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Rubicon or Rubicon Unlimited?

94XJ4x4

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Bitburg, Germany
Which would you prefer, and why? I'm thinking about buying one this spring and I like the extra cargo room and stability of the unlimited but at the same time I dont want to be getting hung up on every little thing. Has anyone here been out in a Rubicon Unlimited or Rubicon on the trails before? what is your opinion? Is the longer wheel base worth it or no? I could sit here and think about it all day but it would be nice to hear from someone who has seen them in action. Thanks in advance. :)
 
Personally I would pass on a rubi, don't like the lockers they put in them, seem to be problematic from owners I know. Unlimited though for sure, stock unlimited comes with a D44 rear with LSD and disc brakes all the way round stock on the base model. Save the money difference the rubi would cost and order dual top and half doors keyed and painted to match, also order the tallest gears you can so when you get the 3-4" lift and 31's or 32's you won't have to regear right away.
With the money you save not buying the rubi you can get the lift kit, Warn front and rear bumpers, winch, hilift, tires, good sound system, etc.

We have TJ's and while nice they just don't work well for carrying stuff unless I pull the backseat out. I plan on ordering one in feb if this new gig works out.
 
i will echo RichP on the Unlimited. wheel base is nice to have and being an XJer for a while it's VERY difficult to live with the little room the YJ affords me. creative stowage is the name of the game. the Rubicon is a nice package but too many little thiongs i dont like about it. 4:1 is not the gear of choice here in new england elephant-poop mud, and the "lock outs" they put on the lockers is just wrong. must be in 4Lo ONLY and cant select them independantly. and the "bastardized" thick ring-gears.
get the Unlimited and slap a 3.5" lift under it.
 
sidriptide said:
i will echo RichP on the Unlimited. wheel base is nice to have and being an XJer for a while it's VERY difficult to live with the little room the YJ affords me. creative stowage is the name of the game. the Rubicon is a nice package but too many little thiongs i dont like about it. 4:1 is not the gear of choice here in new england elephant-poop mud, and the "lock outs" they put on the lockers is just wrong. must be in 4Lo ONLY and cant select them independantly. and the "bastardized" thick ring-gears.
get the Unlimited and slap a 3.5" lift under it.

There is a fix for that lock out in 4 low, just a jumper really :D :D :D
 
So, put in an atlas...
 
What rich about everything. Unlimited is a very capable vehicle in stock form and the money you save not upgrading to the Rubi Unlimited can be better used for the upgrades you want.
Also don't know if you have driven one yet but the two unlimiteds (both non-Rubi) were great. I tested one with just rag top and one with hardtop. The Ragtop is as quiet as my 2001 XJ. So when it comes time for mine I will be skipping the hardtop completely.
 
I'd go for the Unlimited too, I've spent too much time with Hatchbacks, XJ's, and Vans to willingly limit my cargo space. Plus the extra wheelbase would be nice on most surfaces and if they come as well optioned as mentioned above.........................
 
you will regret not getting the hard top. I will sell you my soft top in fact! I really dont like it or want it. And those that say its a waste to get the rubicon, need to rethink that aspect. If your PLANNIN on swaping axles EVER and doing a new tcase, then yes, its a waste.

But like in my situation, why in the world would I go through all that stuff AGAIN, when the Xj is the trail trash? I got the Unlimited Rubicon because when I go snow wheelin, camping, huntin, fishing, and bad weather trips to go wheelin, I dont want to be in the nearly bodyless XJ. So the stock WARRENTIED lockers, and the stock WARRENTIED tcase was well worth it.

I just got home from a 400 mile round trip to LA and back, and wow, do I love the room the Unlimited has, we had 4 6'+ guys in there with out any leg issues. The only bad thing was I averaged 15mpg on the highway. getting about 10 around town :wierd:


i say, if your going to BUILD it with new axles, get a regular unlimited. If your going to just do a small lift, bumpers, and armor. Get the rubicon. Also, get the hard top for sure, I cant stress that!
 
Unlimited Rubi...As mentioned by Scrappy, the lockers and t-case are warrantied and if you don't plan on goin huge then its nice to have stuff that's been engineered to work together rather than have to piece it together yourself...keep the XJ for your "real" off-roader. :D
 
I've got a Rubi Unlimited and have wheeled it in Colorado, Moab, and Slade Ky so far and LOVE IT. My XJ has ARB's, Atlas and 4.10's so the combo is similar to what I've been wheeling for years. Theres no way you can put in an Atlas,driveshafts, gears, selectable lockers etc.,for what the Rubi package costs. Not to mention the amount of time and money it would take to do it( both of which I have less and less of anymore).
The neatest thing about the last wheelin' trip was the only thing I did before leaving was check the oil. WOW! The only non-stock item is a BB so it doesn't look like a lowrider for now. Buy it and spend more time on the trails instead of in the garage.TC
 
Personally, i like the standard Rubicon....the Unlimited's longer wheel base just doesn't look right to me. Maybe it'll grow on me.
 
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