Top 23 How Much Does It Cost To Build A Rock Crawler The 59 Detailed Answer

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That’s not exactly NASCAR money, especially as the newer, competitive 600-plus-hp rigs (they are always “rigs” or “buggies” and never “cars”) cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $70,000 to build. Bottom: The making of a race course and of a hangover.Shift your Jeep into four low, disconnect the front sway bar, turn on your rear locker, and let her crawl. That is the key word: crawl. It’s called rock crawling for a reason. If you have never driven a vehicle in four low before, the throttle will take some getting used to.Rock crawling is like kryptonite to weak axles. All it takes is a good amount of momentum behind a wheel and a sudden gain of traction for everything to go to hell. “Upgraded axles should be on the short list of any rock crawler,” says Dan Guyer, Category Manager of Wheels and Tires at Keystone Automotive.

How do you make a rock crawler?

Shift your Jeep into four low, disconnect the front sway bar, turn on your rear locker, and let her crawl. That is the key word: crawl. It’s called rock crawling for a reason. If you have never driven a vehicle in four low before, the throttle will take some getting used to.

What makes a good rock crawler?

Rock crawling is like kryptonite to weak axles. All it takes is a good amount of momentum behind a wheel and a sudden gain of traction for everything to go to hell. “Upgraded axles should be on the short list of any rock crawler,” says Dan Guyer, Category Manager of Wheels and Tires at Keystone Automotive.

What do you need for rock crawling?

What is the best rock crawler?

What is the best wheelbase for rock crawling?

Wheelbase 108-117 (Inches): This wheelbase is probably the most common, as far as off-road cars go. Think of things like the 4 door Jeep Wrangler, and even some pickup trucks. While this wheelbase isn’t so big that it makes off-roading hard, it’s just big enough to give you good stability and handling on the trail.

Is the TRX4 the best crawler?

1. Traxxas TRX-4. There can only be one winner and our king of crawler chassis has to be Traxxas’ TRX4. Yes, it is our most expensive truck it is also the finest of designs and most capable scale model that has ever graced our news site.

What axles do rock bouncers use?

Full long travel suspension with at minimum dana 60 axles and running monster 43-47″ tires. Most rock bouncers will use Chevy crate motors and can range anywhere from 600hp all the way up to as much as 1100hp.

How do you drive on rocks?

What do you need to build a RC rock crawler?

What axles do rock bouncers use?

Full long travel suspension with at minimum dana 60 axles and running monster 43-47″ tires. Most rock bouncers will use Chevy crate motors and can range anywhere from 600hp all the way up to as much as 1100hp.

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HOW MUCH DOES A ROCK BOUNCER COST

HOW MUCH DOES A ROCK BOUNCER COST

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Southern Rock Racing Demonstrates Why Crawling is for Babies – Feature – Car and Driver

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• Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Southern Rock Racing Demonstrates Why Crawling is for Babies – Feature – Car and Driver Updating We attend the last event of the season for the world’s loudest and roughest off-road buggies. Read more at Car and Driver.hillbilly deluxe, southern rock racing, crawling, climbing, race, off road, mud, dirt, rocks, buggy, buggies, hill, south, American, bouncer, rugged, all terrain, feature, savage, Tennessee, Super Swamper, Arkansas, Peter Ruttan, Tim Cameron, MadRam11, Cole Shirley, Clyde Bynum, Southern Rock Racing Series, SRRS, Dale Larsen, X-Rated, Phat N Rowdy, Showtime, Plowboy, FatGirl
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Rock Crawling 101 — Kurt’s 7 Commandments! | Modern Jeeper

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Tech Corner: A Beginner’s Guide to Building a Rock Crawler, Part 1 – The Engine Block

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Axles and Differential

Suspension

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Access Denied

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Episode 3: Suspension and coolant lines | How to build your own rock crawler/buggy/bouncer – YouTube

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• Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Episode 3: Suspension and coolant lines | How to build your own rock crawler/buggy/bouncer – YouTube Updating In this video, I talked about preliminary suspension design and coolant lines before starting work on the buggy sub-framerock buggy, rock bouncer, rock crawler, off-road fabrication
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Estimating labor cost/time to build a rock crawler – OFN Forums

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• Summary of article content: Articles about Estimating labor cost/time to build a rock crawler – OFN Forums So, it’s about a 250 – 300hr build and $15k-$20k for labor. Cool, that helps out. I’m ordering about 325′ of DOM tomorrow. I’ll keep you guys … …
• Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Estimating labor cost/time to build a rock crawler – OFN Forums So, it’s about a 250 – 300hr build and $15k-$20k for labor. Cool, that helps out. I’m ordering about 325′ of DOM tomorrow. I’ll keep you guys … Estimating labor cost/time to build a rock crawler, Offroad Fabrication Network, OFN, Tube Bending, Fabrication, Welding, Suspension , 4×4, Bend-Tech, Xtreme Crawlers Estimating labor cost/time to build a rock crawler Offroad Fabrication
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Error 403 (Forbidden)

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How To Build A Rock Crawler On A Budget |Most detailed- Dogiman

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• Summary of article content: Articles about How To Build A Rock Crawler On A Budget |Most detailed- Dogiman … are always “rigs” or “buggies” and never “cars”) cost somewhere in the neighborhood of ,000 to build What makes a good rock crawler? …
• Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How To Build A Rock Crawler On A Budget |Most detailed- Dogiman … are always “rigs” or “buggies” and never “cars”) cost somewhere in the neighborhood of ,000 to build What makes a good rock crawler? How much does it cost to build a rock crawler? That’s not exactly NASCAR money, especially as the newer, competitive 600-plus-hp rigs (they are always “rigs” or “buggies” and never “cars”) cost somewhere in the neighborhood of ,000 to build What makes a good rock crawler? Rock crawling is like kryptonite to weak axles All it takes is a good amount of momentum behind a wheel and a sudden gain of traction for everything to go to hell “Upgraded axles should be on the short list of any rock crawler,” says Dan Guyer, Category Manager of Wheels and Tires at Keystone Automotive What is the difference between a rock crawler and a rock bouncer? Bouncers are teenagers on prom night that get off before their girl’s bra is undone, and crawlers have tantric orgasms that last longer than the Clinton Administration What does Tim Cameron do for a living? Tim Cameron is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of FlexPoint Media– an omnichannel media strategy firm specializing in political and public affairs campaigns Is RC Rock Crawling fun? The challenge and the incredible views make it a really fun time RC crawling is a lot cheaper and less dangerous and you can still get some of the same enjoyment as you do from the real thing Is rock crawling dangerous? While rock-crawling can be dangerous, the risk is minimized if done right and with the proper equipment on board Therefore, you need to understand how your equipment works and how to fix it if it breaks If you built the rig yourself, chances are you already have a good understanding about the gear How much does a rock crawler weight? Toyota 4×4 Land Cruisers says the curb weight of a stock 60 is 4246 lb Mine weighed in at 5260, devoid of people and cargo, and missing 150 lb of diesel in the tank Total force under the front tires was 2415 lb, 2845 lb in the rear How do you pick a line off the road? How to pick a line when off-roading? When picking a line, always try to choose the path with highest traction On uneven terrains try to keep wheels on high side as much as possible Use a spotter on extreme terrains Keep necessary speed according to the terrain How long is a rock bouncer? Wheel Base – 113″ to 125″ What type of suspension is best for off roading? What Type of Suspension System and Parts Are Ideal and Safe for Off-Roading? Independent Front Suspension Also known as an IFS, an independent suspension can operate as a two or four-wheel drive system Four-Link Suspensions Twin-Traction Beam Suspension Double Wishbone Suspension What is the fastest RC rock crawler? “The Traxxas XO-1 is the fastest RC car, full stop The largest brushless motor on offer propels the car from 1 to 60 in 25 seconds Not only is this car stylish, but it also reaches speeds over 100 miles per hour”Oct 29, 2020 What suspension is used for rock crawling? This thesis outlines the process of designing a three link front, and four link rear suspension system These systems are commonly found on vehicles used for the sport of rock crawling, or for recreational use on unmaintained roads How much horsepower do rock bouncers have? Many Rock Bouncers are powered by GM crate motors coupled to custom transmissions and transfer cases Typical power output for these beasts varies between 500 to 750 horsepower (although many now push 1000 hp), and the torque exceeds anything seen on street vehicles Are Rock bouncers automatic? Drivetrain You may be surprised to find out that Ultra4 cars and Rock Bouncers commonly share many drivetrain components They both normally have front-mounted engines, automatic transmissions with manual valve-bodies, abuse-ready gear-driven transfer cases and 1-ton or larger axles How can I make my rock crawler faster? 6 Ways To Make Your RC Rock Crawler Faster Change the gear ratio Lower the weight Change the tires Upgrade the motor Upgrade the battery Practice What fuel do rock bouncers use? More videos on YouTube The new Bouncer is named STAND BACK and it features an all Aluminum Big Block that is making around 1400 Horsepower on 116 Race Fuel We were fortunate enough to get the first look at it and it still needs dyno tuned before he can take it out and test everything What is the best rock crawler? The Best RC Rock Crawlers of 2021 Axial Jeep Wrangler RC Crawler Danchee RidgeRock 4WD Rock Crawler DEE RC 1:14 Rock Crawler SteamPrime RC Rock Crawler Redcat Racing Everest-10 Rock Crawler LEGO Technic 4 x 4 Extreme Off-Roader Axial UMG10 6×6 RC Rock Crawler Legendary 1:10 Scale RC Rock Crawler What is the most expensive RC car? The Vision Mercedes Maybach 6 Is The World’s Most Expensive Remote Control Car The 6-meter long Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 might just be the world’s longest, and most expensive, remote control car The humongous study looks imposing in the flesh, similar to most pre-war luxury cars How do you rock crawl? Shift your Jeep into four low, disconnect the front sway bar, turn on your rear locker, and let her crawl That is the key word: crawl It’s called rock crawling for a reason If you have never driven a vehicle in four low before, the throttle will take some getting used to Are nitro RC cars faster than electric? Cleaner than Nitro Cars, and don’t need engine tuning Typically cheaper to run These cars are much quieter and practically silent compared to Nitro Cars Electric Cars are much faster then Nitro cars with upgrades How do you do a manual rock crawl? For that you have to press the clutch and brake pedals at once while engaging on low gear and then slowly release only the clutch pedal until you feel your vehicle trying to grip the rock Then slowly release your brake pedal How much does a hill climb buggy cost? Dune Buggy Cost 30,000 Rank Silver III What Jeep is best for rock crawling? By popular review, the 03-07 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon seems to be the best rock-crawler out there Related posts: Quick Answer: What Is Budget Cycle What Is The Best Budget Cycle Computer Quick Answer: How To Plan A Cruise On A Budget Quick Answer: What Do U Need To Rent A Car From Budget Question: Where To Retire In California On A Budget Quick Answer: What Is The Rock Cycle Of An Igneous Rock Quick Answer: How To Build A Robot In Build A Boat For Treasure How Much Rock Should Be In A Fish Tank How Much Rock For 55 Gallon Fish Tank Quick Answer: What Is The Rock Cycle Diagram How Fast Does A Rock Fall Quick Answer: How To Describe The Rock Cycle Quick Answer: How Long Is Rock N Roller Coaster Question: What Does The Rock Cycle Mean Question: What Is Crystallization In The Rock Cycle How Much Does The Rock Work Out Can Baby Sleep In Fisher Price Rock And Play What Type Of Rock Is Devils Tower Question: What Does The Rock Take To Get Ripped Quick Answer: How To Make A 3D Model Of The Rock Cycle
• Table of Contents:

How much does it cost to build a rock crawler

What makes a good rock crawler

What is the difference between a rock crawler and a rock bouncer

What does Tim Cameron do for a living

Is RC Rock Crawling fun

Is rock crawling dangerous

How much does a rock crawler weight

How do you pick a line off the road

How long is a rock bouncer

What type of suspension is best for off roading

What is the fastest RC rock crawler

What suspension is used for rock crawling

How much horsepower do rock bouncers have

Are Rock bouncers automatic

How can I make my rock crawler faster

What fuel do rock bouncers use

What is the best rock crawler

What is the most expensive RC car

How do you rock crawl

Are nitro RC cars faster than electric

How do you do a manual rock crawl

How much does a hill climb buggy cost

What Jeep is best for rock crawling

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How much does a custom rock crawler cost? – Flyingselfies.com

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Tech Corner: A Beginner’s Guide to Building a Rock Crawler, Part 1 – The Engine Block

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• Summary of article content: Articles about Tech Corner: A Beginner’s Guide to Building a Rock Crawler, Part 1 – The Engine Block “Upgraded axles should be on the short list of any rock crawler,” says … You can upgrade a D300 or NP231, but the cost is going to be in … …
• Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Tech Corner: A Beginner’s Guide to Building a Rock Crawler, Part 1 – The Engine Block “Upgraded axles should be on the short list of any rock crawler,” says … You can upgrade a D300 or NP231, but the cost is going to be in … Building a rock crawler requires thoughtful planning, smart shopping, and a lot of research. Here are some tips and tricks to get you started.
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Newbie rock crawler build questions | irate4x4

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• Summary of article content: Articles about Newbie rock crawler build questions | irate4x4 Starting from scratch and not reusing any parts from a previous build, I would say you’re looking at $25-30K MINIMUM. Buying used parts, doing … …
• Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Newbie rock crawler build questions | irate4x4 Starting from scratch and not reusing any parts from a previous build, I would say you’re looking at $25-30K MINIMUM. Buying used parts, doing … I have been running RZR’s since 2012 and I like rockcrawling. Instead of buying another (probably $35-40k Polaris) I am considering buying a rockcrawler…
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Southern Rock Racing Demonstrates Why Crawling Is for Babies

View Photos Yes, the CLINT DAVIS

From the February 2015 issue of Car and Driver

“Don’t forget your nut belt; you’re gonna to need it.”

Wait . . . what? Oh, right. I hurriedly fish around the seat bottom for what was previously known to me as an anti-submarine belt, latch it, and cinch it as tight as my arm muscles will allow. I am holding up the show. This is the last event of the season for the world’s loudest and roughest off-road buggies, the aptly named rock-bouncer racers. And my driver, one Peter Ruttan, who casually made the comment through his helmet, is ready for his timed run up a steep hill made up mostly of jagged, irregular, three-foot-tall saw teeth of almost translucent novaculite stone.

I’m strapped into a bright-red cage that looks like a cross between a bicycle helmet and the skeleton of a stegosaurus. I’m sitting immediately behind a 2002 Chevy LS6 V-8 that’s been bored and stroked to 383 cubic inches and pumps out about 600 horsepower, the open header for which I briefly and quite accidentally stuck the toe of my right sneaker into as I clambered up into the cage.

View Photos Sissy writer takes a ride in Hillbilly Deluxe. CLINT DAVIS

What happens next is 16 seconds of supernova violence. How savage was the ride? Well, I couldn’t tell if we hit a tree or not. The whole ride feels like hitting a tree. Turns out we did, but naturally we kept on going. And judging by the smudges of red paint on my once-pristine-white Arai helmet, I’ve made contact on three different sides of the race buggy’s roll cage. Five seconds into the run, I cannot see. My senses are jangled by the vibrations from the rigidly mounted engine, the spastic pogoing of the horizon, and the beastly staccato snorts blasting out the open header positioned a couple of inches from my right foot. I remember thinking, “I feel like an embryo.” But I have no idea now what that might mean. Then, suddenly, everything is quiet and curiously still. The next thing I know, I’m high-fiving Ruttan’s wife, who’s standing trailside. It only occurs to me sometime later that I didn’t do anything to justify ­giving or receiving a high-five. But Ruttan did. His run was the quickest of the 21 competitors who tried it that soggy Saturday morning at the Hot Springs ORV Park.

I’ve come to Arkansas for the fifth and final event of the 2014 Southern Rock ­Racing Series. The competition consists of timed runs up two nasty, tree-lined, rock-strewn hills in wild-looking, purpose-built, tube-frame, four-wheel-drive contraptions. The driver with the lowest cumulative time for both hills wins. This is only the third season of rock-bouncer racing for the organization, which has been a glorious, money-losing operation for the three guys who run it. They all have day jobs. Still, a $10,000 prize is on offer for the driver who wins the championship. That’s not exactly NASCAR money, especially as the newer, competitive 600-plus-hp rigs (they are always “rigs” or “buggies” and never “cars”) cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $70,000 to build.

View Photos Bottom: The making of a race course and of a hangover. CLINT DAVIS

This is backwoods competition. Trails are cut for the race the day before the event, with the organizers and volunteers doing the heavy lifting and chain-sawing down of inconveniently located trees. And the series doesn’t visit a location north of Kentucky or west of Arkansas, so it is, as the name implies, a Southern thing, with roots among the hell-raisers of Tennessee. Participants are reminded at the drivers’ meeting on the morning of the event that no drinking of alcohol is allowed until after they’ve finished their last run of the day. This is a restatement of a written regulation in the 2014 rulebook, which is actually more like a rule page, and though this warning is at the bottom of the page, it’s marked with three asterisks. The event evidences the world’s highest concentration of people, competitors and spectators, wearing T-shirts on which are pasted rude pledges of allegiance to a certain lifestyle (“I ♥ Guns & Titties”). It is also true that the rig I rode in is named Hillbilly Deluxe. Yes, like monster trucks, rock bouncers often are christened with names that are sometimes thematic and sometimes just happily crude, such as X-Rated, Phat N Rowdy, Showtime, Plowboy, and FatGirl.

If you think this sounds like the most redneck thing you’ve ever heard of, well, you’re only partly correct. Hillbilly Deluxe is owned and driven not by a hillbilly, but by a man from Big Rapids, Michigan, who owns a successful commercial-tire business and re-tread facility. The owner/driver roster is, in fact, chock-full of successful small-business owners. One guy runs a Chattanooga, Tennessee–based custom-countertop business. Another owns a heating/cooling and sewer operation near Kansas City. (“If you’re cold or hot or you’ve got to shit, I’m your man.”)

Anatomy of a Rock Bouncer

Few rules govern the mechanical specifications of a rock bouncer. Other than proper racing harnesses, a roll cage deemed stout enough by organizers, two fire extinguishers, and tires at least 39 inches in diameter, it’s entirely up to the participants to create their own adventure. Still, the more recent bouncers share much in common. Hillbilly Deluxe is a good example of just such a rig.

CLINT DAVIS

1. Engine: A 2002 Chevrolet LS6 V-8 bored and stroked to 383 cubic inches, topped with FAST fuel injection and a 102-mm throttle body. Approximate horsepower: 600. Some variety of Chevy mill is the engine of choice for the overwhelming majority of rock bouncers. But a few run Ford engines just to be different.

2. Wheels and tires: Raceline bead-lock aluminum wheels with 43-inch Interco Super Swamper TSL/SX “stickies.”

3. Chassis: A 2012 Jimmy Smith Motorsports tube frame. Curb weight is just above 4000 pounds.

4. Suspension: GM 10.5-inch (14-bolt) full-floating front and rear axles, each located by four links; BigShocks.com coil-overs.

5. Transfer case: A stout gear-driven Atlas unit with a 3.0:1 low range.

6. Transmission: GM TH400 three-speed automatic with an aftermarket valve body providing a reverse shift pattern and full manual control.

View Photos CLINT DAVIS

While an individual event can draw as many as 2500 spectators during the five-race calendar (paying $25 for a race-day ticket), rock bouncing’s biggest audience is on YouTube. In fact, if YouTube can be credited with creating anything other than an unnatural fascination with pet cats, it’s fair to say it created the sport of rock bouncing. We discovered it exactly this way, when a friend and aficionado of absurdity sent us a link to “TIM CAMERON 2011 SHOWTIME COMPILATION,” with a note describing driver Cameron as “the redneck Jesus.” The video has racked up more than 7 million views in two years. And it’s easy to see why: It’s seven minutes of full-throttle, dust-and-rock-throwing chaos split into roughly 10-second chunks of concentrated knobby-tired mayhem. It is extreme and dangerous-looking, and some of the ascents are nigh on unbelievable. Rock bouncing is, then, the perfect motorsport for video clips. It’s also exactly what my childhood self hoped off-roading would be. There’s no slow, technical creeping. If rock crawling is math class, then rock bouncing is recess.

It was that video, and others like it, shot by Cameron’s friend Cole Shirley and posted under the name MadRam11, that drew competitors and organizers into the dirty fray. If you watch it, you’ll notice that throughout this video, the compact, fair-haired Cameron wears no helmet or fire suit. This was not racing in any sense; it was a demonstration—a bit of rowdy showboating for friends or crowds. That’s the rootstock of rock bouncing. It has evolved from these unruly origins into the gentlemanly pursuit you see depicted here.

View Photos Left: Rock-bouncing pioneer and YouTube star, Tim Cameron. Right: A rock shower and its bloodletting. CLINT DAVIS

It is the nature of this particular form of vehicular violence—because what else can you call a jacked-up buggy with a 600-hp V-8 and 43-inch Super Swamper tires ramming straight into a rock ledge—that the more extreme the buggy-flipping, engine-popping antics, the better as far as the fans are concerned. It’s what is known in the prevailing parlance of the group as “acting a fool.”

Turns out my impressions of the ride up the hill were those of a sissy. When I later watched the run on video, I saw that my ride was easily the smoothest and quickest of the bunch. A few years of circle-track racing has instilled in Ruttan a racer’s mind-set. He worked tirelessly with his coil-over supplier, and he was hooked up while several other buggies looked like rhinoceroses in their death throes, or amphetamine-addled jack rabbits bounding wildly up the hill. This netted Ruttan impressed nods and polite applause from the waterlogged fans who stood trailside behind bright-yellow tape strung between trees. The hoots and whoops and fist-pumps, though, were reserved for the showmen who took a more aggressive approach, sometimes ending up on their lids.

View Photos CLINT DAVIS

And while there was plenty of drama, none was quite as predictable as that provided by Dale Larsen. Says one of the organizers, Clyde Bynum: “The only time I’m scared is when it’s Dale’s turn to go. I’m literally standing at the top of the hill with my hands shaking.” The man has a following, some of them wearing “Dale, Yeah!” T-shirts. So when I meet Dale I’m shocked to find not a drunken barbarian but a reserved man, slim of build and exceptionally modest. He calls his rig, a blue-and-white-checkerboard monster with a Toyota FJ grille slapped on the front, a “piece of shit.” And he walks me around pointing out all of the bits and pieces he’s cobbled together: a driveshaft from an old school bus, seats from a minivan, a transfer case from a half-ton Chevy truck, and bunches of brake calipers from snowmobiles. Oh, and there’s the nasty-sounding 598-cubic-inch V-8 he pulled out of 24-foot Baja boat. “I make shit work,” says Larsen. “I ain’t gonna win, but I’m part of the group.”

And he does not disappoint the crowd: On the second hill, he woods the throttle about 30 feet from the sheer, six-foot-tall, stair-stepped rock ledge. His front wheels now atop the ledge, he floors it again trying to bound the rear end up and over, but the beast slides left and slips into a crevice, which flips the rig on its side. Thus begins a slow-motion barrel roll back down the ledge. The buggy’s momentum runs out just as it’s balancing its full weight on the right-side tires’ sidewalls, the left side dangling uselessly in the air. A stab of throttle and some judicious steering slam it back on all fours. Without a pause, Dale turns the thing around and lines up with a different section of the ledge and floors it, again smashing the front into the rock wall. As the snout of his rig rears up, his front wheels are pointed in opposite directions. He’s snapped a heim joint on the tie rod, and when he comes down on the top of the ledge, the rig veers sharply left and for a moment, while his engine is still blaring, it seems he will surely plow a wide path through the now-ecstatic crowd. But he comes to rest against the orange tape that defines the course and shuts the lump down. Dale is the last competitor of the day, and it seems a rock-bouncing competition couldn’t end on a more appropriate note. There are no injuries on this day, other than to the vehicles and the few spectators who’ve had their noses or elbows bloodied by flying rocks.

View Photos The drivers, with champion Shawn Tolson (center). CLINT DAVIS

After the races, the crowd ambles over to Showtime, an impossibly steep hill named for Cameron’s old buggy, to watch the crazier, or at least more determined, drivers try to mount it. This is a so-called bounty hill, close to the origins of rock bouncing in that it’s basically a bunch of people standing at the bottom of a hill wondering if anyone has the gumption and engine to get to the top. Bynum is quick to point out that it’s not part of the sanctioned event. He seems to want to keep an arm’s length from the proceedings. Still, Southern Rock Racing’s volunteer announcer is there, and he’s working the crowd to get money for the driver who can get farthest up the hill. Eventually he gathers $1002 to entice drivers. Three go for it. Nobody makes it to the top. The final driver, Brandon Dillon, takes his 502-cubic-inch, 740-hp Ford V-8–powered buggy farthest but snags a tree backing down the hill and completes two barrel rolls before coming to a rest beside a small tree at the bottom. Surely, he’s sustained more than $1000 worth of damage. The crowd is also treated to an impromptu bout of mud wrestling between two dudes.

At the casual season-ending ceremony in the pavilion that evening, Shawn Tolson, of Phat N Rowdy fame, is announced as the day’s winner. He nipped Ruttan by a tenth of a second for the cumulative time of both hills. The win vaulted Tolson over Cameron for the season championship by a measly four points (440 to 436). Tolson takes the stage, dances briefly to his own rendition of “All About That Bass,” professes his love for the other competitors, and notes that they should have beer up on the stage. To describe the proceedings as convivial would be an understatement. Driver Clint Evans is camped out next to me at a picnic table taking swigs of rum-and-Coke directly from a Captain Morgan bottle. I sit sipping a can of Natty Light. It tastes better than it has any right to.

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Rock Crawling 101 — Kurt’s 7 Commandments!

So you just bought a Jeep are are itching to test it off-road. Before you chunk that thing into four wheel drive, there are…

So you just bought a Jeep are are itching to test it off-road. Before you chunk that thing into four wheel drive, there are many things that you need to know in order to not only be successful on the trail, but to keep your vehicle and even yourself from being damaged.

While this article is catered to mainly beginners, veteran wheelers may also want to review it and re-visit some of the basics of rock crawling that many seem to forget.

Don’t think of this as a “tips” for off-roading article; a tip is something extra to help you out. These are more like commandments, they are the basic things that all off-roaders should know.

Know where you are wheeling

Yeah, I realize that title at first sounds dumb, but it is not. This is where nearly every new Jeep owner makes their first critical mistake, especially the younger ones. You are driving down the road and see a lot full of mud, or some dirt road or trail leading off into some woods, and think “Oh! I am going to drive down THAT!”

Only drive on authorized routes!

I can’t even begin to tell you how many kids in Jeeps I have pulled out of the mud while they were wheeling on private land. Wheeling on private land is bad, but even worse is wheeling on public land like in a National Forest when you are off trail.

Whenever a land manager (like a Forest Ranger) finds tracks off designated routes and trails, they document it and use that information as ammo to close down even more areas for off roading.

Bottom-line: DO NOT WHEEL ILLEGALLY. All public lands like National Forest have a “Motor Vehicle Use Map”. Make sure you get one of these maps an stick to the legal routes. You need to stay on the designated routes and trails, don’t just drive anywhere, especially on private property when you don’t have permission.

2. Know how to sit in your vehicle.

Rock crawling is much different that driving down the freeway doing 70 mph. You will find yourself leaning forward in the seat looking down directly in front of your vehicle to find the right line.

You will also need to lean your head out the driver’s side window to see your driver’s front tire on the rocks. Vision is key. Move your seat back up, and it can be very beneficial to move the seat higher if you can do that in your vehicle. You want to be sitting straight up and close to the steering wheel like you were taught in Driver’s Ed.

“Alaska Jay” is actually admiring himself in the side-view mirror here. But he looks like he is picking his line, so I used this picture anyway.

Even more importantly, keep both your hands on the wheel and have your passengers grip something inside the vehicle. The reason you want both hands on the wheel is not necessarily for vehicle control, it is done to keep your arms inside the vehicle at all times, just like that roller coaster ride at the State fair. Thumbs “out” on the wheel to prevent a wheel whip busted knuckle.

If your vehicle flops or rolls and your arm is outside the vehicle, you will sub-consciously stick your arm out in a vain attempt to stop the roll. I have seen that happen multiple times, and I have never seen that technique work. I have only seen broken arms.

Another common mistake is for passengers to grip the roll cage. NEVER do that, otherwise you or your passengers could lose a few fingers if you roll.

Put your tires ON the rocks, not around them.

Seat Belt Note: Believe it or not, many newer off-roaders tend to think, “Hey! We are only crawling at 3 mph, I don’t need my seat belt!” Nothing could be further from the truth. I once saw a guy roll his Jeep in camp just moving it five more feet away from the fire pit. He didn’t have doors on his rig, slid off the seat and then the Jeep landed on top of him. Wear your seat belt at all times.

3. Never Wheel Alone.

This does not mean have someone in the passenger seat. It means having another vehicle with you while wheeling. You never know when you may need to be extracted with a tow strap. Make sure that other vehicles is just as capable as yours so they can keep up with your Jeep, and if they are not, only drive as far into the trail as they can get. Also make sure that you always have the proper recovery gear in case someone does get stuck or breaks down.

Thankfully this YJ had a much superior, totally reliable, Wagoneer following it.

Another critical part to wheeling on public lands, is to make sure someone back at home knows where you are going and when you are expected to return. Many trails on the west coast do not have cell service, so if you break down or get hurt and no one knows where you are, you could end up in a very bad situation. Many experienced trail-users have become ham radio operators to insure they always have communication on the trail. (More on ham radio use here.)

4. Air Down!

Airing down your tires so they have more grip on the rocks makes ALL the difference. I will not mention any names, but I know a certain Off Road Motorsports Hall of Famer that was having a hell of a time getting up a granite slab on the Rubicon one day. I walked over to his rig, just let a couple PSI out of his rear tires and after that he walked that rig right up that slab without a hiccup.

You would be surprised just how much better your Jeep will rock crawl with the tires aired down.

Airing down will give a better footprint on the rocks

I hesitate to tell you exactly how much to air down. A lot of that depends on your wheels and your tires. As a general guideline, the average Jeep with normal wheels and tires should be aired down somewhere around 15 to 20 PSI for rock crawling. You need to be careful however, if you air down too much, you can bust a bead and let ALL the air out of your tire.

5. Go As slow as possible, as fast as necessary

Now you are ready to start heading down the trail. Shift your Jeep into four low, disconnect the front sway bar, turn on your rear locker, and let her crawl. That is the key word: crawl. It’s called rock crawling for a reason.

If you have never driven a vehicle in four low before, the throttle will take some getting used to. It is going to be way more responsive and your vehicle will have much more torque, so go easy on it.

Just CREEP your rig in low gear. Especially downhill.

Always remember this mantra: As slow as possible and only as fast as necessary. Be patient. If your Jeep will not make it over an obstacle, engage the front locker and try again. If that does not work: back up, take a different line, and try it again. But CRAWL it.

You have to remember that your Jeep is not an Ultra4 car racing the King of the Hammers, or a rock bouncer built with a bullet-proof driveline and axles. Pounding the gas pedal will only get you in trouble and will lead to broken parts. Doing that over an obstacle in a stock to moderately built Jeep is the most common rookie mistake seen on the trail and it is the number one reason for broken parts.

If your Jeep starts hopping or bouncing up and down while trying to make it over an obstacle, you are using to much gas, have entered the danger zone, and could very well break an axle shaft. Patience is key, especially if you do not want broken parts and body damage.

To the uninitiated, just crawling the trail at two to three miles and hour may sound boring at first, but there are few things in life most satisfying than the feeling of having your Jeep chunk slowly over an obstacle that seemed impossible. You would be very surprised at what your rig can do and what it can crawl over using the proper method.

6. Use a spotter and pick the right line.

Look ahead with your eyes and pick your future line.

Rock crawling is ALL about tire placement. One year on the Rubicon, I watched a guy in a fully built JK on 37 inch tires attempt an obstacle over, and over and over again. When traffic on the trail caught up to him at the obstacle, he did the right thing and pulled over to the side of the trail to let them pass.

The vehicle right behind him was an near-stock, old flat fender Willys on 33 inch tires driven by an old guy. That $80,000+ JK owner watched on in disbelief as that old guy in a $4,000 Willys with open differentials (meaning no lockers) crawled right up that obstacle like it was nothing.

The kilted man says turn driver. Or he is pointing to the BBQ grill where the propane will be delivered.

So how do you pick the right line? Put your tires ON the rocks, don’t go around them. Most rookie wheelers try to avoid the bigger boulders on the trail. You want to do the exact opposite. By putting your tires up on those rocks, it raises your axle and gives you more clearance under the vehicle.

Know where your pumpkins (differential housings) are on your axles so they do not get hung up on rocks.

Sean performs the two-handed, “turn driver” spotting maneuver just to look cool.

You can only see so much from the driver’s seat, so having a spotter that knows what they are doing out in front of your vehicle is very beneficial. Instead of saying turn “right” or “left”, spotters should say “passenger” or “driver” to avoid confusion. (even the most level-headed spotter will sometimes forget the driver’s perspective and say “right” when they mean “left”)

One of the greatest (albeit expensive) upgrades you can add, is a 17 year old rock-stacker.

A spotter can also stack rocks if need be for you to get over an obstacle. Just make sure you stay on the brake or are in park when they are doing so, and ALWAYS un-stack the rocks when you have cleared that obstacle. It is very bad form pave the trail for the next guy.

7. Understand that is it NOT just about wheeling

If you just wheel for wheeling’s sake, you are missing out on a huge part of our off-roading culture. If rock crawling was just about rock crawling, we would just be doing it on rock piles in someone’s backyard. There is a REASON most of it is done on high mountain trails or out in the woods.

There are few things better than a campfire on a snow wheeling trip

All types of wheeling, not just rock crawling, is MUCH more than just driving your vehicle over obstacles. It is about exploring. It is about getting out into nature. It is about seeing places that most people do not get to see.

It is about hanging around a campfire with close friends. It is about camping under the stars. It is about getting the entire experience.

A broken down rig can also bring smiles and memories that last a lifetime.

Some of the best times that I have ever had on the trail is actually when someone has broken down. Everyone gathers around that person’s disabled rig, working together to figure out the issue and solve it. Generally that also involves, giving the owner a hard time, and a bunch of laughs.

Now that you have learned the basics; load up your rig with a cooler, camping gear and recovery stuff, and hit the trail!

##

Tech Corner: A Beginner’s Guide to Building a Rock Crawler, Part 1

There comes a point in time when looking the part simply doesn’t cut it anymore. Whatever your reason for wanting to step up to the big leagues, it’s important to understand that building a rock crawler —a real rock crawler—requires more than just some gadgets and gizmos that make a rig look trick. Upgrading a 4×4 to tackle true rock crawling requires thoughtful planning, smart shopping, and a lot of research.

Today, we’re going to give you a starting point for building a true rock crawler out of your favorite toy.

Axles and Differential

So, where to start? Well, the first thing to ask yourself would be whether or not your existing axles can handle the abuse. Rock crawling is like kryptonite to weak axles. All it takes is a good amount of momentum behind a wheel and a sudden gain of traction for everything to go to hell. “Upgraded axles should be on the short list of any rock crawler,” says Dan Guyer, Category Manager of Wheels and Tires at Keystone Automotive. “Pull your stock axles and keep them for trail spares. You never want to be that guy on the trail with a broken axle. Nothing ruins a weekend of fun like broken drivetrain parts.”

What upgrades will you need to make when building a rock crawler? Should you even keep the factory axle? Well, this really depends on what’s under your rig. Though, there are two things to consider. First, you should at least set yourself up with chromoly axles and upgraded u-joints, regardless of the axle type (because, again, good solid axles are your best friend here.) And, second, if you’re working with IFS, you might want to at least consider the idea of swapping to a solid axle. It’s quite expensive to do, but ultimately it will give you more durability and suspension travel than an IFS can offer. If this is something you’re interested in learning more about, check out our piece on Solid Axle Swaps.

So, axles aside, let’s talk about the gearing and carrier.

Low gearing goes hand-in-hand with rock crawlers for many reasons—one of which is providing precise throttle control when you need to put a tire in just the right spot to clear an obstacle. Slipping your clutch is definitely not the way to control your vehicle. “This is why the Rubicon has an advantage over nearly any other stock platform,” explains Guyer. “It has a 4:1 transfer case stock. You can upgrade a D300 or NP231, but the cost is going to be in the $1K range. Or, go straight to an Atlas at close to $3K until all is said and done (new driveshafts, etc.),” he adds.

Low gearing also helps combat the weight of larger tires. “An aggressive set of oversized treads is a great way to help your 4×4 get farther down the trail. The added ground clearance, along with a larger footprint, can do wonders in the dirt. But don’t over-tire your drivetrain,” explains Driving Line Magazine. “There isn’t a steadfast rule for this, as there are dozens of factors to consider (vehicle, suspension, and axle type being among some of the most important).”

This is where that research element comes in. As Driving Line points out, just because you can run huge, gnarly tires when building a rock crawler, that doesn’t mean you should. Your axle might not be able to handle it. “You’ll have more fun and go farther on a smaller and more aggressive tire, over one that’s simply too much for your drivetrain to handle,” says Driving Line.

“Tires are insanely important,” echoes Guyer. “In Moab, a good all-terrain tire will suffice because the rock is dry. But in the slop of the East and Pacific Northwest? Big tread voids are a requirement. Consider checking out the new Mickey Thompson Baja Boss or Yokohama X-MT.”

So, let’s talk carriers.

Right now, locker-type carriers are the most popular type of carrier being used. Why is this? Well, limited slips work fine and so do spooled differentials, but the gap between the two creates some issues. Limited slips don’t positively lock the wheels together to make sure you have the most possible traction at all times, while spools don’t offer much flexibility between spots and can be a handful on the road. Being able to lock up the differential on command or leave it open as needed, brings a level of versatility to the table which is virtually unmatched by the others.

“You have many choices when it comes to your carrier, and it’s up to the owner to decide which is best,” advises Guyer. “An open carrier gives the best highway ride, but traction is very limited off-road, while a limited slip works well on road, but cannot put all the traction to the ground. A locker is very popular because it provides acceptable highway manners, but it is nearly 100% traction off-road. And a spool is the ultimate in traction, but they’re a handful on the highway. The best of all worlds is the selectable locker, but with that comes a higher price and higher level of complexity,” finishes Guyer.

Suspension

One of the biggest challenges when building a rock crawler is working with a production vehicle. Suspensions can be limiting and, when building from stock, you’re forced to work with what the dealer gave you. To further complicate things, we have to come to terms with the fact that very few of us can afford to build an Ultra4 car. However, this doesn’t mean we can’t look at what they have, weigh it against what we’ve got, and then mimic what we can. This doesn’t need to translate to the actual equipment used, but more so how it functions.

Travel is a big concern in the rock-crawling world. If your tire isn’t in contact with terra firma, you go nowhere. This may lead you down some difficult roads in terms of building—especially if you decide to move from an independent suspension setup to a solid axle. Even if you don’t, this will mean that the lift kit you should use for this build will require extensive involvement to install and you will likely want to spring for professional help.

Ultimately, each vehicle owner is going to be facing different challenges.

Some of you own JKs with 4 links, Toyotas with independent front axles, old Fords with leaf springs all around, or something else entirely. It’s nearly impossible to speak to all suspension styles, but it is important to remember that money will be spent here because you don’t want to lean on a cheap kit.

In any off-roader, but especially when building a rock crawler, you need your suspension to be strong and reliable so it can perform well. Additionally, in many cases, you will also be going fairly high so you can squeeze large tires underneath to combat breakover and traction issues.

If you’re a newcomer, there’s absolutely no reason not to work your way up, unless you have a specific recipe you are following. “The great thing about starting small is that you can typically avoid additional modifications like extending the driveline or installing a slip yoke eliminator,” points out off-road accessory manufacturer Bushwacker. “The trade-off is that you’ll most likely need a transfer case drop down bracket, which will lower your skid plate clearance by about an inch. You’ll want to do this to keep your driveline as close to its original angle as possible. Otherwise, you’ll feel driveline vibration and potentially break u-joints.”

The Building Blocks of Building a Rock Crawler

Axles, differentials, and suspensions are your big three here. These are what will give you the biggest edge in terms of being able to theoretically crawl over anything. However, there’s more to it than just sitting high and having a strong setup. While this will get the wheels turning for right now, we’ll be back to further discuss other modifications—like brakes, tires, and exterior accessories—for building a true rock crawler.

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