A few Off road questions

[Bone Head]

ok guys, sorry to bother with satupid questions but I'm confused...

1) Coil shocks or leaf springs?
I'm told that coil will be better because it allows more movment and a softer ride, yet I'm told leaf will allow the same amount of movement and is more durable.


2) tires, mud/snow or baja?
I am told that mud and snow are best all around but suck on wet roads but i thought Baja was the best way to go.

3) roll bar and roll cage steel size, 2 inch diameter with 1/16 -1/8 thickness or 1and 1/2 inch diameter with 1/8-1/4 thickness?
I was told they are both the same all around and want to know if one is better.

4) finally, should I rhino line the bottom of the truck or use dimond pressed steel for a lower body scratch guard?
I know nether one is nessesary, but I want one or the other. I was thinking Rhino line would look better but at the same time the dimond steel would look pretty good. Any opinions?


thanks for the help

[Sandemon]

What is this on/for?

[Bone Head]

85 toyota EFI 4wd standerd cab long bed.

[Sandemon]

1) Unless you have excellent fabrication skills I would stay with the leaf springs, getting the suspension geometry right is not as easy as some people think. Coilovers are a much more tunable option but for the cost of 1 coilover setup you can get a great set of regular shocks.

2) for tires unless you are wanting to spend a lot of time in mud and snow, stay with the all terrain (Baja)

3) For a roll cage I would use 2" DOM steel tube .095 min. wall, here again the fabrication skills play a big part. You will be trusting your life to the roll cage, perfection will be barley adequate.

4)I would go with the rhino lining, much easier to install and touch up.

If you think hiring a professional is expensive, try hiring an amateur.

[FE135]

My two cents:


1) Coil shocks or leaf springs?
I'm told that coil will be better because it allows more movment and a softer ride, yet I'm told leaf will allow the same amount of movement and is more durable.


Leaf, unless you got lots of money. Coils will allow more articulation if married to an aftermarket suspension system $$$


2) tires, mud/snow or baja?
I am told that mud and snow are best all around but suck on wet roads but i thought Baja was the best way to go.

BF Goodrich all terrain TA's. Good enough for Baja! I use them on my Manx. Love em.


3) roll bar and roll cage steel size, 2 inch diameter with 1/16 -1/8 thickness or 1and 1/2 inch diameter with 1/8-1/4 thickness?
I was told they are both the same all around and want to know if one is better.

For your needs, 1.5 tube .095 if chromolly .120 if reg steel.


4) finally, should I rhino line the bottom of the truck or use dimond pressed steel for a lower body scratch guard?
I know nether one is nessesary, but I want one or the other. I was thinking Rhino line would look better but at the same time the dimond steel would look pretty good. Any opinions?

If your bouncing off of rocks, Rhino lining is one step up from paint, no protection. Strategically placed skid plates is probably all you need.


thanks for the help

Your welcome!

If you are going for all out competition, contact the sanctioning body for their rulebook. I gave you my opinion for duel use street and off-road use.

[EvilJester]

contact the sanctioning body

Nobody sanctions BoneHead. He's in his own catagory.

[Bone Head]

Nobody sanctions BoneHead. He's in his own catagory.

... I'm truley not sure if that was a complement... LOL thanks for the help, and to FE135 I know that Rhino line wont protect from rocks, I was wondering for paint protection. Skid plates are already on the list of things to do. And its just for having fun, not competitions.

And for Sandemon I am having a friends dad build the rollcage, its what he does for living so I'm sure I can trust his work.

Thanks again for all the help

[FE135]

For rust protection it's great. For paint protection, not so much. You won't see that paint ever again.

[Bone Head]

lol ok paint protection was a bad way to put that. i dont wanna see any scratches down on the bottom of my car. If i rhino line it i wont correct?

[FE135]

It's durable but can scratch. Luckily, you can get it in a can and touch up. If you put it on thick, it's pretty strong. I use it on my Manx.

[Bone Head]

Ok that sounds like a good option for me then. Now i have another question for everyone, Does any one know where i can buy the steel for cheep?

[Big_Gunz_]

Scrap yards or any fab shop should have some extra stuff just laying around they'll sell you for cheap.

[Bone Head]

k I'll check around for one, is $75 a good price for 24 ft of 2 inch wide 1/8 thick uncoated steel tube?

[YFZBOB]

Check out this site (http://www.onlinemetals.com/index.cfm). It'll give you an idea on prices. (FYI:Steel yards prefer decimal measurements on thickness,only because it's easier to input into the computer)

1/8" =0.125 thickness.



k I'll check around for one, is $75 a good price for 24 ft of 2 inch wide 1/8 thick uncoated steel tube?

[Bone Head]

I'll keep that in mind, thanks

[Desert_Dog]

I agree with all the recommendations, except that I would use at least .120 wall in the main parts of the roll cage. cross pieces can be lighter (.095 min) if you like. Remember, your truck will be over 3000 lbs unless you're doing major surgery. The roll cage has to support the weight of the truck on any surface and with some impact resistance. Most people recommend DOM vs roll tube but I doubt that's necessary for what you're doing.
DOM=Drawn Over Mandrel(no seam) ~$5-$6 a foot
Rolled=means it's flat and rolled round and the seam welded. Look for the seam along the tube, if it's there it's NOT DOM.
All tube is decimal, IE you may not buy 1/8th in 1.5-2.0 size tube you get .120. Not exactly the same but close. 1/8th =.125 mathematically. Shock bosses are .750/.125 wall I think. .125 twice(each side of the tube) =.250. .750 -.250=.500 So you use half inch grade 5 or 8 bolts.
I like Patton steal where I'm at. Neal goes to Endura or the scrap yard. Endura is a little cheaper on a lot of things and discounts their scrap bin more. Don't know if they're a chain. Patton discounts their scrap bin severely around the beginning of the year sometime so they don't have to measure it for annual inventory.

Rhino is nice looking undercoating. Are you using it on the under carriage or on the body along the bottom? Plate looks nice and is very strong but is more expensive and ads weight. I would Rhino the frame and areas you may expect to hit brush and lighter stuff. along the body between the tires you need Nerf bars or a similar skid setup (Rocker Boxes?) to keep the body off rocks. Underneath, you need skid plates on your axles and stuff. I wouldn't use diamond plate there. They're skid plates. You expect to hit them and you want them to slide over stuff and diamond plate may catch.
'85 er with the 22R 4 banger? Great little truck. Lots of aftermarket support.
BTW, all my recommendations are based on the assumption this will be used all around 4X4ing and still streatable. And we haven't even started with notching, Dovetailing the rear, Narrowing the front, Bumpers, Axles.....It doesn't end, it just keeps living.
My2c. Cheers

[Bone Head]

Wow... That was alot of good info, thanks. I know not to use dimond for skid plates. I also was wondering were i should go for lift kits. I want low price but good quality and I'm only looking for about a 4 or 6 inch lift. just to get it up enoug that i can put 33's under it instead of the 31's on it now. any ideas?

[FE135]

Wow... That was alot of good info, thanks. I know not to use dimond for skid plates. I also was wondering were i should go for lift kits. I want low price but good quality and I'm only looking for about a 4 or 6 inch lift. just to get it up enoug that i can put 33's under it instead of the 31's on it now. any ideas?

Call ORW (off road warehouse) 858 565-6095. I've been using them for years.

[FE135]

Eff that approval! This gets through but the reply doesn't?? Reload this website, needs a fricken reboot!

My response was to call off road warehouse. Been using them for years 858 565-6095

[Desert_Dog]

Eff that approval! This gets through but the reply doesn't?? Reload this website, needs a fricken reboot!

My response was to call off road warehouse. Been using them for years 858 565-6095
Yeah, them or 4West. Keep in mind there's places that specialize in older Toy's.