Rock crawlers: what’s your most useful mods and why?

[Chocolate Thunder]

Sone good information given, thanks. I’m asking specifically about physical vehicle modifications. I’m hoping to get to something that I haven’t already done. I feel weird when there’s no more mods to do.

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[jhackathorne]

Sone good information given, thanks. I’m asking specifically about physical vehicle modifications. I’m hoping to get to something that I haven’t already done. I feel weird when there’s no more mods to do.

One thing that is not common is the RPV Valve stems. While not a fun mod, they certainly making airing down much faster and get you moving on the trails versus waiting on others to air down. A buddy has them and he was done airing down while we had barely started. He was always ready to go and had to wait 5 minutes + for us. I added them when I went to 37's and super happy I did it.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

One thing that is not common is the RPV Valve stems. While not a fun mod, they certainly making airing down much faster and get you moving on the trails versus waiting on others to air down. A buddy has them and he was done airing down while we had barely started. He was always ready to go and had to wait 5 minutes + for us. I added them when I went to 37's and super happy I did it.

Are they faster than using a 4 way hose inflate/deflate system? I hook all 4 up and deflate simultaneously. Or use a valve core remover and dump them really quickly but only one at a time

 

[jhackathorne]

Are they faster than using a 4 way hose inflate/deflate system? I hook all 4 up and deflate simultaneously. Or use a valve core remover and dump them really quickly but only one at a time

They take about 5-10 seconds per tire to deflate down to about 15 PSI from 30 PSI. By the time you get all of your tires hooked up, I'd be done and ready to go.

 

[C.Sco]

My thought process on builder a rock crawler is to focus on the tires first, along with anything else you need to add/change to make said tires work best. Your tires are (hopefully) your only contact point with the ground. Without good tires, everything else will suffer.

So, here's essentially what I'm doing, and my thought process behind each one:

• 37" Nitto Ridge Grapplers
• New wheels, so that those tires have the necessary offset
• 3.5" MetalCloack lift, so all 4 tires stay planted on the ground better
• New front driveshaft, to accomodate the lift
• Stubby front bumper, so tires have clearance

After the tires (and everything necessary to make the tires work/fit), then the next focus IMHO should be protection - good rock sliders and other armor.

After all that's done, then you can start messing around with the axles and gearing and other stuff if you want - personally I probably won't bother unless/until something breaks.

Also don't forget the most important part, slap a huge decal across the top of your windshield

 

[Ratbert]

UHMWPE
your forgot the PE
Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly Ethylene

good stuff. Tough. Very low coef of friction.
It's what they make knee joint replacement parts out of. And cutting boards also.
A tougher version of the same plastic used for 5 gallon buckets.

Mine are UHMW as specified by NVM: https://nextventuremotorsports.com/products/jlu-diesel-aluminum-belly-skids

 

[Chance_P]

Are they faster than using a 4 way hose inflate/deflate system? I hook all 4 up and deflate simultaneously. Or use a valve core remover and dump them really quickly but only one at a time

I take my 37 13.5 17 from 30 to 12 lb in 14 seconds each. No tools required.

I also have their air chuck on my co2 bottle and it takes me about 45 seconds per tire to fill back up.

 

[grimmjeeper]

1. Skids. Keeping the drivetrain and fuel tanks protected lets you keep wheeling more. This includes rocker protection.

2. Tires. Bigger tires helps clear bigger rocks. Lift only as much as you need to clear the tires. And build your axles appropriately to handle the tires.

3. Lockers. When you're lifting tires you need to get power to the tires with traction.

4. Winch. When you or a buddy get stuck, a winch is a good thing.

5. Rock lights if you end up on a trail at night. Being able to see the rocks makes a big difference.

6. Full size spare. Tires can be tough but it doesn't take much to seriously damage one.

7. Air compressor and/or CO2 tank. If you patch a tire you need to air up a little.

8. Good cameras so you can spot yourself a little better. I love the trail cam on my JL.

9. Good radio to call for help if you need it and you're outside of cell phone range. Ham has repeaters. GMRS does as well but they're more limited right now.

Beyond that, the standard wheeling buddy in another rig and other intangibles apply.

 

[Aonar]

I agree w/ the "practice & experience" listed by others.

I haven't built a crawler. Mine is a DD which crawls now and then. Mine is also a Diesel Rubi which came w/ skids. After work I will edit this w/ more info, pics & the "why's", BUT the short list is:
BETTER fuel filter skid
BETTER sliders
BETTER diff covers.
BETTER rear bumper

Until this afternoon...

@Chocolate Thunder, another thread discussed "what has the trail taught you". This post from that thread goes into detail about WHY I went in WHAT specific order for my mods. And why I did NOT mod her much B4 the 1st trip. It also discusses what I did wrong.

Have fun with your build!!!

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...u-to-upgrade-on-your-jeep.110238/post-2290564

 

[dragoneggs]

Mine are UHMW as specified by NVM: https://nextventuremotorsports.com/products/jlu-diesel-aluminum-belly-skids

NVM is not listing the material fully. There are different grades of Polyethylene. UHMW being a very dense form.

 

[J0E]

1. Skid plates! Unless you are one of those super meticulous, rock stacking, team of spotters type wheelers, there will be a rock you don't see, you'll miss a line, or a tire will slip off a rock at some point. Knowing for sure that you aren't caving in your oil pan or transmission will allow you to carry on confidently despite the rock scraping noises. We ran the entire Rubicon without getting out to spot once.
2. steering stabilizer relocation. That thing couldn't be in a worse place for rocks. You will crush it at some point.
3. Bigger tires. A bigger tire can crawl through bigger holes period. Where a 33" might get hung up between 2 rocks or in an undercut, a larger tires cam bridge the gap between those rocks or climb the face of the undercut.
4. Lift. Clearance is clearance, spots where a stock rig might get hung up on the skids or be fully high centered don't even touch on 3.5" of lift and 38's. Some trails wouldn't even be possible without winching at stock ground clearance. Some of the ledges on cliffhanger we were still dragging the belly even with all these mods. I don't see how those climbs would be possible in a stock JLU.

Experience is the most important thing in the rocks, but that's not a mod. An experienced driver in a stock Jeep absolutely will do better than a new driver in a rock buggy. Airing down probably makes more difference than bigger tires, but again I don't consider that a mod. Some will say a winch is number 1, and although we use ours multiple times a year, it's never in the rocks. Mud, snow, sand I'll drag the Jeep through if need be. In the rocks you'll usually just be hung up on something or have a tire wedged in a bad spot, ripping the Jeep through is just not the move in those situations. I'd rather break out the jack and roll a rock or 2 under the tire.
Now if you bought an XR, you will benefit from more uptravel AND more down travel greatly. I still did Armour 1st on our 2022, but lift and longer shocks went on in the 1st 1k miles too. We are still on the stock 35's, but I have no doubt with the clearance and skids we could tackle the Rubicon again. Maybe not as easy as on 38's, but she would get through without too much work. Yeats ago we took the wife's WJ through on 31's, that was way too much work.

I agree with that but I've winched out a bunch of Jeeps turtled on rocks and I've been winched out once myself (when I was still on 33's).

Experience is the most important thing in the rocks,

That's obviously important but frequently on really difficult lines I get out and spot for my wife who has practically zero experience. I think a good spotter takes far more skill than following the spotters directions. With AT in M1, she can crawl .5 MPH or slower and follow my directions.

For the most difficult lines, we have a few super spotters in our group. I follow their directions.

100% Replaceable/removeable armor has been my most useful rock crawlng mod. Rocks beat the shit out of every thing they can touch. Even when you get thru a trail without a mechanical break down, you do not get thru unscathed. I have been decommissioning my rig and enjoying the benefits armor provided. The wheels and bumpers have rock rash, but chassis looks like that of a mall crawler.
I could have done without a lazyman's electric winch. I only used a few times helping others and once solo. I always carry a Hi-lift jack along with block & tackle and know how to use them.

I always carry a Hi-lift jack along with block & tackle and know how to use them.

I've seen the Hi-lift come out 3 times in the last year and each time they had problems. One wouldn't come down so I found a big pipe for the owner to smack it out.

 

[dragoneggs]

I agree with that but I've winched out a bunch of Jeeps turtled on rocks and I've been winched out once myself (when I was still on 33's).

Experience is the most important thing in the rocks,

That's obviously important but frequently on really difficult lines I get out and spot for my wife who has practically zero experience. I think a good spotter takes far more skill than following the spotters directions. With AT in M1, she can crawl .5 MPH or slower and follow my directions.

For the most difficult lines, we have a few super spotters in our group. I follow their directions.

It is always a pleasure for me to wheel with someone more experienced. Get to learn and relax and have a good time.

 

[Zandcwhite]

I agree with that but I've winched out a bunch of Jeeps turtled on rocks and I've been winched out once myself (when I was still on 33's).

I've seen the Hi-lift come out 3 times in the last year and each time they had problems. One wouldn't come down so I found a big pipe for the owner to smack it out.

I'm not saying you can't drag a rig through/off the rocks, just that I'd rather not. If I'm so hung up that I can't backwards or forwards with both lockers on I'd rather jack and reposition. Hell with the hi lift I can jack sideways if need be.
In going on 30 years of wheeling I've worn out multiple hi lifts. Once worn, a lot of times they get to rusted or the pins get too worn to function easily. Working the handle with 1 hand and tapping the pins or follower with a hammer in the other hand I've yet to come across a hi lift that "won't work". If you understand how the mechanism works it is literally a simple tap in the right spot. No they aren't for everyone, but you'd be hard pressed to find a more versatile tool when you're out in the middle of nowhere. I've even used the handle to fix a busted tie rod by welding a tie rod into the end. As "just a jack", or fir changing a tire in a parking lot there are far better options.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Your vendor also left off the PE.
uhmw is a partial acronym. Doesn’t have any meaning without the polyethylene Lots of different types of polymers could be ultra high molecular weight.

it’s like going to the store and requesting a pound of spicy.

spicy what?
Chicken
Beef
Pork
Noodles
Meatballs?

A Google search disagrees, I can't find any other UHMW products aside from poly ethylene? Even on several plastics manufacturers sites there sections are just labeled uhmw (in the description they state they are ALL poly ethylene). The spicy comparison is a stretch at best.

 

[rcadden]

Who knew this thread would devolve into a debate about what to call plastic.

Between that, ice scrapers, and heated shifter knobs, this forum is amazing.

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