"Bruce" the 2014 Jeep JKUR Build Thread

Lord Al Sorna

Harebrained Scheming
Klaus, I met you in Moab last spring on Hells Revenge... I was in a Maroon Taco then (I actually just spotted my old truck in one photo on your Cruiser build page- post 3). Fast forward and we have both gone down the same road switching to JKUR's! I like what you have done to yours so far, and look forward to seeing it in some trip reports! If your ever headed back to UT send me a PM.

Also, thank you guys for the bedrug idea. That is so perfect (two dogs in my Jeep here, and one is yellow)... Its on my xmas list too!
 
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KlausVanWinkle

Explorer
Klaus, I met you in Moab last spring on Hells Revenge... I was in a Maroon Taco then (I actually just spotted my old truck in one photo on your Cruiser build page- post 3). Fast forward and we have both gone down the same road switching to JKUR's! I like what you have done to yours so far, and look forward to seeing it in some trip reports! If your ever headed back to UT send me a PM.

Also, thank you guys for the bedrug idea. That is so perfect (two dogs in my Jeep here, and one is yellow)... Its on my xmas list too!

That's funny. I remember us both talking about how much work wed put into our Toyotas, yet we both wanted something different.
 

r3run33

Adventurer
Klaus I seem to have caught your Jeep bug!!! Few questions for ya I am currently in a LX470 and maybe going for a AEV5 door wrangler; I had several jeep before and did not like Chrysler take on them and finally left; do you have any regrets with leaving the toyota? any problems with the jeep etc
 

KlausVanWinkle

Explorer
No problems with the Jeep so far. There was a "waterfall behind the heater core" noise at first. But they topped off the coolant at the first service and the noise went away.

No regrets. Somethings I miss. I miss the build quality some. I've embraced the disposable/disassemble-able nature of the Jeep. But I don't' like how easily the paint rubs off. There are plenty of Jeep-isms if you look hard enough. But they don't bother me anymore. If you've owned a lot of Jeeps in the past, you're probably used to them.

The Jeep doesn't insulate you from the outdoor extremes as much as the Land Cruiser did. But the new interior goes a long ways toward making it feel like normal car. Luxury-wise, the added options bring it up to the level of the 100-Series, ha.

I miss the cargo area and payload. Small loads seem to have a big effect on the Jeep. And the rear roll bars eat up a ton of space. Other similarly sized trucks have way more cargo room ie: Discovery, G-Wagen, etc.

I miss the excitement of seeing another modded Land Cruiser. I see JKs of all kinds all of the time. Almost none wave though :( The club is a lot less exclusive.

A lot of things about the Jeep are better. 285hp, RWD and only 4000lbs = a lot more fun. It feels more mountain goat, less luxury barge. I also like the ride. The jossling and swaying is fun. I think the JKUR is much more like a defender and less like a Land Cruiser. Even though the Land Cruiser looked like it had just circumnavigated the globe, driving the JKUR invokes the sense that you're on an adventure more. I haven't driven without the top or doors yet. But I expect that it'll be more fun than driving a Land cruiser with the sunroof open (although I do miss the sunroof).

I also assume that a new Jeep is hopefully at least as reliable as a 185k mile Land Cruiser. Let's hope that turns out to be true.

The Jeep has only been off road once. Nothing too hard. I did most of the trail in RWD, only shifting to 4Hi for river crossings or loose climbs. Friends who also made the switch claim that the stock JKUR is more capable than their modified 100s. And watching your cheap plastic fender slip past rocks and trees is a lot more confidence inspiring than watching the 100's huge sheet metal try the same feat.
 

Maxcustody

Explorer
We finally got Bruce a little dirty this weekend. We went up to Monache Meadows to catch the end of mountain season. It got a little cold at night.

I dont' want to switch tires until the stock KM1s wear out. More than 1.5" of lift would look silly with the stock tires. I wish I could just add stiffer stock height rear shocks like the Teraflex 1.5" lift rear coils. But I don't want that much rake when unloaded. There seem to only be 3 options and all have their downsides.


Here is mine with teraflex 2.5 and stock tires..........

IMG_4422.JPG
 

DEFENDERBEAM

strategic command
We finally got Bruce a little dirty this weekend. We went up to Monache Meadows to catch the end of mountain season. It got a little cold at night.

I dont' want to switch tires until the stock KM1s wear out. More than 1.5" of lift would look silly with the stock tires. I wish I could just add stiffer stock height rear shocks like the Teraflex 1.5" lift rear coils. But I don't want that much rake when unloaded. There seem to only be 3 options and all have their downsides.




Here is mine with teraflex 2.5 and stock tires..........

View attachment 257137



2.5" with stock tires doesn't look bad at all. Like you, I want to get use of my stock tires before i changed to something bigger. Not worth selling them. Had to go down to $800 to quickly get rid of my stock alloy wheels though.
 

KlausVanWinkle

Explorer
I dont' want to switch tires until the stock KM1s wear out. More than 1.5" of lift would look silly with the stock tires. I wish I could just add stiffer stock height rear shocks like the Teraflex 1.5" lift rear coils. But I don't want that much rake when unloaded. There seem to only be 3 options and all have their downsides.


Here is mine with teraflex 2.5 and stock tires..........

View attachment 257137

Yeah yours looks good. How much lift did younbet out? I want the AEV 2.5 which will probably lift me 3" from stock.
 

KlausVanWinkle

Explorer
I'd need another trailer to follow your switch up Adam...or a serious equipment diet :D

Your rig does being new meaning to "everything and the kitchen sink." My jeep weighs half what your 100 weighs.

I'm trying to put our gear and build on a diet and get more into outdoor activities and less into rock crawling rock crawling's sake. New sleeping bags, chairs, pads, tents, and even tool sets are on the way.
 

O.R.T.

Observer
I'd need another trailer to follow your switch up Adam...or a serious equipment diet :D

Cough-Cough, you'd be surprised at how many of us old "Loyal Toyota Owners" are now rocking Jeeps or even Rams. :D

I'm trying to put our gear and build on a diet and get more into outdoor activities and less into rock crawling rock crawling's sake. New sleeping bags, chairs, pads, tents, and even tool sets are on the way.

Famous last words? **You got a pm.** :D I approve of this thread. I am actually jealous you're able to get away w/ a Jeep. I can't rock-crawl these days, my back simply cannot take it anymore so we got a new plaything, 2014 Ram 1500 Express, Quad-Cab, 4wd, Anti-Slip Rear, Hemi, Tow Package. With our needs being Kids/Dog/HouseRepairs/Travel/Camping it makes hauling travel and camping gear and even rocks, sheetrock, etc so much easier. We've already gone out into the Sierras and the desert with it, zero problems, just needs a level and tires/rims. I'll miss Pismo and Moab with our 4Runner but this thing and the Jeeps are just so much more fun to drive in my opinion.
 
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locrwln

Expedition Leader
I'd need another trailer to follow your switch up Adam...or a serious equipment diet :D

Could you do with less?? I think not. :wings:

Your rig does being new meaning to "everything and the kitchen sink." My jeep weighs half what your 100 weighs.

I'm trying to put our gear and build on a diet and get more into outdoor activities and less into rock crawling rock crawling's sake. New sleeping bags, chairs, pads, tents, and even tool sets are on the way.

No kidding on being half the weight. But he does have EVERYTHING in that cruiser from nose to tail.

All the love Dan!!

Jack
 

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