Any Jeepers in here?

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  • Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    If you decide to go newer, stay away from 2007 to 2012 JK's with the 3.8L. Absolute junk motor; start drinking oil around the 100k range. You might not see it even in the exhaust. If a 2012 has the 3.6L your ok. I'm not sure when they switched over, but I do know it was in 2012 at some point. By the way, that 2014 Rubicon listed earlier in this forum looks nice!!!!!:oldwise:

    Lol, junk? I've got 153k trouble free miles on mine. Mine started using oil at 40k but still runs like new. Sometimes it uses oil, sometimes it doesn't. I've seen many 3.8's with over 300k on them. My brother had one in his minivan and sold it at well over 200k with never a problem. His used some oil, too. But I've got probably 15 to 20 friends in Jeep clubs who have 3.8's and most don't use any oil. I just keep mine topped off, checking it every 1k miles, which should be done anyway with any engine. A friend went to Moab with us for EJS and I think his 08 JK 3.8 has around 170k on it. His uses no oil, but again, runs like new.

    It's not the engine that the 3.6 is, but if maintained well, it is still a solid powerplant. LOTS of them still on the road.

    What I have not known is any friend with a 3.8 that failed them.

    The 2012 JK 3.6 did have some issues requiring cylinder heads to be replaced, so watch out for those. They did extend the warranty on them I believe to 100k. And the vast majority did not have the issue. I believe I read that 7k was the estimate of how many got out of the factory with the issue.

    If I had the choice, I'd go 3.6 all the way. The 3.6 had a better auto transmission, too. (Mine JK has a 6 speed manual) But if I found a deal, I wouldn't let the 3.8 scare me. I'd take mine across the country and off-road anywhere with it, right now, with confidence.
     
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    A couple more positive things on the 3.8.....MUCH easier to work on than the 3.6. I can do plugs, water pump, alternator, belt, and other things MUCH more easily than on the 3.6. In fact, other than spark plugs and oil changes, I won't even try to touch my 3.6. I'd easily do any of it on the 3.8. Lots of room to work under the hood with that engine.

    Oh, and if you had to rebuild it or replace it, 3.8's are among the least expensive around.

    Again, I greatly prefer the Pentastar, but I would not fear the 3.8 at all.
     

    Lee11b

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    16   0   0
    Apr 22, 2014
    2,591
    113
    North Webster
    A couple more positive things on the 3.8.....MUCH easier to work on than the 3.6. I can do plugs, water pump, alternator, belt, and other things MUCH more easily than on the 3.6. In fact, other than spark plugs and oil changes, I won't even try to touch my 3.6. I'd easily do any of it on the 3.8. Lots of room to work under the hood with that engine.

    Oh, and if you had to rebuild it or replace it, 3.8's are among the least expensive around.

    Again, I greatly prefer the Pentastar, but I would not fear the 3.8 at all.
    Glad to hear!!! My wife's mini-van had the 4.0 V-6, which was just the bored out 3.8L. At 100k, started using a quart between oil changes. Have had friends, who had the 3.8L, and told me their oil delimma. I'm glad to hear it's easier to work on, BUT I guarantee the 4.0L I6 takes the cake for maintenance!!! :cool::cool:
     

    Hopper

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    31   0   0
    Nov 6, 2013
    2,291
    83
    Hamilton County
    Not as exciting as @Principal Skinr's pics, but got at least a couple good shots of some Brown County fun over the weekend. All overlanding, lots of gravel backroads to little towns like Story, IN (did NOT see the "Blue Lady"), a winery hidden in the middle of nowhere, climbed to the top of a firetower, and plenty of really nice scenery. The rain did make for some mildly dirty Jeepin'.

    A fairly mild water crossing, quite a few low areas were much worse from last week's rain with plenty of swollen creeks getting out of their banks. Didn't get in over the differentials, but this was deep enough for me!

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    My buddy's CJ-5 next to my Willys. For being 40+ years old, it's amazingly capable in fairly stock form.

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    Last edited:
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    Not as exciting as @Principal Skinr's pics, but got at least a couple good shots of some Brown County fun over the weekend. All overlanding, lots of gravel backroads to little towns like Story, IN (did NOT see the "Blue Lady"), a winery hidden in the middle of nowhere, climbed to the top of a firetower, and plenty of really nice scenery. The rain did make for some mildly dirty Jeepin'.

    A fairly mild water crossing, quite a few low areas were much worse from last week's rain with plenty of swollen creeks getting out of their banks. Didn't get in over the differentials, but this was deep enough for me!
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    My buddy's CJ-5 next to my Willys. For being 40+ years old, it's amazingly capable in fairly stock form.

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    Hey, any off-road driving pics are more exciting than drivway installation stuff, in my book! I love going down there and exploring. My kids always want to hit the fire tower on Fire Tower Road off 446 a bit south of the causeway.

    Here's the latest on the JK restoration/upgrade.

    New LED taillights and a new license plate frame/bracket. We had a night 5 or 6 months ago where some drug addict came through the neighborhood and opened unlocked cars foraging for prescription pills or possibly firearms left by negligent owners. He/she tried to tear off a couple license plates, too, including my JK's, and wound up cracking the housing.The Cooltech CB antenna mount makes the housing a little more complicated to replace, but I got it done.

    The LED tail lights are off Amazon and were just under 100 bucks, I think. The big benefit is that the back up lights are about twice as bright as stock. HUGE difference! They were an easy plug/play addition.

    Next up are geometry correction brackets and new A-pillar off-road lights.
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    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    Well, as the JK awaits the final pieces of its upgrade program, including front steering component skid and geometry correction brackets, attention turns back to the JL.

    Until I went away from the KO2's (which I absolutely loved) to the new General Grabber X3's, I had decided not to consider re-gearning. The new tires, however, have slightly larger diameter and more rolling resistance, so they've made 6th gear a little less usable. Before, I would shift into 6th at 60mph and as long as the highway was reasonably flat or had slight inclines, it was fine. Now, if I have any headwind at all, and a slight incline, I have to run 5th. I then saw that Jeep is going to make the new Xtreme Rubicon package standard with 35's and 4.56 gearing, with an option for 4.88 with the manual transmission. So I started thinking about it again and darn it, I'm going to do it. I've been going back and forth and doing some driving to determine which way I want to go and I've settled on 4.56. I think 4.88 is going a little too far as I'd be doing about 2600 rpm at 75mph in 6th. With 4.56, I'll run almost 2400. I also didn't want to make first gear much shorter than it already is, and 4.88's go just a little too far. At the end of the day, 4.56 gearing will put me a little bit better than what it was with factory 33's and the current 4.10 gears. I also heard from a few guys who have JL's with 35's and 4.56 gearing and they universally love it. I didn't come across anyone with 4.88's, so I can't speak much to it. I wish I could find someone, but I don't think it is common. Everyone with them is running 37's, and they do love that combo. It'll also put 5th gear into a little better position to pull those long interstate hills. Btw, that Rubicon Xtreme Recon with the manual and 4.88's will have a 100:1 crawl ratio in low range, 1st gear. WOW! The 4.56's will get me back to the stock 84:1 or maybe a little better, like 88 or even 90. But I have no complaints about where it is now. It is plenty low.

    I ordered Dana/Spicer 4.56 rings/pinions today from Northridge. I'll order the Master Overhaul kits probably on Tuesday. Sean Fox at For Fox Sake Off-Road is going to do the work.

    In the meantime, we're loving this weather. I took some of the kids down to Brown Co. State Park yesterday for some hiking, picnicing, and horseback riding. The drive down and back was as good as it gets in a Jeep!

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    jstrahl

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Oct 22, 2009
    173
    28
    Franklin
    I joined the club about two weeks ago with 2021 a JLUR Diesel. With less than 400 miles I had already taken it down to Redibird and got the easier two Badge of Honor trails. I'm not really new to off-roading, having owned multiple ATVs and doing many trails, but this is my first Jeep. I've got quite a bit to learn, but so far it's been great.

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    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    I joined the club about two weeks ago with 2021 a JLUR Diesel. With less than 400 miles I had already taken it down to Redibird and got the easier two Badge of Honor trails. I'm not really new to off-roading, having owned multiple ATVs and doing many trails, but this is my first Jeep. I've got quite a bit to learn, but so far it's been great.

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    Nice Jeep! That diesel is a beast!!
     
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    Well, I wasn't going to do it but when I replaced the 34.6" KO2s with 34.9" General Grabber X3's, the slight increase in diameter has pushed the stock 4.10 axle ratio its limit, for me. It isn't too bad, especially in 1-4, but in 5 and 6 there is lots of room for improvement. It just doesn't like pulling 6th gear except on flat land, and it hates headwinds. So I'm going to re-gear to a 4.56 axle ratio. I've talked to some JL and JT owners who went to 4.56 with 35's and they rave about it. I thought about 4.88, but I feel 1st gear would be too short, like a tractor gear. A good friend, Sean Fox at For Fox's Sake Off-Road and Metalworks, will be doing the job Tuesday. I went with Dana/Spicer rings/pinions and Master Overhaul Kits, to keep everything Dana.

    I'll post up when it is done and I've driven it around a bit. I think this is going to get 6th gear into a better place in the powerband at highway speed. I can't wait to give it a go!

    Jeep apparently agrees, as they are offering 4.56 gears in the new Rubicon Xtreme Recon package that comes with 35" tires. They even made 4.88's optional with the manual. But I still think that's better for 37's and would just be a bit too far with 35's. But that's just me.
     

    Hoosierdood

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Nov 2, 2010
    5,360
    149
    North of you
    I totally forgot about this thread. Bought my wife her first Jeep back in October. This has been her dream car since she was 16. She just had to wait 28 years to get it. It’s a 2017 Sahara with both a hard and soft top, and a 6 speed manual tranny. I looked for over a year to find the one that checked all her boxes, but this met all the criteria, plus some. I plan on putting a 2.5” lift and 33’s on it for her Christmas present.

    Oh, and in the last 8 months we have replaced 2 windshields. Something they don’t tell you at the dealership.

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    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    I totally forgot about this thread. Bought my wife her first Jeep back in October. This has been her dream car since she was 16. She just had to wait 28 years to get it. It’s a 2017 Sahara with both a hard and soft top, and a 6 speed manual tranny. I looked for over a year to find the one that checked all her boxes, but this met all the criteria, plus some. I plan on putting a 2.5” lift and 33’s on it for her Christmas present.

    Oh, and in the last 8 months we have replaced 2 windshields. Something they don’t tell you at the dealership.

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    Nice Jeep! That's a great story, too. Certainly worth the wait!
     
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    I'm making a list of water crossings and slab roads in Indiana. I know of one or two on Yellowood forest roads.

    Another is next to Crooks covered bridge and there's one by Sanatorium covered bridge both near Rockville.

    Anyone know of others?
     
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    Well, I have to wait one more night for the re-gearing of my JLUR. This is the first JL regearing Sean has done (he's done MANY JK's and TJ's) so he took it slowly and carefully, so I'll pick it up tomorrow night. He got the rear done and buttoned up and was very pleased. He gutted the front and will be installing the ring/pinion in the morning. I'm chomping at the bit to get behind the wheel with the 4.56's! I'll post up with initial impressions after I get to drive it a bit. I can't push it, though, until proper break-in. That'll require some discipline on my part! Lol!

    Here's a pic of the front with the cover off before disassembly. I wish I'd taken more pics but was too busy talking Jeeps with Sean! He's got a wealth of knowledge and experience and is an incredibly skilled off-roader, too.
     

    phylodog

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
    18,746
    113
    Arcadia
    I'm back in the game with Jeep number three. I've always loved the CJ5 and the family has been talking about getting one to putz around town in. When this one popped up I couldn't not buy it. 1977 with a 304ci V8 & a three speed installed and basically locked in 3rd gear as well as a 5 speed which was included with the purchase. Brakes barely work, the power steering is non existent and I've smoked the cluth a couple time starting in 3rd gear but I still love it.

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    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 29, 2008
    3,745
    113
    Danville
    I'm back in the game with Jeep number three. I've always loved the CJ5 and the family has been talking about getting one to putz around town in. When this one popped up I couldn't not buy it. 1977 with a 304ci V8 & a three speed installed and basically locked in 3rd gear as well as a 5 speed which was included with the purchase. Brakes barely work, the power steering is non existent and I've smoked the cluth a couple time starting in 3rd gear but I still love it.

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    Wow, that's a nice one! Love it!
     
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