How equiped for the rubicon trail do I need to be?

Hey guys ive been wanting to do Rubicon for some time and Ive heard lesser equipped rigs can make it through do to the bypasses and such. But whats bare minimum since u guys have plenty of useful experience on this trail. Let me give ya a run down of my mods:

RE 5.5 Longarm kit
Pro-comp M/T's
Front C4x4 bumper
JCR 1-ton steering
Steering box brace
sliders

thats it, I know its pathetic but I have a locker comin for the back. Anything else?

Spare parts, diff skids, TC skid. Check out some of the threads in the Serria chapter for their requirements for runs and such, it might give you a good ideas also.

cool! I'll check it out!

yeah you are going to need driveshaft mods as well and a SYE for the tcase ... skids/ armor personally are more than worth their weight in...well gold? they are a lifesaver... also for recovery get a tow strap and i would invest in a highlift jack... cool

All my driveline is upgraded already to a SYE and CV driveshaft. Well alright are there any crucial spare parts I need for this? Tools? I also have a tow strap and shackels for recovery points.

smokeeaterXJ said:

All my driveline is upgraded already to a SYE and CV driveshaft. Well alright are there any crucial spare parts I need for this? Tools? I also have a tow strap and shackels for recovery points.

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Id go for axle shafts, F&R, carry a spare front DS(could be used in the rear too), tire of course, fluids, steering parts, maybe a hub, ect....

Tools needed for just about any type of repair that you may need to do on the trail.

What size tires?
What axles?
Stick or auto?
Gears?

Better questions would be:
How long have you been driving?
How long have you been wheeling?
How long have you had your rig?
Do you care if you beat the crap out of your rig?

Best question is WHO would be showing you the way?

With the right spotter and the enough time you could take a stock rig over the rubicon, dose not sound like much fun to me. Also with the new Laws on the Rubicon trail, if you don't know where the trail is you can get a $300 ticket fast! 25 feet from the center of the trail is as far as you can take your rig, any more and you can get a ticket, and it is your responsibliity to know where the trail is. :confused1

who would be showing me the way? good question. lol! I figured I could go with a buddy and figure it out. I can survive in the forest for quite some time, I am a Hotshot on a fire on a fire crew I spend time in the wilderness all the time, but even an olimpic swimmer can drown. But ur right I have no idea where to go.

33 Mud terrains
dana 30, and chrysler 8.25
automatic
and 4:10 gears

and Ive had my rig for a year now and wheel it moderetly for now until I get a DD other than my streetbike. But it will turn into a fully capable machine in the future after a few fire seasons. Oh and by the way I know im FS and I think they mess up some trails, but I have nothin to do with that I just fight the fires. If u guys can provide anymore help I would appreciate it. And I went to the seirra chapter too and searched but I want every ounce of advice out there. Thanx.

The Sierra Chapter had a Rubicon run last June, Bryan C. and Phil led in 9 rigs, and I think 4 or 5 had never before run the Rubicon. Your rig would be better off with a locker or two but you could take your time and get thrue the trail but a locker or 2 would make it fun. (Aussie Locker for that front is only $250 and not that hard of an install) But spair axles are a must! Both front and rear, unless you have aftermarket axles in there, dragging a rig out is never fun.

Some photos and thoughts from Opie, from last year:

Phil messing around before waiting in line more -

Wheelin MJ out there...

Lodi Jim = JACKED!

Alex on the same stupid line -

Front leaves on an XJ?

http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/PhilsRubicon62306/img_5697.jpg

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The point is parts break, stearing, axles and drive shafts can and do tweek/bend/break. Good to have spairs of this and the tools it takes to fix. Best to go with a large group of people with the same rig as you, this way more people might have the spair parts you need, or you may have what someone else needs, and hopefuly someone has the right tool.

Now if only there was a large group of people that were into XJ's . . . :laugh:


Keep checking the Serria chapter for a run some time in June or July, I am almost sure Phil, Bryan C. or even Scrappy will set one up.

I went to the Rubicon 2 years ago...

4 inch lift
30x9.50's
no other mods or skids.
I had a map and still managed to get lost. Never found anything hard until I came to one hill that I thought was impassable. Looking back, I could do it with my Jeep now.....but I was totally dreaming back then.

Find someone to go with that has been there before, lots of times if possible. It is so beautiful and fun, and the confidence of having someone else with you to drag your sorry butt out when(if) you break something makes it even more fun!

Also, if you can manage it, go during a work week. Otherwise, you will have traffic on your tail unless you drive it like you stole it.

Should I go?

Very good XJ driver
4.5 RE short arm
235 KM2's
No lockers and no winch
Lots of off-road time
Drive like I stole it (kinda, still have to drive it home)
Tow straps,hi-lift jack,tow points,JCR front bumper,roll bar,fire ex.,CB to install,GPS

Whatdoyouthink?

In a word...no. Small tires, no lockers, no winch... Do you have rock rails at least?

94xjjohn said:

Should I go?

Very good XJ driver
4.5 RE short arm
235 KM2's
No lockers and no winch
Lots of off-road time
Drive like I stole it (kinda, still have to drive it home)
Tow straps,hi-lift jack,tow points,JCR front bumper,roll bar,fire ex.,CB to install,GPS

Whatdoyouthink?

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I would say you are pushing your luck with that set-up.

The biggest question is do you have someone to go with you? If you don't then you are relying on strangers to help you along the way which can be hit or miss depending on what day of the week you are there.

The other point is that you will be a trail plug the whole way. This will cause people to drive off trail to get around you if you are stuck or just generally hold up fast moving groups trying to get to their camp spots to relax.

33's and one full locker will make your trip more enjoyable, for both you and those running the trail at the same time. Seems like you are really close to making it. Find some used 33's on Cl and buy an aussie locker and a set of spare shafts for the front.

I did the Rubicon with stock suspension, 30" tires, and front & rear limited slips, rock rails and a buddy with a winch leading to get me out of trouble. There was only one obstacle I couldn't avoid, a rock about 1/2 way up the hill headed east out of Rubicon Springs(I think it's Cadillac hill) Could possibly make it over dry but it was pissing down rain the whole morning.
We had to run it fast to avoid incoming weather, so there was no time for finesse.
Under body damage included beat up frame rails, a pretty good dent in the passenger floorboard, and a beat up transmission cross-member.(had to replace that)

My tips:
-Be sure to look into the land use pass required before you start on the trip. If the ranger station is closed when you get there, you're kind of screwed.
-Take at least 2 vehicles. If you get hard stuck or broken, you don't want to rely on luck to get you out.(I did the trail in Oct, and didn't see a soul the whole trip)
-Don't forget human waste bags. There are porta-jons at Rubicon springs, but the rest of the trail is undeveloped and you can't just dig a cat-hole. Trail gets too much use for that.
-Take plenty of camping gear. You'll be out at least one night unless you really rush things, and you don't want to rush this one. The high sierras are beautiful any time of year.
-Plan your route/travel time and you can drive through Yosemite on the way in or out. Don't miss that.

Make the trip happen. It's one of the things you'll remember forever.

What about trailers? Think I could get this through there taking my time?

DrMoab said:

What about trailers? Think I could get this through there taking my time?

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That setup shouldn't pose any problems.

Biggest problem I've noticed wheeling a trailer is limited "back up and hit it again." due to the trailer flat-out refusing to follow instructions, but from the photos you post, I'm guessing you know how to deal with that. Plus you have the winch.

There is a rock waterfall you have to climb(traveling west to east) out of Rubicon springs. It has a steep approach that may cause you to drag your hitch, and you could get stuck on it. There isn't a winch point at the top of the falls, so you would want a long cable or a vehicle leading for you to hook to if the need arose.
(Maybe "waterfall" isn't the right word. It's more of a big house-sized rock with a cleft blasted out of it that you have to crawl up.)

I'm hoping to do the rubicon some day with ZJ steering, 30" tires & at most 2" of lift, might gear to 4:10, skid plates everywhere, a comealong instead of a winch & a recovery bag.
Should I bring spare shafts at 30" tires? My hope is to build the Jeep such that I won't break shit... Have considered 44's to run 30 or 31s for that reason...

yossarian19 said:

I'm hoping to do the rubicon some day with ZJ steering, 30" tires & at most 2" of lift, might gear to 4:10, skid plates everywhere, a comealong instead of a winch & a recovery bag.
Should I bring spare shafts at 30" tires? My hope is to build the Jeep such that I won't break shit... Have considered 44's to run 30 or 31s for that reason...

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IMO, you should always care spares. You dont want to be that guy that breaks at a choke point and is walking down the trail bumming parts off people.

I care spare 44 shafts, even with alloys and only running 35s.



You will be on your rockers and diffs often, but it is doable on your size Jeep.

yossarian19 said:

I'm hoping to do the rubicon some day with ZJ steering, 30" tires & at most 2" of lift, might gear to 4:10, skid plates everywhere, a comealong instead of a winch & a recovery bag.
Should I bring spare shafts at 30" tires? My hope is to build the Jeep such that I won't break shit... Have considered 44's to run 30 or 31s for that reason...

Click to expand...

Definitely have good rocker protection and front- and gas tank skids. Consider oil pan protection.

I wouldn't worry too much about spare shafts with 30" tires, as long as you have fresh high-quality U-joints.

If you're going to use a come-a-long, bring along 40'-50' of extension cable/chain/strap. There are a couple places where there's nothing to hook on to close by if there's not a vehicle in front of you.