2005 Rubicon LJ
- Thread starter jscusmcvet
- Start date
jscusmcvet
Explorer
Holy cow! Greg has joined the party! As I just this evening put whole long drawn out gobbligook write up on jeep-owner you can see it there, but yes, I have to say to was like magic. mounted on all four wheels and from the moment I got to pavement, I knew it was a success. You will read some negative reviews about "noise"... really, I am in a soft top jeep with mud tires... noise is not an issue... Personally I am astounded how well they did their job and pleased that driving the jeep is a happy experience again.... especially since I drive it every day.
Glad to see you here Greg. This forum will benefit form your expertise.
John
jscusmcvet
Explorer
Hey... the jeep is in the picture:sombrero:
"I don't often feel creative, but when I do I prefer logs and chainsaws"
Happy spot.
John
"I don't often feel creative, but when I do I prefer logs and chainsaws"
Happy spot.
John
G Beasley
sawzall surgeon
Thanks for the kind words , this has been a great forum to find inspiration on . When we do our trip West at the end of the summer I plan on posting it here as well as over on jeep-owner .
jscusmcvet
Explorer
Groan...
Clunk in the steering... clearly identified as coming from inside the steering box
(sideline... my four year old turned the wheel back and forth while I diagnosed 8) Makes me happy)
Sound comes when the direction of the turn changes... not all the time, but pretty easy to replicate. Steering feels fine but I am worried... need to be? If so is there a fix or am I looking at steering box replacement? If so do you have any recommendations?
Thanks,
John
Clunk in the steering... clearly identified as coming from inside the steering box
(sideline... my four year old turned the wheel back and forth while I diagnosed 8) Makes me happy)
Sound comes when the direction of the turn changes... not all the time, but pretty easy to replicate. Steering feels fine but I am worried... need to be? If so is there a fix or am I looking at steering box replacement? If so do you have any recommendations?
Thanks,
John
jscusmcvet
Explorer
Had a good time today with Scott Fields and crew at UROTC at their Big Creek facility near Eldorado, NC. I was one of the few TJ based jeeps there, the only LJ and the baby of the group... You can see me in the line up (rubicon)... front flexed a bit so it looks like less clearance for the tires than there is.
Please take special note of the sweet Jeep owner decal and the Jeep owner t-shirt... Thanks Greg!
First off... it was Hot. Who the heck calibrates these jeep thermometers anyway? Apparently we were in a circle of hell or who knows maybe global warming is real!!! A balmy 135 degrees according to the extraordinarily accurate jeep thermometer... :
Death valley eat your heart out.
Second, I had to winch cause I blew the line on a hill climb.
Third, I had a valve stem bleeding air. Thankfully a fellow wheeler had a replacement and a compressor. I had left my cheap *** compressor at home.
Fourth, my power steering pump began to leak and the box was straining, so I left the trails about 2:30.
All in all a great day Top down, good folks and fun trails. I am beginning to worry that the 2005 Rubi is a lemon compared to my 2003 Rubi that I had zero issues with over the 160K+ miles I had her. Of course she burst into flame... so....
Scott and his crew have done a great job on these trails and in making for a challenging, yet relaxing and fun day. Congrats to him for the work he is doing here in NC supporting our sport.
John
Please take special note of the sweet Jeep owner decal and the Jeep owner t-shirt... Thanks Greg!
First off... it was Hot. Who the heck calibrates these jeep thermometers anyway? Apparently we were in a circle of hell or who knows maybe global warming is real!!! A balmy 135 degrees according to the extraordinarily accurate jeep thermometer... :
Death valley eat your heart out.Second, I had to winch
cause I blew the line on a hill climb.Third, I had a valve stem bleeding air. Thankfully a fellow wheeler had a replacement and a compressor. I had left my cheap *** compressor at home.
Fourth, my power steering pump began to leak and the box was straining, so I left the trails about 2:30.
All in all a great day
Top down, good folks and fun trails. I am beginning to worry that the 2005 Rubi is a lemon compared to my 2003 Rubi that I had zero issues with over the 160K+ miles I had her. Of course she burst into flame... so....Scott and his crew have done a great job on these trails and in making for a challenging, yet relaxing and fun day. Congrats to him for the work he is doing here in NC supporting our sport.
John
jscusmcvet
Explorer
What qualifies as a good day to you? I will tell you about a good day for me, it was today...
1. Installed Genright hood vents. I had the front piece laying around and bought the other 4 pieces a few months ago. Install was long and slow, and if I had to do it again I would have gone with one of the single piece vents like poison spyder. I think the genrights cover the more appropriate area, but it was a pia to get everything lined up, etc... I enjoyed using the rivets I guess because it was something different than I am used to. All in all a decent install... crappy compared to what most of you can do, but I am just no that good at this stuff. Give me a sledge hammer and I am good... details, well... not so much.
2. Zeroed "Bingo"... My M1A got a new scope and today I got her all set up. Love that tool.
3. Long time friend Ed stopped by to help me assess rot damage on the wooden skiff my son Jonah and I built 11 years ago. It is going to require major surgery, but something I can handle, so it is salvageable. Ed and I took time for a couple beers and sat in the barn bs'ing... good times.
4. Mounted headlight guards. These have also been sitting in the barn for way too long. Just finally got around to slapping them on.
Finally, split a pile of white oak in the continuing saga of the 7 trees we lost a year ago. I have so much wood I cannot even wrap my mind around it and just "chip away" at it as time goes on. I work in the fitness business for a living and I have to say that if folks would just do this kind of work, I would be out of business.
So that is a good day in my book.
John
1. Installed Genright hood vents. I had the front piece laying around and bought the other 4 pieces a few months ago. Install was long and slow, and if I had to do it again I would have gone with one of the single piece vents like poison spyder. I think the genrights cover the more appropriate area, but it was a pia to get everything lined up, etc... I enjoyed using the rivets I guess because it was something different than I am used to. All in all a decent install... crappy compared to what most of you can do, but I am just no that good at this stuff. Give me a sledge hammer and I am good... details, well... not so much.
2. Zeroed "Bingo"... My M1A got a new scope and today I got her all set up. Love that tool.
3. Long time friend Ed stopped by to help me assess rot damage on the wooden skiff my son Jonah and I built 11 years ago. It is going to require major surgery, but something I can handle, so it is salvageable. Ed and I took time for a couple beers and sat in the barn bs'ing... good times.
4. Mounted headlight guards. These have also been sitting in the barn for way too long. Just finally got around to slapping them on.
Finally, split a pile of white oak in the continuing saga of the 7 trees we lost a year ago. I have so much wood I cannot even wrap my mind around it and just "chip away" at it as time goes on. I work in the fitness business for a living and I have to say that if folks would just do this kind of work, I would be out of business.
So that is a good day in my book.
John
Yuman Desert Rat
Expedition Leader
Sounds like a GREAT day to me!
jscusmcvet
Explorer
I am at a crossroads of a sort. My son is in need of new tires. I am considering handing over my 33's to him. He drives little enough miles that they will last him a year or two. In searching for replacements, I am astounded at the prices. Seems like for 2 33's I would wind up paying close to what I paid for four just a few years ago (damn that sounds like I am getting old). While I use my jeep very much in the way intended, it is working out only a few times per year that I am actually wheeling. The 33's have been nice in those instances, but would going back to 31's make more sense for me?
1) Pulling trailer is better with 31's - the correct tire size for my gearing.
2) A slight improvement in gas mileage
3) Cheaper on the wallet
4) I like the look of the 33's so much better...
5) I have 2 almost new 33 Cooper STT left over from my 2003 build
6) I am even considering (gasp!) going to an all terrain. I think a solid AT design will hold up fine to work around the farm, etc... and I really avoid the mud when wheeling anyway. 99% of my miles come via paved roads as this is my DD.
So here are options I have. Help me think through this one.
1) I can give the four Maxxis Bighorns to my son for his jeep, buy 2 Cooper STT's to match and be done. Price mounted and balanced made me cringe... $550 out the door.
2) I can give all 6 33's to my son and let him choose the combo he wants and get 4 31's for myself.
3) AT's or MT's?
Thanks for your input. I am sure you go through the same mind spinning thought process on things. Help me sort this out.
John
1) Pulling trailer is better with 31's - the correct tire size for my gearing.
2) A slight improvement in gas mileage
3) Cheaper on the wallet
4) I like the look of the 33's so much better...
5) I have 2 almost new 33 Cooper STT left over from my 2003 build
6) I am even considering (gasp!) going to an all terrain. I think a solid AT design will hold up fine to work around the farm, etc... and I really avoid the mud when wheeling anyway. 99% of my miles come via paved roads as this is my DD.
So here are options I have. Help me think through this one.
1) I can give the four Maxxis Bighorns to my son for his jeep, buy 2 Cooper STT's to match and be done. Price mounted and balanced made me cringe... $550 out the door.
2) I can give all 6 33's to my son and let him choose the combo he wants and get 4 31's for myself.
3) AT's or MT's?
Thanks for your input. I am sure you go through the same mind spinning thought process on things. Help me sort this out.
John
jscusmcvet
Explorer
Two comparison shots. If I go to 31's I will likely track down some stock jeep rims since I won't need the backspacing anymore, so this is a fairly accurate photo comparison.
Input appreciated.
John
Input appreciated.
John
locrwln
Expedition Leader
Mine had 33x10.50R15's BFG AT's on it when I bought it (they had 900 miles on them) and that is about as small as I would want on a jeep that sees any wheeling. At least out here, no sure of your conditions when wheeling. I now have 35's GY MTR-K's, but you are right, the "tax" of bigger tires (intitial costs, upgrades to support, mileage hit, etc.) can be a little offputting and hard to justify sometimes. If I could have found a "true to size" AT tire in a 35, I would have an AT. But we are dry more than wet out here.
I guess I really didn't answer your question did I??? :sombrero:
Jack
I guess I really didn't answer your question did I??? :sombrero:
Jack
jscusmcvet
Explorer
Well... you have given me info to continue to ponder on... and I appreciate it. I value the thoughts of those of you who will take the time to respond. I am a BIG fan of the 33x10.50 tire size and wish it was on the market in more styles from more manufacturers.
Keep thoughts coming.
John
Keep thoughts coming.
John
Ryan Matthes
Adventurer and Explorer
I had 31 A/Ts on my TJ and wheeled that thing all over Uwharrie with no problems at all - side note, I miss Uwharrie so so so so much, what a phenomenal resource that was only an hour's drive away. We don't really have ANYTHING like it here in TX. I have 33s on my current LJ and love the size. I think that it is just the right balance between being streetable for road trips and good off pavement (dirt or rocks). Sure 35s get you another whole inch of ground clearance, but the height gain to increased weight ratio is not positive in my book. I would suggest sticking with a 33 but do go to a good A/T. Overland Journal's current issue has a great write up and comparison of A/Ts - the Cooper Discoverer AT3 was (surprisingly) the clear winner. I am going to put a set of those on my Expedition when I get back from NC this summer.