KJ's more capable than I thought

waywardtravel · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:09 am

I was VERY sceptical about the KJ's offroad ability when I bought it. I've had more than 10 locked up front rear 4x4's in the past all V8's two big blocks. The day before New Years my KJ got it's Frankenlift and KM2's. On new years I started up a trail that was not too muddy at all but steep twisty red clay. Two buddy's in JK who can't drive for s--t didn't make the trail head the day before. The trail head alone is off camber and steep and with these small tires if you can't stay high you get into the deep rut on the low side that can easily leave you stuck in a pretty bad position and always need a recovery vehicle on the up side which is also difficult. I went for it. Nice and slow testing all of the skid's a little and the bottoms of both bumpers. I'll be damned. Excellent traction without lockers. Open rear in all 06's from what I've read. I have had to use front axle only countless times to straiten out on this trail in my CJ. Heres to the KJ :5SHOTS:

And because it was New Years and I was killing a hangover :5SHOTS:

I measured the hub to fender well before and after and it lowered 1/2 inch in 20 minutes :5SHOTS:

tonycrd · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:31 am

The '06...I think it has ABS/ESP already, so you don't need a locker.

waywardtravel · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:28 pm

ABS/ESP (open diff) or pre open diff (limited slip) you need a locker. Otherwise you ARE two wheel drive. She'll probably be getting a locker soon with 410's. My point was without the locker (open diff) it did amazing only with only Franky and mudders what the ESP/ABS adds I can't say yet In four lo I believe it's auto-disengadged though. It's my first. One of the JK's that tried the day before one had a locker and both didn't make it booty end slid down to far and had to back out of it until he gave up, It does have a longer wheelbase though which throws the back end down hill more especially when locked. I am a true Detroit locker and Detroit soft locker fan but on an off camber and uphill slipery trail, E-lock or ARB air lock is handy to lock the front and open the back for control or a twin stick transfer case for controlled front wheel drive/slide.
All said and done the Jeep engineers did pretty good keeping the power to the neccesary wheels on the stock setup KJ.
I wouldn't dare think I would make any of the mud proving grounds around here as is or without SFA and 35's for that matter but it's currently still a Liberty, IFS, 6cyl, with 31's.

bunkermonkeycw · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:57 pm

Countless are the times I looked at the next leg of a trail, thought twice and still went. Haven't been sorry yet. No lift (countdown till this Saturday) and stock drive train have only gotten me stuck once... evidently you need at least one tire on the ground. (high center in some serious ruts)

Good times for sure.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:29 pm

Many have been amazed at the KJ's abilities over the years, this forum is full of stories and pics of what many would say is crazy wheeling for a KJ. Showing the non-believers is always a blast.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 10:08 pm

Its the traction control that helps transfer torque and no, its not 2wd with that. It will brake the wheels that spin. It can really get you in bad situations since it will cut power from the engine and stop you dead in your tracks. 4low does tone it down though to where its manageable.

irollgen4s · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:22 pm

The 06's have something called BLD, brake lock differential. Basically the rear diff is open, but the computer brakes the wheel that is spinning faster then the other to optimize traction. So i've read in several places, yet to be confirmed.

But! i get to test my rig in two weeks once i get my full license... At least its ready to go by then :BANANA:

edit: turning ESP off turns off the part where the engine is killed if the wheels are spinning, but leaves the BLD in effect at all times, including 4lo.

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:58 am

I was the same way, until I got my KJ out wheeling and I was surprised. I've heard some pretty cool wheeling stories about KJ's doing what was thought impossible

tonycrd · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:41 am

irollgen4s wrote:

The 06's have something called BLD, brake lock differential. Basically the rear diff is open, but the computer brakes the wheel that is spinning faster then the other to optimize traction.

That's what I ment to say. So it already has 'lockers' on the front and rear.

waywardtravel · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:15 am

So now I'm confused. :shock:

First I thought I read from reputable sources that with the ESP button depressed or while in 4wd lo, all traction control was off except for ABS?
Second It's still two driving wheels at a time because you can't change the mechanics of the diff just by braking one wheel it just then drives the non braked wheel.
Third and most important for me. Lot's of people on here have lockers. If you install a locker and the "BLD" is still active and it brakes the spining wheel then you slow down and put the tannsmission into tons of overload?

waywardtravel · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:19 am

http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/waywardtravel/?action=view&current=IMAG0014.jpg#!oZZ4QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1142.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fn615%2Fwaywardtravel%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DIMAG0017.jpg
Test

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:31 am

Great pics

tonycrd · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:22 pm

waywardtravel wrote:

So now I'm confused. :shock:

First I thought I read from reputable sources that with the ESP button depressed or while in 4wd lo, all traction control was off except for ABS?
Second It's still two driving wheels at a time because you can't change the mechanics of the diff just by braking one wheel it just then drives the non braked wheel.
Third and most important for me. Lot's of people on here have lockers. If you install a locker and the "BLD" is still active and it brakes the spining wheel then you slow down and put the tannsmission into tons of overload?

The BLD works through the ABS. When the computer sees one tire spinning faster then the other, it will kick in the ABS pump and start braking on the wheel that spins faster untill both spin at the same speed (guess there is some % of difference possible there otherwise it would kick in when you take a sharp turn).

Anyway, if you have a locker that locks 100% (ARB/ Aussie/ etc) there is no difference in speed between left or right so the BLD doesn't have to do anything.

Still, the BLD got you where you went because when I do what you are doing in the pic Tom posted (only one rear/one front tire with traction) I go nowhere. Mine has trac-lock but that doesn't do much.

Marlon_JBT · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:10 pm

Amazing what a little computer programming can do.

(That's pretty much all BLD is, software...)

Wonderful story and cool pics.

You can see the BLD in action in my video here, skip to 2:10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X5YfsjTlag

Notice how my tires are spinning, then all of a sudden, I hit the gas and the wheels that are spinning slow down / stop, power is transferred to the wheel that has traction, then away I go!

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:48 pm

waywardtravel wrote:

So now I'm confused. :shock:

First I thought I read from reputable sources that with the ESP button depressed or while in 4wd lo, all traction control was off except for ABS?
Second It's still two driving wheels at a time because you can't change the mechanics of the diff just by braking one wheel it just then drives the non braked wheel.
Third and most important for me. Lot's of people on here have lockers. If you install a locker and the "BLD" is still active and it brakes the spining wheel then you slow down and put the tannsmission into tons of overload?

ABS is disabled in 4low. The last thing you want is for ABS to kick in when you're trying to stop on a muddy hill. Really and truly the last thing you ever want it for ABS to kick in(no matter where you are) but that's just a personal opinion.

Like tony said, the traction control shouldnt kick in if both wheels are turning at the same speed, thats how traction control knows one wheel is spinning and the other isnt. It has a sensor at each wheel and knows when one is spinning. Now if the rear axle was locked and both rear wheels were spinning and one front(open front diff) its possible the traction control could kick in and brake all the wheels that are spinning. Then its possible it could be hard on the tranny but if youre in 4 low, it wont matter anyway.

If you think traction control is neat, you should check out the Quadra Drive in the Grand Cherokees. It has 3 Electronic Limited slip differentials that can put 100% of the engines torque to one wheel without using traction control stuff. Pretty neat setup.

2006 KJ · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 7:43 pm

my 06's ESP mimics lockers VERY VERY well. i know many times i've had all 4 wheels cranking and on-lookers said i was a liar when i said my jeep was open diffed (then). Now i have an aussie locker and it is much better just because i'm positive that both back wheels are spinning.. but ESP for the front end is very nice. also a detroit true trac works very well with the ESP because the ESP 'brake tricks' the DTT into locking when it's not... so when one slips it makes it into pretty much a full on locker.

expensive combo that's best.. ARB'S front and rear
cheap combo that's best.. Aussie rear and DTT front.

bunkermonkeycw · **Posted:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:34 pm

Thought Id be off topic but looked up top and realized I'm right on...

waywardtravel wrote:

http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/waywardtravel/?action=view&current=IMAG0014.jpg#!oZZ4QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1142.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fn615%2Fwaywardtravel%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DIMAG0017.jpg
Test

Is that OME all around or some flavor of frankenlift?

bunkermonkeycw · **Posted:** Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:18 am

Ok looked at your pics twice now. :5SHOTS:

Its gotta be a little more then tires and OME

waywardtravel · **Posted:** Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:25 am

It's a Frankenlift and 245/75/16 KM2's nothing more...................................................YET :wink:

bunkermonkeycw · **Posted:** Thu Jan 06, 2011 4:50 pm

Nice, once my OME settles in Ill be looking for .5 to an inch strut top spacer and spring spacer for the back. Still need to hit the east coast highways every so often...
:JEEPIN:

KJ's more capable than I thought

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