benwilliams1226

Hi, I want to know what would be the better crawler for the buck and why its a better buy, Both are for the same price, i do not have a full description for the toyota but still... Both descriptions will be below:

86 Toyota:
86 Toyota on Chevy half ton axles (rear locking)
Dual transfer cases
inside Roll cage
30,000 miles on rebuilt bored out 22r with webber carb.
Registered in nevada wont pass Cali smogg unless u put some work into it.

94 2dr. Jeep:
5 Speed Manual
220,000 miles
Strait 6 4.0 L Engine
4.5" Rough Country Lift Suspension with the X-Flex Control Arm
This includes lifted coil springs, upper and lower adjustable X-Flex
control arms, transfer case drop kit, adjustable track bar, stainless
steel brake lines, and sway-bar disconnects.
It does have a locker
Front axile is a Dana 30, Back is a Dana 35
Tires are BFGoodrich Tires MUD-TERRAIN T/A KM2 35x12.50R18
85% tread left
It's got a Kicker Sub, Amp, and speaker package in the back

BMcEL

Get ready for some bias.

Badger62811

This is the wrong way to go about this. I'm sure you posted the same thing on a Jeep website. I'm just going out on a limb here, but I'm willing to bet everyone is going to say go with the Toyota. On a Jeep forum, everyone will say get the Jeep.

I'm not going to say go with the Toyota, even though that's a better choice.

Here's some things to think about. Look at the mileage on the two. How many more hard miles do you expect the Jeep to last? I'm guessing the Toyota has had the cat removed. Do some more research and figure out what all it is missing that makes it not pass smog. How much time/work/money are you able to put into it to get it registered?

You could go with the Jeep, and be very happy. You could go with the Yota, and also be very happy. For all of us here, the choice is clear. The Yota has had pretty much everything done to it that most guys dream of doing.. Course the Jeep is modified too. I dunno man. You're asking a bunch of Jeep haters which rig you should buy.

I'll leave you with this, my final thought. I refuse to wheel with anyone who is bringing a Jeep because every time I do, the trip is cut short because of some mechanical failure by the Jeep.

mudpunisher

if you gotta ask go with the jeep

sctrep

I think badger is right. I've gotta say though. Jeep guys want Toyota cases and the Toyota already has two. Honestly the Jeep seems like it has "basic"off-road stuff. The Toyota seems a bit more custom and advance. Comes down to what you want. What type of driving you do. Do you carry supplies for extended trips. Family? It's you decision ultimately.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

Dana 30 and 35" tires...always a winning combination

Discombobulated

I would buy the Toyota just for the mudflaps

combatcarl

Yeah, the yeep appears to be a bit of a mall crawler. That little Dana 35 will get far enough off-road to make you need a Toyota assist when it says "uncle". They get swapped for D44s for a reason.

James Woods

iTrader: (1)

Not to mention the locker, sounds like the Jeep has a transfercase drop because they didn't want to spend the money on a slip yoke. I agree that you did not come to the right place for an unbiased opinion, the things you have to think about is the mileage like mentioned, the wheeling that you are planning on doing (the Toyota will rock crawl far better with the doubler) and overall what you will be spending upgrading parts, for example, the axles wont last long in the Jeep, they have a tendency to break with 30 inch tires and open diffs, if the Toyota has either Dana 44's or 10 bolts, they may have some issues.

Then if you are going to be rock crawling, remember that the Jeep is a unibody and the whole body will flex which means no taking the doors off, and to mention doors, the XJ has an issue with sagging doors that have to be rewelded due to the way the door hinges are.

For what its worth, I owned a Jeep Cherokee and I really liked it, I never took it wheeling but it did good in the snow in town. After I sold it, I was looking for another XJ when my Toyota was offered up, needless to say I won't be going back.

Good luck, but by posting here I think we all know which one you really want and just wanted to hear it.

Dr.DJ

I think i might be the only one who can give you an unbiased answer. I currently own a 91 Cherokee, and an 86 22re manual.

i would say the Jeep would be the better 'crawler, and let me tell you why.

First off, Power. The carbureted 22r is more of a high rev romping engine, the 4.0 is going to be better for low rpm torque. Also carburetors are a pain in the ass when you truck will be tilting in every which way on rocks, in terms of fuel starvation.

Second is transmission, don't get me wrong, i HATE automatic transmissions, but rock crawling... i would rather the auto. You wont have to worry about shifting while trying to balance on rocks, and also wont have to worry about burning the out of a clutch. You did not mention if the truck is a manual, but i will assume so. and if not, that will be even worse in terms of power.

other things to consider, the truck has an empty bed which gives you little weight in the rear tires. The jeep is also 8 years newer. and the pickup has smog issues.

the jeep has 220k miles which is alot for a Domestic, which means you'll have to be VERY through when checking out this vehicle.



**You asked for Crawling, so thats what im answering for. in terms of overall vehicle, a Toyota is ALWAYS going to be better than a Chrysler..

runs-on-4

iTrader: (1)

jeep may have more power but with dual cases who cares.
i have a buddy with near the same setup on his jeep and stuff is always breaking,
that 22r is gonna be way better on gas probably last longer

and jeeps are for girls

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

I say go with the Jeep!!!

That way someone the knows that they want a Toyota can buy that.

shaeff

The Toyota has dual cases. That kind of eliminates the burning clutch/shifting, which makes the above a moot point.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

J***s suck ass.

:wabbit2:

Spazzcdnm

iTrader: (1)

haha, My thoughts exactly! You wil snap 35's like toothpicks with that locked rear. I would get the yota, but if you do get the Jeep, then plan on swapping axles really soon. What they say is true. J.E.E.P. Just Empty Every Pocket.

westjohns yota

im useing that ^

Badger62811

I'm using that ^^^ lol

Inferno451

If this is any indication, Spazzcdmn (a couple posts above) and i went rock crawling with a group of 5 heavily modified Cherokees the other day. Our trucks are stock besides 31 inch tires. Out of the five 2 were disabled (broken distributor, broken d30 axle shaft). Besides dented transfer case crossmembers, NO damage to our trucks, despite having to bomb the rocks due to manual transmissions. Cherokees can be built to be pretty awesome, and i'll probably build one someday, but especially with that Dana 35 in the back, i'd have to say the Toyota. These things are stupid tough.

87xjmike

I've had 3 cherokees, I lifted them all, last one I caged and built up and posted pics below so you know i'm not blowing smoke out my a$$. I currently have a 91 yota prerunner and a 73 ford courier crawler on 40’s with all yota drivetrain running on propane so i can give you an unbiased answer.
My last xj i caged and was on 37's on the stock axles which were the dana 30 and dana 44 and i never broke anything in my axles with 15+ runs through the Rubicon, several to moonrocks, fordyce and several other tough trails and i have a heavy foot. The rear had alloy shafts but the front was stock regeard/open. There's is precaustions you can take to make a stock dana 30 last like tac welding the ujoint caps in the shafts, trussing etc...
A lot of axle breakage is driver induced and for that badger fella above to refuse to wheel with jeeps is idiotic. You clearly wheel with bigger idiots because anything built properly can wheel, I hate people with your mentality of brand bias.

I don't really like this xj, it has the cheapest bolt on stuff and the worst rear axle option and is semi high mileage.
it has no cage, caging a unibody sucks, I had to plate everything everywhere and there was never enough plating
the auto, low end tourque of the 4.0, fuel injection and ideal wheelbase of the xj is all great for crawling and this alone can have a hudge advantage over a lot of yotas when crawling with the right driver.
coil spring front is a plus/advantage and will prolly out flex the yota but I feel its poorly executed here with a spacer and short arms.


The yota looks nice, with the doubler you wont be clutching it much anyway, its already caged which is hudge in my book and hopefully the axles are good.

I would drive both and if they both drive good I’d likely choose the yota and put a got propane kit in it if to deal with extreme angles.


Rubicon this summer- I just parted out last month :-(

combatcarl

Good opinions, all. The only money the toy needs would be towards a propane conversion. And smog. But if its a wheeler only, does it need smog in CA? D35s suck, my dad broke on in a driveway, maybe the LSD's fault? Nobody wheels with weight in the bed, so that's a non-issue. Doubler saves clutch and drivetrain, no issue there. The one up for the xj is the 4.0. Really a decent motor. And guys here are biased, duh, its a TOYOTA forum. Go ask pirate, then. And I wouldn't wheel with my dad's xj, it breaks something if you fart too hard standing nearby.