Trail Rated Badge

stratamet · **Posted:** Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:08 am

Hoping my dealer is the same way; I bought 3 liberty's and 2 commanders from them.

Gimme Liberty · **Posted:** Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:00 am

This might be a bit of an argument-starter, but as much as I like the badge, isn't the whole Trail Rated system kind of pointless? Maybe not pointless exactly, but if the Liberty's ability to be Trail Rated is so easily affected by the type of wheels which happen to be on the vehicle, it sounds like the Liberty just barely scrapes into the Trail Rated category.

I read comments on another Jeep forum from Jeep engineers who wouldn't release the metrics that go into assigning Trail Rated status, but I have to believe that the Liberty is at the knife edge of passing; get the right wheels it passes, get the wrong wheels it fails. I'm sure there are other components on the vehicle that can be modified that might affect its Trail Rated status, but off the top of my head I don't know which those would be.

And another thing, which will probably earn me a lashing or two: if you can simply buy a Trail Rated badge, is there really any value in them? Don't get me wrong - I made sure I got one even though my vehicle as originally built did not qualify for one. But I figured once the 18" wheels were changed for some 17" wheels, then I am "officially" Trail Rated and deserved a badge. But so far I still haven't bothered to affix the badge - it's still with the manual. Somehow it's not as important as I thought it'd be. And in the back of my head I think if I ever choose to put 18" wheels on it I'll feel a little bit of a fraud.

Maybe I'll use Velcro to affix the badge so I can remove it or add it depending on what wheels are on!

TJinWV · **Joined:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:07 pm **Posts:** 8

Gimme Liberty wrote:

One of the conditions I made to our dealer was I'd take a Limited, with the PG II but that they change out the 18" wheels for 17"s, and that they add on the Trail Rated badge. He said no problem, and that's what they did.

Now, maybe to swap your tires for 17" after the fact is a lot more complicated or, more likely, more costly to them. They'd have some slightly used 18" wheels they'd have to do something with and now that you've agreed to take your vehicle there is a lot less incentive for them to deal.

I suppose you could complain that you weren't made aware of the non-Trail Rated aspect of the 18" wheels, but I don't know how successful you'd be.

Good luck though!

Those look like the 16" wheels in your avatar picture?

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:53 am

Funny stuff in here. :lol:

How about this: Go wheel the crap out of it on some trails and then it will truely be "Trail Rated". We don't need no stinkin' badges!

Now where do I get a Mall Rated badge?? :twisted:

Pote · **Posted:** Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:07 am

JJsKJ wrote:

Funny stuff in here. :lol:

How about this: Go wheel the crap out of it on some trails and then it will truely be "Trail Rated". We don't need no stinkin' badges!

Now where do I get a Mall Rated badge?? :twisted:

and I also thought that being "trail rated" with a badge was just a new marketing plan they implemented. It's not like jeeps before the badge and advertising came out weren't built for offroading right?!?

Gimme Liberty · **Posted:** Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:09 pm

TJinWV wrote:

Gimme Liberty wrote:

One of the conditions I made to our dealer was I'd take a Limited, with the PG II but that they change out the 18" wheels for 17"s, and that they add on the Trail Rated badge. He said no problem, and that's what they did.

Now, maybe to swap your tires for 17" after the fact is a lot more complicated or, more likely, more costly to them. They'd have some slightly used 18" wheels they'd have to do something with and now that you've agreed to take your vehicle there is a lot less incentive for them to deal.

I suppose you could complain that you weren't made aware of the non-Trail Rated aspect of the 18" wheels, but I don't know how successful you'd be.

Good luck though!

Those look like the 16" wheels in your avatar picture?

LOL! Good eyes, TJinWV!

What a joke! Yup, they're 16" alright. I didn't actually say I wanted 16" or 17" wheels, so for whatever reason they gave me the 16" wheels. I don't mind that (I guess!). So caught up with the rest of the vehicle I never even noticed.

Trail Rated Badge

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