Lift or Winch, which is better (1 Viewer)

[Cruiserhead05]

When considering price and how much it will help you which would be a better investment of the two for an 80 with lockers, a winch or a 2 inch lift, lift will cost 700 i guess or sor has it for 550 or a winch which is i guess 1000 plus a bumper for 500.
So:
lift at 550
or
bumper and winch at 1500

 

[ginericLC]

Lift, definitely. It isn't only the lift but the spring rate that changes with it. Spend a little more than the lift on SOR.com and get Old Man Emu Springs and Shocks. Do some form of caster correction. This can be done for around $700 with shipping. www.cruiseroutfitters.com is where I bought my OME, and I'm both very happy with the springs and the service and price I received. But there are other companies that sell it too. www.sleeoffroad.com is another one and Christo hangs out here.

Another thing that is probably even more valuable than a lift is having good tires. But after the lift you will be able to get better tires. You can do the lift and new tires cheaper than a winch and a bumper. Look around the net, you will see very few 80s with winches but there are a ton with lifts and better tires. We can't be all wrong

 

[Riley]

I'll add a couple of comments -

1) I doubt that you'll want to add a front bumper and winch (and thus increase the weight) without adding a suspension upgrade anyway. In other words - to add front bumper and winch - you need to mod the suspension anyway. Therefore you'll want to start with the suspension. Only trick will be figuring out which suspension to get (if you will likely get the winch one day soon - next year or so) then take that into account when determining spring rates.

2) I highly recommend getting it from Sleeoffroad. They've got a kit that includes a neat machined tool that will help to fit the new caster correction bushings. It will make the job a lot easier.

From my limited experience on my 60, I always made use of the small lift that I had. I only needed a winch once or twice in 10 years of wheeling. If I had lockers at that truck, I would have never needed a winch.

Winches look cool but not really all that usefull unless you've got some major plans and $$$$

my 1.5 cents.

 

[Beowulf]

CH5,

Another thing to think about is whether or not you plan to get off-road by yourself. If your plans are for dirt roads back to remote fishing locations (i.e. limited rock crawling) but you're concerned about getting into mud holes and not being able to get out then maybe you want a winch sooner than later.

It depends on what your plans are for your truck.
-B-

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Well the way is see it is the lift would be better in the long run. i have an 82 fj40 right which is my daily driver that is lifted and has a winch. i've used the winch maybe twice, once to pull a truck out of a ditch and the other to pull myself out of a creek but then again i was wheeling by myself which i probably wont do again seeing as it isnt all that fun. they big obsticle is getting my paretns to let me put a 2inch lift on it. i guess they have this false impression of lifts making it a huge redneck truck. but the hardest put will be to convince them. also money is an issue seeing as i am only 17. a lift is what 700 then i need someone to put it on since i dont think i am capable an then probably a good 750 for tires. in the end it will probably cost 1600-1800 dollars. i think the only way to be able to do it is find a cheap used lift or just get some new decent tires for the stock 80 and go as is. you have to admit stock 80's with lockers do pretty dam good. thanks though. maybe i can get someone to donation a lift to me......haha fat chance

 

[Pokemon]

FWIW, Keep the money in bank at 17. You can wheel without either now and still have fun, just do it with common sense if it looks to tough it probably is... Also having usually at least two vehicles with winches when going wheelin' is the way to go... Yes, I have a winch and my medium off roader has a lift & lockers too. If you can't find a winched truck to go with you, then at least bring a couple of good comealongs for yourself and some quality straps. As you add more modifications it only gets you stuck further... If you don't know the limits... That makes a winch even more important, sometimes you just go there.. Since a winch gets you out of more troubled places then a lift or lockers ever could....... Winch, lift, & lockers... if you have friend's with winches then you can put it lower on the list. Good luck either way.. Ps.keep your money in your pocket for college, and dependable truck maintenance for now.... just my .02

 

[Junk]

1st mod should be sliders. These are there to protect your rig. Too many folks put these off til after the first wifescapade.

 

[MTNRAT]

Junk is correct. (did I just say that?). Anyway sliders protect the vulnerable rockers which are $$$$ to fix. A lift will help in keeping the rockers away from terra firma, but it is still easy to crush them even with the lift. A lift will also help in keeping the stock bumpers from hitting the ground, but you will want to replace these as they are disposable. When you take them off you can hardly believe they came from a landcruiser. Super flimsy. I would go rockers, skidplate,lift, tires, bumpers, winch. In that order as funds dictate. However the rear bumper can wait if you don't mind the screech of a trailer hitch on rock, as the trailer hitch will protect the rear bumper to some degree.
Sean

 

[landtoy80]

The 80 with 285/75/16 tires lockers,sliders/skidplate would be hard to beat, unless you go for DEEP mud. Even then, just get a run at it.

Unless you have done ALL the maintenance (birfield,front rear wheel barings,brakes etc) you should not go for the FUN stuff. I know it is hard to pass over the hard work but doing the grunt work now will "learn you" and keep the 80 going when you need it most.

 

[ginericLC]

[quote author=landtoy80 link=board=2;threadid=8116;start=msg68952#msg68952 date=1070067603]
The 80 with 285/75/16 tires lockers,sliders/skidplate would be hard to beat, unless you go for DEEP mud. Even then, just get a run at it.

[/quote]

Very True!

Sliders are a definite must. Especially for a college parking lot.