An honest discussion on Jeep size and does it really matter

If you think size matters, talk to the little guys. These icons helped win a World War, in some of the most inhospitable places in the word. And, they did it with zero lift, on 6.00-16 tires. Over the last two years I've learned what these guys knew decades ago. That is, how you drive is, arguably, more important than what you drive.

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Irun said:
If you think size matters, talk to the little guys. These icons helped win a World War, in some of the most inhospitable places in the word. And, they did it with zero lift, on 6.00-16 tires. Over the last two years I've learned what these guys knew decades ago. That is, how you drive is, arguably, more important than what you drive.

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And that weight can be hard to move over things.
 
Irun said:
If you think size matters, talk to the little guys. These icons helped win a World War, in some of the most inhospitable places in the word. And, they did it with zero lift, on 6.00-16 tires. Over the last two years I've learned what these guys knew decades ago. That is, how you drive is, arguably, more important than what you drive.

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But when we did get them stuck, it was always a deuce that came to the rescue. Size does matter sometimes.
 
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Irun said:
Or, more likely, they just did it the old fashioned way

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Few years before my time! We pulled a trailer behind an M151 with a rack full of stinger missiles, all our gear and food/water/fuel for a few days by ourselves - mud got more than a few guys buried deep. Lotta weight for the 4 banger. That's when maintenance would come out in the deuce and save the day.

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This isn't me, I'm more handsome than that, not to mention younger. And that's a Redeye missile, precursor to the stinger. And we were in more mud than sand, but you get the picture.

The Gama Goat was in the running for deployment to ADA units, but they chose to keep the ole jeep. I really wanted to drive a goat...

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bucky said:
I bought my 05 Unlimited so I could put a full sized cooler in the back and have the back seat still usable. There are some areas here in the desert that you need a short narrow vehicle to traverse. My YJ is still more capable than the TJ because I do not care if it gets another scratch or dent.
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You know the last part of that is actually a really good statement- You show me a guy who’s not afraid to tackle anything and I’ll show you a guy who’s not afraid to tear up his stuff.

To me it is all really a lot of trade-offs-

The agility and maneuverability of a TJ is amazing - The extra room in an LJ is great, and terrain matters when it comes to size as well. I have been down trails without a scratch that guys would not consider taking a four-door.

The 4 door is a bus.

I have seen guys that swear by the Suzuki samurai.

I think a whole lot of the advantage is you can just get so many different configurations.
 
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I don't think I have ever been on a ride when there was a Jeep with smaller tires, narrower track or shorter wheelbase than my Jeep. On all the trails I have been on with 4 doors they don't seem to have any more body damage than TJs. About all I have seen is broken taillights. There are obstacles that you can't get up with the standard 4", 35s and lockers that a 4 door with 37s, lockers and a small lift can. The best and most determined driver in a TJ that I know of has to pull rope or take the bypass on some trails that a modest 4 door can make. I have never seen an obstacle that I made that a 4 door couldn't. It all comes down to how difficult the trail is.
 
Brianj5600 said:
I don't think I have ever been on a ride when there was a Jeep with smaller tires, narrower track or shorter wheelbase than my Jeep. On all the trails I have been on with 4 doors they don't seem to have any more body damage than TJs. About all I have seen is broken taillights. There are obstacles that you can't get up with the standard 4", 35s and lockers that a 4 door with 37s, lockers and a small lift can. The best and most determined driver in a TJ that I know of has to pull rope or take the bypass on some trails that a modest 4 door can make. I have never seen an obstacle that I made that a 4 door couldn't. It all comes down to how difficult the trail is.
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I've run multiple hard trails on my TJ with 31s and never pulled winch line. On the the same trails 4 door JLs have routinely had trouble and needed help. Sometimes a shorter wheelbase matters. Not always, but sometimes. What I've learned in my area is not to follow them.
 
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