New Jeep JL Features: How Big Tires & Flexible Suspension Create A Beastly Jeep JL

Photography: Craig Perronne

The Jeep Wrangler JL is the perfect evolution of the JK. Many feared that Jeep would go soft with the new JL in an effort to make it appeal more to the masses. Off-road capability would take a back seat to things like a smooth highway ride, fuel efficiency, lots of tech, a low ride height, and squishy seats. Thankfully, that did not happen. Jeep was seemingly able to pull off the impossible and make the JL just as capable in the dirt as the JK. And, the JL is a much better place to spend time in when not on the trail as well. It is a win for everyone.

Lots of people have been fortunate enough to put a shiny new Jeep JL in their driveways. Most of them are more than happy to just drive their new Jeeps around in stock form for a while. Yes, dreams of a slight lift or a maybe some bigger tires might be floating around in their heads, but not everyone wants to modify a brand new Jeep. Many decide to put off the mods for a bit and just enjoy that sweet new car smell.

If there is one thing the past has taught us, it is that the crew at Fab Fours isn’t like most people. After all, they are the same ones who brought us the insane Jeep Legend and then followed it up with the even wilder Legend 2.woah. As if that wasn’t enough, they then built the radical Kymera. All of them were over the top, radical and insane.

With all of that in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Fab Fours was willing to go to town on their brand new Jeep JL. When we say that this Jeep was brand new, we mean it was right off the dealer lot when the work began. It is easy to see that they went way past just slapping on a lift kit and calling it done. They definitely weren’t afraid to break out the tools and get to work. And, even more impressive, the Jeep JL was built in an extremely short time frame to get it out on the trail.

The build, like most of Fab Fours’, was a radical one but it is not just for looks. We were able to spend the day wheeling with the Jeep JL sitting on giant 43-inch tires and there wasn’t much that could stop it. Follow along as we delve into the details of this capable Jeep JL.

With a very quick build time of less than a month, the crew at Fab Fours decided to focus mostly on a new suspension and axles stout enough to handle big tires. The rest of the Jeep was left fairly stock (for now) to help speed the process along.

With such a short build time, the crew at Fab Fours enlisted the help of MarsFab to create much of the Jeep. They went to work fabricating a new three-link suspension to clear the massive tires and add some more flex. King air shocks and hydraulic bump stops keep the ride nice and supple whether on the trail or the highway.

Massive 43-inch Super Swamper TSL SX tires on 20-inch TR double beadlocks would usually require a huge amount of lift to clear. Nobody on the team wanted a useless Jeep with a high center of gravity so a Grumper Fender System was installed. It opens up the wheel wells and offers a lot more clearance for bigger tires.

Allowing clearance up front and protecting the nose of the Jeep JL is a Fab Fours Front Grumper System. The Grumper always stirs controversy as people either love it or hate it. No matter what camp you are in, there is no denying that you won’t lose this Jeep in a parking lot. A Warn Zeon 10-S 10K winch handles recovery.

There was no way that the stock axles were going to handle life with 43-inch tires. They were quickly ditched in favor of Currie Enterprises F9 fabricated 9-inch axles front and rear. Detroit Lockers, 5.43 gears, 35-spline axles, and Yukon third members are stuffed into each axle.

Products we used in this article

Fab Fours Jeep JL Front Grumper Fender

$2,479.88

See Details

Fab Fours Jeep JL Rear Grumper Fender

$1,458.99

See Details

Super Swamper 43x14.50-20LT TSL SX

Big tires, a low ride height, and a flexible suspension make for a great combination. The Jeep JL had no problem walking through any of the obstacles it encountered in its initial shakedown run in Moab, Utah.

A Jeep JL Rolling On 43s

Products we used in this article

Related Stories

Submit a Comment Cancel reply