The underbody armor did exactly what it was supposed to do. Amazing that there is virtually zero body damage. Love your videos. No blasting guitar “music”. Concise. Informative. Thx
I want to say thank you for what your doing! Your Journal is an asset to anyone with a jeep. I really enjoy watching your videos and please keep up the good work!
Great video! You are by far my favorite jeep guy. I like the style of your videos and you are well spoken and to the point. Keep up the excellent work. I look forward to your next video!
Thank you Matt! In a world where there are tons of UA-cam personalities who seem to be doing a much better job at creating Jeep content, I'm truly flattered you would say as much. I really do appreciate it and it's always my hope to just help out where I can.
After watching this video, I noticed the welds on the frame are terrible! Look at the porosity at 9:48! Got me to thinking so I looked up JL frame weld issues and it appears they definitely have a problem. Think I'm going to wait a couple more years...
I’ve been watching your videos for over 2 years now and bought my ‘14 JK because of them. Enjoying the JL Journal as well. Can’t wait to watch you guys build this rig.
Another great job with the presentation and narration which, together with the photography (videography ?) is absolutely superb. After watching your JL slide over a few rocks, including the rear license plate appearing to bend out (and quickly go back in on its own unless that was a product of video editing), I thought you may have some minor damage to the undercarriage of your JL. Glad to see that the "damage" you pointed out is nothing serious. You, your wife and your new JL are certainly not "mall cruisers"! Thanks for all of your wonderful videos!
awesome show of the light damage from your rock crawling appreciate your videos and channel; I'm enjoying learning about Jeeps through your frequent videos. Ordered my first Jeep and looking forward to getting offroad (although much more tame than what you pull off) keep doing what you do - and thanks
Thank you, we're glad to hear you're finding our videos educational. Certainly, a video like this is intended to show how little was damaged - if you can even call it that and after playing on the kind of terrain you've seen in our other videos :)
Must say I am impressed bro. I commented in the last video that you were "Hauling ass over them rocks" with the minor damage that you sustained I am genuinely surprised you did not receive more damage than you did. Of course I do no rock climbing at all so you know much more than I do about it. That Jeep made a believer out of me man! Good vids. I like what your are doing, keep up the good work!
Really loving these JL Journal videos! Can't wait to see it get modified and see what it will turn into. Keep it up and I'm excited for the videos to come.
All in all pretty light damage! Every video you’ve done has totally sold me on this Jeep (they should give you some royalties for helping them sell JLs). BTW, was that a Jeepster in your garage?
LOL!! Sure would be nice. Heck, we'd be happy if FCA would invite us to their media events. That being said, yup, for all that we've done, everything on our JL seemed to have held up well. Oh, and yes, that would be Emma, our 1969 Jeepster Commando :)
The new JL did good! A little spray paint and you'll be good as brand new. Oh wait, it is brand new! lol This shows how the improvements really help protect much better than the previous Wrangler versions. Impressive for a stock -new vehicle.
Top three colors for a 2018 JL Rubicon: Yellow, White & Red. I went with the Firecracker red due to it being right in front of me, but to be honest after looking at the Yellow and White online I think if I had to pick I'd go with the Yellow Rubicon. Yours is amazing as well
I saw the new 37”s sitting there patiently waiting! Jet Li is begging for them though! Hurry up Eddie. I can’t wait to see the videos of the lift getting installed and the tires!
Ive been watching all the videos in this series, you sir have more guts than me. I sure would have fun, but would also shed a tear or two afterwards haha. You all do a great job, thanks for sharing! Hopefully I’ll have one of these beauties for myself sometime in the near future.
I don't think the indicator lights will get torn off from wheeling, I'm simply wondering what people will do when they want to put aftermarket fenders on it. I'm in a big Jeep group and I'd say over half our members have either cut their factory fenders down for clearance or have flat steel aftermarket ones. Will JL owners simply lose their turn signals when they modify their rigs?
I am really enjoying these new videos! I'm waiting patiently to see Punkin' and Nacho in real life before pulling the trigger on my next Jeep. Fingers crossed one of them makes the cut. Otherwise, I'll be looking at going white which is always classic. Keep these awesome videos coming.
I picked the wrong line of work. Lol I’d need 3 more jobs on top of working the FD to get just one jeep like yalls! Love your videos, and I’m constantly trying to find a way to get into a wrangler again, looking forward to yalls lift install video.
Great Videos !!.....Yes, I had to look away when you were rashing that beautiful new JL. What it's built for though, right ? You mentioned touching up the undercarriage with some Chassis Paint.....Any suggestions or past videos on what you have/would use ? I have heard of Eastwood for great products in that category....wanted to know your thoughts...
Eastwood makes great products but they're not something you can just pick up at your local Autozone. I like to use VHT flat black chassis paint and you can find it just about anywhere.
We just spent the past week in Moab doing more filming. We have a few videos that we need to get out before then but afterward, we should have a more wheeling coming your way.
At 13:17, are those the pros that are going on the JL? I did cringe a little bit when you guys where on the trail, but that's one of the reasons of buying any Jeep old or new!
Another excellent video bro! Does your JL driveshaft u-joints have zerks on them? Trying to look but didn’t see any. Minimal damage. I know many who wheel though may not be as ”conscious and tactical” as you when it comes to what your vehicle might hit underneath and how to approach obstacles. Love the video. Thank you and keep them coming.
REALLY nice video, all the extra info you shared while detailing the damage was tremendously informative. Will you repair any of that damage? File anything, paint anything? If so we’d love to see a video about what you do, how you do it, and most importantly, which things you think are “just fine” to leave as battle scars.
For the most part, I leave the hits underneath alone. Out here in Nevada, rust isn't really an issue. From time to time, I will hit scrapes with some frame paint but that's about it. Things like the rock sliders, I will file the deeper scratches down a bit especially if they're sharp enough to cut or snag clothing. I will then hit them up with frame paint as they can be seen from the outside. Things like the torn metal on the transfer case skid plate support bar, I will try to clean up so that it doesn't tear more. I have a few other projects that need to be done first but perhaps I can do a video on some of this.
You could but I wouldn't do it. Regardless of what bolt you use, it will get hit and get mangled. A hex bolt can at least be filed down. A torx or allen will be impossible to clean out and remove after trail damage.
Awesome video like always!!!! Huge fan of your JL videos can’t wait for mine. Any plans for a rock sliders? And if you do which ones will get for the JL?
The factory sliders hold up great but we would prefer to have something that would put the body of our JL a bit further away from the rocks. Not 100% what we'll ultimately get but we will eventually change what we have.
I would say “light“ damage if you were in a one time accident but if you go out every weekend or even twice a month and put that carnage on that jeep it’ll be toast in six months. Love the videos and keep up the carnage as I’d rather live vicariously through you then fix my own haha!
LOL!! Not exactly. I mean, things will get beat up for sure but we've been doing this to our 2 JK's for over 10 years and everything underneath is still holding up.
Those stock Rubicon rock sliders seems to hold up very well. Do you think they will do the job long term or be able to take a real hard punch and still protect the rockers? Overall the jl seems to be much better compared to the jk and a lot of stuff like brackets and steering components seems to be beefier. The only thing that seems to be better on the jk is the transfercase skid. What do you think that can compare side to side and firsthand. The jk transfer skidplate looks to be bigger and not so flat and also looks it will cover more of the transfercase. overall it seems that jeep did a fantastic job with this new wrangler. The frame seems to be extremely strong on both jk and this jl. I have never put the smallest dent in my frame on my jk but my friend that has a landrover defender have HUGE dents all over the frame. Sure, he drives his defender hard but not harder that you drives your jk´s. I´m impressed with the frame rails on the wranglers. They seem to be so strong compared to other 4x4.
Honestly, I'd have no problem running the Rubicon rails long term. I just wish they had some kind of stand off rail to help keep the body further away from the rocks.
I was surprised how well everything held up and was protected. Do you have to refinish or touch up all these underside gouges and scratches to prevent future rusting?
Would a 2 in lift be sufficient for most applications? I don’t do a lot of rock climbing but do a lot of off roading in Utah and California and AZ. I’m just scared of oil pan and differential damage out on trails and would like to get a used JK or a new JL at some point
If you haven't already seen it, ua-cam.com/video/cACIvKnpKT0/v-deo.html To be honest, a stock JL Rubicon comes with 33" tires and is capable as is. A 2" lift and 35" tires will just allow you to do more. Drive smart and use a spotter and I can almost guarantee you that you'll never touch your oil pan. Likewise, your differential will be just fine.
Wayalife thank you! That’s about technical as i like to get without getting uncomfortable (till I get better). With a lift, does the sway bar disconnect still function?
So far, stock seems to get the job done well. Heck, we're still running stock skids on our 2007 JK. If there's one thing I'm not too fond of is how big the transmission and transfer case skid bars are at the frame rail. They are sticking points and would have preferred to just mash a bolt head. I would also like to protect the transmission cooler lines but that's about it.
How is your Jeep so far? I’m planning on buying a 2018 rubicon but I been watching these videos about the 2018 jeeps having so many engine problems what do you recommen me to do
The JL Rubicon already comes with rock sliders and so you don't really even need them. But, if I had 2" of lift and running 35's, I would have been taking on much bigger rocks :)
New to the Jeep world here, but quick question : How can you stay sane with the rust problems all this exposed metal will generate !? I live in Montreal, so a lot of salt on the road in the winter.
If not for all the upgrades on my 2016 2dr Rubicon I would probably trade it in for a Rubicon 4dr jl, but to much done to my little 2dr ok already, and have to much fun with it to let her go. Besides she's my first new vehicle ever lol. Love your videos as always
Oh I am very happy with it. Though I am trying to decide is I want to go a slightly taller lift or not. Definitely aging a full 2 inch lift spring to the rear. The weight of the bumper, the evo hinge gate tire carrier, and the 35s and beadlock wheel had it sitting slightly low in the rear lol
Nice vid. Waiting for your JL to have 40" tires and 4" lift. Can you lift it 6" instead of 4"? Would love to see how a 6" lift kit with 40" tires perform in extreme rock crawling. Cheers!
Thanks. 40's are coming but there's no way we'd purposefully run 6" of lift. Sky high lifts were all the rage back in the 80's and aren't all that great on the rocks due to their high center of gravity. Our JK's are running 40's with a low center of gravity 3.5"-4" of lift and we had to do a lot of trimming to make that possible. Hoping we won't need to do as much with our JL.
Thanks for your advice regarding the 4" vs 6". Planning to get a JLR in the future but Im torn between a 7 seater SUV (Chevy Trailblazer) vs a 5 seater JLR. My current setup is a 2013 Chevy Colorado 2.8 Z71 4x4 manual tranny with a 7" suspension lift, 37" mud tires and a TJM Airtec Snorkel. It was purposely built to cross flooded streets (we usually have from time to time after a typhoon) and crossing rocky rivers during off-site assignments. Anyway, forgive my channel coz it was made only out of the blue. Will create better in the future. But your channel Dude, it ROCKS! Have a good outdoor adventure life ahead and keep those sweet vids coming. Cheers!
The webbing of the axle housing where the diff covers bolt onto will break if you get hung up on a rock, how sad they shaved weight from the axles in that kind of manner.
Well, we'll see how long we can make them last. Not like the Dana 44's we were running on our JK's did much better. Either way, we'll most likely be running Dynatrac's in the future.
Always the man with the plan! I was heavy set on a JK, after seeing your vids I'm swaying towards a JL as my DD is an 16 F150. The interior of the JL is closer to my F150 than the JK, but I had a question for you on the instrument cluster. With the sun behind you(sunlight hitting the cluster) can you still read the display? or does the sunlight wash it out? I can still read the cluster on my F150 with the sun directly on it, but my friends JK everything is washed out. Also....love the vids!
I've got about a thousand miles on the odometer so far and to the best of my recollection, I don't think I've ever found the instrument cluster difficult to see in any situation.
We've run 37's on our JK with a 3.6L motor and 4.10's and it wasn't too bad. With the new 8-speed transmission, we're hoping it'll be even better. The dealership can re-calibrate the speedo now so that's what we'll do.
Wayalife Will be interested in your thoughts on lift/tires...I too want to do something mild, but the JL will be my first jeep, so trying to get educated. Great job on the videos!
Do you think I could put 37’s with the 2 inch Mopar lift on a Sahara JL? I’m not going to do any extreme off-roading. I might purchase the high line fender flares as well.
JK and JL is not capable of high ground clearing from the factory, especially when you paid for the price tag, I assume that’s rubicon probably 45k or more. Jeep should build a completely off road capable, including minimum of 35” tires and 2 1/2” lifted. It’s Kind of disappointing that the consumer have to pay more for upgrading their rig, when they already paid enough.
That Jeep needs a nice wash and a nice protective coating. I would love to hook you up. I will look for a email to send you my details. unless its going to be turned into a offroad only jeep.
As you can see here in the front, the rock clipped and tore off my front bumper, but it's not a big deal, every time you say 'not a big deal' i should take a shot
The underbody armor did exactly what it was supposed to do. Amazing that there is virtually zero body damage.
Love your videos. No blasting guitar “music”. Concise. Informative. Thx
Thank you. We're happy to hear you enjoy our videos.
Thanks
Wow! We really do appreciate it. Thank you 😎
I want to say thank you for what your doing! Your Journal is an asset to anyone with a jeep. I really enjoy watching your videos and please keep up the good work!
Thank you, we really do appreciate it :)
Great video! You are by far my favorite jeep guy. I like the style of your videos and you are well spoken and to the point. Keep up the excellent work. I look forward to your next video!
Thank you Matt! In a world where there are tons of UA-cam personalities who seem to be doing a much better job at creating Jeep content, I'm truly flattered you would say as much. I really do appreciate it and it's always my hope to just help out where I can.
After watching this video, I noticed the welds on the frame are terrible! Look at the porosity at 9:48! Got me to thinking so I looked up JL frame weld issues and it appears they definitely have a problem. Think I'm going to wait a couple more years...
I just purchased a 2019 JL Rubicon Unlimited and I came across your videos, I immediately subscribed! Very informative!
Awesome, glad to hear it and congrats to you on your new JL :)
I’ve been watching your videos for over 2 years now and bought my ‘14 JK because of them. Enjoying the JL Journal as well. Can’t wait to watch you guys build this rig.
So glad to hear you've been following our videos for a while now. Thanks!
Thanks for the Update. The JL is nice and a great update but the best part of the walk through was the intro/walk by.
LOL!! Not too often we get guys who could even give a hoot about our old iron. Glad to hear you're a true Jeeper at heart.
I’m going to be purchasing a JL Rubicon later this year so I’m finding these videos very helpful. Thanks!
Awesome, so glad to hear it!
Another great job with the presentation and narration which, together with the photography (videography ?) is absolutely superb. After watching your JL slide over a few rocks, including the rear license plate appearing to bend out (and quickly go back in on its own unless that was a product of video editing), I thought you may have some minor damage to the undercarriage of your JL. Glad to see that the "damage" you pointed out is nothing serious. You, your wife and your new JL are certainly not "mall cruisers"! Thanks for all of your wonderful videos!
LOL!! Thank you.
awesome show of the light damage from your rock crawling
appreciate your videos and channel; I'm enjoying learning about Jeeps through your frequent videos. Ordered my first Jeep and looking forward to getting offroad (although much more tame than what you pull off)
keep doing what you do - and thanks
Thank you, we're glad to hear you're finding our videos educational. Certainly, a video like this is intended to show how little was damaged - if you can even call it that and after playing on the kind of terrain you've seen in our other videos :)
Must say I am impressed bro. I commented in the last video that you were "Hauling ass over them rocks" with the minor damage that you sustained I am genuinely surprised you did not receive more damage than you did. Of course I do no rock climbing at all so you know much more than I do about it. That Jeep made a believer out of me man! Good vids. I like what your are doing, keep up the good work!
LOL!! Jeep did a great job with the JL. It's made to play hard.
Thanks for posting this damage report. Only minor damages, not too shabby.
Not too shabby at all :)
Great inspection thank you
Glad it was helpful to you :)
Your videos are so informative. Very much appreciated. This was a great follow up to the last video.
Glad to hear you found this to be informative :)
Awesome as always ! Thanks for sharing this with us !
Glad that you found it useful :)
👍👍Thanks for the review!
Looks solid to me!
Glad we could share this with you.
Yes, really enjoying the new life of this new JL series. Keep up the great work. Can't wait for the JL to come down under here to Australia 🐨🇦🇺
Hope you guys get it sooner than later.
Another excellent video! Thank you for the details!!
Glad to hear you liked it :)
Love the updates. Thanks!
Glad to hear it :)
Really loving these JL Journal videos! Can't wait to see it get modified and see what it will turn into. Keep it up and I'm excited for the videos to come.
Thank you, we're so glad to hear it :)
All in all pretty light damage! Every video you’ve done has totally sold me on this Jeep (they should give you some royalties for helping them sell JLs). BTW, was that a Jeepster in your garage?
LOL!! Sure would be nice. Heck, we'd be happy if FCA would invite us to their media events. That being said, yup, for all that we've done, everything on our JL seemed to have held up well. Oh, and yes, that would be Emma, our 1969 Jeepster Commando :)
i guess I am kind of randomly asking but do anyone know of a good website to stream new tv shows online?
@Zayd Ibrahim Try flixzone. You can find it by googling :)
@Zayd Ibrahim I would suggest FlixZone. You can find it on google :)
Great series so far, really enjoy the content and learning about the new JL first hand. Top notch as usual!
Awesome, we're so glad to hear it :)
Really enjoying the JL series, keep up the great work
Glad to hear it, thanks!
I got stuck at the Jeepster at 0:39. When do we get to see more of that!?
LOL! You can see more of her here: wayalife.com/showthread.php/48414-EMMA-in-all-her-ELEGANCE-TOTAL-MAKEOVER-of-a-1969-Jeepster-Commando
at 2:10 are those new Cooper stt pros going to be installed for the JL??? awesome content btw.
such an awsome channel! glad i found you guys and such a great job on the content of videos. look forward to seeing more. cheers......
Thank you, we're glad you found us and like what you see :)
Great video,we don’t have rock trails here in Florida, I call it the sand pit state and mud 👍
The new JL did good! A little spray paint and you'll be good as brand new. Oh wait, it is brand new! lol
This shows how the improvements really help protect much better than the previous Wrangler versions.
Impressive for a stock -new vehicle.
LOL!! As I mention in the video, I'll hit up the scratches with some frame paint.
Top three colors for a 2018 JL Rubicon: Yellow, White & Red. I went with the Firecracker red due to it being right in front of me, but to be honest after looking at the Yellow and White online I think if I had to pick I'd go with the Yellow Rubicon. Yours is amazing as well
I saw the new 37”s sitting there patiently waiting! Jet Li is begging for them though! Hurry up Eddie. I can’t wait to see the videos of the lift getting installed and the tires!
LOL!! Good eye. Hoping to get them installed this week.
Ive been watching all the videos in this series, you sir have more guts than me. I sure would have fun, but would also shed a tear or two afterwards haha. You all do a great job, thanks for sharing! Hopefully I’ll have one of these beauties for myself sometime in the near future.
LOL!! As you can see in the video, not much happened. The JL did a great job of taking the abuse. Hope you're able to get one for yourself soon.
I don't think the indicator lights will get torn off from wheeling, I'm simply wondering what people will do when they want to put aftermarket fenders on it. I'm in a big Jeep group and I'd say over half our members have either cut their factory fenders down for clearance or have flat steel aftermarket ones. Will JL owners simply lose their turn signals when they modify their rigs?
I have little doubt that there will be replacement grills or light kits that allow you to install new ones in the factory grill by SEMA.
I am really enjoying these new videos!
I'm waiting patiently to see Punkin' and Nacho in real life before pulling the trigger on my next Jeep. Fingers crossed one of them makes the cut. Otherwise, I'll be looking at going white which is always classic.
Keep these awesome videos coming.
Thank you, we're so glad to hear it. Nacho was exactly like Dozer but they've already discontinued it. Punkin' should be nice though.
What do y’all do for a living?! So many nice toys!! Lol. Love the JL, thanks for sharing!
You're looking at it :)
I picked the wrong line of work. Lol I’d need 3 more jobs on top of working the FD to get just one jeep like yalls! Love your videos, and I’m constantly trying to find a way to get into a wrangler again, looking forward to yalls lift install video.
No kidding, huh?? Talk about living the dream!
As always. Awesome video.
Thank you :)
Good vid. Thanks.
You bet, glad you liked it :)
Great Videos !!.....Yes, I had to look away when you were rashing that beautiful new JL. What it's built for though, right ? You mentioned touching up the undercarriage with some Chassis Paint.....Any suggestions or past videos on what you have/would use ? I have heard of Eastwood for great products in that category....wanted to know your thoughts...
Eastwood makes great products but they're not something you can just pick up at your local Autozone. I like to use VHT flat black chassis paint and you can find it just about anywhere.
I'll check it out ! Thanks
When are there going to be new videos in the JL wheeling??saw the lift install new shoes is it ready or are u doing more to it??
We just spent the past week in Moab doing more filming. We have a few videos that we need to get out before then but afterward, we should have a more wheeling coming your way.
At 13:17, are those the pros that are going on the JL? I did cringe a little bit when you guys where on the trail, but that's one of the reasons of buying any Jeep old or new!
Yup. Hope to get them installed soon.
Great video when you put your lift on that will solve all these problems the white color looks good i order mine in Silver
Yup, got a couple more videos we need to make and then the lift is going on :)
What lift? Double Throw Down? Are you going to be testing it for Evo?
Another excellent video bro!
Does your JL driveshaft u-joints have zerks on them? Trying to look but didn’t see any.
Minimal damage. I know many who wheel though may not be as ”conscious and tactical” as you when it comes to what your vehicle might hit underneath and how to approach obstacles.
Love the video. Thank you and keep them coming.
The one u-joint the front drive shaft has is not greaseable. Glad you like the video :)
Considering the trail, the stock JL did great with minimal dings. Looking forward to the lift and tires!
Exactly what we were hoping to show. Lift and tires are coming soon :)
Nice to see the underside up close. It looks like the frame is two pieces and then has a section welded into the center for the unlimited?
Everything about the JL seems to be made stronger. Look at the transmission cross member, it way beefier than the JK.
Love you’re guys videos I can watch em all day you guys are awesome and I will look forward to the next one.
LOL! Thank you, we really do appreciate it and glad to hear it.
REALLY nice video, all the extra info you shared while detailing the damage was tremendously informative.
Will you repair any of that damage? File anything, paint anything? If so we’d love to see a video about what you do, how you do it, and most importantly, which things you think are “just fine” to leave as battle scars.
For the most part, I leave the hits underneath alone. Out here in Nevada, rust isn't really an issue. From time to time, I will hit scrapes with some frame paint but that's about it. Things like the rock sliders, I will file the deeper scratches down a bit especially if they're sharp enough to cut or snag clothing. I will then hit them up with frame paint as they can be seen from the outside. Things like the torn metal on the transfer case skid plate support bar, I will try to clean up so that it doesn't tear more. I have a few other projects that need to be done first but perhaps I can do a video on some of this.
0:14 I felt it too...
Will you post a video of you taking off the plastic piece between the rear bumper and the fender?? Very curious on how that will look!
Sure, I think we can do that when the time comes.
Wayalife is it an easy take off? Contemplating bumpers for a new JL and I really am not a fan of this plastic piece.
Anyone that gave this video a thumbs down is an idiot.!! Great info.!! Thank you.!!
We really do appreciate it :)
I don't think it has gotten enough battle wounds to earn a Purple Heart yet. Thanks for sharing Eddie!
LOL!! No, far from it in fact. Fortunately, the JL held up well :)
On the skid plate jeep used hex bolts. Can you switch to torqu bolts to protect from rounding out the hex bolts
You could but I wouldn't do it. Regardless of what bolt you use, it will get hit and get mangled. A hex bolt can at least be filed down. A torx or allen will be impossible to clean out and remove after trail damage.
The skid plates did their job
I noticed the Trump sign in your garage. That’s awesome, be proud of it.
Would you say skip the optional paint matching fender flares?
Not necessarily. On the JL, I think it they look good.
Awesome video like always!!!! Huge fan of your JL videos can’t wait for mine. Any plans for a rock sliders? And if you do which ones will get for the JL?
The factory sliders hold up great but we would prefer to have something that would put the body of our JL a bit further away from the rocks. Not 100% what we'll ultimately get but we will eventually change what we have.
Are those rock sliders STOCK?
Nice 👍 and pretty video.
can you do a vid on how to remove the fender caps?
Eventually, sure.
That's what these jeeps were designed for. 👍🤘
Exactly!
great video. what are your plans with the two JKs are you going to keep one and sell one?
For now, we have no plans to sell either.
I would say “light“ damage if you were in a one time accident but if you go out every weekend or even twice a month and put that carnage on that jeep it’ll be toast in six months. Love the videos and keep up the carnage as I’d rather live vicariously through you then fix my own haha!
LOL!! Not exactly. I mean, things will get beat up for sure but we've been doing this to our 2 JK's for over 10 years and everything underneath is still holding up.
Do you recomend linex all underpannel?
Not sure why you'd want to do something like that but no, I personally wouldn't.
Those stock Rubicon rock sliders seems to hold up very well. Do you think they will do the job long term or be able to take a real hard punch and still protect the rockers?
Overall the jl seems to be much better compared to the jk and a lot of stuff like brackets and steering components seems to be beefier.
The only thing that seems to be better on the jk is the transfercase skid. What do you think that can compare side to side and firsthand. The jk transfer skidplate looks to be bigger and not so flat and also looks it will cover more of the transfercase.
overall it seems that jeep did a fantastic job with this new wrangler.
The frame seems to be extremely strong on both jk and this jl. I have never put the smallest dent in my frame on my jk but my friend that has a landrover defender have HUGE dents all over the frame. Sure, he drives his defender hard but not harder that you drives your jk´s.
I´m impressed with the frame rails on the wranglers. They seem to be so strong compared to other 4x4.
Honestly, I'd have no problem running the Rubicon rails long term. I just wish they had some kind of stand off rail to help keep the body further away from the rocks.
Why no mud/rock guards on rear of front fenders?
As in, mud flaps? They would just get in the way or get torn off on the trail.
I was surprised how well everything held up and was protected. Do you have to refinish or touch up all these underside gouges and scratches to prevent future rusting?
Not where we live as rust isn't really a problem but I do from time to time just to make things look nice.
Would a 2 in lift be sufficient for most applications? I don’t do a lot of rock climbing but do a lot of off roading in Utah and California and AZ. I’m just scared of oil pan and differential damage out on trails and would like to get a used JK or a new JL at some point
If you haven't already seen it, ua-cam.com/video/cACIvKnpKT0/v-deo.html
To be honest, a stock JL Rubicon comes with 33" tires and is capable as is. A 2" lift and 35" tires will just allow you to do more.
Drive smart and use a spotter and I can almost guarantee you that you'll never touch your oil pan. Likewise, your differential will be just fine.
Wayalife thank you! That’s about technical as i like to get without getting uncomfortable (till I get better). With a lift, does the sway bar disconnect still function?
Looks like they really got the JL right, making some evolutionary improvements on the already good JK!
They sure did :)
Great video! Definitely gives me an idea of whats acceptable. Will you be adding more skid plates? Or are the stock skid plates sufficient?
So far, stock seems to get the job done well. Heck, we're still running stock skids on our 2007 JK. If there's one thing I'm not too fond of is how big the transmission and transfer case skid bars are at the frame rail. They are sticking points and would have preferred to just mash a bolt head. I would also like to protect the transmission cooler lines but that's about it.
enjoy time
How is your Jeep so far? I’m planning on buying a 2018 rubicon but I been watching these videos about the 2018 jeeps having so many engine problems what do you recommen me to do
Funny, our JL now has about 45,000 miles on it and it still run great. Not sure what problems you've been hearing about.
hi just wonder what should i use to quick clean the exterior of the car?
btw forgot to tell you that love your video of how you show every detail in your jeep
So a 2.5" lift, some slider bars and 35's and you would have been fine. As it is no big deal stock!
The JL Rubicon already comes with rock sliders and so you don't really even need them. But, if I had 2" of lift and running 35's, I would have been taking on much bigger rocks :)
New to the Jeep world here, but quick question : How can you stay sane with the rust problems all this exposed metal will generate !? I live in Montreal, so a lot of salt on the road in the winter.
We live in Nevada. It's a desert and rust isn't an issue here.
If not for all the upgrades on my 2016 2dr Rubicon I would probably trade it in for a Rubicon 4dr jl, but to much done to my little 2dr ok already, and have to much fun with it to let her go. Besides she's my first new vehicle ever lol. Love your videos as always
What you have is a great Jeep. You should be happy with it :)
Oh I am very happy with it. Though I am trying to decide is I want to go a slightly taller lift or not. Definitely aging a full 2 inch lift spring to the rear. The weight of the bumper, the evo hinge gate tire carrier, and the 35s and beadlock wheel had it sitting slightly low in the rear lol
love seeing the JL getting used and not just at the mall! keep the videos coming!
I assure you, more are coming :)
i'm sure there is! looking forward to it.
This would be a good feedback video for Jeep.
Do you have a wish list, and time frame ?
Well, we already have wheels and tires in. Lift is coming as well. Hope to post some install videos soon.
i see set of STT Pros, are you gonna install them to your JL? what size are those btw? keep uploading those great videos.. 💪OllllllO
37x13.50 and yes :)
Little black paint and it’s good as new...
That's right!
Nice vid. Waiting for your JL to have 40" tires and 4" lift. Can you lift it 6" instead of 4"? Would love to see how a 6" lift kit with 40" tires perform in extreme rock crawling. Cheers!
Thanks. 40's are coming but there's no way we'd purposefully run 6" of lift. Sky high lifts were all the rage back in the 80's and aren't all that great on the rocks due to their high center of gravity. Our JK's are running 40's with a low center of gravity 3.5"-4" of lift and we had to do a lot of trimming to make that possible. Hoping we won't need to do as much with our JL.
Thanks for your advice regarding the 4" vs 6". Planning to get a JLR in the future but Im torn between a 7 seater SUV (Chevy Trailblazer) vs a 5 seater JLR. My current setup is a 2013 Chevy Colorado 2.8 Z71 4x4 manual tranny with a 7" suspension lift, 37" mud tires and a TJM Airtec Snorkel. It was purposely built to cross flooded streets (we usually have from time to time after a typhoon) and crossing rocky rivers during off-site assignments. Anyway, forgive my channel coz it was made only out of the blue. Will create better in the future. But your channel Dude, it ROCKS! Have a good outdoor adventure life ahead and keep those sweet vids coming. Cheers!
The webbing of the axle housing where the diff covers bolt onto will break if you get hung up on a rock, how sad they shaved weight from the axles in that kind of manner.
Well, we'll see how long we can make them last. Not like the Dana 44's we were running on our JK's did much better. Either way, we'll most likely be running Dynatrac's in the future.
Always the man with the plan! I was heavy set on a JK, after seeing your vids I'm swaying towards a JL as my DD is an 16 F150. The interior of the JL is closer to my F150 than the JK, but I had a question for you on the instrument cluster. With the sun behind you(sunlight hitting the cluster) can you still read the display? or does the sunlight wash it out? I can still read the cluster on my F150 with the sun directly on it, but my friends JK everything is washed out. Also....love the vids!
I've got about a thousand miles on the odometer so far and to the best of my recollection, I don't think I've ever found the instrument cluster difficult to see in any situation.
Hey Eddie, Are you going with 40's on this one?
Eventually but for now, we're just going with a mild 2.5" lift and 37's :)
Wayalife do you need regear and calibration with 37’s?
We've run 37's on our JK with a 3.6L motor and 4.10's and it wasn't too bad. With the new 8-speed transmission, we're hoping it'll be even better. The dealership can re-calibrate the speedo now so that's what we'll do.
Wayalife Will be interested in your thoughts on lift/tires...I too want to do something mild, but the JL will be my first jeep, so trying to get educated. Great job on the videos!
Do you think I could put 37’s with the 2 inch Mopar lift on a Sahara JL? I’m not going to do any extreme off-roading. I might purchase the high line fender flares as well.
why are all the people worried about the indicators on the fender... never been a problem on my TJ, never heard any other TJ owner complain
LOL!! Exactly. It's just some of the JK guys who have a hard time with it.
Probably wait a few years until more aftermarket parts are out for the JL
I think you'll find that there will be a TON of aftermarket parts by SEMA
Eddie it’s very impressive......I stand corrected eating some crow Nice and well done in he Canyon......
LOL!! It's all good :)
Wen my jku is done with the swap where gonna get our wheeling fix on
Lots of places between Nevada and Texas;)
JK and JL is not capable of high ground clearing from the factory, especially when you paid for the price tag, I assume that’s rubicon probably 45k or more. Jeep should build a completely off road capable, including minimum of 35” tires and 2 1/2” lifted. It’s Kind of disappointing that the consumer have to pay more for upgrading their rig, when they already paid enough.
That Jeep needs a nice wash and a nice protective coating. I would love to hook you up. I will look for a email to send you my details. unless its going to be turned into a offroad only jeep.
A couple more trips like that and parts will start snapping.
LOL - if you say so.
Can we say lift kit? Nice video.
Thanks :)
So we are calling what was CAD, FAD now?
Yes. The official name for it is now is Front Axle Disconnect.
Maybe they didn't want new jeepers to find years of CAD failures, lol. Im sure its way better now then is was in the 80s/90s
LOL!! Maybe so. The new FAD uses an electric motor instead of a vacuum system. Still not too sure how it'll hold up long term though.
Cringe LOL thanks I needed a good laugh. If nothing broke you didn't have enough fun.
LOL!! I suppose that's one way of looking at it :)
How do you Jeep guys cope with buying a new 45k-50k vehicle and tearing it up almost immediately??
As you can see in the video, not a whole lot of anything was really hurt.
Thats more than I would be comfortable with for sure. I think off-roading looks fun but in a brand new JL? More power to you
I don't see any damage. All I see is character. \m/
Well that's nothing a few thousand dollars can't fix!
LOL - nothing was in need of fixing.
So... basically normal~ish/expected wear.
LOL - yes
Moby is jealous
LOL!! A little, I'm sure :)
"did we do"??? Cindy is innocent, i'm pretty sure :-)))
LOL!! Indeed she is :)
OMG really frame paint touch up?
LOL!! Right, because hitting up deep scratches from time to time to help prevent rusting is such a horrible idea.
As you can see here in the front, the rock clipped and tore off my front bumper, but it's not a big deal, every time you say 'not a big deal' i should take a shot
What really makes me cringe is the sound of metal snapping 😮😮
LOL