Off roading weak links

What have you guys found as the weak links when off roading on 2nd gens

 

Yukyukyuk!

 

Often the loose nut behind the wheel.

Very common in all forms of amateur motorsports.

2nd would be OE tires. Not just size, but type.

3rd would be lack of recovery skills/experience. Because stuck happens.

 

I’m talking the mechanical things, axles, drive shafts, that sort of thing

 

#DOINITFORTHEGRAM

 

That's highly dependent on the driver and their skills/driving style.

Generally, the 2nd gens are very reliable, even despite not being best-gens.

Other things:
Size - they're too big, IMO. My sides are scratched up enough already.
Gadgets - people have become conditioned to rely too much on the gadgets and wizbangs like crawl control etc... that are available.
Tires - the tires that come stock on these **OFF ROAD** trucks need to go in the trash.

Just go out and drive it. You'll learn what its weaknesses are based on how you drive, but honestly it likely won't be anything with the mechanicals of the truck.

 

People grenade these 3rd members like its going out of style.... CV issues are somewhat common, but I wouldn't think anymore than any other IFS trucks.... The front spindles have a tendency to bend....Alignment can easily get knocked out when you flatten your cam tabs...

That should get you started if you want to look into mitigating risk, It should be noted that 99% of these things failing come from people pushing their trucks too hard, if your just hitting backroads and the occasional rocky trail, you have nothing to worry about.

 

Tires, and upper control arms because if you lift the truck 3 inches to clear bigger tires, your stock UCA's will screw up your camber and steering will suck. Stock uca's dont have enough travel for a lift IMO