Rubicon vs Mojave - Accurate video?

[Pedal Metal]

If they ever install a 392 it will be a HOMO.

Uh, is that a good thing now?

Sponsored

 

[PetePetePete]

I believe either the front or rear (think the front?) axle walls (the casing) are or were thicker on the Mojave. Again... not sure if the Rubicon now has it too... but I do recall reading someplace that this was the case.

 

[bleda2002]

I believe either the front or rear (think the front?) axle walls (the casing) are or were thicker on the Mojave. Again... not sure if the Rubicon now has it too... but I do recall reading someplace that this was the case.

Its both front and rear and the rubicon/diesel has the same ones. The housing difference is the shock mounts for the mojave are different.

 

[antwon412]

That the frame reinforcement and stronger knuckles are non-factors what with the whole lack of issues around either of those parts. Also that unless you want spacers and shock extensions the other special mojave bits are also non factors.

edit: Rereading this I came off pretty harsh lol. The Mojave pieces have a purpose but it's so specialized that unless you really are doing true desert running or plan on keeping it near stock there is nothing more useful about it over a rubi.

To jump in a bit - most people report the Mojave is a better on road ride. That’s why I chose a Mojo.

As much as I love wheeling, it’s not a dedicated trail rig. So I chose to go with the version that will give me the better day to day driving aspects.

I was very tempted by the Rubi. But I add a disconnect of some sort (I have JKS discos on my TJ that works great) like an Apex Autolynx and if needed a locker in the front and I have a rubicon with great road manners.

And I like driving trails at a reasonable pace, 20-30 mph on a trail is so much fun. I wanted those upgraded shocks.

$125-$400 for disconnects.
$1200-$1500 for a locker

Best of both worlds
Nice to have options!

 

[Trailman]

I went with the Rubicon, largely because there was a Mojave and a Rubicon on the lot at the time. I test drove both. The Rubicon had an 8.4" screen and was cheaper (Dealer GM Demo, ~13% off). Mojave 7" screen. Otherwise nearly identical.

Having said that I think I would have ordered a Rubicon over a Mojave anyway due to the front lockers and lower case. I live up high in CO. I do not rock crawl per se, but I definitely am on steep, slick, snow covered (or ice covered) forest trails often in the winter. Love the extra confidence with the front locker. Of course you can add this to the Mojave (just like you can add shocks to the Rubicon) but I prefer going stock.

I recently got stuck in 4 Hi in a sand/clay pit. I was driving down a dry river bed and got to a dicey area. I'm sure Mojave would have handled it fine as well, but I was amazed how easily it scampered out when I put the JTR in 4 Low. Switched from complete wheel stuck to rolling out with seemingly no resistance.

 

[bleda2002]

To jump in a bit - most people report the Mojave is a better on road ride. That’s why I chose a Mojo.

As much as I love wheeling, it’s not a dedicated trail rig. So I chose to go with the version that will give me the better day to day driving aspects.

I was very tempted by the Rubi. But I add a disconnect of some sort (I have JKS discos on my TJ that works great) like an Apex Autolynx and if needed a locker in the front and I have a rubicon with great road manners.

And I like driving trails at a reasonable pace, 20-30 mph on a trail is so much fun. I wanted those upgraded shocks.

$125-$400 for disconnects.
$1200-$1500 for a locker

Best of both worlds
Nice to have options!

Makes perfect sense, I still maintain if you are planning on staying mostly stock and not go coils and new shocks for articulation, the mojave is a great platform.

I got a rubicon because I wanted to build. I wanted the new coils and shocks for big droop and wouldnt be happy with spacers and extensions. Once that decision was made the mojave basically wasnt special so it was between rubi or sport and I went rubi in that choice because I wanted wide axles, tall flares, and the 8.4 uconnect as well as the creature comforts like active cruise control since i'd still daily this.

 

[WXman]

Rubicon, Mojave, all same axle. That's the issue with all of these articles none are 100% correct

Here is the article on it:"
Jeep has been contemplating the Mojave package since the early days of the Gladiator's design. In terms of the 3rd Generation Dana 44 axles found under the Gladiator off-road packages, it's not a case of Rubicon influencing Mojave as much as Mojave influencing Rubicon. To better cope with the rigors of pounding through unforgiving terrain at speed, the Mojave front axle required an increase in axletube wall thickness to 10mm, which is thicker than the Rubicon technically required. So Rubicon can thank Mojave for its 10mm axletube wall thickness. Rubicon features lighter weight-saving aluminum knuckles, but Mojave needed high-strength cast iron knuckles to better survive impacts at high speed and other rigors of desert prerunning. Also, where the Rubicon has a Tru-Lok locking diff up front, the Mojave runs an open differential. The rear axles are the same for Rubicon or Mojave, both sporting 4.10 gearing and electric Tru-Lok locking differential, but Gladiator Rubicon can be ordered with optional 3.73 axle gears, while Mojave comes only with 4.10s. So, to recap, the Rubicon package's front axle is the wide-track 3rd Generation Dana 44 front with 10mm axletubes, aluminum steering knuckles, 4.10 gears (3.73 optional), and Tru-Lok electric locking differential. The Mojave package's front axle is the wide-track 3rd Generation Dana 44 front with 10mm axletubes, cast iron steering knuckles, 4.10 gears, and an open differential. And both Rubicon and Mojave packages' rear axles are the same 3rd Generation Dana 44 rear with 4.10 gears (3.73 optional for Rubicon) and Tru-Lok electric locking differential. -Truck Trend"

"The rear—which actually has a thicker tube than the most-capable Rubicon model—gets an electronic locker, while the front makes do with a “brake-lock differential” (it’s an open diff and uses the brakes to get torque to the wheel with the most traction)." -Jalopnik

Yeah so it just comes down to which media sources do we trust more? Honestly I think it's a wash. Motor Trend/Truck Trend used to be super reliable but they were bought by a new company and I think they're stuff has gone downhill since then.

 

[Phishs]

It basically comes down to do you want a truck that can handle the speed bumps at the mall better or one that is capable off road? Simple.

 

[Clv22p]

It basically comes down to do you want a truck that can handle the speed bumps at the mall better or one that is capable off road? Simple.

My truck is definitely the smoothest at the mall! I don’t even notice the speed bumps!

 

[Just Mark]

I test drove both a Rubicon and a Mojave. I was looking for something to use as my weekend beach buggy and figured any Gladiator would work. Both had the options I was looking for. I could not tell the difference in ride between the two over both rough roads and highway. I brought my wife back to the dealership the next day to test drive them and see what she thought. After she drove both, we ended getting the one with the grey leather interior. She liked the grey leather.

 

[joeym7]

Here is the best description of the Rubi vs MO capabilities I've come across and I looked at many to make my decision recently...Granted, many people will never stress the jeeps to this extent. Still, this is what they were engineered for at their highest level of performance. These guys (autoweek) show a significant difference in the drivability of the two depending on the application.

Really good read:
https://www.autoweek.com/drives/a32...r-mojave-on-the-desert-trails-that-shaped-it/

 

[WILDHOBO]

I will start by saying I watched the video, but skimmed the thread. So if someone also had my same comment, apologies.

I sarcastically love their comment that the front locker was the reason the rubi did better on the rocks. The only reason I see is that without a disconnected sway bar on the Mohave, the fron wheels don’t drop enough to get traction. They called that a rock crawl because there were rocks, but even though I have lockers front and rear, neither would have been necessary on that trail.

im just picking apart their opinions so they are taken with a grain of salt. If I didn’t rock crawl, I’d expect to love the Mohave. Since I do, I believe I’d love It on road and hate it off.

Sponsored