It is currently Sat Mar 07, 2026 12:00 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: "Upgrading" to 2004 KJ from 2005 Rubicon
PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2009 1:40 pm 
Offline
LOST Newbie

Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:18 pm
Posts: 84
Location: Jasper, Texas
After starting out with a 2004 Liberty Sport I got the hots for a Wrangler, bigger must be better, right? And if a Wrangler is good a Rubicon must be better.

The 2005 Rubicon with $6K mods is going away to our Daughter's house next weekend and we will be back to wheeling the 04 KJ.

There are several reasons I consider this an "upgrade".

More room.
Better ride even though the Rubicon had complete OME suspension.

The biggest reason is that trails that were a fun challenge in the KJ were boring in a Rubicon. I would rather learn to drive with 'finesse' than to just 'bull' my way over obstacles.

In retrospect I wish I had stuck with the kJ in the first place.

I bought a 99 Silverado Extended cab pickup for a daily driver and it beats the Rubicon for everyday use.

A Wrangler or Rubicon is a fun 'toy' but lousy transportation.

I am glad to be back to the KJ!

_________________
Bill Tolle
04 Liberty Sport 4WD
05 Dodge Dakota 4DR, 4WD
06 Grand Cherokee 2WD (wife's SUV)!
04 Kubota 4WD Tractor
LOST KJ Lifetime Member 96. btolle - BT052304


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2009 2:21 pm 
Offline
Lifetime Member
Lifetime Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 11:57 am
Posts: 260
Location: Independence, MO
Glad 2 hav U back amongst the LOST!

i too like the challenge that wheelin' the KJ presents. This is the first Jeep i've owned but after years of driving HMMWV's the KJ is a nice change.

Welcome back. :wink:

_________________
'04 Renny
Mod's: See Avatar

Conquests: Poughkeepsie Gulch, Governor's Basin, Black Bear/Imogene/Engineer/Cinnamon pass, Coal Creek OHV, Badlands OHV, S.M.O.R.R., K-Rocks, Parent's driveway


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2009 2:35 pm 
Offline
LOST Addict
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:28 am
Posts: 10686
Location: Some where in Colorado
Welcome back :D

_________________
2008 KK Liberty Sport NIGHT OPS EDITION + GILLS
OEM & Custom Skids - Factory Tow Package - Rock Lizard Skink Super Sliders
Prototype JBA 4 Inch Lift - JBA UCA's - Flowmaster Super 44 OR - Whacked Resonator
Jet Stage 2 - RL Gecko Basket Rack - Custom Winch Bumper - Recon 10.5K Winch
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: "Upgrading" to 2004 KJ from 2005 Rubicon
PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2009 4:17 pm 
btolle wrote:
The 2005 Rubicon with $6K mods is going away to our Daughter's house next weekend and we will be back to wheeling the 04 KJ.


sorry for your loss :shock: :shock: :lol:


Top
  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2009 9:30 pm 
Offline
Moderator / Lifetime Member
Moderator / Lifetime Member

Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2005 5:49 pm
Posts: 27226
Location: NOW Southeastern Ohio/ Tanzania
I like to wheel the KJ better than most any vehicle I ever had. Several were point and shoot like your Rubicon was. Did not have to really read the terrain just go. With the Liberty you have to actually look at where you are going and makes you a better wheeler.

Glad to see you back on here! :wink:

_________________
MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2009 9:45 pm 
Offline
Lifetime Member
Lifetime Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 22, 2006 6:28 pm
Posts: 3880
Location: Wichita/ Pittsburg, Kansas
nice to hear your coming back to the KJs

_________________
1980 Jeep CJ7 Buggy
SOA, D44/ FF14B, SBC 350, SM465, NP205, 108" WB, 37" MTs

http://www.dpgoffroad.com/
http://www.ucora.org/
http://www.christianoffroad.com/
http://jeepinbyal.com/


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2009 8:07 am 
Offline
LOST Addict
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:25 pm
Posts: 1361
Location: Grafton, Ohio
Welcome back from the Dark Side. :wink:

_________________
Slightly modified Lt. Khaki 3.7 2004 LTD 4X4. Purchased new 8/6/03.
What I don't have....A Mag light mounted to my seat.
Original Old L.O.S.T. #000354

Nick's Pics & Mods click here: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/531173
http://www.survivaltopics.com/forums/


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2009 10:32 am 
Offline
Lifetime Member
Lifetime Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:32 pm
Posts: 1839
Location: Lost in Illinois
btolle wrote:
I bought a 99 Silverado Extended cab pickup for a daily driver and it beats the Rubicon for everyday use.

A Wrangler or Rubicon is a fun 'toy' but lousy transportation.

Good luck with that Chevy. And yeah, Wranglers aren't for everyone.

Btw people; let's not forget, LOST no longer simply means, KJ.

_________________
2004 TJ Rubicon.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2009 11:47 am 
Offline
Lifetime Member
Lifetime Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2006 11:03 pm
Posts: 765
Location: Homeless in Vegas
There is a reason I own both. I love my Rubi, but I love my KJ. I can't seem to part with either.

_________________
Jeep, its a way of life.

06 KJ Limited
10 JK Unlimited Rubicon
14 JK Unlimited Rubicon
14 KL Cherokee Trail Hawk


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2009 8:51 am 
Offline
LOST Addict

Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 8:06 pm
Posts: 1022
Location: Parker,co
I love my rubicon, but ill have to admit my girls kjs goes really well when she tries the hard stuff

Yes Wrangler's are not for everyone

Also it takes the same amount of finesse your talking about to walk My rubicon up hard stuff, just the same as my girl trying to get her CRD up something hard for her.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2009 11:11 am 
Offline
LOST Addict
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 8:48 pm
Posts: 1153
Location: Mesa, AZ
Hmmm... I have both, a stock height KJ Sport with full skids and Toyo Open Country A/T tires and a stock height JK X with skids and 32" BFG M/T tires.

My impression of the two differs a little from yours. I don't want to turn this into a KJ v.s. JK is better war, that's far from my intent. All I'll say is, while both are capable off road vehicles straight out of the box, the JK can go where a KJ can't with the drivers of both Jeeps having the same off road driving skills.

I find the ride more comfortable in the JK with it's bigger and softer seats, especially on the 400~500 mile road trips to get to Moab and Ouray. Also, I have much more room in the JK, especially with the rear seat removed.

As for the challenge... just do harder trails in the JK, it takes the same amount of "finesse" to get the JK up and over as it does with the KJ. The only thing that changes is the difficulty of the trail and the skill of the driver.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't give up either one of my Jeeps, they're both great off road vehicles and I enjoy them both. So much in fact, I sold my two seat '04 Crossfire and '99 TJ to buy the JK.

And yeah, LOST KJ has evolved into LOST Jeeps. One thing to keep in mind is that we all drive Jeeps, whatever the model. It's the skill of the driver and the level of modifications that really makes the difference on where you can go.

Happy trails and enjoy playing in the dirt with whatever model Jeep you drive.... :D

_________________
'06 Jeep KJ Sport... w/some stuff
'08 Jeep JK X... w/more stuff

It's an AZ LOST JEEPS thing....
other folks don't understand!!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2009 8:33 am 
Offline
Oilburner
Oilburner
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 9:54 am
Posts: 2788
Location: Barcelona Spain
Correct me if I am wrong but a 2005 Rubicon is a TJ...right?

I guess there is some difference there compared to a JK.

_________________
Cherokee 2,5 CRD: sold - Wrangler TJ 2.5: gone - Touareg V10 TDI: new toy

Solo Liberty en Español: Jeepliberty.es


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 3:02 am 
Offline
LOST Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:30 pm
Posts: 179
Location: Arizona
:roll:

_________________
2007 Jeep Liberty
Rockcrusher Differential
Full factory Skids
Rola Roof rack
4 Hella 700FF's on Rack
2 KC daylighters on bumper
2 Turn tables and a microphone

I want to leave this world like i came into it.... screaming, naked and covered in someone else's blood.

http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/smith/


Last edited by SNAFU on Wed May 20, 2009 10:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2009 8:57 am 
Offline
Lifetime Member
Lifetime Member

Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 8:37 pm
Posts: 7928
Location: Big Bear & Lancaster, Ca.
tonycrd wrote:
Correct me if I am wrong but a 2005 Rubicon is a TJ...right?

I guess there is some difference there compared to a JK.


Huge difference especially in the areas btolle is speaking of. A JK vs TJ is almost like comparing a TJ to a KJ when talking about ride & drive quality, etc.

_________________
99 TJ
71 C101
04 KJ
03 SFA KJ Sport
LOST JEEPS So-Cal


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group. Color scheme by ColorizeIt!
Logo by pixeldecals.com