Best climber's vehicle?

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Leo Gokovski

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2010 - 03:07pm PT

Patagonia is a bit far for me to drive, Donini... But THx!!!

Leo Gokovski

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2010 - 03:09pm PT

drljefe,

The Sheriff said it's the ultra stiff suspension, road condition, blah, blah, blah..
But ultimately- I was the dumb ass behind the wheel LOL!

Reilly

Mountain climber

Monrovia, CA

Feb 28, 2010 - 03:37pm PT

Saw this un on the freeway the other day.
Looks like it could get good mileage and
you could do what you want with the 'back 40' cu ft.

steelmnkey

climber

Vision man...ya gotta have vision...

Feb 28, 2010 - 03:50pm PT

Leo you nut! What are you doing rolling your truck?
Glad you're okay.

I quote from the last Cochise guidebook regarding the road into the west side near Tombstone:
"At 60 miles-per-hour, the tricky off-camber turns come up pretty quickly. Rollovers are not uncommon and more than one climber has had a near-death experience on this road."

VW vans are a labor of lov. Take lots of fiddling to keep everything up and running. If you like that sort of thing, you're in.

Otherwise, best option in terms of mobilty, comfort, etc. would probably be a 4x4 Tacoma and an ultralight popup camper like this one...
http://www.fourwh.com/ranger2.html

drljefe

climber

Old Pueblo, AZ

Feb 28, 2010 - 03:50pm PT

Leo~
yeah, driving skills can't be bought! Hehehe.
Really though, consider an older car. It's kinda like going to the pound instead of a breeder.

A Toyota will definitely get you there fast...
ya know, without brakes an all!
Good luck.

taorock

Trad climber

Okanogan, WA

Feb 28, 2010 - 04:02pm PT

With respect to Donini's post above check this out:

http://vpizza.org/~jmeehan/toyotadiesel/

I have a '94 with a 22re which I plan on replacing with a diesel when it finally wears out. A quote from the above site:

1984-1995 Toyota trucks and 4Runners with the 22R or 22RE 4-cylinder gasoline engines. The 22RE shares the same engine mounts, spacing, and transmission bolt pattern as the L-series diesel engine.

tao

Leo Gokovski

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2010 - 04:33pm PT

Hi guys,

Thank you all, Getting good info here...

Steelmonkey, good to hear from you, dude! it's been a while...
I am going on a trend here: six months ago I wrecked my bike and tore the ligaments of my thumb, Now I'm destroying the climb-o-bile.. Soon enough I'll have to skateboard my *ss to tha crags...

hooblie

climber

from where the anecdotes roam

Feb 28, 2010 - 05:03pm PT

i've got a "debris field" full of projects out in nor. az. and one of my fondest hopefulls is a '72 international 1 ton 4x w/utility bed with an insulated, cedar planked canopy that was turned into a hunter's rig by cutting and booting through to the cab, installing a cross bed bed positioned just right for the 3'x3' poaching hatch, water tank, etc. no engine, fresh paint, picked it up for $250.

it's got all the running gear, had a cummings in it and i hope to repower with a six cylinder isuzu diesel, which i've been told of a place that can do that for less than five k. that leaves what 30, 40k in the fuel kitty. till then it satisfies me just closing the doors. kachUNK.
it serves as a viewing platform for the perseid showers, and napping space during the summer monsoons.

i admit i have a problem: if people didn't sell their stuff so cheap, i wouldn't need so much of it

Ricardo Cabeza

climber

All Over.

Feb 28, 2010 - 05:11pm PT

'Soon enough I'll have to skateboard my *ss to tha crags...'

I'm sure that won't end in another accident!

BTW, I've been halfheartedly searching for a Westy' for a while now, specifically a Syncro.
I don't mind wrenching on my own vehicle, so this seems like a good fit for my needs.

Good luck!

Hand Jammer

Trad climber

Bay Area

Feb 28, 2010 - 06:51pm PT

Chevy Express Van - All Wheel Drive. Take out the seats and put in a bed with storage below.

'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber

like Ontario, Canada, eh?

Feb 28, 2010 - 07:32pm PT

OH my gosh, that's the *best* you can do, Habeily?!

Kas imak sharmouta!!

Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Feb 28, 2010 - 07:47pm PT

still in Tacoma mode with extra cab. 4x 6cyl. maybe go 4 cyl next time, but it will be hard to give up extra power on the hills to pass the RVs.

August West

Trad climber

Where the wind blows strange

Feb 28, 2010 - 08:10pm PT

[After spending my college days in a subcompact, honda], I spent years in a pickup and then went cargo van. I would never go back to the pickup. The van is so much nicer and bandit/low key sleeping so much easier.

If you do not do snow sports (I don't) nor encounter mud frequently (me, not so much), high clearance is way more important than 4wd. The van has the truck suspension and I carry chains all year (for mud) plus some form of all terrain tires. I also got it with a limited slip differential, [but have since read that those frequently do not really last that long]. And the van can always be made 4wd for the money.

My van is old enough that the "mini" vans such as the aerostar were not yet as big as full sized vans (or at least I wasn't aware that they were). Might not be such a bad way to go, although I have always been suspicious of how beefy the suspension is (I can handle dropping to a van but maybe a mini is just too wimpy for me). Probably better for snowy highways than rugged logging roads.

The euro van seems way expensive with very low clearance. Again, probably better for snowy, paved roads than rutted out logging roads. If I was going to consider something as pricy as the euro van, the Dodge Sprinter with the reliable Mercedes diesel looks appealing. A bit narrow like the euro van but it comes with a raised enough ceiling to stand inside.

Probably would not come pre-customized like the euro, but then I would rather do that myself anyway.

Juan Maderita

Trad climber

San Diego, CA

Mar 1, 2010 - 01:27am PT

I'm seeing the usual misconceptions about all-wheel drive (AWD). Thanks to maunufacturer and dealer marketing strategies, almost everyone is thoroughly confused. AWD is not the same as four wheel drive (4WD). Off-road, AWD is weak sauce. Many AWD vehicles will provide less traction off-road or in snow than if they were 2WD. Most AWD systems send the torque to the wheel that is spinning. Some systems then compensate by applying brakes to that wheel (traction control system).

Some mini vans, and now the Chevy full-size, have been made with AWD. For the real-deal, there are a few conversion companies which will convert a full-size van to 4WD, for a hefty $8K - $10K.

For "true 4WD" (torque applied equally to all four wheels), a 4WD vehicle must be equipped with locking differentials (front and rear). That's when you look to aftermarket parts.

I'd prefer a 2WD truck/van with a rear locking diff over an AWD system for off-road traction. Eaton "E-Lockers" are awesome, with a push-button electro-magnetic engagement. I've had good luck with an ARB "Air Locker", and the necessary on-board electric air pump can be fitted for airing up the tires. The "Detroit Locker" is still a favorite for the hardcore, when it sees primarily dirt and the owner doesn't mind the nasty road habits of torque steer and tires chirping while cornering.

"Limited slip" or "Posi-traction" is little better than a conventional open differential. In some situations it offers almost no improvement. They cause some torque to shift from the spinning wheel to the other wheel of the same axle. That is, until the internal clutches wear out after as little a 30K miles.

Adding a locking differential to the rear of a truck or van will provide a huge increase in traction and off-road ability. Cost is $500 to $900 plus installation. Don't be tempted to go cheap and use a Powertrax "Lock-Right" or Detroit "EZ Locker." They won't go the distance, and when they fail it will require an expensive rebuild of the entire differential (been there - done that).

For bad-ass Baja approaches and luxury camping:
Yes, that's a real Dana model 44 axle up front, w/ Detroit Locker.

And here's a picture of the ass end! Dana 60 w/ ARB Air Locker.

apogee

climber

Mar 1, 2010 - 01:33am PT

I owned two Subarus and did a shiteload of roadtripping in them- 300K on an 85 GL SW, and 50K on an Outback- up to that point, I wasn't convinced a truck was the best way to go, in spite of the fact that so many of my dirtbagging friends owned one.

I went for a Toyota 4WD xtracab w/shell a few years ago, and have been very, very happy with it. I don't dirtbag like I used to, but it is incredibly solid, and for the roadtrips I do partake in, it's a great rig.

Don't let go

Trad climber

Yorba Linda, CA

Mar 1, 2010 - 03:25am PT

I love my Subaru Outback. All wheel drive all the time. I have the 3L 6 cylinder which kinda sucks on gas (18 mpg mixed driving and 23 on the freeway but I think the most recent models are better.) But this car has plenty of get up and go. Not quite the ground clearance as a truck but nothing to sneeze at. If you deal with icy/rainy weather much, Subarus are the way to go. The Outback is just wide enough to fit my triple mad rock crash pad which totally rocks. Plus, the roof rack that is built onto the car is nice and you can fit a ton of stuff up there even if you fill up everything else. I have taken 5 people, plus a big dog in the trunk, crash pad and full trad rack to Jtree. It's a bit squished for three adults in the back seat. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't love their suby.

Wayno

Big Wall climber

Seattle, WA

Mar 1, 2010 - 03:48am PT

'63, 67' 74, Chevy, Pontiac, Jeep Wagoneer. Blown. Posi. Extra fuel tank.

tradmanclimbs

Ice climber

Pomfert VT

Mar 1, 2010 - 07:55am PT

hand jammer. You have to take the time to rig that van with curtains! No camping vehicle is complete without curtains.

Whomever the ditz that claimed 2wd is better than AWD obviously don't know squat about driveing in snow. 2wd cars simply don't make it up my hill in winter. AWD does.

Aerostar AWD is wicked agressive and good clearance. I only got 179K out of mine before the tranny crapped out and the body is very rust prone.

Vanagon Syncro is most agressive AWD I have ever used.put 219K on mine. Just as agressive as my 4X4 F150 The thing actually hopped like crazy when you tried to turn tight on pavement. They are like a truck(handle like a truck as well) and great liveing space but must be a full time mechanic to drive one. 20yr old vehicles SUCK for roadtripping.

Euro van is not AWD or 4x4 and pricy. I would be tempted to look at a diesel Sprinter before I dove back into a 2wd VW