Insane power from modern SUVs and pick ups

It is more fun with four wheels.

Rizal Philippines 

4.05.2021

This post did some serious 4x4 years back .  Some of the engines we used were SD33 for hard core CJ, and V8 for the Range Rover which was good for 150 hp and very small torque.

But fast forward to 2020, the engines output were at 187  and 450 nm.  (The torque is almost equal too that of TLC)    This is awesome.   And should entice more 4x4 enthusiasts  Being more expensive going Europe does not necessarily mean a better 4 x 4 rig.   

The YD25DDTi ‘High Power’ engine still displaces 2.5 liters like before, but it uses a different compression ratio (15:1 versus 16.5:1 in the old Frontier Navara) to churn out 187hp at 3,600rpm and 450Nm at 2,000rpm. I never say no to a nice helping of horses in my cars or trucks, and I’ll gladly trade a few pesos and km/L in fuel efficiency for a little more power and torque than I think I’ll need. Matched to a smooth seven-speed automatic (a rather novel feature in a truck that should make one wary of post-warranty servicing), the engine pulls with authority. You can load up the NP300 and it still pulls. You need to exact speed discipline on the highways lest you unwittingly breach the speed limit. At 120kph, the engine is barely turning over at 2,500rpm.

Rugged TLC for mud works

It is more fun with four wheels.

Rizal Philippines
January 3, 2018

There are many great 4x4 around town

Here is one of them, used for work and day to day livelihood probably in a farm -  practical and functional

                                           Twin fan electric motor radiator at the rear to keep
                                                           things really cool

                                               Bare essentials, to save weight

Amazing almost vertical climbs by 4x4 without winch

It is more fun with four wheels.

Rizal Philippines
July 1, 2017

I just watched an adventure in Discovery where a jeep did a 90 degree climb, but with a winch and did crevasse crossing

Bill Wu and Garry Humphrey Extreme Jeep Adventure  Car vsWild

These are vertical climbs with out winch

It used to be Lr, now its Subaru Forester - the best of the best

It is more fun with four wheels.

Rizal Philippines
May 26, 2017

A very capable off roading machine Subaru

It is more fun with four wheels.

Rizal Philippines
May 25, 2017

I was tantalized into buying Land Cruiser 200 which is priced at $85,000 (about Php 4,900,000) and none is available. Pila daw.  P1,1 million down payment and about P130,000 per month amortization.

The unit which I have in mind is the diesel variant that spews at 200 kw and 650 nM of torque    Which is very pricey.  However I found out that Subaru xt spews out 250 hp and about 230 nm of torque.  It beats the tLC in snow drive and even climbs on soft soil.   Why settle for more. Get more value for money in a Subaru (also owned by Toyota)

Subaru Forester vs TLC


Failed hill climb by TLC and even MB G wagen

Agaton's extreme Suzuki 4x4

It is more fun with four wheels.

I have a neighbor and his friend Agaton often visits him.  He brings his super Suzuki 4x4. Here how it looks like

Unused "guapong" 4x4 in front of the house of Dra Aliman

It is more fun with four wheels.

I saw this 4x4 vehicle in front of the house of Dra. Aliman at Barrio Bagumbayan in Angono Rizal. It must have belonged to her husband.  It has oversized wheels (maybe 35 inches) IS and used to have winch?

10 reasons why Chevy Colorado is the 4x4 you should buy?

It is more fun with four wheels.



Chevy Colorado

I had a meeting with a contractor last time.  He is a jv partner to a real estate project and was seeking my assistance, and owns a river quarry in Calabarzon.   When asked about his pick up truck, he said he just bought a Chevy Colorado 4x4.

He says that it has 500 nm of torque and about 200 hp, six speed transmission and dial controlled 4x4.  That is great!  I was boasting of the D max, a relative of Colorado.  It has VGT turbo and intercooler for level torque and sustained power.

The Colorado comes in two variants of Duramax engine:  the 2.5 liter with 163 hp and little lower torque:   380 nm.

The 4x4 version has the 2.8 engine that deliver 200 hp and 500 nm of torque that comes with VGT. (This matches the output of Ford Wildtrak)  I hope the Chevy Colorado sales take off.  For those who want power and performance, Chevy Colorado is the 4x4 pick up to acquire.

Happy New Year; see this picture of a Wrangler 4x4 seen in Teresa Rizal

It is more fun with four wheels.

Rizal Philippines  |  January 26 2014

A 4x4 Wrangler jeep seen in Teresa.

Gallery of Car vs Wild episodes at Discovery Channel

It is more fun with four wheels.

December 9, 2013

 

Link from FHM

Discovery ran a 10 week series of Car vs Wild featuring 3 characters:   Bill Wu, a 4x4 fanatic, Gary Humphrey, a retired SF veteran, and Ruby Jeep.  The  series ran a behind the scene feature show and it could be the end of the series. (They started in September 2013. So it must be the end of the series?)

It is a fascinating series about off roading. Some of the amazing things done:  winching up the Ruby up a 45 degree incline to the top of volcano, doing pendulum for the ruby, hanging it from top of the tree, righting up the ruby using winch and pulleys and straps,   lowering the ruby from edge of the cliff using straps, ropes and the winch.  Pretty scary and dangerous stunts? Maneuvers.

 

Pictures of 4x4 vehicles seen on the road today November 24, 2013

It is more fun with four wheels.

Here are the latest 4x4 off road vehicles that I saw on the road today; and I took their pictures.  They are that of CJ that is lifted, and TLC.  Both have leaf springs:

  A CJ

 Extreme TLC

 Whats that, snorkel exhaust;  dangerous for passengers;  its hot

4x4 Jeeps as vehicles for water rescue

It is more fun with four wheels.

Rizal PHL  | November 23, 2013

It is fiesta today and there is water fluvial procession.  Ever since the Bocaue fiesta tragedy in the overloaded pagoda that sunk, the public sector are just being careful and overload such events with rescue resources.

I saw some 4x4 (the other one was 4x2) but equipped with tall tires for easy water travel (on the road, you!)

                                         A 4x4

                                           4x2

                              (With a 5r Toyota engine?)

4x4 off road driving tips

It is more fun with four wheels.



Off road driving tips from Ask Men

About com 4wd off roading guide

How to make your 4wd vehicle unstoppable

1.  Ground Clearance

2 . Skid Plates

3. Approach, Departure, and Breakover Angles

4.   Wheel Articulation

5.   Low End Torque

6.    Gearing

7 .   Tires

8 . Locking Differentials

    

9 . High Mounted Air Intake

10 . Robustness

  

11 . Visibility

12 .  Lightness and Smallness

 

Another capable 4x4 - Suzuki Samurai

Life is short; enjoy the great outdoors

One of the affordable and good 4x4 I saw was Suzuki samurai.  This has been maligned though in the US because of constant roll over accidents. In Dolefil in Polomolok South Cotabato, their service vehicles were Suzuki samurai.  They must have hundreds of them.  I think they have a Samurai off roaders club


SORI

Why is a Humvee not on my list of fav 4x4?

Life is short; enjoy the great outdoors

                         

Technically, a Humvee especially the military version is technically superior.  With aluminum engine, run flat capability, 45 degree hill climbing ability, aluminum body, 37 inches tall tires, 1.5 meters fording ability, it is not on my list.

Why:

1.  It is very expensive;

2.  The parts are hard to come by being a Mil Spec

3.  long 15 ft, as it is wide.  7 ft.  They could not make it out in tight mountain trails, streams, spaces between trees, bath tubs.

4. It seems to have very complicated drive train tech.

5.  It is heavy.  It weighs between 14,000 to 15,000 lbs.  Other 4x4 without rear cab can weigh 1/3 of that.

I would settle for the CJ, old FJ 40 and Subaru.  We bought ours for only P1.2 million.  The 2.5 liter xt that is turbo fed might be 1.6 million.



                            


                        

                  

Series 40 Toyota Land Cruisers

Ever since there was the movie Mercenaries, the TLC then the series became very popular. In the movie Merceneries, the TLC was used to pursue the enemies and neither river, trees, shrubs, rock could stop the main character.

Here is the example why the old FJ 40 is very popular and still the best and affordable 4x4 in the PHL and used in most 4x4 challenge:

Best of Range Rover extreme off roading

Angono, Rizal, PHL   |  November 6 2013

I must have done this a dozen times to our RR. That is why I am not well liked by the rest of LRCP.  But the Range Rover can do these stuff and more.  That is why it is the best.




Range Rovers in river crossing/wading

I took the liberty of copying/pasting the Toyota 4x4 driving tips

Toyota 4x4 driving tips

This is one of the most comprehensive site on off roading.  Everything you want to know on offroading.  Just click the pages button and you will be led to many sites with pictures and tips

	4x4 Guide Off-road Driving Tips 4x4 Glossary Vehicle Recovery You are here- TGS Today/ 4x4 driving tips
About Us TGS Today Products Conversions Logistics Contact	TGS driving tips Tips when driving off-road Driving down steep slopes Driving up steep hills Should you stall whilst travelling upwards Side slopes Rough terrain / track driving Crossing streams and river beds Driving in soft mud or sand Driving in water Winching tips and techniques Tips when driving off-road When travelling long distances always try to travel in pairs. Always wear safety belts. Driving with the thumbs outside the steering wheel will avoid broken thumbs when the steering wheel is violently shaken when hitting an obstacle in the road. If the terrain ahead looks dangerous always stop and take a look ahead before proceeding. Always engage the front hubs before entering an obstacle. Return to the top of the page Driving down steep slopes Select low range and first gear. Lock differentials (if fitted). Take the straightest line. Feet off all pedals. Return to the top of the page Driving up steep hills Lock front hubs Select low range, 2nd or 3rd gear. Lock differentials (if fitted). Proceed straight up at right angles to the gradient. Return to the top of the page Should you stall whilst travelling upwards Depress clutch and brake pedals to avoid the vehicle running backwards. Do not apply handbrake. Put vehicle in low range. Lock differentials (if fitted). Reverse down the slope and try again. Return to the top of the page Side slopes It is best to avoid driving across side slopes as terrain can give away quickly and an alternate route should be looked for. If no other route is available proceed as below: Remove heavy loads from top of vehicle. Select low range and 2nd or 3rd gear. Lock differentials (if fitted). Keep speed low. Take as straight a route as possible. Return to the top of the page Rough terrain / track driving Select low range and 1st or 2nd gear. Check ground clearance. Drive over rocks and boulders to avoid damaging the sidewalls of the tyres. Keep speeds down. Return to the top of the page Crossing streams and river beds If a passenger is present they should walk ahead and direct the vehicle through the obstacle. Select low range and 1st gear. Keep steering straight. Return to the top of the page Driving in soft mud or sand First check the depth and any gradient. Reduce tyre pressures to 10 p.s.i. Lock the differential locks (if fitted). Try and keep in as high a gear as possible to avoid spinning the wheels which will lose traction. If wheels slip try turning the steering slightly to gain grip. If you get stuck engage reverse and pull out of the obstacle then try a different route. Do not go back in the same holes. When back on harder ground re-inflate tyres. Return to the top of the page Driving in water Check for depth of water and find the best route. Inspect the opposite bank for a good exit route. Make sure all windows and doors are closed. Select low drive and first gear and proceed slowly through the water without stopping creating a bow wave effect. Once clear of the water check for water entry into the vehicle and drive slowly with the foot lightly on the brakes to dry out. Return to the top of the page Winching tips and techniques A vehicle recovery winch is a powerful unit which must be operated with care and respect at all times. With the correct equipment and following a few simple safety procedures, recovering a vehicle can be carried out with confidence and safety before you begin winching. Study the winch owner’s manual to familiarise yourself with its features and operating procedures. Do not use winches or hoists to transport people, unless endorsed by the manufacturer and approved by government legislations. Inspect wire ropes and equipment regularly and replace at the first sign of deterioration. All winch rated capacities are based on one layer of rope on the drum. With a drum full of rope the capacity will decrease by up to 35%. Use protective gloves when handling wire ropes. Always use a tree trunk protector when anchoring to a tree. Use "rated" D or bow shackles for all rope and strap connections. Leave pins for "D" or bow shackles half a turn loose, this will prevent over tightening under load. Set up "D" or bow shackles with the body on the anchor side. Never hook the winch rope back onto itself. This will cause distortion of the rope leading to possible rope failure. Ensure appropriate winching points are used. Use a snatch block for all heavy recovery situations. This doubles the winch capacity but halve the winching speed. Ensure that there are at least five coils of rope on the winch drum before winching operation is attempted. The rope fastener to the drum is not designed to hold the vehicle load. Use approved winching straps for all extensions required. A cable damper should always be used on the winch cable to prevent damage by the cable if it fails. A heavy blanket or recovery bag draped over the cable acts as an effective air brake. Now that you are winching One person should be responsible for winch control and protection. Keep winching area clear of observers (1.5 times the length of the cable is the recommended clear distance). Keep hands clear of the wire ropes and the fairlead during any spooling operation. Do not step over taught winch ropes. Maintain constant loads on the winch rope during vehicle recovery. Assisting the winch by driving the vehicle can cause "Shock Loads" which can overload the rope winch, leading to failures. Ensure rope is evenly spooled onto winch drum. Electric winches must be used intermittently when the going gets tough. This is to allow for winch motor cooling and vehicle battery recovery. When winching with electric winches, it is recommended that the engine is run at 2,000rpm. Do not maintain power to the winch if the winch motor is stalled. After a successful recovery Ensure that the vehicle is in a safe and secure position. Inspect equipment for any signs of wear or damage. Neatly re-pack all equipment used. Store your equipment in the recovery bag. Return to the top of the page
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