#87 suzuki samurai parts

[smoothshift]

In praise of the BMW X3M and cons via /r/cars

In praise of the BMW X3M and cons

So, I own a 2011 BMW X3 M-Sport and I love it. It is solidly built, has been reliable and is a joy to drive. I have 91k miles on mine.

The vehicle is fun to drive and comfortable. Some of the better things that I like are the panoramic sunroof, the extendable support front seats, the navigation system, the power Vs in class vehicles and the build quality ( no squeaks or rattles).

Some of the negatives are the very high cost of maintenance, from brakes to oil changes and basic parts.

It's very picky about fuel. It runs like crap on anything but Shell, BP or Mobil 91 and 93 octane. Anything else and it runs terrible with misses and surging even on 93 octane.

Needless to say, when this thing dies I'd love to have another but due to maintenance costs and MSRP, I'll be getting a Toyota Land Cruiser, 4Runner or Sequoia. However this vehicle will always have a fondness in my heart that I've only experienced with my Corvette C5, 91 Ford Ranger and 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Cars I've owned: 85 Dodge Omni GLH 85 Mercury Marquis 88 Mazda 323 91 Dodge Daytona Shelby 92 Dodge Shadow Convertible 91 Ford Ranger extended cab 98 mercury villager 03 Dodge Durango 03 Jeep grand Cherokee 98 Jeep Cherokee 87 Suzuki Samurai 98 Suzuki Sidekick 98 Oldsmobile cutlass 03 Lexus ES330 2000 Scion XB 2003 Corvette 2011 BMW X3 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe

[eddiejpoplar]

Right at Home: We Tackle the Rubicon Trail in a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

In the year 49 B.C., emperor Julius Caesar led his troops across the Rubicon River into Italy, an egregious act of aggression that caused much peeing of pants among Roman senators, who fled rather than face the civil war Caesar’s act was sure to incite. “The die is cast,” Caesar said shortly after drying off, thus coining one of two phrases that resulted from his actions.

The other: “crossing the Rubicon,” which has come to mean “to commit oneself irrevocably,” perhaps to the point of no return.

That’s a good attitude to have when you climb into a Jeep to tackle the Rubicon Trail, en route to California’s own little Rubicon River and beyond. Located near Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border, the Rubicon Trail is “a 10 out of 10,” says Pearse Umlauf, president and CEO of Jeep Jamboree USA. He and his company have rated Jeep trails across the country, from 1 (you can make it on your Big Wheel) to 10 (only experienced, serious off-roaders need apply). Umlauf and his crew would be our guides, helping us steer over and around the rocks: “Left, left! Now right, right, right!”

I was last here in 1992. Then it was the 4.0-liter inline-six with a three-speed automatic; today it’s a 3.6-liter V-6 with an eight-speed automatic.

Many of the journalists on this particular trip, convened by Jeep to show off its new 2018 Wrangler Rubicon, were not experienced but there’s something about facing off against boulders twice the size of a buffet table. The latter is what automotive journalists are typically used to steering around on press trips.

I was last here in 1992, then as now in a Jeep Wrangler, but a very different one: It was a rectangular-headlight YJ, which replaced the Jeep CJ in the 1987 model year, soldiering on until it was replaced 10 years later with the TJ and a welcome return to round headlights. Also then as now, I drove a six-cylinder Wrangler with an automatic transmission—in 1992 it was the 4.0-liter inline-six with a three-speed automatic; today it’s a 3.6-liter V-6 with an eight-speed automatic.

Actually, given the span of 26-plus years, maybe the new Wrangler isn’t so different. Which is, of course, part of its charm. With the possible exception of a Porsche, the Jeep would likely be the only modern vehicle recognizable to any unfortunate human stranded on a desert island for, say, the last 70 years.

This created a substantial challenge for people like Scott Tallon, director of the Jeep brand, and his designers and engineers. They needed to craft the first new Wrangler in 11 years, somehow keeping its character as the most traditional mainstream vehicle on the road yet bringing it to within the latest safety, comfort, and performance parameters. Especially for the Wrangler Rubicon, the most off-road-capable Jeep model since the marque introduced it in 2003.

Suggestions that would have made it easier to build were largely dismissed: Get rid of the fold-down windshield (they didn’t); get rid of the removable doors (they didn’t). And most of all, get rid of that ancient solid-axle front and rear and bring the Wrangler into the 20th century with all-independent suspension. One engineer suggested they do just that for this new Wrangler, dubbed the JL. “That person doesn’t work at Jeep anymore,” Brian Lees, the Wrangler’s chief engineer, said.

Although we did get from one end of the Rubicon to the other in 1992, this new Jeep makes it a lot easier. The first thing we did was disconnect the sway bars, a task that once required wrenches but now happens at the touch of a button; this gives you considerably more wheel travel. And we could lock the front or rear differentials, or both, again by pressing a button, though we only needed to lock the diffs in the most extreme situations.

Although independent suspensions work best in almost every other application, you can’t beat solid axles for serious off-roading.

The V-6 has plenty of torque—260 lb-ft—but that’s measured at a carlike 4,800 rpm, and the Wrangler is more like a truck. Consequently, even in low range, we’d get a squirt of power when we were only looking for a few drops. Left-foot braking helped solve that issue.

It took us the better part of a day, seldom exceeding 3 mph, to reach the Rubicon Springs campground. We “glamped” in tents set up a few feet from the banks of the Rubicon River. A helicopter visited a couple of times to haul in supplies and haul out trash.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the difference between the two-and four-door models. We did the portion to Rubicon Springs in a two-door, which is 166.8 inches long, 21.6 inches shorter than the four-door. Similarly, the two-door’s wheelbase is just 96.8 inches, 21.6 inches shorter than the four-door. So it should be a lot more nimble, right? Not necessarily. While the turning diameter is 5 inches shorter in the two-door, it wasn’t noticeable. Just as on the highway, we actually preferred the way the four-door handled off-road—more comfortable, more predictable, less jarring.

Which is not to say there weren’t tight spots. Eventually we got used to hearing our Jeep bottom out hard against the skidplates and to feeling the way the steel rock rails, beneath the rocker panels, scuffed against boulders. The massive Dana axles front and rear were a welcome overkill. Yes, there were scratches and scrapes underneath the Jeep afterward, but in the end the only cosmetic damage we spotted during a normal walkaround was the round tailpipe that was, well, no longer round.

Much of this is due to the Rubicon’s generous 10.8-inch ground clearance, about an inch more than the regular Wrangler. Approach angle is an amazing 44 degrees, and departure angle is 37 degrees. The standard Rubicon tire is the BFGoodrich K02 All-Terrain LT285/70R17C, but our Jeep was fitted with the slightly more capable 33-inch BFG KM3. The tires were surprisingly quiet on pavement; in fact, the Jeep Rubicon is pretty quiet, with one major exception: As you rock-crawl, the electric cooling fan comes on with a roar that you just have to get used to.

As usual, the colorfully named sections of the trail that have reputations as being the toughest—Little Sluice, Soup Bowl, and the infamous Cadillac Hill—were so named for a reason. There is, for example, a wrecked 1930s-era Cadillac down there in the woods. Indeed, the Rubicon Trail’s history—even recent history— suggests it is not a place to trifle with. There have been at least three fatalities on the trail since 2012, including one each in 2016 and 2017, which occurred when an unbelted occupant was thrown out as their vehicle rolled over.

The Rubicon Trail’s very existence is somewhat amazing, and that’s not for lack of critics who’ve tried to shut it down despite its history spanning multiple centuries. The Washoe and Maidu-Nisenan tribes traversed the trail long before a military party “discovered” it around 1844. In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill on the South Fork American River, and invading prospectors used the trail. In the late 1800s, Rubicon Springs, the privately owned campground at about the route’s halfway point, became a source of mineral water craved by the health-conscious, and a prosperous bottling industry was born.

Lodges followed, including a two-and-a-half-story hotel serviced daily by a four-horse carriage. But by the 1920s, tourism died and the Rubicon was used mostly by hunters, fishermen, and loggers.

Then, in 1953, avid off-roader Mark Smith hosted the inaugural jamboree, with 55 Jeeps, most of them military-surplus. The off-road guru remained a central caretaker of the Rubicon Trail and an important face of off-roading in general until he died in 2014 at the age of 87. Smith hosted my first trip along the Rubicon in 1992. His former son-in-law, Jeep Jamboree USA’s Umlauf, continues the tradition. “Mark fought for years the threat of the trail being closed,” Umlauf recalled, countering efforts from environmental groups and even the U.S. Forest Service. That’s one reason Smith and a group of investors bought the land at Rubicon Springs: “He reasoned that they could never close him off from his own property.”

The trail last faced a major crisis thanks to a water-quality board concerned about erosion and pollution, largely from silt. But El Dorado County, with help from groups like Umlauf’s, as well as Friends of the Rubicon and a dozen other entities, stepped up to create a master plan for the trail, which the county saw as a major tourist attraction. It worked. The Rubicon Trail, once darkened by trash, spilled oil, drunks, and even some graffiti, is now downright spotless, and the people you meet along the route seem intent on keeping it that way.

Such as two veteran off-roaders we met during a break in the trip—one driving a Toyota truck, the other an old Jeep Cherokee, both stripped of all but the most essential parts, which apparently did not include doors, windows, or an interior. “We just love off-roading,” one said. “If we come to a fork that’s clear trail one way and a rock the size of a Volkswagen the other way, we’re taking on the rock.”

Mark Smith would be proud.

You Want to Drive the Rubicon?

The Rubicon Trail hosts multiple off-road events each year, but the two best known and most popular are the Jeep Jamboree and the Jeepers Jamboree. Yes, despite their so-similar names, they are two separate events. The Jeep Jamboree is smaller, shorter, and more exclusive, and it encourages families. The Jeepers Jamboree offers more of an “adult atmosphere” and allows non-Jeep vehicles, including Toyota Land Cruisers, Toyota trucks, Suzuki Samurais, International Harvester Scouts, and pre-1979 Ford Broncos. Jeep Jamboree, however, requires that you drive a 1987–2019 Jeep Wrangler, with older Jeeps or non-Wrangler models requiring prior approval.

Prices per person are about $400 to $500 and include different amenities. The Jeepers Jamboree is typically in July; the Jeep Jamboree is in August. You can register online. Make sure you do so early, as there’s usually a waiting list.

jeepersjamboree.com  |  jeepjamboreeusa.com

2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Specifications

PRICE $44,940/$51,220 (base/as tested) ENGINE 3.6L DOHC 24-valve V-6; 285 hp @ 6,400 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, 4WD SUV EPA MILEAGE 18/23 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 188.4 x 73.8 x 73.6 in WHEELBASE 118.4 in WEIGHT 4,145 lb 0–60 MPH 7.4 sec (est) TOP SPEED 100 mph (governed)

from Performance Junk Blogger 6 https://www.automobilemag.com/news/jeep-wrangler-rubicon-rubicon-trail-feature/ via IFTTT

[jesusvasser]

Right at Home: We Tackle the Rubicon Trail in a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

In the year 49 B.C., emperor Julius Caesar led his troops across the Rubicon River into Italy, an egregious act of aggression that caused much peeing of pants among Roman senators, who fled rather than face the civil war Caesar’s act was sure to incite. “The die is cast,” Caesar said shortly after drying off, thus coining one of two phrases that resulted from his actions.

The other: “crossing the Rubicon,” which has come to mean “to commit oneself irrevocably,” perhaps to the point of no return.

That’s a good attitude to have when you climb into a Jeep to tackle the Rubicon Trail, en route to California’s own little Rubicon River and beyond. Located near Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border, the Rubicon Trail is “a 10 out of 10,” says Pearse Umlauf, president and CEO of Jeep Jamboree USA. He and his company have rated Jeep trails across the country, from 1 (you can make it on your Big Wheel) to 10 (only experienced, serious off-roaders need apply). Umlauf and his crew would be our guides, helping us steer over and around the rocks: “Left, left! Now right, right, right!”

I was last here in 1992. Then it was the 4.0-liter inline-six with a three-speed automatic; today it’s a 3.6-liter V-6 with an eight-speed automatic.

Many of the journalists on this particular trip, convened by Jeep to show off its new 2018 Wrangler Rubicon, were not experienced but there’s something about facing off against boulders twice the size of a buffet table. The latter is what automotive journalists are typically used to steering around on press trips.

I was last here in 1992, then as now in a Jeep Wrangler, but a very different one: It was a rectangular-headlight YJ, which replaced the Jeep CJ in the 1987 model year, soldiering on until it was replaced 10 years later with the TJ and a welcome return to round headlights. Also then as now, I drove a six-cylinder Wrangler with an automatic transmission—in 1992 it was the 4.0-liter inline-six with a three-speed automatic; today it’s a 3.6-liter V-6 with an eight-speed automatic.

Actually, given the span of 26-plus years, maybe the new Wrangler isn’t so different. Which is, of course, part of its charm. With the possible exception of a Porsche, the Jeep would likely be the only modern vehicle recognizable to any unfortunate human stranded on a desert island for, say, the last 70 years.

This created a substantial challenge for people like Scott Tallon, director of the Jeep brand, and his designers and engineers. They needed to craft the first new Wrangler in 11 years, somehow keeping its character as the most traditional mainstream vehicle on the road yet bringing it to within the latest safety, comfort, and performance parameters. Especially for the Wrangler Rubicon, the most off-road-capable Jeep model since the marque introduced it in 2003.

Suggestions that would have made it easier to build were largely dismissed: Get rid of the fold-down windshield (they didn’t); get rid of the removable doors (they didn’t). And most of all, get rid of that ancient solid-axle front and rear and bring the Wrangler into the 20th century with all-independent suspension. One engineer suggested they do just that for this new Wrangler, dubbed the JL. “That person doesn’t work at Jeep anymore,” Brian Lees, the Wrangler’s chief engineer, said.

Although we did get from one end of the Rubicon to the other in 1992, this new Jeep makes it a lot easier. The first thing we did was disconnect the sway bars, a task that once required wrenches but now happens at the touch of a button; this gives you considerably more wheel travel. And we could lock the front or rear differentials, or both, again by pressing a button, though we only needed to lock the diffs in the most extreme situations.

Although independent suspensions work best in almost every other application, you can’t beat solid axles for serious off-roading.

The V-6 has plenty of torque—260 lb-ft—but that’s measured at a carlike 4,800 rpm, and the Wrangler is more like a truck. Consequently, even in low range, we’d get a squirt of power when we were only looking for a few drops. Left-foot braking helped solve that issue.

It took us the better part of a day, seldom exceeding 3 mph, to reach the Rubicon Springs campground. We “glamped” in tents set up a few feet from the banks of the Rubicon River. A helicopter visited a couple of times to haul in supplies and haul out trash.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the difference between the two-and four-door models. We did the portion to Rubicon Springs in a two-door, which is 166.8 inches long, 21.6 inches shorter than the four-door. Similarly, the two-door’s wheelbase is just 96.8 inches, 21.6 inches shorter than the four-door. So it should be a lot more nimble, right? Not necessarily. While the turning diameter is 5 inches shorter in the two-door, it wasn’t noticeable. Just as on the highway, we actually preferred the way the four-door handled off-road—more comfortable, more predictable, less jarring.

Which is not to say there weren’t tight spots. Eventually we got used to hearing our Jeep bottom out hard against the skidplates and to feeling the way the steel rock rails, beneath the rocker panels, scuffed against boulders. The massive Dana axles front and rear were a welcome overkill. Yes, there were scratches and scrapes underneath the Jeep afterward, but in the end the only cosmetic damage we spotted during a normal walkaround was the round tailpipe that was, well, no longer round.

Much of this is due to the Rubicon’s generous 10.8-inch ground clearance, about an inch more than the regular Wrangler. Approach angle is an amazing 44 degrees, and departure angle is 37 degrees. The standard Rubicon tire is the BFGoodrich K02 All-Terrain LT285/70R17C, but our Jeep was fitted with the slightly more capable 33-inch BFG KM3. The tires were surprisingly quiet on pavement; in fact, the Jeep Rubicon is pretty quiet, with one major exception: As you rock-crawl, the electric cooling fan comes on with a roar that you just have to get used to.

As usual, the colorfully named sections of the trail that have reputations as being the toughest—Little Sluice, Soup Bowl, and the infamous Cadillac Hill—were so named for a reason. There is, for example, a wrecked 1930s-era Cadillac down there in the woods. Indeed, the Rubicon Trail’s history—even recent history— suggests it is not a place to trifle with. There have been at least three fatalities on the trail since 2012, including one each in 2016 and 2017, which occurred when an unbelted occupant was thrown out as their vehicle rolled over.

The Rubicon Trail’s very existence is somewhat amazing, and that’s not for lack of critics who’ve tried to shut it down despite its history spanning multiple centuries. The Washoe and Maidu-Nisenan tribes traversed the trail long before a military party “discovered” it around 1844. In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill on the South Fork American River, and invading prospectors used the trail. In the late 1800s, Rubicon Springs, the privately owned campground at about the route’s halfway point, became a source of mineral water craved by the health-conscious, and a prosperous bottling industry was born.

Lodges followed, including a two-and-a-half-story hotel serviced daily by a four-horse carriage. But by the 1920s, tourism died and the Rubicon was used mostly by hunters, fishermen, and loggers.

Then, in 1953, avid off-roader Mark Smith hosted the inaugural jamboree, with 55 Jeeps, most of them military-surplus. The off-road guru remained a central caretaker of the Rubicon Trail and an important face of off-roading in general until he died in 2014 at the age of 87. Smith hosted my first trip along the Rubicon in 1992. His former son-in-law, Jeep Jamboree USA’s Umlauf, continues the tradition. “Mark fought for years the threat of the trail being closed,” Umlauf recalled, countering efforts from environmental groups and even the U.S. Forest Service. That’s one reason Smith and a group of investors bought the land at Rubicon Springs: “He reasoned that they could never close him off from his own property.”

The trail last faced a major crisis thanks to a water-quality board concerned about erosion and pollution, largely from silt. But El Dorado County, with help from groups like Umlauf’s, as well as Friends of the Rubicon and a dozen other entities, stepped up to create a master plan for the trail, which the county saw as a major tourist attraction. It worked. The Rubicon Trail, once darkened by trash, spilled oil, drunks, and even some graffiti, is now downright spotless, and the people you meet along the route seem intent on keeping it that way.

Such as two veteran off-roaders we met during a break in the trip—one driving a Toyota truck, the other an old Jeep Cherokee, both stripped of all but the most essential parts, which apparently did not include doors, windows, or an interior. “We just love off-roading,” one said. “If we come to a fork that’s clear trail one way and a rock the size of a Volkswagen the other way, we’re taking on the rock.”

Mark Smith would be proud.

You Want to Drive the Rubicon?

The Rubicon Trail hosts multiple off-road events each year, but the two best known and most popular are the Jeep Jamboree and the Jeepers Jamboree. Yes, despite their so-similar names, they are two separate events. The Jeep Jamboree is smaller, shorter, and more exclusive, and it encourages families. The Jeepers Jamboree offers more of an “adult atmosphere” and allows non-Jeep vehicles, including Toyota Land Cruisers, Toyota trucks, Suzuki Samurais, International Harvester Scouts, and pre-1979 Ford Broncos. Jeep Jamboree, however, requires that you drive a 1987–2019 Jeep Wrangler, with older Jeeps or non-Wrangler models requiring prior approval.

Prices per person are about $400 to $500 and include different amenities. The Jeepers Jamboree is typically in July; the Jeep Jamboree is in August. You can register online. Make sure you do so early, as there’s usually a waiting list.

jeepersjamboree.com  |  jeepjamboreeusa.com

2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Specifications

PRICE $44,940/$51,220 (base/as tested) ENGINE 3.6L DOHC 24-valve V-6; 285 hp @ 6,400 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, 4WD SUV EPA MILEAGE 18/23 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 188.4 x 73.8 x 73.6 in WHEELBASE 118.4 in WEIGHT 4,145 lb 0–60 MPH 7.4 sec (est) TOP SPEED 100 mph (governed)

from Performance Junk WP Feed 4 https://www.automobilemag.com/news/jeep-wrangler-rubicon-rubicon-trail-feature/ via IFTTT

[jonathanbelloblog]

Right at Home: We Tackle the Rubicon Trail in a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

In the year 49 B.C., emperor Julius Caesar led his troops across the Rubicon River into Italy, an egregious act of aggression that caused much peeing of pants among Roman senators, who fled rather than face the civil war Caesar’s act was sure to incite. “The die is cast,” Caesar said shortly after drying off, thus coining one of two phrases that resulted from his actions.

The other: “crossing the Rubicon,” which has come to mean “to commit oneself irrevocably,” perhaps to the point of no return.

That’s a good attitude to have when you climb into a Jeep to tackle the Rubicon Trail, en route to California’s own little Rubicon River and beyond. Located near Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border, the Rubicon Trail is “a 10 out of 10,” says Pearse Umlauf, president and CEO of Jeep Jamboree USA. He and his company have rated Jeep trails across the country, from 1 (you can make it on your Big Wheel) to 10 (only experienced, serious off-roaders need apply). Umlauf and his crew would be our guides, helping us steer over and around the rocks: “Left, left! Now right, right, right!”

I was last here in 1992. Then it was the 4.0-liter inline-six with a three-speed automatic; today it’s a 3.6-liter V-6 with an eight-speed automatic.

Many of the journalists on this particular trip, convened by Jeep to show off its new 2018 Wrangler Rubicon, were not experienced but there’s something about facing off against boulders twice the size of a buffet table. The latter is what automotive journalists are typically used to steering around on press trips.

I was last here in 1992, then as now in a Jeep Wrangler, but a very different one: It was a rectangular-headlight YJ, which replaced the Jeep CJ in the 1987 model year, soldiering on until it was replaced 10 years later with the TJ and a welcome return to round headlights. Also then as now, I drove a six-cylinder Wrangler with an automatic transmission—in 1992 it was the 4.0-liter inline-six with a three-speed automatic; today it’s a 3.6-liter V-6 with an eight-speed automatic.

Actually, given the span of 26-plus years, maybe the new Wrangler isn’t so different. Which is, of course, part of its charm. With the possible exception of a Porsche, the Jeep would likely be the only modern vehicle recognizable to any unfortunate human stranded on a desert island for, say, the last 70 years.

This created a substantial challenge for people like Scott Tallon, director of the Jeep brand, and his designers and engineers. They needed to craft the first new Wrangler in 11 years, somehow keeping its character as the most traditional mainstream vehicle on the road yet bringing it to within the latest safety, comfort, and performance parameters. Especially for the Wrangler Rubicon, the most off-road-capable Jeep model since the marque introduced it in 2003.

Suggestions that would have made it easier to build were largely dismissed: Get rid of the fold-down windshield (they didn’t); get rid of the removable doors (they didn’t). And most of all, get rid of that ancient solid-axle front and rear and bring the Wrangler into the 20th century with all-independent suspension. One engineer suggested they do just that for this new Wrangler, dubbed the JL. “That person doesn’t work at Jeep anymore,” Brian Lees, the Wrangler’s chief engineer, said.

Although we did get from one end of the Rubicon to the other in 1992, this new Jeep makes it a lot easier. The first thing we did was disconnect the sway bars, a task that once required wrenches but now happens at the touch of a button; this gives you considerably more wheel travel. And we could lock the front or rear differentials, or both, again by pressing a button, though we only needed to lock the diffs in the most extreme situations.

Although independent suspensions work best in almost every other application, you can’t beat solid axles for serious off-roading.

The V-6 has plenty of torque—260 lb-ft—but that’s measured at a carlike 4,800 rpm, and the Wrangler is more like a truck. Consequently, even in low range, we’d get a squirt of power when we were only looking for a few drops. Left-foot braking helped solve that issue.

It took us the better part of a day, seldom exceeding 3 mph, to reach the Rubicon Springs campground. We “glamped” in tents set up a few feet from the banks of the Rubicon River. A helicopter visited a couple of times to haul in supplies and haul out trash.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the difference between the two-and four-door models. We did the portion to Rubicon Springs in a two-door, which is 166.8 inches long, 21.6 inches shorter than the four-door. Similarly, the two-door’s wheelbase is just 96.8 inches, 21.6 inches shorter than the four-door. So it should be a lot more nimble, right? Not necessarily. While the turning diameter is 5 inches shorter in the two-door, it wasn’t noticeable. Just as on the highway, we actually preferred the way the four-door handled off-road—more comfortable, more predictable, less jarring.

Which is not to say there weren’t tight spots. Eventually we got used to hearing our Jeep bottom out hard against the skidplates and to feeling the way the steel rock rails, beneath the rocker panels, scuffed against boulders. The massive Dana axles front and rear were a welcome overkill. Yes, there were scratches and scrapes underneath the Jeep afterward, but in the end the only cosmetic damage we spotted during a normal walkaround was the round tailpipe that was, well, no longer round.

Much of this is due to the Rubicon’s generous 10.8-inch ground clearance, about an inch more than the regular Wrangler. Approach angle is an amazing 44 degrees, and departure angle is 37 degrees. The standard Rubicon tire is the BFGoodrich K02 All-Terrain LT285/70R17C, but our Jeep was fitted with the slightly more capable 33-inch BFG KM3. The tires were surprisingly quiet on pavement; in fact, the Jeep Rubicon is pretty quiet, with one major exception: As you rock-crawl, the electric cooling fan comes on with a roar that you just have to get used to.

As usual, the colorfully named sections of the trail that have reputations as being the toughest—Little Sluice, Soup Bowl, and the infamous Cadillac Hill—were so named for a reason. There is, for example, a wrecked 1930s-era Cadillac down there in the woods. Indeed, the Rubicon Trail’s history—even recent history— suggests it is not a place to trifle with. There have been at least three fatalities on the trail since 2012, including one each in 2016 and 2017, which occurred when an unbelted occupant was thrown out as their vehicle rolled over.

The Rubicon Trail’s very existence is somewhat amazing, and that’s not for lack of critics who’ve tried to shut it down despite its history spanning multiple centuries. The Washoe and Maidu-Nisenan tribes traversed the trail long before a military party “discovered” it around 1844. In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill on the South Fork American River, and invading prospectors used the trail. In the late 1800s, Rubicon Springs, the privately owned campground at about the route’s halfway point, became a source of mineral water craved by the health-conscious, and a prosperous bottling industry was born.

Lodges followed, including a two-and-a-half-story hotel serviced daily by a four-horse carriage. But by the 1920s, tourism died and the Rubicon was used mostly by hunters, fishermen, and loggers.

Then, in 1953, avid off-roader Mark Smith hosted the inaugural jamboree, with 55 Jeeps, most of them military-surplus. The off-road guru remained a central caretaker of the Rubicon Trail and an important face of off-roading in general until he died in 2014 at the age of 87. Smith hosted my first trip along the Rubicon in 1992. His former son-in-law, Jeep Jamboree USA’s Umlauf, continues the tradition. “Mark fought for years the threat of the trail being closed,” Umlauf recalled, countering efforts from environmental groups and even the U.S. Forest Service. That’s one reason Smith and a group of investors bought the land at Rubicon Springs: “He reasoned that they could never close him off from his own property.”

The trail last faced a major crisis thanks to a water-quality board concerned about erosion and pollution, largely from silt. But El Dorado County, with help from groups like Umlauf’s, as well as Friends of the Rubicon and a dozen other entities, stepped up to create a master plan for the trail, which the county saw as a major tourist attraction. It worked. The Rubicon Trail, once darkened by trash, spilled oil, drunks, and even some graffiti, is now downright spotless, and the people you meet along the route seem intent on keeping it that way.

Such as two veteran off-roaders we met during a break in the trip—one driving a Toyota truck, the other an old Jeep Cherokee, both stripped of all but the most essential parts, which apparently did not include doors, windows, or an interior. “We just love off-roading,” one said. “If we come to a fork that’s clear trail one way and a rock the size of a Volkswagen the other way, we’re taking on the rock.”

Mark Smith would be proud.

You Want to Drive the Rubicon?

The Rubicon Trail hosts multiple off-road events each year, but the two best known and most popular are the Jeep Jamboree and the Jeepers Jamboree. Yes, despite their so-similar names, they are two separate events. The Jeep Jamboree is smaller, shorter, and more exclusive, and it encourages families. The Jeepers Jamboree offers more of an “adult atmosphere” and allows non-Jeep vehicles, including Toyota Land Cruisers, Toyota trucks, Suzuki Samurais, International Harvester Scouts, and pre-1979 Ford Broncos. Jeep Jamboree, however, requires that you drive a 1987–2019 Jeep Wrangler, with older Jeeps or non-Wrangler models requiring prior approval.

Prices per person are about $400 to $500 and include different amenities. The Jeepers Jamboree is typically in July; the Jeep Jamboree is in August. You can register online. Make sure you do so early, as there’s usually a waiting list.

jeepersjamboree.com  |  jeepjamboreeusa.com

2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Specifications

PRICE $44,940/$51,220 (base/as tested) ENGINE 3.6L DOHC 24-valve V-6; 285 hp @ 6,400 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, 4WD SUV EPA MILEAGE 18/23 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 188.4 x 73.8 x 73.6 in WHEELBASE 118.4 in WEIGHT 4,145 lb 0–60 MPH 7.4 sec (est) TOP SPEED 100 mph (governed)

from Performance Junk Blogger Feed 4 https://www.automobilemag.com/news/jeep-wrangler-rubicon-rubicon-trail-feature/ via IFTTT

[edenplantation]

NPCs Post

Number, Gender, Name Set, Title, Given Name, Middle Initial, Surname, Street Address, City, State, State Full, Zip Code, Country, Country Full, Email Address, Username, Password, Browser User Agent, Telephone Number, Telephone Country Code, Mothers Maiden, Birthday, Age, Tropical Zodiac, CC Type, CC Number, CVV2, CC Expires, National ID, UPS, Western Union MTCN, Money Gram MTCN, Color, Occupation, Company, Vehicle, Domain, Blood Type, Pounds, Kilograms, Feet Inches, Centimeters, GUID, Latitude, Longitude

Fake Name Generator http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/

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61,male,Klingon,Mr.,Kunivas,L,Quark,"Rua Comandante Henrique Brito 78","Poço da Estrada",FA,Faro,8950-433,PT,Portugal,KunivasQuark@jourrapide.com,Camease,nohsh0aiGh9,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","21 289 810 4183",351,Quark,10/10/1953,63,Libra,MasterCard,5270171263345077,484,8/2019,,"1Z 919 E60 86 4036 798 3",4105927576,35916247,Red,Cryptanalyst,"Williams Bros.","1995 ZAZ Wagon",DoubleMassage.com.pt,AB+,160.4,72.9,"5' 11""",181,3e83910c-d252-4f4c-97fc-66224033d5f6,37.27502,-7.76718

62,female,Slovenian,Mrs.,Dorica,S,Šerbela,"Piazza Bovio 141",Dogaro,MO,Modena,41038,IT,Italy,DoricaSerbela@fleckens.hu,Cumpoing,amaid2Zei,"Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_11_6) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","0384 2364951",39,Vajngerl,10/22/1940,76,Libra,MasterCard,5426656370587218,565,7/2022,PP56266044,"1Z A23 315 69 4584 183 7",7895868290,19733784,Blue,"Vending machine repairer","John F. Lawhon","2001 Acura MDX",HistoryWireless.it,A+,161.5,73.4,"5' 3""",160,60ae54ea-4102-4df0-8457-24b5ef7b82c0,44.852613,11.198054

63,female,Polish,Mrs.,Urszula,R,Ostrowska,"ul. Klakusa Ludwika 4",Katowice,,,40-750,PL,Poland,UrszulaOstrowska@armyspy.com,Quad1950,Thees9eixai,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/55.0.2883.87 Safari/537.36","67 515 20 07",48,Nowakowska,2/21/1950,67,Pisces,Visa,4532106606637373,529,7/2022,50022192889,"1Z 150 924 34 2605 415 7",9308943683,13832872,Yellow,"Oral surgeon","Hills Supermarkets","1994 Nissan Primera",SearchTops.pl,B+,167.4,76.1,"5' 3""",159,418cd4dc-5bc2-4d65-bead-967206413eb8,50.305627,18.979674

64,female,England/Wales,Mrs.,Skye,B,Read,"5 Caerfai Bay Road",TELFORD,,,"TF3 4JS",GB,"United Kingdom",SkyeRead@superrito.com,Wayeat,eMoJaeL8Oo,"Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","077 4703 3663",44,Owens,2/12/1970,47,Aquarius,Visa,4716544159527070,606,7/2019,"KS 94 01 45 A","1Z 209 788 47 4085 579 1",9267682237,34628939,Red,"Ophthalmologic sonographer","Honest Air Group","1996 Chevrolet Suburban",StateIdea.co.uk,A+,145.6,66.2,"5' 4""",163,0a081871-d6d3-477b-8234-f2e548640a96,52.59075,-2.465675

65,female,England/Wales,Ms.,Summer,J,Thorpe,"Avenida Duque Ávila 118",Sobral,LI,Lisboa,2530-310,PT,Portugal,SummerThorpe@fleckens.hu,Rectelon,zohhah2Eiw,"Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_12_3) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","21 218 813 9305",351,Price,11/25/1968,48,Sagittarius,MasterCard,5528230684471753,535,8/2019,,"1Z 038 552 55 3705 495 6",8916294430,17689115,Purple,"Sales worker","Casual Corner","2008 Fiat Ulysse",OptionAlerts.com.pt,O+,121.2,55.1,"5' 7""",171,413f31a9-a833-4371-a73e-5b6f272eaf2b,39.159044,-9.248365

66,female,Icelandic,Ms.,Hróðný,Þ,Snorradóttir,"Blekersdijk 29",Doische,WNA,Namur,5680,BE,Belgium,HronySnorradottir@einrot.com,Strat1992,ailei2Iech,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","0477 92 44 12",32,,2/9/1992,25,Aquarius,MasterCard,5305401855445004,383,12/2020,,"1Z W02 6F0 86 0587 161 8",0972717716,98478068,Purple,"Social and human service assistant","Warehouse Club, Inc.","1999 Chevrolet Tracker",AutomobileAir.be,O+,159.7,72.6,"5' 7""",170,71c50c91-2de9-4331-b727-6ca433f5e2f7,50.149351,4.6752

67,female,Australian,Ms.,Victoria,H,Poupinel,"Route de Botrange 275",Spa,WLG,Liège,4900,BE,Belgium,VictoriaPoupinel@rhyta.com,Prinfoo,Leexish0eo,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/55.0.2883.87 Safari/537.36","0497 70 99 13",32,Pinner,1/19/1950,67,Capricorn,Visa,4716360032638657,025,1/2018,,"1Z 9W4 611 42 7638 518 2",0425157900,99899201,Silver,"Oral hygienist","Cherry & Webb","1992 Suzuki Samurai",TutoringIndustry.be,O+,196.9,89.5,"5' 6""",168,d1af25e4-7810-4c66-9a27-41fd842bdc2d,50.495161,5.814508

68,female,Greenland,Mrs.,Paninnguaq,M,Jensen,"Avda. Andalucía 89",Ribafrecha,LO,"La Rioja",26130,ES,Spain,PaninnguaqJensen@gustr.com,Hateculd60,paG6yeeph4F,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.3; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","667 426 474",34,Mathiassen,4/3/1960,56,Aries,MasterCard,5441448051488135,162,10/2021,,"1Z 728 313 92 2821 207 8",9401162094,85408612,Purple,"Electronic publishing specialist","Crown Auto Parts","1992 Skoda Rapid R",SiteFlippin.es,B+,213.8,97.2,"5' 3""",161,6894c7cf-532b-48ef-ae95-47014d618885,42.382882,-2.511602

69,female,"Russian (Cyrillic)",Ms.,Капитолина,С,Третьякова,"Waidäckergasse 87",WEIKERTSHAM,SZ,Salzburg,5163,AT,Austria,Fewillic@superrito.com,Fewillic,kaizietu8M,"Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.10; rv:51.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/51.0","0650 585 29 46",43,,1/8/1962,55,Capricorn,MasterCard,5452377256687058,402,10/2021,,"1Z 8A0 2Y3 76 3694 919 5",4843018534,18255185,Brown,"Data input clerk","Electronic Geek","1998 Honda Shuttle",FurnitureCollector.at,B+,131.6,59.8,"5' 4""",162,7cbfeb82-52bc-4bdc-b702-a6ccb7b9fe64,47.912822,13.101852

70,male,Slovenian,Mr.,Avdulah,S,Kasupović,"Λουτράκι 52",ΣΑΡΑΜΑ,PA,Πάφος,8814,CY,"Cyprus (Greek)",AvdulahKasupovic@einrot.com,Whiskentle,toow3Ohhae,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","26 915715",357,Majcenovič,6/6/1948,68,Gemini,MasterCard,5436269217284706,886,8/2021,,"1Z 631 434 33 6639 087 3",7592338812,89024392,Black,"Forensic technician",Patterson-Fletcher,"2002 Toyota ES 3",GuamGaming.com.cy,A-,207.9,94.5,"5' 11""",180,348d6a04-97e1-4762-bfa3-89a969db2436,41.328505,-72.882677

71,male,Persian,Mr.,پژمان,پ,غایی,"Rua Recreio 1093","Rio de Janeiro",RJ,"Rio de Janeiro",21321-500,BR,Brazil,PejemanGhaaa@rhyta.com,Sply1982,Raitaiwo4o,"Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.10; rv:51.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/51.0","(21) 5140-3231",55,کسایی,4/28/1982,34,Taurus,MasterCard,5175047071427859,129,10/2020,879.853.463-76,"1Z 630 40V 63 5475 001 0",1877207094,20867355,Blue,"Floral designer","Value Giant","2009 Alpina Roadster",TheJudgeRules.com.br,A+,142.3,64.7,"6' 0""",184,baf98e2b-9f03-4a8a-9fb7-744624cd33c5,-22.863876,-43.27842

72,male,Finnish,Mr.,Olli,M,Narjus,"Haugenstuveien 177",OSLO,,,1084,NO,Norway,OlliNarjus@einrot.com,Wasuld,ha9sof0Oh,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/55.0.2883.87 Safari/537.36","476 18 096",47,Mäkelä,5/30/1938,78,Gemini,Visa,4929205967129482,405,5/2022,,"1Z 359 194 42 5919 045 2",2887106342,61679739,Blue,"Loan collection officer","Maurice The Pants Man","2010 Buick Park Avenue",TanEmporium.no,O+,158.4,72.0,"5' 6""",168,d83c309e-d7a8-485d-b05a-c721c1961f77,60.003045,10.977769

73,male,Persian,Mr.,رامبد,گ,پارسافر,"3822 Davis Court",Brussels,IL,Illinois,62013,US,"United States",RamebdPearesafer@armyspy.com,Nowediff61,vo7xocapeeNg,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36",618-883-0482,1,"کریمی زاده",9/1/1961,55,Virgo,MasterCard,5319745357807069,960,12/2019,319-09-5920,"1Z 7Y1 F85 06 7824 901 6",2881670244,62950807,Blue,"Ski patrol",Luskin's,"2011 SsangYong Korando",exilecodex.com,A+,157.7,71.7,"5' 9""",175,610db97a-ce63-4f4c-ae01-14b6365b8bda,39.051928,-90.512968

74,male,"Japanese (Anglicized)",Mr.,Ichiro,H,Sakai,"95 Fordham Rd",HALFWAY,,,"S19 4HH",GB,"United Kingdom",IchiroSakai@cuvox.de,Dind1973,Neb3ba3w,"Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_12) AppleWebKit/602.1.50 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/10.0 Safari/602.1.50","079 8898 7897",44,Morita,12/25/1973,43,Capricorn,MasterCard,5374297938092235,555,2/2022,"JR 64 46 93 D","1Z 311 335 20 6056 650 0",5046650590,15919563,Blue,"Cementing and gluing machine operator",CompuAdd,"2008 Volkswagen Commercial",GlobalPediatricians.co.uk,O+,191.2,86.9,"5' 10""",177,712dc659-99b7-4c89-b225-ce415afbcf99,51.968281,-3.679277

75,female,Eritrean,Mrs.,Liya,N,Fethawi,"Grote Baan 424",Kaster,VWV,"West Flanders",8572,BE,Belgium,LiyaFethawi@dayrep.com,Cionachis,Ohs1aedoh,"Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_12_3) AppleWebKit/602.4.8 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/10.0.3 Safari/602.4.8","0490 39 68 14",32,Eyob,7/16/1993,23,Cancer,Visa,4716258789278026,416,12/2019,,"1Z 481 E72 99 8718 095 6",8407897730,72524578,Purple,"Vending machine technician","Mission You","2007 Alfa Romeo 166",GardenDistributor.be,AB+,128.3,58.3,"5' 2""",158,4d7d8f24-7308-4ee7-a824-c96268834b50,50.858775,3.404992

76,female,Japanese,Mrs.,千代,茂,嘉村,"Budaörsi út 83.",Gávavencsellô,SZ,Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg,4471,HU,Hungary,Haske1962@superrito.com,Haske1962,Eet1xool,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:51.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/51.0","(42) 269-068",36,福池,2/13/1962,55,Aquarius,MasterCard,5115738640751299,774,6/2020,,"1Z 064 A94 85 7087 120 1",2409487427,95562941,Blue,"Receive-and-deliver clerk","Richman Brothers","1994 Ford Laser",MoralBuilder.hu,A+,200.4,91.1,"5' 7""",169,5766b1e2-9780-4fbc-8631-471973e15121,48.089139,21.560916

77,female,Russian,Mrs.,Eva,G,Kalinina,"2295 Stanza Bopape St",Thohoyandou,LI,Limpopo,0959,ZA,"South Africa",EvaKalinina@fleckens.hu,Romed1939,ooyae1iL7n,"Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_12_3) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","083 800 0480",27,,4/30/1939,77,Taurus,MasterCard,5543029869550832,587,3/2021,3904301800181,"1Z V42 828 56 9036 228 7",7207432286,60389437,Blue,"Home appliance service technician","Eagle Food Centers","2007 BMW 550",IndieMovement.co.za,O+,124.5,56.6,"5' 6""",168,2b56260a-7f57-460a-a25a-396e47c8f6c5,-22.993523,30.484412

78,male,Australian,Mr.,Ryan,S,Skipper,"124 Vas. Sofias Avenue",Paphos,PA,Paphos,8048,CY,"Cyprus (Anglicized)",RyanSkipper@rhyta.com,Oper1993,aigooCahNi8,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","99 984275",357,Chipper,7/19/1993,23,Cancer,Visa,4556839288851232,576,10/2019,,"1Z Y38 0E0 79 3902 172 0",5350794042,44870316,Blue,"Liquid waste treatment plant and system operator","Sports Unlimited","1999 Toyota Solara",LiquidBoxes.com.cy,B+,218.7,99.4,"5' 9""",175,4701a99d-9eff-4ca8-93f3-e8826f46449e,41.344119,-72.94956

79,male,Eritrean,Mr.,Isaias,H,Alem,"Gerbiweg 34","Büren an der Aare",,,3294,CH,Switzerland,IsaiasAlem@superrito.com,Siours,aeLiecei7,"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/56.0.2924.87 Safari/537.36","032 245 40 55",41,Kifle,4/26/1990,26,Taurus,Visa,4556388787239168,740,7/2022,,"1Z 079 W25 01 1530 321 0",1137792370,23858208,Black,"Physical meteorologist","Garden Master","2004 Daewoo Chairman",ProgramTrivia.ch,A-,150.7,68.5,"5' 7""",169,4984953c-bfec-47fc-bc95-10c27501fa85,47.195445,7.334949

80,male,Slovenian,Mr.,Mersin,A,Mališ,"Puerta Nueva 36",Tías,GC,"Las Palmas",35572,ES,Spain,MersinMalis@jourrapide.com,Theiven,Lo4ooTheelie,"Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_11_6) AppleWebKit/602.3.12 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/10.0.2 Safari/602.3.12","797 061 146",34,Velikovrh,1/24/1996,21,Aquarius,Visa,4532845985943973,770,11/2018,,"1Z E16 277 60 5065 264 5",8758905841,21555297,Blue,"Food service worker",FlowerTime,"1998 Honda SSM",CulinaryPost.es,O+,198.4,90.2,"6' 2""",187,4d2418ff-2a29-4ff1-a1d4-f77ad14e5b36,28.962858,-13.677551