2 door vs 4 door offroading
05-24-2014, 12:52 AM
#33
JK Freak
Only thing my 4door does better than a shorty 2door is pull a boat. Period. If anyone thinks a 4door has any advantage in the trails, you are wrong. Any advantage one might seem to think that a 4 door has over a 2door, with regards to up and down straight on approach, is wrong also. The added weight of the 4 door more than subtracts from its 20" advantage in stability.
05-24-2014, 03:50 AM
#34
The longer JKU wheelbase and wider track width gives a broader stance, and thus greater stability on turns and that sort of driving, as other posters have said. Fire roads, getting to the trail, that sort of thing, just in terms of broadness=less chance of a rollover, and what speed you can feel comfortable whipping around sand turns, etc., I'd give it to the 4-door. That and the long, steep incline or decline, which is basically the stability thing in another context. And cargo space, of course.
But if bottom line I have to use my Jeep to twist around who-knows-what to get up on a crazy trail? Obstacle for obstacle, other factors such as tires being comparable, with the exception of some steep long inclines/declines, for most everything else I'd want a two-door if the obstacle was at the limit of the JK's capability. In the end, the two-door will to go where few other vehicles, including a four-door, can't go, in the limit situations.
Straight getting anywhere capability? probably two-door
Straight getting anywhere capability? probably two-door
I've seen 2-drs try the step you see in the picture on the left. None climbed it, one capsized. A few 4-drs climbed it relatively easily. I went over with the stock wheels I then had.
You can see the difference on many YouTube videos.
It is rare that a 4-dr can't do what a 2-dr can. It is much more common to see a 2-dr fail, or has a hard time, or needs assistance, going through where 4-dr Jeeps go.
While all that is true, it is more often the driver, and not the Jeep, which is the limiting factor.
The one clear advantage of the 2-dr is the smaller turning radius. However, we have a lot of narrow woody trails here, and it's not often that I need a 3-point turn. When I do, it's a negligible sacrifice in view of the other advantages.
As for the break-over angle, I think that a 2-dr overall handling is much better with 2.5" lift, while a 4-dr handles nicely with 4" lift -- this decreases from the ground clearance advantage of the 2-dr.
A 4-dr is less jumpy and more comfortable, especially on longer road or offroad trips (every bump becomes steeper when the wheelbase is shorter).
It also has a better directional stability -- much less constant steering corrections are needed vs the 2-dr.
Obstacles -- small or large -- which throw a Jeep off the driving line, influence the 2-dr direction much more than a 4-dr.
Last edited by GJeep; 05-24-2014 at 05:00 AM.
05-24-2014, 05:25 AM
#35
JK Jedi Master
If you're playing on rocks, not really a trail, the two door's smaller turning radius may open up a better line. But in that same situation, the four door's longer wheel base might offer the better line. Just depends on size of rocks, drop-offs, and placement.
Edit: And driver skill!
Edit: And driver skill!
Last edited by Mark Doiron; 05-24-2014 at 05:29 AM.
05-24-2014, 05:28 AM
#36
JK Jedi Master
The track is the same...
Steep steps, long & bumpy steep slopes, getting out of short, steep mud holes, side slope turns on sand dunes, are a few examples where the longer wheelbase of 4-dr gives it a clear advantage. The longer 'reach' of a 4-dr, makes many obstacles easier and adds stability.
I've seen 2-drs try the step you see in the picture on the left. None climbed it, one capsized. A few 4-drs climbed it relatively easily. I went over with the stock wheels I then had.
You can see the difference on many YouTube videos.
It is rare that a 4-dr can't do what a 2-dr can. It is much more common to see a 2-dr fail, or has a hard time, or needs assistance, going through where 4-dr Jeeps go.
While all that is true, it is more often the driver, and not the Jeep, which is the limiting factor.
The one clear advantage of the 2-dr is the smaller turning radius. However, we have a lot of narrow woody trails here, and it's not often that I need a 3-point turn. When I do, it's a negligible sacrifice in view of the other advantages.
As for the break-over angle, I think that a 2-dr overall handling is much better with 2.5" lift, while a 4-dr handles nicely with 4" lift -- this decreases from the ground clearance advantage of the 2-dr.
A 4-dr is less jumpy and more comfortable, especially on longer road or offroad trips (every bump becomes steeper when the wheelbase is shorter).
It also has a better directional stability -- much less constant steering corrections are needed vs the 2-dr.
Obstacles -- small or large -- which throw a Jeep off the driving line, influence the 2-dr direction much more than a 4-dr.
05-24-2014, 05:55 AM
#37
JK Junkie
breakover angles too mark, but tire clearance is where you gain actual clearance is correct. For the off roading we do, 2" is fine, with some bigger tires.
05-24-2014, 07:25 AM
#38
Lift definitely adds ground clearance. Lifting the Jeeps' 'belly' increases the break-over angle.
Only the axles/differentials stay at the same height.
At least my experience is, that differential clearance is seldom a problem.
True, larger wheels lift both the axles and the body, but not by much, compared to a lift.
In order to get a 4" lift by using larger wheels, they have to be 8" larger, which means around 40" wheels...
Going from 31.5" stock wheels to, say, 35", you add 3.5" to the wheel, but the actual lift gain is only 1.75".
To that, add 4" lift on a 4-dr, and the belly is lifted by 5.75" -- pretty effective.
Unlike larger wheels, a lift also allows increasing the articulation.
Only the axles/differentials stay at the same height.
At least my experience is, that differential clearance is seldom a problem.
That four door with 4" would need larger tires to gain any significant clearance. It would, however, gain a little on approach and departure angles with just the lift.
In order to get a 4" lift by using larger wheels, they have to be 8" larger, which means around 40" wheels...
Going from 31.5" stock wheels to, say, 35", you add 3.5" to the wheel, but the actual lift gain is only 1.75".
To that, add 4" lift on a 4-dr, and the belly is lifted by 5.75" -- pretty effective.
Unlike larger wheels, a lift also allows increasing the articulation.
05-24-2014, 07:51 AM
#39
JK Jedi Master
Lift definitely adds ground clearance. Lifting the Jeeps' 'belly' increases the break-over angle.
Only the axles/differentials stay at the same height.
At least my experience is, that differential clearance is seldom a problem.
True, larger wheels lift both the axles and the body, but not by much, compared to a lift.
In order to get a 4" lift by using larger wheels, they have to be 8" larger, which means around 40" wheels...
Going from 31.5" stock wheels to, say, 35", you add 3.5" to the wheel, but the actual lift gain is only 1.75".
To that, add 4" lift on a 4-dr, and the belly is lifted by 5.75" -- pretty effective.
Unlike larger wheels, a lift also allows increasing the articulation.
Finally, lifting does not automatically increase articulation. It depends on shock selection and bumpstop extensions, and those are (or should be) driven by tire size, wheel offset and wheel well fender clearance. It is much more complicated than just increasing lift to gain articulation.
05-24-2014, 07:59 AM
#40
JK Jedi
Finally, lifting does not automatically increase articulation. It depends on shock selection and bumpstop extensions, and those are (or should be) driven by tire size, wheel offset and wheel well fender clearance. It is much more complicated than just increasing lift to gain articulation.