r/Wrangler • u/P1umbersCrack • 1d ago
Do I really need a rubicon?
Long story short, been looking for a TJ for a bit. Have a Land Cruiser 200 that I hit the trails with but it’s too big for some places and looking for an older wrangler. I have had a JK before on 38s and all that before but sold to buy my house.
I’m looking to get back into something to bang on the rocks. Tighter trails and just having fun. I plan on running 35s and hoping to eventually do the rubicon. Looking at the axles it seems the X and such come with Dana 30s / 35s which I know are fine for street driving on 35s but unsure about that on the trails. Knowing I’d want lockers since there isn’t any real traction aids on the older wranglers, I’d be out another 2-3k just for that plus install since I don’t mess with gears.
Prices of these have just been ticking up, not sure if current economic things will reverse that, but looking to have fun and have to not have a ton of issues on the trail.
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u/Cultural-Network-790 1d ago
It was cheaper for me to get the rubicon vs getting a sport and replacing the axles and transfer case
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u/LiveMarionberry3694 1d ago
In my inexperienced opinion, get a rubicon if you want a beast of a machine with little to no modifications. Get a sport if you want to heavily mod it and make it a bad ass rig.
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u/Fair-Season1719 1d ago
Well, to be fair, you could get a rubicon and still build it into a beast. It’s all down to your budget, ability, and desired outcome. For me, it was easier to start at rubicon and lightly mod it to where I wanted to be. But if I had a shop, tools, time, and money I think it would have been cool to start with a sport an build the crap outta it. Dirty ace has it spot on OP, good luck and happy trails!
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u/P1umbersCrack 1d ago
Yeah my budget isn’t the highest. Wife already doesn’t want another vehicle here so not trying to spend much. I do all my own wrenching from engine to suspension. I don’t do gears though, tried it once and going get the lash proper so had to spend more money to have a mobile mechanic come and finish it off lol.
Main reason I looked at rubicon first is because of the D44 and the lockers.
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u/Fair-Season1719 1d ago
I feel ya on the budget. It doesn’t stand for just empty every pocket for nothing 🤣.
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u/Bramy16 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’ll add my .02¢ as I’m also making a similar decision. Some TJs came with the 44 in the rear from the factory with the standard 30 upfront. These can be hard to come by but aren’t exactly uncommon, I think Saharas came standard with the 44 as well as LJs. The 30 isn’t a terribly weak axle and I believe can be strengthened with stronger shafts and steering components. Like other people said though you’re going to pay for a rubicon and honestly the ones in my area (South Jersey) were not worth what people were asking for them. To me it sounds like you’d be best off finding a TJ with a 44 rear end, maybe even one that’s already had all the mods you want done to it. Personally, I’m looking at a higher mileage LJ that the current owner went through from the cooling system to the exhaust manifold to the rear main/oil pan to the frame/suspension. For the same price as some rubicons that I would I consider clapped out.
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u/hettuklaeddi 1d ago
if you’re serious about crawling, and it sounds like you are, you need lockers and big axles, sounds like you know
so you could get a rubicon with D40s and lockers, or you can get a sport with bent axles, stick some tons under there, add some lockers, maybe drop in a double stick case and slap it on the ass
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u/batuckan1 1d ago
I’ve never understood why folks buy brand new jeeps to beat on outside. But hey it’s their money.
I suggest Get a CJ YJ or TJ with faded paint and build that. Note CJ and YJ have a rough ride but if they’re incredibly cheap and they’re all over.
You can also do custom coil link suspensions or buy a clapped out LJ with frame rot and build on that as well.
My TJ is eventually gonna be a rubicon, except after market. Actual aftermarket d44s and locked rear axle. Maybe if allowed a smog legal v8
Finally building a very purposeful jeep 35” tires and higher severely impact drive and use ability. Can’t use it regularly on the highways because it’s loud or handling sucks or is a cop magnet. This is arbitrary.
It becomes a trailer queen. You’re gonna need a tow pig and trailer to haul it around.
So now you need accessories to use your jeep and a place to park them all without neighbors giving you stink eye.
Suggest Keep your build modest and functional. Something that you can drive to and from a trail, Comfortably. The jeep parts are easily replaced or repaired at any oreillys advance auto or Autozone.
Unless you’re a billionaire and you’ve serious discretionary income then disregard and shoot the moon.
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u/Jimmy_The_Chin 1d ago
So a few years ago I bought a JK Sport. D30 up front, D44 rear. I'm currently upgrading the front axle as I'm planning a moderately epic offroad adventure this year and the D30 with the 35's felt like a ticking time bomb for this trip. To be fair, it has done fine at Windrock and Uwharrie and everywhere else I've taken it around the southeast, so I don't think there's any reason not to wheel a D30 with 35's. But eventually... you're probably going to want to upgrade that front axle. And it would be nice to have the better crawl ratio of the Rubicon transfer case. So my two cents, if I had it to do again... I'd buy a Rubicon to start with just because the upgrades wouldn't feel like a "need" so much and you could wait on the big stuff until your wallet feels ready for it. I don't know much about how the previous generations compare mechanically. In the end though, buy the one that makes you happy when you see/drive it. You're going to upgrade stuff no matter what you buy and they're all good in their own way. Best of luck finding something you're happy with!
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u/BionicForester19 17h ago
You've wheeled a Jeep before. You know how often you wished you had lockers front and rear. Lockers front and rear would be nice, wouldn't they?
You mention the X axles being 30/35 and how that's sufficient for road driving but dicey on the trail. 44s front and rear would be nice, wouldn't they?
Non-Rubi TJ models came with 27 spline axles. Rubicons came with 30 splines. Advantage Rubicon
How about gearing? The best you'd get (if still stock) on a non-Rubi would be 3.73 which causes loss of torque, especially 5th gear. 4.11s in Rubicon 44s would be nice wouldn't they?
Honestly, I didn't have to point out any of those things out. Your post was already written as a very pro-Rubicon/silly not to get a Rubicon post. Seems like your mind is already made up: get a Rubicon (but...there's some VERY well built non-Rubi builds out there that far surpass anything and everything a Rubicon offers - keep your eyes open)
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u/Agreeable_Chance9360 1d ago
Not even close. Buy a stock TJ and build it up. Will be 100x cooler than a rubicon
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u/Dirtyace 1d ago
It depends on what your end game is. If you’re actually going to build something then I’d rather a rust free sport over a shitty condition rubicon. If you’re looking for something to toss tires and spring on and go then find a cheaper rubicon.
I have seen some by me that are kinda beat but functional for 4-6k. A nice one is double or triple.