Go Anywhere Vehicles?

jzmtl said:
Jeep wranglers are probably the most capable production vehicles today.
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Absolutely true. I've owned Jeeps for years. A few years back, we had a blizzard and got 3 feet of snow. Got in my Dodge Dakota, backed out of the driveway, pulled forward about 10 feet, got hung up, and had all 4 tires spinning. Got out, got in my 98 Wrangler (roughly same size tires as the Dodge), and drove through the snow like it was nothing. The I-6's were also nearly indestructible - I had one in the late 80's (4.2L carbureted) with 250k miles and was still going strong. We just bought a brand new Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon a few months ago. Absolutely love it. Miss the I-6 though, the V6 in the new Wranglers is underpowered.
 
I have an '06 Subaru Forester after owning a modded '75 Land Rover series III 88" The Forester won't go everywhere the Landy would but plenty of people are surprised at where it will go. The main thing that stops it are the approach and departure angles otherwise it has only 10mm less clearence that a Landcruiser. Once I get the 2" lift fitted that I have sitting in the shed it'll be even better and is damn comfortable and drives like a car, not a truck which is helpful give 95% of the time it's on the black stuff.
 
It's really too dark but here's my old toyota that got passed on to my son.

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Single port 1600, single carb- don't have to sunc the dual carbs, dual exhaust way up off the ground, 235/75/R15 out back, 205/75/R15 up front, rear splines not adjusted too much so the camber on the old swing axle isn't too off, adjustable front beam turned up a bit, KYB shocks up front, sits a little nose up, about 11" of clearance in the back and 13" up front but that's clearance right down the middle because there's no pumpkin, 4.375 ring & pinion/ 3.89 overall in 4th, not much juice in 4th but 1st-3rd have some pull for such a small motor

Frank
 
runningboar said:
Myal,
I am not sure what kind of wheelin that goes on in OZ or your terrain. Here a 2 wheel drive, with any tires, is in real trouble if you try to take it on true 4x4 trails. I don't normally 4 wheel for the fun of it, I do own two very capable rigs and use them for hunting and fishing. I have been locking hubs for over 20 years and you can improve the perfomance of any 2 wheel drive with a lift, locker in the rear and quality tires but it pales in comparison to purpose built off road vehicles. The pics are from about an hours drive from my house. Chris

http://www.rockdawg.net/Uwharrie_2006/index.htm

http://www.oramagazine.com/pastissues/0411-issue/041113f-extremists.html
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I did say

"but no , a 2x4 will not usually keep up with a specially modified offroad vehicle over the exact same track , give some leeway and allowance to negotiate one suited to the vehicle tho , and yeah , both will usually arrive at the same destination .."

I have found it to be true .

I have had isuzu 4x4s , nissan patrols and a ex military dodge m37 power wagon and used to regularly drive toyota troopies for work in the outback doing mine maintinence

FWIW , company vehicles go harder faster haul larger loads and go thru deeper rivers than personal cars EVER do ...

Id pit the old dodge against any of those extreme vehicles , anyday of the week , that was one hell of a truck !! ... but Im aware of the limits of my present car , thats why i said what I did above .

most of the 4x4s in Aus are used to take kids to school , mine got regular work outs in the bush prospecting , and hunting / camping , I didnt modify them other than add big grippy rubber . They did good , OK , a bit more axel swing woulda been nice at times , but this was only when I was doing silly stuff cos I could , not because I *needed* to get thru there .

My current kick is to get to where I used to have to be reaching for low range 4x4 before , in my 2x4 , not always on the same track , but arriving at the same destination , kinda like doing it smarter not harder , tho harder is usually more fun when it comes to rock hopping and mud crawling .
 
2WD also leaves much to be desired while going up steep grades. And clearing large ledges is almost impossible. You also don't have the benefit of a low range, when your on a sketchy trail or sidehilling being able to crawl along in 4LO is a definite plus.

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The ledge behind my front tire was about 14 inches tall with sand below. 4WD was essential. And this was the easy part of the trail. The hardest parts were steep grades with deep sand and only about 2 feet from the cliff edge.

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Wheeling in Southern Utah is pretty horrendous. But beautiful.
 
The best "go anywhere" vehicle I've had is my 89 Dodge Raider (SWB Mitsubishi Montero) (5spd, 3.0L V6). I've had three of the 2.6L SWBs, Power Wagon, Landcruiser, MMC pickup, and a chev powered Willys. Here in OZ I have a 2.5L ITD LWB 5spd, but it's not in the same league with the Raider (turning radius too large).
It's interesting to go hunting in Eastern Oregon and see all the idiots on their 4-wheelers (ATVs) that think they're hunting while they scare the game away. They haul them up there on monster Dodge/Ford crewcab 4X4 diesels which can't go anywhere off road. When the sun comes up I see them coming where I've already driven in relative comfort. I imagine the Jeep may be better off road, but it's not as good a road vehicle. The only rigs that go where I go are the small Toyota pickups. I can haul a 4X8 utility (somewhat modified) trailer that will go wherever my Raider will go. It has 50 gallons of extra gas and the usual outdoor stuff. I can get there, go out and stay out - all with one vehicle.
 
Myal said:
, tho harder is usually more fun when it comes to rock hopping and mud crawling .
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So true and so expensive, I think your way is smarter, spend as little as your comfortable with and milk every ounce of performance out of it. If I ever win the Lotto I am going to build me a rock crawler, but until then I will do my best not to lock my hubs unless I have to.

I am going to try to come down to australia, I think your country is rugged and beautiful. I would love to spend a few weeks in the bush, with someone that knows their way around, put me in OZ and I probably couldn't tell which way was up. :D Chris
 
Im still finding my own way around the country :) and I LIVE here ... there are some beaut places to see tho , if you can hook up with someone who has the right permits , a bunch of state forrests have been opened up for hunting ferals , its a combination of great off-roading , beautiful bush like is hard to believe , and the hunting is not bad at all .
 
Here is my hunting/camping rig. It is a 2002 Ford F-150 Lariat FX4.

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I have since added some 32" BFG MT KOs. I'd like to give it a moderate lift, but I may be replacing it soon.

-- FLIX
 
Welcome to the relm O the jeeps. check out jeepforums.com there is lots of info as well as an exchange forum. with a 4" lift and 33" tires that thing wil go any where and still be a tolerable everyday ride. /say bye bye to fuel mileage.
 
OK , I am usualy hanging on to the wheel when things get hairy , so no action shots of us in any of the river crossings , or straddling the gutters and crawling over rocks

we did get this tho after we been thru it all , just to prove we been there dun that :)

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the 4x4 clubs come from literally hundreds of kms away to drive along that road so they can justify their owning a 4x4 ... we do it in a toyota corona ... cos we can :)
 
This is one of my current favorites for offroading that I own.

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This is what I want for my next prodject vehicle. Start with this.

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and end up with one of these.


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that is in this mega modified jacked up all wheel driving beast of a vehicle ...

well , a toyota 4 cyl sedan running some off roadish tyres ..

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1987 mitsubishi montero.....gutless 1.8 liter motor...until you get it on the trail and it will do what you want with no problems...
i wish i still ha this truck. i traded it in in 98 on a new truck and have regretted it ever since. i got it from my dad as a birthday present when i turned 16. of course being a kid i did all sorts of things to it. 3 inch body lift 33 inch bfgoodrich trail ta's,attempted to waterproof the engine and install snorkel kit..light bar and brush gaurd. removed all carpet and put in rubber flooring. yeah it got all the chicks...(not really) man i miss that thing....but i know it still exists...i have seen it around town...i am gonna find the owners and try and buy it back....NEVER NEVER could get that thing stuck
 
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