TJ Rubicon vs. TJ Sport or X?

BobK

BobK

TJ Enthusiast
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I went and saw one of the two TJ Rubi's that I've found relatively locally yesterday. It was in great body and mechanical condition. The fact is, it was already lifted with new tires and wheels, and was ready to drive as is and I'm looking for a Rubi that I could make a project. I'm not looking for a rust heap or a money pit, but one that I could putter around with making it "mine". The TJR yesterday was great, but it was someone else's dream not mine.

Today I have another TJR to look at that has far less miles, but also appears to be in great shape too. The question will be if it is the base that I'm looking to upgrade or is it already upgraded more than I'm interested in.

This raises a question in my mind. I have been fully focused on getting a Rubi and have passed up tons of Sport and X models. Should I reconsider an X or Sport and use it as the platform to upgrade. Up until now, I wasn't planning on messing with axles, lockers, transfer cases, gears, etc. I assumed I would install a lift, bumpers, winch, service the engine (OPDA, PCM - as needed) replace belts and hoses as necessary, etc.

So I have two questions. Whats the big difference between the Sport and the X? How much effort to make the Sport or X have more of the performance characteristics of a Rubi (or close enough for some modest off roading)?

Bob
 
The choice between a Rubicon & Sport or X really depends on how you will really use them. I'll take a wild-assed guess that 90% of the Rubicons sold never do trails where their lockers are needed. Are you really going to do trails where a locker is needed?

If you will be doing trails where lockers are needed are you going to be wanting to eventually get to huge tires that are larger than 35"? If so a Rubicon would be a waste since its axles can't be built to handle anything reliably larger than 35".

Have you done trails tough enough for lockers yet? Is it something you really enjoyed and want to get into? What size tires are required for those trails?
 
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If I new then , what I know now! I would have bought a Rubicon instead of a sport. Just for the 4:1 transfer case. If you are going to do any kind of rock crawling, you will want the NV241OR.
 
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I bought my first TJ last February, it's a Rubicon. I LOVE having the lockers and Dana 44s. I've gotten fairly active into offroading and have really seen the benefits.

If you can find a clean Rubicon, I recommend you go that route if you plan to use it off-road. It will save you money on differential work assuming you don't go crazy on the build.
 
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Adding to what @Jerry Bransford is saying. The rubicon has a 4:1 low range t-case. Its great for slow, pick your line, rock crawling type off-roading. If you're idea of wheeling is mud and/or sand, where wheelspeed is important and traction is limited, that 4:1 can become a nuisance. You'll be on the rev limiter in top gear if you go for speed with a 4:1. I've considered selling my T-case more than once.
 
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I'll be honest, I've had a couple of Rubicons that barely left the pavement, so you are right about that. I have a JLUR that I use to promote my online Jeep parts store. It will probably do some light trails with a local Jeep Club. I was hoping to build out the TJ to some off road activities that might be more challenging, but probably nothing that would require more than a 35" tire. (37's on the JLUR)
 
If you think your final build can use the Rubicon factory lockers and TC, you'll save oney byt getting the Rubicon up front.

If you think your final build will require replacing the factory lockers or TC with something different, you'll probably save money by getting a non-Rubicon to start with.

If you think your final build might be milder than a Rubicon (no lockers, won't need 4:1 TC), you'll definitely save money by starting with a non-Rubicon.
 
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Decisions, decisions...... So I have looked at a 2005 TJ Rubi with 124k miles, a 2006 TJ Rubi with 84k miles and both are in great body shape (Texas Jeeps) and both engines seem to run strong. Neither have rust, both are already lifted, the 2005 with a lift kit and Bilstein shocks, and the 2006 with a Nth Degree long arm lift kit, both have 33 x 12.5 tires, although the tires on the 2006 would barely pass inspection with the limited trend depth.

Now enters the confusing part. I found 2001 TJ Sport that is in excellent shape body wise and the engine seems to run strong, no rust, interior is dirty, but otherwise in good shape. Tires are BFG KO2's 33 x 12.5's and in good shape. It does have a small oil leak. I see a bit of oil coming from under the valve cover and a drip from the oil pan, neither of which alarm me. I do see oil coming from the gasket between the engine and transmission. The leaks are small, but my wife has a zero tolerance policy for oil leaks in the driveway, so they are something that would need to be addressed on Day Zero. It is an excellent platform for me to upgrade.

Can anyone talk me into or out of a Sport? I've never rock crawled but have done some off road trails, etc. so being able to traverse a boulder strewn ravine in likely not in the cards for the TJ, but would still like solid off road performance. Did I mention that the Sport is $5000 cheaper than either Rubi?

Bob
 
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X2 on the Sport, $5000 goes a long way towards the right parts, if I owned a Rubicon I would want it to stay mostly original maybe add a winch. If you had a Sport with a Dana 44 and an automatic you could get a Rubicrawler for $2000 and you would have 2 low, 4 low, 4 low compound, 4 high, and 2 high. You would still have money for lockers and regear
 
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A lift is not always a selling point.


If a lift is done wrong , it’s worse than no lift .

With no lift , you can wait til you are ready. With a bad lift , you may have to tear into it right away.

“The poor have the hope to be rich, the rich don’t even have that”
 
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pagrey said:
You can always build a better Jeep with the money you saved not buying a Rubicon.
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AndyG said:
A lift is not always a selling point.

If a lift is done wrong , it’s worse than no lift .

With no lift , you can wait til you are ready. With a bad lift , you may have to tear into it right away.
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X2, well said on both of those.
 
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Ok to add some dimension to the comparison between the 06 and the 01. The 06 has a long arm kit already installed, an on-board belt driven air compressor with a hose coming out of the front bumper with an air fitting. It has bead lock chrome wheels, full setof skid plates (some scrapes and gouges) and a wilderness rack with Jerry cans on the rear bumper, additionally it has fittings and a heat exchange coming off the heater core for a shower (installed in the engine compartment). None of these add-on interest me in the least and would likely all be removed and sold or scrapped. The tires need replaced, and I wouldn't run bead lock wheels. It has 84k miles, body color = red with a soft top.

The 2001 is about 90% stock period. Other than a modest (but older lift) and 33" tires there is nothing aftermarket that needs to be removed. It has 80k miles and just needs a general cleaning to be a stock runner. Body color = yellow, with a soft top. I had a yellow JKUR and kind of miss it.

Here is a non-easy question. How difficult and expensive would it be to swap out both axles for Dana 44's in the future?
 
A lot of Rubicons sell for image . 3/4 ton diesel trucks had the same thing going on in the early 2000’s, guys in town had em for commuter vehicles .

Here’s the deal . A Rubicon is very capable , and it can do more than the majority of owners have the courage to attempt.

And also....a sport , even stock, is a very capable machine....it’s not a Rubicon, but it’s still a light , agile , shift on the fly four wheel drive with short wheel base and torquey engine. This was about all that existed for decades before Rubicon’s . We drove ‘em uphill to school both ways . Not only did we not have Rubicon’s, we didn’t even have California or the Rubicon Trail , the whole country stopped at Kansas. ( I’m channeling my dad)

I’d buy the nicest one for the money . The closer to stock it is , the less screwed up it will likely be.
 
Admittedly, I am leaning towards the 2001 TJ Sport but I want to try and avoid buyers remorse. I can save a lot of $$ on the Sport and put it all into worthwhile upgrades.
 
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BobK said:
Admittedly, I am leaning towards the 2001 TJ Sport but I want to try and avoid buyers remorse. I can save a lot of $$ on the Sport and put it all into worthwhile upgrades.
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At 5000 difference , either the sport is a deal or the Rubis are too high ...so either way you win with the sport. That’s on paper , I realize a newer Rubicon brings more ...honestly , it s the really nice , super low mileage ones that bring top dollar.
 
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