Jeep Wrangler JL Review.

[HeinrichC]

Latest update - It came as a surprise.

My eye caught these auxiliary switches at the bottom of the centre console in front of the shifter:





Turns out these are switches especially built into the dash for any electrical accessories one wants to add to the vehicle i.e. spotlights, ARB compressor, UHF/VHF radio, etc:



Aux 1 & 2 = 40A
Aux 3 & 4 = 15A

The wiring seems ready on the switch side as well as on the fusebox side. I am impressed.

Next post - I noticed a 230V 150W 3 prong plug in the centre console at the rear. This means there is an inverter built into the Jeep. (What on earth can a 230V 150W plug be used for?)

[Quiksilver]

Next post - I noticed a 230V 150W 3 prong plug in the centre console at the rear. This means there is an inverter built into the Jeep. (What on earth can a 230V 150W plug be used for?)

I imagine the intend usage is things like laptops or camera's with mains chargers.

That is all very thoughtful.

[HeinrichC]

I could not get to adding to this thread during the past week (I have been out of action).

At this stage I can conclude that according to me the JL is better than the JK (Internal and external).

On road driving has improved with beter on road stability and feel (And an improved turning circle). But, you know you are driving a front and rear solid axle coiled Jeep, it is not a soft roader, all round independent suspension vehicle. I like driving a Wrangler and I want to feel that I am driving one.

Fuel consumption is impressive, about 11.7 Lr/100Km in town.

Next time I will focus on off road and what is better, the same or has changed.

[jelo]

I like driving a Wrangler and I want to feel that I am driving one.

Ditto and precisely.

[Chong]

Ditto and precisely.

+1!

[Commander]

Thanks for making the effort to post, from the reviews I have seen the JL seems like a big jump ahead. Your impressions seem to echo that, and now I also want one! 😂

[Mux]

What a disgusting thread!

I went from let me just peak, to I also MUST have one. It triggers all the right senses.
Thank you for starting the thread. Keep it up please. Maybe 1 day I'll be privileged enough to drive 1, it all depends on the final price/affordability. I miss my JK Rubicon.

May you have many happy kilometers.

[HeinrichC]

Hopefully I can do some offroad testing this weekend but it looks like we are in for a rainy weekend in PE.

[Rainier Vermaak]

Hopefully I can do some offroad testing this weekend but it looks like we are in for a rainy weekend in PE.

And?

[HeinrichC]

4X4 trail drive in rain is never a good idea and not safe. There are easier ways to look for trouble.

Any case, I removed the Mopar side steps and fitted the original rock sliders. Sunday is testing day, weather looks good.

[HeinrichC]

All ready and set for The Meadows 4X4 tomorrow. I removed the tow bar (Gooseneck, key lock type) and tugged the electrical socket connector out of harms way using cable ties.

The standard metal mounting bracket for the socket hangs a bit low making the electrical socket connector the lowest point at the back. Why can they not design a tow bar wiring loom that one can unplug and remove if need be?

[HeinrichC]

We had a great outing today at The Meadows 4X4 just outside PE on the Elands river gravel road.

I took it easy at the start just so I can familiarise myself with the vehicle ie the diff lock switches function differently than the JKs, the 8-speed auto is quite different than the 5-speed auto in the JK and then the wheelbase and track is slightly different (Need to know where my wheels are).

I have a very long list of what has changed compared to the JK but I will try and keep it as short as possible. But first, let's get the elephant in the room out of the way. Is the JL 2-door Rubicon better off road than the JK 2-door Rubicon?

Yes, it is. Why?

1. The driver seat height adjustment has improved, goes up higher (Great for short people like me. 1.74cm).
2. Diff lock switches is much better and easier to use, there is a separate diff lock disengage switch.
3. 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear is even lower than in the JK, the JL can really crawl up steep inclines.
4. Articulation has improved with the sway bar disconnected.
5. The JL turning circle is very impressive.
6. The JL stock suspension (Shocks and coils) has improved significantly, actually light years ahead of the stock JK suspension.
7. The wider track combined with the suspension made for a much better ride off road, no more rocking left to right (Pitch) when going over rocky terrain.
8. Feels that there is more power - I think the lower gear ratios plays a role here.
9. The ground clearance seems to be better, specifically the break over angle and the pumpkins.
10. The 8-speed auto is a lot less jerky and jumpy between gear changes (It actually uses 8th gear in 4L).

Next weekend it will be sand driving at Brakkeduine and I must admit I am a bit worried.

Why?

1. Well the even lower gear ratios.
2. The BFG KM02's are not the best for sand
3. 8-speed gearbox - The gearbox does the same thing the 5-speed auto in the JK does, when you need it to hold a gear so the revs stays in the power band, the box changes one gear up and you lose the momentum and rpm.

With the JK I used to put the box in manual mode and selected 3rd or 4th gear. Doing that stops the gearbox from shifting higher that the selected gear ie 3rd or 4th and the rpm stays in the power band. This might be an auto box thing with 4X4's and not unique to the Wranglers.

Just to give you an indication of the gear ratio changes (8-speed auto vs 5-speed auto) here they are:

JL Rubicon Auto Gear Ratios:
* 1st - 4.71
* 2nd - 3.13
* 3rd - 2.10
* 4th - 1.67
* 5th - 1.28
* 6th - 1.00
* 7th - 0.84
* 8th - 0.67


JK Rubicon Auto Gear Ratios:
* 1st - 3.59
* 2nd - 2.19
* 3rd - 1.41
* 4th - 1.0
* 5th - 0.80

[HeinrichC]

Some very useful features the JL have, following is one of them called off road mode with the following three displays that are big and easy to see:

Pitch and Roll




Temperatures of the vitals



Active state of the lockers, sway bar and 4X4 mode (4Auto, 4H, 4L

[Hedgehog]

Heinrich

What was your range on a tank when driving down home?
I am considering the 2 door, but have seen that it has a smaller tank than the 4 door?

[HeinrichC]

Heinrich

What was your range on a tank when driving down home?
I am considering the 2 door, but have seen that it has a smaller tank than the 4 door?

Interesting question indeed.

The size of the fuel tank in the 2-door is a bit of a mystery at the moment to me. Here is the mystery:

1. The 2-Door comes with a 66 liter fuel tank in the USA.
2. Jeep SA shows a 70 liter fuel tank.
3. My vehicles VIN specific built sheet shows a fuel tank size of 17.5 gallons (66 Liters). See picture 1 & 2
4. and for the South Africa models my vehicle build sheet shows the fuel tank has an additional 5 gallons (19 Liters). See picture 1 & 2.
5. That is 85 liters of fuel?

I personally think the tank is about 70 liters and the additional size in the fuel tank for SA is 5 liters and not 5 gallons.

From Jhb to PE I averaged 10Lr/100Km. You should easily get 600Km between refills without having to run the tank close to empty.

[Hedgehog]

Interesting question indeed.

The size of the fuel tank in the 2-door is a bit of a mystery at the moment to me. Here is the mystery:

1. The 2-Door comes with a 66 liter fuel tank in the USA.
2. Jeep SA shows a 70 liter fuel tank.
3. My vehicles VIN specific built sheet shows a fuel tank size of 17.5 gallons (66 Liters). See picture 1 & 2
4. and for the South Africa models my vehicle build sheet shows the fuel tank has an additional 5 gallons (19 Liters). See picture 1 & 2.
5. That is 85 liters of fuel?

I personally think the tank is about 70 liters and the additional size in the fuel tank for SA is 5 liters and not 5 gallons.

From Jhb to PE I averaged 10Lr/100Km. You should easily get 600Km between refills without having to run the tank close to empty.

Thanks

I hope it is the 70liter tank

[HeinrichC]

I know it is definitely not 66 liters. My fuel consumption and distance to empty indicated a 70 liter fuel tank.

[Hedgehog]

I need to see a packing my 2door JL for a camping weekend post @Heinrich..


Come on!! You can doooo eeeeet!!!

[HeinrichC]

I only camp in brick tents

[jelo]

I only camp in brick tents

Or very decent wooden ones.