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Am I the first or last to hear

1K views 31 replies 13 participants last post by  **DONOTDELETE** 
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#1 ·
I talked to a friend of mine this weekend that happens to do alot of work for Currie. While out west a couple of weeks ago, testing some new components on his TJ, he bumped into a few Jeep engineers in what looked like new TJs. He got to poking around and started noticing a few changed parts. A different dash design and a few small things like that were first but then he crawled underneath and noticed some other more important things. He saw a small hose sticking out of the differentials and so he asked the engineers about them. He said they were reluctant at first to tell him anything about them but finally told him they were factory Jeep air lockers that ran off of about 6 psi. They also told him that they were trying out a new Jeep 4 to 1 transfercase that was hooked up to front and rear D44s. He then asked them if this was just some project stuff that would never see the production line and they made it seem like these component were in the last phase before production. Anyone else hear of such things or have I just been in a cave?

Phillip S. Losh

 
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#4 ·
You have been in a cave alright, and probably smoking some pretty strange stuff. What a divergence that would be! I can't even imagine a car manufacturer giving the public what they really want. You were probably just having a wild dream about what a stock Jeep should be. I could go further about similar type dreams, but that would be inappropriate in mixed company/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif

Cage Up, Wheels Down
Jeepfiend
All my Jeeps are in pieces! Except for one!!
 
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#5 ·
I have heard rumors of jeep offering a new "offroad-e-r" Tj thats suppose to be out around 2004.. But All I read was that it was to have D44's, I don't remember anything else... I think it was in a magazine..

 
#7 ·
I've heard the same thing, a good friend of mine was working at Camp Jeep this year, and he said that he was speaking with some Jeep engineers who said they were going to have a "Rubicon Edition" TJ, with exactly what you described, air lockers & 44's front & rear.

Seems a little too co-incidental to me that your description exactly matched what I've heard to not have some merits, but I'll still believe it when I see it.

The only other thing that made me think a little about this, is that this summer is the 50th anniversary of the Jeepers Jamboree on the Rubicon trail.

They will be giving away a Jeep this year. Given that some other years they have given away a special "Jamboree" edition & a 25 year edition, what do you think the chances of a "Rubicon" TJ being the prize this year..... Hmmmm....

-Mel

http://www.in2jeeps.com
"The only makeup I wear is never-seez"
 
#8 ·
I doubt it. The car companies tend to be very secretive when even photographing new vehicles that will go into production. Concept vehicles are another matter, they like to show them off to get public reaction.

I work on a Navy Base in the middle of a National Park (Acadia) up here. Volvo managed to CLOSE THE PARK ROAD while they photographed a new car. By the time we were allowed to pass by, 20 minutes had passed and the car was completely shrouded in tarps.

The Volvo below was a support vehicle, very sharp, and one I'd almost think of getting if it was a Turbo and all wheel drive. To my knowledge, Volvo never made a pickup truck style, almost like a modern El-Camino.





JEEPN
Winter Harbor, Maine
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled, It's a Jeep, Chevy, IHC kinda thing!
'88.5 Zuki, 7" Lift, Locked, Swamped, Rolled, and just generally broken in right!
 
#9 ·
I would say if DC does listen to it's customers and come out with a jeep we really want then the least we can do is increase our efforts in fighting for places to wheel it. Otherwise it's too little too late. I'm for one is for making Afghanistan a state park for OHV use. Oh, the wheeling possibilities... /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif


'91 YJ w/stuff, http://members.home.net/t.molnar
 
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#11 ·
This was touched on, but can anyone imagine how much it would cost?

Take a 4.0L Jeep TJ with 44 rear axle. Add $1500 for another 44 front axle (because they'll charge at least twice what anything is really worth). So by that measure, it'll add another $2000 for the ARBs...Maybe some safety mods to keep the bean counters happy, so there's another ???couple hundred? A little suspension modification and lifting...there's another wad o' cash. I'm guessing we're talking about a $5000 option. Then, you can bet dealers will do dealer installed options (brushguards, winches, etc.) I'm betting one of these will roll out the door costing $10K more than a non rubicon edition.

I Jeep, therefore I am.
 
#12 ·
Yes you have been in a cave, I have been hearing this rumor since 98, "my friends dad knows a guy who is an engineer at DC, they will have a V8, FI with D44,4:1 and lockers in a Rubicon edition by 2000", "no really, its true". Come Awn, they are not goint to give the public lockers, when they dont even try to sell the TJ to the demographic public that actually will ever take a TJ off road. The fact that the coils, work great off road, I can almost certainly say was only an afterthought of giving it better road handeling capabilities, so mom would like it as a second car.
Ill tell you what though, if they ever even have enough consideration of what potential owners/drivers want in off road rig, that they finaly get rid of that piece of crap slip yoke on the NP231 and offer it with a factory SYE, or if they even offer locking hubs as an option, then....maybe Ill consider that someday you may see lockers as an option.
Of course Mickey Mouse will probably be president in the make believe land we will have to be living in.

Jeff
89 YJ
Adversity is imminent, versatility is mandatory, misery is optional.
 
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#13 ·
I would think that a Rubicon Ready model would come with a rock stacking appendange on the front instead of lockers and better gearing.Isnt that how everthing else that is STOCK makes it through the trail!!

It's as close to a 1ton as it can get and still be a jeep!!! Gotta love it!!
 
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#14 ·
Jeff, Hell may be freezing over...
No, not the lockers factory in a TJ...the Mickeymouse thing. I was looking at a picture of Bush the other day, and the resemblence is downright scary...Mickey's illegitimate child? Possibly!!!

(Don't flame, it's a joke...I like Bush as much as the next guy.)

I Jeep, therefore I am.
 
#15 ·
im with h8 on this one..
you expect that to come from an auto maker.. the same bunch that gave us driving lights.. automatic door locks.. windows that only roll down 1/3 of the way... a push button for 4 wheel drive.. shiiiiiiiiaaatt.. give me a break.. we the people are just too damn dumb/lazy to ever have the opportunity to purchase something like that..

http://www.jeepgod.net

survival is instinct, but living takes guts
 
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#17 ·
yes I totally agree, if they listened to what actualy jeep owners have to say, then that model would be one kick arse jeep. I would sell the TJ, and buy one if they did something like that. customers have the most experience with the product. not some mercedes driving exec in a suit

"Roads? Where we're going; we don't need...roads"
 
#18 ·
Thats just the point, "Customers, have the most experience with the product", and 99% of the Tj customers want a nice cushy ride, with ammenities and looks like a Jeep. That is what they got and what they will continue to get. DC is not gonna retool for an already profitable model, for the 1% that actually take it off road.
Their R&D may experiment with tempting doo dads, and they may send out a handfull of teasers at car shows and SEMA, but thats it.
Like I said, there are a few things they could do for almost nothing, if they really were interested one iota in pleasing the off road crowd with their product, when they do that, Ill maybe start to listen to the other fairy tales.

Jeff
89 YJ
Adversity is imminent, versatility is mandatory, misery is optional.
 
#19 ·
H8 has a point and I woudl like to take it one step further. Lets say that the image the customers want is that of a go anywhere Jeep. What better than to make a few custom jobs that look like standard TJs, but kick some serious...rock.

I would bet that there are such vehicle, but I doubt we'll be buying them at the local dealer any time soon.

Fritz

Jeep...need I say more?
 
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#20 ·
I find this hard to belive it just seems to inconsistant DC is making Chrysler use the Mercedies9what ever the model is) platform when Chrysler redesigns the Grand Cherokee,so why would they let Chrysler make expensive changes to a product that alreadt sells well? And DC doesn't really care at all about the off road capabilities of thier products, they just care about the saleability of thier products to the yuppie market.

Take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.
 
#22 ·
May be true to some respects. I work at a Jeep dealership and they have told us that they are coming out with a new Wrangler 2003 or 2004. It is supposed to be more like the CJ in a lot of ways. They did not elaborate on this, so I don't really know what that means. But, in any event look for something new in a couple of years.


Nick,
80 CJ
81 Scrambler
89 Wrangler
Still looking for the next one.

Nick
1980 CJ7 304/4" lift/33" Tires/Locked
1981 Scrambler/A Project for the future
 
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#24 ·
Well guys it seems I have been in a cave. I appreciate all the opinions and the few facts. I hadn't heard anything about a "Rubicon Edition" TJ before I started reading the replys. There must be a few out there because my friend saw them and touched them and he is very knowledgeable and trustworthy. I know that the engineers said the lockers were not ARBs but Jeep positive pressure (6 psi) actuated lockers. I have owned 12 Jeeps but never bought one new. I will by one of these if they come out. Yes, real Jeeps are built not bought but they are built because you can't buy them set up to handle what you put them through. These "Rubicon Edition" TJs sound like we are finally getting some recognition. Be hopefull and positive and show support. Jeep sees how much they lose to the aftermarket companies: millions. Think of this as another way for them to make more money. I would gladdly pay a little more for a Jeep set-up with everything from my want list and still have a warranty. Good day!

Phillip S. Losh
'78 CJ-7
'79 Cherokee Chief
'53 CJ-3a
'95 Cherokee
'77 Cehrokee NT
and hopefully a '83 CJ-7 on Saturday


For those of you that are ever doubting, pretend this never happened.

 
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