What to build next?

After almost 2 years in Chicago I will be coming back to SoCal next summer and am thinking about my next build. My last rig is now in the able hands of AppleValleySlim after my son thrashed it (not happening again).

I know that this is the XJ Jeepspeed forum, but my thoughts are either building up a 96 ZJ V8 that I need to buy off of my son or purchasing a first gen Tacoma 4x4 with IFS. This is not for racing, but for heavy recreational use and still street legal so that I can go places green sticker cannot.

If I go Long Arm in the ZJ (Clayton or RE) and Long Travel in the Tacoma (Camburg or Total Chaos), the build costs will be higher in the Tacoma (coil overs), but I believe the IFS will handle the desert better than the solid axle. The LT kits out there give ~ 13" of travel up front which is a couple of inches more that the ZJ. The rear end of the Tacoma can get much more travel out of a set of Deavers and a bed cage. It just seems easier to build up the Tacoma than the ZJ, so I am wondering what I am missing.

Fortunately I have a couple of months to figure this out, but was wondering about opions of building either platform and then the end resulting capability of the rig.

Appreciate your thoughts.

You should probably narrow down the purpose of this vehicle. You said "heavy recreational use". What does that mean? Trips to Barstow for high speed desert stuff or trips to Big Bear for slow speed technical stuff?

Either vehicle will work in either enviroment. Obviously the Tacoma set up the way you mentioned will work well in the desert and the GC will do better crawling.

If you want to do both either vehicle will be a compromise, to a certain extent.

Chris

Definitely slanted more to the Barstow/Ocotillo Wells type terrain. But I still want to go on expeditions with my Jeep friends. It is the same old story, trying to build something for everything. Jack of all trades, master of none.

personally if you are going to spend the majority of your time in the desert i would build the yota for that, and just take it easy when you go trail riding. you wont be able to do everything the solid axle guys are doing, but you can stull have some fun, and you'll blow em away in the dirt

GrimmJeeper said:

personally if you are going to spend the majority of your time in the desert i would build the yota for that, and just take it easy when you go trail riding. you wont be able to do everything the solid axle guys are doing, but you can stull have some fun, and you'll blow em away in the dirt

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That is what I have been thinking, but just looking for reasons to change my mind. One is the yota will probably have around 125K miles in my price range and my son's ZJ has 82K on the ticker.

GrimmJeeper said:

personally if you are going to spend the majority of your time in the desert i would build the yota for that, and just take it easy when you go trail riding. you wont be able to do everything the solid axle guys are doing, but you can stull have some fun, and you'll blow em away in the dirt

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x2.

Tony, I thought you would say buy a Bronco and get 16-17" wheel travel like you!!!! hahaha

And probably similar cost as total chaos or camburg LT kits (13" is LT?? haha)

silverslk said:

Tony, I thought you would say buy a Bronco and get 16-17" wheel travel like you!!!! hahaha

And probably similar cost as total chaos or camburg LT kits (13" is LT?? haha)

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Yeah. I was going to but it was just zj vs yota option. Broncos are very capable of great travel with minimal cash. An they are roomy too!

tcm glx said:

Yeah. I was going to but it was just zj vs yota option. Broncos are very capable of great travel with minimal cash. An they are roomy too!

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That is an interesting option. Wasn't thinking of a Bronco as it is full size. When you say great travel I assume you are talking about a TTB vs Solid? What are the best years to build off of? I got a long winter to get through so I have time to noodle this to death!

Thanks!

Yes. Tony and I both left XJ's for Broncos. He has a 92 and I have a 95. Consensus is that 95 is best year (highest output but OBD1 and has improvements in transmission) otherwise they look the same. You could also get a mid-late 80's one and get a C6 trans and factory 9" rear but C6 is 3 speed and not good for freeway drives.

Tony has used deavers out back and 12" shocks under the truck and is strapped at 17.3" travel. He just did a coilover up front and with cut and turned beams is strapped about 17" front also. Camburg sells a front kit for $1200ish with extended radius arms, c&t beams, 4 bistein shocks and coils. That alone will pull (I think) about 13+". Tony will chime in I am sure.

X2 on what Andy said. And mine is a 93. I was originally looking for a 3rd gen 4runner but have always loved Broncos. Andy pushed me to look and here I am.

Andy, I'm on the crackberry, can you post up some of the latest pics.

How do you get 17" of travel with 12" shocks on leaf springs?

-Dan

Shocks at a pretty steep angle.

Loose_Nuts_Enterprises said:

How do you get 17" of travel with 12" shocks on leaf springs?

-Dan

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AND fitting under the truck NOT through the floor taking away interior space. :rtm:

silverslk said:

AND fitting under the truck NOT through the floor taking away interior space. :rtm:

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How do you like this rear shock setup?, wonder how it would work with other trucks.

im going to build up my 1st gen 4runner. i have an 86' that needs some work but isnt rusted as bad as some of my XJs i've owned

I happen to be very pleased. Mid year, I went out and preran for the MORE Oraf 500. It ran really good, the key is to have it valved pretty progressively, with the angle your running, you need to. But the nice thing is you keep the shock inside, keep the noise and dust outside, so street driving is great.
I would gladly take you guys out for a ride if your interested.

dakineJ said:

How do you like this rear shock setup?, wonder how it would work with other trucks.

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Wow that's a steep shock angle... I would think with 2.0 non resis and that angle that they would not only be much less effective but also heat up much faster.

Hey op, jeeps are a sweet multi purpose vehicle but toyotas rule the desert for sureVVVVVV

slcpunk74 said:

Wow that's a steep shock angle... I would think with 2.0 non resis and that angle that they would not only be much less effective but also heat up much faster.

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Good thing he has 2.65 Bilstein 9100's back there with BH reservoirs. :conceited