Topic: OFFROADERS REJOICE: Jeep Wrangler To Remain Body-On-Frame

[Noto]

One way around that is buying a few cans of "Fluid Film" and spraying down all the painted body panels with it. Trees branches will now just slide over the lanolin and you can take the Jeep into the wand wash afterward, or just leave it there for next time. Doubles as rust protection , too.

That's kind of brilliant.  I want for all my cars now.  Thanks a lot, ya jerk! 

One of the partners here has a Jeep (4-door behemoth).  He bought it a bit used and loves it.  6MT, a true winter beater, and enough space for his kid's hockey stuff.  I think it does have a great purpose, but it can get better.  I welcome better.  Better is always better. 

[OliverD]

They need to shrink it back down to the size it used to be... Split off the 4 door unlimited for the soccer moms, and return to TJ/YJ size for the 2 door.

I dunno, even the JK is pretty freaking tiny inside. I guess I'd be ok with it getting smaller if it was more space efficient.

[Fobroader]

They need to shrink it back down to the size it used to be... Split off the 4 door unlimited for the soccer moms, and return to TJ/YJ size for the 2 door.

The 2 door isn't bigger than the TJ, in fact its shorter

http://www.rockcrawler.com/reviews/jeep/wrangler_2007/dimensions/index.asp

[OliverD]

They need to shrink it back down to the size it used to be... Split off the 4 door unlimited for the soccer moms, and return to TJ/YJ size for the 2 door.

The 2 door isn't bigger than the TJ, in fact its shorter

http://www.rockcrawler.com/reviews/jeep/wrangler_2007/dimensions/index.asp

I believe the JK is quite a bit wider though.

[Fobroader]

They need to shrink it back down to the size it used to be... Split off the 4 door unlimited for the soccer moms, and return to TJ/YJ size for the 2 door.

The 2 door isn't bigger than the TJ, in fact its shorter

http://www.rockcrawler.com/reviews/jeep/wrangler_2007/dimensions/index.asp

I believe the JK is quite a bit wider though.

Yes it is, but thanks to the wider fenders, one need little to no lift to shove 35" tires under the thing 

[WRX_Pilot]

They need to shrink it back down to the size it used to be... Split off the 4 door unlimited for the soccer moms, and return to TJ/YJ size for the 2 door.

The 2 door isn't bigger than the TJ, in fact its shorter

http://www.rockcrawler.com/reviews/jeep/wrangler_2007/dimensions/index.asp

I believe the JK is quite a bit wider though.

Yes it is, but thanks to the wider fenders, one need little to no lift to shove 35" tires under the thing 

Yea, does make it easier to fit chunky tires.  I guess the main thing is the width... it looks like a fat H2 from the rear.  Also somehow they managed to make it feel smaller inside than the TJ... when I sit in the JK my forehead is inches from the crossbar speakers.  Whereas I loved sitting in the back of the TJ.. it was always fun it was like a safari ride back there! 

[tooscoops]

i always felt the other way around! my tj was so uncomfortable in the back seat and had no space behind the seat it felt... the new ones have a usable space, and once actually in the back seat, there is a good amount of space.

my jeep has been on a construction site, a field and a drive in theater... that's about as off road as it's been! not at 10,000kms yet though, so it's still new to me... feel like i have to at least give it a year or so before basically intentionally damaging it.

i'd say 1-2% take these off roading... but about 15-30% do occasional things that need something tougher than a cuv... whether its their cottage is set back down a 300ft unkept path with occasional small trees down... they take pictures up in algonquin and need to know they can get down any logging road, etc.... they consult on construction sites and need the clearance to not damage the underside... they live in the country and they want to be confident that even without plows, they will always have the ability and clearance to get out of their driveway...

... all the rest like the look and feel... and hey.. .convertible!

how many "sports" cars actually get taken to the track? a similar % i would think.

cars aren't about "needs" often.. they are "wants"... otherwise, we would just have a pick-up truck, electric smart car, corolla and a grand caravan... pick one, because those four will do everything for everyone.

[Fobroader]

^^ That was the main reason my wife got hers, to take her across and through any construction site. Ive been to work with her a few times, a car based CUV would hate it.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Who actually buys a Wangler for the purpose it was intended for? 5%, 10%. Its just a image for most.

A Jeep spokesman has said that ~60% of regular Wranglers are taken off road, and ~80% of Rubicons. It looks like 15% of SUVs overall are taken off-road.

[tooscoops]

i'm sure they have some adjusted numbers.... if you just bought the car and had people bugging you about not taking it off-road... when the survey people call you and say, "do you use your jeep off road?" you'll just say, "yep!"

the last three rubicons i sold were to a lady who wanted the darker wheels (didn't want me to explain even the 4x4 operation, let alone the sway bar disconnect, etc.)... an 80 year old lady who likes to sit up high... and a guy for his 19 year old daughter who wanted "the most expensive one you have".

even the guys who actually wheel are very timid wheelers... like once a year they go camping in an area without roads. the ones who are "serious off-roaders" and spend the big bucks on their rigs... end up going to shows and do articulation events and hardly ever see dirt!

all depends on what people call off-road i guess...

[Fobroader]

i'm sure they have some adjusted numbers.... if you just bought the car and had people bugging you about not taking it off-road... when the survey people call you and say, "do you use your jeep off road?" you'll just say, "yep!"

the last three rubicons i sold were to a lady who wanted the darker wheels (didn't want me to explain even the 4x4 operation, let alone the sway bar disconnect, etc.)... an 80 year old lady who likes to sit up high... and a guy for his 19 year old daughter who wanted "the most expensive one you have".

even the guys who actually wheel are very timid wheelers... like once a year they go camping in an area without roads. the ones who are "serious off-roaders" and spend the big bucks on their rigs... end up going to shows and do articulation events and hardly ever see dirt!

all depends on what people call off-road i guess...

A lot of the "serious" offroaders are Visa wheelers......take their rig to a shop, leave their platinum card on the counter and tell them "make it cool" and then end up rolling the rig backing it off the trailer at the show and shine. The actual serious offroaders would love the option of buying a two wheel drive Wrangler because you are going to end up swapping the tranny, t-case and axles anyways. Im still looking at US 2wds every now and then.

[tooscoops]

yeah, and another thing is the whole wheeling vs. mudding... i'll tell you now, mine is not ever going mudding. too much work to remove said mud after the fact.

i'm lazy... i'm a turn key, old tractor paths, dry river beds, open trails type guy. when i finally do get out on the trails, i bet a well driven rav4 will do all i need.. but it's not what i want.

[Fobroader]

yeah, and another thing is the whole wheeling vs. mudding... i'll tell you now, mine is not ever going mudding. too much work to remove said mud after the fact.

i'm lazy... i'm a turn key, old tractor paths, dry river beds, open trails type guy. when i finally do get out on the trails, i bet a well driven rav4 will do all i need.. but it's not what i want.

Like Ive always said, the best wheeling is technical stuff, nothing like balancing on three wheels or making through a rock garden without removing any greasy spinning pieces...makes ya feel alive. Mudding is childish and boring, I avoided mud like the plague.

[paul246]

yeah, and another thing is the whole wheeling vs. mudding... i'll tell you now, mine is not ever going mudding. too much work to remove said mud after the fact.

i'm lazy... i'm a turn key, old tractor paths, dry river beds, open trails type guy. when i finally do get out on the trails, i bet a well driven rav4 will do all i need.. but it's not what i want.

Like Ive always said, the best wheeling is technical stuff, nothing like balancing on three wheels or making through a rock garden without removing any greasy spinning pieces...makes ya feel alive. Mudding is childish and boring, I avoided mud like the plague.

I can't avoid mud where I go, so please don't call it childish and "boring". I don't play in it, I have to get through it to get where I'm going. Sometimes its scary, never boring. It also takes skill to keep the rig moving. I don't avoid it or I wouldn't get to where I have to be.
Some people go off-road for recreation, I do it because I have to. There is a difference.

[Fobroader]

yeah, and another thing is the whole wheeling vs. mudding... i'll tell you now, mine is not ever going mudding. too much work to remove said mud after the fact.

i'm lazy... i'm a turn key, old tractor paths, dry river beds, open trails type guy. when i finally do get out on the trails, i bet a well driven rav4 will do all i need.. but it's not what i want.

Like Ive always said, the best wheeling is technical stuff, nothing like balancing on three wheels or making through a rock garden without removing any greasy spinning pieces...makes ya feel alive. Mudding is childish and boring, I avoided mud like the plague.

I can't avoid mud where I go, so please don't call it childish and "boring". I don't play in it, I have to get through it to get where I'm going. Sometimes its scary, never boring. It also takes skill to keep the rig moving. I don't avoid it or I wouldn't get to where I have to be.
Some people go off-road for recreation, I do it because I have to. There is a difference.

Then you are not the yahoos splashing through one mud hole for 8 hours....Ive had to go through mud as well, not exciting at all, just was in the way of going down the trail.

[tooscoops]

going through mud to get where you are going is different than the guys trying to throw rooster tails up seeing if they can cover themselves and everyone/thing around in a think layer of mud.

we are discussing off-roading as a hobby... not the kind of off-roading necessary to do a job or as you say, "because you have to"...

i'm sure even the "fun" kind of mudding is enjoyable.. i just don't like the clean-up aspect required to keep the truck working properly.

[redman]

More exciting news from Allpar 2018 Jeep Wrangler suspension choices

http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/wrangler/future/suspension.html

[OliverD]

More exciting news from Allpar 2018 Jeep Wrangler suspension choices

http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/wrangler/future/suspension.html

Independent front suspension is exciting? 

[Fobroader]

More exciting news from Allpar 2018 Jeep Wrangler suspension choices

http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/wrangler/future/suspension.html

Buy a Wrangler now....its dead after 2018. Pity, but it had a good run.

[OliverD]

More exciting news from Allpar 2018 Jeep Wrangler suspension choices

http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/wrangler/future/suspension.html

Buy a Wrangler now....its dead after 2018. Pity, but it had a good run.

To be fair, people have said that about every new Wrangler.