Wheelin a KJ, be honest...

[Jschulte]

I would like to hear from you all about wheelin, crawling, trail riding, expeditions, whatever you do in your KJ.

I'd like to hear your stories, your breakage, carnage, tell me about the weak links you have found!!

I've searched around and found very
little. Id like to see some KJ wheelin pics, video links, whatever you have!!!

I come from a 30 year jeep background, and I'd love to see what a KJ CAN DO!!


I've owned a LOT of jeeps, but probably the most fun rig of all was an XJ on 31's. Idk if the lil liberty can fill the shoes it replaced, I know IFS is a whole different animal, but


SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!!!!!


Thx in advance,
Jason.

 

[jeeplib05]

I don't think any KJ looks better wheeling than mine in this pic.. best one I have crawling over some rough terrain and showing off the fully-flexed machine

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:happy175: obviously kidding- these are some capable trucks and a lot of people look down on KJs when they really are great off-road
TJKJ is one you want to see and I'm sure you will, but many others have wheeled theirs and they've done pretty good for IFS
As for me, haven't gotten a chance to take it for some hard off-road work, but from what I've done it's nice

 

[tjkj2002]

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^^^^Weak link^^^^

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^^^^No more weak link^^^^

 

[jeeptorino68]

i have an XJ on 31s as does my brother in law. i would take our liberty to any of the same places we take the cherokees. the liberty has a 2 inch lift, full skids, sliders, 255/70/16 (30x10) tires and a limited slip. goes wherever i point it.
it does spend more time teetering on 3 wheels in the really twisty sections of trail, but that is expected with IFS might be better if i took of the rear sway bar, but i havent yet, its also a DD. no good pictures for you. sorry

 

[tommudd]

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[HoosierJeeper]

A long time ago...

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I love this vid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftV-uR-fWb0

 

[CzarKJ]

Clearance, approach angle, and small tire size (for those who didn't go big money). Flex is pretty good in the rear but the front hits the stops easy. Take lots of cash to get these off road ready comparatively to other Jeeps.

This is what I learned. Don't get me wrong though. Love mine always gets me to work no matter what and I can still light off road (and some medium).

 

[forcefed44]

Don't get me wrong and I'm not a purist or brand snob. I just drive and build what I like at the shop for it's purposes. But; I don't wheel my Liberty Renegade since I just did the lift last week. Yes, I have an XJ on RE 4.5 and wheel that along with my LRs and soon Gelandewagon TD.. but I am sure the KJ can handle it's due. Some of my crew run a Charade, Samurai, and even a Russian lifted Lada.. now that is a sight.

 

[smittyfromPA]

For what I like to do (easy to moderate trails) its been great. I'm running 31" tires, 2.5" lift, DTT, mud tires, good skids etc and have no issues on most easy to moderate trails. Took it to a Jeep event last year and went on a muddy rutted trail that you were supposed to have 33" tires minimum. Dug a lot of dirt with the skids but made it through. I"ll be trying more difficult trails this year with my addition of a winch. Lots of rock in my area and I've crawled some of the less crazyrocky trails just fine. If I switch my rear trash-lock LSD out for an air locker with the DTT in front it should be super capable.

 

[smittyfromPA]

First time I ever took the KJ to the off-road park.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cuqezf4icjjrukl/Rock_climb.mp4?dl=0

 

[dude1116]

Weak point: stock open difs (fixable), lack of front flex, small tire size (31-32 max), ****** gearing (fixable)

Other than that, I follow my buddies with lifted Wranglers and Cherokees.

Proof:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pifrnudmvq3rbo8/20170226_132136.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gp9zcma8g8ewawy/20170226_133055.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jij0ruhcmkwxj8d/20170226_135804.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jij0ruhcmkwxj8d/20170226_135804.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aqsv3m5t2nlr2z1/20170226_135948.mp4?dl=0

Stuck due to open rear dif and smaller tire size. Also lack of momentum:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9qsh45ek8roisfd/20170226_160353.jpg?dl=0

Stuck due to open rear dif, not using 4WD when I should have:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oayr37pvhd4erk6/20170226_110119.jpg?dl=0

 

[Jschulte]

WOW!!

Many More responses than I expected!!
I'm glad to see the KJs are out on the trails, and I really appreciate all the responses!!!

Now I'm sure someone besides TJKJ has some carnage...

Keep'm coming guys!!!!!!

THANKS!!

 

[Jschulte]

Here's a link to me at the big meat run in '11. 2000 TJ, 8.8 swap, 4.88's, long armed and locked on 35" km2's. I've missed this event the last two years, because of mechanical issues, and last years messy divorce... lol!! I always build a rig for that event, since '09, and the Liberty was the convenient choice this year. grandpa said
"if it has t*ts or tires it'll give u trouble".
Boy was he right....


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LE5RkoAqf-4

I don't have a lot of videos on me, cause I'm always the one with the camera! Lol. I'm gonna have my GoPro with me this year tho. So I'll be able to share some KJ Action...

 

[tommudd]

I'm always taking pictures as well so the few I have are ones taken by someone else and not good ones.
As far as carnage, none on mine ( well always made it home ) but have swapped out a few popped front D30a diffs on others who thought when it started to bounce it was a good idea just to lay on the throttle :happy175:

 

[rjkj2005]

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my 05 sport with tow and off-road package. 3 inches of lift on 265/70/16 bf Goodwrench Rugged Terrains

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Jschulte]

I'm always taking pictures as well so the few I have are ones taken by someone else and not good ones.
As far as carnage, none on mine ( well always made it home ) but have swapped out a few popped front D30a diffs on others who thought when it started to bounce it was a good idea just to lay on the throttle :happy175:

WHEN IN DOUBT, THROTTLE OUT!!! Right? Lol!!!!!

I learned a long time ago, bouncing and hopping tires break stuff....

Any time u get a SLIP-GRIP situation, you best let off and try again!!

What exactly breaks on the front diff? I've broken a few d30 cross pins, and several R&Ps, but the aluminum housing worries me...

 

[krisP]

WHEN IN DOUBT, THROTTLE OUT!!! Right? Lol!!!!!

I learned a long time ago, bouncing and hopping tires break stuff....

Any time u get a SLIP-GRIP situation, you best let off and try again!!

What exactly breaks on the front diff? I've broken a few d30 cross pins, and several R&Ps, but the aluminum housing worries me...

basically the front diff cracks/ shatters hah

 

[Dave]

WHEN IN DOUBT, THROTTLE OUT!!! Right? Lol!!!!!

I learned a long time ago, bouncing and hopping tires break stuff....

Any time u get a SLIP-GRIP situation, you best let off and try again!!

What exactly breaks on the front diff? I've broken a few d30 cross pins, and several R&Ps, but the aluminum housing worries me...

^^that's the weak point. Don't get on the throttle with the front end off the ground. .......BOOM..... Seen it happen.


Dave

 

[tommudd]

WHEN IN DOUBT, THROTTLE OUT!!! Right? Lol!!!!!

I learned a long time ago, bouncing and hopping tires break stuff....

Any time u get a SLIP-GRIP situation, you best let off and try again!!

What exactly breaks on the front diff? I've broken a few d30 cross pins, and several R&Ps, but the aluminum housing worries me...

Throw a TruTrac in it and you'd be pretty good shape
If it has traction more likely not to break
Of course you can break any diff
I know I have a few back in the 70s but that was more from ...watch this ..than using common sense, but was in my 20s who has any at that age .:icon_razz::icon_razz::happy175:

 

[CzarKJ]

No real carnage. Lots of scrapes and dents in the skids though but that's what they are there for.

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20150815_134331 by Timothy C, on Flickr

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20150815_134319 by Timothy C, on Flickr

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20150815_150812 by Timothy C, on Flickr