Best lift for rock crawling?

[Izeloz]

I realize the size and weight of the 80 make it poorly suited for rock-crawling, but that is the type of wheeling I do most of. Until I get my mini truck built, what's the best lift option for a rig that will be going to Moab more than anywhere else? Thanks for any advice.

[CreeperSleeper]

Sawz-all...

[Izeloz]

Don't get me wrong, I have NO qualms about cutting fenders and offending sheet metal out of the way (actually, that is part of my plan). I don't plan on going larger than 37s and actually plan to start with 35s. I just want to know what suspension to run. OME, Slee, custom, stock?

[CreeperSleeper]

Personally, I would run a FOR or Slee 4" and trim to make 37's fit.

[Nay]

I'd start with tire size - 35's on an 80 due to its size are like 33's on a smaller rig.

If you are talking about trails like Golden Spike, then a 3"-4" lift and 35's is plenty. If you want to go up much from there to run the hardest stuff in Moab, I'd agree on fitting 37's, although that's more a damage prevention measure than pure need given we've seen 80's on trails like Rusty Nail. If you like Pritchett on up, then yea, I'm probably on 37's.

I would also choose between FOR and Slee 4". The reason is both are well balanced in up/down travel. OME J would meet your needs as well, although my personal opinion is you'd prefer the springs of the other two.

The 80 is a good crawler - to a point. It is very well suited to Moab. Trim up front and rear clearance and you are good to go with 35's.

I'm on FOR and 35's and barely scratched the paint on my rear bumper going across the crack - how you deal with bumpers in Moab is really more important than excess lift as most Moab trails call out approach and departure angles far more than breakover angle (steep but smooth ledges, not big rock gardens), so trimming up front/rear and choosing tire size and suspension balance are your key design components IMO.

Pull your flares and 37's should be a pretty easy fit if you want the bigger meats. Last pic is how 35" trxus fit on the FOR lift full stuff.

[ArmyFJ]

I have the 6 inch and while the height has prevented some body damage, I would much prefer a lower lift with fender cutting. For more extreme rock crawling the 6 inch would be precariously high and narrow for my comfort level. But it is great for crossing deep water

[reverie]

Portals ~ 5"

[Izeloz]

I would love to have portals but the $$$ keeps me from going that direction. Unimogs are just too low geared (except for the high priced 416s and such) and Volvo's are difficult to find in the 5.99 flavor for anything less than $3K and custom (i.e. portaltek) is way too much $$ at something like $8K per axle.

[GeoRoss]

At Cruise Moab I was on Golden Spike with an 80 with no lift. He had an ARB front, sliders and 285 tires. I am pretty sure it was factory locked. He even did the whole trail with his stock rear bumper and spare underneath. The rear bumper banged a few times and spare tire was rubbed a bit, but otherwise his trailer hitch did well as a rear slider.

[Nay]

Originally Posted by GeoRoss

At Cruise Moab I was on Golden Spike with an 80 with no lift. He had an ARB front, sliders and 285 tires. I am pretty sure it was factory locked. He even did the whole trail with his stock rear bumper and spare underneath. The rear bumper banged a few times and spare tire was rubbed a bit, but otherwise his trailer hitch did well as a rear slider.

That was impressive, wasn't it? Stock with 33's, ARB front, tow hitch rear. He got stopped on a few of the steeper lines, but all in all made it with relatively little problem. I think that hitch is about a half inch thinner and I wouldn't drive on that spare

Which goes to my point - it's not about lift so much in Moab as front and rear clearance and tires.

Stay @ 3"-4" and 35's and you can run most of what it out there.

[CodyRx7]

8" coils!

[Nay]

Originally Posted by CodyRx7

8" coils!

Which is all good until you have to figure out the shocks

[FirstToy]

The Slee 6 is awesome in the rocks. I've seen it perform and it def. has an edge. I think the 4 and 6 are good options

[619TOY]

I completely love my Slee 6". I have yet to find myself in a situation that I wished I was running a smaller lift. I will say that Moab is more demanding on a rear bumper than anywhere else I have wheeled. I would go as low profile as possible. Here are a couple pics of my rig on Golden Crack:

[Nay]

This is a good contrast to what I was talking about in designing a rig for primary Moab use. Despite your significant lift advantage you drag your rear bumper a lot worse than I do, because the location of max up travel on the two lifts is about the same, which in this type of flex compresses the suspension about the same. The difference is my rear overhang is much shorter.

In a rock garden things would be different, because my rear bumper clearance would make no difference to getting hung up on control arm mounts, resting on sliders, etc.

Designing an 80 for Moab definitely includes the sawzall

[GeoRoss]

It put things in perspective as far as driving skills.

Originally Posted by Nay

That was impressive, wasn't it? Stock with 33's, ARB front, tow hitch rear. He got stopped on a few of the steeper lines, but all in all made it with relatively little problem. I think that hitch is about a half inch thinner and I wouldn't drive on that spare

Which goes to my point - it's not about lift so much in Moab as front and rear clearance and tires.

Stay @ 3"-4" and 35's and you can run most of what it out there.

[badmuthatrucka]

I'm running roughly 5" with 35x12.50 TrXus MTs. Excellent setup for rocks.

[Tools R Us]

I have run Moab a few times with 33’s (295-75x16), this was the first time running the 37’s. Way happy with them, places where it struggled before, it easily walks over now. Brother Rob’s with the 315’s has historically had an easier time in rock than mine.

Other than my front arms allowing slightly more flex our setup is the same, J’s, L’s & 1.5” front spacers. Our trips usually include a mix of rock play and long distance touring and both rigs are close to stock weight. For our use the OME setup works well, they are soft enough to give a good ride for long days and flex well without unseating. If anything I would prefer a slightly softer spring.

[Nay]

For some reason I was thinking you were on 35's, now I see why you were walking right over everything even with stock gears

Was good to meet you

BTW, I think FOR still has a 4.5" spring if you really want to tinker, much softer feel than OME.

[Uglibus]

If you goal is to build a rock crawler mini, save money for the build, and primarily wheel in Moab. I would suggest that you find someone who is going bigger and get their used 3-4 inch Slee, OME, or FOR spring and spend the money on sliders, bumpers, and winch. With 33s and protection you can do Moab. No need to regear (Saving Money). HTH

[Tools R Us]

Originally Posted by Nay

For some reason I was thinking you were on 35's, now I see why you were walking right over everything even with stock gears

Was good to meet you

Just one of the cool things about CM is meeting people, putting faces to the Mud names. Unfortunately on Spike we didn't have much time out of the trucks to BS.

I got a couple of good shotts of your rig, PM me your email if you want them.

[BrotherRob]

Originally Posted by Uglibus

If you goal is to build a rock crawler mini, save money for the build, and primarily wheel in Moab. I would suggest that you find someone who is going bigger and get their used 3-4 inch Slee, OME, or FOR spring and spend the money on sliders, bumpers, and winch. With 33s and protection you can do Moab. No need to regear (Saving Money). HTH

I disagree about the 33's. I've been on 35s with stock gears for three + years and never regretted it. The difference in cost is minimal I've been shocked at the improvement in performance, especially in the rocks. I've followed Kevin and others on 33s and consistantly walked over obsticles were they have struggled, and I certainly won't claim to be the better driver.
IMO, 35s are an excellent fit for an 80. The only downside I found was about $12 per tire, money I forgot about long ago.

[-Spike-]

I've been on 35's for 2 years with stock gears, and haven't had any problems in the rocks. I'd like to regear for the long drives to the trails, and because I see 37's in my future.

-Spike

[Elijah]

As to the OP, 37's and 4" lift seems perfect for crawling I've done. Since regear to 4.88's I haven't been to Moab but live 25 minutes from 'Little Moab' and go fairly frequently. Love the regear and for me the difference is easily noticeable. Before going to 6" I'll cut out the fenders, actually in a couple weeks I'll be cutting. So for ROCKCRAWLING: remove swaybars front and rear, 37's, and 4" lift=lower COG, possibly a regear depending on your opinion. I love crawling in the 80

[Nay]

Originally Posted by -Spike-

I've been on 35's for 2 years with stock gears, and haven't had any problems in the rocks. I'd like to regear for the long drives to the trails, and because I see 37's in my future.

-Spike

I loved the 5.29's/35's in Moab, even on the really steep descents like Skyline Drive I could engine brake down to a degree, and the ascents were a breeze. What I hated with stock gears was those really steep climbs that make the torque converter groan, and Moab is full of those. I'd want gears in Moab before lockers, even with 33's, because really steep climbs and descents all day long are all about gearing.

Having said that, there is no doubt you can do it on 35's with stock gearing, I just wouldn't plan that as a long term design because you'd get tired of fighting it.

Plus I got 14.4 mpg driving from 4K feet elevation at Moab back over the Rockies to 7,400 ft elevation at home, so I'm sure in 50 years they will have paid for themselves

[-Spike-]

Don't get me wrong- I'm not advocating stock gears, just saying that it's not necessary to regear immediately upon purchasing an 80. I have my 5.29 gears in hand, just waiting for time to install them.

-Spike