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Al Kraft
Supporting Member
- May 2, 2016
- 10,771
- 40,450
- Disclosures
- Mesa Boogie beta product tester and player support
I read somewhere that a very high percentage (way, way over 50%) of off-road capable SUVs never see anything more challenging than dirt driveways or gravel parking lots. I was one of those essential government guys who had to be at work regardless and my 4WD vehicles were always optimized for getting me through snow, ice, and occasionally flooded streets. No Rolls Royce though...
A lot of those SUVs (and Jeeps, trucks, whatever) that do get a taste of the action don't make it off-road for a long time, then purpose built/highly modified, and that done with actual intelligence nowadays. The days of a 6" or 12" lift and way stiff springs have given way to cut fenders for larger meats, compliant suspension, and beefed up or replaced axles. (tall stiff lift may still be used for mud bogs or sand dunes) Dual transfer cases for certain conditions. My first year available in the US Strange Rover has factory issue dana 60 knock-offs. Some parts even interchange, but they sadly dropped the ball and made the axle shafts out of peanut butter! Later Discovery era rovers came with stronger axles, mostly by means of a higher spline count. 90% of my off-roading was in a bone stock Jeep J-10 with off-road 31 x 10.5's.
I don't know fellas... I consider myself a car guy. Call me a driver over an engineer though. I can wrench, but just my life philosophy is to not get bogged down by every little detail. I already think to much, annoying at times.
I drive a somewhat lifted Tundra, King Coilovers on 35's. I hit the trails... eat lunch with the wife and dog, check out nature and just be... I commute and deal with yearly snow too.
IMO, A quality driver in a thoughtfully upgraded pick-up can go pretty far for quite a long time. Granted, they aren't going over the same terrain a purposely built rig will...
There's always preferences and connections we make to things right, its in our nature. I'm just happy we still have cars. lol
I drive a somewhat lifted Tundra, King Coilovers on 35's. I hit the trails... eat lunch with the wife and dog, check out nature and just be... I commute and deal with yearly snow too.
IMO, A quality driver in a thoughtfully upgraded pick-up can go pretty far for quite a long time. Granted, they aren't going over the same terrain a purposely built rig will...
There's always preferences and connections we make to things right, its in our nature. I'm just happy we still have cars. lol
