4x4 proper offroading

alexthecheese

alexthecheese

alexthecheese

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Went out in a mate's 4x4 a couple of weeks ago at a local off-roading site, where he paid £25 for a day to use his 4x4 about the place and then get a wash to get it back on the road.

Now, I thought it was awesome. :cool: It was a 3.1td short wheelbase Isuzu Trooper, with enormous tyres, a 7 ton winch, steel reinforcement everywhere underneath and a lot of ground clearance courtesy of some new springs. I had a go on it but my fun was cut short as I grounded it, and buggered up the 4wd. Thankfully it was just a piece of tree trunk that had got caught in the 4wd selector linkages but I was bricking it at the time. :eek:

Me and my bro have been looking on going two's up on one. Seen quite a lot that could be upgraded to manhandle the really rough stuff only for about £1k. We'd need to get the tyres and get a mate to build some reinforcement around the door sills and underneath, but it's all do-able.

Anybody got any thoughts on this? About getting a 4x4 that will won't fail as soon as we take it off-road and about green laning - is this actually viable?

Also has anyone else done this or does this and has anyone got any recommendations for a cheap 4x4 specifically for off-road hooning. :cool:
 
I've thought about it before too - you can get a suprisingly capable vehicle for peanuts then add the right tyres, I would personally only start raising the ride height adding protection etc as you get more into it and start to do the more challenging stuff.

You can pick up the likes of a Jimny - which whilst you'd look hilarious in it is actually decent off road (though clearance is an issue as you get more adventurous), the likes of a vitara or trooper etc isn't much more either.

Biggest problem I have is that in central Scotland there (surprisingly) seems to be very little in the way of places to actually go!
 
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Jeep Cherokee is a good shout and their 4 litre lumps are pretty bombproof but parts can be costly for them (I know I used to own one and there is good reason people joke that JEEP stands for Just Empty Every Pocket)
 
You can't go wrong with an older LD Defender, although there are cheaper entries into Off-Roading. The vehicle is unimportant, the driving skills and training required to safely manoeuvre around obstacles, plus what to do *when* you inevitably roll, get stuck or slide are essential for safe enjoyment.

Good luck!
 
I seem to remember reading on here some time ago that Jeep Cherokee's suffer from suspension sagging......is this true and something to look out for?
 
cokecan72 said:
I seem to remember reading on here some time ago that Jeep Cherokee's suffer from suspension sagging......is this true and something to look out for?
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Yeah, if getting a Jeep for offroading I would want to replace the suspension as even on the road, it was like wafting on a large barge.

You have to remember they are mad for the Americans with floaty suspension even when new.

Get a Jimny or a Daihatsu Fourtrak. Both peanuts to buy, easy to work on and lots of fun!

Even buy one already modded with 4" lift and snorkel kit for £800

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAIHATSU-...2531315?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a76e08ef3

Or a Discovery with a lift kit? £995

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVE...3175056?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3374d0d490

Or if you can spend the money, a proper 4 x4 defender

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/landrover...7567504?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item46055b1b10
 
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Discovery isn't a bad option, decent ones can be had for sensible cash, a lot of after market options and they're well mannered on the road too.

Just watch out for the rust :D
 
Lashout_UK said:
Decent Jeeps don't do that - but that's the tricky bit, finding one that's not a nail.
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I would suspect that in the price range,age and mileage that the OP is looking at, finding one would be almost impossible!

Mine was always like sailing in a barge though, despite it having only 10k on the clock when I bought it.

By the time I got ride at 110k it was terrible!
 
any landy watch out for chassis and front balls on them

used to have a nice high jacked v8 disco that went up into the arctic with it about ten years ago dual winches front and rear highlift rocksliders caged raised by 6 inches or so repositiond suspension mounts military water kitted full snorkel and so on all the bolluks basically ...

cost like 5 k in all to fit out so was not cheap but not overly expensive

if u just want to play in the mud and have cheap fun a suzuki is a fun little toy that will suprise a lot of people and can go places other would not dream of going cause they just skit across all the soft stuff that larger tubs sink into..

go for short wheelbase and cut any overhangs of air locking diffs are a godsend also depends how far you want to go tbh..

green laning is soft where u dont need much try and go watch some of road 4x4 trials and if u do go offroad arm yourself with a few ordanance survey maps,

theres lots of places u can go where people fear to tread if u look in the right spots..

not all legal tho ........ be prepared to take damage i rolled my disco down a bank once took a lot to get it back up three other vehicles all with winches to drag it back to the top was fun tho
 
dont forget you will need to add some recovery points to whatever you get and buy a couple of goods ropes. less than £100.

bent my front radius arm mount back last time out, so my front axle isnt inline. oops. need a man with a very large hammer.
 

That's what you need, Buy 2nd hand & fully prepped you'll get one this time of year for a grand, DIY & it'll cost you twice that.
Ignore the Landy fans as they are heavy weak & break all the time, What do I know ?
Here's my last one swimming :D

It was jacked & on big tyres but you can't even see the rear wheel arch. :p
Got a bit damp inside :D

Support the Lifeboats :p

So for the most fun & the best off road tool at the best price & a vehicle that won't break every time get a prepped SJ.
For some quick fun get a Vitara & stick a set of knobblys on & a snorkel & you'll have just as much fun as the Landy boys for a quarter of the price & you'll be able to drive home. ;)

Any specific questions you do have just ask, I've had most of them, Landys SJs Vits FourTrax, Ultimate tool was my fully prepped SJ but the best all rounder was my Vitara.
Here's my Vit going through the Hole of Doom. :D


Uploaded with ImageShack.us
 
well im a landy fan but i have to say the SJ are aweome with the right kit for the reasons above

was gonna say should have had the back door open but then again in a landy u prob didnt need to itll drain quick enough

i knew people who just cut big holes everywhere to let it fill and drain quicker

lets face it you dont want a floater
 
Stick with Landrover if you want to do it properly. ;)
An early disco is quite literally dirt cheap and is a fantastic base to start but being able to weld is an absolute MUST!

You can keep your pay and play days,
This is my sort of offroading....
465421_331115920271222_72937985_o.jpg

bryndirt.jpg
 
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