Question on Rubicrawler and stopping

DaveF

DaveF

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So I just finished putting the Jeep back together after installing my Rubicrawler... It all works but I did see that in low/low I can just barely stop the Jeep by literally standing on the brake pedal. Going downhill? Forget it. Not that I'm going anywhere fast but I have to shift to neutral or park to stop.

So is this normal or do I have something wrong with brakes or other? I do have a 16" big brake kit installed in the front.
 
DaveF said:
So I just finished putting the Jeep back together after installing my Rubicrawler... It all works but I did see that in low/low I can just barely stop the Jeep by literally standing on the brake pedal. Going downhill? Forget it. Not that I'm going anywhere fast but I have to shift to neutral or park to stop.

So is this normal or do I have something wrong with brakes or other? I do have a 16" big brake kit installed in the front.
Click to expand...
I don’t have the Rubicrawler, but that sounds normal even for a deep geared manual. I was at 83:1 crawl ratio and in 4L it would push right through the brakes. Of course, with a manual to stop you take it out of gear. Be interesting to see other responses, but I suspect it’s the torque at deep gearing.
 
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DaveF said:
So I just finished putting the Jeep back together after installing my Rubicrawler... It all works but I did see that in low/low I can just barely stop the Jeep by literally standing on the brake pedal. Going downhill? Forget it. Not that I'm going anywhere fast but I have to shift to neutral or park to stop.

So is this normal or do I have something wrong with brakes or other? I do have a 16" big brake kit installed in the front.
Click to expand...

That is normal. I have a rubicrawler and the BMB 17” big brake kit and if for some reason I have to stop going down hill in low/low I have to stand on the brakes.
 
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Bigfoot-NM said:
That is normal. I have a rubicrawler and the BMB 17” big brake kit and if for some reason I have to stop going down hill in low/low I have to stand on the brakes.
Click to expand...

how about on flat ground though... I could barely stop on flat, no way in hell down even a 10% grade
 
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DaveF said:
So I just finished putting the Jeep back together after installing my Rubicrawler... It all works but I did see that in low/low I can just barely stop the Jeep by literally standing on the brake pedal. Going downhill? Forget it. Not that I'm going anywhere fast but I have to shift to neutral or park to stop.

So is this normal or do I have something wrong with brakes or other? I do have a 16" big brake kit installed in the front.
Click to expand...

As long as your brakes are working well otherwise, it’s not a problem. Just slip into neutral in those situations. It’s just the product of a crazy low low-low.
 
Bigfoot-NM said:
That is normal. I have a rubicrawler and the BMB 17” big brake kit and if for some reason I have to stop going down hill in low/low I have to stand on the brakes.
Click to expand...

Do you still have a 231?

With 37’s and 4.56 your crawl ratio isn’t as high as mine with 5.13’s and 35’s. I’m running the 16” brake kit I’d think your 17” brakes should have no issue.
 
Same issue with my LJ and Jk Rubicons 6sp. Was teaching my 16 year old to do some wheeling and it was in 4-low going down a slight grade and I told her to use the brake, her reply “it won’t stop”. I said nope almost impossible in 4-low you have to put it in neutral. I wanted her to see what would happen.
 
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Apparition said:
Do you still have a 231?

With 37’s and 4.56 your crawl ratio isn’t as high as mine with 5.13’s and 35’s. I’m running the 16” brake kit I’d think your 17” brakes should have no issue.
Click to expand...

I do have the 231. Still going downhill it wants to crawl through the brakes. I can get it to stop if I really stand on the brakes.
 
Apparition said:
So you and I have a low low of 7.4:1, Dave has a ratio of 11.15:1 neutral is likely the only way he’s stopping.
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10.88 to 1... but who's counting... lol. I honestly with my brakes were better even just in 4-1... going down a big drop for example I sometimes can't brake enough to lock up the tires... they just roll till I get to the bottom.
 
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DaveF said:
10.88 to 1... but who's counting... lol. I honestly with my brakes were better even just in 4-1... going down a big drop for example I sometimes can't brake enough to lock up the tires... they just roll till I get to the bottom.
Click to expand...

Oops, I used 4.1 as the ratio instead of 4:1.

I’m surprised you can’t lock them up with the 4:1? You’d have to ask Blaine but I’d think you should be able to.
 
DaveF said:
So I just finished putting the Jeep back together after installing my Rubicrawler... It all works but I did see that in low/low I can just barely stop the Jeep by literally standing on the brake pedal. Going downhill? Forget it. Not that I'm going anywhere fast but I have to shift to neutral or park to stop.

So is this normal or do I have something wrong with brakes or other? I do have a 16" big brake kit installed in the front.
Click to expand...

I have the same set up 35’s, 231, rubicrawler and 16” brake kit. You will drive right through the brakes in low,low. Pop it in neutral
 
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My mini truck I had with a 2.28 front, 4.7 rear case was like that too. Neutral or clutch was the only way to stop.

Really only used that low low on very hairy situations I wanted to exit. Or setting up for a hard line. In practical use, it wasn't really an issue. You essentially become a tractor
 
I have a Rubicrawler/ 241 with 5.38 gears and 43” tires with an auto 42RLE. Going down hill in double low in 1st gear it’s already practically stopped 😂. I can hold it at a stop but I have a Dana 60 and 14 bolt with disk. Power Stop rotors and pads. I still hit neutral a lot when on the flat so I don’t have to keep my foot buried in the brake pedal.
 
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Normal.

My last rig had dual cases. Brakes were JUST a suggestion in 4LowLow. 😀
Apply Brakes,
slow down,
Throw it in N,
Fully stop,
shift gears and then go.
 
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It will
4Lo4Sho said:
Normal.

My last rig had dual cases. Brakes were JUST a suggestion in 4LowLow. 😀
Apply Brakes,
slow down,
Throw it in N,
Fully stop,
shift gears and then go.
Click to expand...

It will 100% drive through the parking brake at idle. I two foot it a lot for control on tough obstacles. If there is traction, it’ll find it. Too bad here there is rarely anything resembling traction.
 
DaveF said:
So I just finished putting the Jeep back together after installing my Rubicrawler... It all works but I did see that in low/low I can just barely stop the Jeep by literally standing on the brake pedal. Going downhill? Forget it. Not that I'm going anywhere fast but I have to shift to neutral or park to stop.

So is this normal or do I have something wrong with brakes or other? I do have a 16" big brake kit installed in the front.
Click to expand...

You have a Rubicon/241 right? The low-low on Rubicrawler is just dumb in terms of crawl ratio. I have tried it exactly 1 time on a dirt road with exactly the same results as you. With a 4:1 tcase, other than for showing off that your vehicle can crawl slower than you walk, there is no good use for the Rubicrawler imo.
 
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