What Next?

[darylm74]

So I am hoping to wheel the Florida Citrus area a lot harder than the simple trip I took back around Memorial Day. My son just moved down from PA to FL for school and wants to more offroading/camping. With 37's, a 2.5+ lift and a Willy's Diesel with LSD, I am looking at what I need to do next. I know the 37's are going to do some wear and tear on joints. I have a winch/bumper so lockers are not absolutely necessary. My next guess are the following:

1. Stronger Ball Joints
2. Stronger Axles
3. Stronger Drive shafts for flex
4. Front Locker
5. Replace LSD with Rear Locker
6. Regear from 3.73 to 4.56 (4.10 seems stupid with a diesel).
7. Remove the side steps (build sheet contradicts this but here we are) and go for rock rails
8. Underbody armor - mud/sand, not rocks

What's the next move?

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[Ratbert]

Is anything beyond a stock Willys needed for that part of the country?

Maybe you're planning on doing more significant trips?

 

[kah.mun.rah]

I would start with something to air down and then on-board air to air back up.

 

[darylm74]

Is anything beyond a stock Willys needed for that part of the country?

Maybe you're planning on doing more significant trips?

The Citrus Wildlands has trails with very deep ruts that might call for a stronger / longer drive shaft due to the lift being more than advertised. It is a 2.5 inch lift but the measurement was a tad over 3. So far I have only been on more fire-road type trails or gone around places I was concerned with since I was by myself at the time. My bigger concern is the wear and tear due to the new 37's. That is where the thought is on better joints and maybe stronger axles.

 

[Shibadog]

Are you getting hung up a lot? If not I’d pass on the rear locker. If “some” I’d just go with front locker. On my old TJ rear lsd and a front air locker worked great. I ran all over Georgia and Alabama with it at stock height with decent tires. Seldom needed the front locker, but when you did it’d pull right through whatever mudhole I was in. That said, I don’t “try” to get hung up/stuck. I old enough that getting “unstuck” ceased to be “fun” several decades ago. I choose my line, take my time, and I an go pretty much anywhere I want. You CAN get stuck in anything if you work at it?

 

[darylm74]

Thanks. I am going to do some more wheeling before I do anything. I haven't gotten hung up yet but then I have been playing the safe routes as I was always alone. Now I want to play outside my comfort zone and not alone. Hope to meet up with some local groups at Jeep night on Wednesday and plan something out. I guess a CB should really be next along with a way to air up/down.

 

[Ratbert]

I guess a CB should really be next along with a way to air up/down.

In my experience almost everyone has moved from CBs to GMRS. Midland makes some pretty damn good GMRS radios that are really close to being idiot proof.

You'll most likely start with a couple handhelds, then let people borrow those on the trail after moving up to something like the MXT275. It fits nicely behind the knee panel under the steering wheel.

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