To rubi or not to rubi

jivesis

New member
Hi guys, well I'm getting a new jk and was wondering if I should get a rubi or not. My jk at the mo has 3.8, 37s, f&r e lockers and 5:13 gears.. The new one I want to run f&r lockers, evo sliders, evo 3" lift and 37s also..

So is the extra 6-7 thousand worth it? Will I need to re gear for 37s and if so will the lockers still be ok? And is the e disco good or does it limit flex to a degree? Compared to Jks quick dis? I like the idea of the Dana 44 and the rockcrawling transfer case. Or is the money better spent on two lockers, upgrade axle, gears, Jks quick discos?
 

pastorwug

New member
Hi guys, well I'm getting a new jk and was wondering if I should get a rubi or not. My jk at the mo has 3.8, 37s, f&r e lockers and 5:13 gears.. The new one I want to run f&r lockers, evo sliders, evo 3" lift and 37s also..

So is the extra 6-7 thousand worth it? Will I need to re gear for 37s and if so will the lockers still be ok? And is the e disco good or does it limit flex to a degree? Compared to Jks quick dis? I like the idea of the Dana 44 and the rockcrawling transfer case. Or is the money better spent on two lockers, upgrade axle, gears, Jks quick discos?

The Rubicon is well worth your money - you're going to end up spending way more in the end to duplicate what you get with the Rubicon.
I wouldn't run 37s without re-gearing unless you get a manual shift and enjoy slipping the clutch constantly.
You're pushing a Dana 30 to run 37s and do rockcrawling - though there are people who do that here. :twocents:
 
As Pastorwug stated spend now and have everything you want right off the get go. Be sure to check the gear ratio in the axles before purchasing. If it is an auto chances are high that it will come with 3.73 gears whereas the manuals will come with 4.10 gears.

By the time you purchase the gears, lockers with installation labor and new transfer case you are at the price of a Rubicon.

When I purchased my Jeep I did not know any difference and had I did a Rubicon would be sitting in my driveway instead of a Sport that I am putting money into just to get it where I want.

R/
Will
 

RedRum

New member
I just went thru this and with the equity I had in my jeep ( after stripping all my parts and returning to stock ) only equalled a 6k difference to go from a 2dr sport 6spd with a soft top to a fairly loaded rubicon with a hard top ... The 6k was well worth it as priciest out having lockers gears and upgraded t case it was a no brainer !

Also if you want an auto with 4.10s you'll most likely have to order it like I had too ... None within 500 miles of dealership
 
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Napalm

New member
I regret not getting a Rubicon, but I am too happy with the progress of my '14 Sport to start over.

I did get the 3.73s though.
 

Texas Nick

Caught the Bug
i agree with everyone saying go with a Rubicon. seeing as how your aslo going to be changing some stuff out, your stock rubi parts will fetch you a little bit more change than stock sport/sahara stuff. so that will already help a little with your next upgrades like the 37s or the enforcer lift as stated.
 

MR.Ty

Token East Coast Guy
Any extra $6-7k? Yikes! If that is from a dealer Id shop else where. I bought my 14 Rubicon for 3k more than a comparable Sport (Nav, cruise control etc).

Something else to consider is the resale value of the Rubicon parts.
Complete front and rear axles go from $3-4k. Wheels and tires go for $1k. And the transfer case can get you $1k as well.

If you got a good deal when youve bought it, you have already recouped money you spent and now have cash towards bigger and better things.
 

MICP3309

Member
I had this same debate, and ultimately went Rubicon. the 4:1 T-case is a huge difference over the Sport. I have 37s on the 4.10 gears with manual, and have no problems with shifting, or the clutch. On hills on the interstate, I do have to shift down to 5th to maintain 70-75 mph. The e lockers work good, and the disco is outstanding. Though my E-disco motor broke, the 85$ EVO no-limits mod for the disco means i still have the same function, just turn a knob by hand; without having to worry about securing the sway bar away while riding.

Additionally I love my heated seats (was only option in rubicon or sahara) on those cooler mornings when i have no doors!

And what everyone says is absolutely true, I have 4500$ for my Axles (leaving lockers and gears in) to offset my PR60 upgrade.

The way I looked at is was, I can wheel like I want to now, with the eLockers. And 4:1 T-case when out with my friend in his sport, i can very easily crawl up and down terrane that he has troubles with as far as working the gas / brake / clutch with the sport T-case.

Hope this helped. Either way you'll definitely love the 3.6 over the 3.8!!
 

Reaper

New member
If i did it again i would have gone with the rubicon....:drinks:

I did it again and went with the Rubicon.....Started looking at the things i wanted to add to my sport and was wondering why i went with the sport since most of the things were in the rubicon...
 

8jku9

New member
Hi guys, well I'm getting a new jk and was wondering if I should get a rubi or not. My jk at the mo has 3.8, 37s, f&r e lockers and 5:13 gears.. The new one I want to run f&r lockers, evo sliders, evo 3" lift and 37s also..

So is the extra 6-7 thousand worth it? Will I need to re gear for 37s and if so will the lockers still be ok? And is the e disco good or does it limit flex to a degree? Compared to Jks quick dis? I like the idea of the Dana 44 and the rockcrawling transfer case. Or is the money better spent on two lockers, upgrade axle, gears, Jks quick discos?



It really boils down to what you plan to do with it. I know some people here that have a rubicon, and the only thing they left that was actually stock is the transfer case and electronic disco. With 37's you dont have to regear, but you might as well. The new rubicons do not come with 4.10s stock, its actually an option now, so you can always just not pay for the 4.10s and use that money towards the regear. I absolutely love my rubi, and everyone i meet that doesnt have one, regrets not getting one. ok ok so not everyone, but a majority will agree. The price difference really isnt that much.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
As others have mentioned, if you can afford it, get a Rubicon. Our first JK was a Rubicon and we loved it and when it came time to buy a second, we decided to get a bare bones X (sport) and build it up. Trust me, you don't save much if anything going this route. When the new 2012's came out, we decided to buy one and made sure to get it as a Rubicon. If needed, the axles can be sold for a pretty penny or, if you can't afford to build up right away, they do come with lockers and will allow you to have a lot of fun right out of the box. The 4:1 transfer case is something you simply cannot buy aftermarket for cheap. It is well worth the money and I can say the same about the e-disco.
 

RedRum

New member
As many have said looking back I wish I just went rubicon but the sport was a great practice jeep and hey hold their value so well and learning what and what not to invest in makes a big difference IMO, the people who say it's cheaper I upgrade a sport either Rent being realistic or have a great supply guy and do all of the labor themselves ( which my hats off to you ) but on the east coast finding a reputable shop and paying it's way more expensive
 

aermotor

Member
I bought a Sahara almost 5 years and have since upgraded to Rubi axles and new gears. Yes I don't have e-disconnect or the transfer case but it only cost me $2500 and she will play with the rest of them.
 

jivesis

New member
Ok awesome, I'll look at ordering a rubi.. So would the 4:10 in the 3.6 auto be ok for 37s due to the new motor and gear box because I needed 5:13s for the 37s in my 3.8 auto now.?
 
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