Anyone have a rock crawler?

[Fouledplugs]

I'm still trying to figure out why no one has commented on the very unique feature on the rig with the 1/4 elliptical rear springs that is also what makes a traction bar on sprung over rigs so difficult to get correct. It is an awesome solution, I don't think it goes far enough though.

My brother has several pairs in his garage and wants to build towards that setup. Hard to find people to build them these days. Or will eval spring rates on what he already has. Im sure its just one of those “antiquated” setups that few like me get excited about.

I have a hard time parting with leaf setups on YJ’s.
Loved Dan’s BTF old school builds

 

[mrblaine]

My brother has several pairs in his garage and wants to build towards that setup. Hard to find people to build them these days. Or will eval spring rates on what he already has. Im sure its just one of those “antiquated” setups that few like me get excited about.

I have a hard time parting with leaf setups on YJ’s.
Loved Dan’s BTF old school builds
View attachment 101985

 

[Unacceptable mouks]

If the "best of both worlds" ever worked, ships would fly.

 

[jjvw]

I think it really depends on what’s local to you as far as wheeling. Here in Alabama, 38s and you can have a lot of fun on most trails. In my opinion, 42s would be perfect and more ideal for the types of trails that we wheel.

Some local trail videos:

I realize that some things get lost in videos and photos, but that looks like stuff I've been getting through on 33s.

Though, certainly not as quickly, but my rear locker is broken and the tires are only slightly more aggressive than an AT.

 

[superduty]

This looks to be the answer to my original question.

Unfortunately, your project will likely not be built by Mrblaine Ahieving the daily driver /rock crawler combo is not so simple, unless you somehow have the knowledge and fan skills of Mrblaine.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[jjvw]

View attachment 101987

I've wondered about 1/4 elliptical. My dad talks about it on occasion. But at that point, why not go all the way with a coil?

 

[Fouledplugs]

I've wondered about 1/4 elliptical. My dad talks about it on occasion. But at that point, why not go all the way with a coil?

Exactly.

 

[Mr. Bills]

I'm late to this party, and have no intention of embroiling myself in the debate.

I'll just point out that Brad Kilby replaced the rear coils on his '97 TJ with leafs back in 2000, re-naming his jeep a TJ-7:

http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/susp/tjleafsprings/
http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/gallery/tj/bkilby97tj/
https://myjeeprocks.com/forums/forum/jeep-tech/suspension/5941-leafs-on-a-tj
https://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/jeep-hardcore-tech/26596-tj-leaf-axle-swap-complete.html
https://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f59/tj-s-leaf-springs-1118751/


Seems to me our OP could have spent a few more minutes with Google before starting this thread.

 

[mrblaine]

I'm late to this party, and have no intention of embroiling myself in the debate.

I'll just point out that Brad Kilby replaced the rear coils on his '97 TJ with leafs back in 2000, re-naming his jeep a TJ-7:

View attachment 102117

http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/susp/tjleafsprings/
http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/gallery/tj/bkilby97tj/
https://myjeeprocks.com/forums/forum/jeep-tech/suspension/5941-leafs-on-a-tj
https://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/jeep-hardcore-tech/26596-tj-leaf-axle-swap-complete.html
https://Jeep Forum/forum/f59/tj-s-leaf-springs-1118751/


Seems to me our OP could have spent a few more minutes with Google before starting this thread.

Brad did that to combat the left tire pick in a hard left turn with an auto locker installed. It was his solution based on a lack of understanding of how coil link suspensions work and how to work within those parameters.

In the meantime, all the YJ owners were converting to the Warn Coil Link Suspension trying to get away from the trials and tribulations of running leaf springs. Most notably, Jason Bunch did a bunch of them and understood a fair bit more than most.

 

[Mr. Bills]

Didn't say it was good or bad. Just that it's been done - and a long time ago to boot.

Ironic that you mention Jason. I haven't seen him since Tri County Gear put an over-the-knuckle tie rod on my CJ-7 about the same time that Brad Kilby was converting his TJ to leaf springs, but Jason's name came up in a conversation just yesterday.

 

[mrblaine]

Didn't say it was good or bad. Just that it's been done - and a long time ago to boot.

Ironic that you mention Jason. I haven't seen him since Tri County Gear put an over-the-knuckle tie rod on my CJ-7 about the same time that Brad Kilby was converting his TJ to leaf springs, but Jason's name came up in a conversation just yesterday.

I didn't say you said it was good or bad, just the reason why he did it. Jason did very well in KOH. He had a local shop work with him many years ago to effectively build what is the common build in KOH and conflicts in business caused it to never get done. Had he found a way to finish the rig, he would have had a competitive KOH rig at least 12 years before anyone else even went there.

 

[Fouledplugs]

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.

BTW, once you go with a true beadlock and air down around 6 lbs, the potential “harsh” ride from leafs is completely gone when off road.

 

[pcoplin]

BTW, once you go with a true beadlock and air down around 6 lbs, the potential “harsh” ride from leafs is completely gone when off road.
View attachment 102222

While it probably hides the terrible ride offered by stiff leaf springs, not an option for those who drive a little faster. Or even drive on the street. I would 100% ruin all of those rims wheeling at that pressure.

I run 20 psi most of the time. On the Rubicon I dropped to 15. We raced at over 30.

 

[Fouledplugs]

While it probably hides the terrible ride offered by stiff leaf springs, not an option for those who drive a little faster. Or even drive on the street. I would 100% ruin all of those rims wheeling at that pressure.

I run 20 psi most of the time. On the Rubicon I dropped to 15. We raced at over 30.

Yea looking back and re reading my post, I dont want to take away from the fact that leafs ride stiff. They just do. I was really surprised with how much better they ride off road with low air. Im not saying its magic, but for me personally, it made a big improvement from riding with 20-25lbs in the tires. But yea, wagon with wooden wheels comes to mind.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Looking through an external hard drive and stumbled upon this little gem. Thought it was funny considering all the “leaf spring Jeeps in competition” debate started by @Jerry Bransford who was at the 2019 KOH. The 2019 KOH EMC winner was on 4 leafs.

Found this picture and thought it was pretty ironic.

I can hear the replies now, “its one example.”

Anyone know the owner’s name?

And its SUA

 

[JDS123]

Looking through an external hard drive and stumbled upon this little gem. Thought it was funny considering all the “leaf spring Jeeps in competition” debate started by @Jerry Bransford who was at the 2019 KOH. The 2019 KOH EMC winner was on 4 leafs.

Found this picture and thought it was pretty ironic.

I can hear the replies now, “its one example.”

Anyone know the owner’s name?

View attachment 105311View attachment 105313View attachment 105314View attachment 105316View attachment 105315View attachment 105312 And its SUA

I can tell you that is at Rausch Creek in PA. I went to one of those events a few years back (WE ROCK is the name of the event I was at). These photos are from a much different type of competition than KOH. I would argue that this is more of an amateur event and is a completely different type of wheeling. It also looks like he ratchet strapped the stock gas tank in the back. I'm sure this Jeep would be much different if the budget was higher.

 

[Fouledplugs]

(WE ROCK is the name of the event I was at). These photos are from a much different type of competition than KOH.

Com•pe•ti•tion - an event or contest.

The competition-level rock crawlers I see in sanctioned rock crawling competitions are all running either coilovers or coil springs.

W.E Rock sure seems like a competition level event where sanctioned rock crawling competitors with sponsors such as Monster Energy competing for both money and points....

And to further address your argument that its an amateur event, according to their website they have a entry fee of $300 per event for their unlimited/pro class. Their stock/mod class has an entry fee of $200 per event and both classes payout %100.

You are right, WE rock is much more inline to what we do in our Jeep TJ’s and LJ’s. Hence the basically factory YJ with leaf springs in a competition. It is much different than KOH.

That is, of course, unless your TJ/Lj is more for rock racing/bouncing like they do in KOH.

Just to clarify, you are arguing that if an event is not KOH, its not legit? Its Amateur?

The ratchet strapped gas tank proves OP’s point. Budget yet rock crawler. Even on a competitive level.

Again, another easy way to split this hair still stands, its just one example. And as I stated, regardless of suspension choice, he will have fun with leafs, coils, coilovers, or ORI struts.

 

[MallCrawlOnTons]

Looking through an external hard drive and stumbled upon this little gem. Thought it was funny considering all the “leaf spring Jeeps in competition” debate started by @Jerry Bransford who was at the 2019 KOH. The 2019 KOH EMC winner was on 4 leafs.

Found this picture and thought it was pretty ironic.

I can hear the replies now, “its one example.”

Anyone know the owner’s name?

View attachment 105311View attachment 105313View attachment 105314View attachment 105316View attachment 105315View attachment 105312 And its SUA

Uhh oh @Jerry Bransford. You brought the completion side of things up out of no where and now @Fouledplugs out of left field... haha guess you shouldn’t have derailed the thread and took my post out of context. Still don’t see in my original post a mention of competition level rock crawler since I was hinting at a budget crawler to Begin with.

 

[JDS123]

Com•pe•ti•tion - an event or contest.

W.E Rock sure seems like a competition level event where sanctioned rock crawling competitors with sponsors such as Monster Energy competing for both money and points....

And to further address your argument that its an amateur event, according to their website they have a entry fee of $300 per event for their unlimited/pro class. Their stock/mod class has an entry fee of $200 per event and both classes payout %100.

You are right, WE rock is much more inline to what we do in our Jeep TJ’s and LJ’s. Hence the basically factory YJ with leaf springs in a competition. It is much different than KOH.

That is, of course, unless your TJ/Lj is more for rock racing/bouncing like they do in KOH.

Just to clarify, you are arguing that if an event is not KOH, its not legit? Its Amateur?

The ratchet strapped gas tank proves OP’s point. Budget yet rock crawler. Even on a competitive level.

Again, another easy way to split this hair still stands, its just one example. And as I stated, regardless of suspension choice, he will have fun with leafs, coils, coilovers, or ORI struts.

Who said your pictures are from WE ROCK? I just went to that event at Rausch Creek.

Also, you could compete in a rig with welded tubing at shocks. Doesn’t mean it is the best move. This is clearly as amateur event as shown by the gas tank ratchet strapped in the back. People can always compete with whatever budget rig they have, but that doesn’t mean it is the best route out there. I certainly wouldn’t want to compete with leafs or even wheel with them unless it was a budget rigs.

 

[MallCrawlOnTons]

Who said your pictures are from WE ROCK? I just went to that event at Rausch Creek.

Also, you could compete in a rig with welded tubing at shocks. Doesn’t mean it is the best move. This is clearly as amateur event as shown by the gas tank ratchet strapped in the back. People can always compete with whatever budget rig they have, but that doesn’t mean it is the best route out there. I certainly wouldn’t want to compete with leafs or even wheel with them unless it was a budget rigs.

Budget was mentioned in the original post.