How Does the Original Jeep Wrangler Rubicon TJ Stack Up to TFL's TOUGHEST Off-Road Course?

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( www.alltfl.com ) Watch more videos from TFL Studios! In today's video, Grant takes his 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon TJ through the onX Offroad course. Will it just breeze right through or will we need to break out the recovery gear? Only one way to find out!
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[@grants.7555]

Thanks for having me out guys! Always a great time to test the rig and my own limits! Anytime y’all want to do another video just let me know and I’m there!

[@brianbusch2840]

Right as you were plowing through the mud with the front bumper you needed to hammer the gas and I think she would have struggled a bit but would’ve made it. Love my TJ and LJ, owned TJ’s for over 25 years now.

[@Flying_Dollar_Motorsports]

@@brianbusch2840 Thats what alot of people said when I took my Xterra through. I was a little more agressive than Grant but still conservative with the throttle. It may work with a little more throttle but that climb out is steeper than it looks. And there is no traction on the top for the front wheels to grab onto. Plus, vehicles with spare tires on the back like mine and Grants seem to drag it on the way down robbing momentum. Im surprised his TJ dragged it since its so much shorter than my Xterra but it seems to be the case with the rear mount spares.

[@jeepindave5464]

Need some MTs on that beauty

[@nwkrohn]

That's an Aggie for ya! Nice Jeep and Gig 'Em!

[@JeepTJWheelin]

@@jeepindave5464 Agree, the guy with the black TJR on 33" MT's ran this course the best.

[@NickTarterOKC]

Current TJ owner so I might be a little biased here... but the TJ is the GOAT of Jeeps. I think I'm qualified to say so as someone who has owned a 2 CJ5s, a CJ7, a YJ, an SJ, 3 XJs, 3 ZJs, a WJ, and a WK. I might have a problem. Lol

[@rickreese5794]

Ha !😊

[@briancoleman971]

Agree. Its why I can’t bring myself to part with my 2002.

[@waterloo123100]

TJ’s have weak automatics. They have a great wheel base but for the money XJ’s and ZJ’s are more versatile for the money you spend

[@JeepTJWheelin]

@@waterloo123100 Nothing beats a TJ, the best Jeep of all time with apologies to the MB and CJ-7, and worth every extra penny spent over those Jeep misc vehicles.

[@NickTarterOKC]

@@waterloo123100 The early TJ had the 3 speed auto but the later ones got the same 4 speed that is in a ZJ. However, I wouldn't want a Jeep with an auto personally.

[@xm3ntal620]

The jeep owner was cool and humble.

[@Legendary-2024]

Why don't you marry him

[@xm3ntal620]

@@Legendary-2024 ok....

[@jeepindave5464]

​@@Legendary-2024 your mom goes to college

[@johnmark0312]

Made like an infinity of those at scout camp

[@anthonyc1883]

@@jeepindave5464 Way to eat all the frickin' chips, Kip!

[@grants.7555]

Rest in peace to one AWESOME rig. This jeep saved my life in a rollover accident at highway speeds in January 2024. I walked away without a scratch and I was able to go home that night, all because the factory TJ cage held up spectacularly. New TJ build in progress, maybe I’ll just have to come back and compare…

[@beunbad]

Oh Man sorry to hear your Jeep totaled out but glad you made it!

[@LiveHonest121]

I'm really happy to see some TJ content. They are getting older and most peoples focus has turned to JK or JL.

[@briancoleman971]

Nice setup on that TJ. Hard to beat these for off roading without spending stupid money. Lightweight and small size vs the behemoths so popular today.

[@eddiel5189]

The TJ is my favorite model Jeep. I currently have 2 of them but 3 total over the years. Very capable

[@nydieselinfl]

I just purchased a Jeep from my friend’s family. His uncle just passed, and they needed the money for his funeral expenses. I bought the Jeep sight unseen, and he delivered it to me a couple of days ago. Come to find out when I signed the title and such, it’s a 2006 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon LJ, with only 56k miles on it. It needs some TLC, as it’s been sitting for about a year, but I only paid $7k for it. I think I found my new project!!!!

[@DirtyDiabetic]

You may have gotten the deal of the century there

[@shaunlehman9158]

Best deal I’ve ever heard of

[@beunbad]

Manual or Auto?

[@jameswilson8169]

I can never get enough TJ action on KZbin. Makes me want to start my own channel with my 06' TJR. I've got the RockJock 4" and 33" BFG KM3s

[@krashnpa]

Always hear good things about The Edge.

[@garysarratt1]

He’s an okay guitarist but not near the best.

[@araiakunin352]

Still own my 06 rubicon (62,000 original miles) and wouldn't trade it for anything.

[@ernestdesimone2234]

I've had two TJs; a '97 (6 cyl & manual) and a '02 (6 cyl & auto). In my opinion they are the best model. I wish I could find a TJL for a decent price.

[@jacobboeser]

did you prefer the auto or the manual?

[@JeepTJWheelin]

@@jacobboeser Total indifference on this since they both have their pros and cons. But the 4.0, while my favorite Jeep engine, is still not a performance engine. The only vehicle I would ever want a manual is in a muscle car. Going thru gears without that kick in the pants is pointless! My next manual will be a '68 Camaro SS.

[@albertodiazpr]

The TJ is the last Wrangler with the original CJ like experience due to the engine and size. Too bad there's no 4.0 online 6 on JKs and newer.

[@MaryandTheJeepCycle]

Love the Jeep your front bumper rocks the winch is a must have especially if your wheeling alone! That thing is a beast great job on the course!! OlllllllO

[@dougpendleton1266]

Love it! More jeeps please, especially TJ's!!

[@rickreese5794]

LJs too🤙🏻💯😎

[@JeremyHoutgoogleplus]

Tj is the best no electronic stuff really lockers the way Jeeps should be

[@JeepTJWheelin]

Agree, the TJ is the last true generation of Jeep.

[@Stuka87]

People need to start taking their spare tires off before going through Tommy's obstacle. In this case, the tires still would have let him down, but it would have prevented his gate from getting bent.

[@jbullock1878]

need to get a build list on this- i love the sleeper aspect of it and the TJ is a great size vs the new jeepers

[@grants.7555]

4.5” metalcloak long arm “Lock’N’Load” kit with RockSport shocks option Yukon 4.88 ring and pinions Currie correctlink 1 ton steering OME steering stabilizer Spidertrax 1.25” 5 on 4.5” to 5 on 5” adapter/spacers Rugged Ridge tailgate reinforcement hinges K&N CAI (doesn’t do much but make noise) Bestop Trektop 35”x11.5” KO2s No name bumper with Smittybuilt 9.5k winch And that’s pretty much it! The sleeper aspect is what I’m going for and it really isn’t hard to do when these are just so good out of the box!

[@jaytpaul]

I know KO2s are already popular, but no one ever talks about how good they look... especially on those minimal grey OEM wheels. It's such a clean look

[@johnpearson492]

They look amazing, after performance, the main reason I purchased a set for my MJ was that they were available in white letter. I'm personally amazed at how smooth they are on the street, though their cornering grip is hilariously low.

[@backwoodstherapy]

Awesome rig! Tastefully done, amazingly capable. Only thing I would change is I'd put some more aggressive tires on it, but the KO2 is an excellent all around tire, great in snow and rain, sucky in mud. But MTs are the exact opposite - great in all off road conditions, harsh ride on road, spooky on wet paved roads because of their lack of siping. It's why I like RT tires. Nearly as aggressive as MT tires, but with more siping to make them less scary in rainy, on road conditions.

[@dirttales]

I think any Jeeper knows that the last TJ Rubicon was the most reliable, and capable Jeep ever made.

[@waterloo123100]

For the money you can spend on a TJ. XJ’s and ZJ’s are a lot better for the money.

[@JeepTJWheelin]

@@waterloo123100 Give me a true Jeep, one that honors the original and best short wheelbase of our military - the Willys MB any day over Jeep misc vehicles. It's worth every extra penny spent!

[@bluceree7312]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how it's done.

[@JEEP-N-DIRT]

I'm an old school YJ guy and just built a really nice TJ for my dad on 33's soon to be a feature on my channel jeepNdirt. That said, you'll see I have a built JLUR on 4.5 inches and 38's. My 2 cents: Fact 1 - The old "tub on frame" jeeps as stated below obviously compact and very agile off road. Fact 2 - It's hard for me to not love my built JLUR for the comfort, wheelbase, and off road capability. I can't take the 2 door long distance for long period trips because I simply can't take all my stuff so if I do take it I end up towing it on a trailer behind my old school (92 F350 IDI non turbo, yeah that's old school). Fact 3- I'll never get rid of my YJ BUT I will get an LJ once I find the right deal and just enjoy each jeep as there's always a place and time for each one to be used appropriately. Lol. Great content once again guys. Long live LJ's, TJ's, and YJ's

[@joshlewis_87]

I wish I could find a TJ or LJ Rubicon in good shape for a decent price. Best JEEPS in my opinion.

[@dirf554]

Beautiful Jeep and I bet if he had the BFG mud terrains he would have walked right through that obstacle! I run STT Pros on a stock JKU and it’s amazing how much they carry me through stuff

[@failranch9542]

It would have scratched and clawed but I feel like the self-cleaning MTs would have made it.

[@ericbauer4897]

As the original owner of an '03 Rubicon, with the exception of "Dare", that was ALL way too easy for a TJ Rubicon. Speaking from experience of course. Nice Jeep, looked great with all that mud on it. 😁

[@1guyin10]

I own both an LJ and JK. I would agree that the TJ platform is better off road. It scrambles over whatever you point it at. The extra weight of the JK seems to play in it's favor on-road, so it's easier to get along with as a daily driver.

[@rickreese5794]

Bingo PAL, Good post😊

[@aredman22]

Great performance mods while still keeping the mostly stock look.

[@mattgorman6643]

Love some Jeep coverage 👍

[@frh-freerangehuman]

Fun video. I do like those older Jeeps. Great job on all sides

[@scottyellis3442]

I'm not a jeep person but you have a nice one, if you had some super-swampers on it would be unstoppable in mud. As always great video, highly enjoyed it.

[@blapblapism]

I need a TJ in my life.

[@jayar202]

Happy Holidays to all the TFL crew. Thanks for the great content this year

[@ArnCital]

I have an '03 Rubicon that I ordered from the factory with every option except an automatic. It is still pretty much stock with KO2's. My Warn 9000# winch is on a cradle so that I can use it front or rear or even away from Jeep. 2nd battery in rear. Anderson plugs and welding cable for winch. It is possible to replace the heater core without completely removing the dash unit; did it 2x and used a BrassWorks brass heater core last time which does not put out as much heat as OEM but it is not likely to leak in the future. Champion all aluminum radiator as the 2-piece ones twice ruptured. It has done the Rubicon Trail in California twice. Junk sub-woofer blew out so I removed it completely. About 110k miles currently. It is good to see others enjoy their Rubicon. BTW, I use Marvel Mystery Oil, 2 tanks of treatment every 5-10k miles, to free sticking exhaust valves; see Jeep TSB 09-003-03 for this issue.

[@teop7887]

A stock TJ Rubicon is pound per pound, dollar for dollar, the best Jeep ever made.

[@WreckedBrewery]

Awesome to see what Jeeps can do. I love my Jeep. Thanks for sharing!

[@oregonpredatorprevention]

8:45 Every Oregonian watching this knew this is exactly what was going to happen with those tires.

[@SnakeEater503]

Real talk

[@chriscon8463]

Very nice, capable TJ! I had a ‘98 Wrangler SE, 4cyl/5sp, soft top, chili pepper red, totally stock. It was a great little Jeep!

[@CarnutMM]

I miss the off road Colorado trail rides they used to often do.

[@Rusty.1776]

Great lil rig! 👍👍

[@crsantin]

A tie died off-roader, cool 👍. You really can’t beat a Jeep in the hard stuff. What a nice simple build.

[@Girth.Brooks11]

You know it’s a job well done when you see the bolts marked. Sweet jeep!! Currently looking for one.

[@brianandglendaharkin9457]

TJs Rule 👍🏻🇦🇺💯⛽️

[@korrasatsuki8773]

You folks over at TFL got rid of your TJ “WAY” too early,

[@ClassicSteelRC]

That's awesome l! Well done!!!

[@tanner_ij]

TJs are the best.

[@ryansremark6983]

TJ rubicons are the best all round off-road rig, light nimble and don’t need to dump tons of money to make it capable

[@zoefaith120]

Grant has big time game!

[@m13monroy]

A stallion beautiful jeep man . nice video Metalcloak looks sexy on TJ . definitely MT but cook guy thanks for sharing .. love jeep Tj ❤

[@aaronmcconnell7358]

I'd love to see you guys test the cj7 quadratrac on your course . had a 81 with the 304 v8, and it was hands down a better offroader stock than the early 90's stock wrangler my buddy had .

[@markremillard5135]

Great video I have ATJ and AYJ. Currently. They both Are amazing off road

[@bruceklassen8261]

I loved this episode, gooooo Jeep

[@jon7926]

I had a 05 rubicon years ago with a 4 inch lift 33 s th hey can go any ware. I had tons of fun wheeling it

[@elrenegadowranglerx9193]

Great video . . . You should make a video over here @ Azusa Canyon OHV in Azusa, California. . . There is a couple river crossing, sand, mud, rock crawling and a obstacle course with cement pipes and lots of fun . . . 100% guaranteed fun

[@DansDrives]

Approach, departure, and break over angles are 90% of the challenge for offroading. The winch will take care of the other 10%.

[@ColJonSquall1]

I wouldn't mind seeing a classic YJ take on the course, I have a soft spot for the square headlight generation of Jeeps.

[@bryanharger6565]

Great video, looks fun. Interested in our first family jeep. Anything to stay away from year or mileage wise?

[@nolifegamer7526]

I’ve got a stock tj with skinny all terrains. Got through I’d say 2 foot muddy pond with bushes in the way. And pulled me out of a ditch in the middle of winter

[@Mallrunner]

Good stuff. Hopefully I get a chance to run it

[@Flying_Dollar_Motorsports]

I didnt know Silent Bob was a Jeeper!

[@CarnutMM]

Stock they came with mud terrains.

[@joemcgee2918]

I have the same Jeep with KM3's doubt I would have pulled cable.

[@beunbad]

When you rebuild your replacement do the Wire/Switch hack on the locker switch so you can use the lockers in High range

[@freerider604]

Grant’s awesome 🤘😎🤘

[@cartopia6161]

Impressive what a TJ can do! Still think you need to do some trail maintenance on your course my dude.

[@Gunmetalbluejeeptjs]

Sweet Jeep !

[@vincentowens3513]

Coolest Jeep owner ever

[@harolddenton6031]

Is he running pizza cutter style tires?. They look to be that size instead of being like 305/75 size 11.5" wide tires. On my new 2023 Tacoma TRD Offroad 4x4 truck I am thinking about installing 255/85R16 tires which are basically 33" tall be 10" wide tires. That way I should not have to get a body lift installed quite yet. The stock Goodyear wrangled AT 265/70R16 tires are just not tall enough.

[@sparkywatts3072]

Thats my dream jeep!

[@johnwalker3263]

I think the rubicon’s 4:1 transfer case was the Achilles heal here. The secret to deep mud is wheel speed and big lugs.

[@gcam10]

10 PSI! 😲Grants can do it!

[@kc0lif]

tumbleweed ranch is nice

[@michelleluna4278]

So since the Jeep self recovered it did it on its own, lol 😊. Nice Jeep!

[@rickreese5794]

Bitchin Rubicon 😊

[@jordonmedina-gw9dq]

i wonder if different tread tires n more deflated tires would be better,like more capable offroad tires

[@joshc606]

Has the Honda Pioneer done the course yet????? Seems no SXS content?

[@dennisl6198]

Lockers make any jeep as good as any other jeep regardless of age....

[@ryzen397]

love it

[@user-gr8ko2bu4w]

i'd like to see how he would do in the mud pit that got him with some mud tires instead of the at's

[@davidkaplan2745]

My stock '04 TJ Rubicon goes anywhere on 31's

[@vincentspencer3699]

Awesome! Love the TJ content. Now try the same course with some mud terrain tires!

[@rickreese5794]

Bingo PAL 😊

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

Beautiful Jeep! With more aggressive tires, he would probably pass all obstacles.

[@GettingthruLife]

For most of the other vehicles I've seen do the course in the past, it looked the driest and the most traction. Hey, take it as it comes, not this driver's problem. Take it one day at a time.

[@dead_playzgames]

I own a TJ sport and in my opinion the newer ones with the pentastar are much better all around

[@damonking6877]

Should have turned the wheel back and forth and the front wheels would have caught on maybe

[@snomass1]

I wonder what he paid for it at the dealership and mileage.

[@rickreese5794]

Me too😮

[@grants.7555]

Paid just under $13k in august of 2022 and it had 173k miles on it, stock besides bumper and winch at that time.

[@robervin9107]

Tommy🙇😇all hail

[@nedhill1242]

If you ever wondered what Kevin Smith would look like if he lost 150# this is it! LMAO! Dude looks exactly like KS after a year of Keto.

[@jlsgarage872]

I've got an XJ on 37s I'd love to conquer Tommy's demise with but unfortunately I'm way over in Virginia so not super easy to stop by...

[@chrisniner8772]

Cruising at 55 on state highways i can barely manage 20 mpg with my 06 rubicon. I bet 85 would get about 12 mpg!

[@JonBecker81]

If that thing isn’t getting through dare on Tommy’s demise then nothing is.

[@ruimachado8560]

You dont need anything else...but a JEEP Wrangler Rubicon

[@OCRSpartan66]

What is the top Grant has on his TJ?

[@jordanharris3749]

Looks like Bestop trektop nx

[@grants.7555]

Bestop Trektop NX!

[@OCRSpartan66]

@@jordanharris3749 Thanks! I got the regular NX top so the Sunrider portion doesn't seem to go that far back. Hmmm

[@jordanharris3749]

@@OCRSpartan66 the original one uses the factory bows, the trektop is bowless. You cant fold the trektop back like a factory style top but you can zip the windows out and use it like a bikini top

[@jeepindave5464]

Where is Tommy's Jeep!?

[@anthonyc1883]

Sold, I think??

[@jeepindave5464]

@@anthonyc1883 probably. I don't he ever stated that. Why custom order a jeep to pawn it off months later?

[@mjareacts2731]

I was under the assumption this video was going to test a new Rubicon against an old model.

[@xziang]

Going to ask again, Tommy where has your jeep been?? Do you still have it??

[@stevedvorak6188]

Red JL Willy's believe that's sold

[@xziang]

@@stevedvorak6188 yep the 2 door red one he bought a while back. Hadn't seen it in a LONG time and wondered how it is going and if Tommy had been taking it off road.

[@anthonyc1883]

@@xziang That's the one that the Tommy's Demise name was coined with, right?

[@brettbridges424]

I was wondering also. When they do fleet updates you don't hear about it and they don't have all at one place so kinda hard to get an idea what's still around.

[@bigwestreviews4933]

If he would've had better mud tires he would've made it through the mud

[@rayss3323]

Not into the 4 door jeeps at all. A friend calls them "trail rated minivans".

[@xxwillixx1584]

Hummer just melted it last episode

[@jyrrays]

Offroad is 90% tires