greatskiiiier

ok this thread is just for kicks: whats the best stock/ mostly stock truck for offroading? (offroading: hill climbing, rock crawling, trail ridin, not as much mudding)

Criteria:
- the truck must be as stock as possible
- modifications can only be made to fit 31" tires
- no locker, not even stock lockers
- stick or auto
- 4cyl or 6cyl- NO 8cyl for this
- no full size trucks
(think thats it, if you have a question people post first)

The Trucks:
Jeep Wrangler
Jeep Cherokee/ Grand Cherokee
Chevy S-10 Blazer/ Pickup/ Sonoma
Nissan Pathfinder/ Pickup
Toyota 4Runner/ Pickup
Suzuki Samurai

Ranking:
List the trucks from 1 (Best) to 6 (Worst)
If you want to add something feel free- just post

Justinlhc

Kind of a broad question and there really is no right answer or right way to rank them. Since you say no "factory locker" I'm assuming this means no vari-lock axles for the Jeeps so that pretty much makes those worthless. The Jeeps and the Samurai are the only ones with solid axles so I'd have to go with one of those and since the Samurai is as gutless as they come, it would have to come down to one of the Jeeps. I don't even know why I'm trying to answer this question. It's way too broad to give any straight answer to. Sorry.

greatskiiiier

just want to get a basic idea for what the best truck is for offroad, that can be built cheap

PLEASE POST 1-6 FOR RANKINGS

m1ashooter

For me it's the one that's already paid for: my 4Runner.

As for a legitimate answer to you're question...well I don't really have one but I'll input anyways. Out of your list, I have only owned a Samurai (besides my 4Runner) and although it was a fun little turd to drive with the top off and so forth, it was the roughest ride ever. I don't think it had shocks, just metal bars from the axle to the frame. The engine "through a rod" or something like that at a little over 100k miles after I had sold it to someone else. It was very expensive for them to fix. (This was in the mid-1990's.) Overall I was not real impressed with them. Actually, not impressed at all.

As to the Chevy S-10 entry, I can only relate slightly. I leased a Chevy Colorado Z71 in 2005 that has the 4WD looks and suspension but is a 2WD with a "limited slip" differential or whatever it is they call it. I have yet to figure out the benefit or use of the diff. It seems just to automatically slow the engine rpms down to try and keep the wheels from spinning. This is real effective when trying to pull out in front of traffic when the roads are a little wet! The engine bogs itself down just in time to leave you hangin' out in the lane of traffic. Great idea! Also, they put the crappiest tires imaginable on it (Generals) so I'm certainly not impressed with the Chevy product for these and many other reasons. It did come with nice tow hooks though which have been very useful when I've had to pull it out of my (sometimes) muddy driveway with my 4Runner.

As to the question of why I purchased a Colorado in the first place, I leased it because I knew I could give it back and not be stuck with it. Also, they were doing employee pricing and I was buried in my F250 diesel. Toyota didn't even consider lowering their price on the Tacoma (for good reason) so I was left with Chevy. Lessoned learned on my part...

tc

The cheapest vehicle to mod is the one you can buy closest to where you want to be ... that usually means buying something with factory lockers.

Here's the deal - start with a Wrangler Rubicon, throw $1000 or so for a lift, and you have a VERY capable vehicle. As your budget increases, IFS gets better, and with unlimited budget it doesn't matter.

4banginRunner

Toyota FTW

Other than that, you just can't beat a Sammy in any form. They squeeze through stuff other people cant crawl over.

I had a 95 Jeep GC a while back, coils F/R flex nice pretty good offroad, had the power, the tranny was garbage though.

seanmearse

My 4Runner, its just so smooth and fluid, its a beautiful site to see, like a sunset over a rocky hill, or a smooth calm river crossing... Oh right, best truck, the 4Runner.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Stock 85 Toyota 4Runner/PickUp will whoop them all, hands down.

Now quit saying the "J" word on here or you will be banned.

nieuwendyk-25

I'll play...nothing wrong with the "J" word, some of us are more open minded and know where the 4X4 history began. That said...real Jeeps have round headlights and start with a "CJ" in the name. I have offroad experience will all but the Chevy and Samuria.

1) Jeep CJ-7 (you can't beat it with the top and doors off)
2) Toyota 4Runner a close second...I have taken mine almost everywhere my Jeep has been and some it hasn't. But when I gotta turn it around on a tight trail...I'll take the CJ. More clearance than the Cherokee and built much tougher.
3) Jeep Wrangler...always hated the name...they ruined Jeeps when they went to these...the Rubicon was a step back in the right direction.
4) Cherokee (used to have the full size version and the smaller version)
5) Pathfinder or Exterra (I'll take the Exterra...don't care for the IRS on the Pathfinder)

That's it for me...I will never by a Chevy...and, the Samuria...are you kidding...don't they run on batteries...they were always a Joke!

Jeep Jeep Jeep Jeep Jeep...I know it is a 4 letter word, but you can't ban me for that Brian!

BTW...see sig

BT17R

Surpised that nobody mentioned the one Toyota actually designed from the ground up to represent, the FJ Cruiser. It's more than my '79 FJ-40 could hope to be, capable of black diamond trails stock (e.g. Rubibicon) and a vast aftermarket.

91 4Runner

I've had/wheeled every one on the list. So if it were up to me...

85/earlier Toy
Suzuki
Comanchee
My 4Runner
Any Jeep - CJ YJ
Any Cherokee
Any S-series
Then the Nissan

mr.man

for the budget list

1)cherokee
2)85 or older toyota
3)wrangler
4)suzuki
5)chevy
6)nissan


and the only reason the cherokee is in front of the old yota's is you can pick up a running cherokee for under 500. i have 800 total into my cherokee and ive beat the piss out of it

jackwolf

"rank: best compact for offroading"
I saw your topic and then I read your criteria. I'm going to go with the topic itself since I've seen baja bugs do some amazing things off road. They are like my costco tool kit, disposable yet formidable and they just keep hanging in there.

Otherwise, the best only list:

1. diesel + what ever flavor compact (toyota 2runner diesel)
2. porsche transsyberia
3. 1955 Unimog 411
4. "J" Commanche/Cherokee 4.0L XJ/MX series
5. any sport quad bike

Honorable mention: Danner boots.

X-AWDriver

I think the factory locker is one of the best things Toyota added to the Tacoma,4Runner and FJ.

ckblum

Not a big fan of the dinky toy Samurai, my friend had one and rolled it on the highway after being cut off and jerked to the side a bit. Truck rolled like dice. My 87 ext cab ranger was super stable but a bit long for tight trails, I am more into desert running and trails though. My reg cab Toyota is great all around, nice and tight wheelbase but still long enough to feel confident on the highway/high speed rough.

deathrunner

Ok, I almost sold the Deathrunner to do this. The best of both worlds. Suzuki size, Toyota running gear. A body so ugly, you want to roll it.

Suzuki Sidekick (Geo/Chevy Tracker) or the X90

http://www.trailtough.com/index.php?...mart&Itemid=53









http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content?topic=49129.0

I like the 4 door Sidekicks. Toyota 8" solid axles are a big upgrade to these trucks. with 5.71 gears, double lockers, and 33's it woudl be pretty capable. Trail Tough makes a coil/link suspension kit. The other great thing about suzukis is that if you use a samurai T case, you can get high range gear reduction in addition to low range gear reduction. AWESOME!

yoder519

ill have ti agree on the Unimogs. those things are crazy.

yoder519

holy smokes. i had no idea they made stuff like that for trackers. call me sissy but i like the llast one posted the purplish one

deathrunner

yeah, that is owned/built by the old owner of protrux. He has a whole site dedicated to those little bastards. www.generationx90.com

They are kinda cool. Sidekick 2 door frame, super compact body with removable top.

taconasty

i've seen some stock sami's do some pretty cool stuff