Is it worth building a Kj?

[Zeero]

Diesel is cheaper than gas here....burns longer and has less emissions, and the motors are tough as nails....they'll outlast the body work.

I'm thinking about a Blu-Tec swap out for my JK at some point down the road if it can be done.

 

[jerbacher]

I will stick with my gasser,Liberty Diesel's had too many little problems, not that much better in my book as well. My gasser has almost 120,000 on it, not one problem, gets 20 plus on the highway ( and I am lifted, with larger tires,) , pulls my 6 X10 enclosed trailer loaded and never complains. For the extra cost of diesel fuel in the US not really worth it.
and that comes from someone who has owned a few Petes with Cats in them

tom... how are you getting 20+?? im lucky to get 16-17. steel wheels maybe?

 

[jeepmedic46]

Any ideas on how hard it would be to put a diesel in my 04?:ylsmoke:

 

[jnaut]

Believe me: Being an opponent of IFS, I tried really hard to get a Libby stuck. The only Libbies we managed to get stuck were the Renegades with the low hanging running boards which we managed to get high centered. Once the blingy boards were removed, no luck anymore in getting them stuck. IMHO, the Libby has very good ergonomics, excellent visibility and merits to carry a Jeep badge.

Yeah, with all the hay everyone makes about IFS, my IFS has never caused me a problem on the trail. My open diff causes me more trouble than anything-- and that's on the list to get fixed.

- 80% is the driver, not just in off-roading abilities, but also in not breaking your vehicle. Know its week spots, don't wheel the ******** out of it like a yahoo, do all the preventive maintenance stuff and the Libby will serve you well in many adventures over many years.
-

Well said.

 

[jnaut]

Diesel is cheaper than gas here....burns longer and has less emissions, and the motors are tough as nails....they'll outlast the body work.

I'm thinking about a Blu-Tec swap out for my JK at some point down the road if it can be done.

See that's the kicker. Diesel's a bit more expensive here, and while I haven't done the math lately, often times the Diesel ends up being more expensive to run, even with the improved gas mileage.

You're right about the durability, though. Diesel engines out there reporting 600,000 miles.

I'm a little confused about "clean" though. If we're conflating "clean" with CO2 then yes, less co2 is put out with diesel. But diesel still puts out more particulate emissions than regular gassers.

 

[grahamfitter]

Any ideas on how hard it would be to put a diesel in my 04?:ylsmoke:

Not as easy as buying this one: 06 Diesel Liberty with 16K miles in Framingham, Mass.

That said, IMHO diesel isn't worth it in the USA unless you need those extra miles per tank. You can drive a long way with what you save by not buying the diesel engine and you can always take a jerry can or two if you need the extra range.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[jeepmedic46]

Thank you for that site, My wife would kill me. I have about a year left on my libby.:smiley_drive:

 

[calamaridog]

Sorry, but in my opinion, the diesel wins EVERY time.

I own my 02 outright so no new vehicle for me. Unlike the diesel versions, my drivetrain has been 100% reliable with no modifications. In addition, the production of the diesel started years later, the total volume of vehicles produced is low, and not every dealer network will even service them.

My 02 has more than adequate power with the 3.7L truck motor and unlike later models I have the heavy duty transmission too. It's rated to tow 5000lbs. and the diesel isn't rated for any more.

Fully loaded, I can get a range of 300+ miles then another 150 from my Jerry cans. 450 mile range is more than adequate for any trips I'll be taking with this vehicle.

As an "expedition" platform, the Liberty would be a poor choice for long international trips anyways for a myriad of reasons.

 

[Fulltimer]

I'm lucky in that I'm the only one to use my KJ. The wife has her own car and the kids are married off. Mt KJ sets about 4.5" higher than what it did before modifying it. Then I removed the back seat and built a metal frame using 1"x1" steel tubing. I covered that with plywood and then linoleum. It also has a back board going up behind the front seats. The frame is bolted down where the seats were bolted down so it's nice and sturdy.

Sorry for the picture quality. The sun was in the wrong position. Couple that with the safari rack I have plenty of storage space. Under the platform I store my shovel, high lift jack, a BFH, bungee cords, a tree limb saw, and a bunch of small stuff. Plans are for 2 6v glass mat batteries in the feet wells also.

Terry

 

[calamaridog]

Terry,

Thanks for posting that pic. I love your set up, it's most excellent.

My problem is the occasional camp trip when the wife, kid, and dog all want to go along. When I'm alone I have plenty of room.

 

[Fulltimer]

Terry,

Thanks for posting that pic. I love your set up, it's most excellent.

My problem is the occasional camp trip when the wife, kid, and dog all want to go along. When I'm alone I have plenty of room.

Check with Tommud he made a variation of the same thing. I think he can take his seat out and put in his rear deck extension on in 20 or so minutes. That way if you want the seat it's their, if you don't need it remove it. Actually I could do that to if I really wanted to.

Terry

 

[Zeero]

As an "expedition" platform, the Liberty would be a poor choice for long international trips anyways for a myriad of reasons.

How so??

Our entire goal at Overland Expeditions was to dispell the MYTH that vehicles like the Liberty are useless for anything but grocery getting.

I think we did that....over and over again.

9,500 km supported round trip through Canada and the US. including the Continental Divide, Glacier National Park, Moab in July and Colorado Mountains.

5,000 km unsupported round trip of Ontario and Quebec.

6,500 km unsupported round trip out to Northern British Columbia through the mountains

3,000 km unsupported trip from souothern Ontario to Halifax NS.

All trips loaded with about 900 LBS of gear, fully expedition prepared with driver and navigator.

The Liberty held out amazingly and ran like a champion on and offroad in a variety of pretty brutal runs while away with ONE breakdown, the only work done was oil change and replacing the AC clutch.

Having had real world experience with a 2006 Liberty Renegade all over North America and back with one small issue, I'm going to have to go ahead and totally disagree with you that the Liberty is a poor choice for expedition use. It was quite good, in fact, excellent. I would recommend to anyone for that application.

:victory::smiley_drive:

 

[Taz]

The Liberty would be a prefect choice for Expeditions..........Not sure why anyone would say different unles they just don't know much about Libertys.

 

[grahamfitter]

How so??

Our entire goal at Overland Expeditions was to dispell the MYTH that vehicles like the Liberty are useless for anything but grocery getting.

I think the comment was more about "international" rather than the general capability and reliability of the Liberty. Everywhere you go in the USA and Canada you'll be able to find Jeep parts and service but, unfortunately, that isn't the case elsewhere in the world. That doesn't mean you can't go to those places -- look at the XV-JPs currently in Central America and heading South, XXXpedition's travels to far flung places, etc. -- just that you'll need to be more patient if you need to replace something.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[Zeero]

I still dont buy the argument, even on an international level. Liberty's are everywhere with the exception of Northern Africa.

Europe, Australia, Siberia, Asia, South Africa, Middle East (UAE, Iraq, Iran, SA)....theyre even in places where Wranglers dont exist.

The early Liberty was made with pick-up truck components axles, gears and transmission that are interchange-able with many non-jeep after market parts.

I think its a great truck and is capable far more than most think, yet this is an old argument spanning back to 2002 when they first arrived...unwinnable, peoples opinions tend to smear fact! :snorkel:

:victory::sombrero: