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What's Your Ride?


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  • 4 weeks later...
On 5/1/2017 at 8:23 PM, wiiawiwb said:

 

 

Gigantor...what tires and size are those? Is it aftermarket lifted? That's a really sweet ride.

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On 6/13/2017 at 0:59 AM, wiiawiwb said:

 

Gigantor...what tires and size are those? Is it aftermarket lifted? That's a really sweet ride.

 

 

Thanks!  Those are 33" x 12.5" Goodyear Wrangler tires on 15" Blackrock wheels.

 

The nice thing about that size combo is that no lift is required, it doesn't change the angle of the driveshaft. You avoid all of the problems associated with altering the geometry of the driveline...  I just made the front bumper a "stubby" last weekend.

 

 

Before

before.jpg

 

After

after.jpg

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Love all the Jeeps...     Nothing like a  O||||||O ! 

 

I've had 3 Wranglers over the years.  A 90 YJ,  a 2004 TJ, and a 2009 JK.   The TJ was probably my favorite of the three. 

 

Anyway, I was looking recently to get back into a Jeep, but I'll tell ya... don't get me wrong, I have much love for the Wrangler, but they've become way too popular and trendy to own, and are holding their value too well (for my purposes haha).

 

I could not find a used Wrangler in the 4-5 yr old / sub 60,000 mile category that was under $20 Grand....  

 

I did some reading online, and went and took a 12' Liberty for a test drive, and was impressed with it, and wound up buying it.  For the 2012 year, same 3.7 V6 as the Wrangler ( yea i know theyve gone to 285hp Pentastar), same Command-Trac 4x4 system (4x2, 4x4HI + 4x4Low), same NP231 transfer case, etc etc etc..   The Difference ?   found a used 2012 (and sadly discontinued) Liberty KK with low 60's mileage-  $12,500.  Big difference.. !   I'm ok with it being a hard top, Im ok with the way it looks (reminds alot of the original Cherokee), and the extent of my "wheeling" is logging roads, seasonal limited use roads (some of which are hairy, washed out, bottom out alot), and I've been nothing but impressed by how this vehicle has reacted to everything I've thrown at it.  I've had it nearly bottomed out in soupy mud, on three wheels several times, and so far its shown the same sure footed ways that I was used to with my Wranglers.  

Similar road driving experience, you know its a Jeep- but hey we knew that when we signed on, and it's all about the off road, deep snow, go nearly anywhere experience that we were seeking.

 

Here's a photo of mine, next to Marsh Pond here in upstate NY.  

 

kk_zpsel6xrrbi.jpg

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1 hour ago, Art1972 said:

I did some reading online, and went and took a 12' Liberty for a test drive, and was impressed with it, and wound up buying it.  For the 2012 year, same 3.7 V6 as the Wrangler ( yea i know theyve gone to 285hp Pentastar), same Command-Trac 4x4 system (4x2, 4x4HI + 4x4Low), same NP231 transfer case, etc etc etc.. 

 

Nice. The Patriot is a real Jeep, same drivetrain as the Wrangler.

 

Plussed for being smart with your money if you don't need the convertible top, etc.

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Ooops.. the Patriot and Liberty are the same, they just changed the name...

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14 hours ago, gigantor said:

Ooops.. the Patriot and Liberty are the same, they just changed the name...

Nope...  Patriot is slightly smaller, and has only been available since day one with a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder. There were six years when they were produced simultaneously (2007-2013). Liberty was discontinued after 2012 (for US market, its still produced for Australia, South America etc).   The 4x4 in the Patriot is also Selec-trac, which is ok, but i prefer Command Trac.   Selec Trac is more like a full time AWD then a true 4x4, although they claim to have a "4-lo" setting, which im not sure exactly what it means.  Selec-trac- you can have it engaged on dry pavement etc.  CommandTrac you cant- you'll get wheel (tire) chatter on drive pavement in 4x4, and it locks the axles so all four wheels are turning at the same rate.   The Patriot was something i looked at/considered because they are reasonable $$$$ used, but you don't have any towing capacity with the Patriot. 

Liberty can tow up to 5000lbs, and there are some other differences which eliminated the Patriot from my option pool -body design, lighter construction build, etc, but the main problem was the lack of power from a four cylinder on a 4000+ pound vehicle.  That's a mistake on Jeep's part, they should have an optional 6-cylinder version for the Patriot, but they dont. 

There are some obvious similarities between the vehicles, but they should have either killed the Patriot and kept the Liberty, or incorporated some of the features of the Liberty into the Patriot. 

 

For comparison: 

 

2012 Jeep Patriot 

patriot_zpszrge5cuu.jpg

 

And 2012 Jeep Liberty

 

liberty_zps2copwprg.jpg

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I stand corrected. I like the Liberty.

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2 minutes ago, gigantor said:

I stand corrected. I like the Liberty.

 

Nah not corrected, just sharing info..    I like the Liberty as well.   Interesting bit of info-  the original Cherokee was killed in 2001/2002 and the Liberty is the vehicle that replaced it.  Outside of the US, it was never marketed as "Liberty".  Ive watched numerous off-road videos from Australia and the vehicle there (and other places) Jeep retained and used the "Cherokee" name.   For all intents and purposes, the Liberty is an updated Cherokee.  Errr, or was because the Liberty is dead now as well.  I wish Jeep would come to their senses, scrap this new "renegade" they came out with (tiny joke shoebox of a Jeep), the Compass and new Cherokee are seriously lacking in 4x4 capability (just my opinion) and seem to be aimed more at soccer moms and the "fun family vehicles" market much more so than anything to do with true offroading.   The Wrangler is the only vehicle theyre producing any more that has a true 4x4 drive system in it, but they keep monkeying with that as well adding in more electronic crap that's not needed.  All just my opinion of course, i'm just a purist when it comes to Jeeps and what they should be used for.  Jeeps are not intended to spend their lives on pavement, never have their hardtop removed (for Wranglers), and a great deal of people who own Jeeps today have no intention of ever utilizing the vehicle to its true potential. It's kind of sad, and drives me nuts at the same time.  :angry:

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I hear you. You should see all the posers over here in DC driving Rugged Ridge $70k Wranglers all jacked up with 37" tires, racing suspension, winch, a "vibrant fluorescent" color and don't even know what the little stick next to the shifter is for. All automatics ofcourse. :no2:

 

They also don't know how to put the top up properly, so they're afraid of taking it down. They drive around with the front section folded back (like a t-top) and the windows unzipped.

 

There's a dude in my hood with a Safari roof rack kit, complete with snorkel and that Jeep has never seen a dirt road. He waxes it every weekend...

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  • 4 weeks later...

A snorkel in DC.  That's funny.  I live in Uganda, Africa (where I drive a '93 LandCruiser Prado) and I don't even have a snorkel.

 

17x7

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I'm gonna snap a pic of the Jeep for ya one day, it's pretty funny....

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Now, I do run some Toyota HiAce vans from the mid 90's.  Snorkels are almost mandatory for them.  They put the air intake just behind and a little above the front tire.  Drive it on a dirt road and the tire blows dust right into the air cleaner.  Needs a snorkel, not for water, but for dust.  Gets the air intake up off the ground where it can get cleaner air.

 

My 'Cruiser takes in air from inside the front fender behind the headlight.  I've since added a roof rack.  Here it is in it's natural habitat.

 

IMG_6790 small.jpg

 

17x7

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Those are some tough mothers, my hat's off to the Cruisers. The new Jeeps also have the air intake high behind the headlight.

 

Why reinvent the wheel when a proven design already exists?  :)

 

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