ssped said:Oh sorry. the K5 is totally the BEST
yup
CK5
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Most capable offroad vehicles??
- Thread starter tiger9297
- Start date
yup
tiger9297
1/2 ton status
I've got a good friend that has an old FJ. That thing is very capable when it is 100%. However, those times are few and far between. It seems there is always something wrong with it. Not necessarily the engine (sometimes it is). It's mostly the drivetrain. Man the 4x4 hardly ever works. I can't tell you how many duck hunting trips we have been on doing 40 mph down a turn row in 2wd slinging mud 30 ft. high trying to keep from getting stuck. Reliability knocks those things way down on the list in my opinion.
Some of you have said "wheelbase is king". I'm not sure I understand that. It seems that a long wheel base would be a hindrance. That's why my vote goes for the K5 or Bronco, and like "newyorkin" said "Ford is gay" so the K5 wins.
I have to add that growing up, my dad and I hunted out of a '65 Willys CJ5 and that thing did really well for a little 4 cylinder "putt putt" jeep.
Some of you have said "wheelbase is king". I'm not sure I understand that. It seems that a long wheel base would be a hindrance. That's why my vote goes for the K5 or Bronco, and like "newyorkin" said "Ford is gay" so the K5 wins.
I have to add that growing up, my dad and I hunted out of a '65 Willys CJ5 and that thing did really well for a little 4 cylinder "putt putt" jeep.
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grimjaw
1/2 ton status
Allowing only for bone stock-just rolled out of the dealership today ..here is my list:
1- Hummer H1 alpha w/ Duramax....yeah, its no longer made and cost $140K
2- Mercedes Unimog
3- 2003-2006 Jeep Wrangler unlimited rubicon
4- Dodge Power Wagon, current
Alot of others are great with mods, but bone stock suck offroad.
1- Hummer H1 alpha w/ Duramax....yeah, its no longer made and cost $140K
2- Mercedes Unimog
3- 2003-2006 Jeep Wrangler unlimited rubicon
4- Dodge Power Wagon, current
Alot of others are great with mods, but bone stock suck offroad.
ssped said:
I'll go ahead and argue this a little with you. Their approach and departure angles aren't great, they use stupid "rotoflex" joints on the front driveshaft (like a rag joint), marginal suspension flex and axles that make Heep stuff look stout. Not to mention they are one of the least reliable vehicles you could own and would be lucky to get 100K out of the crap 4.0L Buick V8.
A couple things you missed that are good on them: I'm pretty sure that all of them have a center diff lock (which really only gets them back to even with anything else that has a normal t-case) and they have aluminum bodies (light, no rust, low center of gravity).
They are good vehicles, but nowhere near the late model Rubicons
One last thing, my brother had a stock '89 YJ. I used to wheel with him when mine was stock and my Blazer made that thing look like a friggin joke (rocks mostly). The TJ wranglers are leaps and bounds better than anything else Jeep has ever made.
moded, a k5 with a stretched wheelbase to about 112-115 with lockers and decent tires will definitely be in high contention for king of the hill
As far as completely stock rigs go I don't think you can beat the powerwagon and the rubicon right now. But one of my favorite stock rigs that always surprised me with where it could go was a samurai. I love those things. So small that things often aren't even an obstacle for them. For the most part a well kept F.I. one could even keep normal speed on the freeway
blazinzuk said:
Avoiding obstacles does not make the vehicle more capable (not that sami's aren't capable).
tiger9297
1/2 ton status
If Sami's were a little lighter you could put some big 4 -wheeler tires on them. It would be like a Polaris Ranger w/ a/c and heat. In fact I saw one not too long ago on a trailer. Looked like they were heading to deer camp.
In fact I saw one not too long ago on a trailer. Looked like they were heading to deer camp.
txfiremank5
1/2 ton status
#1. The human body (mud, rock, verticle climbs,deep water) no upgrades needed. 
my nissan patrol will out wheel my k5 anytime when they have simaler sized tires.
Seventy4Blazer
3/4 ton status
unimog, hands down. and it is/always has been sold to the public... ;-)
Grant
Grant
SC-Texas
Registered Member
H1
H3 Hummer with the offroad package and lockers
H3 Hummer with the offroad package and lockers
ummm....
Best off road 4x4?... hard to say!..maybe a Humvee,but its too huge!..a toyota 4x4 pickup or an old IHC scout will go where most full sized rigs wont..but GM trucks have the best drivetrains in my opinion..
As for other vehicles without 4WD,I'd say the VW Beetle is the best off road !..I put mine in places CJ-7's couldn't go!..and climbed some dunes they couldn't top too!..
Best off road 4x4?... hard to say!..maybe a Humvee,but its too huge!..a toyota 4x4 pickup or an old IHC scout will go where most full sized rigs wont..but GM trucks have the best drivetrains in my opinion..
As for other vehicles without 4WD,I'd say the VW Beetle is the best off road !..I put mine in places CJ-7's couldn't go!..and climbed some dunes they couldn't top too!..
Col_Sanders
3/4 ton status
My dad had an old 79 Yota when I was a kid. I remember being scared for my life a lot in that thing. Man what I would give for that truck! Dark blue, white wagon wheels, 35" Buckshots, ugly ass seats....
Now he has a Rubi but envys me and my K-5. He has done quite a bit to the Rubicon too. I also remember he had an 89 Furd single cab longbed 1 ton 4x4 with a Diesel. It suprised quite a few of the guys out at the river bottoms.
I like my Blazer but stock definitely not the best. The Rubicon or the 85 Yota has to be the best.
Now he has a Rubi but envys me and my K-5. He has done quite a bit to the Rubicon too. I also remember he had an 89 Furd single cab longbed 1 ton 4x4 with a Diesel. It suprised quite a few of the guys out at the river bottoms.
I like my Blazer but stock definitely not the best. The Rubicon or the 85 Yota has to be the best.
Working for Rover I am Bias'd but I still think the disco's outperform. In a complete package you cant compete. I totally agree on the approach and departure angles but I get then in all the time with 200+ on the Odo. 99-2002 did not have CDL hooked up although it was in the Tcase. 2003 they pulled it out completly and in 04 it was in and functional. oh and the Rag joint is on the rear drive line. the front is a double cardan. They hold up better than most ujoints and are totally easy to replace. As for performance take any other SUV/Truck and tip it on its side and other than a super wide hummer the disco will stick. Two weeks ago I was glad I was in one and nothin but. We had been wheelin for 3 hours and ended up at a washed out road. So I tiped it up on its side and drove around the wash out on the side of the Damn rock face wall on the side. only in a rover would I have made it. K5 would have been to wide and I would have flipped almost anything else. 46 to 48Deg tilt over angle!
P.S. I worked and Heep before I worked and rover and allthough small and light, all around the Ruby is way cool and capable, it is close but cant Match( in my belly button opinion)
P.S. I worked and Heep before I worked and rover and allthough small and light, all around the Ruby is way cool and capable, it is close but cant Match( in my belly button opinion)
88-3/4t-bad boy
1/2 ton status
alright i know just about everyone on here thinks long wheelbase is a great factor. dont get me wrong i have my suburban and i love it to death. its nice to not have to freak out about flipping that often. but i think when it comes to an affordable trail rig. dont freak. but ive always been fond of those lil samurai's. i mean yeah they are really freaking short but they have always been competitors in the top truck challenge. and they are most likely some of the cheapest rigs on there. but the new edition of 4wheel-offroad has a sweet samurai long wheelbase tucking 39's and its on the ultimate adventure. just throwing that out there. id rather have one of those upgraded 4 wheelers than a wrangler anyday.
85-m1028
1/2 ton status
88-3/4t-bad boy said:
YA!! I like that samurai set up too! I was wondering what the wheel base is on those?? put a diesel in there and your set!!
fireplug
1/2 ton status
85-m1028 said:
I agree too. But for anything other than trail duties it's a little small for me.
For me the Blazer is the best ''all around wheeler''. My build is about making a fun, trailworthy, daily driver. I can take a truckload of renovation material to the dump on Saturday, pick up lumber on the way back, grab groceries, wheel to the trail an hour plus away with a couple of buddies and the dog, drop off the camping gear, go wheeling with the top down, drive home the next day, hose the truck out, and go to work on Monday.
My truck is comfortable on any trail, though it scrapes plenty of trees that the Jeeps slip through. Sure you could build a better mud truck or rock crawler, trail runner, or even daily driver, but for one truck to do it all, fairly well, with only a 4" lift and some big tires, and still be somewhat economical that's pretty impressive.
