First Moab trip in an 80

[Doc]

Nay- seriously? Not built better?

I've had both. My jeep left me stranded a lot more than any of my cruisers have.

 

[millatruse]

I've had both. My jeep left me stranded a lot more than any of my cruisers have.

I Am not trying to bag on jeeps, as much as I am realizing how outstanding 80's are. Like I Said before and agree with Doc. I have run Jeeps alot, Starting with a YJ, then a TJ. In Moab I Ran A 2000 TJ ( no lockers), and an 05 Rubicon (locked of course). So on my first time out with the 80, I was amazed at how well it did! And I was finally able to do obstacles I has to by pass before!

I liked my Jeeps and they were great. But I LOVE my 80 and it is awesome!

Jeeps have their place..like on this trail..where my fat 80 had to turn around! Well this was more of a glorified ATV trail! This spot was ok but it ended up alot narrower higher up.

This area as steep, loose and tight. And only got worse farther up. Perfect for a jeep, Although it still might end up with damage.

 

[ba450]

Yea this was a super tight trail with soft shoulders! Though we had to turn back it still was a fun trip. STUPID Trees!

I Am not trying to bag on jeeps, as much as I am realizing how outstanding 80's are. Like I Said before and agree with Doc. I have run Jeeps alot, Starting with a YJ, then a TJ. In Moab I Ran A 2000 TJ ( no lockers), and an 05 Rubicon (locked of course). So on my first time out with the 80, I was amazed at how well it did! And I was finally able to do obstacles I has to by pass before!

I liked my Jeeps and they were great. But I LOVE my 80 and it is awesome!

Jeeps have their place..like on this trail..where my fat 80 had to turn around! Well this was more of a glorified ATV trail! This spot was ok but it ended up alot narrower higher up.

This area as steep, loose and tight. And only got worse farther up. Perfect for a jeep, Although it still might end up with damage.

 

[Tentsontop]

Christo's wife did that some time back in an open 80 IIRC.

 

[millatruse]

Christo's wife did that some time back in an open 80 IIRC.

Yes I think you can make it open...It just wont be easy. Also now there is an "alternate route". Not "easier route" just alternate!

 

[cruiser-poor]

Regadless of what jeep owners may say (I d.d. a MJ and the wife drives a ZJ ) the 93 Cruiser was the first real vehicle that deserved the title Rubicon. Selectable lockers took till when to come on a heep? And how long before the Wrangler had coils on all four corners (97) when cruisers started in 90-91?? Oh wait they did have the ZJ in 93 with coils all around but they forgot one small thing.....a FRAME. I tell my boss who is a die hard jeep fanatic with a tj that you take ANY jeep they made in 94 and put it up against my stock 80 and I will win hands down. FZJ80's FTW

You know, Jeep people are not obsessed about claiming how they are better than Toyotas the way Toyota people are obsessed with claiming superiority with Jeeps. Some are of course, but Toyota people seem obsessed with being better than Jeeps. Who cares?

I don't.

BTW, as far as who was first on the scene with the hardware, Mercedes' G-wagen had coil suspension, clearance for 33's, and solid front & rear axles with dual selectable diff locks available since its debut in 1979. The lockers became standard equipment in 1985.

Apologies for the hijack. Nice pics Zane/Kevin - thanks for sharing! I hope to run Spike someday.

 

[Nay]

Nay- seriously? Not built better?

I've had both. My jeep left me stranded a lot more than any of my cruisers have.

I said the 80 is not more capable offroad because it is built better. It is more capable out of the box because it is dual locked. And that is the only reason.

It is a lot easier to fix the weak unlocked axles on a typical Jeep than the 6,000 lbs on an 80 when building an extreme trail rig.

But I know where you guys are coming from. I put 20K into an XJ only to discover the 80 out of the box was exactly what I had been looking for. I'm just realistic about the limits, this thing is unbelievable for its size and weight and what it can do with a simple lift and 35" tires.

 

[Tools R Us]

You know, Jeep people are not obsessed about claiming how they are better than Toyotas the way Toyota people are obsessed with claiming superiority with Jeeps. Some are of course, but Toyota people seem obsessed with being better than Jeeps. Who cares?

I agree with the who cares part. The rest, your kidding right? I will and have wheeled with any brand, but have come in contact with way more foaming at the mouth heep owners than any other brand. I know, wheel with a bunch that are good people, but a large fraction seem to have the attitude that heeps are the only brand that should be allowed on the trails.

60's and 40's break all the time, when I am on runs with them I try to ensure I am ahead of them because you know it's coming.

So you criticize others for bashing heeps, then lead by example and insult the majority of rig owners on this board, nice.

All rigs have more reliability issues as they age, depending on the owners care, how stout the original design was, etc determines how severe. On CSC runs I remember one “on trail” disabling ’40 failure in the last couple of years, a fuel pump, was repaired in ~30min.

The main ‘40 that I have wheeled with over the last 4yrs is a ‘72, has a 2F, 4spd, 4” lift, ARB lockers f/r and disk brakes, other wise mechanically stock, including early steering box, original coarse spline diff gears and birfs. In probably a couple of thousand trail miles I remember 2 trail failures, once the wire fell off of the starter and once the idle solenoid gave up on the carb, the repairs didn’t take more than 15min each.

I can go on and on with stories of broken heeps, ether ones that I was wheeling with or found on the trail dead. It’s hard to say exactly what their weakness is, because have seen just about everything broken on them at one time or another!

 

[Tools R Us]

I said the 80 is not more capable offroad because it is built better. It is more capable out of the box because it is dual locked. And that is the only reason.

In your opinion, in my opinion the ability to drive it home, not stranding me on the trail, is a big part of capability.

It is a lot easier to fix the weak unlocked axles on a typical Jeep than the 6,000 lbs on an 80 when building an extreme trail rig.

Building an ’80 into an extreme trail rig, good luck, that’s not what they are about.

A few of my wheeling buddies have Cherokee’s. One that I’m pretty close with has his pretty well built, swapped “proper” axles, sub frame for the long arms for said axles, rear sub frame for a bumper/spare holder, sliders with frame reinforcements, front bumper, 35’s, “proper” transfer and new drive shafts, etc, etc, etc. It now weighs only a couple of hundred pound less than mine. IIRC when we had it on the scales stock, it was 4200lbs, mine is 5300lbs as it is now.

His rig was an “old lady creampuff” IIRC about the same age and mileage as mine and has had tons of dumb stuff break, a lot of it disabling. When wheeling with them the bets were what is going to break and which Toyota was going to drag them out! He’s a good mechanic/fabricator and spent tons of time on it, recently sold it and is looking for a Toyota, his quote: “When I go wheeling I usually end up riding in a Toyota, so this way I can drive!” One of the others recently bought a FJ60, I guess so he can drive too!

I’m well aware that heeps make successful trail runs, have done many with them and that all brands (yes even Toyotas) can and do break on the trail, in my experience heeps do it more often and more often disabling. I guess I’m getting old, there was a time when trail wrenching/carnage was good fun, now I prefer to wrench at the shop and spend my trail time wheeling, so drive Toyotas.

 

[ba450]

YEA WE DO!! but at least I have Panties now vs no panties, don't get me wrong I'm all about no panties but that has nothing to do with wheeling...

Yes it was! Now we just have to get a lift under your "pink panties"

 

[millatruse]

I'm all about no panties but that has nothing to do with wheeling...

Well said!

 

[phxtlc]

Personally I'd be fine taking the TJ I had on any of the trails I take my 80 with 250k miles...oh that's right I had to sell the Jeep at 80,000 after a tranny, 2 clutches, 2 throw out bearings (different times than the clutch luckily ) a couple of ignition modules, and a front hub assembly...and that was wthout going on the trail much. It did perform those times quite well.

OK so i do miss the open top, but I guess I like the upgrade to the A/C in the 80 a bit more .