Requirements/Recomendations for a 60 going to MOAB

[HntWhtTail]

I searched and found a similar thread in chit chat that was geared more for the 80 series, but hopefully this thread will keep a more technical vibe.
What do the people who have been there reccomend for a 60 series that wants desperatly to go to MOAB.
What kinda trail rating would a stock 60 be limited too, from what I have read it sounds like 3 would be no problem or do you need taller tires for that.
Thanks in advance

 

[nuclearlemon]

completely stock? no lockers? what size tires? stock will easily fit 31's, but most have 235's. what kind of experience do you have?

three is definitely doable. but beware, some of the ratings are outdated and the trails are more difficult or easier than their ratings imply.

 

[erfworm]

If you don't mind a little banging and scraping, you should be o.k on most 3 trails, if you are more adventerous, 4 trails are doable with slightly more draggging of your rear bumper. I would start out on Poison Spider Mesa and see how it goes, then if you're in for it, Golden Spike is right there. Or Hells Revenge is an easier 4, with bypasses at the harder stuff. Two great things about Moab are great traction (lockers not necessarily needed) and plenty of room to turn around if you just aren't sure about making it.

 

[Cruisergreg]

If you have an OEM rear bumper and don't have a hitch mount (Drawtight, etc.) you can expect to throw the crumpled mess away when you get home unless you stick to the easier trails. That factory bumper is the real Achilles heal of the 60.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

My 62 is stock with 31's and sliders. I did Porcupine Rim and Fins & Things and had a blast. I dragged my tail around quite a bit but no harm done. The sliders saved me from body damage. Lost a couple bumper ends and crushed my tailpipe, well worth the good time to be had.

Photo is from Porcupine which was the scariest part for me.

You have to do Fins & Things - it's too much fun

 

[nuclearlemon]

i'll second fins. it's my favorite trail...it's a fun, no thinking trail with "minor pucker factor".

 

[chicago]

.....WARNING...HIGHJACK IN PROGRESS....

Where is this place at (fins and things)? Is that in moab too?

Chicago

 

[cruzrgal]

hijackin' your hijack

k, kind of. Bill Burke has some good tips and articles for 4wheeling in general and i know he's done moab. his web site is www.bb4wa.com
since we are on the topic of the Moab area... any of y'all done the maze in Arches? can a stock ass 60 take it?

 

[Corbet]

My 60 (OME on 33's) with 4 people in it spent plenty of time dragging its bumper on Fins and things last year. I have a receiver so that took much of the abuse. If you like your bumper you probably don't want to try anything too hard.

That said If I had been using a spotter I could have advoided some of the contact.

 

[Corbet]

.....WARNING...HIGHJACK IN PROGRESS....

Where is this place at (fins and things)? Is that in moab too?

Chicago

Fins and Things is located in the Sand Flats Rec area with Hells Revenge above the town of Moab. It begins in the middle of the camp cluster E if you have been there before.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I would stay off of Poison Spider and especially Golden Spike with a stock 60. erfworm-what are you smokin'?

Fins is a good suggestion, and Hells Revenge is doable as well. You could do the White Rim in Canyonlands(long) or possibly Elephant Hill with some spotting. Get sliders if you want to avoid an expensive body shop repair bill. There is lots of other stuff to see in a stock truck, but stay off of most of the named trails. The best adventure for a stock truck is the White Rim. Lockhart Basin south to north is probably doable as well.

Speaking of incorrect grading-Kane Creek is listed as a 3+, however it is much more difficult on the shelf road than all of Poison Spider which is a 4. My advice-stay off of Kane Creek.

 

[HntWhtTail]

Thanks for all the replys, I may end up doing a lift, and I just picked up the start of my rear bumper(dimond plate steel custom bumper off an old ford even has rear quarter protection) almost ready to start cutting to see how it will go on the 60.

 

[chicago]

Fins and Things is located in the Sand Flats Rec area with Hells Revenge above the town of Moab. It begins in the middle of the camp cluster E if you have been there before.

Thanks...
and NOPE, I havent really been anywhere except DV, peavine mountain and numerous trips around the Virgina City highlnds area...Oh yeah, and the abandoned rock quary down the street from my house...thats always a kick.
Id love to go elsewhere fi I could find some folks to go with!

Chicago

 

[erfworm]

Drew, maybe you should have some of what I'm smokin' or stop being a pansy and wheel. I've done the Golden Spike with 33s, in January, it's not that hard just choosing lines. Everything has a easier way around except for the crack which with a good spotter and the proper amount of momentum is extremely doable. Didn't Christo drive a fairly stock 100 series through there? FJ Cruisers. People have been driving that trail since the sixties. My point was that if you can negotiate the waterfall and wedge on Poison Spider and don't mind dragginng your bumper or tow hitch (which happens more on Fins and Things) than Golden Spike is totally doable. Sure there's some sketchy spots but thats why we do this and that's why we own cruisers. I just assume that most people are like me and would rather find out wether or not my cruiser can get from point A to point B regardless of who says you can't do it. But I'm the dumbass who drove into the large hot tub on Hells Revenge with open diffs.

If all this debate scares you a little bit, start on Fins and Things, super fun trail that lets you know what you're in for, plenty of oppurtunity to get off the trail if you feel its too much, plus the ability to camp right near the trail making it o so tempting to run a night.

Cruzgal, if I remember correctly the maze is in canyonlands.

 

[kadie]

Lifting a HJ60's tail end

I had the same issue here with dragging my HJ 60's tail, and even had tremendous problems to mount a ferry ramp in reverse once during an international 4x4 rally, the hitch was just too low to take the ramp angle (this was bad publicity for the Cruiser's capability!).
As a cheap solution, I removed the fixed-mounted hitch and then doubled the length of the back leave spring hangers. The tail end is now pointing skywards a little bit, but it compensates also for the noticeable spring sag. No modifications were needed on brake lines and dampers, I only had to adjust the hand brake cable length.

Dieter

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Drew, maybe you should have some of what I'm smokin' or stop being a pansy and wheel.


But I'm the dumbass who drove into the large hot tub on Hells Revenge with open diffs.

.

Maybe-but I have done Golden Spike 3 times and feel fairly confident that I would have had some rocker damage without sliders, and rear quarter damage without a bumper. One of those tubs is doable without a locker since the exit has good traction and no ledge.

The original poster has a STOCK 60. I assume he wants to keep the dents out of it. I don't like unnecessary body damage, but that's just me. If you are willing to sacrafice the body, then almost anything in Moab is "doable".

I'll answer the original question with these trails in mind:

Here are the mods you will want to do the trails and avoid major damage on Golden Spike and similar trails:
2 1/2 inch lift
33 inch tires
Sliders
rear bumper
rear locker

Nice to have:
Front bumper
Front locker

You could do it with less but the risk goes way up. I'm not sure if you could cross the crack without lockers or a tow from another vehicle. We had to push an unlocked Jeep across. I do agree that you could do Poison Spider if you were careful, but the first waterfall might hang your rocker. Anyway, have a blast, and post up some pics.

 

[Corbet]

I agree with CruiserDrew's list above if you want to your 60 to look the same when you leave Moab as when you arrived. Anything less would invite body damage on said trails. OK with some but probaly not with most.

With a stock 60 I would stay on eaiser trails. There are many. All offer outstanding scenery and plenty of fun.

If I were to play in a stock 60 then sliders would be a must for Moab.

 

[OswaldtheBold]

k, kind of. Bill Burke has some good tips and articles for 4wheeling in general and i know he's done moab. his web site is www.bb4wa.com
since we are on the topic of the Moab area... any of y'all done the maze in Arches? can a stock ass 60 take it?

Do you mean Maze District in Canyonlands? I did the Maze a lot in mostly stock FJ55s when I drove for Tag-a-Long. Flint Trail has some W-turn switchbacks with good pucker factor. Teapot Canyon is a bit of hell. Expect to drag the tail a lot. The rest is long but not bad. Maze Overlook and Panorama Point were my favorites.

 

[erfworm]

Drew, not to get into a pissing match but if you read his sig, 33's are mentioned there, just basing my info on that. Since it's been done with 33's, open diffs, no sliders, stock rear bumper (albeit with a tow hitch) and zero body damage. The trick to the crack with open diffs is taking it as far to the left as you can near the outcrop, drop one tire in bump the next up, slowly move the rears into postion and right before one drops, bump it across and bob's your uncle your over. Not somewhere you want to be by yourself, but thats been done before too. I used the hot tub as an example of some of the questionable things that I'll try and who knows, maybe some people reading this are the same way. So I'll answer the question at hand too:

Mods for Moab to run most trails with no fear of sheetmetal modification:
1. Sliders
2. 33s
3. Rear bumper or tow hitch
4. 2.5 lift

Mods for Moab to run most trails ( except Pritchett, Cliffhanger, and any of the BFE type stuff):
1. Choosing the right line
2. Knowing when to bump
3. Confidence
4. Low tire pressure
5. 33 inch tires
6. Happy, smiling face

 

[lowtideride]

there is too much talk and not enough pics of 60s at Moab in this pic. If I dint live 3000 miles away I would so be down for a trip there.