What is required to make a ENJOYABLE trip down the rubicon?

Hey guys,
I have a 2012 JKU Rubicon. In the next three years I want to build it up to be able to take on the Rubicon and any other trail out there that's close to its difficulty. Im looking for a build list of what needs to be done. Here is my list as of now. I would like to hear your opinions on the products Im thinking about and add any you think I need. If you have something Bad to say about a product please tell me why and give me another product you would recommend and why. Thanks guys! I look forward to seeing yall!

(lift) Rock Krawler or Evo 2.5"-4"
(Wheels) Hutchinson bead locks 17x8.5
(tires) good year wrangler 37" mt/r kevlars
I have a smittybilt front singer stubby, but after reading about smittybilt quality I might end up going for some poison spyder stufflike
(front bumper) poison spyder brawler light
(rear bumper) poison spyder rock brawler with tire carrier
(rocker) poison spyder brawler rocker sliders
(cage) rock hard bolt on sport cage
(skids) river raider complete skids for the 4 door
(winch) Warn Power Plant

Reaper said:

What is required to make a ENJOYABLE trip down the rubicon?

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An understanding and willingness to take your time and enjoy the beautiful scenery and the friends you have with you.

I have a 2012 JKU Rubicon. In the next three years I want to build it up to be able to take on the Rubicon and any other trail out there that's close to its difficulty. Im looking for a build list of what needs to be done. Here is my list as of now. I would like to hear your opinions on the products Im thinking about and add any you think I need. If you have something Bad to say about a product please tell me why and give me another product you would recommend and why. Thanks guys! I look forward to seeing yall!

(lift) Rock Krawler or Evo 2.5"-4"
(Wheels) Hutchinson bead locks 17x8.5
(tires) good year wrangler 37" mt/r kevlars
I have a smittybilt front singer stubby, but after reading about smittybilt quality I might end up going for some poison spyder stufflike
(front bumper) poison spyder brawler light
(rear bumper) poison spyder rock brawler with tire carrier
(rocker) poison spyder brawler rocker sliders
(cage) rock hard bolt on sport cage
(skids) river raider complete skids for the 4 door
(winch) Warn Power Plant

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You can run the trail in a stock Rubicon if you really wanted to but I typically recommend no less than 2.5" of lift and 35" tires. Based on your build list, you will have more than enough to do it and with ease.

Of the stuff you have listed, I would recommend this:

1. Look into different bead lock wheels. Hutchenson's look great but they leak... a LOT and they have too much back spacing which will result in rubbing issues. For the money, I personally would consider an ATX Slab or Chamber Pro II as they have the best designed locking ring - it is super thick, uses big counter sunk bolts and when installed, sits metal to metal.
2. I would recommend you look at a different set of tires. While I love the look of MTR's and so wanted to like them, they were by far the WORST tire I have ever run. They are difficult to balance, track funny on the highway due to their directional like design and have very weak sidewalls.
3. I would save your money and NOT get the River Raider skids. First off, there's no reason you need to replace your factory skids with expensive aftermarket ones. Trust me, I have been running the same factory skids for the last 9 years and they're still holding up just fine. Second, I have seen where the River Raiders transfer case skid tacoed under a big hit the way a factory skid will not. If you have an automatic, I would recommend that you ADD an oil pan skid as there is none as well as something to protect your transmission cooler line and sump pan. I personally would recommend an EVO ProTek skid for both as they protect just what you need and nothing else.
4. While I LOVE my WARN PowerPlant, I've been seeing and hearing where more and more people are having problems with theirs. I might recommend a 9.5ti or a new Xeon unit instead and just get an ARB compressor.
5. I personally don't like the Poison Spyder rocker guards as I have seen where they bend up on a big hit, do damage to the body and or get so bent that you can't open the doors. Otherwise, their other stuff is all nice.

Outside of that, I think you're good to go. Just get a good recovery kit to add to your list.

Go with EVO lift. RK kit has some baggage that you have to deal with that you don't have to with the EVO kit.

Might want to take a look at ATX Slabs or Chamber Pro's for wheels. (Haha - Eddie beat me to it.) I looked at the wheels for a while like you and
decided on the Chamber Pro's. The Hutchinson's look like a bitch to install as well. Also - you may want to check out the new Machetes from KMD - they
look badass.

what tires do you recommend over the wranglers mt/r

Reaper said:

what tires do you recommend over the wranglers mt/r

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Me personally, I have always had great performance with Toyo MT's. I really am enjoying the new Cooper Discoverer STT Pro's that I have on my Renegade and of course, Nitto Trail Grapplers are a good choice too.

wayoflife said:

Me personally, I have always had great performance with Toyo MT's. I really am enjoying the new Cooper Discoverer STT Pro's that I have on my Renegade and of course, Nitto Trail Grapplers are a good choice too.

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Between Nitto/Toyo, which is the better as far as needing least amount of balancing? Toyo?

Ddays said:

Between Nitto/Toyo, which is the better as far as needing least amount of balancing? Toyo?

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Funny thing is, Toyo is the parent company of Nitto. Needless to say, Toyo makes Nitto tires. That being said, to this day, I have NEVER balanced a single one of the Toyo MT's I have owned over the years. I have literally mounted them up on my bead lock wheels and they've always been round. I can't say the same with the multiple sets of Trail Grapplers I have run over the years.

Just pick up a good set of ear plugs and a set of Mud Grapplers.

The 35" Mud Grapplers I ran on 18" Spyderlock beadlocks were similar to Eddie's experience with Toyo M/T tires. Mount them and go, really needed no balancing. Smooth on the highway despite the noise. But they were a heavy load range E tire.

highoctane said:

Just pick up a good set of ear plugs and a set of Mud Grapplers.

The 35" Mud Grapplers I ran on 18" Spyderlock beadlocks were similar to Eddie's experience with Toyo M/T tires. Mount them and go, really needed no balancing. Smooth on the highway despite the noise. But they were a heavy load range E tire.

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Funny you should say as much because I would concur with you that the Mud Grapplers are round as well. Noisy for sure but mine didn't need balancing.

I would not bag on the SRC bumper just yet, I think Smitty has turned around in the last decade and they have been doing some much better stuff, and better finish and quality. I think replacing a bumper should be lower on the priority list I agree with Eddie on the MTR sidewalls, but I would say run what you have to the ground (not many rocks in FL), and have a good spare and a tire repair trail kit.

I would definitely relocate and protect anything that is low hanging on the rig, like the evap box, and protect the gas tank and muffler area. For the Rubicon, bring at a minimum with your group front spare shafts and joints. Beef up your steering area and a sector shaft brace or additional protection can go a long way.

Get info on local clubs and repair shops (also while making the thread across the US if you are planning to drive your rig), so you are not caught by surprise when something fail in the group. No matter how prepared you are, something always happens

Most of all have fun!

Gui

wayoflife said:

An understanding and willingness to take your time and enjoy the beautiful scenery and the friends you have with you.

2. I would recommend you look at a different set of tires. While I love the look of MTR's and so wanted to like them, they were by far the WORST tire I have ever run. They are difficult to balance, track funny on the highway due to their directional like design and have very weak sidewalls.

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Im 100% in agreement with this. I had 5 37" MTRs, two of which got rips in the sidewalls. They had no 37s in the country, moved up to 38 MTRs, and while they look great, one had sidewall issues right from the manufacturer.

I would not want to run the Rubicon with my MTRs, just too much risk of losing a tire.

wayoflife said:

4. While I LOVE my WARN PowerPlant, I've been seeing and hearing where more and more people are having problems with theirs. I might recommend a 9.5ti or a new Xeon unit instead and just get an ARB compressor.

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Eddie what have you heard? I love my Powerplant, but would love to know beforehand of any potential problems...

geberhard said:

I would not bag on the SRC bumper just yet, I think Smitty has turned around in the last decade and they have been doing some much better stuff, and better finish and quality. I think replacing a bumper should be lower on the priority list I agree with Eddie on the MTR sidewalls, but I would say run what you have to the ground (not many rocks in FL), and have a good spare and a tire repair trail kit.

I would definitely relocate and protect anything that is low hanging on the rig, like the evap box, and protect the gas tank and muffler area. For the Rubicon, bring at a minimum with your group front spare shafts and joints. Beef up your steering area and a sector shaft brace or additional protection can go a long way.

Get info on local clubs and repair shops (also while making the thread across the US if you are planning to drive your rig), so you are not caught by surprise when something fail in the group. No matter how prepared you are, something always happens

Most of all have fun!

Gui

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Hmm over the last three years I haven't added a gas tank skid, relocated my evap, don't have a sector shaft brace and haven't "beefed up" my steering area. I've had no issues in the rubicon. Maybe you know something I don't.

Ddays said:

Go with EVO lift. RK kit has some baggage that you have to deal with that you don't have to with the EVO kit.

Might want to take a look at ATX Slabs or Chamber Pro's for wheels. (Haha - Eddie beat me to it.) I looked at the wheels for a while like you and
decided on the Chamber Pro's. The Hutchinson's look like a bitch to install as well. Also - you may want to check out the new Machetes from KMD - they
look badass.

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Like this?? KMC XD series Machete on 37" Cooper Discoverer STT PRO.

Don't take this as a knock cuz those are nice wheels, but I was referring to the true beadlock version like these. Not available to the public yet but might be worth the wait.

Ddays said:

Don't take this as a knock cuz those are nice wheels, but I was referring to the true beadlock version like these. Not available to the public yet but might be worth the wait.

View attachment 185625

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Well.......the KMC Machetes in this photo are sort of never going to be available to the general public. But I know what you are saying, when KMC begins producing the forged version of this wheel then yes, they will have been worth the wait. EVO1's Gold KMC's are billet milled custom pieces produced for the KMC team guys just for the Baja 1000. Badass wheel nonetheless :thumb:

GCM 2 said:

Well.......the KMC Machetes in this photo are sort of never going to be available to the general public. But I know what you are saying, when KMC begins producing the forged version of this wheel then yes, they will have been worth the wait. EVO1's Gold KMC's are billet milled custom pieces produced for the KMC team guys just for the Baja 1000. Badass wheel nonetheless :thumb:

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That makes sense because there was something about the look of those wheels that was screaming expen$ive besides the gold color. Thanks for the info!

I would think about a different rear bumper if I were you. I ran one and with 35s it was great and I had zero complaints. However when I jumped to 37s it started to get noticeably louder. I eventually went to a 40 and needless to say within a few months it was off because it rattled like crazy. Ive since moved to EVO carrier and way more sturdy.

I would also agree about rethinking the tires. I have the 40 MTR and I dont think they are worth the price at all. I have a couple friends with the TG 40s and they run circles around the MTRs. The MTRs seem to go wayyy down hill quick when they get dirt in them.

You should regear your axles too for the 37" tires..

GCM 2 said:

Well.......the KMC Machetes in this photo are sort of never going to be available to the general public. But I know what you are saying, when KMC begins producing the forged version of this wheel then yes, they will have been worth the wait. EVO1's Gold KMC's are billet milled custom pieces produced for the KMC team guys just for the Baja 1000. Badass wheel nonetheless :thumb:

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He's back! Those wheels on Evo 1 for the Baja 500 look absolutely awesome. Drew had told me to wait a few months before ordering my wheels if I wanted to maybe go with something new and get a set of the new Machete beadlocks, but I ultimately went with the Slabs so I could have the 3.5" backspacing. PLus I REALLY like the look of the black Slabs with the bare aluminum ring. Don't know if I'm correct but I think I recall the backspacing on the new Machete beadlocks being mentioned as something like 4.5"? Those Dynaloc stub hubs on Evo 1 look to be almost out as far as the beadlock ring.