Rubicon usage

Watching the routine thread start up on JeepForum arguing on what's better to get (X+mods vs. Rubi) made me start wondering. Out here on the Texas trails, how many times have any of you personally experienced or witnessed when a Rubicon was able to succeed where a Sahara or X wasn't able to and was it truly the lockers and transfer case that allowed it to accomplish such a feat? It just seems like a lot of people give one off scenarios where these things could help but I want to find out from y'all how often that actually comes up.

Rubicons are more capable mechanically...primarily for the lockers and the 4:1 t-case. However, in most cases, it's the driver and the spotter that ultimately makes the difference.

My opinion, wheel what you brough and have fun with it...and I have little tolerance for the guy with "my #^&* is biger than your #^&*" syndrome.

Just for proof, only two of these was a Rubicon (the yellow 2 door didn't make it). Don't let some fool convince you your X can't do it's thing.

x is very capable, but a locked vehicle will always have an advantage,,, however most people don't "need" lockers.
probably cheaper to lock an x then buy a rubi...
someone who knows what they are doing could go further in an x then an idiot in a rubi... but someone who knows what they are doing in rubi could go further than the same person in the x.

terrahawk wrote:

Rubicons are more capable mechanically...primarily for the lockers and the 4:1 t-case. However, in most cases, it's the driver and the spotter that ultimately makes the difference.

My opinion, wheel what you brough and have fun with it...and I have little tolerance for the guy with "my #^&* is biger than your #^&*" syndrome.

Just for proof, only two of these was a Rubicon (the yellow 2 door didn't make it). Don't let some fool convince you your X can't do it's thing.

i dont know about that jody, the hill in that video was a bitch, as far as i know, no one made it up without at least 1 locker.........


lockers make everything easier and some thing become doable that are not posible with a unlocked ride

with an auto, the rubi's 4 to 1 t-case advantage is somewhat negated but with a stick it is helpfull.

so with a auto and some lockers and alloy shafts i believe an x could do pretty much anything a rubi could do......and i believe i have proved it before

redneckhouston wrote:

i dont know about that jody, the hill in that video was a bitch, as far as i know, no one made it up without at least 1 locker.........

True, it's just the first vid I thought of.

You have a bite on the axles over on JKF.

redneckhouston wrote:

so with a auto and some lockers and alloy shafts i believe an x could do pretty much anything a rubi could do......and i believe i have proved it before

Sound like I'll be putting them on my wish list for next year. I was thinking of going with RCV front axles for their smoother turning in 4WD and warranty.

That hill had nothing to do with which vehicle you had. I had everything to do with how brave the driver was = how hard they were willing to hit the skinny pedal to try to get over that root and have enough momentum to continue carrying them.

Lockers in an X, under $2k... Which is a lot less than the $7k extra you would pay for a Rubi. And a locked X will probably do everything a Rubi will... An unlocked X will do most things simply using the BLD.

On the newer jeeps (JK), an x is just as capable as a rubicon 4 out of 5 times......

Mine is an x w/ lokrite in front, and the factory limited slip in the rear.... A rubi with 35's tried the same ledge (shown in vid below), and did not make it till about the 5th or 6th try......


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSZVV31ARmM

Great Pumpkin wrote:

Sound like I'll be putting them on my wish list for next year. I was thinking of going with RCV front axles for their smoother turning in 4WD and warranty.

redneck has a deal for you in the for sale section. Take it now and save $$$$ in the long run.

terrahawk wrote:

You have a bite on the axles over on JKF.

on jko?

N2 nailed it for me... I figured that I could spend the 7k on better chit and keep the payments lower on the new purchase. I have second guessed my self only once and was quickly "shown the light"

I have no regrets and love my X

redneckhouston wrote:

terrahawk wrote:

You have a bite on the axles over on JKF.

on jko?

Freudian slip

terrahawk wrote:

Great Pumpkin wrote:

Sound like I'll be putting them on my wish list for next year. I was thinking of going with RCV front axles for their smoother turning in 4WD and warranty.

redneck has a deal for you in the for sale section. Take it now and save $$$$ in the long run.

Oh, I wish I could but I don't have that kind of cash available right now unless I pass on buying wheels and tires this year and keep rolling on my stock X setup (16in steel wheels with street tires).

ok, yea he pm'ed me..........then offered me half of my asking price

hey that price is negotiable......and i will take locked on street tires over unlocked on muds anytime

I'll bring it up with the wife again tomorrow and be prepared to be in the doghouse the whole weekend. We'll see what she says.

ok looks likes I am a little late to the table but I have been busy...here is my 2 cents on the subject.

Back when we went to Trees Ranch we had quite a mix in our group, we had X's with lots of mods and almost stock Rubi's, to loaded out rigs! About mid day we came up to a pretty nasty ledge (G and I had taken my Jeep a 2 door X that was only locked in the front) All the guys in Rubi's and who had locked rears made it up that ledge with little to no problems. My Jeep on the other hand did not. If I had been locked in the rear it would have been no problem at all.

After attempting to go up it, I ended up being towed back to camp, I blew both rear axle shafts, blew the posi into 100 pieces, blew a nasy out dent in the diff cover and crushed my 8 hour old 4.88 gears. Cracked the gear housing clean in half.

Now the question of which Jeep is better is a moo point! If you have an X and add after market lockers I'd say your a bit better off money wise as well as quality wise. There are so many lockers to choose from and that range in price from 500.00 front and rear (aussies quality ok)to ARB's front and rear around 1700.00 (Best quality on the market)

TO argue which Jeep s better is Just silly, I have seen guys on the other froums spend the extra $$$ buying a Rubi then Change out the gears and Locker....which puts them way behind money wise.

As far as the axles go you can truss your front 35 and it will be just as strong if not stronger then a rubi's axles. And as for a transfer case thats an argument that will never be won on either side. I have 2 JK's and have yet to say I needed or wanted a new Transfer case. Matter of fact everyone in the group we run with still has their factory X transfer case. And have yet needed or wanted to replace it.

So that being said the argument on which Jeep is better really depends on how much money you have to spend and what quality of stuff you want.

I personally Bought 2 X's and have added Mods as I go. If I had to do it all over again I'd do they same thing!

jeeperjennie wrote:

Back when we went to Trees Ranch we had quite a mix in our group, we had X's with lots of mods and almost stock Rubi's, to loaded out rigs! About mid day we came up to a pretty nasty ledge (G and I had taken my Jeep a 2 door X that was only locked in the front) All the guys in Rubi's and who had locked rears made it up that ledge with little to no problems. My Jeep on the other hand did not. If I had been locked in the rear it would have been no problem at all.!

IIRC- all the Rubi's were also 4dr. I think the extra wheelbase made a huge difference on that climb too.

But my rubi stickers looked cool

CRUX wrote:

But my rubi stickers looked cool

no-one cares.....................wheres mah racing section?

CRUX wrote:

But my rubi stickers looked cool

Not as cool as the Fenchman's!

terrahawk wrote:

Just for proof, only two of these was a Rubicon (the yellow 2 door didn't make it). Don't let some fool convince you your X can't do it's thing.

I'm the one with the red TJ there, of course, and I have to say if I were running stock X (in my case with optional extras of 3.73's and an LSD in the rear) I would never have stood a chance. I couldn't really make it on my own even now, locked front and rear on 35's and regeared to 4.88, but that was due to the short wheelbase. Sascha had to winch onto me so I didn't endo or just sit there spinning since my front tires didn't have enough weight on them to pull me over even locked.

People don't give stock Jeeps enough credit. But the real question isn't which is more capable (obviously the Rubi), but what kind of wheeling you want to do. If it's forest trails and hill climbs or beach runs or whatever, you really don't need the Rubi at all. If you're going to be crawling rocks, though, 4:1 ratio is so much nicer and being locked out of the box makes a TREMENDOUS difference. People who say it's all driver should go ahead and stick with a 2WD X then. Even the best driver can't make it climb a cliff. And for us amateur wheelers, equipment makes a massive difference.

If you're not going big and custom and want to be able to hang with the big boys in the rocks out of the box, then the Rubi for me is a no-brainer. I wish I'd gone for a TJ (or really an LJ) Rubi. Would've saved me money and heartache later on. Then again I wouldn't have learned nearly as much as I did. However it appears if you're buying a brand new JK the Rubi premium is extreme. So...who knows?

As far as JK's are concerned, I think one of the coolest things are the 2WD Unlimiteds. It's like a blank slate for building however you want, if you plan to build something.

terrahawk wrote:

Just for proof, only two of these was a Rubicon (the yellow 2 door didn't make it). Don't let some fool convince you your X can't do it's thing.

I'm the one with the red TJ there, of course, and I have to say if I were running stock X (in my case with optional extras of 3.73's and an LSD in the rear) I would never have stood a chance. I couldn't really make it on my own even then, fully locked front and rear on 35's and regeared to 4.88, but that was due almost entirely to the short wheelbase. Sascha had to winch onto me so I didn't endo or just sit there spinning since my front tires didn't have enough weight on them to pull me over even locked.

People don't give stock base Jeeps enough credit. But the real question isn't which is more capable (obviously the Rubi), but what kind of wheeling you want to do. If it's forest trails and hill climbs or beach runs or whatever, you really don't need the Rubi at all. If you're going to be crawling rocks, though, 4:1 ratio makes many crawler obstacles so much easier and being locked out of the box makes a TREMENDOUS difference. People who say it's all driver should go ahead and stick with a 2WD X then. Even the best driver can't make it climb a cliff. And for us amateur wheelers, equipment makes a massive difference.

If you're not going big and custom and want to be able to hang with the big boys in the rocks out of the box, then the Rubi for me is a no-brainer. I wish I'd gone for a TJ (or really an LJ) Rubi rather than my TJ X. Would've saved me money and heartache later on. Then again I wouldn't have learned nearly as much as I did. However it appears if you're buying a brand new JK the Rubi premium is extreme. Do they sell JK Rubis without all the other interior bells and whistles that drive the price up? Or is that premium really for the lockers, disconnects, D44's, and TC?

So... It depends. Do you want to build it or buy it? Do you actually plan to wheel it all that hard? Can you build up an X far cheaper than the Rubi premium?

If anyone has a lead on a TJ Rubi TC let me know (NV241). I'm in the market. No, it's not necessary, but it's nice. And beefy

jeeperjennie wrote:

I have seen guys on the other froums spend the extra $$$ buying a Rubi then Change out the gears and Locker....which puts them way behind money wise.

Well that is just silly. Why would someone do that, unless it's strictly for the transfer case? And even then the question becomes why not consider other options that would be even cheaper at that point?

Quote :

As far as the axles go you can truss your front 35 and it will be just as strong if not stronger then a rubi's axles.

Out of curiosity, when you say "front 35" do you mean rear 35 or front 30? Or am I just missing something? Also, will a truss alone really make that much difference, as opposed to something like cromo shafts?

DFW Rusty wrote:

On the newer jeeps (JK), an x is just as capable as a
rubicon 4 out of 5 times...... Mine is an x w/ lokrite in
front

Heh, well, you're locked up front, no longer just an X. But I'm guessing that cost a helluvalot less than a Rubi

redneckhouston wrote:

CRUX wrote:

But my rubi stickers looked cool

no-one cares.....................wheres mah racing section?

Fine......crybaby. I'll work up a section