Enlighten me on the WK please

ratled

Adventurer
Still looking for my next ride. Somehow the WK always stays on the radar even though I have no experience with them, nor does anybody I know. What do I need to know, what to look out for, what to expect maintenance and replacement wise, etc. Not planing anything major in terms of trails, needs to be daily driver dependable, and when go I can pack heavy as I don't just off road but fishing, hunting and small scale mining gear are just some of the things I carry for.

Anyone have any good you tube videos on the WK for dummies?

Thanks for your time and info!
 

jeepgc

Adventurer
Hi,

Am the owner of a 3.0l V6 CRD Limited S 2010, really nice low mileage example and a 5.7 hemi 2006.which is our work horse.

I love the wk, but I wouldn't really recommend buying one now.

Am UK based, so my opinion may be due to my location.

For the past couple of years, have been struggling to locate certain parts and as time goes on, some minor things (interior light bulbs) for example, I cannot source, so have had to just leave them.

Both vehicles run well and still drive well, CRD is very smooth.

If I were looking to buy a WK now, I'd be concerned about sourcing replacement parts.



Sent from my I3312 using Tapatalk
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
I just bought a 2006 WK with the 5.7L HEMI and QuadraDrive II. I've only had a few months, so I can't offer a lot based experience, but here are my thoughts:

The previous generation (the WJ) had solid axles front and rear, and offered a softer ride, SIGNIFICANTLY more articulation on the trail, and slightly more headroom in the interior. The suspension on the WJ is basically the same as the Jeep TJ, and parts and aftermarket support is plentiful.

The WK is totally different. It came with multiple engines; 3.7, 4.7, 5.7, and the 3.0 diesel. From what I can tell, the 4.7 is more common, and the 5.7 is more desirable, although the diesel certainly has its fans as well. The QuadraDrive II is the way to go for sure, it basically has lockers in the front and rear diff's, as opposed to a more braking oriented traction control system newer vehicles have. Jeep sold over 500,000 WK's, so parts are widely available, though they may not be exclusively for the WK. The Commander is the exact same platform as the WK, and Jeep being Jeep, there are a number of common parts from other platforms like the Liberty and TJ that will match up too.

HOWEVER, the off road aftermarket for the WK is very small. You CAN find most everything you need, but it is very evident that this platform is out of favor. A number of mfr's have recently discontinued their products related to the WK, which is frustrating. Steel Armadillo, Rocky Road, and HK mfr'ing are good examples of what is left of the market.

Being IFS, the lift potential is limited. SuperLift used to make a robust 4" lift system, but its off the market, as is Mopar's own lift kit. With the SL, there are guys running 35" tires, but without it, you are pretty limited to 33" tires, and even then, mod's have to be made to fenders and bumpstops to make that work. OME springs and shocks will net about 3" of lift, but very little articulation in the front, which makes that QuadraDrive II system very important.

The interior of the WK is pretty nice, but its not great for tall people. I am 6'-7" and have to hold my head at a bit of an angle or sit in just such as way so that I fit under the sunroof.
The rear cargo area is not great. Poorly designed and with very little cubby space compared to the WJ that preceded it. The tie down points are not very solid, and the walls have no cargo space built in. The door pockets don't have cup holders, and there just isn't much storages space in general. I really miss the near infinite storage space of my LR3 compared to the WK. The "floor" of the rear cargo area is a removable molded plastic tray with a shallow storage area in it, but I am considering removing it altogether and building my own floor with true tie down points better suited for my typical camping load out.

The fold down seats are good and easy to use, and result in a nearly flat floor, but the total length of the cargo area is short, and I highly doubt anyone sleeps in the back of a WK. Certainly not someone my height.

The HEMI is pretty solid motor. It's the same engine in the Ram pickup and a variety of other Chrysler products, so parts are plentiful, issues are well known with fixes and solutions for everything you might encounter. The system that turns off half the cylinders under light load takes some getting used to, and the intake system needs to be closely monitored to keep it clean. An Oil Catch-Can is HIGHLY recommended to help keep the intake clean. The EGR system on the HEMI causes excess oil build up in the intake and on the throttle body, which is all electronic, and can produce a myriad of perplexing faults, that are ultimately easily fixed simply by cleaning it. Another know issue is that these V8's (4.7 and 5.7) are known to drop valves. The hydraulic lifters get gummed up after 100,000 miles or so. Pretty easy and inexpensive to fix as a preventative measure if you don't mind getting your hands dirty, or just pull off the heads and send them to a rebuild shop for $400-$500 to build the heads and you'll be golden for another 100,000 miles. On the other hand, pretty expensive to fix afterward if you tweak a piston due to a dropped valve :)

Lots of good info on JeepForum.com and JeepGarage, which has been super helpful during the course of my build.

IMG_7207X.JPG
 
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ratled

Adventurer
Thanks guys I have my answer. nwoods it was your SRV thread that had me thinking about the WK again.

Thanks again
ratled
 
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nomercy346

New member
Been reading on this Forum for a while but thought I could chime in here as I bought a 2009 Diesel WK last year to have something to tinker with that is not my daily and build it into a mildly upgraded travel rig.

This is what I ended up with so far:
DSC_0843-4_resize.jpg
DSC_0888-3_resize.jpg

I'm OK with the limited aftermarket support. If you're not looking to go crazy on the lift part you'll be alright. If you want roughly 2" lift and larger tires there is enough out there. IMO the offroad capability of this thing with the QD-II and electronic lockers front and rear is more than enough for what I need. What's more frustrating is when you start looking into accessories like roof racks, storage solutions and the like. I went DIY for the interior anyways and will probably do so for the rack in the future as well.

The Mercedes OM642 is widely regarded as a stout engine and was also used in Sprinter Vans and Mercedes passenger cars where they usually rack up a ton of miles without bigger issues. I got rid of most problematic little issues like EGR, swirl motors etc. by getting a GDE Tune. Also gives it tons of torque and gets around 22 mpg overall with the RTT, current tire setup and fully loaded. Only larger known issue is the oil coolers leaking wich is a labor intensive repair. The Hemi will use more gas but is an equally good option power and reliability wise. Snapping exhaust manifold studs are also common on Hemis and I believe the job sucks on a WK cause there's little room in the engine bay. I would go with either of those two engines.

Otherwise it's a Jeep so it will have little issues here and there but parts are cheap and plentiful in my experience. With the diesel you can also get some parts much cheaper by getting them for a Mercedes instead of Mopar branded. Also keep in mind the WK is at least like 11 years old and they all have some miles on them.

I think it rides good and is a decently comfortable highway cruiser BUT for an overland rig they are TINY. This is the biggest drawback IMO. Cargo area is small and has little useable tie downs or compartments. Almost no storage in the front row either and the cupholders are a joke. I'm 6'2 and while I do fit in the drivers seat, it's not a spacious cabin at all. (Keep in mind my daily is a 4th Gen RAM so that may be subjective)

Been toying with the idea of getting a WK2 (so I can keep building something lol) but recently had a look at one at the dealer and they don't seem that much larger either.
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
That looks sweet! Do you have a build thread on that rear cargo area? Did you leave the “tray” in place, or pull it out?
 

nomercy346

New member
Thanks! Not yet, but I might do a build thread on the whole Jeep. I replaced the tray with a piece of plywood and drilled an access hole into it so I can still get to the spare tire mechanism with a wrench. I don't use the compartment for anything though, it's not like theres a lot of space in there anyways lol.
 

Charles R

Adventurer
Having had two of these over the course of 7 years now, a hemi and a CRD, I'd say the above posts pretty much nail it all.

The one true single benefit I'd say these have over other vehicle choices is towing capacity. While the 3.7 gasser only has a 3500lbs capacity, the rest have a 7200-7400 lbs capacity. That's nearly a 1000 lbs more than any other mid sized vehicle on the market. And you typically have to shop for the right options to get that close.

Another more marginal, but significant, benefit is that QuadraDrive 2 system. How much of a benefit really depends on how hard you wheel though. But personally I feel it's second only to the Wrangler Rubicon with its full independently switchable lockers. Everything else on the market uses the brakes, or only offers an LSD or locker at the rear end. I have just Put-Put-Putted my why through a lot of things I've watched others struggle with, just because they weren't powering ALL the wheels evenly.
 
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nomercy346

New member
QD-II is the way to go with a WK! I took mine wheeling to a OHV park and it managed obstacles other more off roady vehicles struggled with. Even with IFS this soccer mom truck is going places.
 

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