Is the Jeep Liberty off road ready to wheel even with all of the factory 4-wheeldrive
goodies?...or...
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.
Jeep Liberty Modified with a Solid Front Axle and Tall Suspension Lift (among other great additions)
Other factors that seem to keep the KJ Liberty from being all that it can be include it's
hefty overall weight (around 4200 lbs.) and it's very poor gas mileage.
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?
Liberty Kicking Up a Lot of Sand
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
Nice Look at the Liberty CRD (Diesel) in the Steep Ruts (37 secs.)