[Cube Dweller]

Originally Posted by semlin

val won't mind i'm sure

if you want to run a minitruck on 35s with stock gears (and birfs), that is your business. i don't care what you do, just keep track of your hours, expenses and travel mileage and we'll see how the finished product stacks up.

Jeebus, this is supposed to be a fun project, not a billing statement for a legal client.

I'll keep a ROM tab in this thread for parts cost and extraordinary hours. If you want to obsess over how many miles I drove to score a deal on some parts, you're welcome to so.

[valentine]

Originally Posted by semlin

how much does that one call cost

and how much is cube's time worth for all the mods he is about to embark on?

it depends on you final destination, but good brakes and tranny, lockers and lots of torque means you can go a long way in an 80 without gear reduction. my point is that you can build a locked 80 simply by lifting it for $700 or less used, throwing on 35s and being careful, and you will kick the ass of most minitrucks. and you have a nice civilized daily driver too. adding armour all around adds to the cost, but minitruck armour is not free either.

valentine just bought a locked and medium ome lifted 80 on 33s for $3500 and the seats are properly attached and the engine is not making any funny noises anyway, not intending to start a schotts like debate. the meter is on to see how much time and money cube sinks into this baby before he achieves the daily driver and offroad ability of val's truck.

So now you're dragging me into this....

[valentine]

Originally Posted by semlin

i'd love to do the rubicon for sure. so i am in.

i agree there is a point beyond which an 80 cannot keep up with a mini as a rock crawler. my point is that, by the time your mini is modded enough to catch up to a lifted locked 80 on 35s, you will have spent more money and way more time (base lining an 80 is a couple of judiciously spent afternoons plus a birf job, and the lift goes in in half a day -- it does not remotely compare to installing elockers, pinions, gears, transfer case(s), beefier birfs, engine, high steer, etc... ) and have a vehicle that, except for rock crawling and home depot trips, is not the equal of the 80 at anything

anyway, let's see. maybe if you keep your budget down to $3500, val and i will come down and we can go head to head

If my schedule works, I'm in.

[yooper]

val can ride in the bed

[H8PVMNT]

Both rides are equally badass in different ways. I have a '94 SASed mini truck, a buddy of mine had a well equiped FJ60 and he was about the only one who could keep up with me in the deep snow. I would love to own an 80 sometime to wheel with the entire family... Both can be built expensive or cheap depending on resources and ingenuity. Both rides can kick ass on a limited budget. Why not just go wheeling and have fun? You can always dog on the jeep guys, right?

[cruiser88]

damn skippy.

hell I just paid 580 bucks for my Marlin box..complete- shafts

Originally Posted by Cruiserdrew

Minitruck-world's best hard core wheeler on a budget.

[rusty_tlc]

Originally Posted by yooper

val can ride in the bed

I might have the 60 Rubicon ready by then. Somebody could drive my FJ40.

[rusty_tlc]

4:1 t-case for sale in Reno.

[bustanutley]

Originally Posted by Cube Dweller

I'm not giving in on the regearing though. A mini with dual cases and stock dif gears is actually geared better for off road than 80 with the same. So from a cost perspective, we either count it for both the 80 and the mini, or we don't for either.

It is also important to note that stock gears are also substantially stronger than lower aftermarket gears especially if you are going to run a hi pinion front.

Nice truck