Throwback Thursday: Old or New? Can a Jeep LJ Outperform a New Gladiator Rubicon?
Old or new, which is better? It is an age-old question and one that often doesn’t have a clear answer.
Back to the good old fashioned old versus new debate. If you want the best off roader, do you want old or new? This is right up there with the built or bought argument. Even though we all know built is better, but we digress. When it comes down to the old or new question, once you start to modify the Jeeps it becomes much more difficult to answer. But it is still fun to kick around the idea so that is what we are going to do today. In this particular case we have in the old corner a modern classic of a Jeep, the LJ. Otherwise known as the TJ Unlimited. In the new corner we have a new Gladiator Rubicon. The proving grounds is Tumbleweed Ranch.
This week’s “Throwback Thursday” is all about this old versus new debate. And as is typically the case when we are talking Jeeps there is no real loser. Both rigs are fantastic in their own right. But what approach appeals to you the most? Right out of the box, especially in Rubicon trim the newest Jeep you would expect to have the advantage on the trails. But can you modify the old LJ to be as good or better than the new JT? The JT is probably the more comfortable daily driver. But the LJ is not so old as to be an antique, but it is old enough to be a simple machine with less to go wrong than a modern Jeep. What is your preference? Maybe this video recently posted on the TFLoffroad YouTube channel will change your mind.
Proving Grounds
In this case the two Jeeps are facing off at Tumbleweed Ranch. If you are not familiar with Tumbleweed Ranch, it is a property recently purchased by TFL Studios. Their intent is to turn it into a world class off-road testing course. So, when we are answering the question of old or new in this case, we are doing it through the lens of tackling the rough stuff. Not the best value for dollar, not which one is most comfy on the way to the mall, and not the one that gets the best mpg. When it comes to taming trails can old equal or surpass the new?
Drivers Matter
One thing to keep in mind when you are comparing Jeeps like this and are pushing them to their off-road limits is that the driver matters. It is no different than in racecars. A pro racer in a Miata can lap a racecourse faster than a newly minted teenage driver in a Viper ACR. Your skills matter on the trail no matter what rig you are wheeling. Getting out on the trails and practicing on all types of terrain will likely get you further than the right set of tires.
Upgrades Matter
The older Jeep has about a 3-inch lift combined between a suspension and body lift. It now rides on 33-inch tires. It has several other upgrades as well but nothing crazy. We are not looking at a LJ with $200,000 worth of parts bolted to it as that would make for a ridiculous comparison. The Gladiator is of course newer and has upgrades of its own including a lift, shocks, and 37-inch tires. But out on the trail each Jeep performs very well. They each have their moments of getting stuck, but it would be tough to say that one was vastly superior to the other. So, the question remains. What do you prefer, old or new? Let us know your thoughts in the JK Forum forums.
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