RCLT HD 2.75" - Travel Numbers and Notes

Check.

 

Very clean solution! How long did that take you?

 

Too long, like every custom fab project, maybe 4 weekends to get everything dialed and burned in. That includes the provisions for mounting the Tundra rack in as near of the stock location as possible, which took a bit to figure out. I also had an intermediate step of fileting the stock member, which I bailed on in favor of this version, that cost me a weekend.

 

Damn, looks like a big undertaking. Pretty bummed Marlin didnt include a solution to this with their "kit" so it could have all been done at the same time. Kinda like we are guinea pigs on this.

 

Yea I think they tried to rely too heavily on using as much 'stock' components as possible. That crossmember was only engineered to handle the load of small tires and a stock rack, not a landcruiser rack with 40" tires. Its like slapping a dual case on a single stock toyota tcase mount and slapping it saying 'it'll be alright'... Hindsight sucks in this regard, although all too revealing. This is what I meant by nobody can really say if this kit is the bees knees or a great idea that needs some tweaking, until a bunch of guys actually wheel them.

This kit is bridging a gap between nice hardly wheeled trucks, to guys that are really crawling. I notice that guys who have had lots of experience rock crawling are almost never surprised when things that were not supposed to break, fail. I know a lot of guys (myself included) that can break a steel ball if you give me minute.

Vice versa... tons of money spent on a new product that although all the parts are 'heavy duty' they are being attached to a light duty truck frame. Any part of the the entire system (frame included) that is not adequately reinforced will show its weakness at some point. I think they did a really good job addressing the most apparent weak points, and this is just how it goes chasing down weak points. Theres really no other way to find them.

They could have waited to release it until a lot more trail hours were put on the kit to find out more issues, but its also a business and I'm positive they dont have a 5 year multi-million dollar budget to wait and make a return on investment for R&D.

They dont call it winning, they call it racin! and in wheeling, cutting your shit apart 50x to find its weak links is par for the course.

Did they fuck up? Idk... Im gonna say yes on this one. Expecting the stock xmember to hold all that additional force was long shot in the dark.

They honestly could have easily made a full capture 3 sided brace that mounts and cups the entire stock crossmember and had the spots to weld it to the anti-crush sleeves in the xmember, that also tied into the main frame and braced the LCA mount in one piece.

Hint Hint Marlin make this part.

 

I agree with this sentiment. But also think it depends in locale. There are also those trail tampon SAS guys that just throw some junk under their trucks and think it'll work and do worse than the IFS guys.

I have even more of an unpopular opinion taking ANY stock vehicle and trying to turn it into a crazy capable offroad rig is just futile and test your level of sanity because you're always making compromises. But it's all fun as hell so why not do it!

We have wheel bearings fail on the regular out on the right coast from wheeling in general.

 

I dont think there is any doubt that Marlin fucked up when their marketing claims "1 ton / HD steering" and "no more broken steering racks", etc. Don't get me wrong, overall I am happy with RCLT but there was a ton of hype and claims that made them money but cost the customer. If you are doing your own welding, it is annoying and time consuming to fix things after the fact, but if you pay a shop for an install it is going to take money to fix things. I myself was under the truck while it was in the shop asking for things to get reinforced and was more than once told that it was "good enough". Turns out it's not good enough.

 

I have no dog in this fight, I'm just a first gen driving SAS donkey, but if you are in the 37"+ tire club and wheeling moderate to hard trails there's only so long before your going to have to reinforce something or break something, so may as well learn how to weld and fab now. I HATE fabricating and welding, but it's part of the hobby and having to fix and modify things just comes with the territory. With a product this new it's only to be expected that weak points will be found and have to be addressed. Now bigmike being a blowhard with his condescending marketing only amplifies the issue, but it's kind of expected to break stuff and have to modify things in this hobby. May as well just buy a welder now.

 

Your on point slander. I remember you from waaay back pirate days and I think maybe the RST forum before Wyatt went off his rocker.... unless this is a different slander idk

Anyway thats the same point I ve been trying to make here the whole time. A lot of the guys having a certain opinion are crossovers from mall crawling or just dont have years behind a real crawler to understand that no matter what you build your truck out of, you will break shit. its not if, its when. the RCLT kit seems expensive to guys on this forum compared to what they might be used to, but i have friends who drop $10k on ONLY a front axle, and still break it just using it as it was designed. The important thing to discern from is an ACTUAL design flaw (it doesnt work at all) or just an overlooked weak point. Guys will have easily 30k in parts into a 40yr old toyota and the best of the best and blow that shit up laughing 20 miles deep in the woods. Par for the course.

A lot of times wheeling will fatigue parts to the point that when they do break, it seems like you did nothing spectacular and the axle just blows or the frame cracks... welcome to rock crawling boys! (pirate OG's have entered the chat) can we be mean to people yet? lol. Everthing breaks, its just the veteran offroader's already know not to believe any marketing scheme (even marlins) that shit wont break.

I would say this is IMHO but humble isnt my best trait. Plus im having a shitty day, er week, er year whatever.

 

Fuck you and your solid axle first gen.

 

I totally agree with you and think your points are right, and you also touched on the core issue with the RCLT.. its not the product itself.. it is how it was sold. Not to beat a dead horse, but for Marlin to say you can run up to 40's tires without cutting the cab mount, but in reality you have to cut other way more complicated parts. And to say one ton, heavy duty steering... and no more broken steering racks... when the truth is that you break far more expensive steering components. That is the core issue.

We are all learning and it is good to have you guys with the years of experience here to guide us who are still new.

 

Same slander, I miss the RST forum!! Funny you mention frame cracks, my rear frame is starting to crack and I'm going to cut it all off this winter and rebuild it, 17yrs of wheeling has taken it's toll!!

Hahaha!!! You want one now I know it! Should just buy that 4skinner on tons and 40s with that LS Sam was trying to sell to you!

 

I want to build one. I’ll buy a non-raisened version of your truck and SAS it myself in a few years. It’s race car time currently.

 

You need more triangulation

 

like in my life ? lol

 

can i pay extra for the raisened version. Honestly some of the guys that are worried about their actual 'trail rig image' SHOULD pay more for a pre-raisened rig because they wont have the cajones to raisin one on their own. Might be onto somthing... pre raisened body panels??

 

I am not sure if it takes balls to dent your body, more just not giving a fuck.

 

Balls to take the line that will dent your body

 

Idk, no one wanted the raisined truck I just sold @Snowy. Hell, he’s trying to un-raisin it currently. Replaced both front fenders and trying to find bedsides now.

 

If I can avoid body damage I will. I like being able to roll windows down and not drive 4 hours home with my door ziptied close haha