AEV Jeep Wrangler Brute Double Cab

Brute Double Cab 2012 Wrangler Rubicon Aev Truck

This Brute Double Cab is based on a ’12 Wrangler Rubicon. The cab is modified using steel panels that are made in-house by AEV. These deep-drawn panels are made from galvanized steel and are E-coated for corrosion protection. The hardtop is made from a high-tech cored composite material that AEV says is stronger than the material used to make the OE hardtop. This particular vehicle has AEV’s Premium Front Bumper that is outfitted with a Warn 9.5cti winch and pair of IPF lights. The rocker guards are custom made. The rig rolls on 37x12.50 Interco Super Swamper IROK Radial tires mounted on 17x9 AEV Savegre aluminum wheels.

This Brute Double Cab is based on a ’12 Wrangler Rubicon. The cab is modified using steel

Do you want a Jeep, but need a pickup? Do you need a pickup, but want a Jeep? Well, take a good look at this Brute Double Cab because a rig like this could very well be exactly what you need. And yes, it’s a real pickup truck. It has an honest-to-goodness, fully functional pickup truck bed that is separate from the cab. And speaking of the cab, it seats five passengers, so you’ll be able to carry your entire crew or pretty much whatever else you wish. Oh, and then there’s the fact that you get the Wrangler’s legendary off-road DNA.

There would be no Brute Double Cab if there wasn’t American Expedition Vehicles (AEV). Fifteen years ago, AEV was founded by Dave Harriton, who lived and worked in a small one-bay shop while creating his first prototype stretched TJ. This TJ was the first in a series of wildly popular products that were the catalyst for the impressive growth of AEV. Today, AEV has a 7,000 square-foot facility in Montana and a 36,000 square foot facility in Michigan and the company has an impressive portfolio of innovative Jeep products.

Powering this Brute Double Cab, and we do mean powering, is a VVT 6.4L Hemi V-8 sourced from a ’12 Grand Cherokee SRT8. This engine makes 470hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. AEV manufactures all of the components to install the engine, including the radiator, wire harness, air conditioning lines, power steering lines, fuel lines, mounts, and battery tray. AEV also manufactures an injection-molded intake adapter to allow this engine to be properly packaged in the Wrangler. The stock 6.4L intake bends to the left; however the air filter is on the right side in a Wrangler. This custom adapter allows for full flow efficiency and gives the appearance of an OE installation. Bolted to the engine is a W5A580 five-speed automatic transmission and power is sent to the axles via a Rubicon-spec 241OR transfer case.

Powering this Brute Double Cab, and we do mean powering, is a VVT 6.4L Hemi V-8 sourced fr

The Brute Double Cab you see here is AEV’s latest creation and it was on display in the AEV booth at the 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. As you can imagine, it drew massive crowds throughout the show. This particular rig was fitted with several options including a 6.4L Hemi engine, but AEV says that other configurations are available.

Passengers are protected by a custom rollbar that is CNC-formed using the same material as the OE rollbar. The rear seats can be folded to offer more storage options.

Passengers are protected by a custom rollbar that is CNC-formed using the same material as

We had the opportunity to spend some time with the Brute Double Cab and AEV President Dave Harriton at our semi-secret photo location in the Nevada desert. One thing we quickly learned while talking with Harriton is that a considerable amount of research and development went into the Brute Double Cab to ensure that it was a capable, durable truck.

How did AEV build the Brute Double Cab and what makes it tick? Read on.

Want One?
AEV is hoping to have the Brute Double Cab available in mid-2012. The total cost hasn’t been solidified as of this writing, however AEV says the goal throughout the design process was to keep it less than the current TJ-based Brute conversion ($20,000 turnkey). The Brute Double Cab will be available as a base vehicle either purchased new through AEV; purchased at your local dealership with AEV’s drop ship code (so that it’s delivered to AEV’s Michigan facility); or you can bring AEV your current ’07-’12 four-door Wrangler. The first allocation of vehicles will go to existing AEV customers and dealers. Oh, and there’s already a waiting list.

The Details
General
Owner/Hometown: American Expedition Vehicles/Wixom, Michigan
Vehicle/Model: 2012 Jeep Brute Double Cab
Estimated value: N/A
Engine
Type: Chrysler 6.4L Hemi V-8
Aspiration: Fuel injection
Output, hp/torque (estimated): 470/465
Drivetrain
Transmission: Chrysler W5A580 5-spd auto
Transfer case: Rubicon 241OR
Suspension
Front: AEV 4.5-inch DualSport RS, Bilstein remote-reservoir shocks
Rear: AEV 4.5-inch DualSport RS, Bilstein remote-reservoir shocks
Axles/Differentials
Front: Dynatrac ProRock 44/GKN electric locker
Rear: Dynatrac ProRock 60/Eaton electric locker
Ring and pinion: 4.56:1
Wheels\Tires
Wheels: 17x9 AEV Savegre
Tires: 37x12.50R17 Interco Super Swamper IROK Radial FW

Out back is a Dynatrac ProRock 60 rear axle and it sports a Dynatrac diff cover, Eaton electric locker, and 4.56:1 gearing. An AEV 4 1/2-inch DualSport RS suspension system lifts the rear of the rig and it includes AEV-tuned Bilstein remote-reservoir shock absorbers.
Out back is a Dynatrac ProRock 60 rear axle and it sports a Dynatrac diff cover, Eaton ele
That’s a Dynatrac ProRock 44 front axle and it uses 4.56:1 ratio gearing, Dynatrac ball joints, Dynatrac diff cover, and the factory Rubicon GKN locker. The front suspension consists of an AEV 4 1/2-inch-lift DualSport RS system and Bilstein remote-reservoir shocks that were custom tuned for this vehicle by AEV. This suspension system includes steering correction that flips the draglink on top of the knuckle and includes geometry-correcting drop brackets to improve caster, anti-dive, and ride quality. Harriton says, “Both of the above mods essentially make the car ‘think’ it’s only been lifted 1.5 inches.” There’s also a Bilstein steering stabilizer.
That’s a Dynatrac ProRock 44 front axle and it uses 4.56:1 ratio gearing, Dynatrac ball jo
The rear driveshaft was made by AEV and it’s a two-piece unit with a carrier bearing. AEV says that this setup allows greater ground clearance and is harder to damage.
The rear driveshaft was made by AEV and it’s a two-piece unit with a carrier bearing. AEV

Here you can see the underside of the cargo bed. It’s manufactured from the same high-tech cored composite material as the hardtop. AEV says its goal was to have a stronger, lighter bed than its past Brute model, which used a steel bed. “We met our goal, which was to have a net zero weight gain over a comparably equipped four-door Wrangler,” Harriton notes. The composite bed is 140 pounds lighter than AEV’s past model steel bed and is both stronger and stiffer. AEV says it’s also much more damage resistant to dents and corrosion proof.
Here you can see the underside of the cargo bed. It’s manufactured from the same high-tech
The Wrangler’s frame is stretched 23 inches in front and 16 inches aft of the rear wheels, to create a wheelbase of 139 inches. “Because of how the Wrangler frame is produced, the two-door and four-door have the same front and rear sub-assemblies, the only difference being a piece of high-strength steel tubing used to attach the two sub-assemblies that set the different wheelbases. The Brute Double Cab takes advantage of this and replaces the entire section with a new part,” Harriton says.
The Wrangler’s frame is stretched 23 inches in front and 16 inches aft of the rear wheels,
Other exterior mods include an AEV snorkel with Air Ram and a steel Heat Reduction Hood.

A flip-down tailgate allows access to the bed. One of the goals of the Brute Double Cab was to keep the vehicle light. “Weight was critical because every pound we could save would be a pound more we could safely carry or tow. A big factor for this vehicle,” Harriton notes. Weight is one of the reasons a composite bed was a better choice than steel. The bed manufacturing process is a type of injection molding that uses high tech composites.
A flip-down tailgate allows access to the bed. One of the goals of the Brute Double Cab wa
The rear bumper is a prototype unit. AEV says that the production unit will most likely have integrated water tanks similar to the AEV JK bumper.
The rear bumper is a prototype unit. AEV says that the production unit will most likely ha
Interior mods include AEV Cordura seat covers and AEV gauges.