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gimpsuitjones posted:at the end of the day, if it does what you want, who cares what type of suspension is "better" anyway, right? Simarly set up (2" lift, 33" tyres etc) a twin locked IFS 100's will go just about 99% of the places that a twin locked Solid axle 105 will too- they share a rear suspension set up which is ludicrously flexy out of the box so you just end up lifting a front wheel a bit more often with the 100 instead. Which is better for awesome photos anyway  I wouldnt trade the handling, comfort and high speed gravel ability of the IFS setup for the 1% of the time the solid axle is better offroad either. On high speed loose gravel like the outback roads the 100 is absolutely PLANTED and drives just like a normal car. The 105's arent anywhere near as composed and calling the steering numb doesnt quite cover it.
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Jan 23, 2017 12:24
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I've had these parts on my workbench for quite a while and I finally have the time, tools, and motivation to get them on the truck.  Trailworx rear LCA bracket armor and Resz Fabrication rear UCAs. This is the 4th set of LCA skids I've had and all the previous sets have had various problems: clearance for the Johnny Joints on my LCAs, clearance with the jerk fittings, general fitment, or kinda crap design. Ideally, you'd have a smooth transition from the frame rail to the LCA bracket, but most of the skids out there just conform to the shape of the bracket which is like 60 degrees from the frame and often the cause of a hangup on the trails. The new ones have a pretty shallow angle, which is nice. Another problem with most skids is that they only attach via the main LCA bolt, so if you bash them, they're prone to rotate and you lose even more clearance. Here's a comparison between old (OPOR) and new (Trailworx). The new ones have a tab that bolts into the frame which will prevent it from pivoting.  It was a good excuse to go pick up a set of jumbo metric box end wrenches and jumbo sockets which have been sorely missing from my tool kit. I carry about 90% of my tools with me because uhh I have this cool box:  The skids went on without much of a problem but I had to bash the poo poo out of the driver side with a 5lb hammer. No problem with the the product; just the original bracket was bent up.   I'm glad I finally installed them because I discovered that the old skids couldn't handle MAH FLEX and sheared the zerk fitting clean off the Johnny Joint. I'll have address that tomorrow.  I ran out of daylight and it started to get cold so I called it a night. Tomorrow I'll swap the upper control arms and throw on the tube doors because the weather in Houston is finally decent again. Oh yea here's the truck from a trip to Hidden Falls weekend before last.  One of the other guys had a rear diff skid come loose on a creekbed trail and it took a rigid brake line with it. Ended up plugging the brake line fitting with an M10x1.25 bolt from a CB mount which was enough to get him home without losing brake pressure. This weekend I'm going on route that's ~180mi of dirt roads. Nothing technical, just to get away from the pavement for a day. I'll probably post pics next week some time. RE: IFS vs SA, on the trail I'm super jealous of the guys with solid axle 1st gen 4runners and tacomas or 80-series land cruisers mostly because they can run much larger tires, but the owners always complain about road manners and general drivability on road. The way I see it, if you daily drive your vehicle at all, just stop worrying and learn to love the IFS. If it's a dedicated trail rig, yea I'd want solid axles, at least for the type of wheeling in my area. Also as it was mentioned, IFS is pretty capable with with dual lockers, decent rear axle articulation, and a spare CV on hand.
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Jan 24, 2017 06:18
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That livery is amazing.
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Jan 24, 2017 07:17
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I'm not bothered by the handling of a solid front axle on the road, personally Hilux in the snow at about 1400m ASL a couple months ago 
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Jan 24, 2017 09:54
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For a recreational wheeler, and having driven and wheeled both styles, IMO the simplicity and build-ability of solid axles wins. Wheeling an IFS, you'll be popping cv's, tie rods and other steering bits, they are typically more expensive to upgrade, if they are upgradable at all, usually a huge pain in the rear end to tear into the diffs, etc. For racing, you're spending gobs either way, but the Independent ultra 4's are straight up gnarly. E: it also greatly depends on your terrain and driving style and all that poo poo, but in general- simpler, less moving parts, more beef = more fun and easier to keep going. Paulie fucked around with this message at 02:23 on Jan 25, 2017 |
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Jan 25, 2017 02:19
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Both of mine are solid axle and I've never had an issue with on-road handling. Certainly different from the WRX I had before but the Jimny is still a gem around town and the Disco is lovely on long journeys even without swaybars.
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Feb 12, 2017 21:39
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I redid my body mounts on the hummer [switched to the blue new military polyurethane bushings], new bolts, new spacers, new radiator foam, etc. Mostly a body lift, about 2.5"'s so It gives me enough room under the A pillar to install an intercooler setup on the new turbo diesel. [older stock trucks needed a lift or a notch cut to fit things, newer trucks have the 2-3" lift from the factory]. It's interesting some of the components are attached to the body, and some to the frame, so 2-3" is the maximum you can usually do without having to get new hoses made up. The fuel tanks, for example, need to be lowered since they are mounted to the body tub. And there's my rub, the only issue I have afterward is I need to realign the fuel tank. When it's full there's no problem, but now that I have it near empty, if I make a sharp right turn causing a weight shift to the left, I get slight rubbing on the prop shaft on the fuel tank metal shield for a few seconds. Fortunately, all the fuel tank strap/support hardware I installed is all new bolts and straps, so it shouldn't be a big pain to realign things a bit before I fill up the main tank again. Rear tanks fine, its mounted to the frame rails. When they designed the fuel tank, they could get an extra 2 gallons of fuel if they wrapped part of the tank around the prop shaft so there isn't much clearance there to begin with. Now I got to fab up a new brush guard since it's no longer aligned with the hood the truck. 
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Feb 12, 2017 21:58
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Thread needs more dirt! Went to Cinder Hills OHV near Flagstaff. Some drone footage the wife took: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue0i-cE1kI8 Some photos I took. First one was after the first big climb.  Pano from that same spot:   This hill defeated me. I got up most of the way, to where the wall changes color from black to brown. The volcanic rock has been all kicked up out of there so it turns to sand, and my now-mostly-worn Pathfinder S ATs just couldn't grab enough to go anywhere. Looking at my own tracks in the rock versus everyone else's, these tires just aren't aggressive enough. Or big enough.  Photos other people took. Lining up on that same hill:  One of these things is not like the others!  I got up higher on the banking in this corner than I planned on, and honestly thought I was going to lay it down on the driver's side.  Made it up this onewith just a bit of wheel hop.   
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Mar 20, 2017 21:09
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Mar 25, 2017 21:33
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Put on some new treads. I left the road.  It was fun. I haven't found much in the way off road trails so I take what I can get. This is just a long road into state game lands. 
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Apr 3, 2017 03:46
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Lets count all the things they did wrong.
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Apr 8, 2017 03:32
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MillenialJeepOwners.gifv Anyone interested in a SoCal/NorCal AI offroad adventure sometime before it gets too warm. I'm right between SF and LA, on the coast. I have a decently big OHV area just up the road with jeep trails as well as plenty of graded dirt roads an hour away from that in California Valley. I have a private rock field and rallycross course with shootin' possibilities if there's interest as well.
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Apr 8, 2017 22:12
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I'm up for that. Been working on the truck this weekend getting it ready for Moab for next week. Planning to do the Mojave trail in May during memorial day weekend. Haven't done any trails in the Los Padres area so that'll be new for me. Regarding the Jeep extracting... it seems no one was hurt.. but I get a bit leery about too many cooks in the kitchen during a vehicle extraction or vehicles "helping" from the wrong angle. I remember that Azusa video with the TJ being pulled out of a mudpit by a diesel ram 2500... perpendicular to the jeep. Would up ripping half the jeep apart.  Big K of Justice fucked around with this message at 15:31 on Apr 9, 2017 |
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Apr 9, 2017 15:08
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Atticus_1354 posted:Lets count all the things they did wrong. I'm the the guy holding the rope.
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Apr 9, 2017 17:07
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DJ Commie posted:MillenialJeepOwners.gifv
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Apr 9, 2017 17:11
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   Finally went and wheeled the bucket. Knoxville is pretty hammered from this seasons weather. some deep ruts/mud and lots of deep washouts. It does creepily good which means i'll need a crane to extract this fatfuck in anything real. it also rides like a farmtruck. Bonus album of my lovely pictures. http://imgur.com/a/WF5s1
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Apr 16, 2017 07:05
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This rules. DJ Commie posted:Anyone interested in a SoCal/NorCal AI offroad adventure sometime before it gets too warm. I'm right between SF and LA, on the coast. I have a decently big OHV area just up the road with jeep trails as well as plenty of graded dirt roads an hour away from that in California Valley. I have a private rock field and rallycross course with shootin' possibilities if there's interest as well. I'm down with this idea. Los Padres is a cool area; some nice spots to camp out for a night if it works. I'm running an XJ with 4" lift/31s/front locker so I'm up for anything along those lines. Shooting is great too if you have a spot, I'm happy to bring hardware. In the interest of keeping the thread alive here are some random photos of desert stuff from my last few excursions:      
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Apr 16, 2017 07:50
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Drove Jeeps through mud with some folks over the weekend.  The mud ruts were too deep for my (mostly) stock TJ, so we left it on solid ground and I hopped in the silver JKU. The black JK's tires were not aggressive enough for the mud, so we had to snatch her out once. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsnqNQxRsHo She also had trouble with a hill, but made it up after gaining some momentum.
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Apr 18, 2017 18:08
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Here's a video from this weekend where we crested a particularly sketchy peak from the wrong direction. We had no idea what was up top or if the very loose rock trail continued or not (you can hear our wheels slipping a lot). Apparently it led to a very sudden mountain drop, so you can hear us freaking out! The winds must've been 50mph+ and added to the sense of discomfort at that height. Warning: LOUD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivD_jQlmA5E
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Apr 25, 2017 04:53
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Looking at a '97 Landcruiser. How much of a concern is the rust in these pictures?   Would be bringing the truck back to Texas, so it wouldn't be facing any more harsh winters. Is that fixable with a wire brush on a drill and some paint? I've never dealt with rust before. Also it would be a 2nd vehicle and only used part time off road.
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Apr 27, 2017 00:42
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That's rot and it's not "fixable" at this point. At best you could spray it with fluid film or likewise and "live" with it. The bit around the windshield is a real pain because you need to remove the trim, glass and sealant to get all of it. I wouldn't pay a premium for that one unless it's got the locking diffs.
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Apr 27, 2017 02:42
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rdb posted:That's rot and it's not "fixable" at this point. At best you could spray it with fluid film or likewise and "live" with it. The bit around the windshield is a real pain because you need to remove the trim, glass and sealant to get all of it. I wouldn't pay a premium for that one unless it's got the locking diffs.
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Apr 27, 2017 03:16
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GentlemanofLeisure posted:Thanks for the advice. It's not locked. I'll keep looking, sounds like more than what I want to get into. I imagine you could have a fab shop cut and replace the body mount, but it looks like there's also frame rot along the rails which is a big problem. I would avoid unless you plan to bash the poo poo out of it on high-traction trails (Like Katemcy or other Central Texas granite trails where you can get away without lockers) and dispose of it at the first sign of problems. That might be worth two grand or so for the fun. EDIT: sorry, spelling
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Apr 27, 2017 06:08
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tuna posted:Here's a video from this weekend where we crested a particularly sketchy peak from the wrong direction. We had no idea what was up top or if the very loose rock trail continued or not (you can hear our wheels slipping a lot). Apparently it led to a very sudden mountain drop, so you can hear us freaking out! The winds must've been 50mph+ and added to the sense of discomfort at that height. Might wanna get and walk it first next time. Did you end up backing down?
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Apr 27, 2017 13:11
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Paulie posted:Might wanna get and walk it first next time. Did you end up backing down? You can't really walk up that, too far/loose/steep. It's just one of those trails that once you commit to you can't kill your momentum and get out. There was room to do a 13-point turn and get back down, though, lol. Apparently it's part of a loop that you're supposed to do in the opposite direction we did it. There's a ridge hard right that connects to an even higher peak (at a much easier gradient), and doing it all downhill gives you much better visibility of where the trail goes.
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Apr 27, 2017 18:37
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I have photos of this time 4 or 5 of us decided to drive into an abandoned mine shaft which spirals up the inside of a mountain. It was all good until we got to the exit, and the trail was too overgrown and no way to get turned around. And backing into the exit was a no go.     All said and done it was both the most exhilarating and retarded thing I've ever done in a vehicle. The exhaust note from the 4.0L XJ's was resonating and causing chunks of rock to fall from the ceiling. And I had my soft top on.
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Apr 30, 2017 23:01
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That seems like both an incredibly awesome, and incredibly stupid, idea. Any details on where this was? Did you end up having to back all the way out or just make a million point turn?
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May 1, 2017 00:37
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Got linked to this one today. Northern Australia in 1975 was a VERY remote place. https://www.4x4australia.com.au/explore/qld/1705/video-fj40-toyota-land-cruiser-in-cape-york-1975 Now days you can just about drive a Rav4 to the tip of Cape York.
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May 10, 2017 14:17
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Ferremit posted:Got linked to this one today. Northern Australia in 1975 was a VERY remote place. that's cool
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May 11, 2017 06:05
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More proof that Mad Max was a documentary. CalFire received a grant from the state to clear brush on people's properties, and they cleared mine a few weeks ago. I have a tractor and backhoe, I think it's time to make an off-road obstacle course!
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May 11, 2017 22:10
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Some of y'all may recall my questions when I was in West Africa about getting a Suzuki Jimny. Well, now I live in Montreal and Suzukis are common and affordable, so I could use your advice in A/T if you're keen: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3213538&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=393#post472739545 quote:tl;dr: Given that it's just the kind of car I've wanted for 18 months now, should I spend US$2,200 to buy a '97 Suzuki Sidekick with 103k miles to use as a commuter and highway car, and for very light hauling, in Montreal?
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May 26, 2017 17:14
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Some of y'all may recall my questions when I was in West Africa about getting a Suzuki Jimny. Well, now I live in Montreal and Suzukis are common and affordable, so I could use your advice in A/T if you're keen: Do you intend on lifting it and giving it bigger wheels?
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May 26, 2017 18:56
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Yeah but get a Jimmy not one of those
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May 26, 2017 21:45
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gimpsuitjones posted:Yeah but get a Jimmy not one of those Nah, the Jimny/Samurai tends to a) sell for a lot more at any level of condition b) are either incredibly beat up, no longer street legal, or way pricey I've read some crazy Samurai ads in French with stuff like "drives great, but there's a big hole in the floor so you can see the street". The problem is people snap up old Samurais to make muddin' trucks, off-roaders, whatever the equivalent of a Baja buggie is, etc. And if they don't do that, they trick it out nice by dropping in larger engines and stuff and charge out the wazoo. Also I'm getting this mostly for city driving, and 99% paved-road driving (except going out to the cabin, but a Corolla can handle those dirt roads). Also I might put it up on Turo to make money off of tourists, make it earn its keep. And everything I've read say a Sidekick is a much smoother ride on paved roads than a Samurai is. cosmicjim posted:Do you intend on lifting it and giving it bigger wheels? I haven't decided yet, but mods are in the cards. I'm actually thinking about *lowering* it some since it's a city car, and that'll decrease rollover risk, no? A buddy of mine is Germany is a massive Landrover fan (and vaguely e-famous and even in print for a few of his projects) and has volunteered to make me a to-do list to make it an adorable little pseudo-LR so I can charge tourists more to rent it for the day. Like brush bars, snorkel, the works. Definitely a better sound system, and I need a hitch that's good for carrying a couple mopeds (not Vespas/scooters, but rather true mopeds). TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 20:42 on May 27, 2017 |
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May 27, 2017 20:35
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IOwnCalculus posted:Thread needs more dirt! Went to Cinder Hills OHV near Flagstaff. I love that area. Makes me sad though that NASA spent a lot of effort recreating the lunar surface there and then let people drive all over it.
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May 28, 2017 05:00
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Theres a guy in Australia who managed to jam a 1UZ into a Suzuki Sierra that originally had the 1.0L 4 pot into it. Toyota hilux axles with coils under it and it was STUPID
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May 28, 2017 05:25
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Nah, the Jimny/Samurai tends to I'm trying to be nice. This is just such a strange post to me considering what the thread is about. If you just absolutely want a tiny highway use sidekick then go for it. I don't think we can/should talk you out of it if that's what you want. It just seems like coming to a thread about fishing boats and asking if you should get a sea do or jet ski. If you want a lovely small road car, get a beetle or an 80's ford festiva hatchback. That being said, I like dumb quirky cars too and might do the same thing in your situation.
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May 28, 2017 15:36
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cosmicjim posted:I'm trying to be nice. This is just such a strange post to me considering what the thread is about. If you just absolutely want a tiny highway use sidekick then go for it. I don't think we can/should talk you out of it if that's what you want. It just seems like coming to a thread about fishing boats and asking if you should get a sea do or jet ski. If you want a lovely small road car, get a beetle or an 80's ford festiva hatchback. No worries, it makes more sense in the context of my posts from late 2015 to early 2016 when I was in Liberia. There I was asking for advice on improving our Pathfinder for bush-use, and lusting after a Suzuki Jimny (though those are common in Southern Africa, rare in Liberia). But poo poo in Liberia went *way* pear-shaped; for those of y'all who saw my photos of the lovely Nissan-ripoff Chinese truck, boy howdy I have a story I can share but only after I double-check with my boss to make sure all the legal issues are resolved. Buying a Sidekick in Montreal is sort of a revenge-buy for not getting a Suzuki in Africa. I do want 4wd since it's useful here even in the city for snow, and because I have a few road-trips I plan for late-summer or next year where it'd be useful, like driving up to Hudson Bay for kicks. I'm not building a pure "petunia hauler" yuppie car, I'm just looking for a versatile around-town car that also can deal with snow and mud in a pinch even if that's not my daily work. I'm a city guy, for me going out in the bush is work (and I'm fine with it). But I've driven an LAV in the Middle East (8x8!), and bounced all over West Africa in a few different poo poo-heap trucks, at least two of which came to ill ends. So please be assured I'm not here to poo poo up your thread as an ironic hipster buying "a big truck LOL!!!"
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Jun 1, 2017 18:53
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Tiny, 4x4, not mega lifted, that definitely hits "weird boner" triggers in a lot of people
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Jun 2, 2017 02:25
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shovelbum posted:Tiny, 4x4, not mega lifted, that definitely hits "weird boner" triggers in a lot of people I actually own a lovely samurai, so an even shittier sidekick for highway use did trigger me. He gets a pass since he clarified that he does actually deal with snow.
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Jun 2, 2017 02:38
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