Fabtech Flagship: Battleship Jeep
As a high-profile business in the off-road aftermarket, it is important to walk the walk that you are talking about. Fancy parts on display and gorgeous show vehicles aren’t enough, especially when the parts you're slinging are top-quality suspension parts. Here's where a flagship vehicle is needed.
Fabtech Motorsports has been building Jeep components for years and has several flagships to show off parts, but none of them were quite like this one. The black 2015 JK Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon went from stock to beast-mode in under a month, start to finish and was dominating the Moab, Utah, trails a couple weeks later. For Fabtech, the Jeep in the above video is a battleship.
The company has other Wranglers to show off various components, but this one reigns over them all as the Alpha of the pack. Huge stance, massive tires, long travel suspension and low gearing allow it to be a point-and-shoot Jeep. There aren’t many things that slow this battleship down.
Ride height and shock damping duties are handled by four Dirt Logic stainless steel coilovers that are specifically designed and valved for the weight of a Wrangler Unlimited. Fabtech spent an enormous number of hours fine tuning the lengths, valving and spring rates to provide optimal ride and performance characteristics.
Under the front end of the Jeep is a Dynatrac ProRock 60 stuffed with a 5.38:1 ratio gear set and ARB Air Locker. The differential housing is set up much wider than stick at 68.5 inches, using 3.125-inch-diameter axle tubes and 35-spline 1.5-inch-diameter axle shafts with 1480 axle u-joints. The heavy duty steering is supplemented with a custom built hydraulic ram assist system using a prototype Dirt Logic steering ram with a PSC Motorsports steering box and pump.
Out back lives a Dynatrac ProRock 80. The full-float differential matches the front 5.38:1 ratio gear set and ARB Air Locker, stepping up the game with 40-spline 4130 chromoly axle shafts, which are a massive 1.71 inches in diameter. Both front and rear differentials use Dynatrac’s nodular iron diff covers to protect the internals.
The Jeep rides on a Fabtech Motorsports 4-Link Long Arm Suspension. Each link is built from 2-inch outside diameter DOM tubing that is .313 inches thick, some of the strongest links on the market. The 4-Link design offers less caster change through the suspension cycle and benefits from heavy duty 5-ton rated flex joints. The underbelly of a Jeep usually tells the true story of the vehicle. The Rock Hard 4x4 skid plates on this one have protected the fuel tank, transfer case and transmission on multiple trips through the toughest trails in Moab, on Fordyce Trail while on the Sierra Trek as well as all the rig-abusing trails in The Hammers.
The occupants are protected by a custom built interior rollcage from 1.75-inch 0.120 wall DOM tubing. To do so, the dash was removed and then reinstalled after the ‘cage was built so the driver and passenger have ample leg room. An sPOD distribution system was installed, with the control panel sitting just above the rearview mirror for easy access to the lockers, as well as Rigid Industries LED lights and an ARB dual pump compressor system for airing up tires. A Race radio and CB radio provide comms.
Giving the Jeep traction to the ground are a set of 40x13.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers wrapped around beadlocks from Ultra Wheel. The 5-inch Crawler suspension is designed for 37s with stock fenders and can run a 39- or 40-inch tire with high clearance fenders like the Poison Spyder Rock Crusher fender flares.
A Poison Spyder Rock Brawler II rear bumper with tire carrier holds a spare 40-inch Nitto on the backend. The rear corner panels of the Jeep are protected by Crusher Corners, also from Poison Spyder.
The front bumper is a BFH unit with optional Brawler Bar from Poison Spyder. Fabtech added heavy duty shackle mounts to the bumper as well as a Warn Zeon 10-S Platnium winch, complete with synthetic line.
Fabtech’s battleship Jeep is obviously capable — apparent even when the Jeep is sitting in a parking spot outside the company’s Chino, California, location, which also happens to be were nearly all Fabtech components are built. Fabtech takes the Jeep out regularly to events, test runs and even regular street driving to prove its parts work.
