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Best vehicle for rock crawling?

Greg

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
This could get interesting.... first off, welcome to RME John!

Now, there are a few important factors, and while many vehicles 'rock crawl' well, your choice really depends on you, where you plan to go, how you will use the vehicle, how much you want to spend getting there. Do you want something newer with creature comforts, or older that you don't mind beating up a little?

IMO a vehicle with a solid axle and linked suspension is a great start... something with a decent amount of wheelbase is nice if you're planning on climbing up steep obstacles.

So... where do you plan to go?

What kind of trails do you want to run & how difficult do you like them?

What's your budget?

Are you planning to DIY a build or pay a shop to do the work? Or are you thinking a stock 4x4?

Do you want something newer with EFI, A/C, etc?
 
sixstringsteve

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
I think the driver matters far more than the vehicle. If you're doing tight bouldery stuff like the Rubicon trail, I'd pick a 2-door JK, or something like a samurai on 33s. For ledges and big climbs, a 4-door JKU Rubicon is a fantastic rig.

I'm a big fan of the older toyota mini trucks with the solid front axles too. Cheap to build, pretty dang tough, and very capable.
 
Spork

Spork

Tin Foil Hat Equipped
Location
Saratoga Springs, UT
johnpaulweber1 said:
I sold my Toyota 4x4 PU several years ago and am looking to get back into four-wheelin. I would like to know which vehicle has the best traction for "Rock Crawling"
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Traction? are you looking for a tire discussion? a weight discussion? a weight distribution discussion?

I like my Tacoma, it was cheap, it does what I need it to, and I can fill the bed with junk to take with me. Downside is it's a standard cab, resale isn't as high as a double cab or access cab if I ever wanted to sell it again, the wheel base is longer than a jeep (similar to a 4door jeep though) but still short enough to maneuver. The power is better than the pre-tacoma trucks, IFS went to a coil/shock strut setup over the torsion bars, and an e-locker is available either factory or easy to swap in.

I think a lot of people get in over their heads, buy something for way too much, put a lot more into it and then get worried taking it out.
 
Kevin B.

Kevin B.

Not often wrong. Never quite right.
Moderator
Location
Stinkwater
johnpaulweber1 said:
I would like to know which vehicle has the best traction for "Rock Crawling"
Click to expand...

No offense, but this question is meaningless. Traction is a function of terrain, tires, weight distribution, and traction adders like lockers, and with that understanding any vehicle has the potential to have the best traction on any given terrain.

If you're looking for a factory setup that will perform the best across a wide range of terrain types, that's going to be a Wrangler Rubicon. If you're willing to modify a stock vehicle, all bets are off - buy what you want to drive and turn it into what you need to get where you want to go.
 
N-Smooth

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
^Yes. 1.4L ecotec, custom hummer portals, rear steer and 40" stickies will do the job just fine. Call Jesse up and order one.
 
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