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VEHICLE RECOMMENDATIONS
First off I know this is a fishing site and not a vehicle site but I have found that to get to the best fishing hole you sometimes need a rugged, reliable 4WD vehicle. This page explains what I have found is necessary for going into the back country in my area and what to look for in a 4WD vehicle. Please remember that numbers can be deceiving and when purchasing a car, truck, or SUV you should not only test drive on the street but take it out in bad weather or even better off road – mud, rocks, snow, hills etc. This is a little biased. I drive a Jeep XJ
This page covers the basics of the following:
· FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VS ALL WHEEL DRIVE
o ALL WHEEL DRIVE/FULL TIME FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TYPES
o PART TIME FOUR WHEEL DRIVE
· AXLES
o LIVE AXLES (SOLID)
o INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION
o DIFFERENTIALS
§ OPEN
§ LIMITED SLIP
§ FULL LOCKER
o HUBS
o TIRES
· SIZE
o GROUND CLEARANCE
o APPROACH/DEPARTURE/BREAKOVER ANGLES
o PHYSICAL SIZE
o VEHICLE WEIGHT
· SKID PLATES
· POWER/FUEL ECONOMY
· SUMMARY
4WD VS AWD
Four Wheel Drive versus All Wheel Drive.
Not all 4WD vehicles are created equal!
Both 4WD and AWD will get most people where they need to go and with some of the new computer controlled AWD you get the benefit of both. Even LOCKING DIFFERENTIALS! More on this later.
Generally speaking there are 2 types of four wheel drive. Full time and part time. Full time is often referred to as AWD or All Wheel Drive. Part time is referred to as Four Wheel Drive. Both have their advantages depending on what you are doing.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE
AWD incorporates a center differential or viscous coupling (differential that uses fluid instead of gears to transfer power) allowing the front and rear axles to turn at different speeds allowing the user to remain in four wheel drive on any road surface. This is nice if you live in a place that has snow where some streets are plowed and some aren’t. Just put it in gear and go. AWD will work on most dirt roads and trails but unless you can lock the center you may run into problems when crossing streams or mud holes. Low range is also extremely handy in really bad areas. More on this later. The reason for this is if you don’t have traction on your rear axle (or front) because that axle is slipping in the mud, snow or ice the ability to have the axles turn at different speeds also allows for the axle with traction to not turn at all while the axle without traction just digs you deeper. Without some way of transferring power to the axle with traction you will be stuck.
There are only a few ways to keep power to wheels with traction in Full Time 4WD vehicles. Basically you need some sort of limited slip.
Let’s start with older systems first. Clutch based Limited Slip Differentials (LSD) use friction plates to keep the tires spinning close to the same speed. Like pushing your hands together and turning them opposite directions the more pressure there is the harder it is to turn. The main problem with this design is clutches need to be replaced. This can get expensive.
A viscous coupling on the other hand uses fluid to keep the wheels turning at similar speeds. In a system with a viscous coupling you only need change the fluid. This system’s main problem is if you get into a really nasty situation you may not be able to get enough power to the wheels with traction to get yourself out of a hole.
Next is what I have. A locking center differential. This system gives you the advantage of both 4wd and AWD. This is an option on several vehicles including Chevy/GMC, Jeep and Hummer (others may have this too but I have not done enough research on others to know). In my Jeep’s system (1989’s selec-trac option upgrade) I have the following options for transferring power to the wheels
2WD - only sends power to the rear axle ALL ROAD SURFACES
PART TIME 4WD locks the front and rear axles at the same speed LOOSE SLIPPERY SURFACES ONLY
FULL TIME 4WD Sends power to both axles by using a center differential allowing axles to turn at different speeds ALL ROAD SURFACES
NEUTRAL I don’t ever use this but it is designed to allow for towing behind an RV
LOW RANGE PART TIME 4WD – Locks the front and rear axle together and gives a gear reduction for more power LOOSE SLIPPERY SURFACES ONLY
Many of the new vehicles use Antilock Brake Limited Slip (ABLS) even though they may call it something else. What this does is when the antilock brake system detects wheel slippage at any wheel it will apply the brakes to that wheel only causing the other wheels to get the power. The best systems will get you through anything even if you only have 1 wheel with good traction. Ask your dealer for the details. Most salesmen won’t actually know so make sure you get it from a dealer or factory publication.
PART TIME 4WD
Part time four wheel drive is much simpler than AWD so this section is relatively short. Part time systems simply lock the front and rear drive shafts together ensuring that they turn at the same speeds. The big downfall to these systems is that you cannot use them in high traction situations because when you are turning your rear wheels don’t travel as far as your front wheels so your axles have to turn at different speeds. This will cause tire hop, transfer case wear, tire wear and axle wear – all of which can get very expensive. Typical transfer cases offer:
2WD – All road surfaces
4WD – Loose slippery surfaces only
NEUTRAL – For towing
LOW RANGE 4WD – Loose slippery surfaces only
LOW RANGE
Just as you have more power in first gear than you do in high gear low range gives you more power and control through gear reduction. Most low ranges give you a 2:1-3:1 gear reduction. This gives you 2-3 more times the power for moth climbing and hill decent.
AXLES
LIVE AXLES – INDEPENDENT – LIMITED SLIP – LOCKING – OPEN? WHAT”S THE DIFFERENCE?
SOLID AXLES
We will start with Live or solid axles as compared to Independent suspension. A live or solid axle is a one piece system (albeit by welding multiple pieces together) that makes it so if one wheel moves so does the other. Another advantage to solid axles is with increased articulation (basically wheel travel) you will keep all 4 wheels on the ground. I have been on a few trails that parallel streams where independent suspension vehicles end up with a wheel in the air and I keep traction to all four. This is what is preferred by most extreme off roaders. Basically a live axle will in most cases give you better articulation at the expense of on road ride quality. There are also less moving parts which means less things to break. If you are looking for extreme offroad 4X4 info there are much better places to looks for it than here. I am just trying to give basics.
INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION
Independent suspension lets the wheels move independently of each other resulting in a smoother on road ride. A big downfall to this system is more U-Joints. Manufacturers are very careful to make their systems tough. In order to have a pivot point to allow for one side of the axle to move without affecting the other you need a way to transfer power through a flexing joint. More moving parts – more things to break. Another upside to independent suspension is it eliminates DEATH WOBBLE – look it up it’s scary.
Which is better? It depends on what you are planning on doing. I go deep enough into the back country that I prefer solid axles. About 1/3 my driving (time only) is on dirt roads and ATV trails.
LIMITED SLIP/LOCKERS AND OPEN
Unfortunately most 4 wheel drives are actually 2 wheel drive – one in the front and one in the rear. This is because most differentials don’t have any way to lock the wheels together. This is known as an open differential. This is really bad in mud or on loose rocks as one wheel will free spin and the other will just sit there doing nothing. I recommend at least one limited slip axle. My uncle recently had to get pulled out by a quad because he has the typical one in the front and one in the rear.
There are several types of limited slips available. The most common is a clutch based limited slip that allows for the wheels to spin at different speeds but requires the friction plate to be replaced. I replace mine every 30,000 – 50,000 miles. About $100 at a local 4X4 shop.
Another type is torque sensing limited slips. These apply power to which ever wheel has better traction by the use of conical gears. These are a very good way to go for front axles. As there is no binding as the inside wheel turns slower than the outside wheel.
Antilock brake limited slip utilizes the ABS system on your vehicle to detect if wheels are slipping and apply brakes to the slipping wheels. This is a great way to go for most people but require the vehicle computer to be able to react properly and quickly enough to keep you from sinking. Also some ABS sensors don’t work if there is too much mud.
Full lockers do not allow wheels to spin separately except under extremely high torque. Some vehicles such as the Toyota FJ Cruiser, Jeep Wrangler and Chevy pickups (don’t get mad if I left you out) have lockers as an option. These systems have been known to break other parts of the drive train so you may require an axle upgrade to run a full locker. You shouldn’t have to worry if it came from the factory with one. Many people find them harder to drive with too. If you do a lot of offroading in extreme situations there is nothing that beats a full locker for traction.
HUBS
I prefer automatically locking hubs (permanently engaged) on my front axle because that means I don’t need to get out and turn the lock on the hub, As far as I know all new vehicles have automatic locking hubs. This also allows for shift on the fly – the ability to shift into 4WD while moving CHECK YOUR OWNERS MANUAL BEFORE ATTEMPTING AS THIS CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE ON VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY EQUIPPED!!!!
TIRES
This will vary depending on your vehicle but I recommend a good set of light truck all terrain tires NOT PASSENGER ALL TERRAIN TIRES! The easy way to spot the difference I passenger tires will have a size with a P as in P235/75 15 and a truck tire will have a rating like LT235/75 15. LT tires have more layers so they are more puncture resistant. For most people mud terrain tires are excessive. A really good off road vehicle will be able to do just about anything with all terrains that have an M+S (mud and snow) rating.
SIZE
GROUND CLEARANCE
There are actually several ways to measure ground clearance. The most common is to find the lowest place on the vehicle – usually the rear differential and measure to the ground. Sounds really simple but for some strange reason some manufacturers can’t seem to do this. The biggest and worst example that I can think of for this is the discontinued Hummer H1. Don’t get me wrong the H1 had GREAT clearance but General Motors says that the H1 has a ground clearance of something like 17” This was only in the middle as the suspension sat much closer to the ground. Running ground clearance only does you any good for straddling rocks and logs etc. This is where compact and crossover SUVs fall short.
APPROACH/DEPARTURE/BREAKOVER ANGLES
These are just as if not more important than ground clearance. Approach angle is how steep of a hill you can drive up to without hitting something besides a tire. This is usually the front bumper or little plastic things that are put on for looks and/or air flow. Departure angle is the same but from behind and on most 4x4s that will be your tow hitch. Breakover is what keeps you from being high centered at the top of a hill. Yet another reason to go with something a little bit bigger.
PHISICAL SIZE
Many people feel more secure in a full size truck or SUV. Many of the places I go a full size vehicle won’t even fit. It doesn’t matter how good of a driver you are if you can’t fit between the trees you can’t go any farther. Long wheelbase vehicles also can’t turn as sharp as a short wheelbase vehicle. You should be fine with anything that has a 40’ or less turning radius but I’d rather try to break 35’. If you do you will be amazed at how maneuverable your vehicle is. This also helps in parking lots. If you have ever tried to park a long bed crew cab you know what I’m talking about.
My personal opinion on vehicle size is to find the smallest vehicle you can fit a fully assembled fly rod and all your gear/people in.
VEHICLE WEIGHT
I believe that lighter is better. While a full size truck at 6,000 lbs can plow through a snow bank or mud my 3,000 lb jeep floats on top. The big problem with a lightweight vehicle is when towing I’m required to have trailer brakes for any trailer over 1,000 lbs.
SKID PLATES
Look for a vehicle that has FUNCTIONAL skid plates. A piece of tin or plastic won’t do you any good (Ford Explorer).
You probably will want a gas tank skid. Spare tires are commonly placed where a skid plate should be. This is all fine and dandy but if you hit your spare and pop the bead what will you do if you get a flat?
Another problem area is the front end. If there is any question ask the dealer if you can kick it. Then kick it as hard as you can without breaking your foot. If he says no ask “Why not? if it’s a skid plate it should be able to handle a sledge hammer. A foot should be nothing!”
Differentials tend to hang down. An aftermarket item might be a good idea here.
If you go to really nasty places consider armoring your entire undercarriage.
POWER/GAS MILEAGE
With rising gas prices you need to consider this. Unfortunately for the most part good mileage and fuel economy don’t go together. Improvements are being made. Many new pickups get nearly 20 MPG on the highway. This goes way down in stop/go traffic but once again a lighter vehicle will help here. This is why I love my Jeep Cherokee (XJ NOT GRAND). 18-23 MPG, factory skid plates, both full time and part time 4WD, tow rating of 5,000 lbs and can go just about anywhere.
SUMMARY
If you are going into the back country remember that there is no substitute for traction or common sense. Look for an over built drive train and ALWAYS take 2 vehicles if you are going farther than you can walk out!
With my recommendations below please remember my recommendations are geared towards getting out in the boonies and not driving around town. Many of the vehicles in the worst vehicle section have a nicer street ride than the ones in the best section. Also keep in mind that option packages make a huge difference.
BEST VEHICLES
| VEHICLE |
PROS |
CONS |
| JEEP CHEROKEE |
- Excellent off road
- Decent gas milage
- Excellent aftermarket support
- Excellent power (6 cyl)
- Inexpensive
- Good interior room
- Very manueverable
- Very good off road packages
|
- No longer made
- Death wobble
- Noisy
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| Kia sportage |
- Excellent milage
- Low range transfer case
- Pleanty of power
- Very manueverable
|
- Needs limited slip
- Not enough power for towing
- No offroad package
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| Land Rover LR3 |
- Excellent off road
- Great power
- Great cargo room
- Great ride quality
- Off road packages STANDARD
|
- Gas mileage
- Expensive would be afraid to scratch the paint on trees/brush
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| Jeep Grand Cherokee |
- Excellent off road
- Great power
- Great cargo room
- Great ride quality
- Great off road packages
|
- Gas mileage
- Expensive would be afraid to scratch the paint on trees/brush
- IFS
|
| Jeep Wrangler |
- Excellent off road
- Good gas mileage
- Relatively inexpensive
- Available factory lockers, electronic swaybar disconect, 4:1 transfer case
- Removable top
- Extrordinary off road package
|
- On road manners
- Noisy
- Bouncy
- Too small
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| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited |
- Excellent off road
- Good gas mileage
- Relatively inexpensive
- Available factory lockers, electronic swaybar disconect, 4:1 transfer case
- Extrordinary off road package
|
- On road manners
- Noisy
- Bouncy but smoother than Wrangler
- Under powered
- Can get pricy
|
| Toyota Tacoma |
- Best pick up for off road
- Good cargo room
- Good gas milage
- Inexpensive
|
- Gear is outside w/o bed cover
- IFS
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| Toyota FJ Cruiser |
- Excellent off road
- Looks cool
- Good gas mileage
- Available rear locker
- Inexpensive
- Standard off road package with extras to get you through just about any situation
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| Jeep Patriot |
- Pretty good off road
- Great gas mileage ~27mpg
- Inexpensive
- Available low range*
- Comprehensive off road package
|
- 4 wheel independent suspension
- Lacks power
- Jeep enthusiasts will look down on you
- 4 wheel independant suspension
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*Done through a gearless transmission
WORST VEHICLES
| VEHICLE |
PROS |
CONS |
| HUMMER H2 |
- Status symbol
- Lots of power
- Great on road drive
- Excellent off road
- Ground clearance
- Approach/departure/breakover angles
- Water fording
- Great off road package
|
- Gas milage
- Too big
- Over engineered
- Cost
- Too heavy
- Takes multiple other vehicles to pull you out when stuck
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| Ford Expedition |
- Power
- Lots of room
- On road ride quality
|
- Too big
- Too heavy
- Limited slip not available
- Poor gas mileage
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| Chevy Trailbazer |
- Good dimensions
- Good power
- Ride quality
- Available rear locker
|
- Looks good on papaer buit just doesn't cut it off road
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| Ford Explorer |
- Power
- Ride quality
- Good dimensions
|
- Fake skid plates
- Limited slip not available
- Gas mileage
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| Chevy Suburban |
|
Same as above |
| Chevy Tahoe |
- Power
- Lots of room
- Basically a Hummer (rolls off the same assembly line)
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Same as above |
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If you are still thinking that a Hummer is the best offroad vehicle made I invite you to watch this video from YouTube:
This video is from Chrystler highlighting the Patriot
This is more Jeep Patriot off road footage. The "B" roll.
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