If you do much city driving, do not buy a 4x4 pick up or SUV. You waste the extra money for a front diff, the 4x4 tranny, and pay gas penalty for extra weight. Your tires too have shorter life, especially if this all the time 4wd (Subaru, RR, TLC would have this feature)
A good 4x4 must:
1. Powerful engine - not high hp but high torque; That is why the turbo diesel LR are good. I thought the gas engine with their high screaming rpm make good 4x4. Those engines that can deliver high torque at low rpm allow you negotiate rocks and mud at crawling speed. High wheel speed slips and you lose traction.
2. Must be light - as in any sports - biking, motorsports, light weight is the king. Remove bullbars and other extra weight. But you may need the roof rack for more provisions.
3. High ground clearance. I very low diff clearance can easily leave you hanging. That is why there are lift accessories to raise vehicles from anywhere 6 to 12 inches. Beware though of very tall 4x4 because you are prone to raise your center of gravity, and your on road handling suffers. It is a no no to have mudguards and stepboards, or even tow hooks at the back because they merely bang up on the obstacles
4. Must be short and narrow. That is why the Suzuki Samurai and the TLC Series 40 are very popular and reliable. The short wheelbase enable you to negotiate tight turns and roads off road. The narrow profile enable you to navigate tight spaces and there are many. Humvees which are wide I think do not make for good extreme 4x4. (Thus the CJ, even the CJ3 were vehicles of choice up to now)
5. Good articulating suspension. The road stabilizer rods (the anti sway bars) restrict the articulation of the wheels to have them touch the ground for traction. However, you are unstable when cornering at high speed. The RR I had had no anti sway bar, and I could not do more than a 100 on the road because it was unstable. Which one is better, leaf spring or coil spring. Leaf spring pushes the wheel hard on the uneven surface. However, there is not much suspension travel. Coil springs that have higher compressive strength would be better. So you see many TLC Series 40 competitors converting to coil spring.
6. High fording depth. Your engine must not suck in water while doing water crossing. Water in the engine causes lot of damage. The water in the piston bends the connecting rod and even destroys the engine block. So you must have waterproofed air snorkels. And you have to spray silicone in your engine, especially the electrical components.
7. Tires. Narrow or fat tires? LR says narrow tires are better and are more economical. I would like to agree with them. But you must have good beads so that they do not disengage with the rim while on low tire pressure condition (you remove air and say run at 8 psi) to gain traction. Better to have tire interiors if you under inflate often. Of course, you must have light rims
8. Diff locks LR comes with diff locks. You can have after market diff locks too. You need to have both wheels turning on muddy or extreme conditions. Otherwise, when you hang, you lose traction and mobility. Try to have diff lock as a standard equipment in the vehicle because sometimes the aftermarket diff locks may be troublesome. One good after market diff lock is ARB.
9. Winch If you are really going off road, have a vehicle with a winch, either as standard equipment or aftermarket. Electric winches are good, if you do not have long winching duties., It can drain your battery, or wreck your alternator, if you use your electric winch for a long long duty cyle. Loggers have PTO winches
10. Tow and snatch hooks. You must not tow using the frame or the spring and suspension anchor points. You must have two in front and two at the back securely attached to the frame
11. Diffs must be off center. Only TLC and LR have this configuration. The advantage? As we drive on muddy roads, depressions are made on wheel path, and as the vehicle goes deeper into the rut, the diffs rub into now elevated road surface. So if it is off center, the diffs, would more or less stay in the rut. Even if your diffs have ground clearance of only 12 inch, you can survive, because the diffs do not run into the ground
Well this will lead us to accessories. But that is for the next post
Defenders would be the best 4x4, experts say in 2007
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