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JT Rubicon V6 performance

Malarkey21

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All stock rubicon with the A/T. does fine. Quick enough when you need to get in front of someone at the traffic light. no problems at all getting on the expressway or acceleration from 75 to pass someone while cruzing.

Interesting. You’re the second one to say mileage improves after 4-5 K miles. I’m wondering if you had your oil changed before or after you noticed this improvement.
Thanks.
I'll be number 3. pretty solid 18.5 from the start. at about 4600 now, and easily getting 19.5-20 mixed. noticed it around 4k mark.
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Hemi

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In stock configuration it's quick. The JL Wrangler ran like a startled cat because it's lighter, but the JT does just fine.

Once you throw 35s and heavier aftermarket wheels and lift kits that catch more wind into the equation, performance starts to drop off very quickly.

I'm actively trying to sell my 35s for that reason. I need performance more than I need 1" of offroad clearance.
Interesting. This morning I was on my way to work and thought maybe I should stick to stock, it rides pretty nice the way it is
 

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Interesting. This morning I was on my way to work and thought maybe I should stick to stock, it rides pretty nice the way it is
There is a very good balance that can be achieved. If you find a 285/70-17 tire that is lightweight (BFG, Cooper, Nitto, etc.) then you can have a nice looking tire size that still maintains all factory performance. Many LT-C tires are available that are more lightweight than what Jeep is using on the Gladiator Rubicon from the factory, which is surprising. And I'm talking considerably lighter.

For example:

BFG KO2 from JL Rubicon = 51 lbs.

Falken A/T3W from JT Rubicon = 64 lbs.

This is what I'm actively looking into this week. Which tires will still look nice on the truck, while keeping that light weight we all need.
 

MPETE

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There is a very good balance that can be achieved. If you find a 285/70-17 tire that is lightweight (BFG, Cooper, Nitto, etc.) then you can have a nice looking tire size that still maintains all factory performance. Many LT-C tires are available that are more lightweight than what Jeep is using on the Gladiator Rubicon from the factory, which is surprising. And I'm talking considerably lighter.

For example:

BFG KO2 from JL Rubicon = 51 lbs.

Falken A/T3W from JT Rubicon = 64 lbs.

This is what I'm actively looking into this week. Which tires will still look nice on the truck, while keeping that light weight we all need.
I'm just glad to see I am not the only one who looks at these specs. I've been in F150's for the last 6 years (hoping to end that with a new JT by the end of the year). During that time when looking for new tires, I researched tire specs until I thought I'd go cross-eyed, then researched some more. I was looking for tires P-metric tires of a certain height that were on the lighter side, yet still have an A/T tread pattern. Yes, its a jeep (or heavy F150 in my case) not a prius (as I heard many times) but mpg as well as acceleration is still very important to me. And rolling weight/mass SIGNIFICANTLY effects those stats. Yet anytime I brought up the topic on a forum or faceyspace page, You'd have thought I was asking for SS numbers or something. No one seemed to care about that type of stuff.
Just "ug, me like big tire. me want biggest i can fit. me want most aggressive tread possible. oh, me want tow mirrs too!"

Seriously though, thanks for posting the weight differences between the two. I had already pretty much made up my mind I wanted to try to find some takeoff rubi tires whenever I FINALLY get a JT, this gives me more info use in my search.
 

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wch_Chip

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There is a very good balance that can be achieved. If you find a 285/70-17 tire that is lightweight (BFG, Cooper, Nitto, etc.) then you can have a nice looking tire size that still maintains all factory performance. Many LT-C tires are available that are more lightweight than what Jeep is using on the Gladiator Rubicon from the factory, which is surprising. And I'm talking considerably lighter.

For example:

BFG KO2 from JL Rubicon = 51 lbs.

Falken A/T3W from JT Rubicon = 64 lbs.

This is what I'm actively looking into this week. Which tires will still look nice on the truck, while keeping that light weight we all need.
For reference the 315/70R70 KO2 only weigh 64lbs.
 

TheSolarWizard

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My coworker listened to me about weight so he traded his rubicon 17s for overland 18s and went with the cooper AT3 XLT in LT285/75/18 (34.5 on the Jeep) at 59lbs and he’s getting 19.9 hand calculated in mixed driving.

Incredibly quiet tire with a 60k warranty, looks great and fantastic aired down off-road (for an AT)

2B79C57C-6056-467B-A9E7-30257F538EAF.jpeg
 
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Tonopah01

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I did test drive an Overland JT with the 2 inch Mopar factory lift and generally liked it. It was clear to me that the dealer had the tire pressure way too high (didn't know how to check that in the instrument cluster though). I'll bet the tires were near 45 psi though. My experience with my JK Rubi tells me that 30 cold or so is much better -- allowing the tires to flex and improving the dirt road driving manners immeasurably. So, the wandering of the JT on my test drive didn't really bother me. But I never really got a feel for the acceleration, one way or the other. My son-in-law is recommending a ProCharger supercharger, of course. That would be sweet but I think I'd like to keep the factory warranty! I am thinking about the Mopar lift and 35 inch tires as, coming from a 2 door JK Rubi, I have a feeling that the factory break over angle of the stock JT may be a problem for me. But I don't want to kill overall engine performance with more unsprung weight and worse aerodynamics. Decisions, decisions. Heck, I haven't even ordered it yet (waiting for Gobi).
 

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Coming from driving a 2007 JKU and a 2004 F-350 (chipped to 535hp) I find the JTR with the 33" tires to be nice and peppy compared to the JKU but it ain't my chipped Powerstroke. I haven't towed anything of substantial weight yet but from what I have seen so far I am very happy with the performance. Where I have found it really shines though is on the trails, several hills I had to give up on with my JKU the JTR just laughed at.
 

Reeb65

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My coworker listened to me about weight so he traded his rubicon 17s for overland 18s and went with the cooper AT3 XLT in LT285/75/18 (34.5 on the Jeep) at 59lbs and he’s getting 19.9 hand calculated in mixed driving.

Incredibly quiet tire with a 60k warranty and fantastic aired down off-road (for an AT)
Have the Coopers on my Ram and will be putting them on my JL. Great tires.
 

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it works but the outdated V-6 is likely a bit weak IMO from a test drive compared to my 2011 frontier's V-6 with trouble free port injection, a very dated but reliable engine as well
 

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it works but the outdated V-6 is likely a bit weak IMO from a test drive compared to my 2011 frontier's V-6 with trouble free port injection, a very dated but reliable engine as well
The Nissan 4.0L V6 is now in its fifteenth model year.

The Jeep 3.6L V6 that we get in the JT Gladiator has been around for four model years.

I had a 2013 Frontier with that engine. I will say that back in 2004 when Nissan dropped that engine into their truck, it was way ahead of its time. 261 horsepower and 280 lbs/ft of torque from a V6 was unheard of at the time. Heck, even in 2020 you can't buy a V6 with 280 lbs/ft naturally aspirated.

But overall, the Pentastar in the Jeep runs circles around it. Better power while passing, and much more efficient.
 

TheSolarWizard

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it works but the outdated V-6 is likely a bit weak IMO from a test drive compared to my 2011 frontier's V-6 with trouble free port injection, a very dated but reliable engine as well

The frontier also weighs around 700 lbs less with tiny tires, an ancient transmission
 
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Tonopah01

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Well, I went in to the dealer today to possibly order a pretty much fully optioned Rubicon in the Gobi color. Somehow, I drove out in a fully optioned bright white LE. Not sure what happened -- but I like it. Acceleration is fine.
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