Jeep Liberty Off Road

does it need more aftermarket components and add-ons to give it that competitive edge with other trail Jeeps and competitive rigs like the Toyota FJ?

The new off road Jeep Liberty can be purchased with the "Trail Rated" emblem signifying that it has met the tough Jeep standards for off road capabilities including:

• traction

• ground clearance

• maneuverability

• articulation (refers to how well the tires stay connected to the ground and maintains traction in extreme contorted ways off-road)

• water fording (relatively deep water crossings)

But...is the Jeep Liberty Trail Rating enough when compared with say a Wrangler which also bears the Trail Rated emblem?

Well...the truth be told...in stock form even with all of the factory goodies, the Jeep Liberty off road performance is fair to good in most mild to moderate conditions...but suffers from some inherent weaknesses especially in the Independent Front Suspension (IFS).

The technical differences between a solid front axle and an IFS are many including strength, durability and flexibilty...but the bottom line is that in off road performance the solid-axled Jeeps outperform the IFS Jeeps everytime.

Also, it seems to be very difficult to get Jeep Liberty off road lift kits to go much beyond 1 1/2 to 2 inches without major modifications to the IFS...and that means:

No significant lift = no relatively larger tires = minimal improvement in ground clearance.

However, some Liberty owners have done some radical modifications by replacing the IFS with a solid axle (allowing for significantly more lift potential)...and adding more trail worthy transmissions/transfer cases as well.

While gas mileage may not be as big a factor in occasional off road adventures...Jeep Liberty's are most often driven on pavement...and poor mileage can put a sizeable dent in the wallet at today's prices.





So...is the Jeep Libery a good candidate for off road treks?

I would have to say yes...with the available factory options and some aftermarket modifications such as maximum safe suspension lift and the largest tires to fit. Also, the technology of IFS is steadily improving for off road use.

However, I think that Chrysler/Jeep could really hit a home-run again if they would take a lesson from their successful XJ Cherokee (the KJ Liberty replaced the XJ Cherokee in 2002):

• trim the fat (reduce the weight a lot by at least 1000 lbs.)

• offer a solid front axle instead of the Independent Front Suspension...or at least as an alternative option

• offer more off road options...even a Rubicon package

• improve overall fuel economy

• reduce the price (at least on some models) by simplifying or removing many of the non-essential creature comforts like DVD players, leather heated seats, air conditioned glove boxes, 50 speaker power boosted stereo systems...okay, I'm exaggerating a bit (a lot!)...but you get the picture...things not absolutely needed in the backcountry.

In the old days (not really that long ago) auto manufacturers offered "stripped-down" versions of a particular model.

Even muscle cars were considered "stripped-down" models at the time and look how successful they were then.

I say go ahead and build the Jeep Liberty to attract the ladies and the SUV crowd.

Great idea...but Chrysler/Jeep has an even greater opportunity to expand the market to include the Jeep Liberty off road enthusiasts as well. After all...we enthusiasts keep the Jeep mystique alive...don't we?

Are you listening all you Chrysler, LLC and Jeep division execs? You can contact me here anytime.

I am available for further consultation...

we can do this together...

I know we can...

hello..

anyone out there?

Jeep Liberty Off Road Videos

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