Marc Bryson's K30---Errrr '94 Wrangler----wait, '4x MB---I don't know what it is.....trail rig?

Marc Bryson's K30---Errrr '94 Wrangler----wait, '4x MB---I don't know... "Jeep" works

Owners Name & City-


Marc Bryson, Woods Cross, UT


Make, Model & Year of Vehicle-

Excellent question. Titled as a '80 CJ


Engine-

'89 TBI 350


Transmission-

700R4


T-Case-


D300


Axles-

Front: Chevy Dana 60, 4.56 gears, Eaton E-Locker. full width

Rear : Shaved 14 Bolt with spool, 4.56 gears. full width

Suspension-

Waggy fronts

XJ rears (reversed) 101" wheelbase


Wheels and Tires-

38" Super Swamper TSL/SX on stock H1 wheels with PVC beadlocks


Winch-

T-Max 9000

Favorite Trails-

Pritchett, Coyote Canyon, Mineral Basin


Other-

lots......


backontrailer.jpg


abandoned_rig.jpg



I'll get some 'action' pics next time I take it out. (it might be all one color by then, but who knows.......)

Attached are 'all one color' pics.......

freshpaint.jpg

freshpaint2.jpg
 
Last edited:

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
CAMPING GEAR:
I would like to get out of having to haul the big black box on the back. It carries my tent, three sleeping bags, tent mattress and three small camp pillows. I think I could get some more compact sleeping bags, likely a much smaller tent mattress (kind of a “Cadillac “ 2 person unit that fits my tent pretty well and is comfortable if I’m in there with my daughter or with my wife (probably not likely to ever tent camp again?)).

im sure there’s a camping gear thread around. I’ll search for those. I watched @mesha camp with four people in their TJ a few years ago but I think they probably had $3k in camping gear?
This is on my radar as well. I'll likely be taking the CJ Juggy unit on the next Rubicon outing and the storage issues are pretty much the same. Have you considered a low profile roof rack? That could spread the load further forward and improve your COG. We have several Plano storage boxes that are about the same area as your big black box but about 30% lower in height.

There's a ton of weight cantilevered out behind your rear suspension and mine sure seems to climb better now that I've moved a lot of it further forward and down. I put the spare on the floor of the tub and built a deck over the top of it to tie down gear/dogs.
 

Kevin B.

Big hippy
Moderator
Location
Vehicular limbo
I could type up a whole bunch about how to pack small and still be comfy without breaking the bank, I've put a lot of effort into streamlining my setup over the past couple years and I'm pretty close to where I want to be I think. But honestly, if we're talking about how to stuff enough gear into the back of a Jeep without having too much, you just need to check out @DAA's setup. A small Springbar, a cot, a fridge, a stove, a chair, a little table, he's got it dialed.
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
I could type up a whole bunch about how to pack small and still be comfy without breaking the bank, I've put a lot of effort into streamlining my setup over the past couple years and I'm pretty close to where I want to be I think. But honestly, if we're talking about how to stuff enough gear into the back of a Jeep without having too much, you just need to check out @DAA's setup. A small Springbar, a cot, a fridge, a stove, a chair, a little table, he's got it dialed.
I think we all strive to be more like DAA. 😎
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
This is on my radar as well. I'll likely be taking the CJ Juggy unit on the next Rubicon outing and the storage issues are pretty much the same. Have you considered a low profile roof rack? That could spread the load further forward and improve your COG. We have several Plano storage boxes that are about the same area as your big black box but about 30% lower in height.

There's a ton of weight cantilevered out behind your rear suspension and mine sure seems to climb better now that I've moved a lot of it further forward and down. I put the spare on the floor of the tub and built a deck over the top of it to tie down gear/dogs.


I was actually looking for a rack. I don't put a lot of weight in the Clampett box and for how often it's needed, it might just be the best solution? I would estimate the box at about 50 lbs with at least 20 of that being the box itself. I bought those boxes from WalMart when I had my '99 F250. They are at least 13-14 years old now? Still holding together fairly well. I used them as a "trunk" when needed to haul stuff in the pickup bed that I didn't want to be out in the weather. They were then used for long term storage for sleeping bags, tents, etc. Then morphed into camp "kits" with my rooftop tent setup in my pile of turd 2004 Cummings. Since then they've just held sleeping bags/tents, sleeping pads in them in the shed.

I would think a rack would be at least that heavy? It would allow more "central" weight location as you mention. I honestly don't even notice the box back there as far as weight goes? To your point, I do notice my spare tire rack/spare tire weight but it's not super significant. I built that bumper/rack to go on the Rubicon the first time in 2013. While not perfect, it works well. I'd like to morph it to more of a Teraflex JKU spare tire rack and have the factory latch be the opening rather than have the two openings to get into the back area. Strangely, I ran across the below pics at Rubicon Springs a few weeks ago. This is lower priority than changing out my tie rod ends (ordered from Amazon last night) but may happen as my garage/house/WJ/"Jeep" projects start to get checked off the list.

y4m6c3CsJVN4e2nb8ab-TYp0XXcPOrYknKeZ0dW9aSvEIyqZwsSjtYHQnqazARI7m0fzshM-S3LG_toDxZz7rSCLofTVwkie88n_mfYHBAR9p2o0OKrJXfAvM7JmEwWPxStVkFl6uE83aKvpjT6MYalCHFIj12L7Us8lHKtiObSGJB7J9p2vBSztMbfpOvosWRPh0tWd_5VGh5SDBp8si8KUg

y4mlRGL4u1BHObbg-D1GcLrHeavMC9kN0zE2h6saKOZ48ok9eEiFVPY36yVdPaUzDQ0FtI_BevYltT9tBAl_1zBkagXfmqQLtayQp2et09cHd-kC_zwLDhEK1p2XPH3_oETAfqM3ej_pt_ZbTBKEIgL6LlJyNo7iuV3OuLQezQXJB_0wWyOlUlDq2Dy1c_l-kH4Om3vE5EvCSXB6B4Rs4PGFg


y4m4aOP_oiYeE57MMHup_pDctn-J2RUJGVEyGEbHIEc3ALt0ex4nLkfZ2Gy3AzRHpSX_cjeiWvBmprID8ydNaThSp7ub_w3hOrFzjr69xwVZmJoifoD69BBqj9qG3ivAzgirU7DpCX6srgqy8ls4X9YTmHknT3tvA67MnazR2lFXwaBzwo7CU_wz1UvGRYkkhOBi3cBaCJdeQgYrVS5KPSfkw


y4mHr4pQs-yI9pMLtP6otCDJsFwR3m521yxOruk86vu___reLgwYlCqg3CrgeS6dmftgJLGy9cC_lt1nL1hVWyAcS9dGCo6CyUb97nJQHOSOAlFD9sewdTZ5iFPdQGmJBthNy5Ddi52N5hvKjCLmOqhdhnPRZ9Cr9mHNu8dZmKjHappcvZmu3nFagGKM39BDjZroC4iGYJ9DsqGZEMD25sl2g


y4mwserDMct-3EaGBHCR4QeHbvRsLoWtQolx7wJG6mR0lgGSFm99Sv_XsQUFx3O6F1EmR4YglvZN6T91hij18OrVusBKWayiv2cjSl1_41Ua9eSybXko9QVrHBB4tIbyi8o8o1qsVfVjZEmbaYv9gp9WraeEiSET-CliNJ-V5HfuAtzDlRpwKNwRQK4nfboDneKxht7Tb6VBH_1eotGn8wdOQ


Strangely, this looks a bit overbuilt. Perfect for my rig :) In talking to the owner, he was a mechanical engineer by trade, he didn't want to leave anything to chance.


I could type up a whole bunch about how to pack small and still be comfy without breaking the bank, I've put a lot of effort into streamlining my setup over the past couple years and I'm pretty close to where I want to be I think. But honestly, if we're talking about how to stuff enough gear into the back of a Jeep without having too much, you just need to check out @DAA's setup. A small Springbar, a cot, a fridge, a stove, a chair, a little table, he's got it dialed.

I do still want to keep the rig with a back seat. I don't think I'll have grandkids going with me for quite a few years but it's on the radar for sure. Having the extra space of the LJ vs my YJ tub is pretty nice. I've SERIOUSLY considered extending my tub/frame quite a few times now.
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
That just seems like a lot of weight that's leveraging traction from your front axle in a climbing situation. The roof racks can be pretty light, and if you focus on putting things like bedding and clothing up there it would really help your COG.
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
That just seems like a lot of weight that's leveraging traction from your front axle in a climbing situation. The roof racks can be pretty light, and if you focus on putting things like bedding and clothing up there it would really help your COG.

I was concerned about the height and location of the weight but on a Rubicon trip, I'm not sure the 50ish lbs (I should weigh that box and junk in it--tent, sleeping bags/pillows/pads and get an accurate weight) offsets much of the weight of the Dana 60 and winch? In an extreme situation like a comp, every little thing helps but on a trail like the Rubicon, I'm not taking a ton of chances on extreme climbs and such. I just want to enjoy the area, get through without having to fix anything on my rig and have a good camping experience.
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
Now you're talking..... since you're redoing the rear anyway.... If I had yours I'd pull that wheelbase to about 108-110" and build a body around the tube work. Add a floor and fender wells and run it.
It's at 106" now. I will probably get a couple more inches out of the front when I link it. The tube work now doesn't even extend back as far as the tires do, so I'll definitely extend that more and create a storage platform above the fuel cell and right behind the seats.
 

RockChucker

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
Are you still looking for a 300? The guy wants $400 for it with clocking ring, when did they start gold plating these turds? The Atlas is starting to look affordable to me.

I know. It's tempting to just sell the one I've been rat-holing for my Willy's project someday. I blame the #portalrevolution on the gold plating. Well, that and the fact that they are becoming more rare....
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
So I put some new tires on this thing. It kind of looks more flatfenderish 29D5AAB0-C084-431A-BF05-311C7BF59563.jpeg

skinnier tires and all.

I have pics of diff/lock out clearances from the 14-12 psi 38” KevlarsC41792C8-77F7-4EE0-B8C3-4A5A12C6B3F6.jpeg3C93F4F8-7DEB-4E3B-9702-FA3D23CD8297.jpeg6E3F433F-5B55-4A82-B5E2-C2EB35BC1BA8.jpeg

...and the 37” BAJA BFG. 36C0625E-3A89-44AD-BB36-4C713A7A54F5.jpegD04E8770-8B75-4DC4-9938-31D3CC0CBE70.jpeg59B73EBF-C5A1-47FE-B31D-90A64A74BAAE.jpegC06BB9B6-EF30-41E9-8F48-5DE2B03A6B70.jpeg419C0C91-9F3A-4BA4-9EF7-27A484F09BC3.jpeg
I do think there are some different wheels in the future. BFG are at 25 psi for pictures.

front axle track width decreased by about 4” which is a LOT. I was right at 82” and now I’m at 78”. Ultimately I think I’ll find something that’s about 80”?
 
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