Off-Road Packages - Rebel V. 4x4 Off-Road:

[SpeedyV]

...slightly revised versions of the 1500’s standard internal-bypass dampers...

This is what I've been assuming - just a recalibration of factory shocks. I wonder what those Bilsteins will cost aftermarket...

 

[Craftman]

Rebel shocks without air suspension -

 

[Believemeustink]

This is my dilemma as well. I really like the Rebel for a few reasons the off-road package being native to the vehicle trim, also led lighting being native, as well. Having the trailer hitch by default and the black badging emblems really enhance the overall look of the vehicle, to me.

My problem is these attributes can be had in the big horn trim if I do a custom build for a slightly economical price.

The question I keeping asking myself is, do I really need the off-road package on top of the 4x4?

I live in the southeast Michigan area and our winters can be extremely tough.

I figured at this point i need to get out there and test drive the vehicles and see how they live up to my expectations...

 

[alow]

I kicked this around as well and went for it. Better tires and skid plates for that price is a solid value, adding an elocker and hill descent plus a lift all for 495 makes it a ridiculous value IMO.

I don't off road much but it's nice having the equipment and I took a fat branch to one of my skid plates in my old truck the first time I went off road. Better a dent in that than a tow truck.

 

[alacombe]

I prefer the Big Horn cloth interior to the Rebel's ugly red vinyl seats. I hate the Rebel's grill & tailgate billboard.

I agree. I do not like the Rebel's interior.

 

[alow]

I was the same. I like the regular classier interior though certainly nothing against the rebel folks who like that. It's kind of like the limited longhorn fillagree, cool if your into that.

 

[alacombe]

Big Horn with off road group & 18" wheels imo look better than Laramie 18" & 20" wheels

Strongly disagree. I would have even got the Limited'd 22in rims if it was offered. The big horn to me looks stripped down.

 

[RAMBS]

Gotta disagree, after having 3 of the 4 plastic wheel well moldings come loose on my 17. I ordered the Big Horn for that one reason.

 

[RAMBS]

Just dropped off the Trailhawk for a recall and looked at the Long Horns side by side with the Big Horns. They both look great to me. My ship date is the 10th, gonna be a long week.

 

[Ggcnash]

Laramie interior imo is the nicest of all packages, the leather with the suede trim looks great, I love mine, the interior and the fact I had problems with air ride on a 17 made me choose the Laramie sport, 4x4 offroad truck over the limited. I will be upgrading to the 22" limited wheels with a set of 35" AT tires soon, I'm also gonna gonna add the ready lift kit for front to level out the truck

 

[EOC]

I just ordered the '19 Laramie with the 3.92 gear ratio and Off Road Package....I traded in my '17 Ecodiesel (ED). My Ed had so many issues, was sluggish in cold weather, and was not responsive at all.

I just did the same, I traded my ‘16 ecodiesel for the bighorn off-road package. I like you loved the way the eco ran in summer but the truck did not like temps below 35f. Even with the cold weather front on it to help warm and keep warm. Cost of maintenance so high I could buy 4 oil changes in the new one for same cost.
I looked at the rebel, and power wagon, both options just cost to much. So when I found out there was this bighorn off road package that clearly gave me everything I wanted, at price that lower. Not to mention the interior was better looking.

 

[banditsc]

The Rebel also gets a more off-road centric transfer case.

 

[Todd1500]

The Rebel also gets a more off-road centric transfer case.

This is the first time I've heard this. Is the transfer case on the Rebel different than the ORP or standard 4x4s?

 

[SpeedyV]

This is the first time I've heard this. Is the transfer case on the Rebel different than the ORP or standard 4x4s?

See this thread, starting with replies in the teens regarding Rebels and Tradesman models.

4WD auto?

So I don’t know anything about 4WD. It started raining pretty bad here. With that said, there was wheel spin when I took off at the light. I didn’t punch it and it was on 2WD mode. When it’s heavy rain, am I suppose to put it on 4WD auto? What’s the high and low for? I believe low is when you...

5thgenrams.com

 

[Todd1500]

See this thread, starting with replies in the teens regarding Rebels and Tradesman models.

4WD auto?

So I don’t know anything about 4WD. It started raining pretty bad here. With that said, there was wheel spin when I took off at the light. I didn’t punch it and it was on 2WD mode. When it’s heavy rain, am I suppose to put it on 4WD auto? What’s the high and low for? I believe low is when you...

5thgenrams.com

That's fascinating. I had not noticed that Rebel does not have the 4WD AUTO. I'm curious if one is more durable than the other.

Thanks.

 

[LincolnSixAlpha]

That's fascinating. I had not noticed that Rebel does not have the 4WD AUTO. I'm curious if one is more durable than the other.

Thanks.

The reason that the Rebel does not have 4WD Auto is that it's using a Borg Warner 44-45 Transfer case, which is a typical "chain driven", and good old fashioned locking transfer case. The other models use the Borg Warner 44-44 Transfer case which contains a clutch pack and emulates, of sorts, 4wd via the clutch disks. The problem becomes that eventually, the disks will overheat in some extreme offroad conditions, and thus drop the vehicle back down to 2wd in an effort to save those disks. There's another thread in on these forums in which a non-rebel owner was complaining about the fact that his 4x system was overheating and thus kept dropping down into 2WD. This may be of value to you if you offroad as I do, as I preferred a true locking diff with the 44-45. None the less, I dont feel the 44-44 is less superior, just different than the 44-45 in the rebel, but worth noting the differences. The 44-45 will be more durable in long term off-road usage, serious offroad use. I feel the 44-45 will be just fine for the long haul for casual offroaders, or just the day to day bad weather 4WD usage.

 

[devildodge]

The reason that the Rebel does not have 4WD Auto is that it's using a Borg Warner 44-45 Transfer case, which is a typical "chain driven", and good old fashioned locking transfer case. The other models use the Borg Warner 44-44 Transfer case which contains a clutch pack and emulates, of sorts, 4wd via the clutch disks. The problem becomes that eventually, the disks will overheat in some extreme offroad conditions, and thus drop the vehicle back down to 2wd in an effort to save those disks. There's another thread in on these forums in which a non-rebel owner was complaining about the fact that his 4x system was overheating and thus kept dropping down into 2WD. This may be of value to you if you offroad as I do, as I preferred a true locking diff with the 44-45. None the less, I dont feel the 44-44 is less superior, just different than the 44-45 in the rebel, but worth noting the differences. The 44-45 will be more durable in long term off-road usage, serious offroad use. I feel the 44-45 will be just fine for the long haul for casual offroaders, or just the day to day bad weather 4WD usage.

It is 48-11 for all trims except tradesman and Rebel which get the 48-12.

They upgraded both for the 5th Gen.

We have been discussing the shortfalls of the 48-11 and why the Rebel needs the 48-12 in a few other threads this week.

 

[LincolnSixAlpha]

It is 48-11 for all trims except tradesman and Rebel which get the 48-12.

They upgraded both for the 5th Gen.

We have been discussing the shortfalls of the 48-11 and why the Rebel needs the 48-12 in a few other threads this week.

Thanks for the update, and correction.

 

[devildodge]

Front axle not engaging????

I think I had my first issue with the new-to-me truck... I was backing the car trailer up a fairly steep and somewhat icy driveway in 2WD and the rear wheels started to spin. No problem, right? Put it in 4 and it sure seemed like the front wheels were not engaging, but I wasn't sure... I got the...

www.ramforum.com

Another guy just found out about why the Rebel doesn't get the 44-44 or 48-11.

Good times

 

[LincolnSixAlpha]

Front axle not engaging????

I think I had my first issue with the new-to-me truck... I was backing the car trailer up a fairly steep and somewhat icy driveway in 2WD and the rear wheels started to spin. No problem, right? Put it in 4 and it sure seemed like the front wheels were not engaging, but I wasn't sure... I got the...

www.ramforum.com

Another guy just found out about why the Rebel doesn't get the 44-44 or 48-11.

Good times

Fortunately, I'm used to opening diff's coming from a JL Rubicon. So the behavior of those axles, unlocked is wholly familiar to me. There was some nonsense on the JL forums where someone in a sport, or maybe Sahara, was running circles around a Rubicon in some off-camber hilly stuff. Of course, the difference here is that every other JL can order an "Anti-Spin" diff, or let's just say LSD rear end. Which is great. But let's just say that when those locks go on in the Rubi, of course, it's two different animals in comparison. Anyhow, I guess my point is that it pays to understand what your purchasing, and how to use it properly. My guess is that most people may not fully understand how their particular 4x system may work in a given vehicle. I mean, another case in point where some other member here was throwing his rebel in full 4x mode, and doing circles on hard pavement and wondering why the drive system was starting to bind... need I say more?