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Old 05-04-2010, 09:01 PM   #11
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

Quote:
Originally Posted by axel
I bought an RB for the same reasons you are concerned and I am glad I did. On a recent Utah trip on a pretty tight and rough road down into the Maze I was scraping my receiver hitch pretty routinely coming off rock steps.
The operative part of that sentence to me is "rock steps". An EB and RB, all other parts of the 4x4 conversion being equal, will scrape the same coming off steps. The EB may scrape a bit longer but they will have the same clearance coming off steps (the undercarriage height is all that matters). The approach angle will hurt trying to go up some of the really big steps.

Just took my EB up the Top of the World trail on 5/2/2010. Made it all the way to the "red" section at 2.9 miles in from the trailhead split between kokopelli and top of the world with no problem. Passed quite a few hardcore jeepers coming down who appeared quite shocked to see a giant E350 EB going up the trail. Now they probably made it the whole way but after hiking the final mile I don't think I'd take an RB or an EB up that last part, at least not with the whole family there to deal with being stuck due to damage. I will say that the extra length was a pain trying to U-turn at my final stop. Ended up with a beautiful rear door ding while visiting a juniper tree.

For me I use the extra space every time we take the van out but haven't yet felt that I was missing out by not going up some obstacle that my EB was too big for.

Mark

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Old 05-05-2010, 12:32 AM   #12
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

Tire height makes a difference , two different areas that we have traveled to on 33" tires that led to some scraping are doable now without any scraping , high centering is a different story in that wheelbase is the same on RB and EB . The upgrade to 35' tires has made for a more
pleasant departure when off road for us .
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Old 05-05-2010, 12:37 AM   #13
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

We just took two EB's on the White Rim. I thought we might brush the hitch in a few spots, but we got through without touching. I'm really happy to have the extra space in the EB. I think if departure angle was such a problem that I couldn't do it with an EB, I don't know if I'd want to do it. Then again, some of you are apparently a lot braver than I am!
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Old 05-05-2010, 10:33 AM   #14
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Greggde
Tire height makes a difference , two different areas that we have traveled to on 33" tires that led to some scraping are doable now without any scraping .... The upgrade to 35' tires has made for a more
pleasant departure when off road for us .
Greggde
Yeah that has to be one of my next upgrades. I'm running 265 70R17's and that was the real limiting factor for me at the end of the totw trail. I'm not sure that 35' tires are a good idea though maybe 35" is more than adequate

Seriously though, is there a thread on your install of 35" tires? I look at my 31.6" tires and feel like there isn't much room in the rear well for anything much bigger. How much body work was needed for the 35"ers and how do they feel on the highway? (Sorry if this is all in a thread somewhere).

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Old 05-05-2010, 12:19 PM   #15
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

The newer Fords (08 and newer) have better clearance plus a spring upgrade also helps. Try searching for deaver springs but there is a post specific to "tires rubbing" here somewhere. Also see badgertrek. He upgraded his tire size and has some good info on that.

I would like to go to 35's and 17" rims with deaver spring packs and at least 450 brakes. Maybe if I hit the lotto.
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Old 05-05-2010, 04:21 PM   #16
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

Off Topic ....

Quote:
We just took two EB's on the White Rim.
... and yet no photos or report. Hope it was fun and the new bike rack held up!

Phil
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Old 05-05-2010, 06:26 PM   #17
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

We have an EB and have scrapped the hitch and bumper several times, luckily no serious damage. The obstacle that especially problematic for EBs is going through short deep washes and creeks that cross the road. As your front tires climb the other side you rear pivots down, if you can cross at a right angle you only drag the hitch because it is lowest but if you have to cross at an angle then things get tricky. The Alumines bumper could be made less prone to damage it it had a plate welded across the bottom of the outside ends so it slides instead of grabbing and peeling back. Velogeo has some photos in his gallery of what happens.

All that being said I would not trade the extra space in the EB. It has gone everywhere we have wanted with only a couple of minor scrapes.

John
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Old 05-05-2010, 07:54 PM   #18
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

Quote:
Originally Posted by pjpvi
Off Topic ....

Quote:
We just took two EB's on the White Rim.
... and yet no photos or report. Hope it was fun and the new bike rack held up!
I knew I'd get at least one comment! We only got back on Sunday. I'm working on the trip report. As soon as I shrink a bunch of photos I'll have something up, hopefully by this weekend.
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Old 05-06-2010, 10:01 AM   #19
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

I don't think you have to shrink the photos. This site will shrink them when you upload them. At least it does for me.

Mike
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Old 05-06-2010, 09:23 PM   #20
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Re: RB vs EB, departure angle problems?

It depends on whether you put them in the gallery or attach. The gallery is better anyway since they can wind up in the slideshow that way.

But I shrink all mine- picasa export makes it easy and I don't have to worry about getting the "Image too big", since I can never remember which one works and which doesn't.
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