Geezz... those Viper towers look like they are built for some very serious abuse!!
As I watched over the years the guys redesigning and replacing the parts that failed on the trails... here in AZ mostly serious rockcrawling.... they would strengthen one part only to transfer the energy to a weaker part. What parts do you see potentially becoming the part that will possibly fail? Or does your build design reach a point of almost no chance for a structural failure, or weak link in the chain. I'm just curious.
During my sand railing days, the guys figured out quickly that a "weak link" was a better option, and decided, for example, they could change a low cost clutch disc in about 30 minutes. However using the heavy duty feramic disc would eliminate clutch slippage, but the solid hook up also took out transaxles, which was costly and took about 3 hours to R&R. That's when some went to the low friction clutch discs and higher clamping pressure plates. So if they smoked a clutch disc.. it was typically a quick and less costly fix in the dunes.
Gnarls.
good question. I don't have a good answer.
My interests are to have a reliable and durable vehicle that is a capable wheeler on a variety of terrain. Were i to think of a weak link right now, it might be the TG six shooter knuckles or the Fj 8" HOP front third. Likely it could be the T-case output?
Damage is always likely. It is nice to have a bag full of the parts that will break, but not likely those will actually be what breaks. Its always the thing you thought wouldn't. I guess thats why we all would our vehicles one way or another- to avoid the inevitable? doing the things we like. Something will always break sooner or later. Id rather not have a "weak link" in the chain. Id rather build it to survive, and then fix what breaks. What if that "link" breaks on some gnarly climb or sidehill?
