If you had to Choose (lift,tires,arb bump)

[NorCalDoug]

What were you dragging on? Diffs or other parts of the undercarriage? The times I've gotten hung up it's been on the diffs. If you want to raise the height of the diffs, larger tires will get that done, not the lift. The lift will raise the body and frame.

Have you extended your diff breathers? The water looked fun.

 

[aamiggia]

When I got caught in the snow it was as high as the bottom of the doors. So under the truck I had compacted it a good few inches, which started to give me lift and my crappy tires lost traction even with the lockers engaged. I could have dug out for an hour, but the Samurai had a winch.

I didn't go through the deepest water and I haven't extended the diff breathers. Aren't they run pretty high from the factory? If I had water in the diffs, would I hear strange noises?

 

[NorCalDoug]

I think you'll be unpleasantly surprised to see how relatively low the diff breathers are

In the rear, it's mounted to the frame cross member, IIRC
In the front, it's in a similar spot, but not very high at all...

Aside from draining the diffs, I don't know how you'd best determine if you got water in there.
Drain and fill's pretty easy though...might be good insurance to do it.

 

[Tools R Us]

Aside from draining the diffs, I don't know how you'd best determine if you got water in there.

It's easy, drive it to mix well, then remove the fill plug, if the fluid looks like mayonnaise it's got water in it.

 

[NorCalDoug]

I've never had a lot of success seeing much while looking into the fill hole.
:shrug:

 

[Fochdog]

My 0.02...

I am running Super Swamper LTB 33x13.50-16 on 16 X 8 steel wheels on stock suspension. I went with 8" wide wheels for a couple of reasons. Cheaper and lighter than 16 X 10. I did a fair amount of internet research (for what that is worth) on this combo and felt it was okay. Plus a friend had run 33x14.00-16 Boggers on 16x8 with no problems. They are a great tire with very wide tread.

They will rub a little if you are at full jounce, but not that bad.

I feel tires are the best bang for the buck and for a true mud tire the LTBs can not be beat. My next mods will be a 2.5" OME HD lift and sliders.

They also fit inside the fender flairs. The pic is after a half day in the mud. My buddies heep where covered with mud and mine barely any...

 

[CruisinGA]

I am in a similar predicament, depends on the terrain in you area but I am thinking sliders will be my first purchase it is very rocky around here and and most tiem you cannot go around them. Lift and/or tires will just get to the spots where I can really screw up the body.

Got a tax return coming, it is supposed to go towards CC debt

You can run 4, 5, 6 at tellico (all pretty decent trails) with just a lift and M/T's.

I was afraid I would wish I had my sliders, but honestly, never needed them, I only would have used them dicking around and that would have probably gotten me into more trouble.

My order would be:
1) Tires
2) Lift
3) armor.

This of course depends on how protective you are of your sheetmetal. I already had rocker panel damage, and quite frankly wouldn't care if I dented it a little worse.

 

[RavenTai]

you forgot trail 1 I took my chevy across it, if 5 if the one I am thinking of would not take the cruiser avross it without armor.

 

[aamiggia]

Fochdog, are your tires on steel rims because they are a second set? What is the backspacing on them? I'm thinking of going that route and adjusting my bump stops to prevent rubbing paint off my fenders until I get a lift.

Looks good.

 

[Fochdog]

Yes, steel because they are my second set. I still drive BFG LT285/75R16 on OE alloy wheels in Daily Driver mode. I would not recommend the LTBs as a DD tire.

The wheels are Rock Crawler - Series 51 with 4.0" back spacing.

I don't feel lowering the bump stops is necessary. Remember ... "If they don't rub they aren't big enough l..."

PS Where in Canada were you running in those videos?

 

[aamiggia]

Those are from Mulmur Hills about 70 km North of Toronto. To search it on maps.google.com look up Creemore, ON. This area was on some Crown (government) land that is normally a snowmobile trail in the winter. As I found out there are quite a few good places to go around there.

 

[timbercruiser]

Too far for me.

Hey Foch, how was Higgins? They had a big fire down there-started from an unattended campfire.
Is there anything you'd like to tell us????