I have been an avid outdoorsmen ever since my youngest days as a Boy Scout.  In fact, I owe much of my love and respect for the outdoors to my experiences in scouting, but that is a different story.  As soon as I was old enough to drive (and eventually own my own car) I was able to buy a 1987 Jeep Cherokee.  This Jeep formed the cornerstone of my outdoor activities and I feel that there are a few kernels of wisdom that I have learned (often the hard way) that I feel like sharing to the Arfcom community.

4x4 vehicles I have owned over the years

1. 1987 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer - 4.0L I6


2. 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee - 5.2L V8


3. 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee - 4.0L I6


4. 1990 Jeep Wrangler "Buggy" - Custom


5. 1984 Jeep CJ7 - 4.2L I6


6. 1977 Jeep CJ5 - 4.2L I6


7. 1968 Jeep-Kiaser M715 - 230 C.I. I6


8. 1968 Jeep-Kiaser M725 - 230 C.I. I6


9. 1998 Ford Ranger - 4.0L V6

BOLD = Still currently own... the rest, sadly, have come and gone from my garage.  There will be others at some point I'm sure.

I have also been active as a trail guide and been around almost every brand of 4wd truck and SUV on the market.  I have worked with H1 military spec Humvees, Toyotas, Land Rovers, etc. While my true passion is Jeeps, I will not claim that Jeeps are the "best" or "only" 4wds worth owning.  Much of what I plan on sharing will apply to most 4x4s on the market.

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Lessons I have learned the hard way, or witnessed people learn the hard way:

1. Learn to drive the vehicle STOCK before modifying it.  So many times I have seen someone who goes out and spends thousands of dollars on modifying a 4x4 and still get stuck.  If you can't drive the rig when it is stock, it will be even harder to drive when modified.

2. Bigger isn't always better. My current Jeep has only a 2" lift and 31" tires. I can go places that would blow people's minds.  Bigger tires mean bigger problems (driveline stress, need for more power to move the bigger tires, etc).  This also goes inline with #1 in that driving on larger tires, both onroad and off, is very different that stock sized tires.

3. Never leave home without protection.  I'm not talking the Durex brand kind here (although that is also an import kind of protection).  Skid plates, rock-rails (aka rocker guards), and differential protection can make the difference between driving home and getting towed home.  Under carriage skid plates protect important things like oil pans, transmissions, transfer cases, and gas tanks.  This is VERY important on modern 4x4s where plastics and thiner metals have replaced older more durable parts.  A rouge tree branch or sharp rock can bring and end to a 4x4 even on the easiest of trails.  Also, with adequate protection, and some careful driving, harder more difficult terrain can be navigated by a smaller rig and even the best of hardcore rigs can be stopped if not adequately protected.

4. Practice makes perfect. Driving in 4x4 both on road in extreme conditions and driving off road in loose uneven terrain is not as simple as throwing the lever into 4-wheel-drive.  For those that consider their 4x4 a BOV in an emergency situation need to practice driving under different conditions.  This is especially true when purchasing a new 4x4 that is of a different make or model than previous owned 4x4s.  The way my '77 CJ drove was radically different than how my '98 Grand drove despite them both being Jeeps.  Also, how my lifted Jeep handles with larger tires and a 2" suspension lift, although subtle changes, is different than how it handled when it was stock.

5. You get what you pay for. There is a reason the BEST parts on the market cost a lot of money.  It's not just because you a buying a "brand name." It means there are years of R&D, and years of valuable experience behind those products.  I am a fan of BFGoodrich All Terrain tires.  Sure, they cost over $100 each but my last set lasted over 70,000 miles of on-road and off-road travel and put up with a hell of a lot abuse.  In contrast I have seen $50 Pepboy-speccials cut down and go flat on their first trip off road because the tires were "cheep."  Same goes for engine parts, suspension parts, and the like.  I thought I could save money on my first lift by buying a cheap "budge boost" lift kit.  After the first year the rubber spacers had disintegrated and the shocked has bent because they were so poorly constructed.  In contrast, the off-the-shelf 2" coil and shock kit I have on my jeep was only a few bucks more and has lasted me YEARS of off road abuse.

6. Traction is your friend.  Good tires make a world of difference both on the road in extreme weather as well as off road in loose conditions.  Some tires are better at both than others, some are not good at either.  Also, the right kind of differential (a limited slip, posi-trac, or a locker) can be a real game changer in terms of how a 4x4 navigates its way through terrain off road.

7. When in doubt STOP! I used to live by the adage "When in doubt throttle out." It was the mantra of my youth when i was young, dumb, and full of cum.  I though the V8 in my Jeep could compensate for my lack of skill, my lack of experience, and my relatively small tires. A blown driveshaft, broken axle, and a blown motor later (three separate incidents mind you) I have learned that it is better to STOP than it is to go.  This is equally true when getting stuck.  The best thing to do is to just stop and assess the situation.  Sitting there and mashing the throttle, or rocking back and forth, usually makes things worse.  #8 will continue this theme of getting unstuck with BRAINS rather than HORSEPOWER.

8. Go Prepared. "Go prepared" is Warn Winch's motto. It is very true.  I am not saying every 4x4 should have a winch, but they make life a lot easier and are usually worth their weight in gold.  Tow straps, come-alongs, winches, and other recovery gear can make even the most complicated stucks an easy recovery.  I once got my '87 Cherokee stuck for THREE DAYS because I was ill prepared and what could have been a simple snatch-and-grab with another Jeep was a complicated recovery that only got worse when it started to SNOW and the STREAM turned to a RIVER.  Yeah, not a good time at all.

9. Never go alone.  The rule of two not only works great for people but it also works for 4x4s in the back country and off road terrain.  There are countless scenarios why this is true, but most people with common sense should just take this at face value.  Everything from recover, to getting spare parts, to emergency situations are made easier or even made possible with a second rig.

10. Take the time to learn from others. When I first started out I didn't know a spark plug from a flux capacitor.  I didn't know how to install lift kits or even rebuild a motor.  Through membership in Jeep Owner and 4x4 clubs and many trips to the local off road park I was able to learn a lot more from those around me than I could ever have learned on my own.  Just like Arfcom is an EXCELLENT resources for gun owners, there are countless resources out there for 4x4 enthusiasts of every make and model.

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I hope that some of that is of use to someone somewhere out there.  I am sure I will add a few other kernels of wisdom down the road when I think of them.

Also, I don't claim to be a "know it all" or have the definitive answers on all-things-off-road, but I have been around the block enough to have learned a few things and felt like sharing them.  As I said, my 4x4 is the corner stone of my outdoor enthusiasm and serves as my access and support for many of my hobbies.

Feel free to ask me any Jeep or 4x4 related questions.  I have numerous contacts in the industry and if I don't know the answer I problem know someone that does.  I will, hopefully someday here soon, be starting a build on a new Jeep that will make an excellent foundation for outdoor enthusiasts and will have a very well thought-out build plan that focuses on reliability not just capability.

Ive done my share of 4x4ing and disagree with #8. Around here you DONT stop. If you stop, your stuck, Momentum is your best friend. Not saying you have to bash your rig, but keeping momentum up will usually do more good than stopping. Mud tires only work when they are MOVING. you need to spin em up to clean em out. Thats their design.

In my experience, Situation will dictate.

In mud, yes, momentum is your best friend. That and keeping the tires spinning keeps them cleaned out to grab more.

Technical driving or rock climbing, not so much. Some common sense and scouting your path is your best friend then. That and knowing when a little brake pressure is better than a little gas pedal pressure.

Again, situation will dictate.

"Full throttle untill you see God" isn't always the answer, but it sure can be fun! If you don't mind blowing up parts and getting dragged out of the woods, it's alot of fun.

Most of us can't afford custom built Dana 60 front and rears, built to the teeth trans with multiple transfer cases and a 1,000 hp motor.

My first ride was a regular cab 84 Toyota straight axle, 22R with a 5 speed. With no lift, removed sway bars and 31s that truck went EVERYWHERE. I learned how to do technical driving before getting into the high power mud stuff. The motor let go after awhile, so I built a 22R and up to 33's and then 35's. That led to a 3.8 V6, then a 4.3 and finally a 350, all with stock axles. The frame rotted out and the next one (a 85 Extracab )started with a 454 and th400 with custom Dana's.  I learned the hard way how to control the stupid pedal and back off to take a better view of the situation.

OOPS, double tap

Well, in my own defense, the key word in that phrase was "doubt."  I won't disagree that momentum through mud, or going up a hill, or through snow, can be your friend.  However, just as much as it can help, it can also hinder.  I can chock up a broken axle to "momentum" thinking that by keeping going I was going to make it... needless to say I was wrong

Also, sometimes stopping BEFORE a mud hole, hill, obstacle, etc and taking the time too look at it can dictate whether momentum and speed will be needed, or if a different approach is more appropriate.

Again, I never meant for any of these things to be taken as literal hard-and-fast rules that will apply to every situation.  I just know that there have been a few times I have gotten stuck, or stopped to take my time, and saved myself a lot trouble by not thinking with the skinny pedal.

This is a great topic. My plans are to buy a Toyota Tacoma w/ off road package this spring...Lord willing. This will be my first 4x4 truck. I don't plan on doing a bunch of muddin' and stuff but I will practice a bit. I understand the importance of having undercarriage protection and good tires but no plans on  making it a high performance vehicle. Keep this thread alive if you can because I have much to learn from you all....Thanks!

Oh yea...I thought of a question. I don't plan on getting a winch but I do plan to have tow straps on board. Is a come-along worth investing in and what brand and size do you recommend for a Toyota Tacoma sized vehicle?

Come alongs are fine, honestly, get a HI-Lift jack. this will have multi uses to include being used as a come-along.

There is a big difference between Tow straps and Snatch straps. For off roading, Get both.

Be aware af what you are buying. A strap rated for 5,000lbs is good for 5k ROLLING weight; as in not stuck. I remembered reading somewhere for every 6" of mud you are in doubles the pulling weight required to move the vehicle. So if a 5,000lb vehicle is stuck and can't move itself, it now "weighs" 10,000 lbs. because now you have to move the mud as well as break the suction of the mud. So for every 6" deeper it takes 2 times more force to move it. make sense?

I keep a couple of shackles, some short straps that will wrap around a tree, a snatchblock, a good amount of tools, a saw or axe, a GOOD First Aid kit, some oil, trans fluid, grease, RTV sealant, some u-joints/small parts, a bunch of water (for you and your ride) some snacks, a blanket, a tarp or groundcloth, a good flashlight with extra batteries, fire extinguisher. If you are broke down where it is wet, lay down the groundcloth/tarp to keep dry and have a clean place to lay parts. If it is 40 degrees and you are wet, hypothermia can set in in a very short time. Most of the rest is common sense.

Have a plan. Especially if where you go has no cell service. GET A MAP! Go over it with a friend so they have an idea of where you are going to be. To be broke down 15 miles off the road in the snow at night with no service is a BAD situation. Complicate that with a twisted ankle from the snow covered ground and you could be looking at a fatal situation. It happens, more than you think.

Be prepared. If you don't know what you are doing, ask questions! You aren't pioneering the hobby, others have been there; learn from their experiences and mistakes!!

Have some fun, but be careful!

Spot on.  A Hi-lift is an off road jack and a come-along, a come-along is just a come-along.

Just make sure your strap does NOT have metal hooks.  I usually have a 10' and a 20' tow strap and a 20' snatch strap.  A snatch strap will stretch some and is better for mud.  Tow straps are firm (think static rope verse dynamic) and are better for long-distance towing or pulling a 4x4 off a rock or tree stump.

For snatch straps I recommend Bubba Rope.  They are beefy and work really well.  For tow strap I recommend Off Road Only straps which are really well made and have a protective wrap near the eyes which helps prevent wear against bumper and stuff.

The US Army Field Manual for winching and recovery is a GREAT resource for that kind of information.  I forget the number but they go through all the load calculations in a easy and reasonable manner.

Good call!

This is great help fellow roughnecks...and I do appreciate the words of experience! It saves me from learning on the run or maybe not running....

Common sense does go along way. If you plan to do any off roading you need a good selection of equipment;

Minimal things to keep in any vehicle, off road or not.

1) Tow straps (this is made to pull or tow, not shock rated to be yanked on)

2) Snatch straps (this is used to YANK you out, not pull you out - it will stretch some)

3) Heavy duty work gloves, Some hiking or work boots.

4) Good pair of cover-alls, that will fit over winter clothes.

5) Good cold weather gear, gloves, wool cap, extra socks, heavy duty coat, parka and rain gear

6) Food that can stay like MainStay bars with the highest caloric intake you can buy

7) Extra water, be sure its in a burst proof container and that it cant freeze.

8) Road Flares.

9) Small survival kit or big one if you have the space.

10) A good FlashLight, I prefer LED lights and also work light.

11) Make sure vehicle is in good working order.

12) Have good tow strap attachment points your truck , front and back.

13) Some pieces of wood for use with Hi-Lift and / or traction in snow.

14) Wool Blanket.

This is just a start....

Agreed.  A 2" towhitch make a great rear recovery point, but so few trucks and SUVs on the market today come with front points.  Front hooks or a HiddenHitch 2" front receiver are so easy to install.



Something like MaxTrax are good for this. Work well in sand, mud, dirt, and rocks too.

Wow, I checked out the Hi-lift jack and watched some YouTube videos on its usage. That is a definite buy for me. I like the Xtreme model. My next question is the 48" height sufficient for winching? What length hi-lift do you all carry?

Great thread.
















 

I believe ive got the 48" one. It works on my full size Blazer. But this is always why I say to carry piece of 4"x4" wood.

Also dont mount it on the bumpers, they will get rusty and dirty/muddy and can bind up and become useless, plus the paint on them isnt that durable. Here is mine mounted to my roll bar.

+1 on always having a snatch rope/strap and never go alone. Those two things there will get you out of 99.9% of your troubles being stuck.



That and know your limits.

Mine is a 48" one... the 60", while it has more travel, becomes a bit unwieldy.  The 48s can kick pretty good when they twist.  Something to watch out for.  The 60s are even worse.

Two other things to consider with the Hi-Lift are an off road base (either the metal kind with the prongs, or the plastic kind with the 2x larger base) and the multi-tool head kit that uses the Hi-Lift handle to make a shovel, pic, or axe.

There are a few other hi-lift accessories out there.  Just use them with caution.  I got a pretty nice welt from a hi-lift handle when it the jack kicked out from under a Jeep.

Here is a pretty good write up from Pirate4x4 on recovery: http://pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Recovery/

 
















 

Thanks, Gunny!

My pleasure! I have the Warn version of that. It is worth it's weight in gold. It is so nice to be able to plug it into the hitch receiver, attach your strap and go.



It sucks when you have to go under the truck to hook up around the frame rail, and then tweak the bumper out of shape because you had to hook that strap somewhere under the truck... just before the strap got cut by a sharp edge or some other scissor point under there.    

 

And a CAMERA to take pictures to rub in the face of said Son later on over the case of beer he bought you.

On a serious note, i cut holes in the bumper of my old Dodge and mounted the lights through the bumper. This way they are a bit more protected and out of the way. The relays are a great way to minimize burning out the power wire as well. Those slide in 2" reciever shackle mounts are awesome! I did large tabs bolted and welded tothe frame through the bumper with a large eye in it to mount the shackle to. The plates were 5/8" steel about 3" wide and 14" long. With 4 bolts and some good welds to the frame they held just fine. I wasn't overly worried about cosmetics of that old beast.

The Toyotas had tube bumpers with shackle tabs welded on and stock hooks bolted on the bottom. It was the same on the front bumper as well. I never had a mounted winch, we used one of those cheap "portable" winches that hook onto a ball from a tow hitch. Run that through a 4 part block, it was enough to pull almost anything that we got stuck. If that failed, we went and got the John Deere 3155.

Thank you...good call for us novices!

Guess that means I need to keep adding to it

I know I would sure appreciate it!

What do you want to know?  I have a million and one ideas I could share, but if there is something particular you (or anyone else) wants to know I can start there.

Okay, this will be a hard one because of the amount of choices out there. I hope to get a Toyota Tacoma with off road package around February/March of 2012. I don't plan on looking specifically to do any serious four wheeling but at times I will be in places where it may be needed. Definitely the winters around here can carry some snow at times. Last year we had one day where we received 24" of snow. So what kind of tires would you recommend? Most tires that come with the vehicles are pretty impotent.

If I may interject;

Alot of choice in tires is based off of what you want to do with them, what you want them to do for you, and how you drive.

If you are an aggressive driver on the road for most of the time and occasionally hit the hard packed dirt and some snow.... A good all terrain will do just fine.

If you drive responsibly on the road and throw it down on some mild trails and some moderate mud/snow...... A good mud terrain with siping

Very cautios on road, balls to the wall off road, complicated trail and deep mud...... Go with an all out tire

I was very much in the latter 2 categories and went through a gambit of tires on my Toyotas. I had excellent luck with TSL Thornbirds with a light truck, Boggers just blew out Birfields and hubs.

Be honest with yourself when selecting your rubber. Just because they look cool doesn't mean they will do good for what you want to do.

Just my $.02

My preference is for the BFGoodrich All Terrains.  My last set lasted 75,000 miles which included 10+ hour road trips, off-roading while aired down to 15psi, and countless miles of year-round driving.  They had side-wall cuts, blister, tread cuts, and they still kept coming back for more.  They never once let me down.  I just bought another set.  I am sure someone who isn't as abusive as me will get just as much life out of them and have them looking good too.

The reason I like the ATs over say the Mud Terrains is that the tread pattern has a lot more sipping (small little gaps in the tread) that allow for better control in rain.  The tread is also self-cleaning so it flicks out mud, snow, dirt, etc so the tires don't load up.  The only thing they are not great in is sticky mud.  Other than that they are the best all-around tire for something that gets driven on the street most of the time and only see occasional off-road use.

If you get the BFG ATs I recommend running a slightly higher than normal air pressure.  The tread is "square" at the edges and if you run too low a pressure the tire will cup.  On my Jeep I run them at about 40psi in the front and about 35psi in the back when unloaded, 40psi in the back when I am hauling gear.  

I also suggest rotating tires on a 4x4 every other oil change and checking the tire wear.  Seems like work, but if you're going to make the investment into tires that cost $100+ each you might as well take care of them.  4x4s will "scrub" tires when they are in 4wd and will wear the fronts quicker than a 2wd truck/suv.

Why do you run such low tire pressure while 4 wheeling?  And why the 5psi difference front vs. back on normal driving?

The front tires are carryingthe weight of the engine, as well as the majority of the weight of the transfer case and transmission. The rear tires aren't supporting as much weight. To keep the tires in the correct shape (so they don't sag as much and put excess wear on the outer edges) you add a few psi of air.

When off roading, especially in sand, or over rocks, decreasing the air pressure allows the tire to flex more and apply more traction to the surface the tire is touching. The tire collapses overthe obstacles and i creases the amou t of rubber touching the ground or any obstacles. It increases traction quite abit when performed properly. All vehicles will differ, so some trial and error will be needed.

I agree withthe BFG All Terrains. Outstanding all around tire. Toyo open country and fun country are also decent tires for being inexpensive.

What he said bellow.



The Jeep 4.0L is a cast iron engine and they are heavy.  The Grand Cherokee is a unibody construction with a fiberglass hatch to the back end is fairly light.  I found when running a full 40psi in the tires when "unloaded" (me + the dog and no gear or other passengers) the center of the tire was wearing a little quicker than I would have liked.

As for the low pressure, USMCB-W hit it spot on. The lower pressure allows for the tire to cup the rocks/stumps/etc as well as eat up some of the bumps.  Wheeling with fully inflated tires can knock a filling out or burst a kidney - at least it feels that way.

Trxus MTs are good tires, and I have heard good things about the Goodyear MTs with Kevlar.  The new BFG MTs (KM2 pattern) have better sipping than the old MTs and do a little better in wet/damp dirt and earth.

The Goodyear MTs are bleh. They work very well off road, especially in mild mud, soft pack dirt and technical trails. The have NO siping and tend to loose traction on the pavement very easily. These tend to work well for a much heavier vehicle as they come in Load range E.

I would take the MT/Rs over the original MT. Cooper makes a great all around as well, I believe it is the SST. ProComp aren't bad either. Poke around and see what is out there. Nitto Terra Dune Grapplers work pretty well in snow and soft sand, but don't do well on hard pack or gravel. About worthless in the mud.

Dab2,
PaJeepGuy seems to have alot of knowledge and is well versed in 4wheeling. So far his advice has been spot on and very sound, it sounds like he has learned the hard way a few times. Have faith, knowledge like this comes with time. You are learning the right way and asking questions. Throw some more questions out there and lets see what we can do to help.

Buck

Okay, with the truck I'm planning on getting, Toyota Tacoma w/ Off-Road package and extended bed, should I keep the same size/height tires as comes with it or something taller for an added bonus of ground clearance. Also since I plan on putting a fiberglass topper on back w/ tool box in bed, would you still run 5psi less in back tires?

Yeah, the Goodyear MT/Rs.  Whichever one has the kevelar in them.



Tire size is up to you.  If you don't plan on doing anything "extreme," you should be okay with the stock tire size.  If you do want to go a size or so bigger, check with a Toyota forum and they can let you know what lift you would need to run bigger tires, as well as what gearing to run, and if you should get stronger axle shafts.  I do pretty good in my Jeep with slightly bigger tires (stock were 30" and I am running 31" tires).  Sometimes it's not WHAT you drive but HOW you drive it.


As for air pressure, I can't exactly say. Your best is when you get a new set of tires buy a few pieces of sidewalk chalk.  Start with whatever is recommended for your vehicle (check the DOT tag on the inside door opening).  If you have a lot of "extras" on the truck, or carry a lot of gear with you, put in an extra 5psi.  If your truck is still as it was manufactured, just leave it at that recommended psi rating.  Apply about a 2"-4" strip of heavy chalk on each tire across the treat from edge to edge and drive about 10-20 miles on DRY road... make sure it is a DRY day.  Check the chalk.  If it is worn in the MIDDLE but not the edges, let out some air and repeat.  If it is worn on the outer edges but nut the middle, add some air.  Always make sure to check the air to make sure you don't have a slow leak. Repeat the chalk test about 2 or 3 times and you should have it dialed in as to what what air pressure to run for whatever tire you choose.  You may find in the summer months and/or on long highway trips you may have to let out a little bit of air.  On a 10hr trip from IN to PA I once had to let out about 10psi of pressure half way into the trip.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Keep in mind, increasing tire size (diameter) throws off your speedometer. For every inch of size you increse, the speedo is thrown off by approx 2.5 mph. So, if you go from a 30" to a 31", the sppedo will read 55, but you are actually going about 57.5mph. 30" to 33", you will be off by about 7.5 mph. Keep in mind that tire sizes are actually approximates. A 235 75R15 is a 27x7 15 inch rim, but the metric measurements aren't true, they are averages. I know that sounds confusing. The actual size of metric measurement tires vary from manufacturer and tire style. It doesn't vary much, but when you are looking at tight tolerances, keep it in mind.

Toyota's are great trucks. One of my personal favorites. Just remember cause and effect. When you increase tire size, it adds stress on bearings, axles, u-joints even the trans and transfer case. You increase horsepower by a large amount, it beats up the entire drivetrain. Your Toyota should be ok with a moderate tire increase with the off road package. Play with your air pressure, find out what works. Get your hands on one of those little CO2 tire inflation kits. Uses co2 cylinders, they work pretty well untill you get on board air. Your truck should have basic skid plates and under body armor. Remember to wash your truck after you wheel! Yup, it's cool to drive around with a muddy truck, but that mud and shit gets everywhere. Can't see minor leaks or tears in cv boots if they are covered in mud. Easy fixes can be masked by the dirt, next thing you know you are broke down by what could have been a 2 minute fix.

Buck

Thank you gentlemen, I will have more questions in the near future...

A question I seem to get a lot has to do with the whole "Aren't lifted Jeeps and 4x4s prone to rolling over" thing.  So for the good of the order, here's the skinny on Jeeps, 4x4s, and their roll-over potential.

Older Jeeps such as the 1977 CJ5 that I had and older Toyota FJ40s had narrow axles and a short wheelbase.  They were a little tippy if you weren't careful and got pretty squirrelly in wet weather.  This caused people to overcorrect and rollover.  Newer 4x4s have wider axles and are relatively more stable.  Better suspensions, better steering, and even better differentials (like limited slips) really help.

One way to mitigate rollover potential in any lifter 4x4 is a combination of wider tires, wider wheels, and more backspacing on the wheels.  Case in point, my Grand Cherokee has 2" of lift, so the center of gravity is 2" higher than stock which would make it a little more tipsy.  However, my tires are 3" wider (collectively), spaced out an inch more on each side (I have 8" wide wheels were stock ones are 7" wide) and the backspacing is 3/4" less on each side which pushes the tires out ever so slightly more.  So, in the end, while my Jeep sites 2" higher, it is about 6" wider which makes it a lot more stable overall.

Another way to mitigate body-roll on a lifted 4x4 is careful selection of springs.  The 2" coil springs I use are a stiffer spring rate than factory springs.  I can go into a corner pretty much like a sports car.  This does translate into a few more bumps on the road, but the tradeoff is well worth it.  A good pair of shocks also helps.  The ones I have on my Jeep now are about 50% larger in volume than a factory shock.  This means more damping of vibrations.  In the end I think my Jeep handles a hell of a lot better than it did when it was new.

In the end, to make a long story short, you don't have to sacrifice safety and controllability of your 4x4 if you want to lift it.  Just take the time to look at the various options and try not to overlook something as simple as a good pair of shocks or bushings.  But be weary of budget lifts or no-name brands. Most of the time the small companies don't put the R&D time into testing their springs.  When you spend the money for a decent lift you often get something that was calculated and researched and not just thrown together.  Not saying you should run out and by the most expensive lift you can either.  Just take the time to do a little research and compare the parts you'd be putting on to the parts your taking off.

To piggyback off of this:
Sway bars. They limited axle movement in reference to body roll. Basically a solid bar that flexes to limited the movement between the body and axle. On road, they are an absolute asset, off road the exact opposite of what you need to flex and maintain traction. Most 4 wheelers just disconnect or remove them altogether..... DON'T!!! There are several kits that allow you to "quick disconnect" the sway bars end links. This means you can be safer on the road and once you pull up to a trail, hop out, pull 4 pins (or bolts depending on setup) and you are ready to rock and roll. Once you are done wheeling, pull onto a flat surface and use a rock or log to drive onto to make any adjustments and slide your pins back into place.

Agreed.  There are upgrades for swaybars out there which help with towing (sad to say some newer 4x4s don't come with rear swaybars any more) as well as increased loads up front (like a steel bumper, winch, etc).

On my Jeep I am running an upgraded swaybar up front and a factory swaybar out back, polyurethane bushings, and JKS Quicker disconnects.  On road she handles like a dream, off road she flexes like mad.

Perfect example! The shocks are another great upgrade, that and extended stainless braided brake lines. The stainless braided brake lines actually allow more pressure to be directed to the caliper (or brake cylinder) without the loss in pressure due to expansion of the cheap rubber lines.

Never thought of using stainless braided brake lines. That sounds like a real plus. Do you all feel that the standard skid plates that come w/ the Toyota Tacoma are sufficient enough protection or do you have a specific brand you prefer?

Nowadays most skidplates are plastic. Now, that being said; plastic is outstanding and horrible in the same note. Plastic is lighter and more economical. It has alot more give and is easier to trim around components. Its more forgivIng when it breaks, not causing more damage to components. Plastic is also not as tough, gouges and wears more and faster than metal. Doesn't provide as much strength as metal for thickness. Most plastic skid plates are multiple layers, which allows water and mud and shit to get inbetweenthe layers and can weigh the vehicle down, cause fractures inthe plates or even break them if it freezes.

I like aluminum and titanium skid plates. Good luck finding titanium on a budget. Poke around, it's out there to be bought. I lucked out a guy who had worked in aerospace and he had a ton of it. He built an entire cage and exoskeleton out of it as well as his front and rear suspension parts. I snagged a couple 3/16 plate pieces and made my plates (actually he made them off of my cardboard cut outs) aluminum you can make yourself with a sawzall, a grinder and a drill. Lay it all out with cardboard, pre-measuree and trim everything onthe cardboard. Mark your creases and bends in red sharpie so you can bend them up. Your truck and a 2x4  can assist with your simple bends. Round the edges on EVERYTHING, metal cuts quick and deep, especially if your hands are wet when tou are inthe woods.

Just remember, everything you plate has to be cleaned after wheeling. A little dirt around a loose bolt or under a loos plate can cause premature wear and possible failure. If you aren't doing alot of technical drivIng, plates aren't a majorly important upgrade. But remember, 1 rock from a spinning tire HAS cracked a transmission before, or a transfer case.

1) Ive been running without a sway bar for 2 years now. Never a problem, I just took a 1300 mile round trip to Tn and back, no issues.

Once you take it off and drive, you wont notice it. I bet I could take the sway bar off everyones vehicle and they wouldnt be able to tell that much, maybe a tad more body roll, but we are talking about Trucks, jeeps and SUVs, your not suppose to be taking corners like a race car anyways.

Not saying everyone should yank the sway bar, thats a personal choice, Im just saying its not as big a deal as most make it out to be. The disco sway bar kits are good for the weekend warriors. I want my truck ready to go 24/7. If SHTF and im headed up the highway, I dont want to worry about disco'ing my sway bar to gain a few inches of articulation. Just my personal preference.

2) SS brake lines are good, if you get them, go ahead and buy extended length lines, incase you go to do a lift later on. Also if you get longer ones, be sure to route it out of the way, you have to keep in mind the suspension full droop and full collapse, you dont want the line pinched or stretched or rubbing against anything. They can rub thru your tire with enough time.

3) Plastic skid plates are becoming more popular, they use the same material as cutting boards. Personally, get all the protection you can underneath you can. When adding skid plates, make sure there is room for debris to get out. Most poorly designed skid plates act like shovels more than anything. So check the angles of the leading edges also the back (most times when your stuck, you get pulled backwards outa the hole)

4) Add a CB to your truck, you dont have to hook it up, but have it in there. Alot of 4x4 clubs monitor chan 4, atleast around here.

That was some excellent advice I've gotten from you all, but this last piece of advice intrigued me. First off I do NOT want to turn this into a CB topic just a brief extension of owning a 4x4. When I was in high school CB's were very popular until everybody and their brother had one. It quickly turned into a bunch of CB channels jammed with dipsticks. I haven't listened/used a CB in decades. Is it any better or still annoying at best to use one?

I was referri g to the 'stock' skid plates, not the aftermarket ones. Sad things is alot of the plastic plates cost more than aluminum or steel counterparts

In what kind of rig?  Not trying to start a pissing match but certain 4x4s (like older leaf sprung suspensions) can deal without a sway bar.  Newer coil sprung rings with soild axles pretty much need a sway bar.  Sway-bars on IFS rigs are hit-or-miss depending on size.  I would *never* encourage anyone to remove a sway-bar.  Not to mention it's illegal in some states (like here in PA) to run without one.  I notice a huge difference when on the highway when I run with mine disconnected.  I always hold my breath because I would never want to try and make evasive maneuvers.  Sure, you can do it... but it's a risk depending on the 4x4.




The cutting board skids still need some kind of metal backing.  That stuff will crack without anything to stiffen it.  It's mostly overrated unless you're competing and want to slide off the rocks when every second counts.

That said, aluminum is becoming very popular now. A lot lighter, but a little more expensive.



I run a CB because most of the time I am on the trails it's just my group and I.  Even at the off road park when there are 300+ people on the trails I can usually find an empty CB channel.  Even on the highway I have run in a "convoy" of 4x4s for 100s of miles and not had any issues talking to my group.