questions about rubicon trail

doug · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 5:30 am

some friends of mine are going up july 2 for three days or so and i wanted to go with my liberty. i have a frankenlift II, all the skids and 245 mt/r. my friends said i would not be able to make it with my liberty without same major damage and or breakage. it's about a nine hour drive from las vegas to the trail and i don't want to drive all that way and not be able to drive the trail. i know l.o.s.t. members are going in september, so, with a good spotter can a liberty make it?
thanks, doug

Signcutter21 · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 6:30 am

Doug,
Yes a liberty CAN make it. How do you think it got the trail rated badge?, jk. Jeep supposedly took a "stock" liberty through the trail, but I'm sure it took a heavy beating.

I would be VERY hesitant in taking your Liberty on the Rubicon. In addition to all the armor, you'll need a rear locker and most likely a front. I know that two LOST members have done the back half in and out (unfortunately I missed it). They are both very experienced four wheelers with termendous patience and a good eye for picking lines. The front half (Loon Lake to Rubicon Springs) is very very difficult and you would be lucky to escape without body damage.

Look at the info posted in the Rubicon 07 trail ride section and also check out Pirate4x4.com's Rubicon section for more info on the trail.

Personally, I'dshotgun with a buddy and be a photographer. It's worth the trip out there for the scenery alone. hope that helps.

Mike

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 7:51 am

I agree w/ what Mike said. I have not done the whole trail, only the section from Tahoe in to the Springs and it was in JK's and a TJ. I did hike from the Springs out to Buck Island lake and holy crap were there some crazy sections out there that would really give any IFS KJ a real challenge and it would be Very slow going and it would be tough to avoid damage. I think it would be doable in a locked KJ but the time it would take would be a problem and you would spend a lot of time stacking rocks to get through sections and you would only be ticking off those behind you which isn't a good thing.
Oh I would also say that a winch is a very valuable tool for this trail. On our hike we saw two flopped vehicles that were set up very well and driven by people that had driven the trail before. It took some creative winching to get them back on all fours. :shock:

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 9:26 am

JJsKJ wrote:

I agree w/ what Mike said. I have not done the whole trail, only the section from Tahoe in to the Springs and it was in JK's and a TJ. I did hike from the Springs out to Buck Island lake and holy crap were there some crazy sections out there that would really give any IFS KJ a real challenge and it would be Very slow going and it would be tough to avoid damage. I think it would be doable in a locked KJ but the time it would take would be a problem and you would spend a lot of time stacking rocks to get through sections and you would only be ticking off those behind you which isn't a good thing.
Oh I would also say that a winch is a very valuable tool for this trail. On our hike we saw two flopped vehicles that were set up very well and driven by people that had driven the trail before. It took some creative winching to get them back on all fours. :shock:

Ditto. I was the other one hiking with JJ - holy floppage!!!

I would have no qualms driving a KJ in from Tahoe to Rubicon Springs and then turning around and going back out the same way. I can't see anything with less than 33" tires and a good amount of ground clearance (preferrably 35's) making it out alive on the other side of the trail. Every year when the 10 feet of snow melts off, huge erosion occurs on that side of the trail (Rubicon Springs to Loon) and the obstacles are huge and nasty.

My additional $.02

ARBSeth · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 10:48 am

To put it in perspective, we took our 04 4Runner up the Con last year with some Toyota R&D type people... It was driven by one of the best guys I've ever wheeled with... 20 plus years experience and multiple trips up the Con... Locked up f & R, 265 tires and our 2.5" lift... the bottom of the truck came back looking like someone hit it with an industrial sized cheese grater and we put 2 really nasty scratches/dents on both rear quarters. The tranny hasn't been the same since; it rattles like a Folgers can full of marbles for no reason sometimes.

Pass on it man... you'd get beaten to death out there.
To quote my Pilot in the Nav... "If there is any doubt, there is no doubt"
If you have to ask if you can make it on the Con, you can't make it.
Ride with someone first, then if you're feeling froggy, try it next time.

ARBSeth · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 11:03 am

Check out the lower door...yeah, took us awhile to get it open. And this was before any of the good obstacles.

CaKJFreedom · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 12:12 pm

Good informations here. Being a co-pilot/photographer would be a better bet. If you go and take the libby, get lockers and a winch and bring a camera.

jcphoto20 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:36 am **Posts:** 507

yea dont bother, they dont want any more liberties on the rubicon. it was all just a dream drug out by the lame, worthless, trail rated badge.

im right down the road from there and im not allowed. they only want hardcore 4x4s that you wont have to stack any rocks for and slow everyone down. sure would suck to drive 18 hours with the big chunk of disappointment in the middle.

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 3:26 pm

jcphoto20 wrote:

yea dont bother, they dont want any more liberties on the rubicon. it was all just a dream drug out by the lame, worthless, trail rated badge.

im right down the road from there and im not allowed. they only want hardcore 4x4s that you wont have to stack any rocks for and slow everyone down. sure would suck to drive 18 hours with the big chunk of disappointment in the middle.

Wow, while there are some truths hidden in that big cup of negativity, I wouldn't take that all to heart.

jcphoto20 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:36 am **Posts:** 507

my bad, you go right ahead, have a great time. i take it all back, i was a complete idiot for saying that.

there that should satisfy someone out there

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 4:05 pm

jcphoto20 wrote:

yea dont bother, they dont want any more liberties on the rubicon. it was all just a dream drug out by the lame, worthless, trail rated badge.

im right down the road from there and im not allowed. they only want hardcore 4x4s that you wont have to stack any rocks for and slow everyone down. sure would suck to drive 18 hours with the big chunk of disappointment in the middle.

You really should go wheel the Con in Your KJ. Please post pics.

Signcutter21 · **Posted:** Thu May 31, 2007 7:12 pm

The Rubicon Trail road is apublic county road, open to all people. The week I was there, most of the wheeler we meet were curteous and shared the trail. They asked how we got a job out there and were really impressed when they found out we were a Liberty based club, not some super rock buggy group. Remember we're Liberty Owners Sharing Trails, so dont give into the taunting and razzing, win them over with our wheeling abilty and cooperation

I do agree with JC about the trail rated badge comment, heck a rav 4, even a civic could make it through there. (with a lot of help from a tow starp and winch, and not in driveable condition)

jcphoto20 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:36 am **Posts:** 507

i think ill try that strawberry trail first, i have that one trail guide book for CA.

CaKJFreedom · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2007 12:42 pm

I'm sure a lot of people would hate to see KJ's in front of them on either side of that trail. But hopefully by the end they can see that they can be capable rigs when properly equipped and driven.

Not welcome and not able aren't always the same thing.

questions about rubicon trail

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