" or 4" inch lift with a Warn 9.5ti (or bigger with the air compressor). Make sure it's a Warn. If it's going to be a ranch vehicle driving over rocks a lot, I would go with 34" inch Goodyear Kevlar's. 34's will allow you to drive on the road also, Kevlar for the strength. 35's will be better if 95% is country driving offroad. My .02 cents worth. Happy Wheeling!!

 

[IndyJeepMan]

I would go with a Rubicon Express 3" or 4" inch lift with a Warn 9.5ti (or bigger with the air compressor). Make sure it's a Warn. If it's going to be a ranch vehicle driving over rocks a lot, I would go with 34" inch Goodyear Kevlar's. 34's will allow you to drive on the road also, Kevlar for the strength. 35's will be better if 95% is country driving offroad. My .02 cents worth. Happy Wheeling!!

Go with 35's 1" in difference wont mean anything, and 34" is an odd size tire which will be more expensive im sure. I'd go with a 3" suspension lift with said Warn winch. Any will do you well, I wouldn't spend the extra like 500 for the built in compressor you can just buy a stand alone Viair or similar compressor for 150-200. I'd make sure to get some skids for the engine, and gas tank and possibly some rocker or corner armor. Then I'd say you are probably set!

 

[nodor]

With a 3" lift do you know how wide of tire I can go without them sticking more than 2" or so outside the fenders? I think we might stick with the 17" Rubicon wheels at first. I found 35X12.50R17 Goodyear MTR Kevlars. Does that sound alright? The tires that come stock on the Rubicon are listed at 10" wide.

I also found LT305/70R17 (34" diameter, 12" wide) if I went with 34" instead of 35"

 

[dustyc]

You'll need spacers. The stock wheels don't have enough backspace and the wide tire will rub no matter how much you lift.

 

[nodor]

You'll need spacers. The stock wheels don't have enough backspace and the wide tire will rub no matter how much you lift.

I was worried about that. Will spacers cause the tires to sit way outside the fenders? I've seen pictures of 3" lifts with stock rims and 35s without the wheels sitting too far outside the fenders. Do you know how I can accomplish this?

 

[dustyc]

I was worried about that. Will spacers cause the tires to sit way outside the fenders? I've seen pictures of 3" lifts with stock rims and 35s without the wheels sitting too far outside the fenders. Do you know how I can accomplish this?

1-1/2 inch spacers won't stick out too far. And should be enough to get away from rubbing. A local guy here is running 305/70/17 on stock wheels. I don't know exactly how far out he is, but I would guess about 2 inches.

 

[JKjilly13]

I just bought my first Jeep back in September (I am really excited to join the Jeeper community) and I have been looking to start modifying the exterior. Can anyone recommend a hoop grille guard that can be used with the stock bumper? I have noticed on some jeeps I have seen that some aftermarket ones seem to rust pretty quick - any good suggestions?! Thanks =)

 

[nodor]

Going to look at dealers tomorrow. We're aiming for a 2010/2011 2 door manual rubicon with a soft top and full doors. Any advice before heading out to the dealerships to check some out?

 

[adrenaline]

Going to look at dealers tomorrow. We're aiming for a 2010/2011 2 door manual rubicon with a soft top and full doors. Any advice before heading out to the dealerships to check some out?

offer what you want to pay be willing to walk if you are not happy. Don't talk more than you have to. it confuses them. I got a better deal on my because I went to a website that gets quotes from 6 local dealers and they had to compete. I took the lowest price and offered them less.

It took me to weeks to buy my JK, but I walked out of three dealers that swore I wouldn't get the deal that I wanted then I finally got the deal plus more.

Lastly if you are financing don't settle get what you want color and all!

 

[jeffk42]

Going to look at dealers tomorrow. We're aiming for a 2010/2011 2 door manual rubicon with a soft top and full doors. Any advice before heading out to the dealerships to check some out?

Guaranteed 1% below invoice price for signing up here: Tread Lightly - Home

Of course, you can continue to haggle from there, especially if you're buying off the lot.

And even if you don't use it, it's a good cause and worth being a part of.

 

[InfernoGirl]

Guaranteed 1% below invoice price for signing up here: Tread Lightly - Home

Of course, you can continue to haggle from there, especially if you're buying off the lot.

And even if you don't use it, it's a good cause and worth being a part of.

x2.... It's well worth the price of admission... Welcome to the sickness :wavey:

 

[JohnSmith]

Hello all. I am new to this forum. My family has driven Jeeps our entire lives but they've always belonged to my grandparents. My family is now buying a Jeep and we want to make sure to get everything right. We're aiming for a 2011 Rubicon Limited with a manual transmission. The Jeep will be used quite a bit off road on mountain passes with steep ascents and descents. Outside of that it will be used year round as a "ranch" car.

Right now we aren't sure between a soft top or hard top. We're looking to do several aftermarket modifications as well (lift, wheels/tires, winch, bumpers) but I am not sure where to begin on that. I've scanned the forum for pictures in order to get ideas but as far as lift brand, height, wheel/tire size I am still unsure what would be best. We only want a minor lift. My guess would be no more than 3".

If you have any suggestions we are very open. Is there anything you would have done differently when buying your Jeep?

Thanks all and Merry Christmas!

Here are my two cents, do not get the soft top if you live in an area that gets alot of snow; buy the hardtop and buy an aftermarket softtop like a trektop or something. (they can run 500 new and about 300 used in mint condition).
OME (old man emu) makes great 2.5 lift kit from northridge4x4. or if you have money that you want the best, go with the AEV nth degree 3" or 4" kit, you cant go wrong with that and it comes with the procal programmer.

those were my 2 cents and i hope that helped a little

 

[nodor]

Here are my two cents, do not get the soft top if you live in an area that gets alot of snow; buy the hardtop and buy an aftermarket softtop like a trektop or something. (they can run 500 new and about 300 used in mint condition).
OME (old man emu) makes great 2.5 lift kit from northridge4x4. or if you have money that you want the best, go with the AEV nth degree 3" or 4" kit, you cant go wrong with that and it comes with the procal programmer.

those were my 2 cents and i hope that helped a little

Thanks. It will be used in Colorado during the summer and farther south during the winter so snow won't be a big issue.

How does the difficulty/ease of taking off and putting on a top compare between the soft top and hard top? I know with the TJs the hard tops were annoying to remove and put on but I do not have any experience with JK hard tops or soft tops.

 

[FlyinJeeps]

Thanks. It will be used in Colorado during the summer and farther south during the winter so snow won't be a big issue.

How does the difficulty/ease of taking off and putting on a top compare between the soft top and hard top? I know with the TJs the hard tops were annoying to remove and put on but I do not have any experience with JK hard tops or soft tops.

On the 4 door the 2 front panels over the driver and front passenger are a piece of cake, the rear part takes 2 people to lift, the process is easy though.

 

[MTH]

To go topless with a hard top requires two people or a ceiling mounted pulley. Though it's nice to have two to do the soft top as well, it only requires one.

 

[JohnSmith]

if you are going with the hardtop, i strongly encourage a ceiling mounted pulley. I was able to remove and replace the hardtop alone but it is not fun on the shoulders or back. The soft top is not bad, but i do not have a stock one. it takes me 6-10 minutes depending on the temperature outside.
Now in regards to the stock soft top, it takes my friend on average about 15-20 minutes alone. about 10 minutes with another person's help.

 

[MTH]

Now in regards to the stock soft top, it takes my friend on average about 15-20 minutes alone. about 10 minutes with another person's help.

Really? I can so it in under 10 alone on a 4 door. It took at least 20 the first time and then steadily decreased over maybe four or five up/downs.

 

[InfernoGirl]

On the 4 door the 2 front panels over the driver and front passenger are a piece of cake, the rear part takes 2 people to lift, the process is easy though.

2 Doors are the same....

 

[JohnSmith]

Really? I can so it in under 10 alone on a 4 door. It took at least 20 the first time and then steadily decreased over maybe four or five up/downs.

Not to mention my friend isn't very mechanically savvy with his 4 door. So it does vary by owner.... Should have put that disclaimer in there