so lets me sum it up on what was missed by ALL
over 100 rigs hit the test track from stock suzuki samies to full TJ rock buggies to a 2 1/2 ton truck
the thigs that I found interesting was this of the 2 KJ's 1 FJ and 4 JK unlimiteds the resualts were this
Thompson twister
KJ's 0
JK's all
FJ yes

Log pile
KJ's 2 with out an issue
JK's only the one with a BB and stock tires made it strait up and over ,like the KJ's both did, the others needed some fancy manovering
FJ needed help ,poor angles, he could not get on and drug going down

On the trails
the easy stuff
1 KJ and 1 FJ
I have no clue how things went I was a guid on the hard trails
on the hard trails
0 KJ's 2 FJ's
a few other odd balls newer Land crusier ,Tacaoma, some older land crusiers, a few sammies and TJs as far as you could see
the FJs that were out were both STOCK and did fine on the harder stuff only needing help to avoid trees

We are planing the 2008 Expo now and I want every one with in 600 miles of NO to mark it down and start to plan to come out
I would like to see a strong showing
The super lift reps said that IF they were to produce a lift for the KJ then they would need to see more than 2 at events like this
can you blame them?
Like they said
"look around ,what do you see? wranglers and full size p/u's to pull them right?"
"This is why we have not started to produce a lift for the KJ. It woud be a waste of time and money"
he also said that when they start seeing 10 and 15 out of 100 rigs being KJ's it would be a no brainer but when there are more F250 tow rigs than there are KJ's why waste the money

I was also told that IF the KK uses the same basic components as the KJ then it may be worth it as well
who know's

Any pics?

_________________
2005 CRD , Moab Rims, 245/75/16 Goodyear M/T
RL rear bumper, TMJ Front bumper, Frankenlinft,
*TOTALED*

1985 Mitsubishi Pickup SP 2.3 Turbo Diesel Watercooled turbo,4D56 ported head,
12" Suspension Lift with JK Rubicon axles, Elockers, 5.13's, Fox coilovers, Atlas 5.0, Rock Lizard supersliders

1996 Lexus LX450 -locked and lifted-

Here is a question. How many of those pickups had big lifts on them or were they stock?

It is the Catch 22 situation. Who wants to hit the trails in their stock KJ's and get embarrassed and get the "I told you so"? The companies don't want to make big lifts because stock KJ's don't come out.

Wranglers show up because they are already respected and HAVE the big after-markets. They are established due to reputation started back with the Willy's/CJ's.

How many FJ's were there? From your info, only one. They already have the big stuff yet there were twice as many KJ's.

The pickups probably weren't stock. They all have big lifts out there. Bring those big pickups to Colorado and have them try to do trails we KJ's squeeze through or have a tire on the edge of a 1,000 ft drop because it is so narrow.

How experienced were the two KJ owners and how mod'd were they?

Bring an event like that to Colorado and we would show them what we can do with the current setups/mods. Ted, Troy have the most capable KJ's here. They would shock the doubters.

_________________
===
New KJ Gear - Desert Armor Flak

2004 Renegade Light Khaki - 4" JBA Lift - Rock Lizard Products: Komodo Dragon Rear Bumper, Prototype Winch-mount Front Bumper, Super Skink Sliders - All J's Super Tranny Skid II - 31" Firestone Destination AT's on Moab wheels - Cobra 75W CB w/ stock Antenna mod

[b]Retired, US Military

Still missing their point
they ,superlift, are the main sponsor for this event
it is held at a jeep dealer
The p/u's were tow rigs
I was one of the KJ owners
my KJ is not realy moded at all

Their point was simply that they can not see making a lift when they host/sponsor events like this all the time and see very very few KJ's
I have been posting this event for well over 3 months and all I got was 1 KJ besides my self to show up?
I went out of my way to try to get ya'll and others to come out but yet none showed

As far as the FJ's not a one was moded beyond stock with an ARB bumper yet they showed and wheeled
and how can you expect to get the KJ respected if no one shows up?

I know that I will get the rash of excuses why folks can not travel and stuff like that but I have travled 6-8+ hours for 2 days of wheelin with the local 4X4 club this is an event put on by a MAJOR producer of after market lifts and we still get a poor showing as far as KJ's
Heck we had a Land cruiser club travle 3+ hours to come out with 30+ year old land cruisers and we had 8 or more of them out there and they WANT to help out next year
now where is the support like that from the "KJ guys"

I only hope that next year we can show them that the KJ is for real and get a few out there

try this link
it is to our local forum and look for "Expo pics"
http://la4x4forum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showforum=10

Well, we had 14 KJ's and an XJ on our trail run last weekend here in Colorado. I had to PM 107 people on here to get the results though.

From what you are saying, most of the vehicles were trailer queens.



Why would KJ's want to trail run with monster-sized trailer rigs? I wouldn't.
We can't go where they go and if we did run with them, they would just make fun of us because we didn't do the crazy lines/obstacles they just did.

I'd go to Camp Jeep or Jeep Jamboree (if they didn't charge an arm and a leg) or other local events where there are average mod'd vehicles to run with. It is true that most KJ owners are not looking to go crazy wild on the trails, but neither are most FJ owners. I asked quite a few already and they have yet to hit the trails in their FJ's. How many H3's, H2's, 4-Runners, X-terras were out there? How many FJ's were there?
Perhaps if they had the event here in Denver, you would see quite a showing of KJ's. I'd do the 107 PM thing again.

_________________
===
New KJ Gear - Desert Armor Flak

2004 Renegade Light Khaki - 4" JBA Lift - Rock Lizard Products: Komodo Dragon Rear Bumper, Prototype Winch-mount Front Bumper, Super Skink Sliders - All J's Super Tranny Skid II - 31" Firestone Destination AT's on Moab wheels - Cobra 75W CB w/ stock Antenna mod

[b]Retired, US Military

The KK has different ball joint setup, so probably different lower control arms. It also has a 5 link rear end versus the 3 link. I don't think they will be similar enough to increase our chances at them making us a lift. Plus, I don't think anyone is going to buy a KK anyway. With the Grand Cherokee, 4-door JK, Patriot and sister Dodge Nitro in the lineup there is no place for the new KK to compete-- everyone else in the DCX lineup will be stealing its sales.

I think the market for the KJ is still in the future. Too many here are married with kids, use the KJ for a daily driver and are too poor to afford expensive parts, or to take trips more than a couple times a year. When the resale value on the KJ goes down and floods the market with KJs for less than 5000 then maybe we will see more modded KJ's on the trail. Perhaps somebody is going to get a wrecked one and lift it with SFA and do the motor... then drive it to his Jeep club and the others will start following suit as they crunch all their XJ's into pieces and need to replace them. But even that is a hard sell as the XJ is tough and the XJ guys are married to the 4.0L motor.

Well, this weekend I'm attending an event where I fully expect to be up there with fully modded YJ's, TJ's, CJ's, FJ's... you name it, and I also expect to be the only KJ so I really don't want to look bad, for the Jeep community, as a whole. No locker, no skids, no recovery points but, I know what my rig is capable of and I know when to turn around. Wish me luck anyway guys, and gals. Pics to be posted when I return, hopefully not broken any further... My friends and family have doubts about that. Gotta show 'em, right?

Link to the even I mentioned Sorry, LA is just too far for me, raising kids on my own and all.

_________________
Ron


"There are few problems in life the liberal application of duct tape can't solve."

darn dude you really need to get some undies!!!! You are gonna need em probably!

_________________
LIBERTY or DEATH

2005 Sport with "STUFF"

This happens at many events that take place. The Liberty is not at all in the category as these vehicles. However, many of them have decades of history compared to the 6 years of KJ.

_________________
<b>--PHIL--</b>
<i>(Lift, Wheels, Tires, Skids, U Know...)</i>
<b>L.O.S.T MID-WEST MEMBER #057522 </b>