wishin

Looking for some answers from some trail crawlers.

I frequent Slick Rock (Lake Spicer/Alpine area) NorCal and Deer Valley. Hope to someday run the Rubicon.

My current set up is a 70 Ford Bronco, 302, C4 auto, 3.5" lift, 33.12.5 on 15x10's, p/s and front manual disc brakes. 4.10's, dana 44 front and ford 9" rear. It's as flexible as a dried 2x4 and has a crawl ratio of about 20 ,. Oh yea, it's also runs a carb, but you probably knew that.

I have really enjoyed the Bronco, but considering the cost to upgrade to EFI, add A/C, safety features, and needing the room for five, the time has come to do like the Jeffersons and "move on up."

1) If you have driven the above mentioned trails, how beat up would a stock Rubicon fair on these trails. I would eventually like to put a 3.5-4.5" lift and run 35's with 5.13's. This would also be my DD (about 7K mi/yr).

2) Has anyone had problems with the durability of their 5'13's ?

3) For those of you with lifts, I am considering a RE or Clayton, but I've just started researching lifts. I want to do it once and do it right. Which company do I stay away from, and is there anything you wish you would've done initially with the lift.

Thanks

Tank

i have wheeled my rubicon stock and it is fun. its on 37s now but my wifes x with 33 can keep up with a little help. the bigest think i have found is if you have a 4door then the break over angle sucks. but if you are knolageable of it then you can work around it. hints the 37s. but all in all a very fun jeep that dont take much to do outstanding things on the trail.

chuck45

I wheeled mine stock but quickly decided it was too, too low. Went with an RE 3.5" SF lift. Almost went with Clayton or Currie. I think the RE, which uses a rubber bushing at one end of each contol arm rides better than the others but that the Clayton and Currie, which use JohnyJoints at both ends of all eight arms, will articulate better. All three are complete quality lifts though.

I've got 35's on my 4 dr and wish I had 37's. 35's on a 2dr would be fine though.

whatroads

I always wheel "semi-stock" first. By semi-stock I add rock rails, oil pan skid and evap relocation before I ever go out. Using a stock vehicle first will make you a better driver when you upgrade. You learn to choose better lines and make better choices on what to avoid

Now, on the otherhand.......If your Bronco isn't all rusted out.......I would take it in a heartbeat. An old Bronco can be built up for less than the price of a new, or slightly used, JK

wishin

Good info on the lifts. As my DD, road comfort is important since I usually only get out a 4-6 times a year. Looking at the Unlimited, I love the look of 37's like everyone else, but I like the reliability of the stock components with 35's.

wishin

If you were a little closer I'm sure we could work out a deal on the Bronco.

I plan on starting out semi-stock also. The mods you mention are what I will be doing first, as well as bumpers. I want to get all the weight on the rig, and then lift accordingly to compensate for the weight and get the look I'm after.

If I studied in school as much as I do this forum I couldve been a Dr

chuck45

Given what you said above I would highly recomend the RE 3.5" kit. It is complete and well dialed in. You will give up a little off road articulation but have a very good, quiet ride. For a DD I would probably forego the RE Bilstein shocks. They are a bit stiff for a DD though fine offroad. I'd go for an adjustble shock like the Rancho 9000. Changing it's settings 4-6 times a year is no biggy. I think you'll be happy with the 35's. I think 37's open up a whole can of worms if reliability is an issue with you as it is with me. As mine isn't a DD and I'm willing to upgrade to handle the 37's I wish I'd gone that way.

wishin

I feel fairly comfortable stock on most of the trail After all, it has the Rubicon name for a reason. I guess my concern is with the additional length/width, also how well do they articulate stock?

I remember reading a tech article here where someone mentioned how to get extra flex out of these rigs by doing some fairly inexpensive mods. Haven't been able to find it again. If it rings a bell let me know where to find it. Tks.

LSU-JK

I wheeled my 2 dr rubi stock at the Superlift ORV park in Hot Springs, Ark. I wheeled it pretty hard, i was following some guys in some pretty impressive rigs. The trail rating system there is 1-5 and I wheeled 3s allday friday and into saturday when I almost rolled it. But I have to say everyone was pretty impressed with the capiblities of the stock jeep. Clearence is the issue. I made it out with a dented exhaust pipe directly infront of the skid and a broken tail light on the passenger side. Since ive modified the jeep I have not had a chance to go back but I can tell you this much I will not be wheeling much harder than I did that weekend even though I know it is much more equiped and ready.

donw

I find that the only difference between stock and lifted (3.5" lift and increase from 32 to 35 inch tires) is that I now tackle bigger rocks.

Have fun.