SAS Quick Guide & Cost...

I am not as familiar with colorado, but from what I have seen, they seem to be fairly moderate trails. Again, depends on what you're going for. I believe @Blackdawg has wheeled that area many times and can probably help you understand most of the terrain. SAS is such a demanding process compared to a LT. LT is practically bolt on, and SAS require's tons of fab work and money.

 

CO has lots of various trails. And you're clost to UT which has a shit load of everything you'd ever want.

LT is easier but just as much money in the long run. It allows you to go fast...which means you do..which means you break shit..and then end up beefing up everything to cope with you're not heavy footed driving style.

Either way, you'd be fine with either out there. Really right now your truck is setup really really good to do most everything out here. Id leave it alone for now and explore with what you have and formulate a plan from there. Width is a factor you'll want to consider for both LT and SAS out here.

 

Currently, I have a 3rd gen with Camburg LT front and rear. I originally built this truck with the thought in mind that I would like the more high speed stuff over rough terrain. However, as I started wheeling more and more often...I realized I prefer the slow going, rock crawling. I've found that long travel (paired with my truck being a DCLB with 6" fenders), rock crawling is not my trucks strong suit. It may be more capable than I think, in fact I'm sure it is, but I've sunk nearly $100k into this damn thing. If I'm honest, I've been scared to push it much. So, long story short, it's for sale.
I'm tossing around the ideas of what I want next. All I do know is that it has to be SA. I know I don't want a first gen...just not a fan. Why do so many people SAS first gens over seconds? Is it just because they're cheaper and people will lose less sleep beating it up versus a sec. gen?
I'm trying to decide between a second gen and doing the swap, or buying an 80 series and just upgrading...everything. Input? Comments? Ideas?
I should (hopefully) walk away with a good amount of cash to purchase a new vehicle. I'm hoping to have about $12k-20k to spend parts/labor alone to build something from the ground up. What would you do if it was YOUR money?

Edit: I also need something that's friendly enough and reliable to drive semi-daily. Not looking for some crazy monster on 40s to just beat the ever-loving piss out of.

 

I've been to Colorado multiple times, all over. They have some pretty gnarly stuff if you go looking. Google 'Carnage Canyon,' I had a hard time hiking up some of that lol. But you're right, Utah and Moab are not far away at all!

 

Simple. First gens are smaller. Fits easier down trails.

 

Fair point...lol
As long as there's no 'roadblocks' with doing it to a second gen, I'll likely go that route.

 

Yea, my 1st gen fits way easier than my buddies 2nd gen everywhere we go. Not much else for road blocks really. Having helped SAS both 2nd gen and 1st gen, pretty similar. Only better thing about 2nd gen is that engine has some power! ...My poor worn out 2.7l

 

The motor is definitely my other concern. Supercharged 4.0 sounds pretty nice...

 

Depends on how you choose your parts.. I'm going Diamond Axle house, 9.5 fj80 diff with fj80 outers and manual hubs, Rock Solid Toys 3 Link Kit, RadFlo 14" resi coil overs, Yukon Zip locker/ 4.88 ring and pinion kit, Marlin full service kit, PSC hydro steering kit, RCV axles.. Will be somewhere around $10k by the time I'm driving it.. SHIT IS NO JOKE

 

That's it?? Lol

 

he must have forget all the little odds and ends right

 

Here is what i have into mine at this point. Granted it is not as overbuilt as some on this site but here goes.

I bought another guys unfinished jeep project that got me the axles, gears, and air shocks. Axles were from an f150 of unknown year, dana 44 and nine inch. 5.38 gears with lockers. Also 4 unused 16 inch air shocks and a set of useable 39 inch tires and wheels. 3000 dollars.

I bought all my heim joints for with spacers and tubung adaptors. 750.00

So far all the steel i have needed has been free from works scrap pile.

I sold the jeep shell with motor and trans etc for a grand.

I sold the trd rear end from the tacoma for 600.

So far i am into it 2200. The tires and wheels that are on it now are not figured into the price as i got a decent deal on them and could have run the ones i had.

Of course there will be more money to spend hut i figure i will eventually have it on the road for 5 to 6 grand. That is with me doinb all the work of course.

 

39s and D44. You'll have 3x the cost in repairs within a year

 

I keep hearing that but i have two buddies with jeeps that i wheel with running 39.5 sticky crawlers with d44s and all they have broke over the last two years is a single ujoint and he baught rcv axles and no problem since. And his is an ls swap with about 450 horse. Its all how you drive. I prefer to find a good route rather than drunkenly throttle myself around.

I am also staying completely stock as far as drivetrain. V6, auto trans and stock transfer.

 

How much are RCVs for a 44? $1600? Why not start with a 60?

 

i dont plan to buy rcv's. I originally planned to do 37's but got a good deal on a tire and wheel packeage for 40's so that is what i will run. I like the extra ground clearance and who know maybe i will do hi nines dana 50 kit. I like to do things people insist are not possible.

Either way if it woildnt have changed the price much it still doesnt mean you need 40 grand to do a solid axle swap.

 

who said 40 grand? what is this, RST?

 

There are many on this site and pirate who swear that a swap cant be done and be functional for less.

Good grief have seem many guys in moab running 37 on stock ifs.

Where i am moving to is not a huge rock crawling area, more dirt and suspension travel. So i may be able to run for a long time with no problem.

 

Many people have done very successful swaps for a fair price. Many have done it for crazy prices. It's all relative to how much time you can invest and how patient you can be when it comes to getting good deals. However, for quality parts, you get what you pay for in this line of fun.

Wheeling the dirt is not demanding on the drive train at all. I wheel is loose rock, dry rock, and very muddy rock areas... All within the same day, too. It can be a nightmare on the drive train. I wheeled both a D44 and a D60 on the same truck. Both of which were pretty costly (both fully built though).

 

I figure I will buy better parts as I break, within limits. If I am driving my normal way and break something every time I go then I will definitely upgrade axles. But of I go through a couple stock axle shafts a year then I will use up the ones I can find cheap and easy then upgrade. First I will use good joints on the stock stuff and see how it goes.

This site isn't near as bad as pirate. I won't even post this stuff on pirate I would be ridiculed forever, all those guys must be rich over there the way they talk.

Funny thing is I used to wheel a Ford Ranger with 36 inch tires, mostly in the snow in washington. Welded front and lunchboxed rear. I had a ton of fun with that truck, broke a few front axles, never had a problem with the rear though. I miss the snow, 2 lbs of air and you come home clean most of the time.

Guess we will see, there are people out there who break 5 ton Rockwells.