JK thoughts

[Stu Olson]

Half of the parts for it would be coming from Germany....the taxes and transportation charges would be too expensive.

[Allen]

Originally posted by Stu Olson
Half of the parts for it would be coming from Germany....the taxes and transportation charges would be too expensive.

Nope.

Allen

[ABQ TJ]

they would need to build a NEW production line, thus raising the hurdle-rate above any chance of making a profit, without over-pricing the vehicle out of the market.

[Joe Dillard]

I know.......they still need to redesign that slinky suspension with all those weird links and put leaf springs back on it.

Where's that JU :jump: icon when you need it?

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by ABQ TJ
they would need to build a NEW production line, thus raising the hurdle-rate above any chance of making a profit, without over-pricing the vehicle out of the market.

It was explained that the new production line would be included in the new plant that would have to be built as there is no room in the current plant for a vehicle to be built with the wheelbase length that the Gladiator has.

Good answer btw.

[ABQ TJ]

[img]http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/storyimages/jump.gif[img]

there ya go

[speaceman]

So would you say the four door JK can make a decent daily driver compared to the current wranglers?

Compared to other SUVs?

[Iceman]

Originally posted by speaceman
So would you say the four door JK can make a decent daily driver compared to the current wranglers?

Compared to other SUVs?

IMHO: yes and there's plenty of room in there (both for people and luggage)

[heep]

Did you see anything on the four door with half doors and a top on it. I am really interested in one of those, but I am only finding pics of full doors with soft tops. I want to see how they did it with the halfs
Heep

[Jeff Weston]

I thought they weren't going to build it because of all the backlash due to its vulgar name ...

Glad*he*ate*her ... ba dump ding (rim shot)

Not to leave anybody out in the cold, they were also considering producing the ...

Glad*he*ate*him

Thank you, good night and don't forget to tip your waitress.

I don't have a clue why they wouldn't make any money other than the fact that gas guzzlers seem to be a tough sell at the moment.

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by heep
Did you see anything on the four door with half doors and a top on it. I am really interested in one of those, but I am only finding pics of full doors with soft tops. I want to see how they did it with the halfs
Heep

Furthest one away on the left in Red. However, it only had prototype cartridge windows which fit okay, but you could tell they would eventually be fine.

We are talking rough prototypes with lots of silicone sealant, silver fasteners, and rough fiberglass in places.

The idea looks like it will work fine though.

[heep]

Blaine,
What was your purpose for being around them? Testing? Just driving around? Lucky you.
Heep

[ken white]

Nice honest evaluations...

Thanks,

Ken

Originally posted by mrblaine
It was explained that the new production line would be included in the new plant that would have to be built as there is no room in the current plant for a vehicle to be built with the wheelbase length that the Gladiator has.

Good answer btw.

How much longer would be compared to new Unlimited?

[Robert J. Yates]

Welcome back Blaine.....nice post.

[speaceman]

Looking at the pic of the 4 door up above, it looks like Jeep finally did release the Dakar concept vehicle after all.

(only larger).

Pretty cool.

[svandell]

I saw you out there Blaine. I only met you once a few years ago at a JV Rookie Run so I wasnt certain that it was you or not. I don't think you had a beard back when I met you. Anyway, we rolled through on Wednesday the 16th in the TJs toward the end of the day. We were suprised to see the Jeep event going on. You told us to wait for the helicopter to land so we spent some time looking at the JKs. They are definately different. Suspension, engine, the huge driveshaft, new gas tank location, t-case isolators, interior, the high pinion 44 up front, and many other things... I have to say that I liked them. I even kind of liked the goofy looking 4 door.

A short wheel base JK wheeled passed us earlier in the day at Buck Island. The guy from Jeep said he had started at Loon earlier in the day. It was bashed up on the skids but it appeared to do well. I am sure he took all of the bypasses that he could. Anyway, here we are at Buck Island when the JK passed by:






This is me talking to Mike Cohn from Rockcrawler.com about the JK (I am pretty dirty from spending the afternoon welding a steering arm on a Scout at Buck Island)


Here are the pics at Rubicon Springs of the Jeep event:
http://www.vandelladventure.com/imag.../rubicon22.htm

Talk to you later..

Scott

[mbryson]

So, I'm fairly interested in the 4 door JK. The one thing I'm really concerned about is the LONG wheelbase. I'd like something around 106-108" for trails, but I bet the 114" or whatever will be fine around town.

How will the underbelly components on the 4 door last with that wheelbase and some 37" tires (and I bet I'm pushing the axles pretty hard at that point) to account for the length? It's all about breakover angle isn't it?

[Allen]

Originally posted by mbryson
So, I'm fairly interested in the 4 door JK. The one thing I'm really concerned about is the LONG wheelbase. I'd like something around 106-108" for trails, but I bet the 114" or whatever will be fine around town.

How will the underbelly components on the 4 door last with that wheelbase and some 37" tires (and I bet I'm pushing the axles pretty hard at that point) to account for the length? It's all about breakover angle isn't it?

I was concerned about the 4 doors length and wheelbase as well, so that's all I drove.

I came away very impressed. Very impressed indeed.

Yes it scraped more than the 2 door, and yes there were a few spots I had to make 3 point turns to prevent bumper damage.

However, it never got hung up.

With a flat skid, (which seems quite doable) and 35s, that 4 door will do 95% of the trails out there, if not more.

Both models are a HUGE improvement over the TJ.

I want a 4 door.

My TJ now seems cramped, noisey, and old.

My only complaint? The 4 door is almost underpowered on the road. You've got to keep your foot in it. Load it up with people and gear, or a lot of aftermarket equiptment, and it is underpowered on the street. Hopefully we'll see a larger displacement V-6 in the next 2-3 years for the 4 door.

No lack of power in 4Low though.

Allen

[mbryson]

Originally posted by Allen
...........My only complaint? The 4 door is almost underpowered on the road. You've got to keep your foot in it. Hopefully we'll see a larger displacement V-6 in the next 2-3 years for the 4 door.

Allen

I wondered about that. The 3.8L seems like an OK engine for the 2 door. DC has got to add a more than a little weight to add two more doors and 20" of wheelbase. No chance of a 4.7L version? At my altitude, the 3.8L is going to be lacking a little, IMHO.


I'm already tiring of the tow rig/trailer/wheeler (wheeler that shouldn't be driven over 35-40 mph ). I used to enjoy driving my rig to the trail, doing the trail and driving home quite a bit. I've just got to package 3 kids and the wife if it's a daily driver type rig.


I've not seen a lifesize JK yet. How much lift to fit a 37" tire? Proper bumpstops and 4" make it work? Maybe a little trimming?

[Allen]

Originally posted by mbryson
I wondered about that. The 3.8L seems like an OK engine for the 2 door. DC has got to add a more than a little weight to add two more doors and 20" of wheelbase. No chance of a 4.7L version? At my altitude, the 3.8L is going to be lacking a little, IMHO.


I'm already tiring of the tow rig/trailer/wheeler that shouldn't be driven over 35-40 mph. I enjoyed driving my rig to the trail, doing the trail and driving home quite a bit. I've just got to package 3 kids and the wife if it's a daily driver type rig.

From what we were told?

No V-8.

It eats up the crumple zone and won't pass the Fed. crash tests with a V-8 under there. Basically that's an admission without admitting anything, that the 4 door is underpowered, and they're looking to solve that problem. I think we'll see a solution, just likely not in the form of a V-8.

There is a ton of room. I bet a 1" BL and a 2"spacer lift would fit 35s easily. Go with it from there.....

Allen

[mbryson]

Originally posted by Allen
From what we were told?

No V-8.

It eats up the crumple zone and won't pass the Fed. crash tests with a V-8 under there. Basically that's an admission without admitting anything, that the 4 door is underpowered, and they're looking to solve that problem. I think we'll see a solution, just likely not in the form of a V-8.

There is a ton of room. I bet a 1" BL and a 2"spacer lift would fit 35s easily. Go with it from there.....

Allen

So they can use the same 'signature'/family engine and bore/stroke it without much 'ado' other than emissions approval? This could get kinda interesting. I wonder how the cylinder walls and block configuration is of the 3.8L? Not for me to worry about I guess. I'll just wait and see what happens. I'll be taking a HARD look at the '08 (which is what I planned to do anyway) and hope it has a stouter powerplant.



{I still want a Jeep Rescue.......}

[Stu Olson]

Originally posted by Allen
My TJ now seems cramped, noisey, and old.

That's because it is.

[Cutch]

All these posts and I was barely mentioned once.

For all those that were there knew what the order of importance was.

#1
#2
and the media release of the JK's


It's still all about him

[Iceman]

when did you get to MSP Ian?

[Cutch]

Originally posted by Iceman
when did you get to MSP Ian?

Saturday at around 1340...at 1400 I was sipping Coors Lite at my buddies garage telling him all sorts of lies about the event.

Miss Sue and Little Jessie showed up at around 2200...it was great to see them.

[Iceman]

glad to hear you got your flights lined up for Saturday as well

BTW: your friend Pearse still owes us a couple Coors Light

[oddball]

Am I the only one that noticed the new BFG MT? It looks just like the MT KM, but the centers are cut differently. The outer lugs look the same though.

Any word on these? Are these going to be a new version?

[Iceman]

Originally posted by oddball
Am I the only one that noticed the new BFG MT? It looks just like the MT KM, but the centers are cut differently. The outer lugs look the same though.

Any word on these? Are these going to be a new version?

they're starting to look more and more like a MT/R or MTZ

We only had one tire failure during the 2 weeks of wheeling

[Paradiddle]

Glad you guys are back. Sounds like a great trip!

I want a 4 door now....

Jeff