ColoradoMtnJeeper

Greg, I have a 87 4x4 Sunrader with 39,000 miles, I have a 5 speed stick shift and have been 4 wheeling for over 40 years living in Colorado all of my life. I have 2 Jeeps, both with dual ARB lockers, too much stuff to list. I will take an automatic any day over a stick shift for 4 wheeling, an automatic is almost like cheating. The ability to apply torque gently, and being able to stop and take off without spinning your tires when your going up a 35 degree slope with loose dirt far outweighs the braking ability of a stick shift going down hill. If you would like to swap your automatic for my stick, I would be interested if your automatic has an overdrive and a lock up torque converter. Dave high in the Rockies

I have a 4x4 Sunrader, and have come to the following conclusions, you don't need to connect the front wheels to the engine. If you just lift your vehicle by adding leaf springs in the rear, and depending what year you have, either installing heavy duty torsion bars or adding more leaf springs. then you need a transfer case or a add on under drive unit, for your low range. If you use a transfer case, you wont need a front driveshaft. I have gone up some pretty tough 4x4 jeep trails, and have left the front hubs unlocked, and never had a traction problem. There is so much weight on the rear wheels, and hardly any on the front, the front being connected to the engine doesn't really help. The places I have been, I don't think anyone with a motor home would want to take theirs up the same trails. There are times when one of the front wheels will come off the ground 3 feet going up some of these trails. The most extreme jeep trail a motor home can go up is limited, and because of this using rear wheel drive is totally sufficient.

Dirk, thank you, that was extrememly helpful, I didn"t know you couldn't get a 12 bolt, in a full floating design, this is the rear end I'll be looking for. Again, thanks! Dave Campa

I just bought a 87 Sunrader 4x4, it has the non-floating axle, but it has 6 lugs on the axle, then a adapter that only has 5 lugs. The original owner had an axle break on him,at 17,000 miles, and spun out on the highway, but did not roll. I would definitely get a floating axle. Dave, high in the Colorado mtns.

I just bought a Sunrader 87 turbo 4x4, and it has the non-floating axle. What I wanted to know has anybody ever gone to a Dana 60, or Ford 9" or a Chevy 12 bolt floating type axle? What I would like to do, is find one of these axles, and go to one tire, instead of duallies. I think there would be a slight decrease in friction, since there would only be 2 rear tires on the pavement, which would mean a power increase. I would have to use a load range "E" tires, and I would have to find a wheel with the correct off-set. What have you guys used for wheels, when you go to the Toyota full floating 1 ton axle, since as far as I know, they only came with 14" wheels? Also, would like to go to LT30x9.50x15" tire, and get rid of the whimpy P215x75x15". This motorhome came with 5:13 gears, what is the normal gear ratio? Thanks, Dave, high in the Colorado Mtns.