New Paradigm in Trucks?
For discussion, perhaps leading to a “manifesto” of sorts. This is just one of my “thinking out loud” exercises, I don’t have anything personally in mind with this.
How to build a “sustainable” off-road truck where sustainable is defined as “A real, daily driver type vehicle that is as comfortable in the bush as it is driving to work every day. Such a vehicle is comfortable, efficient and capable. There is no requirement to fix it every time you take it off-road and you would not hesitate to fill the fuel tank and drive it across the country at the drop of a hat”:
Allowances for different OEM/aftermarket springs reconfiguration of spring location allowed
e.g. SPOA, t-bar drop brackets, etc. aftermarket knuckles/uprights Cutting sheet metal to make things fit is #1
vehicles.
Very bad and/or washed out logging roads sort of the
extremeWhen wheeling can be “winch happy” Vehicle somewhat limited by suspension design (i.e. IFS) Body armour definately necessary Designed to go somewhere, not “be someone” Must be able to pull up to a Class II trailer.
principles
Not a huge tired beast that destroys roads and makes
new onesMust be emmisions friendly 20-25+ mpg on the highway Able to get out of it’s own way on highway (i.e. passing).
I suspect in the “sport” such a truck would be considered a “bolt-on” job or a hack job depending on who/what was checking it out.
Vehicles that I have in mind that would work within such a frame work:
Kicks/Vitaras Pathies/Xterras S-Series Blazers and PUs/Explorers and Rangers Cherokees, etc. Full size SWB trucks.
Basically the mid size trucks, diesels and and cute ‘utes with low ranges.
Get a 31″-33″ under any of these with corrected gearing and they would be pretty solid cruisers for this kind of wheeling. Maybe a touch larger tire would be required for the full size equipment.
Comments, observations, rants?
Please make comments below.