85gijunk4x4

okay, so my buddys 97 ranger got stuck in some ruts on 31 inch firestone destinations , after he got pulled out, i drove through, stopped in the center, then pulled out all in 2wd and on some tiny balded out street tread off brand tires called "steel riders"

so the question is what makes toyotas so good off road...my thoughts are

1. manual locking hubs and manual transfer case are way better then automatic.

2. the weight seems to be distributed very well

3. toyota had the highest front end ground clearence for '85

btw my rig is all stock...no lift kits and such. if you have any ideas post them up.

MaK92-4RnR

you're comparing ford to toyota... which isn't possible.

toyota's are in general very capable rigs even in stock form. even my 4runner continues to surprise me.

85gijunk4x4

lol the whole comparing to a ford thing is true...the only thing in my oppinion worthy of a comparsion between toyota is an I-H scout, but ive yet to see one get stuck.

tc

No

Yes, but shouldn't be much different for a Ranger.

Sorta. The Toyota SFA is definitely tops in the strength to ground clearance ratio. Toyota does a reasonable job tucking most of the mechanicals up in there, the gas tanks being the common exception.

Things not on your list:
Lower gearing - 4.10's and lower, combined with pretty low gears in the transmission and a >2:1 tcase tops just about everyone

Light weight

Good wheelbase and track width

Good suspension travel (even the IFS has decent travel comparitively)

Availability of locking differentials (in newer models)

85gijunk4x4

lol everything you mentioned is true...but how are auto locking hubs better then manual. theres so much potential for auto hubs not to work, like bad fuse, switch,seleinoid, motor...i mean come on all you have to do is open a door a twist a knob thing for christs sake

lol that sorta came out like im mad and idk how to reword it but naa im not mad im just curious of your opinion because i never really looked into the pros of auto hubs, jusdt the cons( as you can tell lol)

85gijunk4x4

lol all true, and one thing i noticed compared to others is that the gas tank has a skid plate on it

MaK92-4RnR

hubs have nothing to do with offroad performance.

and thats not a skid plate... its decoration added to the gas tank

85gijunk4x4

lol, if your hubs dont engage your stuck in 2wd. and that decoration does a good job keeping rocks away from the gastank...i hope ididnt scratch it...

MaK92-4RnR

well despite mechanical issues.. as long as they're in working order, they dont decrease or increase performance over the other.

and its a sand/pebble guard... smash it against a heavier rock or a tree stump... it'll be done for.

85gijunk4x4

correct.

and the only thin i dont like about it is that when you drag it in mud the mud scrapes through the holes and packed against the tank and makes it rot...so what kind of damage will pebbles do to a gas tank tank lol jk...

MaK92-4RnR

heh I dont have rotting/rust problems in california

85gijunk4x4

yeah same here in nj , no rot whatsoever ...im only kidding lol, check out my pics hah

tc

According to your story, the section was passable in 2WD, so how would the hubs affect anything?

My point was, so long as they work, they don't have any effect on the truck's performance. Locked hubs are locked - no matter how they got there.

85gijunk4x4

yes, locked hubs are the same wther they got there automatically or manually, i wasnt refering to hubs in this particular instance, just in general, in this story, i figured it was weight distribution, thats the only thing i could think of besides gearing, i think the ranger ended up in 4low.

so anyway, any other ideas as to why yota's can outperform most vehicles offroad?

PlanB

Because of the people who drive them.

wentz912

PlanB is the winner. Even though his Runner is ENTIRELY too tall.

redhawk427

i agree that yotas are better off road performers than rangers..BUT it's definitely opinion, not a fact. there are too many factors to consider. even something as small as the ranger going first, moving some mud or whatever around just enough for the yota to clear it. im not disagreeing though. as far as manual vs. auto hubs...manual may be more reliable but i honestly like auto way more. its more fun to attempt a whole in 2wd and if you dont make it, simply swith to 4wd, get through, switch out. no trying to reach in 3feet of water or mud and trying to get the things locked. its just a pain in the ass i think

**Plus i agree, PlanB is DEFINITELY RIGHT! i bet 99% depends on the person who is driving it

redhawk427

another reason i bet it seems yotas outperform other rigs is partly cuz more people mod them and make them capable because everyone knows a modded toyota pickup or 4runner looks sick as hell!!!

X-AWDriver

It's more the driver than the truck in a lot of cases.

85gijunk4x4

lol my yota is all stock, the ranger on the other hand had 33's nd 3 inch lift, and i think possibly a locker or posi rear.

it could be the driver, when im in 2wd, wheels spinning, i always pump the pedel, up to about 20mph to clean the treads, then back down slow to get traction. ive driven his ranger before and got stuck ,he drove the yota and didnt get stuck, though in the ranger when wheels were spinning it felt like the truck was bouncing up and down, like it was too light to 'grip' the mud and it was just dancing on top of it, but the yota on the other hand, the wheels will spin, the truck will sink, then youll get traction. i really do beileive its the weight distributin though, what ever it is its perfect,