Traditionally, multipurpose vehicles are the toughest to build. There's an old saying that if you build a vehicle to perform well in a variety of terrains, it will be good at a lot, but great at nothing. Over the years our vehicles, as well as our performance expectations, have grown tremendously. With this growth, compromise has been replaced by coilovers and custom axles, as ride quality, reliability, and strength are now more achievable than ever. Case in point is Mike Eads' '09 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon.
With years of off-road racing experience behind him, and a growing family, Mike began to diversify his off-road mentality. Whereas speeding through the rough desert terrain used to be the only goal, he now enjoys rockcrawling and casual trail rides as well. Still a racer at heart, Mike wanted a vehicle that would excel in all terrains.
Since Mike purchased his Unlimited...
Since Mike purchased his Unlimited with the Rubicon package, it was equipped with the beefy NV241 4:1 Rock Trac transfer case from the factory. Tying in the case to the axles is a set of heavy-duty drivelines from JE Reel that are better suited for wheeling and increased suspension travel.
Like most performance-minded off-road enthusiasts, Mike started the build from the ground up. To ensure that his suspension was up to the task no matter what the speed or obstacle, an Off Road Evolution long-arm kit was installed with King coilovers and triple-bypass shocks at each corner. Connected to the billet aluminum links are Currie F-9 axlehousings that are plenty strong for the rocks and won't bend like a traditional factory axle when Mike gets the four-door airborne in the desert.
Since the new JK still needs to serve as a people-mover and daily driver, he opted to keep the body, bumpers, and interior bone-stock to reduce weight and keep the clean factory look. Though the Jeep may appear like your run-of-the-mill lifted Rubicon at first glance, this red-hot sleeper is built to tackle any terrain from the parts store blacktop to barren Baja peninsula.
Tech Specs
2009 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Drivetrain
Engine: 3.8L
Transmission: Automatic
Transfer case: NV241 Rock Trac
Front Axle: Currie F-9, high pinion, Detroit Locker, 5.29 gears
Rear Axle: Currie F-9, Detroit Locker, 5.29 gears
Suspension
Springs & Such: Off Road Evolution long-arm suspension, (front) Evo double throwdown with 2.0 King coliovers and 2.5 King triple-bypass shocks, (rear) double throwdown Evo-lever with 2.0 King coilovers and 2.0 King triple-bypass shocks
Tires & Wheels: 37x13.50 Toyo Mud Terrains on 17-inch Walker Evans
Other Stuff: JE Reel drivelines
To gain more ground clearance...
To gain more ground clearance and increase the Jeeps vertical wheel travel, a double throwdown Evo-lever suspension was installed and mated to a Currie F-9 rear axle. The twin King setup uses a set of 2.0 coilovers and triple-bypass shocks so it can handle the slow-moving articulation in the rocks and the sudden shock of high-speed passes through the always-changing desert terrain.
Currently the interior and...
Currently the interior and the majority of the exterior, with the exception of the 37-inch Toyo tires and Walker Evans beadlocks, look pretty stock. Mike is a big fan of keeping his rigs light and looking clean. While a Hemi engine is something this go-fast enthusiast would like to see under the hood in the future, for now the Jeep's factory V-6 provides an ample amount of get-up-and-go.
The machined billet aluminum...
The machined billet aluminum arms from the Off Road Evolution long-arm kit holds the high-pinion front Currie F-9 axlehousing in place and uses a 2.0 King coilover and 2.5 King triple-bypass shock to handle the 14-inches of travel. To help get the power to the ground, each third member was fitted with Detroit Lockers and 5.29 gears.