| With the introduction of the Rubicon model into the Wrangler line-up, Jeep reaffirmed it's commitment to die-hard Jeep fans. This model came equipped with lower gearing in it's transfer-case, lower gearing in the axles and air-operated lockers for both the front and rear axles. Riding on beefy 5-spoke, 16" allow wheels, and equipped with 31" Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires from the factory, this Jeep Wrangler was ready to turn right immediately and hit the dirt. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The next move forward came when Jeep applied this formula to the Unlimited version, creating the supremely capable Rubicon Unlimited. With it's lengthened wheelbase and upgraded capabilities, the Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited is the best performing off-the-shelf offroader Jeep has ever produced. Soldiering on under the hood, the 4.0L straight six motor has proven time and again to be bulletproof reliable. It also delivers excellent low-speed torque. 2006 will mark the end of the 4.0L in the Wrangler, as it's replaced with a 3.8L V6 engine offering more power and more torque. 2007 also marks the latest iteration of the venerable Wrangler. With it's rugged good looks intact, it's hose-out interior still in place and it's go-anywhere ability virtually guaranteed based on the specs, it's going to be another winner. Jeep is staying true to it's spiritual roots with this Wrangler model, making it a serious performer offroad, right off the showroom floor. ...and they're keeping the live-axle up front! 2007 Jeep Wrangler specs
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Jeep Wrangler - the future
Jeep Bumpers & Tire Carriers
| Bumpers. We all take them for granted, sitting at either end of our Jeeps ready to give it all up if some careless motorist gets too close. Offroad it's a whole other world - bumpers are actually put onto and into things to assist in maneuvers. They must shoulder-aside rocks the size of tires and still not weigh a ton. What to do? Well, the CJ / YJ / TJ crowd are pretty lucky - they have plain old, reasonably strong steel bumpers right from the factory. Remove those silly end-caps if you've got them. Trim back a bit of the steel to narrow the bumper and open up the approach angle to each tire. Slap some paint on the bare metal and call it a day. But what if you simply want a different design? More protection, mounting point for a winch, or lights? Maybe you have a Cherokee - get ready, those bumpers are ALUMINUM! In these cases, a well designed aftermarket or custom made bumper is the answer. From your buddy's garage to the Outback - there are designs galor and plenty of places to buy them. One constant remains price - the price of steel continues to rise, so the cost of bumpers goers up too. Building custom made bumpers makes a lot of sense, if you, or someone you know, has access to the gear and material. Get as elaborate as you want - just remember to plan for everything you want in advance, then build the unit to suit those needs. Be certain you understand how the unit mounts, as well. The best units use as many of the factory mounting points as posible, and even add to that with extra brackets. The idea is the spread the load across as much of the vehicles frame as possible - this is especialy important with unit-body Jeeps like Cherokees, Grand Cherokees and Liberty's. If you have a newer Jeep and want to keep the functionality of your airbags intact (say for safety, or insurance reasons), the one name that jumps forward is ARB. they take the time to manufacture and have certified, each model of bumper for the Jeep it's designed for. This means you can safely replace your factory bumper with a genuine rock-pounder that will still protect you and others properly in the event of an accident. | ||
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| Tire carriers are a whole other ball-game. Whether they are bumper-mounted, rack mounted or bed-mounted, they must safely contain that heavy replacement wheel and tire combo. No, factory Jeep rear bumper tire carriers will not stand up to repeated, rugged offroad travel - there, it's been said. What will work is a purpose designed unit engineered to handle the weight and dynamic forces offroad puts on components. Whether you custom fab a tire carrier, or buy one off the shelf, make sure to include for the eventuallity you might want larger tires down the road. A bumper mounted tire carrier designed for a 33" wheel & tire combo might simply not be strong enough for the same wheel with a 35" tire on it. Designs abound, so have fun with that - just be sure it's over-built to ensure a long, trouble-free life. | ||
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