Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Anyone have a rock crawler?

MallCrawlOnTons

MallCrawlOnTons

TJ Enthusiast
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Joined
Dec 9, 2018
Messages
762
Location
West Georgia
So My uncle got me into jeeps. He has been on the 4 wheeling scene since I was a kid. He has become a dad to me and always let me ride in his Jeeps.
I Got a good job and saved some moneys and bought a tj with full intentions of building a “rock crawler” by swapping in one tons and getting atleast 37s, preferably 40s to hang with friends. But now I’m thinking the tj is a terrible platform for me as it’s terribly expensive to swap in one tons and do a wheel base stretch on a budget. Looking into selling my tj and getting a yj or cj. I think with the money I get from the tj I could get a yj/cj and buy one tons with some wheels and tires too. I’ve seen several members post about their yjs and want to know how they ride on the road compared to a tj. Because if I buy a yj it will still be daily driven like my tj but built into a rock crawler.

Anyone have any input going from a tj to a yj or cj.

Anyone have a legit rock crawler, with one tons and at least 37s?

Thanks.
 
EzPeezy said:
I've never driven one more than a few miles myself, but I hear a lot about how uncomfortable the leaf sprung jeeps are. It'll matter a lot less for a young guy, but it may make a difference for old guys with bad backs/knees/etc.
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They're really not much different. Of course if we're talking legit rock crawlers, they're not riding on leafs.
 
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EzPeezy said:
I've never driven one more than a few miles myself, but I hear a lot about how uncomfortable the leaf sprung jeeps are. It'll matter a lot less for a young guy, but it may make a difference for old guys with bad backs/knees/etc.
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The yj and cjs are just so much cheaper to swap in axles and stretch the wheel base. Only considering due to funds. I ain’t like some, who will finance builds.
 
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Tranz Zam said:
They're really not much different. Of course if we're talking legit rock crawlers, they're not riding on leafs.
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What’s wrong with leaf sprung rock crawlers on one tons and 40s. Leafs a super simple and work really well. Sometimes it appears they work better than linked jeeps.
 
If what you are after is a rock crawler, why base it on a jeep at all? Why not a tube frame rock buggy?

Maybe you could build something like this, but with "tons" instead.

Screenshot2011-01-29at9.02.52AM.png
 
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Mr. Bills said:
If what you are after is a rock crawler, why base it on a jeep at all? Why not a tube frame rock buggy?

Maybe you could build something like this, but with "tons" instead.

View attachment 101813
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Want it streetable as I’m young and on a Budget. You can understand I hope. Also don’t have fab skills. Yes I’d like to start welding and fabbing but not going to start by building a buggy. I feel I could sell my tj and buy a yj and also afford one tons and some wheels and tires.

And maybe in Cali that vehicle would work, but not in Georgia. No lie that couldn’t make it up some of the driveways around here.
 
My dad has a YJ and it does ride uncomfortable. I don’t know if it’s the type of leafsprings/shocks we put in but dam you can feel every bump. When the rear tires hit the bump it feels like the rear jumps.
 
superduty said:
Budget and rock crawling don't have a very good relationship.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
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Depends on your definition of budget.
So if I sell my tj and buy a yj, do a 32 spline output 231, swap in tons, Gear change, and 37s and matching wheels. What else will I need? Almost certain with the cash I have and the tj I will sell, I could have a very capabale and stout rock crawler.
 
I don't build rigs for a living like Blaine or some of these guys. One thing I have figured out though is that if I was going to build a purpose built rock crawler, I'd start with a tubular frame and build it off that. Then you wouldn't run into some of the limitations you'd have with a Jeep such as fenders, frames, etc.

Again, I don't know much about this, but I have a feeling there's a reason that all the purpose built rock crawlers out there are tubular frames and aren't based off an actual road driven vehicle.

That's not to say a TJ rock crawler isn't cool, I'm just thinking that to get a TJ to that point you're going to have to have a lot more work cut out for you than building it based off a tubular frame.

Of course I totally get the idea of having a vehicle that can be street driven, but also play in the rocks. Makes perfect sense to me!

Disclaimer: I don't know what I'm talking about here mostly. Just thinking out loud.
 
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06TJ35's said:
My dad has a YJ and it does ride uncomfortable. I don’t know if it’s the type of leafsprings/shocks we put in but dam you can feel every bump. When the rear tires hit the bump it feels like the rear jumps.
Click to expand...
Well the rear leaf spring compression and rebound has a lot to do with the overall ride. In fact, from my research the compression and rebound in the rear has a DIRECT effect on the over all ride. I can link a video your dad may want to watch to get a much better ride out of leafs.
 
MallCrawlOnTons said:
Well the rear leaf spring compression and rebound has a lot to do with the overall ride. In fact, from my research the compression and rebound in the rear has a DIRECT effect on the over all ride. I can link a video your dad may want to watch to get a much better ride out of leafs.
Click to expand...

Link would be appreciated. He’s leaving to Costa Rica this week. So if I can make his Jeep ride better by the time he comes back I think he would be a happy man.
 
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Chris said:
I don't build rigs for a living like Blaine or some of these guys. One thing I have figured out though is that if I was going to build a purpose built rock crawler, I'd start with a tubular frame and build it off that. Then you wouldn't run into some of the limitations you'd have with a Jeep such as fenders, frames, etc.

Again, I don't know much about this, but I have a feeling there's a reason that all the purpose built rock crawlers out there are tubular frames and aren't based off an actual road driven vehicle.

That's not to say a TJ rock crawler isn't cool, I'm just thinking that to get a TJ to that point you're going to have to have a lot more work cut out for you than building it based off a tubular frame.

Of course I totally get the idea of having a vehicle that can be street driven, but also play in the rocks. Makes perfect sense to me!

Disclaimer: I don't know what I'm talking about here mostly. Just thinking out loud.
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I can’t “build” anything at the moment.

I’ve stated I would buy a yj or cj as a base since it is hell of a lot cheaper to build.

Well all my uncles friends have legit rock crawlers and they all started off as jeeps, some modified more than others but they all hit the street and drive fine. I’ve driven my uncles plenty. It’s a yj on tons, 42s, ls and coilovers now. He drove it from Chattanooga to Daytona a year ago for Jeep beach. No problems. And he beats it in the woods. He ain’t walking a cat.
 
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I have a 95 YJ Spring Over with 35s on built D 35 Dana 30 would I call it a Crawler absolutely not. I have a lot of money in it and it is not nearly as capable as my TJ. It is a fun toy but it rides like crap on the highway after two hours it is all I can do to get out of it it will flat beat me
 
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