JL JOURNAL : AFTERMATH / A Post Rubicon Trail Damage Report

chiggerdude

New member
A lot of the rubbing is coming from the fact that we aren't running a rear track bar relocation bracket or adjustable track bar. If we were, we might not be getting any rubbing.

I was just thinking about this the other day. I'm ordering a relocation bracket to lessen the angle of the rear track bar. As of now I'm still using the factory rear bar and the factory location on the diff housing. My rear is 100% centered on a 3.5 lift." Not sure how that is possible.
My 17 JK would have been off at least 3/4.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I was just thinking about this the other day. I'm ordering a relocation bracket to lessen the angle of the rear track bar. As of now I'm still using the factory rear bar and the factory location on the diff housing. My rear is 100% centered on a 3.5 lift." Not sure how that is possible.
My 17 JK would have been off at least 3/4.

Not sure how it'd be possible with 3.5" of lift. I mean, the taller you go, the more your axle HAS TO SHIFT OVER. It's just the nature of the beast when it comes to a track bar. The only way it could be 100% centered is if it were 100% off from the factory.
 

Rellik

Member
running 3.5" rock krawler lift and we are using RK adjustable track bars front and rear as the axles were way off center with the stock track bars.
 

Stevenrb

New member
Battle Scars!!

Thanks for another great vid! I bet your very happy to have your baby repaired. Any chance you can give us a gauge on what the repairs ran you?

Cheers!!
 

Discount Tire

Advertiser
Supporter
Thank you for another awesome video. Looks like the trail damage was minimal for the trails you take it on. It was cool the way you pointed out some of the spots to watch out for to help others. :rock:
 

RMC2

Member
What WiscoHR said, EVO has skids out now. :yup:

Thanks for the update on EVO WiscoHR and Eddie. I haven’t checked in a while. One of those will be on the shopping list for my own piece of mind, even though my JKUR one never even had a scratch on while the bottom of the jeep was scratched up.
 

CalSgt

Member
Great video... I'm glad to see the factory skids holding up, I'm new to rock crawling and have a few other jeep guys telling me "You need full skid pates, & armor this, & gusset the C's, & tube the axle housing, & re-gear to at least 4.88's."

I'm sure these guys have experience and I try to take everything in consideration without drinking the koolaid but...

I appreciate your stance on money & parts, i think i've seen you tell people 20 different times "That (name any given aftermarket part) isn't needed, but its your jeep and your money so have at it"

Speaking of aftermarket parts, do you think those plates that run the length of the tub below the doors would have prevented those dents? I didn't think I would need those but after watching your video I'm considering them...
 

JTCO

Meme King
Great video... I'm glad to see the factory skids holding up, I'm new to rock crawling and have a few other jeep guys telling me "You need full skid pates, & armor this, & gusset the C's, & tube the axle housing, & re-gear to at least 4.88's."

I'm sure these guys have experience and I try to take everything in consideration without drinking the koolaid but...

I appreciate your stance on money & parts, i think i've seen you tell people 20 different times "That (name any given aftermarket part) isn't needed, but its your jeep and your money so have at it"

You nailed it. Glad to see someone using their brain. Not only on the JL, but other Jeeps as well, for most purposes, the factory skids hold up just fine. If you have the money and want to Overkill it, go for it. But good lines and a good spotter, and it's far from necessary.

Speaking of aftermarket parts, do you think those plates that run the length of the tub below the doors would have prevented those dents? I didn't think I would need those but after watching your video I'm considering them...

I don't want to speak out of turn, and I wasn't there, but that situation they were in isn't extremely common, but on that trail, it appears they were on about the best damn line they could have been and shit happens. They did their best from what I could see in the video. Those body skins you speak of probably would have suffered some scrapes for sure but maybe not a body dent.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for another great vid! I bet your very happy to have your baby repaired. Any chance you can give us a gauge on what the repairs ran you?

Cheers!!

Oh yeah, we always get body damage repaired and as quickly as possible. If you leave them, it just becomes too easy to let it happen again. If you keep your Jeep looking as good as possible, you'll try harder not to jack it up. At least, that's always been our way philosophy.

As far as cost goes, we've done damage like this before and it cost us about $1400 to fix. That was at a shop in SoCal and I should note, the quality of work was just okay. The shop we use down the street from us, the ones that painted Jane - they only charged us $400. I had them fix the driver side ding as well and that only cost an additional $200. My point to all this is that costs will vary and especially so if you use your insurance to fix it. I always pay cash.

Thank you for another awesome video. Looks like the trail damage was minimal for the trails you take it on. It was cool the way you pointed out some of the spots to watch out for to help others. :rock:

Thanks, we're so glad that you enjoyed the video :cool:

Thanks for the update on EVO WiscoHR and Eddie. I haven’t checked in a while. One of those will be on the shopping list for my own piece of mind, even though my JKUR one never even had a scratch on while the bottom of the jeep was scratched up.

Funny how that works like that. You add the armor and it never gets hit :crazyeyes:
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Great video... I'm glad to see the factory skids holding up, I'm new to rock crawling and have a few other jeep guys telling me "You need full skid pates, & armor this, & gusset the C's, & tube the axle housing, & re-gear to at least 4.88's."

I'm sure these guys have experience and I try to take everything in consideration without drinking the koolaid but...

I appreciate your stance on money & parts, i think i've seen you tell people 20 different times "That (name any given aftermarket part) isn't needed, but its your jeep and your money so have at it"

What I can tell you is that I haven't always been so fortunate. Back in the day, I learned how to make due with what I had if only because it was all I had and could afford. What that taught me was that not everything is as necessary as others would have you believe. While I can now afford a hell of a lot more, what I learned stuck with me and I try to share that with others. Of course, I do think that people should do whatever they want with their money and their Jeep. Certainly, I couldn't care less. :D

Speaking of aftermarket parts, do you think those plates that run the length of the tub below the doors would have prevented those dents? I didn't think I would need those but after watching your video I'm considering them...

I assume you're referring to rocker skins? Yes, it could have minimized the damage we suffered but as you see in the video, I caught the inside edge of the door frame. I'm not 100% sure anything could have prevented that other than me not trying the obstacle.

You nailed it. Glad to see someone using their brain. Not only on the JL, but other Jeeps as well, for most purposes, the factory skids hold up just fine. If you have the money and want to Overkill it, go for it. But good lines and a good spotter, and it's far from necessary.

This ^^^
 

Jeep JL

New member
Greet video. Glad to see damage was minimal especially with the tougher line you took. Looks like you have a great local body shop. Keep up the great videos.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Greet video. Glad to see damage was minimal especially with the tougher line you took. Looks like you have a great local body shop. Keep up the great videos.

Thanks! Surprisingly, the JL is built quite well and up to the task for sure. As far as body shops go, it's good to have one you can trust especially if you use them on a regular basis :crazyeyes:
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
So, if you had both a JKUR and JLUR on 37" tires and 3.5-4" lift would the clearance and tag points be similar.

The JLUR is 2" longer than a JKUR. Given the same amount of lift and tire size, the JK would have a slight edge over the JL.
 

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