First Moab trip in an 80

[millatruse]

Well.. what can I say! I have been to Moab numerous times (All of them in a jeep). The wheeling there is outstanding! Or so I thought. So since family was growing I ditched the jeep, and got an 80. Built it up, then started testing it out. Here in CO the 80 totally out performed the jeep. So took it out to Moab for the real test, no suprise, the 80 did AWESOME! I was finally able to do some of the obstacles I had to by-pass before (Thanks to better wheel base, and all around vehicle)! So enough preaching to the crowd, here are some pics!

Here is the standard postcard crack shot!

I just like this picture.

My friend/competitor's truck!

Let me know what you guys think.

Zane

 

[raymanrockz]

Nice picks and an 80 will ALWAYS outperform heeps...

 

[sailor]

I had my Bj60 at there in 2000. That old truck just motored past all of the Heeps and never missed a beat. Hit Moab, Death Valley, Edwards AFB, Joshua Tree etc in a huge roadtrip. Just waiting for my hdj 81 to do it all over again. Thanks for the pics!

 

[nicholas]

I've seen my LX out perform Heeps and mine is practically stock and does not have lockers.

Sweet pics. I can't wait until I have the chance to go to Moab someday.


BTW, does anyone know what minimum lift you would need to drive over that crack with 285's and factory bumpers? I have seen some video's of 80's driving over that crack but I wonder if they can do it with OME mediums, 285's, stock bumpers and no lockers. It seems like the stock rear bumper would drag a lot and the tires would spin a lot without lockers.

 

[Ebag333]

Nice picks and an 80 will ALWAYS outperform heeps...

Not quite true. There are some places an 80 just plain ol' won't fit.

 

[millatruse]

Not quite true. There are some places an 80 just plain ol' won't fit.

True, We tried a trail here in CO called Red Elephant hill..and after 1/2 mile or so of scrapping wheels on one side and hanging off the trail on the other we finally had to back out.
But must admit the pros out weigh the cons by well over 6000 pounds!

 

[millatruse]

BTW, does anyone know what minimum lift you would need to drive over that crack with 285's and factory bumpers? I have seen some video's of 80's driving over that crack but I wonder if they can do it with OME mediums, 285's, stock bumpers and no lockers. It seems like the stock rear bumper would drag a lot and the tires would spin a lot without lockers.

Thats a hard one to answer. Mine is 4" with 35's and i still dragged tail. You can see in the first pic exaust is all ready touching. The crack would swallow that small of a tire, and w/out lockers you would have to resort to the skinny, to have momentum to bridge it. But it is possible my heep was'nt locked and only had 33's.

 

[Ebag333]

Thats a hard one to answer. Mine is 4" with 35's and i still dragged tail. You can see in the first pic exaust is all ready touching. The crack would swallow that small of a tire, and w/out lockers you would have to resort to the skinny, to have momentum to bridge it. But it is possible my heep was'nt locked and only had 33's.

I'm thinking that's actually a rare place where less flex would help, so a shorter lift and bigger tires might actually do a bit better.

Of course if you have less flex (and thus more tires in the air) you'd definatly need lockers.

 

[nicholas]

I'll probably attempt it when I finally get out that way. Who knows, by then I might have 35's and I should have an aussie locker by then.

 

[nicholas]

BTW, did you remove your front bumper caps before the trip to prevent any damage multiplication etc? It seems like a good idea.

 

[Doc]

Nic- I did the crack in my 80, which has OME heavy lift, 33's, and lockers. I don't know that you could do the crack without lockers. I'd definately NOT want to resort to hitting the gas hard to get over the crack. We had a 60 series on our trail run that didn't have lockers (33's and 2.5" lift) and had to get strapped over the obstacle.

 

[millatruse]

BTW, did you remove your front bumper caps before the trip to prevent any damage multiplication etc? It seems like a good idea.

No, the bumper caps kinda sorta got ripped off before the Moab trip on a different trail.

 

[motoloco]

Stock to stock an 80 will out perform most heeps. But its hard to compete with any rig that has HP60's locked ff/rr on coils which a lot of jeep guys have now, but its still a jeep

 

[millatruse]

Nic- I did the crack in my 80, which has OME heavy lift, 33's, and lockers. I don't know that you could do the crack without lockers. I'd definately NOT want to resort to hitting the gas hard to get over the crack. We had a 60 series on our trail run that didn't have lockers (33's and 2.5" lift) and had to get strapped over the obstacle.

Agreed. Although one time out, we got stuck behind a stock Jeep Grand Cherokee trying (not very successfully) to get across the crack. Lord knows how he got there. But in the end he made it , although he didnt roll it , you couldnt tell by looking at it! The hood and top of the cab were the only parts not damaged! We kinda laughed a little when we passed him (doing 10 MPH on the shoulder, hazards on). Heading to who knows where on I-70.

 

[nicholas]

Agreed. Although one time out, we got stuck behind a stock Jeep Grand Cherokee trying (not very successfully) to get across the crack. Lord knows how he got there. But in the end he made it , although he didnt roll it , you couldnt tell by looking at it! The hood and top of the cab were the only parts not damaged! We kinda laughed a little when we passed him (doing 10 MPH on the shoulder, hazards on). Heading to who knows where on I-70.

Silly heep.

 

[cheap 40]

I'd definately NOT want to resort to hitting the gas hard to get over the crack.

As much as you might not want to believe this, me neither! The 40 on the other hand........well, it's not going to be in Moab without having been trailered there, so I don't care so much if I break it. The LX would have to make it back home under its own power.

Tony

 

[wthomas]

Nice picks and an 80 will ALWAYS outperform heeps...

That's a big negative.

 

[motoloco]

I agree with the above, it should be 80's will always out LAST heeps. Performance-wise, just depends on how each truck was built.

 

[latinoguy]

Nice pics and thanks for sharing. The advice here is lockers and at least 33" tires required for the crack, correct? Not even an aussie locker? or a rear locker could be enough, to avoid hitting the gas pedal?

 

[Romer]

Small lift and 33's have done the crack.