Oh man here we go. Right now I'm driving my parents expedition as a dd while I try to sell my mustang and truck. I'm thinking of getting a newer jeep for offroading. It seems to be the best offroading thing I could get. My other choice is a 95-97 F350 powerstroke. I would get a standard cab and try to find a shortbox and cut the frame down. This would probably be pretty hard. I really love fords but I can't find what I'm looking for really. I need decent mileage since this will be a DD and I want a good turning radius and need to be able to get some work done with it too. I go offroad on trails mainly but I may move to AZ soon so it may change to rocks. Buying the expedition is a possibility too but it's not very efficient (probably be the same as the F350 or wrangler). What would you do?

 

hmm, tough decision! how about get a jeep and swapo all ford parts in it

-cutts-

 

I have nothing against jeeps. I wouldn't kick a CJ5 with a 258, 4spd and soft top out of the driveway.

 

we have a jeep cj-5 as well...

jeeps are great until you want to run something over 33 inches....then you have to put all ford or chevy parts in them so the drivetrain doenst keep breaking

our cj has 35 boggers with an open dana 30 front and detroited 44 rear...im not worried about the rear...but everytime i use 4x4...i cringe at what those cute little 260x joints are going through

if it was me...i would do what cutts is and find an eb...wheel it till you upgrade tires and start breaking...then upgraede the drivetrain.

i like them because you cant take the doors/ top off, and fold the windshield down...so you can see alot

 

With a newer jeep you will probably have coil sprung rear end... which means $$ to lift it, then like kubota said, if you plan to run big tires, forget thoes stock axles. Im going to get a jeep soon enough, but an older one with leaf's all around.

 

yeah i dont want to go over 33s anyways. I just want something locked front and rear but still can get like 19mpg

 

What kind of work can a jeep do? You can't haul anything and they can't tow much. With that short of a wheel base the trailer will be telling the jeep where to go.
I wouldn't mind having a jeep but you thinking of a jeep or a f350? Thats is like comparing a peddle car with a dragster.
How about a ranger?

 

I need 2 solid axles... Im not talking about towing crazy stuff just something I can put some tools in and get around with. The expedition is doing pretty good in that aspect. I figure if I take the back seat out of the jeep I can fit about the same amount of stuff in it. The truck is a different story though. The truck I have now is about the same size and its pretty sick with a locker and 36s and a solid dana 44 front. I just hate the turning radius and sloppy handling.

 

ok then just get a stroker, CC/LB and put rear steer in!

i have seriously thought about doing this

kubota, the problem with going with EB is the fact they are so pricey to begin with. unless you can find a good deal even the rotted out ones with a sick motor can easily run $3500 depeding on region!

-cutts-

 

Well how bout a 80-85 short box (the flaresides are really really nice , i happen to have one too in my gallery), with 302 and 4sp, 4" lift and 33's, keep the ttb (sounds like you're not wheeling anything that hard and the ttb will survive the 33's and lockers) to keep the turning radius. As far as the motor a mild rv cam intake carb and headers (like an edlebrock power package would be an excellant choice), if you an extra bit of cash maybe find a set of heads off a 5.0L explorer (they would be the gt-40 heads), these things combined would produce reasonable milage ( i get about 15mpg in my flareside with 3.25 gears toploader 4sp, and 350hp 351w), and i'd assume you'd see in the 16-17mpg range for sure with a heavier foot. Next throw a couple lockrights in there your lift and good set of raduials and you'll be good to go.

 

I own a 79 J20 Jeep truck that I have had for over 20 years now and plan to restore someday. It is without question the tuffest and best built pickup I have ever owned. Not much on creature comforts but it is stout.

 

I wish my wifes Rubicon got 19 MPG. I think it barely gets better mileage than my SD. Well, it gets a little better, about 15 MPG. Still pretty sorry.

But, if you want solid axles, lockers, and a nice low t-case, find a used Rubicon. You already get D44's, 4.10 gears, lockers, and it's a plenty comfortable ride. I put the hitch on it and have towed my trailer and 2 ATV's with it, totaling about 2200 - 2500 lbs, nothing big, but it did okay.

If you want to rock crawl, that's a pretty good platform to start with.

 

> I need decent mileage since this will be a DD and I want a good turning radius
> and need to be able to get some work done with it too.

Late model full sized Bronco EFI 351w with a standard transmission, assuming the EFIs were offered with it. I know the automatics are good for 15+ mpg. Good DD, good turning radius, has the V-8, front Dana 44, and rear 8.8 axle a Jeep owner will put under his rig anyways. If you need 33s they will probably fit on the stock vehicle with new rims.

I have worked at Chevy and Jeep dealerships and have driven pretty much all they had to offer from the 70s to late 90s. About the only Chevy I have liked for off road where the early Blazers (which make nice plow trucks and are easy to work on), the quadtrac full sized (-> real <-) Cherokees, and the J-10. Never owned them though.

I have owned two full sized Broncos and three Bronco IIs. What can I say, I like the Ford stuff better

Though if you were to offer me a CJ-7 or CJ-8 (never even sold one when selling Jeeps - noone wanted them at the time) with a 304 or 258 I would not turn it now eiher. I sort of liked the Wranglers, the hard tops are way better, but, who buys a Jeep to get a hard top for off road?

 

I have to agree on the Full Size Bronco. Late model FSB would be what I'd try to find. Good stuff, and you can do so much with them.

Good luck!

 

Hang myself in a closet.







































Sorry, couldn't resist