How are rubicons on ice/packed snow?
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Well, some will certainly say they are great...and they are...compared to a rear-wheel drive BMW, but mud tires are not really optimized for packed snow or ice. If you have a lot of that, I would suggest swapping tires...perhaps to something with studs. 
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There are lots of them running around Alaska. The traction control helps.
However, I'd recommend a Sport or Sahara with the limited slip option. That is a better combination for icy roads.
As for tires, I run studs and they do great.
Also, the 4 door jeep will do much better on the street than the 2 door. The short wheelbase of the 2 door means that if it does get sideways, it can be harder to catch before it's too late. The longer 4 door comes around slower.
Mike
However, I'd recommend a Sport or Sahara with the limited slip option. That is a better combination for icy roads.
As for tires, I run studs and they do great.
Also, the 4 door jeep will do much better on the street than the 2 door. The short wheelbase of the 2 door means that if it does get sideways, it can be harder to catch before it's too late. The longer 4 door comes around slower.
Mike
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This.:thumb:
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x2 (just adding my .02)
The LWB is better than the SWB (I have owned both and one was a SWB Rubicon). Big, wide tread pattern, + snow/ice = the rubber turns into hockey pucks and is very slippery. It doesn't matter how much 4x4 capability you have because it has no function when trying to stop.
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No, it has an open diff...and e-lockers...but I believe that all current wranglers have a brake lock diff that minimizes the difference between an open diff and an LSD.
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It has electric lockers front and rear. Limited slip is an option on Sahara & Sport rears. All have Brake Lock Differential (BLD) a subset of the Electronic Stability Control System (ESC). BLD acts like a limited slip by applying the brake to the wheel spinning faster, thus forcing power to the other wheel, across an axle. this works on both front and rear axles.
No, it's an open diff with a locker...
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That's a lot of submit buttons pushed at once
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Nope, it was based off a Sahara....(no lockers or D44 up front, nor a 4:1 transfer case), but it did have the Rubi suspension (with the red shock boots) and Rubi wheels (in black).
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I live in northern BC and my Rubicon is great... On AT tires... The blocky MT tires that come factory on the Rubicons are pure chaos on packed snow or ice. For longer winters I'd recommend a dedicated ice tire. I don't run the Rubi much in the winter so AT does fine... On my Sequoia I run Goodyear WRT... Would have preferred Nokians, but they sell out all the time. The WRT is pretty solid though, and also studable.
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We put studs in the factory Goodyear RSA tires on my wife's 4 door Sport. It has the limited slip differential and does very well in the winter. She does spend about 4-5 months of the year in 4hi.
Mike
Mike
Driving involves 3 main things, all of which become more difficult on ice/snow - Accelerating, turning, and braking.
Trucks and SUVs are at a disadvantage compared to cars because of their higher center of gravity and higher weights. The added weight and weight distribution make it harder to stop and turn, which seem to be the most important parts.
This may sound odd, but my AWD wagon (Volvo V70R) does waaay better than our Jeep Rubi in the snow and ice. It really isn't even close - those Swedes know how to build a car that is like a billygoat on ice and snow!
The Jeep does have 1 main advantage and that is toughness. In my old TJ, there were a number of times that I was stuck in stopped traffic because of a wreck ahead and I simply drove over a curb and median/ditch, to get to an access road. Sure wouldn't do that in the wagon.
Trucks and SUVs are at a disadvantage compared to cars because of their higher center of gravity and higher weights. The added weight and weight distribution make it harder to stop and turn, which seem to be the most important parts.
This may sound odd, but my AWD wagon (Volvo V70R) does waaay better than our Jeep Rubi in the snow and ice. It really isn't even close - those Swedes know how to build a car that is like a billygoat on ice and snow!
The Jeep does have 1 main advantage and that is toughness. In my old TJ, there were a number of times that I was stuck in stopped traffic because of a wreck ahead and I simply drove over a curb and median/ditch, to get to an access road. Sure wouldn't do that in the wagon.
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