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Modern Offroad Beater

I finished hs in the 90s and drooled over 4wheeler mags as long as I can remember. 31s were big, BFG mt and super stampers I believe had a 32.5 that blew our minds.

35s were only on a buddies clapped out 70s cj that had a rear pass us on the road one day while skipping out at lunch:laughing:
 
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$300 39s on a "$300" Ranger with F150 springs and a 3" body lift. Spicer u joints with the caps tack welded. Clearly wasn't hitting hardcore crawler trails but it went places it didn't belong thanks to flotation :flipoff2: Free winch on the front that someone cut all the copper wire off, the winch mount was a piece of 6x6x3/8" angle I found at the scrap yard that I paid per lb for. Biggest money I had into it at this point was the used axle gears bought off the ranger station forums.


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posford said:
$300 39s on a "$300" Ranger with F150 springs and a 3" body lift. Spicer u joints with the caps tack welded. Clearly wasn't hitting hardcore crawler trails but it went places it didn't belong thanks to flotation :flipoff2: Free winch on the front that someone cut all the copper wire off, the winch mount was a piece of 6x6x3/8" angle I found at the scrap yard that I paid per lb for. Biggest money I had into it at this point was the used axle gears bought off the ranger station forums.


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That's be a fun toy.

I'd consider a SAS'd 3rd gen ranger or a 4 door Colorado/canyon.
 
94toytruck said:
You know thinking about it Xterras and Pathfinders used to be everywhere and are about the 20year vintage. I don't really see those anymore either. CFC put a spin on the market for sure.
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I see some first gens kicking around still but still a bit overpriced. If you are even remotely handy, I think there's way more value in an Xterra vs. a 4runner or Frontier vs. Taco. Damn near the same rigs with less tax. Downside is less aftermarket support. I waited 3 years for a T-case adapter for my 2nd gen Xterra.
 
AgitatedPancake said:
I remember when the first TJ Rubicon got 33"s it was a pretty big deal. Or were those 32"s?

edit - Shit, am I misremembering? I just looked and see some references to 31"s...is that seriously what they came with? If so, yeah I take it back. Still makes 33"s impressive for 20 years ago lol
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smaller than 31s lol

245/75R16 which is about 30.5"
 
Bebop said:
smaller than 31s lol

245/75R16 which is about 30.5"
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Yeah I misremembered the hell out of that one. That shows how much things have progressed in the last 20 years though, when the top tier 4x4 didn't even have 32"s off the showroom floor. And now we have factory 37"s on some, wild.
 
Chris775 said:
I see some first gens kicking around still but still a bit overpriced. If you are even remotely handy, I think there's way more value in an Xterra vs. a 4runner or Frontier vs. Taco. Damn near the same rigs with less tax. Downside is less aftermarket support. I waited 3 years for a T-case adapter for my 2nd gen Xterra.
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The lack of aftermarket support is what makes it far less appealing.
 
I've always liked the Grand Cherokee WJ. They are 20-25 years old and plentiful on FBMP.

Here is a good example

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2" budget boost, cut fenders and roll out.
 
So tomorrow I'm checking out a 94 pathfinder. It's in good shape, but sat for a long time and won't start. I think the owner passed away and now the kid is selling it. Back in the day we callled them fail finders. But now they are all but gone. What should I look out for beside rotten frame?
 
Oddball said:
So tomorrow I'm checking out a 94 pathfinder. It's in good shape, but sat for a long time and won't start. I think the owner passed away and now the kid is selling it. Back in the day we callled them fail finders. But now they are all but gone. What should I look out for beside rotten frame?
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Completely fucked electronics. Locks and windows with a mind of their own. Have a spare key and a jump pack, because when the locks glitch out and run the battery dead when you've parked it overnight, you'll be fucked.



First gen Kia sportage had a real deal t case with low range. Not too common anymore, but cheap when you can find em.
 
A neighbor had one on 31s that looked huge. I think he just drove it to work, no idea how it performed in the dirt.
 
Tj’s have recently started becoming pretty common around here for sub $5k.

The wj was probably the last of the solid front axle midsize suv that I can think of, and when we open it to ifs, there’s a ton of 4 runners in that 5 k range, gx’s can be found in there, and there is an aftermarket to support both. The kj liberty is super cheap so,you wouldn’t feel bad hacking it apart to sas.

A Tahoe is a big bitch to be off-roading/ crawling with and probably going to start breaking stuff in short order once you start hammering on it. A big part of What made the XJ a good cheap wheeler was it was small and light enough that the d30 would survive 33’s and so for $1500 you could slap a 4.5” lift, 33’s, and a lunchbox locker in the rear and go hit the trails.

Superduty has more robust driveline, but big rigs equal big stuck and big breakage; it’s pretty much the premise UA was founded on. Hell a set of 40’s is 20% of the $10k all in budget.
 
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Looks like xj/zj/wj still win for dollars to fun. You might find a cheaper pos, but probably won't have near the aftermarket and stock part availability.

Lots of options needing minor things in the $500-1500 range. Then actually decently nice ones for $2-3k.

I need to get the local event guys to do a stock class.

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Almost bought a '99 WJ but bought our 4Runner in '99 instead....still love that body style.
 
Sean said:
Almost bought a '99 WJ but bought our 4Runner in '99 instead....still love that body style.
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As a dd, the 4runner is built so much better. The WJs are the first of the real Chrysler shit build quality, especially if it's a 4.7.

Zj is a little better, still feels cheap compared to the 4runner.

For a trail rig basher, I think the jeeps are better. I'm not sure the 4runner would hold up to the abuse those guys at Dex jeeps put their jeeps through. Although they are more modified than they look, they are basically stock drivetrain components.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
As a dd, the 4runner is built so much better. The WJs are the first of the real Chrysler shit build quality, especially if it's a 4.7.

Zj is a little better, still feels cheap compared to the 4runner.

For a trail rig basher, I think the jeeps are better. I'm not sure the 4runner would hold up to the abuse those guys at Dex jeeps put their jeeps through. Although they are more modified than they look, they are basically stock drivetrain components.
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Oh, I'm not saying I wish we'd bought the WJ instead....just that I really liked that GC body style best. The fact that it was the last SFA doesn't hurt either. The ride was (in my wife's and my opinion) just as good as the 4Runner on pavement...but yeah, Chrysler's never really been known for great build quality.
 
Sean said:
Oh, I'm not saying I wish we'd bought the WJ instead....just that I really liked that GC body style best. The fact that it was the last SFA doesn't hurt either. The ride was (in my wife's and my opinion) just as good as the 4Runner on pavement...but yeah, Chrysler's never really been known for great build quality.
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We've had a 96 4runner since about 2015. Best vehicle I've owned by far.

My in laws had a v8 WJ that my fil rebuilt the engine and a bunch of other shit on. It was a decent rig but after they lost it in the fire he admitted he hated it :laughing: said he got car sick twice while driving it :lmao: seemed like every week it was in the garage for some issue.

I don't mind the body style except the big diaper butt, 4runner is even worse for that though.
 
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