Pavel Pashkovskiy

I did not mentioned it, because no one was asking, but you are right. My absolutely successful and much loved journey in Carnity came to end long time back. I am appearing in very specific posts only when somebody tagging me, and probably because my yearly subscription still valid. I am happy to join discussion if i see it might be interesting for me, and always ready to offer my support and share experience with anyone need it. Would be happy in the future to join some gathering events to meet friends and talk about cars. But in terms of driving i crossed already any possible at Carnity level by driving in other clubs.

Regearing it's not one of the necessary part of Jeep upgrades, and it's not required unless you are changing your tires for 2 or more size up. If you still using stock tires, regearing not required. However this is one of the sign of the difference between schools. In general driving stock Wrangler offroad for me it's like using smartphone for professional photography, instead of dslr camera. Or home kitchen wear in professional restorant kitchen. Is it possible? Generally, yes. Are professionals doing that? No. As i mentioned above, nothing wrong to be in elementary school, worst thing is to stack there. We have some good examples when drivers "Graduated" from Carnity elementary school become Marshals and sharing their experience with new drivers in other clubs. And Carnity must be proud of them.

Gaurav, with all my respect to everyone. I was replying on specific, Jeep (even more detailed Sand Runner/Mojave) comment based on my personal experience. Of course everyone can comment and discuss what ever they want, but would be great to keep discussion on the specific/detailed level following post/comment entry. It's not really professional to interfere in to discussion very specifically related to certain issue/point of view, without being real member of this (Jeep/Heavy Modified Jeep) community. We did not discussed in general, we was exchanging specific and sensitive information/opinion. I will never be discussing something where i don't have any experience even after 20 years in offroading. Now about "elementary school". I am very happy that i was in Carnity, in begining of my offroading life. Until now i am recommending to every absolute newbee to join Carnity, because it's great elementary school in offroading. Nothing wrong to be in elementary school, all of us start there as a kids or newbee offroader. Problem is to stack at elementary school. There is many grate examples, and i know personally some drivers who become Marshals in highly reputated clubs, after starting in Carnity.

To talk about Jeep, you must have Jeep at first. To talk about proper Jeep you must have Jeep and first and make from it proper Jeep at second. Only people who passed all this steps can prove difference. Any stock car can climb something, even Toyota Corolla.

Did you tune your engine and gearbox? If not, you will not be able to climb in 4H or 4L. Offroading it is hobby and even lifestyle. Doing it, keeping in mind what happen with warranty or what says your insurance, means limiting yourself in most interesting part of it. If you want proper Jeep you must tune it. Minimum requirements are adjusting cooling system, tunning engine, tunning gearbox for faster switching. Out of than the minimum requirements for the engine tuning are proper air intake and exhaust. All above means bye-bye warranty. Ready for it? Go for it, you will not regret. Not ready? You can keep discussing about 4H, 4L... Nothing will help. You will never go outside of "elementary school".

You need to consider many factors, not only ratios. Do you know what is main problem for most of the JL / JT owners? Warranty ! Until you will be thinking about Warranty, you will never get your JL to the right level. Most important thing is to get your JL properly tunned. You need to reprogramm colling system, transmission for faster switching, and general engine parameters. Along with that you need to put good cold air intake and exhaust to be able to achieve minimum requirements. All above impossible if you want to keep Warranty. After all modification and tunning I've got around 65 HP extra, and my JT not overheating now at all, temperature never go above 90-92 deg in summer time, i've got almost immediate gear switching which is very important in high level drives. Without tunning you will not be able to achive same performance and speed in compare to sport or sahara. I am driving my JK in 4L only, but with JK it's another story, no one driving JK in 4H, 5 speed transmission will not allowed you to do anything in 4H. On Sand Runner i am more comfortable in 4H, but till some level. Above that level i must go for 4L, even i not very like it. Driving with one club where only Jeeps, i did not herd even one case of broken transmission due to driving in 4L in last year. Maybe it's a Jeep thing only, but everybody driving only in 4L. In other club all FJs and other Japanese cars always stopping to switch between 4L and 4H depends on situation.

I know people who broke ther Jeeps transmission during mall crawling in 2H. It's not about rules or recommendations, it's all about drivers.

Hello Gaurav, Gladiator "Sand Runner" was electronically re-programmed to allow to drive with engaged diff-lock on the speed up to 90 km/h on 4H. In 4L it have more or less same limitation like any other Jeep. JL or JT can definitely run faster in 4L than any other offroad cars, thanks to 8 speed automatic transmission. Rubicon except 392 usually slower due to high gear ratio of the transfer case. All other trims like Sport, Sahara, Mojave, Sand Runner and Rubicon 392 sharing same 2.71:1 transfer case gear ratio, which is giving you enough high speed even in 4L with 8 speed automatic transmission.

I have two ARB dual head compressors, one with tank, one without. 2.5 times difference in time.

So, why not a Wrangler? There is many on Dubizzle 2017-2018 JK with 55-75k milage on it and price below 100k. Ultimate offroad car. Instead of that you are looking for dead Japanese car? Do you want feel the real offroading? I am not talking about creazy drives, i am talking about driving in offroad style, without roof and doors, breathing fresh air and enjoying unlimited view? Or you want to sit inside small box with small windows? Hmmm... very strange decision.

You have to change way you are thinking about car maintenance, especially offroad car maintenance. With 10 years old Wrangler for example, you don't need to go to the dealer for service and maintenance, you don't need to go even to high level garages in Al Quoz somewhere. There is fields of happiness in Sharjah people called scrap yards 😄, you can get there almost new engine for 10k including swapping. I've got there 2018 gearbox for 2.5k+1k for installation. What you are worried about if you can completely change engine and gearbox together for less than 15k? Offroad wheels and rims cost more. You can't jump to offroading with standard mentality. If you be always thinking how much will cost your repairs in case you will jump or climb high dune, you will never become part of this life. You have to look for the dune where you might potentially destroy your shocks, and do everything to avoid damages. Of course all this applicable to higher level of drives, but remember there is only 15 drives between absolute newbie and the level where you will need proper shocks, proper wheels, cold air inrake, exhaust and many more to be able to comply with requirements.

I've been in same situation like you and was thinking more or less same, exept i never planning to have multipurpose car. In last January i was looking for new hobby due to boring life, and decided to try offroading. Everybody was saying don't spend big money, try first, try first.... i did not listen. Went to TE and bought brand new Sand Runner, which cost me around 250k with modifications. And after 2 month i realized that to be able to drive with most of the clubs, and have most of the fun, i need short wheelbase car. So, i bought 10 years old 2dr Wrangler for 50k. It's another story how much i spent for repairs and modification, generally it was not necessary, it's just my new hobby now, restoring and modifiyng jeeps. I am very happy from result and performance. What i want to say, if you have money, nobody will stop you, and you will get most probably wrong car. But if you need advice from the person been in exactly same situation, try what i am telling you. Buy car for 40-50k, there is lot on Dubizzle, and drive for one season. If you will not like it, i mean offroading you will sell it for 35k and will loose nothing. Consider as a price to try. But if you will buy now car for 250-350, you will loose a lot of money in case you will not like it. I did not loose anything, because my initial plan for Sand Runner was camping and expedition.

No spare parts, no upgrade kits, no specialized garages, absolutely nothing. Jeep, Nissan or Toyota you can repare at any coffee shop. "Please one Karak and one shock absorber... and driveshaft for the balance please..." Why people even thinking about cars like Bronco for offroading? It was the name long time back, same like Defender, but now they are typical mall crawlers