zeitgeist57 Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Having driven 2.3L/2.5L 4cyl TJ Wranglers in the past, I still stand that - for a highway-cruising DD - they are a fugging hazard. 70mph is a power-absent nightmare and getting passed by traffic makes you wonder why you'd buy one in the first place. That being said, I watch DED as part of the Motor Trend channels I enjoy...stumbled across these vids, loved watching Fred bounce off the rev-limiter all over Hawaii. :lol: Cool vids. THAT BEING SAID . . . . . . . looking at the YT comments ARE YOU KIDDING ME THAT HE PUT $20k IN PARTS ON A 4CYL JEEP?!?!?!? Kills it for me. I'm sure there are cheaper ways to get more robust parts under a Wrangler. Starting out with a Rubicon or at least a 4.0L is a start. Reality is a cold fish. Hope you off-road types enjoy these vids.:thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Something I've not ever done in Hawaii but I have enough insurance capability to roll a Jeep a few times so I might have to look into it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Having driven 2.3L/2.5L 4cyl TJ Wranglers in the past, I still stand that - for a highway-cruising DD - they are a fugging hazard. 70mph is a power-absent nightmare and getting passed by traffic makes you wonder why you'd buy one in the first place. Clay, you know I have no love for the 4cyl wrangler, I do have to defend it a little bit here because you are kind of exhibiting what's wrong with jeep people in general. The original 4cyl YJ wranglers and TJ wrangles that use the old AMC 2.5L 4 cylinder are kind of a hazard in the sense that they make 105hp and 130 ft/lbs (121hp peak in 2002) and are usually under-geared and mated to the awful ax5 or automatic trans. A speed demon or a fuel miser they are not. But then again neither was the original jeep with it's willys Go devil engine cranking out 60hp and 100 ft/lbs. A CJ2A will barely hold 50 mph, but the thing will climb a near vertical sand dune. They were farm equipment, municipal vehicles, delivery vehicles, plows, but in stock trim a highway safe vehicle they never were. The old CJ's are venerated, the 4cyl wranglers despised, yet the 4cyl 2.5L wrangler is every bit as capable or more so as any old stock jeep, even those that carried our grandpas in WWII. The problem was that by 1984 when AMC designed the 150ci 4 cyl it still believed there was a market for people who wanted jeeps like that: cheap simple to operate and maintain vehicular swiss army knives. The problem was that by this time jeep people wanted something cheap they could put a lift on and big tires and just generally dick around with in mud holes. They had no use for a power take off, or a winch, and they didn't want a truck that you could leave outside with no top and doors (plenty of old CJs for that), and they wanted to daily drive it. The best use for a 2.5 4 cylinder wrangler is to keep it totally stock and use it like you would use an old flat fender: deliver food, plow driveways, run local errands. But go troll craigslist and I dare you to find one unmodified 4 cyl wrangler that doesn't have stupid tires and a lift or isn't being parted out. the 2.4 chrysler powered TJs are not as much as a hazard as the 2.5L YJs and TJs but it is still a semi slow vehicle. Everyone expects jeeps to be fast accelerating because of the six cyl and the gearing or because of V-8 swaps. Stripped down I think one of these TJs probably weighs under 3000 lbs and it makes 150hp. A 1993 honda accord makes about the same power (150hp) and weighs about the same (approx 2900lbs) and while nobody is claiming the accord is a speed demon either nobody is saying it's unsafe. Anyway you slice it 4 cyl jeeps are right lane highway fixtures, it's funny that people seem to think they need to be left lane passing everybody in a wrangler that's jacked to the sky and has the aerodynamics of a barn door. THAT BEING SAID . . . . . . . looking at the YT comments ARE YOU KIDDING ME THAT HE PUT $20k IN PARTS ON A 4CYL JEEP?!?!?!? Kills it for me. I'm sure there are cheaper ways to get more robust parts under a Wrangler. Starting out with a Rubicon or at least a 4.0L is a start. Reality is a cold fish. 4 wheel parts put $20K worth of stuff (probably at a wholesale cost of $10K) as a marketing tool to sell people who own jeeps a bunch of crap they don't need. I am sure the advertising generated revenue will more than justify the cost, a fact driven home to me my own desire to search out the nearest 4wd parts store (it's in cleveland if anyone is interested). whether you like it or agree with it or not most of the older jeeps being worked on out there are 4 cylinders, and there are people who like them (not me and not you but they have their place). Nothing wrong with catering to that audience a little bit, it's a "dream truck" most underdog 4 cyl guys will never get to in their own project - let them have their day. Honestly another lifted rubicon or v8 swapped wrangler project is kind of a yawn fest anyway, been done to death. TL;DR version: Jeep people are stupid, people expect too much of 4 cyl wranglers, DED tube sock project was kind of different and neat and not just another cookie cutter marketing tool despite being built to be a marketing tool, and haters gotta hate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillbot Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 What he said ^ I doubt he put hat much into it, and the advertisers are inflating the prices most likely. DED and Fred are one of my favorites aside from roadkill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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