TJ vs CJ GVWR

[AndyG]

I was thinking how inline 6 cylinder performance never entered my mind in the 80’s.

Check this out :

A cj 7 was listed at just over 2700 lbs, and a TJ Rubicon weighs a girthy HALF TON MORE. Over 3800 lbs.

35 percent more weight with basically the same engine . No wonder the cj ‘s I had got down the road good . They were bare bones vehicles for sure.

 

[MallCrawlOnTons]

Wow. They piled on the weight in the tj.

 

[AndyG]

The dash alone I bet is a chunk .

A cj had a vinyl/foam wedge for a dash , and we were happy .

A TJ is dense really .

 

[Kiwi TJ]

We don't like being called 'Dense' or 'Girthy'....we are just big boned

 

[Dougj169]

My old TJ Trail ready with hardtop, tools and spare parts weighed almost 3800. 2.5 engine it was a struggle until it was in 4 Low

 

[Dougj169]

My old TJ Trail ready with hardtop, tools and spare parts weighed almost 3800. 2.5 engine it was a struggle until it was in 4 Low

Was supposed to say YJ, I have yet to weigh the TJ

 

[Goatman]

So the YJ is around 1000 pounds more than the Cj? Where did they put the weight? Ya know I never put 2 and 2 together before. But I always thought my old CJ's felt lean and at fighting weight. But the TJ feels more like a pudgy old horse. I just thought the coil and control arms did that. To be fair I'm a pudgy old horse now too. It is a trade that I am happy to make. My old CJ's were hard on the spine in the rocks and woods. The TJ is just soft enough for me. Any softer and might as well have a minivan, or a jku.

 

[Dougj169]

I carried a lot of spare parts and tools to repair what I needed to in the field. Most likely way too much but if it broke it was a lot less money to repair on the spot than get it towed

 

[TJ_2000]

More steel. Bigger thicker frame. Thicker sheet metal for the body. The transmission skid is bigger. There’s more roll bar. Windshield frame is bigger. Gas tank is bigger.
Doesn’t take much to add on 1000 lbs.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

Also the TJ has an extra mile or two of wiring, factory side roll bars, airbags compared to the CJ and at least most of them come with AC.

 

[Chris]

Also consider that the TJ sometimes has a hardtop and full doors. Not sure if they took that into account, but those things weigh quite a bit, maybe close to 300 lbs. or more.

 

[AndyG]

I remember always being really satisfied with the amount of power an inline 6 produced.

There was never much talk about regearing unless the tires got huge.

Really when you look at the emissions, all the creature comforts, some of the protection that didn't even exist on the CJ, definitely hardtop and doors... It has led me to the conclusion that the 4.0 is adequate but is at the limit in this chassis.

 

[AndyG]

I remember always being really satisfied with the amount of power an inline 6 produced.

There was never much talk about regearing unless the tires got huge.

Really when you look at the emissions, all the creature comforts, some of the protection that didn't even exist on the CJ, definitely hardtop and doors... It has led me to the conclusion that the 4.0 is adequate but is at the limit in this chassis.

 

[jjvw]

I remember always being really satisfied with the amount of power an inline 6 produced.

There was never much talk about regearing unless the tires got huge.

Really when you look at the emissions, all the creature comforts, some of the protection that didn't even exist on the CJ, definitely hardtop and doors... It has led me to the conclusion that the 4.0 is adequate but is at the limit in this chassis.

How much HP/torque did the old 258 have compared to the later 4.0?

As far as what we do now that we didn't do then, there is greater access to information today. The expectations and levels of sophistication are also arguably higher than they used to be. Some of that is peer pressure, but real aspects are actual progress resulting from education and innovation.

 

[AndyG]

How much HP/torque did the old 258 have compared to the later 4.0?

As far as what we do now that we didn't do then, there is greater access to information today. The expectations and levels of sophistication are also arguably higher than they used to be. Some of that is peer pressure, but real aspects are actual progress resulting from education and innovation.

I don't know ... And historically a fuel injected engine is often superior in durability and driveability.

In my mind the CJ was always about 10 or 15 years behind the technology curve... A 1982 CJ was about as sophisticated as a 1970 Chevrolet truck.

And I'm not saying that the CJ should be brought back... It's fantasy to think that what passed government standards in the early 80s would do it now.

the biggest thing that struck my mind is this is a vehicle that you can tell the performance difference when you take the hardtop off... Imagine if you lost another thousand pounds.

I like the 4.0 in a lot of ways...and if there's anything I like about it it's the fact that I've got an engine that's got a great reputation for durability if I go into a remote area.

I'm not trying to derail my own thread... But the evolution of vehicles is inevitable... And the TJ was really important... It was Fiat Chrysler s way of saying we're going to bring back the traditional look and we're going to add modern amenities and see what happens..what happened is they sold a million of them and they are still on the road today.

 

[jjvw]

... And the TJ was really important... It was Fiat Chrysler s way of saying we're going to bring back the traditional look and we're going to add modern amenities and see what happens..what happened is they sold a million of them and they are still on the road today.

Chrysler with a few remaining vestiges of AMC..

Regardless, I agree that the TJ is/was an unusual vehicle. And quite noteworthy in the history of the automobile.

 

[Mr. Bills]

How much HP/torque did the old 258 have compared to the later 4.0?

258 c.i. (4.2 L) I-6 used in 1982-1986 CJ-7's: 115 HP @ 3200 rpm; 210 ft. lb. torque @ 2000 rpm

242 c.i. (4.0 L) I-6 used in Wranglers from 1991-2006: 180 HP @ 4750 rpm; 220 ft. lbs. torque @ 4000 rpm

 

[AndyG]

Chrysler with a few remaining vestiges of AMC..

Regardless, I agree that the TJ is/was an unusual vehicle. And quite noteworthy in the history of the automobile.

I really believe that it is the reason the Wrangler is still popular today in all configurations.

Even though it was iconic , the Jeep never was a main stream seller, it reached an almost male only market ... If you look at current sales figures it is absolutely staggering.

The YJ began the development of a quieter better driving vehicle platform and the TJ perfected the concept and the sales figures proved it.

Also the involvement of fiat-chrysler was probably just as important from the standpoint that jeep may have disappeared...which I realized maybe a little out in left field to say that but back in the day, that seemed possible if no manufacturer picked up the line.