Topic of Discussion Trickle Down Crawler Tech

[Greg]

I'll add synthetic winch rope, as well. Steel cable winch rope has high potential for injury simply by handling it if there are broken strands, let alone the injury potential if a cable breaks.

When the comps started requiring synthetic rope for safety, I'd didn't take long for it to end up on the recreational rigs.

 

[Greg]

I was referring more to a typical TJ from 2003 with short arms and 4” springs, versus today having several companies with well engineered 4-link kits and integrated skid plates.

I once wheeled with a guy that had a new TJ with a 4" lift, then 4" springs spacers on top of that. His stock length control arms were super steep and it lifted tires like crazy on almost every climbing obstacle he tried! It was hilarious to watch.

 

[bobdog]

What technical mods can you think of have trickled down from rockcrawling competition (UROC, WEROC, etc) to recreational wheeling that are now common place for the recreational offroader?

As someone who thought he was really into rock crawling a decade before comps happened the biggest technical mod is people willing to really **** up their ride in order to make an obstacle. Don't get me wrong. I have been affected as well., but the willingness to go for it has been every bit as impressive as the rig tech. Of course there are other advancements.

 

[bobdog]

I mean, flat and flexy leafs that induced wheel hop, stopping climbs in their tracks. My sprung over YJ was prone to breaking driveshafts on big climbs, hopping around. Once people started building traction bars for soft leafs, the next step was a proper 4 link.

Also, speaking to trickle down technology from comps to recreational wheelers... leafs are much less common these days. Doesn't mean a leaf sprung rig can't work well.

My SOA CJ was dialed. It did not hop ever, flexed as good as a linked Jeep and seemed to me to be more stable. Climbed great considering the tires it ran and 98" wheelbase and I dare say did some trials better than my current linked 42" sticky 112" WB rig.

 

[N-Smooth]

As someone who thought he was really into rock crawling a decade before comps happened the biggest technical mod is people willing to really **** up their ride in order to make an obstacle. Don't get me wrong. I have been affected as well., but the willingness to go for it has been every bit as impressive as the rig tech. Of course there are other advancements.

I already had that mod and comps made it WAY worse lol. People ask how many times I’ve rolled and I tell them I stopped counting. It just makes me sound like a terrible driver (sort of true anyways) but I’ve done a bunch of gates that pretty much guaranteed flops or rolls.

 

[Greg]

My SOA CJ was dialed. It did not hop ever, flexed as good as a linked Jeep and seemed to me to be more stable. Climbed great considering the tires it ran and 98" wheelbase and I dare say did some trials better than my current linked 42" sticky 112" WB rig.

Well setup leafs are awesome, they're simple and can work great. But not all leaf sprung rigs are well setup and work great.