JL Rubicon Build plan

/ Jeep, Outdoors, Wheeling

Update: We ended up buying a 2025 Wrangler, but I’m keeping these notes here for now…

This is a live post that I plan to update over time to keep track on our Jeep Wrangler JL Rubicon build plans. This is to help me organize my thoughts and have a checklist to refer back to later. The purpose of this Jeep will be an off-road recreation vehicle setup for trails up to a difficulty level of 8, while remaining street legal and relatively safe and comfortable on the freeway for getting to and from remote trail destinations.

1 – Status

  • Researched what to buy based on our intended use
  • Test drove several vehicles, including Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, and Toyota 4Runner
  • Considered modifying our 2025 Toyota 4Runner (Off-Road Premium trim) to handle more difficult trails, but decided to keep the 4Runner setup for other purposes (daily/family driving, hauling/towing, long road-trips, etc.)
  • Determined that a JL series Wrangler will probably be the best starting point for our intended purposes
  • Purchase a 2025 Wrangler

2 – Starting point

This is my “must have” list for shopping:

  • 2021-2025 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
  • 2-door
  • Part-time 4WD system
  • Automatic transmission
  • 2.0L I4 turbo engine
  • Adaptive cruise control/braking
  • No damage or other signs of abuse
  • Under 30K miles
  • Mechanically stock OEM/unmodified
  • Pertinent maintenance records provided
  • No accident history (clean Carfax report)

For our purposes, I believe that the best platform to start from is a Jeep Wrangler JL series, Rubicon trim. More specifically, our “must have” list includes a model year 2021 to 2025 two-door variant with the automatic (not manual) transmission, 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo engine, part-time (not full-time) 4WD, and adaptive cruise control (optional 2021-2023, standard 2024-1025). Ideally, I would like a white Jeep with color-matched hard-top, but this is not a must have. For anything that we look at that is used, I will be looking for less than 30,000 miles with evidence that the vehicle was maintained well and not mechanically abused, with a clean Carfax report.

Starting with a Rubicon trim, the vehicle should include front and rear Dana44s with lockers and a sway bar disconnect system (a combination of features unique to the stock Rubicon trim). We will look for non-4XE (non-hybrid), non 392 (non-V8 engine), and non-X trim/package, which are Rubicon variants. The 4XE adds additional complexity, weight, and various issues with little upside for our intended use. The 392 has it’s own unique issues, only adding additional power that is beyond what is needed for our intended use. The “X” trim (also marketed as a package in the 2025 Wrangler brochure) bundles the full-time 4WD system, which adds unneeded failure points for our intended use (additional complexity and maintenance with clutch pack, sensors, electronics, etc.).

Right now, it looks like there’s enough inventory at local dealerships (within 100 miles) that if I purchased a new 2025 Rubicon, I wouldn’t “need” to make a custom order (which could take several months to receive). So, if it came down to buying a new 2025 Rubicon, I’d look over this must have-haves list, look at available inventory, and pick up a white one if there was one within a reasonable driving distance. At the time of this writing (May 2025), I see 13 Rubicon that would work for my purposes within 100 miles of Fort Collins, and 2 that are white. I’m not quite ready to buy yet (until I get through some other projects and expenses related to my house, cabin, and other vehicles). While not necessary, there are options and packages that would be “nice to have” on these 2025 models that I will consider in my purchase as well – including the convenience group (heated seats and steering wheel, remote start, and garage door opener), safety group (auto high beams, blind spot and cross-path detection, and rear park assist), capability package (steel bumper upgrade), and technology package (upgraded sound system and front trail camera). I’ll start looking at used options first to see if I can save some money and still get a good starting point. So, I’ll look at these additional features in the used options as well.

3 – Planned modifications

These are the changes that I want to make, in rough order of priority, with some examples of products that I am most interested in.

The 3.5″ gamechanger lift seems to be widely used with a lot of positive feedback. I’m looking and Method Beadgrip wheels over beadlocks because they will be a little simpler to deal with, they will still have some advantages over normal wheels, and I don’t think I will “need” beadlocks for my intended purpose. I think that 35″ tires with 4.88 gearing will be the best overall combination for my purposes – for rock crawling on a 2-door wrangler and will remain freeway capable as well. From experience, I know I will benefit from the additional body armor, winch, and front camera. The front camera might be seen as a luxury item for off-roading, but it is extremely useful in some situations, especially on steep climbs. I’m just including things that I think are directly related to the vehicle’s capabilities. I’m not including things like additional recovery gear, radios, etc. in this list.

4 – Other things to consider

I don’t consider the things in the list below critical, but they are things that I will consider based on my experience, observations, and research. These are things that will likely only be considered after I have made the more necessary upgrades in the previous list (unless there is opportunity presented in deals, or it makes sense to make some of these upgrades while making other modifications).

  • Big brake kit (Teraflex, PowerStop Z36, or Dynatrac ProGrip)
  • Heavy-duty tie rod and drag link (e.g., Steer Smarts Yeti XD or Synergy HD)
  • Sector shaft brace (e.g., Synergy Manufacturing Front Track Bar & Sector Shaft Brace and the Steer Smarts YETI XD Sector Shaft Brace)
  • Axle Reinforcement (M210 front) – including Inner C gussets (e.g., Artec, Metalcloak), Lower control arm skids or weld-on reinforcement, and chromoly axle shafts
  • Adams or Tom Woods front driveshaft (1310 series) for driveshaft clearance
  • (Maybe) Cooling/Transmission
  • Snorkel
  • Hinge-gate upgrade/reinforcement (to accommodate heavier spare)
  • Doors-off mirrors
  • All weather floor mats and tub liner
  • Sound deadening upgrades – headliner, insulation, acoustic glass, etc.

5 – Detailed notes thoughts

The rest of this post provides more detailed notes that I collected while doing my research. I’m posting these here for later reference and for anyone that might wonder why I chose one option over another.

5.1 – Initial motivations

This vehicle purchase has been planned “for a while”, before we purchased our 2025 4Runner for long road trips with light off-roading. As a benchmark, we took took the 4Runner on Fins ‘n Things in Moab and I consider that trail to be about its limit without additional modifications and/or risk of damage.

We could modify the 4Runner, but I would like to keep the geometry (lift, wheels/tires, etc.) close to stock to maintain on-road performance for long road trips. It is a very capable vehicle that is great for many off-roading scenarios, but it is not configured or intended as a hard-core rock crawler. As a slightly more objective metric, I’m “comfortable” with our 4Runner on trails rated at a difficulty level of 4, and maybe getting into 5 a little. The trail ratings are highly subjective and I’ve noticed a 5 in Moab is much more challenging than a 5 in Colorado.

In contrast, our 1997 Jeep wrangler has the clearance and additional “features” (e.g., front lockers) to tackle more difficult trails. I’ve also driven our ’97 Wrangler up to 80 mph on the freeway and it handles surprisingly well (for a 2-door Wrangler with a lift), but it is very loud in the cabin at speeds exceeding about 65 mph. It also lacks modern features like adaptive cruise control, which I really like for pavement trips lasting more than a couple hours. It also has over 200K miles on it, so the possibility of various things failing is always on my mind. It’s a great little rock-crawler, but I don’t want to spend much time with it on the freeway and I don’t want to get too far from home with it. We could update the TJ to the point where I feel more comfortable with it for longer trips, but that would be a tremendous amount of work (including rebuilding or replacing the engine) to still have something that is very old.

When I first started thinking about what I wanted, I thought it would be nice to have one vehicle that “did it all” (daily driver, road trip comfort, off-roading beast, etc.). I test drove several 4Runners (5th gen and 6th gen), one 4-door Bronco (Badlands/Sasquatch), and one 4-door Wrangler (Rubicon X). In the end, I decided there was not a single vehicle that would do everything I want. The 6th gen 4Runner (Off-Road Premium) was the most practical choice, covering daily driving, long road trips, pulling trailers (up to 6,000 pounds), decent passenger and cargo space, and off-road capable with some limits. So far, I’ve put over 4,000 miles on the 4Runner, including daily driving, some off-roading, road-trips, and trailer pulling. It has been a great vehicle.

For off-roading, our ’97 Wrangler is “perfect” accept for the limits in comfort and anticipated reliability going on longer road trips (lasting more than one day). So, we plan to get a similarly configured “newer” Wrangler.

5.2 – New versus used

Must have: adaptive cruise control

I’d be happy with a new Wrangler, either a base model (without additional features, packages, etc.) or one with their 35″ tire package, which includes a 1.5″ lift and some related off-road add-ons. However, the 35″ “extreme” tire package appears to be bundled with the full-time 4WD system, so I don’t think what I really want is “possible”. I would eventually want to go to a 3.5″ lift (e.g., Metalcloak Game Changer).

For used, I would stick with 2021+ due to some research with various issues to avoid. I know that adaptive cruise control (an important feature to me) was an option from 2021 to 2023 and standard starting in 2024. I would be looking for little to no signs of damage and abuse, stock OEM/unmodified, single-owner with maintenance records, and no accident history. As a bonus to consider, used Wranglers will also have lower insurance costs.

There is a cost difference in new versus used. The difference in cost is balanced with risk tolerance and what you think the warranty is worth. I’ve had horrible experiences with warranties, and I expect Jeep to give me additional grief after I make modifications, so the warranty plays a small role in added value for me personally. But it’s still a consideration. I mainly like the idea of a new vehicle because I know how the vehicle was treated from the start – break-in period driving behavior, fuel octane/quality used, precautionary early oil change, careful attention to maintenance issues, etc.

In short, there’s a lot that can go wrong with a vehicle and most owners don’t pay a lot of attention to vehicle care, and are often negligent to the point that they contribute to mechanical issues and reduced lifespan of the vehicle. There are also a lot of responsible vehicle owners, but I suspect there are more that just use, abuse, and move on to their next vehicle. You can sometimes see evidence of how a vehicle was treated or trust what the previous owner tells you, but for the most part it’s still a mystery as to what you are actually getting. Of course, budget also plays a role in this risk tolerance assessment.

The local Jeep dealership where I live is very limited in new 2-door models (ranging between zero and one in stock for options that might work for me every time I’ve checked). Availability of used Wranglers is just a crapshoot between the dealerships and other sources like Facebook Marketplace. Jeeps in Colorado also tend to be priced higher than other areas of the country, so I’ll keep an eye out at different dealerships and I’ll be willing to travel if it means getting the right Jeep, or a good deal.

I tried to build out a “fully loaded” Rubicon that included the things I care about and came up with this build:

https://www.jeep.com/bmo.wrangler.html#/build/exterior/80526/CUJ202510JLJS72A/2TR/APA,PW7,X9,EC1,DFT,DMU,Z1E,TVC,WF8,VL,UBX,HT3,AD3,AJK,AJ1,AJY,CWA,CK5,LFR,CHD,XDB,NNC,CLN,22R,SDG

The net price of this build is $61,635. The selections include:

  • Color: white
  • +$195: Doors-off mirror kit
  • 17″X8″ wheels
  • LT315/70R17C tires
  • +$675: Hinge-gate reinforcement
  • +$1,895: Color-match 3-piece hard top
  • +$1,495: Snorkel
  • +$45: Cargo tub liner
  • +$170: All-weather floor mats
  • +$655: Hard top headliner
  • +$195: Stainless door sill guards
  • +$995: Convenience group (heated seats, heated steering wheel, remote start, and garage door opener)
  • +$1,495: Active safety group (auto high beam, blind spot and cross-path detection, and rear-park assist)
  • +$1,495: Capability package (steel bumpers – I had also seen a winch included in this package in the brochure. It’s not listed in the build tool, but there’s a picture of a winch)
  • +$2,595: Technology group (premium audio system and off-road camera)
  • $+2,500: Automatic transmission

An interesting thing to note about this build is that I decided to not select the 35″ tire “package”, yet I was able to select 35″ tires, which appeared to auto select the 4.56 gearing. This didn’t appear to increase the cost, but there is no explicit mention of part-time versus full-time 4WD. However, if the 35″ tire “package” was selected, full-time 4WD is explicitly mentioned. This is important to me. If I were to custom order a new Rubicon, I would want to confirm (in writing) that my custom order includes the part-time 4WD system (i.e., that it does not have the full-time 4WD system).

This is just an “ideal” build. I believe that it is far more likely that I would compromise on some of these options to get something that is already at a dealership if I purchased a new Wrangler. For reference, here is a minimal build with the must haves:

https://www.jeep.com/bmo.wrangler.html#/build/exterior/80526/CUJ202510JLJS72A/2TR/APA,PW7,X9,EC1,DFT,DMU,Z1E,TVC,WF8,K7,UBP,22R,SDG

The net price of this build is $48,950 and the only thing I changed was the color (to white) and transmission (to auto). Any color other than white adds $595 to $895, depending on the color, and I’m OK with any of them (I just prefer white because it hides scratches and dents better, is highly visible for safety, reflects heat better than darker colors, and I just think it looks better). This is important to note if I go shopping for new Wranglers because I know that a net price greater than $49K includes “extras”. I would need to look at those extras and see if they are good extras (included in the list of my ideal build), or bad extras (extras that I’m paying for that I don’t care about or extras that might remove base configurations that I do care about).

5.3 – Rubicon versus Rubicon X trim

Must have: Part-time 4WD, Dana 44s, front and rear lockers, disconnectable sway bars, non-hybrid

The Rubicon trims have the upgraded Dana 44 axles, front lockers, and electronically disconnectable sway bars. The upgraded axles are better for handling the additional stress from running 35s off-roading. The front lockers provide added traction in specific situations (I use this feature a lot on my ’97 Wrangler). The disconnectable sway bars allow for greater front axle articulation while rock crawling (I have manually disconnectable sway bars on my ’97 Wrangler).

Rubicon X is a higher level “trim” (package) than Rubicon. The only difference between these two trims that I care about is the reduced cabin noise in Rubicon X attributed to acoustic glass and various other modifications. I would lean toward a Rubicon X for this reason, however I have only seen them configured with a full-time 4WD system. Full-time 4WD (automatic) mode uses an electronically controlled clutch pack inside the transfer case to provide power to the front axle when it senses rear traction loss. Since all cutches wear down over time, this is an additional maintenance item that is not needed for my use case (in addition to extra components — actuators, sensors, and control modules). Also, tires with uneven wear or mismatched tire pressures (slight variations in geometry and performance) can be problematic with sensitive full-time 4WD systems.

On the other hand, the Rubicon’s part-time 4WD system does not have a clutch to wear down, is mechanically more simple, driver controlled, less sensitive to tire differences, and more time-tested. So, I’ll be looking for part-time 4WD in whatever I purchase. And it’s unlikely I will find a Rubicon X with part-time 4WD. I think there is a possibility of custom ordering a new Rubicon X with part-time 4WD, but it could take several months to receive. I’ve inquired about whether my ideal option combinations are even possible to order. I’ve received responses from two different dealerships telling me that what I want is not possible, so I stopped considering Rubicon X with part-time 4WD as a likely option.

There are other Rubicon “trims”, including the 4XE (hybrid) models and the 392 (4-door only, with a v8). I’m not interested in the 4XE/hybrid models due to the additional mechanical complexity, weight, maintenance, and issues introduced by that system. The 392 is not offered in a 2-door, but it would be overkill for my needs, less fuel efficient, likely more difficult to control in certain situations, and I’ve read about some unique 392 issues attributed to its unique mechanical differences with other trims.

The other things to note with this consideration is the possibility of replacing the transfer case of the Rubicon X trim sometime later (relatively expensive), or upgrading the insulation (e.g., headliner) and making similar modifications to improve the cabin noise in the Rubicon trim. The latter option seems practical and I’ve read a little about different aftermarket options.

5.4 – Engine selection

Must have: 2.0L I4 engine

I’m not going to go into great detail here. I would like to get the 2.0L inline 4-cyliner turbo engine. There are other engine choices I have considered, but I4 seems to have relatively few issues compared to other options, better fuel efficiency, ample power, and I expect the turbo to handle better at the high elevations I drive at (versus naturally aspirated engine options).

5.5 – Manual versus automatic transmission

Must have: Automatic transmission

I’ve owned vehicles with manual transmission in the past and I was originally leaning towards getting a manual transmission in this next Wrangler. However, there are comfort, performance, and capability concerns (e.g., for rock crawling control) that made me decide to get an automatic transmission in this Wrangler. Also. I believe that the 2.0L engine that I want is only paired with the automatic transmission, so the decision might be moot. Otherwise, the manual transmission would be mechanically simpler (and $2,500 less expensive on a 2025 build).

5.6 – 2-door versus 4-door

Must have: 2-door

I went back and forth on this one. The advantages the 4-door has over the 2-door for my use case are more passenger and cargo space, better freeway stability, and better stability on steep off-road terrain (climbs and descents). However, the two door is lighter, easier to achieve greater break-over angle with less modifications, more nimble for most rock climbing situations, and better turning radius. When the additional passenger and cargo space is essential, I’ll use the 4-Runner. When I’m doing more serious off-roading, I’ll take the 2-door Wrangler. When I’m presented with extremely steep climbs and descents, I’ll skip the obstacle, or use more caution and employ spotters, winches, etc. as needed. I figure that ~95% of the time I will prefer to be in a 2-door on the trail over a 4-door for the types of trails I am usually on, and I am not trying to optimize this vehicle for long road trips and overlanding at the expense of overall off-road capability.

FWIW, when I considered getting a 4-door, I spec’d out everything I would need to do to go to 37s or 38s and a 3.5″+ lift to get a similar break-over angle to the 2-door. I would have been willing to go this route, but there were still compromises in overall capability and there would be more risk of mechanical failure. The mechanical concerns of running 35s on a 2-door Wrangler are significantly less than the mechanical concerns of running 37+ on a 4-door Wrangler. There are good reasons why many people go the 4-door route. It’s just not the best decision for my situation.

FWIW, I also just think the two-door models look better and look more like what you expect a Jeep to look like. But that’s just my opinion and preference. The 4-door Jeeps can look pretty awesome too. On a final note, I recognize the stability and performance will not be as good in a 2-door on the freeway (getting to/from trails), and especially in bad weather. I will take this into consideration planning trips, and most of this vehicle’s use in Colorado will be during warmer times of the year – with some occasional “local” snow wheeling and trips to warmer lower latitudes.

5.7 – Color

Preferred: White

I prefer white since it will hide scratches and dents better. It will also be good for visibility (safety) on the road and will not absorb as much heat in the summer sun. I liked the idea of getting a color-matched white hard top, but my wife and son think the black hard tops look better on white. I think they’re right about the looks, but I will still lean toward the white hard top for the heat reflection alone. All this might be moot because the color is a minor consideration to me if I’m looking at used options or new options that are in inventory. If I order custom a new Wrangler, I might get a black hard top as a compromise. However, a likely scenario is that I will search dealership inventory within a 100 miles and if there’s a white 2-door Rubicon that matches all of my “must haves”, I’ll go ahead and get a white one (with a color matched top if available).

At the time of this writing, the available inventory for white ones is pretty far away and I’m OK with a couple of the colors that are nearby. I suspect I will end up with a “41” (dark green) or granite (dark gray) Jeep. I prefer the dark green one I’m looking at, but I’m waiting for some pricing info back on the dark gray one. There are no colors in the 2025 Rubicon options that I don’t like, but I have a ranked order of preference. This essentially gives me a way to value one color option over another. In this case, I value 41 over granite, but it wouldn’t stop me from getting a good deal on a granite colored Jeep. The included packages and options also play a bigger role in this decision (over color considerations).

6 – Shopping links

6.1 – New Wrangler search

The best way to search across new inventory is using Jeep’s inventory search: Jeep.com

The new Jeep search link above filters on the Rubicon trim, with 2 doors, the 2.0L turbo engine, automatic transmission, and 4.1 gearing. The reason for 4.1 gearing is not obvious. If you omit this filter, Rubicons with 4.56 gearing will be included in the search results. I believe that the 4.56 gearing (with all my other selections) is only available with the 35″ extreme tire package. This package also includes the full-time 4WD system, which I do not want. By filtering on 4.1 gearing, I filter out vehicles with the full-time 4WD system. This seems strange, but appears to have the desired results.

6.2 – Used Wrangler search

These are some more direct links to get to what I’m looking for. In some cases, I’ll have to apply additional features since what I’m looking for was limited to what was available when I first copied the link, or other limitations in these various website. I’m not worried about the links below excluding new inventory at the Jeep dealerships because I’ll see new inventory from the jeep.com link I posted above. I’ve noticed that the aggregate search sites include some of the inventory listed at individual dealerships, but there’s a lot of differences and discrepancies (in listed inventory, descriptions, prices, etc.). So, when I get ready to buy, I’ll do a fairly thorough search of these used vehicle sources

6.2.1 – Private party search

6.2.2 – Aggregation searches

6.2.3 – Fort Collins dealerships

6.2.4 – Loveland dealerships

6.2.5 – Greeley dealerships

6.2.6 – Windsor dealerships

7 – Miscellaneous

Kelly Blue Book info: https://www.kbb.com/jeep/wrangler-2-door/2025/rubicon/