If I was to start all over again, I would...

[SNLC]

Not rolled it.

Not sold it.

Which one are we talking about? The v8 80 I had or the v8 FJ60 or the HJ47 or the built to the hilt 100? Well, I rolled one and sold all the others plus a few more.

No regrets, the current Cruisers is good too.

Cheers

 

[residualboulders]

this thread would be much better with pics along with every post.

 

[Heckraiser]

Not rolled it.

Not sold it.

Which one are we talking about? The v8 80 I had or the v8 FJ60 or the HJ47 or the built to the hilt 100? Well, I rolled one and sold all the others plus a few more.

No regrets, the current Cruisers is good too.

Cheers

I regret every cruiser I sold, but most of all the V8 FJ62. Straight and not a speck of rust anywhere. Was a bit of a basket case otherwise, but I still want to shoot myself every time I look at the 60 classified section.

 

[DirtyPepper]

Right now...I'm baselining. I've had the cruiser (1997) for seven years. Bought her at 200K miles and she's now at 221,xxx miles...not a DD. I'm finally in a position in my career where I can do some things, BUT, baselining is first.

Right off the bat...I would have put bigger tires on. I went with the stock option of 265 and should have just spent the extra $150 and got 285's

Live and learn.



I'll update as I go along

 

[Francis K]

I would do nothing but tires and mechanical, I've dumped so much damn money into making her pretty and comfy that I'm afraid to trail her...

I also would have never sold my LX450 in 2018 which I bought in 2000 that was my first car, miss that old pig....but she did go to a good home.

 

[DirtyPepper]

I would do nothing but tires and mechanical, I've dumped so much damn money into making her pretty and comfy that I'm afraid to trail her...

I also would have never sold my LX450 in 2018 which I bought in 2000 that was my first car, miss that old pig....but she did go to a good home.

Yeah, mine is wholly stock except for the stereo, but even that is getting yanked and updated (Presumably bad install from PO and a big box store). I have a small area in the metal border around the windshield that is elevated and the shop thinks water is getting in there (PNW area) and causing an electrical issue.

She's basically a clean slate to work with - mechanically, near as good as it gets. I've debated the 2.5" OME lift with heavy duty set up for an ARB front bumper and tire swing out, but I'm mostly looking for expedition/camping use...I have a "Rugged" Starcraft 4x4 pop up tent to tow so I don't need to get crazy with a RTT (yet). he more I look, the more I might just keep her stock appearance but add the OEM springs (new) and good shocks. But I need a knuckle/wheel bearing update, so, that comes before big mods.

 

[Marco Lau]

Hindsight is 20/20 so, yes, their are things I would do differently if I were to start over but then the journey wouldn't be what it's been. Knowing what I know now, I would go directly to a 4' lift using dual rate coils and 37's rather than playing musical springs and wasting time and money on 35's.
Over the past few months I have contemplated doing a 3 link front suspension because most of my wheeling is rock crawling. This is a huge consideration and very involved and time consuming not to mention spendy and most of all permanent. The 80 does most all I ask it to do quite easily even if I do lift a front wheel once in a while. I keep reminding myself why I sold my last trailer queen and moved into an 80; it's the most versatile and arguably reliable and durable vehicle in it's class to ever roll over American soil and it keeps proving this to me trip after trip. So, I have to ask myself, do I really need a 3 link? No. The want is harder to control though especially now that a couple of our more R&D oriented members have proven that there is a way to incorporate anti-rock sway bars at both ends.

Oh yeah, and I would remember to mix the can of catalyst into my first one gallon coat of Monstaliner. Imagine my surprise when I went to mix up the second gallon and there sits two cans of catalyst. I hope the neighbors didn't hear me. It seems to be holding up despite my mistake. Perhaps catalyst from the second coat was able to affect the first coat.

You should have gotten a jeep....JEEP> 80s in the rocks and that is a fact

 

[Francis K]

Yeah, mine is wholly stock except for the stereo, but even that is getting yanked and updated (Presumably bad install from PO and a big box store). I have a small area in the metal border around the windshield that is elevated and the shop thinks water is getting in there (PNW area) and causing an electrical issue.

She's basically a clean slate to work with - mechanically, near as good as it gets. I've debated the 2.5" OME lift with heavy duty set up for an ARB front bumper and tire swing out, but I'm mostly looking for expedition/camping use...I have a "Rugged" Starcraft 4x4 pop up tent to tow so I don't need to get crazy with a RTT (yet). he more I look, the more I might just keep her stock appearance but add the OEM springs (new) and good shocks. But I need a knuckle/wheel bearing update, so, that comes before big mods.

I bought my current 80 because it didn't have rust and was mechanically in amazing shape, I put 200k miles on an 80 over 18 years I know what one feels like when it's tired and what it feels like when it's fresh, this one felt really solid and fresh. So mechanically ready to rock but it needed everything aesthetic.....which unfortunately I did and it was death by a million cuts. A blown engine would have cost me 20% of what I have so far put in her just maker her pretty and comfy.....lesson learned, should have left her exactly the way she was and just done tires and whatever small mechanical things she needed which was very little.

 

[baldilocks]

You should have gotten a jeep....JEEP> 80s in the rocks and that is a fact

It turns out that billions and billions of people is not only the number of those who have been served at McDonalds but also the number of people who have regretted buying a Jeep and switched to a Toyota model. Mini’s, 4Runners or LandCruisers, pick one, all far surpass Jeeps in durability and reliability from the factory, which Trumps rock crawling ability (one single category of vehicle use) by far.

There is absolutely no reason why an equally equipped 80 can not wheel rocks with a Jeep at least when the Jeep isn’t broken down for one reason or another, in which case, the Jeep won’t be wheeling at all.

 

[Marco Lau]

It turns out that billions and billions of people is not only the number of those who have been served at McDonalds but also the number of people who have regretted buying a Jeep and switched to a Toyota model. Mini’s, 4Runners or LandCruisers, pick one, all far surpass Jeeps in durability and reliability from the factory, which Trumps rock crawling ability (one single category of vehicle use) by far.

There is absolutely no reason why an equally equipped 80 can not wheel rocks with a Jeep at least when the Jeep isn’t broken down for one reason or another, in which case, the Jeep won’t be wheeling at all.

For the record, there was a group of (8) 80 series ran the Rubicon this year just a couple months ago and there were total of 12 breakdown/ trail repairs.... Our jeep crew ran it a month prior and had zero break down..... how Ironic.
I am not disagreeing with you on Jeep's reliability nontheless. Our rigs are 30+ year old, and you can buy a brand new jeep fresh from the assembly lines and no doubt a new jeep will be by far more reliable than a 30 yr old rig.

 

[DirtyPepper]

You should have gotten a jeep....JEEP> 80s in the rocks and that is a fact

When I was a wee lad of about 4 years old, my dad took his '74 FJ40 and teamed up with a buddy who also had a 40 series...and they joined a jeep club. One 40 at the front (of about 8 jeeps) and one 40 at the back...cut some of the hardest trails in Washington state at the time (very early 80's). I cant tell you how many times, we stopped because a jeep was broken down. And going back and looking at photos, yeah, those jeeps were always breaking.
Buddy of mine has a 2022 Gladiator with all the bells and whistles...he's no newbie to crawling or trailing...and his brand new Gladiator (outfitted with off road updates) broke within the first four miles of a trail.

My other buddy, who I sat side seat with, pulled him out and home...with his 80

The only jeep I would personally ever buy, and it's purely for asthetic reasons is an '81-'86 Jeep Scrambler (CJ8)...OR an old Willy's Wagon 4x4

 

[baldilocks]

For the record, there was a group of (8) 80 series ran the Rubicon this year just a couple months ago and there were total of 12 breakdown/ trail repairs.... Our jeep crew ran it a month prior and had zero break down..... how Ironic.
I am not disagreeing with you on Jeep's reliability nontheless. Our rigs are 30+ year old, and you can buy a brand new jeep fresh from the assembly lines and no doubt a new jeep will be by far more reliable than a 30 yr old rig.

Anyone who takes an old truck on Rubicon without going through the vehicle first is not smart. I’ve beaten the tar out of my 80’s for a total of 8 years and two vehicles with zero breakdowns that left me stranded. In fact all I’ve ever broken is two aftermarket rear axle shafts. I do maintenance. 8 vehicles and 12 vehicle problems adds up to owners not doing maintenance.

 

[GW Nugget]

Here we go JEP vs Toyota.... it never will end.
It goes to say most break downs are due to poor maintenance and or lack of preparation.
Freak simple breakdowns do happen though from time to time.

 

[baldilocks]

When I was a wee lad of about 4 years old, my dad took his '74 FJ40 and teamed up with a buddy who also had a 40 series...and they joined a jeep club. One 40 at the front (of about 8 jeeps) and one 40 at the back...cut some of the hardest trails in Washington state at the time (very early 80's). I cant tell you how many times, we stopped because a jeep was broken down. And going back and looking at photos, yeah, those jeeps were always breaking.
Buddy of mine has a 2022 Gladiator with all the bells and whistles...he's no newbie to crawling or trailing...and his brand new Gladiator (outfitted with off road updates) broke within the first four miles of a trail.

My other buddy, who I sat side seat with, pulled him out and home...with his 80

The only jeep I would personally ever buy, and it's purely for asthetic reasons is an '81-'86 Jeep Scrambler (CJ8)...OR an old Willy's Wagon 4x4

I belonged to jeep club for five years beginning in 1990. We wheeled Rubicon, and others every year as we were based a couple hours east of Tahoe. There were three FJ40’s in a club of 25 vehicles. We spent a good deal of time watching Jeeps being repaired whether it be an engine problem, wiring problem, busted Ujoints, frames cracked, etc. I’m all about products with American roots but Jeeps are not one of them. I’ve thought this way since 1990 and now that there are so many jeeps around I just can’t see myself owning one. The term dime a dozen comes to mind.

 

[Marco Lau]

Anyone who takes an old truck on Rubicon without going through the vehicle first is not smart. I’ve beaten the tar out of my 80’s for a total of 8 years and two vehicles with zero breakdowns that left me stranded. In fact all I’ve ever broken is two aftermarket rear axle shafts. I do maintenance. 8 vehicles and 12 vehicle problems adds up to owners not doing maintenance.

That is 100% not true, i know those guys personally, they are mostly shop owners and their rigs are all well maintained for sure. But accidents and trail breakdown do happens.

 

[Marco Lau]

I belonged to jeep club for five years beginning in 1990. We wheeled Rubicon, and others every year as we were based a couple hours east of Tahoe. There were three FJ40’s in a club of 25 vehicles. We spent a good deal of time watching Jeeps being repaired whether it be an engine problem, wiring problem, busted Ujoints, frames cracked, etc. I’m all about products with American roots but Jeeps are not one of them. I’ve thought this way since 1990 and now that there are so many jeeps around I just can’t see myself owning one. The term dime a dozen comes to mind.

You are not wrong there. Jeeps are junk. My brother has one. and it is on its 2nd engine w/ 80k miles.
You know what they say, if your rich, buy American cars to support our economy. If your poor, buy Japanese car to save you money in the long run.

Speaking of American products, you are a Dodge fan!!

 

[COYS]

Stay bone stock

 

[Kabanstva]

@Marco Lau can you list some of the stuff they broke on the 80s on that Rubicon trip? I’m curious. Sounds fascinating !!!

 

[baldilocks]

You are not wrong there. Jeeps are junk. My brother has one. and it is on its 2nd engine w/ 80k miles.
You know what they say, if your rich, buy American cars to support our economy. If your poor, buy Japanese car to save you money in the long run.

Speaking of American products, you are a Dodge fan!!

My pick up has been very dependable and is no doubt stout being a Cummins powered 4x4 3/4 ton. If Toyota put the same engine in tundra’s I’d be driving one. I’m not super brand loyal but I do have a lot of confidence in Toyota products and the Cummins 5.9 is an industrial engine that was used in Industrial equipment five years before Dodge ever put one in a pick up and has a stellar reputation since it’s beginnings. That combo would make me happy but it’ll never happen.

Why Jeeps suffer low reliability is a bit of a mystery to me given what I stated about my pick up.

 

[LINUS]

To redirect back to original topic -

Sliders 1st, for everyone - pick a style that works for you/your family.
Your rockers will thank you.

Then get a winch & winch bumper - don’t even think big tires or lift kits yet - you still need a way to get yourself unstuck from newbie moves.
So that’s step/upgrade #2.

——————

Now we can do lift & cool tires

It’s far easier now to lift & get your steering to behave like stock. -weld-in plates are now so specific you can dial in your lift.
So while it may seem ghey to buy a 2” lift & get tires for that, do it & grow your skills to where you can personalize further if you want more lift/bigger rubber.

As long as a welder just welds plates enough to hold where they can be ground out & replaced, it’s <1hr job to swap plates as you grow your skills & needs.


———————


If drawers seem worthwhile, start with a tailgate storage for your winching/recovery gear.

Walk before you run - that‘s my thought here.

Once you have the sliders, the winch & a good starter lift & tire size, all the rest is personal use & comfort while out doing your way of using the 80.