Thinking of buying a JKU to replace my Patrol

[acs85]

Hi all.

I'm thinking of buying a '13 JKU 3.6L to replace my '99 Patrol 2.8L diesel. I like what I see with the JKU, the aftermarket options are huge, and I'm really keen to get into a 4WD with a bit more power. I'm also hesitant to let go of my Patrol because I know it inside and out, I've done nearly all the work on it myself over the last 3 years.

My only concern with the JKU is the storage space. My Patrol has a heap of room in the cargo bay plus full size roof racks - plenty of room for the three of us (2 adults + 1 kiddo) to go camping for a few days. Typically we'd pack a 40L Waeco fridge, 200W solar panels, king-sized swag, small dome tent, gazebo, a Rhino box of kitchen gear/utensils/hatchets/gas stove/etc, an axe/chainsaw, etc. Sometimes we even chuck the Bushranger canoe on the roof racks, it's a hefty 3-person 40kg canoe.

So would it be possible to pack like this in a JKU? Would a 40L Waeco fit in the back with a dual battery?

I'm new to the 3.6L engine so I'm wondering what the expected life might be on them? My Patrol has 300,000kms on the original engine, I service it every 5000kms without fail.

Generally, what kind of weight can the roof racks hold, would the canoe be an issue?

And if anyone's come from a Patrol or Landy to a JKU, happy to hear any other advice you've got.

Cheers!

[JusyApples]

Have you got a particular JKU in mind that's currently for sale?
In terms of storage they are a ton of roof rack options depending on your budget all of which should handle 40kg no problems.
Storage for your fridge should be fine, there are plenty of pics on the forum with how people have set up their camping gear and fridges

[MightyMouse]

My 2c......keep in mind that a JK and a Patrol are very different animals.

The JK's guards extend well beyond the metal work so in reality its smaller inside than a Patrol. If your in the habit of taking everything and the kitchen sink then a JK might be a tight squeeze for you.

Also the JK is a relatively light weight 4WD which is one of its greatest strengths off road but the down side to this is that its has a low payload compared with a Patrol.

Mechanically the Patrol uses stronger components..... it needs them to compensate for its size and weight. A JK is fine for what its designed to do but once again adding excess weight is stretching the friendship.

So..... if you think that a JK is "just" a newer . sexier Patrol then you have some learning to do. Its a different vehicle, with significantly different characteristics, many of which add to its off road capability but might also require changes to your driving and packing habits.

If you want a Tank/Truck hybrid stay with your Patrol...... a ATV /Car hybrid then a JK's for you.

[acs85]

Originally Posted by JusyApples

Have you got a particular JKU in mind that's currently for sale?
In terms of storage they are a ton of roof rack options depending on your budget all of which should handle 40kg no problems.
Storage for your fridge should be fine, there are plenty of pics on the forum with how people have set up their camping gear and fridges

I have a couple to look at over the next week. I was a bit specific with '13 model, but I'm really looking at any manual 3.6L, 100,000km or so, and less than $30,000. The cheaper the better but don't want to pick up someone else's problems.

I haven't found many pics of fridge setups yet, but I'm probably not looking hard enough...

Originally Posted by MightyMouse

My 2c......keep in mind that a JK and a Patrol are very different animals.

The JK's guards extend well beyond the metal work so in reality its smaller inside than a Patrol. If your in the habit of taking everything and the kitchen sink then a JK might be a tight squeeze for you.

Also the JK is a relatively light weight 4WD which is one of its greatest strengths off road but the down side to this is that its has a low payload compared with a Patrol.

Mechanically the Patrol uses stronger components..... it needs them to compensate for its size and weight. A JK is fine for what its designed to do but once again adding excess weight is stretching the friendship.

So..... if you think that a JK is "just" a newer . sexier Patrol then you have some learning to do. Its a different vehicle, with significantly different characteristics, many of which add to its off road capability but might also require changes to your driving and packing habits.

If you want a Tank/Truck hybrid stay with your Patrol...... a ATV /Car hybrid then a JK's for you.

Appreciate your reply mate, this is good info to keep in mind. I'm still working through my use cases and seeing if the JKU fits them, or if it can be made to fit. So far my only real concern is ensuring there's enough space for my essential camping gear - we like to be as minimal as possible for camping, so only need the fridge, gazebo, swag, cooking gear, tarp, chainsaw, etc...

I'm not into rock crawling and double-black tracks, but when we go bush, like up in the Barrington Tops or Kanangra Boyd or Watagans or wherever, I don't want to get to a section of track and have to turn back or detour. Bugger that, I want to go through it. I ilke that I see lightly modified JKUs on YouTube going through rough tracks without much hassle. One day I'd like to do Cape York, I reckon I'd do it no problem in the Patrol and I'd like to have that level of confidence in my next 4WD.


Two things I didn't ask in the main post:

I like to work on my 4WDs myself so is the JKU easy enough to work on? I haven't read much about how computer-controlled the vehicle is. Like, if I wanted to implement some switches or additional sensors, I don't want to worry about killing the ECU. The engine bay looks more cramped than I'm used to, but I love that the bonnet goes way back.

And, are there common problems I should be aware of? For example, with the Patrol, rust is common in the roof rails, front shock towers, and radiator support, and the autolocking hubs are pretty shit.

[Nanook]

I live local to the Watagans and often head to the Barrington tops as well. My JKU loaded with gear hasn't stopped me from going anywhere within those parks.

The JKU is a medium size 4x4 and the internal roll cage does limit somewhat of what you can carry internally. However with an external cage type roof rack like what Uneek 4x4 sell you can load that to the hilt.

The JKs are loaded with electronics and sensors which can be it's downfall however mechanically they are pretty easy to do anything you want with them. Forums like this one will help you with absolutely everything.

The one thing I really love about the Wrangler (I'm on my second one after owning a couple of Hiluxes) is that customisation is limitless. Any mod you can think of, there's a direct bolt on part.

[MightyMouse]

Originally Posted by acs85

And, are there common problems I should be aware of? For example, with the Patrol, rust is common in the roof rails, front shock towers, and radiator support, and the autolocking hubs are pretty shit.

The standard JK autolocking hubs are the most reliable ever made....... they don't exist . P.S. you can do a conversion if you want but very few do and they are more effort than value IMO.

[acs85]

Originally Posted by Nanook

I live local to the Watagans and often head to the Barrington tops as well. My JKU loaded with gear hasn't stopped me from going anywhere within those parks.

The JKU is a medium size 4x4 and the internal roll cage does limit somewhat of what you can carry internally. However with an external cage type roof rack like what Uneek 4x4 sell you can load that to the hilt.

The JKs are loaded with electronics and sensors which can be it's downfall however mechanically they are pretty easy to do anything you want with them. Forums like this one will help you with absolutely everything.

The one thing I really love about the Wrangler (I'm on my second one after owning a couple of Hiluxes) is that customisation is limitless. Any mod you can think of, there's a direct bolt on part.

Thanks for the input. Sounds like you really like your Jeep, gives me some encouragement that it could be a good choice.

Which Wrangler do you have, and which engine?

Originally Posted by MightyMouse

The standard JK autolocking hubs are the most reliable ever made....... they don't exist . P.S. you can do a conversion if you want but very few do and they are more effort than value IMO.

I actually hadn't thought to check if Wranglers are manual or autolocking hubs, but I removed the autolocking hubs on my Patrol because they were unreliable. Not really any issue with the manual locking hubs, except if it's pissing down rain and I don't want to get out to lock them