First time offroading tips

Thatbroncokid · Jul 10, 2019

Hey guys,

Gonna be taking my truck offroad for the first time since its return from the grave. Anything in particular I should check over before i take it off the pavement? Its carbureted with an eddy 1405. Its on brand new 305/70/16's as well. I daily the truck so motor wise it is a great street truck but I've only ever gone off road with fuel injected vehicles so this is a bit new to me.

Sorry for the generic question but I just want to set myself up for hopefully a fun day with the least amount of headache possible.

Thanks!

Broncokid

1strodeo · Jul 11, 2019

what type of offroading? carb should be fine unless you plan on putting it at some extreme angles

just bring a gas can and a basic tool kit, you know, duct tape, a welding rod, baling wire, butter knife etc. ;D

...oh and make sure your phone is fully charged lol

ArmyCOL · Jul 11, 2019

Drive it around on the street a bit. Re-torque every bolt dealing with the suspension and steering. Have fun wheeling and upon your return check and re-torque as necessary.

Dirtroadjunkie · Jul 11, 2019

Maybe put it up on jackstands and check to see if anything is loose and ready to grenade with added stress. U-joints, ball joints, steering, brake pads....

Nothing Special · Jul 11, 2019

I've had a Holley 4150 and now an Autolite 2100. The Autolite works great, no issues really at all. But the Holley tended to slosh fuel out of the bowls, flooding the engine. The short-term solution was to drop the float level off-road (I had to bring it back up again for it to run well on the highway). But vent baffles eventually solved the problems with that carb (extended vent tubes also might have helped, or connecting the main and secondary vent tubes, but I never had to go that far).

I don't know much about the eddy, but from what little I've heard I think it's likely better than my stock Holley, but maybe not quite as good as the Autolite. Not sure what, if anything, that gives you to work with. But overall I wouldn't sweat it too much. Carbs worked great for many decades. They're still pretty good now.

okie4570 · Jul 11, 2019

From what I've seen in person and heard over the years....best to worse is quadrajet, autolite, edlebrock, Holley.
I had a terrible time with my edlebrock, quadrajet solved my almost straight up and down problems.

SteveL · Jul 11, 2019

Anything other than a flat fire road that carb is gonna have issues. I also dumped the edelbrock for the q-jet once the bronco was off road worthy. As far as tools I'd bring the basics along with a tow strap, a friend with another rig and a fire extinguisher. Also a decent first aid kit. Have some fun and bring us some pics.

SteveL · Jul 11, 2019

Oh yeah. Bring extra fluids too.

Scoop · Jul 11, 2019

Air down and take a compressor to air back up. This is not only for better traction when on the rocks, it’s for a much smoother and more enjoyable ride on rough or washboard dirt roads. 30 lbs will rattle your fillings! Try 12 to 15 psi and the ride will smooth out without the risk of popping a bead. The smoother ride is also much easier on the Bronco. That said, expect an off-road trip to find some weak links in your Bronco - it’s simply telling you what you need to upgrade! (You’ll come home with a list.). Above all, have fun!

murdador · Jul 11, 2019

Keep your thumbs out the inner part of the steering wheel. Years ago I learned that lesson going too fast though boulders with no power steering and 35s.;D

sprdv1 · Jul 11, 2019

Seatbelt, seatbelt, Brakes....

crawln68 · Jul 11, 2019

Don't listen to the guy spotting you that is holding a beer in one hand and camera in the other.

Rustytruck · Jul 11, 2019

With the edelbrock carb watch out for carb stumbling on very steep uphill climbs and and very steep down hill dropoffs with off camber on the drivers side down low.

Thatbroncokid · Jul 11, 2019

Wow! Thanks so much for the responses guys. Definitely got some stuff to check over before the trip. Hopefully the edelbrock works alright. Not planning on doing anything crazy but we’ll see how she goes. I’ll update after the trip &#55357;&#56397;&#55356;&#57340;

blubuckaroo · Jul 11, 2019

When I first got the Edelbrock, it would kill the motor just going over a speed bump.
I recommend lowering the fuel level a bit. Not too much or the accelerator pump will starve.
The other thing you can do to make an Edelbrock work better off road is to keep the fuel pressure below 4 PSI.
Edelbrocks have short float arms and can't put muck pressure on the needle valve. Every bump on a washboard road will float the needle valve. I've tried their spring loaded off-road needle valves without success.
An inexpensive fuel pressure regulator will help a lot .
Another thing that I always do is to remove the spare from the stock swing-out and carry it inside. The bouncing spare on that swing-out can really wreck stuff.

tatersalad · Jul 11, 2019

I had issues with the 1405. It would stall going iver speed bumps and run extremely rich at high altitudes. Edelbrock makes an offroad kit that has spring loaded seats and they have you adjust the float a little lower and it fixes the stumbling on bumps. The best thing I did for running rich beyond a carb adjustment when I got into altitude was switching Bosch platinum 4 spark plugs. I guess because they had four electrodes it wouldn't load up as easy. Still running them today in my efi

SteveL · Jul 11, 2019

The edelbrock off road kit was a waste of the time it took to install it.

661buster1963 · Jul 11, 2019

Amen on don’t listen to the spotter holding a beer, I took a 69 land cruiser out of commission for 9 months with that “poor life choice”

okie4570 · Jul 11, 2019

SteveL said:
The edelbrock off road kit was a waste of the time it took to install it.

I heard/saw this many times on the web and skipped it, went straight to the qjet.

blubuckaroo · Jul 11, 2019

okie4570 said:
I heard/saw this many times on the web and skipped it, went straight to the qjet.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I use an Edelbrock, and it works great off-road. It just takes a bit o understanding and special tuning.
I have a 500 CFM Edelbrock. I've lowered the fuel level, and installed a Cagle fuel pressure regulator. It keeps the fuel pressure at 2 psi until the vacuum drops. Then it provides full pump pressure.
Since doing this, this Bronco hasn't missed a lick on some pretty crazy angles and bumps.
Just recently though I felt it was running a bit rich through all ranges. I set it up with a air fuel ratio gauge for serious carb tuning. I think I've just about got it dialed in. I may try one lighter set of metering rod pull off springs.
Any carb is going to take tuning. Even a stock one if you change the exhaust in any way.

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