Topic: Tk news

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Motor Trend reporting Wrangler TK info...
On today's date, I read a snippet in the August (I think) Issue of MOTOR TREND, which reports the following info about the 2006 TK Wrangler...

Will have a fixed roof cage with removable panels, so hard top will come off in 5 pieces, and I am assuming there will also be a 5-panel soft top that will zip into place of the hard panels...

Although the roof cage is fixed, the TK will still have a fold-down windshield...

The TK WILL retain straight axles, although which brand is not mentioned...We have read that DANA is out, and AAM (American Axle and Manufacturing) is in...I have read that the base axle will be nearly as strong as a DANA 44, and definitely stronger than than the 30/35 combo...THe top of the line axle will be close in strength to a Dana 60, but we shall see....

JP magazine also reported that the TK apple will not fall far from the tree, and the Jeep heritage is very important to Daimler, so I can only intrepret that as convertible, fold down windshield, removable doors, or removable door panels with a fixed retention cage if they MUST, and straight axles are going to stay

[Jeffy]

Well that explains the boxy top that we saw a few months ago.

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yep good news all around it sounds...

 The dreaded loss of the venerable 4.0 may well be medicated wiht the replacement mill a rumoured 300hp 3.8l v-6Hemi, and two more doors , towing ratings up across the board(due to new platform)... Gladiator may well be in showrooms late '07, CRDs rumoured.  

  The sky may NOT be falling after all eh?

[roadkill]

yep good news all around it sounds...

 The dreaded loss of the venerable 4.0 may well be medicated wiht the replacement mill a rumoured 300hp 3.8l v-6Hemi, and two more doors , towing ratings up across the board(due to new platform)... Gladiator may well be in showrooms late '07, CRDs rumoured.  

  The sky may NOT be falling after all eh?

as long as we don't loose the SFA for an IFS setup then all is ok.  the new top may take some getting used too.  i wonder with all them removabe pieces just how long everything can remain tightly sealed from air and water leaks.  will the seals start to leak after initial removal or will they remain tight after many removals/installs?  I guess only time will tell

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Good points RK...

 If the tops are anything like the old Bronco tops you take them off once and you've got a leak! :)  

 As for the axles ... all the spy pics i've seem show a solid axle front and rear...IN FACT the latest poop is that the 30/35c may be out and replaced with something equal to a 44. THAT would be good news. I guess Dana, and AA(?) are bidding to provide axles for at least the new TK mebbe more ...(shrugs)

[roadkill]

while the CJ/Wrangler style of SUV is Jeeps trademark image,  one has to keep in the back of their mind the KJ and now Grand Cherokee (WK) going to an IFS.  only time will tell what the next Wrangler style Jeep will have up front.  a lot of people claim that folding the windshield just once will compromise the seal and cause leaks.  I have folded mine once to install the sport cage and still have yet to experiance a leak.  I foresee lots of wind noise and water leak complaints with the new top design.  you have 5 places for leaks,  so much for KISS.   but on the other hand one has to keep in mind the Rubicon/Power Wagon models DC came out with so that offers lots of hope for the Wrangler lineage to remain true to its roots

[Jeffy]

Here are some spyshots form before.  The whole modular top was coming for a while.  After the TJ, we knew there was a high chance of a integrated top.  This was forced on then because of safety regulations.  I don't know how the windshield is going to fold with a top that's also the cage.  Although, I'd take a guess as saying that the top above the driver isn't reinforced.

It kind of reminds me of Road Armor's old top.  It had a frame that allowed the owner to remove lezan panels to open it up.  Having a top that's integrated also sounds like they might not have half doors anymore.  Another problem for those who will wheel then, is that they can not lean the Jeep on it's cage anymore without worring about the windows fillting properly.

As for leaking, that happens with all the Jeep tops.  Especially the Hardtops.  Although without half doors they do solve the problem of driving at high speeds and the vacuum inside that causes the upper soft doors to bow out.  For a soft top, I think it might have been better to go with a frameless design that covers everything.  Must look weird with patches of sail cloth with patches of hardtop.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiasts/Spy_Shots/Spy_Shots_07_Jeep_Wrangler.S178.A8684.html

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The Rubi will be sportin' 33" BFG muds(wonder what happened to MT/Rs?), and the 4door will be available with a hemi v8... hmm...

Vewy Intewesting...

[Jeffy]

You ever see the Rubicon's MT/R's?  They used E Class tires!  They're way over kill and more expensive compared to C Class tires.  I really like the MT/R's but they should have went with C Class tires.  Although I'm not sure if they have them in that size.

I'm not really that impressed with what's been leaked about the TK.  I'm sure it won't cause TJ owners to jump ship, like what happened to the CJ and YJ when the TJ came out.

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You ever see the Rubicon's MT/R's?  They used E Class tires!  They're way over kill and more expensive compared to C Class tires.  I really like the MT/R's but they should have went with C Class tires.  Although I'm not sure if they have them in that size.

I'm not really that impressed with what's been leaked about the TK.  I'm sure it won't cause TJ owners to jump ship, like what happened to the CJ and YJ when the TJ came out.

 Yow I had heard that... an E class tire is like having a 10k pound hitch on a TJ... :P

 I'm waiting to pass judgement until they come out and I can see em wif my own two eyes.

[Jeffy]

Then you'll kick yourself for selling the TJ's.

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THEN? I already do... I wish I had my 01 back! It'd be paid for! :(

[DCCYJ91]

I'll stick with my YJ thank you very much.  :D