4WD vehicle suggestion

[Pogue_Mahone]

My , as a LONG time 4x4 enthusiast, my personal reccomendations are
#1 85 Toyota 4runner or pickup (with FI)
#2 89 or new Suzuki Samurai
#3 Suzuki Sidekick/Geo(Chevy) Tracker, 1.6 16v or newer 2.0l
1. The Toyota will be the the most capable bone stock, but with just a locker (preferably two) Hi-steer, and better springs/long travel shocks it will get you where you want to go and back. As noted earlier, 85 is the last year of the solid axle, 1st year of FI. Fuel Injection was an option though, not all had it. The 85 is getting harder to find. I personally own an 88. The later years are still easily converted to a solid front axle, and mine being the v6 is easy to upgrade to the later 3.4l v6. (toyotaonlyswaps.com)
2. The Samurai is just flat impressive even in bone stock form. Look at places like the outback, African jungle, deserts etc. You see suzuki samurais, toyota landcruisers and hi-lux (pickups) and land-rovers (the older ones). I love my samurai, and while mine is built for serious rockcrawling/ ultimate adventure style wheeling, I have a seen bone stock samurai wheel through 5ft deep snow all day without hardly an issue! Bang for the buck they are near impossible to beat. Light and small, they fit anywhere, go everywhere, and if you do get stuck they are very easy to recover. I get about 25-30mpg out of mine.
3. Sidekick. Again suzuki, bang for the buck, my bone stock IFS 2d sidekick impressed everyone including me every time I took it out. More comfortable than the samurai, and with just $80 you can have 2" body lift, 2" coil spacers, fit 235s. Probably your cheapest option, and from what it sounds like will do everything you want to.
4. honorable mention will go to fj80 landcruisers, but they are so big and heavy they are a bit impractical.
Whatever you get, make sure you get onboard air, at least one locker, swampers or mtrs, hi-lift jack and a winch.
Now you have to keep us posted on what you get!
sky-manufacturing.com
trailtough.com
pirate4x4.org
ot4x4.org

 

[The Cheese]

My , as a LONG time 4x4 enthusiast, my personal reccomendations are
#1 85 Toyota 4runner or pickup (with FI)
#2 89 or new Suzuki Samurai
#3 Suzuki Sidekick/Geo(Chevy) Tracker, 1.6 16v or newer 2.0l
1. The Toyota will be the the most capable bone stock, but with just a locker (preferably two) Hi-steer, and better springs/long travel shocks it will get you where you want to go and back. As noted earlier, 85 is the last year of the solid axle, 1st year of FI. Fuel Injection was an option though, not all had it. The 85 is getting harder to find. I personally own an 88. The later years are still easily converted to a solid front axle, and mine being the v6 is easy to upgrade to the later 3.4l v6. (toyotaonlyswaps.com)
2. The Samurai is just flat impressive even in bone stock form. Look at places like the outback, African jungle, deserts etc. You see suzuki samurais, toyota landcruisers and hi-lux (pickups) and land-rovers (the older ones). I love my samurai, and while mine is built for serious rockcrawling/ ultimate adventure style wheeling, I have a seen bone stock samurai wheel through 5ft deep snow all day without hardly an issue! Bang for the buck they are near impossible to beat. Light and small, they fit anywhere, go everywhere, and if you do get stuck they are very easy to recover. I get about 25-30mpg out of mine.
3. Sidekick. Again suzuki, bang for the buck, my bone stock IFS 2d sidekick impressed everyone including me every time I took it out. More comfortable than the samurai, and with just $80 you can have 2" body lift, 2" coil spacers, fit 235s. Probably your cheapest option, and from what it sounds like will do everything you want to.
4. honorable mention will go to fj80 landcruisers, but they are so big and heavy they are a bit impractical.
Whatever you get, make sure you get onboard air, at least one locker, swampers or mtrs, hi-lift jack and a winch.
Now you have to keep us posted on what you get!
sky-manufacturing.com
trailtough.com
pirate4x4.org
ot4x4.org

I hate you. Now I am looking for another 95 4runner with a blown 3.0L to do a 3.4L swap. Jerk.

 

[saxon]

i have owned 2 troopers and know at least to auto
mecanics who have ownd 3 or 4
as long as you take care of basic mantience they will last for ever
i have a 91 with V6 with 240,000 and it still gets 20 mpg hwy

so if you want cargo and seat 5 people that are 6 foot tall they are great rigs
and the V6 is a gm motor

Beater Review | Almost Infamous: 1984-91 Isuzu Trooper

YouTube - Isuzu Trooper on a trail ride

 

[wsu 5.9er]

i have owned 2 troopers and know at least to auto
mecanics who have ownd 3 or 4
as long as you take care of basic mantience they will last for ever
i have a 91 with V6 with 240,000 and it still gets 20 mpg hwy

so if you want cargo and seat 5 people that are 6 foot tall they are great rigs
and the V6 is a gm motor

Beater Review | Almost Infamous: 1984-91 Isuzu Trooper

YouTube - Isuzu Trooper on a trail ride

Interesting quote from that site:

"In a Nutshell

It would be much easier to recommend the Trooper if the Jeep Cherokee did not exist, especially considering that a Cherokee equipped with the indestructible and delightfully torquey I-6 can be had for only slightly more than your average Trooper. On the other hand, if you aren’t looking to fit in with everyone and their redneck cousin, there’s always the option of being an oddball and opting for an Isuzu instead. Hey, why not?"

Having owned both, I'd take the Cherokee. Although the Trooper has a stronger rear axle and rear disc brakes. If they had put a diesel in a Trooper for the US market, the decision would be more difficult.

 

[saxon]

Interesting quote from that site:

"In a Nutshell

It would be much easier to recommend the Trooper if the Jeep Cherokee did not exist, especially considering that a Cherokee equipped with the indestructible and delightfully torquey I-6 can be had for only slightly more than your average Trooper. On the other hand, if you aren’t looking to fit in with everyone and their redneck cousin, there’s always the option of being an oddball and opting for an Isuzu instead. Hey, why not?"

Having owned both, I'd take the Cherokee. Although the Trooper has a stronger rear axle and rear disc brakes. If they had put a diesel in a Trooper for the US market, the decision would be more difficult.

yes but knowing over 4 people who have had Jeep Cherokee's
and got rid of them as when they brake down some can be a real POS to work on
the trroper is a better and more roomie way to go

 

[Decker]

I've not owned an Xterra but I'd like to hear thoughts on that from any whom have experience with it.

-d

 

[SIXGUNRUGER]

I would suggest a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a V8. Nice size compared to the big SUVs and plenty of power if you need to pull a utility trailer or something to your property.

 

[Triplebuckshot]

93-99 Jeep Grand Cherokee'

 

[never2many]

i have a 1987 cherokee with the 4.0 and 5speed unlike most i have a dana 44 rear (larado package) i pull down 21mpg if i keep it below 60 parts are cheap tons of rigs in junk yards and easy to work on

 

[AMProducts]

I'm also a huge fan of the jeeps... personally I would recommend the cherokee or the commanche, both of these have the 4.0L inline 6. When you buy one, check the 4x4 gearbox it has, they made two models, the command trac and the selectrac. The one you want, when you look at where the selector lever is, there is a 4x part time and a 4x full time. (the one you don't want only has 4x part time). The difference is the part time setting locks the center diff and is what you want for off-road, but the 4x full is usable on slick and snowy streets without damage to the gearbox. Also, the model that lacks the full time setting usually has a vacuum lock front axle, which is notorious for not locking, or having the tubes rot off. I wouldn't suggest putting really big tires on it, as when you do you need to start making all kinds of modifications to the suspension system. My jeep just has the 15" rims with the Big-O bigfoot AT's, which are somewhat expensive tires, but have held up really well as daily driver tires, and are aggressive enough not to get jammed with mud. Even out in the soft sand of the california deserts, I rarely need to engage the 4x4. Also, stick with the ones with an automatic transmission. The AT has much better gearing, and holds up much better than the manual when towing.

As far as some of the other vehicles out there, +1 on the toyotas, the 4runner my buddy had performed admirably well off road, but as was mentioned, sometimes these vehicles tend to have engine troubles that are simpler to just send to a mechanic to fix. The land cruisers are either the really old type, or the luxury type. The luxury model is probably not what you are looking for, and the older variant is likely too old to not require some major work.

 

[parallax]

#1 choice on a budget.....suzuki samurai...( solid axles.fair milelage 22-28 m.p.g...unlimited after market parts and mods)
#2 unlimited budget........Hummer H1....( can be had with a small pickup bed and also comes in a diesel)

 

[djm68]

I am pretty sure I'll go with a Cherokee or Isuzu trooper; perhaps a Pathfinder. This will be mostly for hauling people and gear. As others have pointed out it is unlikely you can find one vehicle that will suite all our needs. For an actual work/hauling truck we're looking a Ford diesel truck, but do not need that for sometime. At the moment the people hauler is what is need while we drive out to examine properties.

Appreciate all the input!

DJM

 

[wsu 5.9er]

yes but knowing over 4 people who have had Jeep Cherokee's
and got rid of them as when they brake down some can be a real POS to work on
the trroper is a better and more roomie way to go

I know over 40 people who have had or still have 4.0/AW4 XJ's. Most are over 150,000 and some over 250,000 without any major problems. They are extremely easy to work on and find parts for. I've personally owned 3 and the early ones without the 4.0 are POS's that I had nothing but problems with. The 87-01 with the 4.0 are as reliable a vehicle as you can find.

I would suggest a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a V8. Nice size compared to the big SUVs and plenty of power if you need to pull a utility trailer or something to your property.

93-99 Jeep Grand Cherokee'

Only if it's the 1998 5.9 Limited Grand Cherokee. The transmissions are very weak in the ZJ's (93-98 Grand Cherokees) and the engines are worse in the WJ's (99-04 Grand Cherokees). Some of the 1993 ZJ's came with the same 4.0 engine/AW4 transmission as the XJ's and are as reliable, but most of the V8 ZJ/WJ's are not.

I'm also a huge fan of the jeeps... personally I would recommend the cherokee or the commanche, both of these have the 4.0L inline 6. When you buy one, check the 4x4 gearbox it has, they made two models, the command trac and the selectrac. The one you want, when you look at where the selector lever is, there is a 4x part time and a 4x full time. (the one you don't want only has 4x part time). The difference is the part time setting locks the center diff and is what you want for off-road, but the 4x full is usable on slick and snowy streets without damage to the gearbox. Also, the model that lacks the full time setting usually has a vacuum lock front axle, which is notorious for not locking, or having the tubes rot off. I wouldn't suggest putting really big tires on it, as when you do you need to start making all kinds of modifications to the suspension system. My jeep just has the 15" rims with the Big-O bigfoot AT's, which are somewhat expensive tires, but have held up really well as daily driver tires, and are aggressive enough not to get jammed with mud. Even out in the soft sand of the california deserts, I rarely need to engage the 4x4. Also, stick with the ones with an automatic transmission. The AT has much better gearing, and holds up much better than the manual when towing.

Actually, the Selec-trac transfer case (NP 242) is weaker because it has the full-time option. The Command-trac (NP231) t-case is stronger. And the vac disco front axle is only on the earlier models (pre 91).

 

[Kellen]

I look at my 4x4 BOV in a different light. Not only do I want to be able to navigate offroad easily, I also have to consider bugging out if I need to. If I bug out, am I going to leave my 800 lbs of food, firearms, camping equipment, ammo, medical, personal gear, ect.. behing? **** no. Whith that in mind, a full size vehicle is the only way to go. My choice is a 76 chevy shortbox. The 350 is easy to repair and find parts for if needed even in a collapse situation, the bed is big enough to hold up to 3/4 ton with helper springs plus the towning capacity. They can be decent on gas plus most have dual tanks. The shortbox has a short enought wheelbase to get me where I need to go. I can throw a ladder rack or cap on it and I can also find the truck with diesel motor. Just my 2 cents.

Kellen

 

[djm68]

I look at my 4x4 BOV in a different light. Not only do I want to be able to navigate offroad easily, I also have to consider bugging out if I need to. If I bug out, am I going to leave my 800 lbs of food, firearms, camping equipment, ammo, medical, personal gear, ect.. behing? **** no. Whith that in mind, a full size vehicle is the only way to go. My choice is a 76 chevy shortbox. The 350 is easy to repair and find parts for if needed even in a collapse situation, the bed is big enough to hold up to 3/4 ton with helper springs plus the towning capacity. They can be decent on gas plus most have dual tanks. The shortbox has a short enought wheelbase to get me where I need to go. I can throw a ladder rack or cap on it and I can also find the truck with diesel motor. Just my 2 cents.

Kellen

While I was not considering this a BOV, I do think you have the right ideas for a BOV: 350 chevy (parts are everywhere and easy to work on), and your idea of shorter wheel base makes sense. While bigger than your vehicle, I still miss my 1970's k20 suburban (350) -- it was basically a larger version of the BOV you described.

Cheers,
DJM

 

[java]

i miss my 85 pickup. reliable, cheap, went anywhere.
i have a 4th gen 4runner now, that with a trailer is what im taking. great set up.

 

[dmjjj]

I own an Xterra. Bought it new in 2007. It is 4 wheel drive, has cruise, AC, electric windows, 260 hp 6 cylinder and is basically the base model. You can get one new for around 20,000 and used for even less.

It gets about 21-22 mpg on the hwy, 17-18 around town. I have no regrets. It pulls my boat and does well in the snow. I would not hesitate to buy another Nissan.

If you need a truck consider the Titan or Frontier.

 

[ar57]

If we are talking stock. Anything from hummer!!!

 

[VW_Factor]

I'm a hardcore wheeler and have been for 25 years. My suggestion is an '87-'95 Nissan Pathfinder. Their drivetrains are strong and reliable and they will out-wheel *any* other IFS SUV or pickup truck. They are also quite comfortable and civilized with very car-like handling on tarmac. Road and Track always called them the "Driver's SUV". The only real downside to a Pathy is they do not have the seemingly endless aftermarket support that Toys and Jeeps do. You can easily buy everything you may ever want for one but you won't have your choice of 10 manufacturers for lift kits, bumpers, etc. You said you're not interested in wheeling, from what your situation describes I think a stock Pathfinder might be ideal for you. If you don't wheel it hard you probably can't break it. If you do wheel it hard add a $30 steering idler brace and you probably can't break it if you try. I wheel mine hard and the only strengthened suspension or steering part is the idler arm brace. An SE V6 Pathy with the off road package has four wheel disk brakes, rear LSD, 4.62 gears, and rolls on 31-10.5-15 tires stock. Late ones have ABS as well though I prefer vehicles without it as they work better in snow and ice. Check out the forum at NPORA, the Nissan Pathfinder Off Road Association if you're interested in more information. Feel free to look me up over there, my username is the same as here. Here's a shot of my '88 Pathy on 33s from a recent club trail run on the 311 at Evans Creek:

View attachment 197973

I would second this. Engines damn near run forever. Drivetrain is solid. Yotas run forever as well, there is nothing wrong with them.

Hardcore wheelers.. I prefer solid axle, however on my Pathy, I enjoy the IFS. They are not weak. 4 wheel disc brakes, shift on the fly 4x4. Good heat, and working AC Rear end came with the stock LSD, and its never left me stuck anywhere. I havent hard core wheeled this, but I have run it through its paces..

At any rate.. My personal picks would be late '70s GMC or Chev Blazer/Jimmy/Pickup 3/4 ton if you can find it.

early '80s 4Runner with removalable top and solid front axle, and prefer the 22R.. 4low and 2nd gear, foot in the floor..

Early 90s Pathys of course. Civilized and comfy for street, yet very capable off roaders.. With the right shocks on it, soaks up bumps off road very well. (Rancho 5000s)

View attachment 197151

 

[Redcap]

If we are talking stock. Anything from hummer!!!

The H2 and H3 are absolute garbage.