Why write a recap of my trip on the Rubicon? Well, mostly for the guys/gals that aren’t in California or for those new to the 80 platform like I am and trying to figure out what mods need to be done to accomplish specific goals. I am not suggesting the path I took is the correct or only path, only what I did.
I’ve had other trucks so am not new to wheeling, but I’ve certainly never had a truck with leather seats that weighs ~7,000lbs. My goal was to have a rig that my wife could drive every day, but that I could also wheel. My stated objective was to wheel the Rubicon as the hardest trail I would tackle in this truck. Said another way, I have no delusions that I am going to take on Jack Hammer at Johnson Valley…J
My truck was a non-locked stock LX450 about a year ago. Since then:
- 4x4labs rear bumper with a spare tire holder and triple fuel tank carrier
- Trail Gear Tube Bumper and Tacoma sliders
- IPOR Skid plate
- 4.88 Gears with ARB front and rear
- Rebuilt the axles with new wheel bearings etc…
- CDL Switch
- 9.5k winch
- 315 pro comps
- 75mm slinky springs with icon shocks
- Caster correction plates
- Baseline maintenance
- Sway bar disconnects
So, how did the truck and the trail get along? Well, first and foremost as I am sure everyone realizes, the truck is heavy and low. With that said, the guys I was with called my truck the grader as I did more rock grading than rock crawlingJ The truck surprised me, I only got stuck once and to be fair, it was just past Buck Island where there are some big rocks that twist up a lot of trucks and I got hung up on the driveshaft. I don’t feel too bad about getting yanked off as at least I tried, all other 35” tired trucks I was with took the bypass…
Damage? Well, not too bad. I ripped the front sway bar off the sway bar release tabs and had to take it off. The rear sway bar is pretty bent out of shape, but it looks like most of the damage can be quickly remedied with a BFH and some curse words. Sliders, belly pan, and bumpers, especially the one in the rear, are all scratched up, but that is what they are for. The rear cladding on both sides are scratched up and a few of the clips need to be replaced, but no biggies. The radius arms (aka other sliders) are scratched up and the control arm buckets are bent, but all still functional.
My conclusion is that the 80 platform is big and heavy, but a LOT of fun to wheel, capable of carrying a family to, through and back from the trail. Although I love mini trucks, it was fun to be the only 80 around (I know there were more, but I didn’t see them) and forced me to really drive. If you are new to this truck, congratulations, you have an awesome truck that with not too much work works well. The only thing I am going to change after cleaning things up is to get lower gears as that alone would have avoided a lot of the bumps and bruises.
Thanks to the folks on mud for all the great info and help!
I’ve had other trucks so am not new to wheeling, but I’ve certainly never had a truck with leather seats that weighs ~7,000lbs. My goal was to have a rig that my wife could drive every day, but that I could also wheel. My stated objective was to wheel the Rubicon as the hardest trail I would tackle in this truck. Said another way, I have no delusions that I am going to take on Jack Hammer at Johnson Valley…J
My truck was a non-locked stock LX450 about a year ago. Since then:
- 4x4labs rear bumper with a spare tire holder and triple fuel tank carrier
- Trail Gear Tube Bumper and Tacoma sliders
- IPOR Skid plate
- 4.88 Gears with ARB front and rear
- Rebuilt the axles with new wheel bearings etc…
- CDL Switch
- 9.5k winch
- 315 pro comps
- 75mm slinky springs with icon shocks
- Caster correction plates
- Baseline maintenance
- Sway bar disconnects
So, how did the truck and the trail get along? Well, first and foremost as I am sure everyone realizes, the truck is heavy and low. With that said, the guys I was with called my truck the grader as I did more rock grading than rock crawlingJ The truck surprised me, I only got stuck once and to be fair, it was just past Buck Island where there are some big rocks that twist up a lot of trucks and I got hung up on the driveshaft. I don’t feel too bad about getting yanked off as at least I tried, all other 35” tired trucks I was with took the bypass…
Damage? Well, not too bad. I ripped the front sway bar off the sway bar release tabs and had to take it off. The rear sway bar is pretty bent out of shape, but it looks like most of the damage can be quickly remedied with a BFH and some curse words. Sliders, belly pan, and bumpers, especially the one in the rear, are all scratched up, but that is what they are for. The rear cladding on both sides are scratched up and a few of the clips need to be replaced, but no biggies. The radius arms (aka other sliders) are scratched up and the control arm buckets are bent, but all still functional.
My conclusion is that the 80 platform is big and heavy, but a LOT of fun to wheel, capable of carrying a family to, through and back from the trail. Although I love mini trucks, it was fun to be the only 80 around (I know there were more, but I didn’t see them) and forced me to really drive. If you are new to this truck, congratulations, you have an awesome truck that with not too much work works well. The only thing I am going to change after cleaning things up is to get lower gears as that alone would have avoided a lot of the bumps and bruises.
Thanks to the folks on mud for all the great info and help!