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Best Even Better - 2010 Jeep Wrangler RubiconDriving A Moparized Rubicon From the July, 2010 issue of Jp By Pete Trasborg
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As you read this story, put your mind back eight years to when the media went into a frenzy over the announcement of the Rubicon package for the TJ Wrangler. "Best Jeep Ever!", "Finally!", and "Most Capable Jeep" were but some of the headlines, and they were all correct in 2003. At the time, it was the most off-road-capable Jeep ever. Fast-forward eight years, and we got our hands on a Jeep that far surpasses the basic Rubicon. Sure, it is built on a Rubicon platform, but with a liberal application of the Mopar performance catalog, installation of a lift, bumpers, armor, winch, tires, DOT-compliant beadlocks, and more, this is the most capable off-the-lot Jeep ever. And we can say that because all the parts on this Jeep are available through your local dealership, won't affect your warranty, and can be wrapped into your payment plan. We recently got two weeks of seat time in a two-door, soft-top '10 Wrangler Rubicon. We drove it from Southern California to Moab, Utah, and back for Easter Jeep Safari. We racked up over 3,000 miles, ran trails such as Fins N Things, Flat Iron Mesa, Mashed Potato, Steel Bender, and more. Going into it, we didn't really expect much more out of this Jeep than what a stock Rubicon would give. Boy, were we wrong. As delivered, this Jeep has a short-arm 2-inch lift and 305/75R17 (about 34-inches) Goodyear MT/Rs. Mopar also offers a 4-inch short-arm and a 41/2-inch long-arm kit. The 2-inch lift is stable on-road, and performs great off-road. We followed Jeeps with 40-inch tires with no problems, and our winch was never needed for self-extraction, although we did help a couple others out. Also, we feel that these skinny metric tires are a great match for the strength of the stock axles. They are the right size for a Jeep driven on- and off-road. In our nine days of wheeling Moab, we never wished for a bigger tire. If we scraped, we'd engage the lockers. If we got hung up, we could back up and take a different line.  The Jeep had the off-road...  The Jeep had the off-road front and rear bumpers, as well as the front skidplate (which replaces the plastic piece), and a Warn 9500 XP winch. The bumpers and skids are 1/8-inch formed- and welded-steel, and we were worried about mangling them off-road. With some attention to approach angles, the front bumper never hit. Since the rear bumper has a very similar profile to the stock bumper we'd be sure to hit it coming off of obstacles, but apparently another 2 inches of clearance at the corners is enough. We tagged the muffler and tailpipe on more than one occasion, but not the corners of the bumper.  Everybody loves carnage. Except...  Everybody loves carnage. Except for the carnage-ee. After one steep climb, we thought we'd popped a U-joint somewhere but it just turned out to be the front driveshaft slip-yoke grease seal was torn and the metal clamp was smacking against the transmission. The only other "damage" was that the license plate holder fell off and was hanging from the wire. Apparently the stock sheet metal screws are inadequate for extended washboard roads. We used some 1/4-20 hardware to re-attach the license plate holder and never had another problem. Other Mopar parts seen here are the steel corner guards by AEV, the rear Mopar bumper, and the black tail light guards.  While the rear bumpstops keep...  While the rear bumpstops keep the tires from eating the fender flares, we also found ourselves bouncing off of them with alarming regularity. We contacted the Mopar guys about it and they were surprised we had any issues. They wondered if we'd overloaded it. Shown here is our normal load-out for a wheeling trip, including a Hi-lift Jack, hand tools, a first-aid kit, a flashlight, straps, shackles, and an Actron scan tool. If you plan on camping with two people, or load your Jeep similar to this for wheeling, you might want to opt for the four-door lift kit (P5155207) with its heavier rear springs.  We had an early set of the...  We had an early set of the 17-inch Hutchinson beadlock wheels that required wheel spacers to keep the rubber out of the control arms and inner fenders. By the time you read this, new wheels will be available with 41/2 inches of backspacing in argent, or you can pick up the silver rims as shown here with the stock JK backspacing.  Seat covers, grab handles,...  Seat covers, grab handles, clothes hangers, and entry guards are not things that we would normally buy, but after having them for a couple of weeks we were surprised at just how much we used the grab handles-and the sill guards just make good sense. If you are planning a lot of mud and/or top-down driving, the seat covers will keep your seats stain-free. The dressiest we get is a Canadian tuxedo- so we really don't need the clothes hangers-but they come packaged with the grab handles, so we'd probably end up with the interior optioned-out just as you see here.  One of the nice things about...  One of the nice things about a dealer-available part is the attention to the little things. A lot of the add-ons reflect the great attention to detail that make Mopar accessories stand out. Every time the wind blew on the freeway or we got too close to a tree off-road, we appreciated the passenger side light bracket all the more. The provision for retaining the antenna with a rubber grommet keeps it out of the light and makes for both a quieter ride and longer life for the lens and cover.
| The Price Sheet |
| Part Number |
Component(s) |
$MSRP |
Install (hrs) |
Total |
| 82211715AB |
Mopar Off Road Bumper - Front |
$612 |
1.2 |
$708 |
| 82210401 |
Skid Plate - Front |
$254 |
0.5 |
$294 |
| 82209909AB |
Warn Winch 9500 XP |
$1,349 |
1.0 |
$1,429 |
| 82209744AD |
Mopar Off Road Bumper - Rear |
$558 |
0.8 |
$622 |
| P5155349 |
"Mopar by AEV" Rear Corner Guards |
$402 |
0.6 |
$450 |
| 82210270AB |
Black Taillamp Guards (set) |
$132 |
0.2 |
$148 |
| 82210285 |
Black Fuel Door |
$111 |
0.2 |
$127 |
| 82210574AC |
Mopar Rock Rails (set) |
$572 |
1.0 |
$652 |
| HELLA500 |
Off Road Lights (set, including wiring) |
$125 |
0.3 |
$149 |
| 82210556AB |
Off Road Lights - Mounting Bracket Kit |
$103 |
0.6 |
$151 |
| 82210104 |
Door Sill Guards (set) |
$25 |
0.2 |
$41 |
| 82210331AB |
Seat Covers - Front |
$226 |
0.4 |
$258 |
| 82210332 |
Seat Covers - Rear |
$166 |
0.4 |
$198 |
| 77KICK10 |
Kicker Rear Sound Bar Speakers (set) |
$79 |
0.3 |
$103 |
| 82210164 |
Slush Mats (set) |
$48 |
0.0 |
$48 |
| 82207660AB |
Grab Handle/Coat Hook (two kits) |
$33 |
0.2 |
$82 |
| 77060081 |
Cold Air Intake |
$359 |
0.7 |
$415 |
| P5155208 |
2-inch Lift Kit |
$1,510 |
8.0 |
$2,150 |
| 659744RR |
Front Differential Cover |
$79 |
0.3 |
$103 |
| 659744RR |
Rear Differential Cover |
$79 |
0.3 |
$103 |
| 82210855 |
Mopar Beadlock Wheel (17x8.5) ( five wheels) |
$662 |
2.0 |
$3,470 |
| NPN |
Tires - 305/75R17 Goodyear MT/R (puchased seperately) |
$307 |
home install |
$1,585 |
| NPN |
Front 4.88 Gear Set |
(actual mopar pricing TBD - price as shown general market pricing for gears only |
$205 |
4.1 |
$533 |
| NPN |
Rear 4.88 Gear Set |
$205 |
2.9 |
$437 |
|
Total |
$14,256 |
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Mopar
P.O. Box 21-8004
Auburn Hills
MI
48321
800-992-1997
www.mopar.com
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