Glad to see the KL is back. I would love to see it back on the trail some times. Maybe not the hard trails you drove before. I think one reason, for the Differential damage, could be, that the reduction is done in each diff separatly and not in a transfercase.
scissor jacks are some of the best off road jacks you can grab. Doesn't seem like it but it be true, compact, stable and can fit into small places. Hi Lifts are meh and there's a reason mine hasn't left the rafters of my garage in nearly a decade other than to pull t-posts out of the ground.
Man this is gnarly! Never fun de beading on a trail. Ive done it twice and once was on dickey bell in a dicey section. These scissor lift jacks work like a charm. Always been nervous using a hi lift jack.
@@FearlessTrailhawkfarm jacks definitely have their moments to shine, but their tendency to lean in makes it nerve racking to jack from the side rails.
well the first half of the day was amazing! second half not so much. Also I can't believe the lack of hair in this video. Glad I was there to help ya get home.
It really was pretty good up until then! Thanks again for the assistance! You were a life safer for sure! Always enjoy wheeling with ya man! I found some really cool sections of the park since then too!
Thank you for sharing. Sorry this happened. How did you make it back to the parking lot? Did the Gladiator tow you through more obstacles? Are there by-pass trails at Turkey Bay? BTW: My trailhawk is your UA-cam doppelganger (minus all those badges!). I hope you can put yours back together. I'd join you on the trails, someday.
The last clip in the video shows the gladiator towing me back out of the park. We were on one of the main access roads to get out. There is a whole network of easy trails weaving all over the park. As stated, this was exactly 1 year ago, she spent 9 months at the dealership waiting for the rear diff, and i have since replaced a few suspension parts getting her back up to daily drivable.
I haven't had to use it off road, but our stock scissor jack in the KL is the best one I've ever used. Glad (ish) to see the whole story on what happened. OUCH! Then the wait to get it back... 😢
My stock one gave up the ghost a while ago. Also doesn't work as well for lift and tires. I've had mixed results, sometimes the high-jack does exactly what i need, sometimes the scissor jack is the tool that gets it done.
Been watching your videos off and on and was wondering what happened to your KL. Bought one myself last year as my new hunting rig. I'm not much of a wheeler or jeeper, I just needed a vehicle to get me to where I need to go. Usually backcountry roads of varying degrees. Some muddy, some rutty, rocky, snowy, etc. Rock crawling isn't on my list of things I do. Been pretty happy with it thus far. Now, I gotta point some things out that I think I've learned, and please don't take it as a criticism, only as a perceived limitation on the KL in general. Firstly being, from everything I've read, you really don't want to lift a KL any more than a 2" lift. Anymore than that and you put the shafts out of spec. Secondly being tire weight. I think the number is 40 pounds or greater, and it puts additional strain on the drive line that will wear it out faster. Thirdly, as to rear diff, I'm not sure what the deal is with those going out on people. Maybe tire weight, maybe bad splines, maybe the belief in "lifetime" diff gear oil. Lifetime in reality is only as long as the warranty. (60K?) I've preemptively changed mine already because of that. I'm hoping I don't run into issues with it later. Lastly, I just have to say the oil cooler housing in a pentastar engine, is the most stupid design choice ever. (ive a v6) Plastic bolted directly onto the engine block? I just had mine changed out. 900$ repair. I knew it would go, (known issue) but I thought I had another 20K before it did. You'd think they'd have redesigned that by now. Every KL on the road, all i see is an oil cooler waiting to go out. Overall, I think the KL is a capable vehicle, but only up to a point. I've been watching in awe as you and some other guys on youtube have driven in places I never would. To accomplish that, It seems like you guys have been modding the KL to a point where it's out of design spec, and then it wears out faster. But your goals are different than mine, and require mods I don't. Anyway, great video. 👍
@@MiddleOutdoorsman Thanks for watching! Yeah, my KL is still around, just pulling more light duty atm. Plus i now have almost a years worth of WK2 footage to edit while the KL was down. This particular video was filmed over a year ago (June 2023). And since i got the Grand in August 2023 i've been taking it out instead. (And have put 40k miles on it in 12 months) You are 100% correct on the lift amount, which is why i didn't want to go over 2.5", as i've been replacing atleast one CV every 1.5 years since the lift. (I hear them start clicking a lot, so i replace before they fail) I think the primary cause of this particular CV failure was while lifted at full droop the axle actually hits a subframe bracket and that caused it to bind up. (This only seems to be an issue with the gen2, I have now shaved that edge of the bracket back to not interfere) Yes, heavier tires put more strain on the system amd gears, but its hard to have a proper offroad tire that doesn't have that weight. Yeah there are a lot of hybrid tires that are 3 ply that say they are good for 'offroad', but I'd never trust those on a trail. I've seen the results of weak tires too many times to ever use anything less than 10 ply tires for offroad use. As to the diff. The standing theory is they were just made weak. Plenty of people have had them fail while still 100% stock and never been off pavement. There is a reason there was something like 1,000 unit national backorder last year. The lack of drain plug really sucks though, as I'd totally do a regular change if it didn't require trying to use a pump to suck the fluid out. As to this particular failure, i think it was either a bad part or install as something felt "off" from the moment i got it back. Something felt like it was binding up a little in the rear, but there was nothing they could do about it because it is a sealed unit. 6 weeks after install it failed. Yep, oil cooler is a well known issue, many are surprised there wasn't a recall or design change. The KL is still good at 100k, but my WK2 had it go out at 70k. There are some guys who take these things out on a regular basis with 2-2.5" lifts and have never had any issues. But yes, i do push mine further than most. I don't do anything that i think will break anything. I also don't know a single wrangler owner who offroads that doesn't also have parts breaking, only difference is wranglers are generally easier/cheaper to fix...lol
Already got it back a few months ago, diff was covered, i replaced the CV and some of the suspension parts that were worn out. I haven't done anything with the doors yet, probly going to pull the inside panel and push them back out.
It happened as my front came over the lip of that climb and the fronts drooped. The lift spacers caused the axle shaft to bind on a subframe bracket. Turned me into zero wheel drive...🤣 The bracket has no been filed down.
I still enjoy my factory ordered 2014 Cherokee Trailhawk and while I have driven it off road a couple of times it should come as no surprise that these vehicles were not designed for off roading. Dirt roads? Sure, but not real Jeep trails. Just take a look at the suspension and you can see that you are putting yourself at great risk by driving it on rugged terrain. Best to get a nice Rubicon or something if you really want to go places.
@@WindsEternal "not designed for offroading", seems an awful waste of engineering and development time and money to put low range transfer case, mechanical rear locker, ect...on a vehicle to only do dirt roads? The only parts i've broken are parts that have failed on thousands of others, many of whom have never gone off pavement. Whats wrong with the suspension? Or is it simply because its not solid axles so it shouldn't be offroad?
There is a reason the rear diffs on the KL were on a national back order and would cause wait times of 9 months or longer....and it wasn't because of owners thrashing them. This was the 4th rear diff, and it failed within 6 weeks of install. Not to mention the oil coolers, among many other issues. I completely own the CV breaking as that was due to lift causing the shaft to bind against a bracket. But if what i've shown is considered "thrashing" I'd hate to see what actual thrashing looks like...lol. This is all kiddy pool stuff that i'm doing.
@@diamodhands8271 because its only the gen2s, and even then not all of them. There seems to be an inconsistency in builds for the gen2s. Also only seems to happen with the +2" lift.
Glad to see the KL is back.
I would love to see it back on the trail some times. Maybe not the hard trails you drove before.
I think one reason, for the Differential damage, could be, that the reduction is done in each diff separatly and not in a transfercase.
I've had it out on the local trails once, found a few things that needed attention. Almost back to daily status.
Glad you had a buddy there!
scissor jacks are some of the best off road jacks you can grab. Doesn't seem like it but it be true, compact, stable and can fit into small places. Hi Lifts are meh and there's a reason mine hasn't left the rafters of my garage in nearly a decade other than to pull t-posts out of the ground.
@@jeepinbanditrider i'm about 50/50 on it being useful on the trail. Sometimes it works the best, other times its not. 🤷
Another reminder why I wouldn’t wheel alone or with a daily driver
Man this is gnarly! Never fun de beading on a trail. Ive done it twice and once was on dickey bell in a dicey section. These scissor lift jacks work like a charm. Always been nervous using a hi lift jack.
The Hi-lift is about 50/50 effectiveness for me. But when nothing else works...its nice to have!
@@FearlessTrailhawkfarm jacks definitely have their moments to shine, but their tendency to lean in makes it nerve racking to jack from the side rails.
well the first half of the day was amazing! second half not so much. Also I can't believe the lack of hair in this video. Glad I was there to help ya get home.
It really was pretty good up until then! Thanks again for the assistance! You were a life safer for sure! Always enjoy wheeling with ya man! I found some really cool sections of the park since then too!
@@FearlessTrailhawk sounds like another trip is in order. A real redemption story!
@@GaryTheGringo been there twice with the grand for 4 days, just minor body damage from trees each trip...🤣🤣
Oof. This was the day where it all went South. Glad to hear the KL is back up and running.
*almost all back up...a few minor things still need done.
Thank you for sharing. Sorry this happened. How did you make it back to the parking lot? Did the Gladiator tow you through more obstacles? Are there by-pass trails at Turkey Bay? BTW: My trailhawk is your UA-cam doppelganger (minus all those badges!). I hope you can put yours back together. I'd join you on the trails, someday.
The last clip in the video shows the gladiator towing me back out of the park. We were on one of the main access roads to get out. There is a whole network of easy trails weaving all over the park.
As stated, this was exactly 1 year ago, she spent 9 months at the dealership waiting for the rear diff, and i have since replaced a few suspension parts getting her back up to daily drivable.
I haven't had to use it off road, but our stock scissor jack in the KL is the best one I've ever used.
Glad (ish) to see the whole story on what happened. OUCH! Then the wait to get it back... 😢
My stock one gave up the ghost a while ago. Also doesn't work as well for lift and tires. I've had mixed results, sometimes the high-jack does exactly what i need, sometimes the scissor jack is the tool that gets it done.
Been watching your videos off and on and was wondering what happened to your KL. Bought one myself last year as my new hunting rig. I'm not much of a wheeler or jeeper, I just needed a vehicle to get me to where I need to go. Usually backcountry roads of varying degrees. Some muddy, some rutty, rocky, snowy, etc. Rock crawling isn't on my list of things I do. Been pretty happy with it thus far. Now, I gotta point some things out that I think I've learned, and please don't take it as a criticism, only as a perceived limitation on the KL in general.
Firstly being, from everything I've read, you really don't want to lift a KL any more than a 2" lift. Anymore than that and you put the shafts out of spec. Secondly being tire weight. I think the number is 40 pounds or greater, and it puts additional strain on the drive line that will wear it out faster. Thirdly, as to rear diff, I'm not sure what the deal is with those going out on people. Maybe tire weight, maybe bad splines, maybe the belief in "lifetime" diff gear oil. Lifetime in reality is only as long as the warranty. (60K?) I've preemptively changed mine already because of that. I'm hoping I don't run into issues with it later. Lastly, I just have to say the oil cooler housing in a pentastar engine, is the most stupid design choice ever. (ive a v6) Plastic bolted directly onto the engine block? I just had mine changed out. 900$ repair. I knew it would go, (known issue) but I thought I had another 20K before it did. You'd think they'd have redesigned that by now. Every KL on the road, all i see is an oil cooler waiting to go out.
Overall, I think the KL is a capable vehicle, but only up to a point. I've been watching in awe as you and some other guys on youtube have driven in places I never would. To accomplish that, It seems like you guys have been modding the KL to a point where it's out of design spec, and then it wears out faster. But your goals are different than mine, and require mods I don't.
Anyway, great video. 👍
@@MiddleOutdoorsman Thanks for watching! Yeah, my KL is still around, just pulling more light duty atm. Plus i now have almost a years worth of WK2 footage to edit while the KL was down. This particular video was filmed over a year ago (June 2023). And since i got the Grand in August 2023 i've been taking it out instead. (And have put 40k miles on it in 12 months)
You are 100% correct on the lift amount, which is why i didn't want to go over 2.5", as i've been replacing atleast one CV every 1.5 years since the lift. (I hear them start clicking a lot, so i replace before they fail) I think the primary cause of this particular CV failure was while lifted at full droop the axle actually hits a subframe bracket and that caused it to bind up. (This only seems to be an issue with the gen2, I have now shaved that edge of the bracket back to not interfere)
Yes, heavier tires put more strain on the system amd gears, but its hard to have a proper offroad tire that doesn't have that weight. Yeah there are a lot of hybrid tires that are 3 ply that say they are good for 'offroad', but I'd never trust those on a trail. I've seen the results of weak tires too many times to ever use anything less than 10 ply tires for offroad use.
As to the diff. The standing theory is they were just made weak. Plenty of people have had them fail while still 100% stock and never been off pavement. There is a reason there was something like 1,000 unit national backorder last year. The lack of drain plug really sucks though, as I'd totally do a regular change if it didn't require trying to use a pump to suck the fluid out. As to this particular failure, i think it was either a bad part or install as something felt "off" from the moment i got it back. Something felt like it was binding up a little in the rear, but there was nothing they could do about it because it is a sealed unit. 6 weeks after install it failed.
Yep, oil cooler is a well known issue, many are surprised there wasn't a recall or design change. The KL is still good at 100k, but my WK2 had it go out at 70k.
There are some guys who take these things out on a regular basis with 2-2.5" lifts and have never had any issues. But yes, i do push mine further than most. I don't do anything that i think will break anything. I also don't know a single wrangler owner who offroads that doesn't also have parts breaking, only difference is wranglers are generally easier/cheaper to fix...lol
So sad Fearless so sad she broke down.
Yeah, the day sure went south in a hurry.
Wow, what a day of pain. I can only hope this isn't going to cost you a small fortune.
Already got it back a few months ago, diff was covered, i replaced the CV and some of the suspension parts that were worn out. I haven't done anything with the doors yet, probly going to pull the inside panel and push them back out.
how did you break the axle?
It happened as my front came over the lip of that climb and the fronts drooped. The lift spacers caused the axle shaft to bind on a subframe bracket. Turned me into zero wheel drive...🤣 The bracket has no been filed down.
Wow
I still enjoy my factory ordered 2014 Cherokee Trailhawk and while I have driven it off road a couple of times it should come as no surprise that these vehicles were not designed for off roading. Dirt roads? Sure, but not real Jeep trails. Just take a look at the suspension and you can see that you are putting yourself at great risk by driving it on rugged terrain. Best to get a nice Rubicon or something if you really want to go places.
@@WindsEternal "not designed for offroading", seems an awful waste of engineering and development time and money to put low range transfer case, mechanical rear locker, ect...on a vehicle to only do dirt roads? The only parts i've broken are parts that have failed on thousands of others, many of whom have never gone off pavement.
Whats wrong with the suspension? Or is it simply because its not solid axles so it shouldn't be offroad?
🦆 🦆🦆 🦆
😢😢😢
Thats what happens when people say jeep reliability is bad when its usually the owner who thrashes it unfortunately
There is a reason the rear diffs on the KL were on a national back order and would cause wait times of 9 months or longer....and it wasn't because of owners thrashing them. This was the 4th rear diff, and it failed within 6 weeks of install. Not to mention the oil coolers, among many other issues. I completely own the CV breaking as that was due to lift causing the shaft to bind against a bracket.
But if what i've shown is considered "thrashing" I'd hate to see what actual thrashing looks like...lol. This is all kiddy pool stuff that i'm doing.
@@FearlessTrailhawk I wonder why there is not any info on grinding down the bracket that causes it to bind?
@@diamodhands8271 because its only the gen2s, and even then not all of them. There seems to be an inconsistency in builds for the gen2s. Also only seems to happen with the +2" lift.
@@FearlessTrailhawk Got it that is some great information... thank you