Los Gatos?

This is probably a stupid question, but what would one do to make a 2wd truck good offroad? I don't really want to (gas mileage&cost) but I was wondering if a 2wd COULD be good offroad? With a little lift, big tires, low gears, t-case, and a locker, would it be anywhere comparable to 4wd on trails (not rocks obviously) ??

seafarinman

I am sure that you can build up a capable 2WD off road truck. I would definitely get a selectable locker. I think that you will probably need to carry a lot of recovery gear as well like a winch. I had a '83 Nissan p/u that was 2ws and it did pretty well off road on dirt roads and just running around out in the desert in SoCal. We even crossed quite a few streams and such out in Hemet! Besides with the lighter weight and all you could get air! Good Luck.

joshik

ive seen some 2wd do some crazy stuff. my friend has a 2wd ford ranger, and he climbed some mud/dirt hills with some umph. he backed up and floored it!

but when u think of 2wd and off road, you dont think rock crawler. more of a prerunner... for desert/dirt racing and stuff of that sort. which is awesome to do. they make some bitchin 2wd stuff.

Total Chaos

Downey Off ROad

RTdawgs

rear locker/gears, transfer case, winch, lift, tires, full armor and youre set. then one day you could get get a SFA and youll already have the t-case for it.

gwhayduke

Before my 4Runner, I drove the wheels off a stone stock Toy pickup. I took it on some rough trails, old mining roads, wherever I wanted to go. If it got to a point where it couldn't go any further, I'd stop, load up the pack and hike. Lots of good memories...a cheapo pickup, a malamute and lots of roads and trails.

What did I always wish for?
More traction (locker or torsen)
Lower gearing (first gear just wasn't low enough sometimes)
A little more clearance (a shorter bed would have helped)

The memories are there because I didn't sit around wishing for the perfect vehicle. I just went where I wanted to go.

Have fun!

Los Gatos?

That does sound fun! Can I replace the malamute with a hot chick and get the same effect? I like the long bed (room to lie down ouch I'll stop now) ...

ALee27

putting in a transfer case would give you a 2LO right? would this be a big improvement in wheeling, and could i somehow modify a 4wd transfer case from another 4runner to work?

gwhayduke

I don't know about the chick...you see Malamutes don't talk back, complain about the rock under their side of the tent, and they don't bite.

Whoops....I better hide this one from the wife!

gwhayduke

Actually, yes. You can put a transfer case in your 2wd and gain a low range. Seems like I recall some magazine doing it several years back. There is also a bolt on gear box used for towing that gives you a lower ratio. TCase would probably be the cheaper way to go.

Brian Smith

I think the answer to your question is yes. Clear back in the stone age when I was a kid, my first car was a 1929 model A ford. The car was 31 years old when I bought it. It was perfect for going off road . Lots of clearance, knobby tires, tall gears, lots of torque. you would not believe some of the places it went!

YoungFeller

Yes, 2WD's can be great off-road. Don't forget...the sand dunes are ruled by 2wd sand rails, baja courses are tested by 2wd pre-runners, and it's amazing how far up the trail your boss's 2wd pickup will get. Nearly any 2WD pickup can outdo most of what they call SUV's these days off-road.

With a rear locker (I love LockRight, on-road and off), 4WD becomes obselete in many cases. On a trail with offset holes or any obstacle that twists the suspension up, a 2WD with a locker outdrives a stock 4WD without question. We're not even talking close. The stock 4WD won't make any headway, it'll just bounce and kick up lots of dust. A locked 2WD can go straight up without even slipping a tire. I don't bother locking the hubs on many trails. Since one front tire lifts up in the tough spots, it's just 2WD anyway and the locker pushes it straight through most of the time.

I recommend a very absorbant and durable suspension since you may need to hit some obstacles at speed, especially loose sections or slippery rocks.

The weaknesses of 2WD off-road are off-camber climbs, since it can be difficult to keep the rear from sliding off the trail, backing up while going downhill, downhill engine braking (if you've added lower gears, the rear wheels might not hold you well enough) and long obstacles or hillclimbs that don't allow you to carry momentum all the way through.

Eric