Jeep Wrangler Owners?

[Aaron Strum]

I was wondering if there are any Wrangler owners here, I see some people with avatars and I will just assume they own them. Have you ever taken out for chasing and if so why?! Mine at lease will end up 3 lanes over with moderate wind.

Also I notice when on the freeway my soft top likes open up a little bit above the doors is this normal or are the support bars broken? (I have a 2000 TJ)

 

[Brandon Jenkins]

I don't think anyone is driving a soft topped Jeep Wrangler into storms. I can only imagine they have invested in hard tops to avoid being pounded on the head by gorilla hail. And any truck/suv is going to be harder to control in high winds. If you can't drive in high wind as it is, you should certainly stay away from tornado producing supercells...

 

[Jerry Prsha]

I own a '97 TJ and that's my chasing vehicle. I'm a 210,000 miles on it and it's starting to idle a little rough but I feel safe in it. Although I don't think I would chase in a soft top. The wind is just too strong.

The one thing that bothers me is the short wheelbase and hitting water on the highway. It really wants to twist the vehicle much easier than a longer car however my MT tires and the big lugs lift me off the pavement more than normal and prevents hydroplaning is all but the deepest water.

 

[Tom Dulong]

Good thread! I have owned my Jeep Wrangler Golden Eagle (it's in the avatar on my Facebook Page) for 1 1/2 years. I have not taken it chasing, since I was too wrapped up in other activities to get out. I am hoping to get back on the "chase wagon" late May and the first week in June. I certainly understand concern about vulnerability to strong winds. I am also wonding how the plastic hard top would do with baseball or larger hail. Expect a large stone would come right through, since the material would not have the internal antishatter film that a typical windshield has.

Might be best to rent a car and get the deluxe damage coverage :~ )

 

[Steve Miller]

That's my 2002 TJ. I can't imagine ever chasing in it because:
#1 It's slow as hell. This is due in part to the rear end I have in it. It MIGHT get up to 65mph with a tailwind but it'll climb any hill!
#2 It has a soft top. This can be remedied but not worth it (see #1.)
#3 Gas mileage. This is my 3rd wrangler and 5th Jeep product overall. Each had the inline 6 4.0 motor and while it's as strong as a diesel in both life span and pull, it sucks the fuel. Think 13-14mpg when geared properly. The one above gets 9...
#4 It's a damn rough ride. Considering a 300mile trip, one-way to a target, you'd have shaken adult syndrome by the time you get there
#5 It's slow. Anyone who tells you their Wrangler is "quick" is a liar. Getting on a highway or pulling out in traffic is a scary endeavor sometimes

All of this said, I LOVE Wranglers and will always have one for a toy. They can do anything you ask them to, just a little slower and rougher than other vehicles. They are versatile and slick, fun to wrench on and money pits to the end. Love em!

 

[Jason Foster]

I never understood hill climb Jeeps in the central US (where there are no mountains/hills...LOL). Just pulling your leg Miller.

Granted Aaron you already own yours, but for others reading the thread, I would point out that there is the Unlimited extended WB Jeep from a few years back and of course the most common Jeep Wrangler now is the four door. I'd certainly chase in a Jeep. I'd almost take the chance with the soft top if I was strapped for money and couldn't afford the Hardtop. I'd just take some personal protection (hard hat, etc.). But I can pretty much avoid hail if I wanted....that was never a problem for me. If I had the soft top I'd just have to be much more conservative.

Perhaps that's just the thing if you are stuck with chasing in a soft top (or convertible for that matter), just focus more on getting structure shots and experience the storm from far enough away of the core. In the plains...plenty of places to drive around the the storm and the core is geographically small in reality.

 

[Jerry Prsha]

That's my 2002 TJ. I can't imagine ever chasing in it because:
#1 It's slow as hell. This is due in part to the rear end I have in it. It MIGHT get up to 65mph with a tailwind but it'll climb any hill!
#2 It has a soft top. This can be remedied but not worth it (see #1.)
#3 Gas mileage. This is my 3rd wrangler and 5th Jeep product overall. Each had the inline 6 4.0 motor and while it's as strong as a diesel in both life span and pull, it sucks the fuel. Think 13-14mpg when geared properly. The one above gets 9...
#4 It's a damn rough ride. Considering a 300mile trip, one-way to a target, you'd have shaken adult syndrome by the time you get there
#5 It's slow. Anyone who tells you their Wrangler is "quick" is a liar. Getting on a highway or pulling out in traffic is a scary endeavor sometimes

All of this said, I LOVE Wranglers and will always have one for a toy. They can do anything you ask them to, just a little slower and rougher than other vehicles. They are versatile and slick, fun to wrench on and money pits to the end. Love em!

Hi Steve, Nice TJ! Are those 35"s?

You know I agree with some of what you're saying but not all. I used to consistently do 80-85mph on the way home from work in Rush Hour traffic just to keep up with traffic. I do have a hard top and that probably isn't as much drag as a soft but...

I do agree that acceleration is poor. You don't pull out in front of anything big and live however, once I get to third gear, it does pretty well.

Wind is the big factor here as the Wrangler front end and windshield are so vertical. I have gotten 17mph on the highway with my 32"s, manual transmission and 2" lift on it if there wasn't strong winds pushing me back. But I rarely drive it over 2,000 rpm to save on fuel.

One of the things that is kind of cool is that it's SO spartan inside that I don't mind drilling holes and cutting the dash to accommodate my electronics.

I DO worry about monster hail as the top is plastic, and have been looking into some expanded metal to mount on top to help just in case I get too close.

It's loud, bumpy but if I happen to accidentally drive into a South Dakota Farm Field, I'll be exiting shortly.

 

[Will Campbell]

I'm on my third Jeep now, which is the second I've actively chased in. I moved to a 2011 Wrangler Unlimited with a hardtop this year from a 2000 Wrangler TJ 2 door that I had for the previous 11 years. The old TJ had a soft top, and I will say that they handle hail surprisingly well. I had it in up to ~3.5in hail and it simply bounced off. The only thing I hate is the gas mileage when chasing in them, pushing that giant shoebox into southerlies for hours on end makes them pretty thirsty.

The new 2011 Wrangler Unlimited is a hardtop, 4-door and MUCH roomier. It's quite comfortable and quiet comparatively, but still gas hungry

 

[Aaron Strum]

If I ever had the money to buy a new soft top or hard top I'd think about chasing in it (plus money for gas I get about 10 MPG, 3 speed automatic).

I just always liked the fact that you basically have no blind spots, it can take you to Hell and back, and that they tend to be reliable and easier/cheaper to fix should something go wrong.

So do you guys do the wave? It drives my girlfriend nuts and she started to point out when people didn't wave to prove it was "stupid" then she started to get angry when people started to wave back or even wave before I did (mostly 2 door Jeeps, anyone else notice the 4 doors rarely wave? Or is that just in my area?)

 

[Will Campbell]

Yeah I do the wave, even in my new 4-door. Around here, if it's a Wrangler, the wave is usually given, I've even seen some Liberty and Cherokee owners that do it.

About the top, if you are looking for soft top options, check eBay, I got a new top (cloth only, using the old hardware) for my 2000 TJ for $180. It was even better quality than the OEM tops. Hardtops are still a nasty expensive beast though..

 

[Aaron Strum]

I wave to every Jeep I see* (*although I may not see you until after it's too late ) I was just making my observation, then again most of the time if the windows are not tinted it seems to be a female talking on a cell phone..... (nothing against female Jeep owners I know a few who do the wave and such).

I noticed that when I am walking or ride in a car and see a Jeep I will start to wave also am I alone in this?

 

[Steve Miller]

You HAVE to do the wave! In fact, I'm thrilled to see Will waves from his JK. This is likely because he is a veteran Jeeper; getting a wave back from a JK is rare!
As for Jerry's comments, I want to clarify that I'm talking about MY Jeep and why I do not chase in it. Not all Jeeps. The rear end in my TJ is the reason for the poor top speed, poor acceleration in all gears, gas mileage, etc. Again, I can climb a wall with it, but for a price!
Those are 33" Firestone Destination M/T's, BTW!

 

[Richard Dickson]

Just to jump on the "me too" bandwagon, I've got a 2001 Soft-top Wrangler that I've chased in for four years and just about wouldn't want it any other way. Like others have alluded to, I should be buying stock in the oil companies, 17 mpg except in a strong headwind. I do like the visibility offered and was never really concerned with the hail as normally good sense will tell you where it will be and then simply stay away from there.

One of the original questions in the first post was about wind noise when the upper door frame pulls slightly away from the rest of the vehicle. On both of the Jeeps I have owned, it seems that after a few years of driving in the wind that the metal upper frame loses some of its rigidity and it does flex out some, particularly with a strong, quartering headwind. I can't say that I enjoy that aspect, but it does seem to be part of the mystic of driving one. I keep thinking about over-bending them in a vise to see if that helps, but haven't had the nerve yet.

I do find some comfort in knowing the four-wheel drive will help me in some situations, but there places in Kansas where the mud can suck down a John Deere 9030 series tractor. Like the hail, a little intelligence will tell you to stay away from that sort of mud. During chase season, I remove the rear seat and mount a plywood storage box in that spot to carry lots of extras that might be handy to have in an emergency as well as a homemade rack on the top for my tripods. I've built a homemade 'Jotto desk' for my laptop, camera racks and radio that covers what would be the passengers seat. Even though there is plenty of room, it becomes a one-person chase vehicle until the season is over including the monsoon here in Arizona. I love the thing!

I try to do the wave with all the other Jeeps and it's fun to see a smile from them.

 

[Will Campbell]

You HAVE to do the wave! In fact, I'm thrilled to see Will waves from his JK. This is likely because he is a veteran Jeeper; getting a wave back from a JK is rare!
As for Jerry's comments, I want to clarify that I'm talking about MY Jeep and why I do not chase in it. Not all Jeeps. The rear end in my TJ is the reason for the poor top speed, poor acceleration in all gears, gas mileage, etc. Again, I can climb a wall with it, but for a price!
Those are 33" Firestone Destination M/T's, BTW!

Yes Steve! You can definitely tell who are the veteran Jeep owners in these parts. Too many times I wave to a new Jeep and get nothing but a snide look or confusion in return, perhaps a half-hearted "what the hell does he want" wave in return!

I am proud of my Jeep heritage!! I have a '47 CJ-2A that is my (someday) project fixer-upper, but still runs and drives (kind of haha). My first car and daily driver through my teens was a '79 CJ-5 with the 304ci V8, then to the new bought 2000 TJ, which got the first dose of lifting and off-road mods, now I've settled back down (for the most part), in my 2011 Unlimited with a hard top and all the bells and whistles. I get a little loving grin when I have them all lined up in the drive

 

[Tyler Allison]

I chase in my Soft Top 2005 Wrangler Unlimited (LJ). I have 4" of ridged foam above the driver/passenger between my bikini-top and soft-top. Better protection than the "hard top". The foam fits into the back when the top is down. Takes about 10min to put the foam and top up. Plenty of time when entering "chase mode".

I get 16mpg and I drive roughly 100 miles a day on highways in chicago for work (50 miles both ways). I have no issues driving it on long trips. I have cruise-control, which helps and I don't find the ride rough at all. Rougher than my wife's van? Sure...but it's not "rough"...as in teeth jarring. We did a family vacation all over the state of Michigan last year (wife + 2 kids) and everyone had a blast.

The only downside to chasing in a Jeep is the gas milage. But I'll trade 10mpg to allow me to "get to the storm" with my top down If I'm going to drive 600 miles for 4 hours of chasing, I want the rest of the time in the car to be as fun as possible. Can't beat a Jeep for that...well you can..but it costs $100,000 and it's called a Cobra

-Tyler