Unlimited Rubicon with M100 Trailer

[Septu]

^^ well that, and recognizing what it was built for. My 2012 rides pretty well (well enough for me to have made multiple 5000 mile road trips in the last 18 mths). But the gas mileage blows. But it's a jeep. I can take the roof and doors off and wheel the piss out of it.

As for the OPs complaint about the ride... if it was that bad on rough roads, I don't know what to say. Only time mine was bad was when I'm aired up too much (ie haven't aired down), or am driving too fast.

If I knew how to list my fleet on my post I would do that, but here it is:

Under settings (top right), look for "Edit Signature". That will attach a signature at the bottom of every post you make.

 

[littlefc]

Gears

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, looks like its time for 4:88 gears. Yes, I know I will run a little higher RPM, and gas mileage will go down, but, hey its a Jeep.
And yes it does a good job of doing what it was designed to do.

 

[bob91yj]

Another thing to remember is the 6 speed manual is a double over drive transmission, 5th and 6th gears being overdrive. A downshift under load running heavy is to be expected, especially with oversize tires, which numerically lowers your gear ratio.

Jeep CJ/YJ/TJ, practical, and fuel economy should never be used in the same sentence!

DaJudge nailed it on the engine. The cylinder head isn't even cross flow for crying out loud! We got a little over 300 HP to the rear wheels with a heavily massaged (but not stroked) 4.0L in our Jeepspeed car. In my book there is no replacement for displacement, stroking the 4.0L is the answer for more power from the engine. Depending on the over bore you can get 4.6-4.9L and wild to mild on the power depending on how you build it.

 

[jscusmcvet]

I agree with the above comments. I have a 2005 LJ Rubicon (my 6th 4.0 powered jeep) and pull a small pop up, among other things. We have embraced the slow lane... grandma speeds and driving style and make a decided effort to avoid the interstate if at all possible.. Just a fact of life, I believe with the trade off of off road capability, sot top... and just plain the fact that I am a jeep guy...

Live it, love it, so to speak...
John

 

[wild1]

I have the exact same LJ and I find that it works much better to make it a trailer then to pull one. My F-350 barely knows it's back there and the mileage pulling it is not much worse then the LJ gets when it's all loaded down.

 

[marshal]

You're under revving the engine for those passes. My 06 would spin 3200RPM at 70mph with 4.88s and 35s. Don't be afraid of it, you're not going to wear it out

 

[pookie]

I run a 02 TJ 4.0 5spd with factory 4.10 gears and 31's, hardtop. I have a Willys MBT so very similar to your M100. I have towed it all over the place with no problems. On super steep (twisty mtn road climbs) I have had to downshift, but other than that it has done pretty good. My Jeep doesn't have the lifts or extra weight as yours but I've never had a problem with the trailer. Only time I have had a lack of power was when I towed a over full load of firewood. Looking back I had too much wood for the trailer and the Jeep so I haven't done that again.

As others have said, wind it up a little and you'll be surprised what the 4.0 can do.

 

[jscusmcvet]

You're under revving the engine for those passes. My 06 would spin 3200RPM at 70mph with 4.88s and 35s. Don't be afraid of it, you're not going to wear it out

Brings up the question for me of what is the ideal rpm range for the 4.0. Never even thought about it before this jeep with the 6 speed. so If I am cruising backroads (my normal commute) what range should I try and keep the rpms?

Thanks, hope it is not really a hijack, since an answer will help OP also.

john

 

[rubiwheeler]

Another thing to remember is the 6 speed manual is a double over drive transmission, 5th and 6th gears being overdrive.

That is incorrect. 6th gear is overdrive; the ratios for the NSG370 are: 1st-4.46 2nd-2.61, 3rd-1.72, 4th-1.25, 5th-1.00, 6th-0.84

 

[bob91yj]

^^^^I meant to verify that as soon as I posted it, working from memory...apparently the memory sucks.

 

[biere]

06 tj with 6 speeds and 6 cylinders.

Unloaded and going to work I treat it like a diesel. Shift well before 3k rpm and in tight turns I might be in 5th gear at idle rpms, but the turn leads into a downhill so gravity and a touch of throttle bring the rpms up nicely. I have stock 3:73 gears and am running 31s on it. To some extent I can sometimes do the drive in 6th gear without changing gears but being a gasser the 5th gear works out better and I tend to leave it in gear for silly amounts of time while everyone else is shifting all over the place.

Now a trailer in the 1500 to 2k lb range is very noticable on my little tj.

Empty I use 2nd gear as first and never even consider using 1st gear.

Loaded I use 1st gear to get rolling as it is a lot easier on the jeep and all rpms tend to go up 2k rpm or so.

Around here 55mph for backroads is a common limit and I tend to leave it in 5th and don't use 6th when loaded.

I am going to keep it at stockish height but put in heavier coils and add a bumper and winch up front soon. The rear coils will be beefed up so that the tj does not sag so much with a decent tongue weight.

I have the back seat and carpet pulled and don't keep much in the jeep right now. Planning to build a decent waterproof rear compartment for tools and what not and I know I am going to add around 300lbs or so by the time I do the box, tools, bumper and winch on it.

I have not towed on the open highway much, I live in the rural areas and prefer to run old highways to hitting major highways if going somewhere. But the jeep has not been on a big trip either.

I am lucky in that east tn has lots of stuff I enjoy, so on vacation I just stay home and play.