2012 JKU Rubicon Build/Adventure Thread
- Thread starter Septu
- Start date
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Bummed, but hoping to be happy for you based on the outcome.
Glad you can at least salvage the trip.
Perfect reason to have the dealer perform routine maintenance.
Glad you can at least salvage the trip.
Perfect reason to have the dealer perform routine maintenance.
Nothing yet. Should hear something in the next day or two. But I'm not really worried about them denying it. The dealer has done all the maintenance and were the last ones to work on it. And they did give me a sweet Cherokee Trailhawk for a few days. Really liked that rig. It couldn't do a hard trail, but it pulled the trailer just fine and could easily do 90% of the stuff I like to do.
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
With all your experience it would be cool to hear more about the Trail Hawk, and what you'd do if it was your "expedition rig".
Obviously it's no Wrangler, but I "think" (absolutely no first hand experience with this vehicle) it has a strong place in Overlanding.
I'm thinking for things like TAT, Mojave Rd, WABDR, etc.
So a new engine, a rock solid transmission and already built to your specs. Sounds like this mis-adventure should work out to your benefit. :victory:
Obviously it's no Wrangler, but I "think" (absolutely no first hand experience with this vehicle) it has a strong place in Overlanding.
I'm thinking for things like TAT, Mojave Rd, WABDR, etc.
So a new engine, a rock solid transmission and already built to your specs. Sounds like this mis-adventure should work out to your benefit. :victory:
Honestly... I'd absolutely own one of those as a 2nd vehicle. Or if at any time I get tired of exploring and wheeling more challenging trails (which up here is mostly mud or places that require clearance), I wouldn't hesitate to get the Trailhawk. Due to the transmission, I never noticed the trailer behind it (weighs around 1200/1300 lbs), and the road manors were great (I put about 400-500 km on it). The gas mileage while a lot better than the JK, wasn't the best - due to the trailer and my 110-130kph hwy speeds. It had decent ground clearance, looked good - I really liked the lines of it (I'm vain), and seemed very capable out of the box - although as I promised the dealer, I didn't test it at all. I think it would be a great vehicle for one who wanted to do some mild exploring and mild trails, but could still do a road trip or comfortably DD the same vehicle. I mean I do it all with my wrangler and other than the ****ty gas mileage I have no major complaints... but the two don't compare for on road handling.
As for the off road stuff... other than two trails I do up here once or twice every year or two, looking at most of the trails I've done over the last couple years... this stock likely would have handled almost all of them (for those up here, the two this wouldn't do would be Livingston and Alligator). Might have needed a tug or two and might have messed up the plastic bumper(s), but it wouldn't take much to make it do almost everything I'd want it to.
What I'd do to it?
Bumpers F/R (winch front and tire carrier for the rear). Winch, and likely a very mild lift. And then the least amount of armor I could get away with. And... honestly, I think that's all it would need to do almost everything I'd want it to do. Gas mileage and road handling shouldn't suffer too much, and you'd end up with a very capable winter/expo rig that could do most things outside of the mud holes up here. Depending on the mileage, perhaps a slight re-gear. I found myself in 5-7th gear, and only once saw 8th gear. Re-gearing it slightly (while expensive) would probably improve the mileage - even for the stock tires, but especially if a modest lift and weight is added.
That's how I see it. I have 90,000 km on the jeep... and will get (hopefully) a new engine. Now other than any potential electrical issues, I should be well on my way to making this JK last as long as I had hoped it would when I bought it. It was an expensive purchase - and one that at many times I've wondered if it was the right one (between the final purchase price and what I've spent on it, I'll be around 70k when it's all said and done (not counting any future mods). Which is absolutely ************* nuts. Those "small" things (bumpers, lift, etc) all seem to add up. Add in some repairs, lots of labor, shipping and other **** and you look at the number on the excel sheet and it's like... holly ****. But at least now I get (or at least hope to get) some satisfaction knowing that all the major **** is done, and should be good to go for years.
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Great info on the Trail Hawk! :beer:
I think it would be a fun vehicle to use a good aluminum alloy on, or maybe thinner high strength steel, for bumpers and skids as needed. Even the winch could be downsized.
If I remember right there is a new member here with an Anvil one he is building. Will be fun to watch the progress and read the trip reports.
Yeah, it's crazy how much money can be swallowed up by one vehicle. It's like a boat, except no bikini clad beauties stretched out on the hood... well most of the time any way. :elkgrin:
I think it would be a fun vehicle to use a good aluminum alloy on, or maybe thinner high strength steel, for bumpers and skids as needed. Even the winch could be downsized.
If I remember right there is a new member here with an Anvil one he is building. Will be fun to watch the progress and read the trip reports.
Yeah, it's crazy how much money can be swallowed up by one vehicle. It's like a boat, except no bikini clad beauties stretched out on the hood... well most of the time any way. :elkgrin:
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Right On! :victory:
Got my jeep back! Not sure what this cost Chrysler, but considering what my dealer charged them in shop time (hours), I bet it was around 6-8k (at min). The good news is I get 3 years or 100,000 km from now as a full warranty on the engine. My extended warranty I have runs out after ~50k or 2.5 years from now, so the engine warranty will exceed that. Odds are the time will run out before the KMs do (I put on around 20-25,000 km a year). The only crappy part is I'm back to regular oil and have to break in the engine again just as if it's a new vehicle. Kinda sucks as our wheeling season is almost over and I'll have to deal with winter and not having synthetic oil in the jeep. Last time around I didn't switch to synthetic until 20k IIRC. But having bought it in mid Feb, that was less of an issue and I was able to put synthetic in before the next winter. Oh well.
Dealer said no. They said the same when I picked this one up in 2012.
As for the overheating issue, it looks like it's still there, as my temp gauge seems to move a little going up south access. Haven't pinned it or really pushed it, but I don't think this resolved anything. Next step for that is finding someone with a very expensive programer who can re-program when the fan kicks in. I have all the stock stats from when it does, and frequently it's not kicking into high until 227 or so (would have to re-look at the thread/picture), but it wasn't kicking in until pretty high. Still doesn't explain why none of my friends 2012s with worse gearing than mine are not having the same issue... but w/e.