School Me on Long Wheelbase Jeeps

06MegaCab

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2013
Location
Indian Land
So Ive been dreaming lately and Im looking to buy a jeep in a year or so once I get out of school. I really like these longer wheelbase jeeps but I want to know the downsides to them.

Which is better for wheeling the 2 door "LJ" or the 4 door? I have found a few 4 doors (rarely) that I can get into for around 15,000 and tend to find the same with the LJ so im starting to toy with both.

If I can find both for close to the same price is the 4 door worth going for over the LJ?
How much longer is the 4 door than the LJ?
Is one harder to navigate trails with than the other?
Is the longer wheelbase worth the trade off for what I am guessing is more difficult trail navigation?
Are they more difficult/expensive to mod?

Also any other 2 cents/problems that anyone has run into are very welcome.

Thanks,
Austin
 
I would say it all depends on the end product you are looking for. If its for dd and a family I would base off the jk. If you want a wheeler keep your eye open for a rubicon lj that has lived the mall crawler life.

Be cautious of the first v6 jk models, the later ones have more power. Nothing can be said for the ol 4.0 that isn't common knowledge.

Post up some of your intentions and you'll get more advice than you want. And you'll notice during your search that a jeep holds its value as bad as a Harley.
 
Get the JKU.

Yes, it's longer.

I've been wheeling mine for 2 years and have no problem hanging with the TJs and LJs.

Check out jkowners.com or a similiar forum. This topic has been discussed 10000x.
 
I will definitely check that out. I got married about 2 weeks ago so I am thinking that if I end up in the 4 door then I will be able to fight a little harder to keep it long term because it is more family oriented.

As far as the value, I have noticed while searching for jeeps that when looking at them you have to be ready to haggle through the "I love this thing so much and don't NEED to sell it" and "BUILT TJ with TONS of upgrades." The latter typically ends up just being a stock TJ with every bolt on accessory you can think of which somehow adds $6,000 to the price of it.
 
06MegaCab said:
As far as the value, I have noticed while searching for jeeps that when looking at them you have to be ready to haggle through the "I love this thing so much and don't NEED to sell it" and "BUILT TJ with TONS of upgrades." The latter typically ends up just being a stock TJ with every bolt on accessory you can think of which somehow adds $6,000 to the price of it.
Click to expand...

noticed that, huh?
 
I'd vote JKU also and I have owned both TJ's and a LJ. The JK's are very capable and if you are going to DD it they have a few extra creature comforts. I wouldn't worry about the power thing as the 3.8 in the JK's is fine. It's no power monster but it moves mine around on 40's just fine. It's power is just at a different RPM range than the old 4.0's.
 
ABadJeeper said:
I'd vote JKU also and I have owned both TJ's and a LJ. The JK's are very capable and if you are going to DD it they have a few extra creature comforts. I wouldn't worry about the power thing as the 3.8 in the JK's is fine. It's no power monster but it moves mine around on 40's just fine. It's power is just at a different RPM range than the old 4.0's.
Click to expand...

Understandable- Ive always been a "if you gear it low enough itll be fine" kinda guy haha
 
JKU all the way. I never had any problems navigating any trails. I sold mine well built and well beaten for $17000. I will own another one someday but will probably be a 2 door because the kids are all gone.
 
Yeah the thing that is killing me is that I have to wait. The wife and I just bought a house and the down payment doesnt go down until its finished in October. Then we spend the rest to get rid of her school loans. Then I have to finish law school, take the bar, and get a job. Essentially all I am doing is torturing myself for a year but I figured it would be a good time to research everything and make some new 4x4 buddies until I can afford it.
 
06MegaCab said:
I got married about 2 weeks ago so I am thinking that if I end up in the 4 door then I will be able to fight a little harder to keep it long term because it is more family oriented.
Click to expand...

Get the four door if kids are in your near future. Once my son was born, my 2-door Tahoe would sometimes sit a month or more without being driven. After about 6 months of little use, I sold it. It became a useless vehicle to me overnight after my son was born.
 
drkelly said:
Get the four door if kids are in your near future. Once my son was born, my 2-door Tahoe would sometimes sit a month or more without being driven. After about 6 months of little use, I sold it. It became a useless vehicle to me overnight after my son was born.
Click to expand...

Yeah this is the same thing that I am thinking. I want to wait a while for the kids but she is an only child and Im the oldest in my family so the pressure is on to have kids. I mean we didnt even get done with the wedding before we started getting nagged about it. Honestly it was a weeeee bit creepy.
 
I own a LJ and personally have no love for JKs, but I agree with everyone else that the 4dr is the best option if kids are expected within the next few years.
 
If you are trying to have kids I guess the responsible thing would be get the 4 door.

I however decided to go all crazy even though we have 2 kids and get the 2 door.

why do you ask? because we also have a sedan for long trips or whatever if we need the room.

Plus 4 door wranglers look like hummers to me. I don't dispute their capability once modified.
 
Well really I was asking because it seems like I can get one or the other for close to the same price point and I was just wondering if the 4 door was obnoxious to navigate trails with because of the length (so then wondering how much shorter the LJ is (I think its like 10" or so shorter than the 4 door)).

Then it sort of turned into the family discussion because I think too far into the future and realized that if I have a vehicle that is hard to get kids in and out of then if I have kids I will fall into the category of "Hey guys I have a kid on the way so the wife says its time for the jeep to go." Although I DO have a megacab that will fit em just fine.

Really I just wanted to know if the added length of the 4 door jeep bred blind spots, issues getting stuck between trees, harder to navigate through obstacles etc. The last jeep I owned I modded until I got to the point where I had to stretch it and I really just didnt have the time/steady hand/confidence to cut body panels without them looking like megalodon bit my rear fender so it never happened. If I bought one of these newer LWB jeeps I wouldnt have to deal with that and I would have a nice clean look.

Plus 4 door JK's modded the right way are just down right sexy.
 
I find the added wheelbase helps in many situations. I can get my front tires over an obstacle (first ledge on Daniel as an example) where they can grab and my shorter wb buddies can't make the same obstacle as easy. It's more stable on climbs and descents as well.

But shorter wheelbase has some advantages too. Trying to "zig zag" through a rock field or an obstacle for example.

Plus the Jks are "flatter on the belly to begin with so although the added wheelbase needs more lift for the same clearance, I think lifting a JK and getting more clearance is easier than in a TJ/LJ.

I have had 2 TJs and the current JKU.

The first few times out in the JKU I described it as "going to prom in a sumo suit" but I'm used to it now and can go anywhere I could have gone in my TJ. Jks are also 5" wider than TJs/LJs.
 
Clean"ish":
achrisahughes.smugmug.com_photos_i_w2vGdpC_0_X2_i_w2vGdpC_X2.jpg


Dirty:
achrisahughes.smugmug.com_photos_i_wHdZtxk_0_XL_i_wHdZtxk_XL.jpg
 
Man I am jealous of that jeep. Im gonna start pinching the pennies even harder now.

I guess driving what is essentially a tour bus (my truck) for 8 years will probably help me cope with the longer jeep. I just know that you have to be a little more methodical and slow through the trails and was wondering if I would rather zip along and not worry about it. I guess its all up to the wait now....maybe I should start hoarding parts just for fun until then haha. :huggy:
 
To people that haven't wheeled one, it's a big deal. To me, it's no big deal. I've been to The Flats, Uwharrie, Mountain City, Harlan, etc and it's fine.
 
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