modify family car or buy a dedicated car for off roading? (2 Viewers)

[OllieChristopher]

I would absolutely not heavily modify a GX460 for a combination daily driver and hard core off road platform. If you are considering anything more than a 2" lift or plan on traversing anything more than a rough fire road, there are a whole bunch of other vehicles bone stock that are far more capable.

I compare some of these GX builds to modifying my Super Tenere for off road. Why would I do that when I can grab my Beta 498 dual sport hit almost any trail imaginable? Why would I do hard enduros or double black diamond single track on my Beta when I can break out my KTM300?

Right tool for the right job. One thing that is indisputable regardless of modifications is make sure you have a deep wallet when you start off roading. It's a very expensive hobby when you are modifying a rig then hammering on it.

I enjoy watching other peoples builds but could not bring myself to do this to my own when I could do it for much cheaper and reliable on another rig. I am not going to bag on what other guys do for money spending enjoyment. Just not my cup of tea.

 

[ypyun]

> What psi did you run?
about 27psi. i run 265/60r18 nitto ridge grappler load rating xl.

> also temperate possibility?
high sierras was around 60. owens valley was around 90.

> Could be just the terrain?
everything was rocky though mazourka canyon was exceptionally bad.

> I would absolutely not heavily modify a GX460 for a combination daily driver and hard core off road platform.
i do not intend to make my gx into a "hard core off road platform." what do people consider "hard core off roading"? i always assumed that meant a trail rating above 6. though personally it seems like the "no true scotsman" fallacy.

> I enjoy watching other peoples builds but could not bring myself to do this to my own when I could do it for much cheaper and reliable on another rig.
out of curiosity what rig would you use?

 

[OllieChristopher]

what do people consider "hard core off roading"? i always assumed that meant a trail rating above 6. though personally it seems like the "no true scotsman" fallacy.

Trail rating does not always tell the story. Anything that cannot be traversed with a stock vehicle (or lightly lifted 2" max) without damage I consider hard core. As with any trail this can be subjective.

out of curiosity what rig would you use?

A few basic examples are a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon or Gladiator Rubicon/Mojave. In bone stock form right off the showroom floor they will out wheel even the heaviest modified GX. Both of those rigs with the right driver can amazing things with minimal damage. My uncle took his bone stock Jeep JK Rubicon and drove it from Southern CA to the Rubicon Trail and back with nothing more than fuel stops. He had great spotters and minimal body damage.

As for what I would use? It's not my style or within my budget to break out big money to repair a luxury vehicle that is used for transportation or family.

Oh BTW, the Mojave trail can be completed in a high clearance 2WD. That is a mild trail and the water crossings are very shallow this year. Just sayin...

 

[JDUB fab]

> What psi did you run?
about 27psi. i run 265/60r18 nitto ridge grappler load rating xl.

> also temperate possibility?
high sierras was around 60. owens valley was around 90.

> Could be just the terrain?
everything was rocky though mazourka canyon was exceptionally bad.

> I would absolutely not heavily modify a GX460 for a combination daily driver and hard core off road platform.
i do not intend to make my gx into a "hard core off road platform." what do people consider "hard core off roading"? i always assumed that meant a trail rating above 6. though personally it seems like the "no true scotsman" fallacy.

> I enjoy watching other peoples builds but could not bring myself to do this to my own when I could do it for much cheaper and reliable on another rig.
out of curiosity what rig would you use?

I’d recommend dropping down to below 20, more traction and a softer ride. Will also help avoid punctures and maybe chipping?

 

[ypyun]

@JDUB fab thanks for the advice. i'll try that the next time i'm out.

@OllieChristopher the wrangler has a couple of large drawbacks...

1) cost about the same as the gx 460
2) average noise level for an economy car
3) most uncomfortable seats i've sat in (corolla seats are more comfortable)
4) dubious longevity ... i buy my vehicles in cash and expect them to run 20 years problem free

in the future i'll probably rent a wrangler if i go somewhere like moab or colorado where i need that kind of capability.

 

[OllieChristopher]

@JDUB fab thanks for the advice. i'll try that the next time i'm out.

@OllieChristopher the wrangler has a couple of large drawbacks...

1) cost about the same as the gx 460
2) average noise level for an economy car
3) most uncomfortable seats i've sat in (corolla seats are more comfortable)
4) dubious longevity ... i buy my vehicles in cash and expect them to run 20 years problem free

in the future i'll probably rent a wrangler if i go somewhere like moab or colorado where i need that kind of capability.

Regardless of what you purchase there are drawbacks/cons depending on what you want to do with the rig. A GX (or any other vehicle) will not run problem free when taking it off the highway. Seat comfort is subjective. I personally would not purchase a Jeep or any Chrysler product. For off highway capability though, there is no other production vehicle sold globally in the same class as a Jeep Wrangler.

I regularly get by with 15PSI when going off road in my rig. As long as you are not doing off camber, rocks or mashing the go pedal you should be good.

 

[Rednexus]

Not sure I follow....my 15 year-old GX has had zero problems when taken off-highway, short of pinstripes from branches. I off-roaded in Subarus for over a decade and never broke anything either (not counting pin-stripes). There is a distinction between taking a rough road and rockcrawling. A IFS GX will never be a great rockcrawler without serious mods - a Wrangler would be better, as indicated above. But most trails are not rock crawling. There are many, many rough roads and non-rockcrawling trails where a nearly stock GX is very capable and where a Wrangler is overkill. Here in my corner of Missouri, there are no public trails that I cannot traverse in my GX with a 2" lift. Lots of people here have Wranglers (mall crawlers, many lifted and accessorized), but they are simply not needed at any place outside of our off-road parks (which mainly see side-by-sides anyway). My other favorite area to wheel, the San Juans in CO, has many very fun roads and trails that a mildly built GX is perfect for and can traverse with very small chances of body damage.

A GX is much more comfortable and safer on the road than a Wrangler, and also is a better tow and family vehicle. IMO, Wranglers are impractical vehicles for a lot of reasons, while a GX is very practical for daily use (other than the gas mileage).

I personally have zero interest in rock crawling. I'm a hiker too and it's only marginally faster to drive a rock crawling trail relative to walking it . Fun for sure but I'd rather be getting some exercise!

 

[r2m]

Yes, tire chunking will happen, especially in California Sierra's with all that sharp granite. Don't sweat it, it's all part of the experience, unless it punctures a side wall (well... I guess that could also be considered "part of the experience", albeit an expensive one.)
Noticing you're in L.A. but not sure what part (north, south or east), I'm in a great off road club that does most all the deserts (Mojave, Death Valley, Anza Borregoin, etc. in the winter months. Then when it gets hot, we start wheeling the high country: San Bernardino mountains, Sierra's and even a trip into Colorado.
If you're in south L.A. county, you may want to give us a visit at one of our monthly meetings: https://www.cv4w.org/ (at the moment, the server for our website is down (as of 25 Jul 2022). We do everything from multi-day overlanding, day trips, rock crawling, etc. A little bit of everything, you pick and choose which events you want to go on so you're never pressed to have to do something beyond your or your vehicles ability. Also, we are not a bunch of "Yah-hoo's" doing illegal or irresponsible stunts or behavior, nor do we condone it.

 

[r2m]

Also, for me, I don't mind the pin striping, but draw the line at buckled panels. Pin striping to me is kind of badges of honor. Been there, done that and made it through. But I didn't buy my GX to trash it and they are too expensive to be taking to a body shop after every trail ride. With pin striping, it can usually be buffed out, or worst case, paint or vinyl wrap. But in the end, after a good wash and wax, you can still take it out on the town with your favorite lady (significant other) and be looking good!

Also, with some pin striping and chunked out tires, you're not looking like a mall cruiser, but more like a hard core wheeler who appreciates and uses their rig for what it was built for and not someone with a lot of money to spend on lift's, tires and bling!

It makes me snicker when I see worn down 37" plus size tires on chrome wheels and the truck never has been on anything worst than speed bumps.

 

[Rednexus]

I've found my pinstripes look much better after a fresh coat of wax (been using hybrid Turtle Wax ceramic lately) and/or spray-on detailer. My paint is aged now at 15 years but still looks pretty good other than the pinstripes. I figure it has 1 cut and polish left in it to get rid of swirls and the pinstripes that I already have, then either a vinyl wrap or spray on truck bed liner for the whole exterior.

For a new GX, I'd personally look into a paint protective film plus a ceramic coating on top of it. They are not cheap but would be good insurance for wheeling in a valuable, new vehicle.

 

[captainva]

Its easier to pull double duty with one rig if you're on the west coast than the mid-Atlantic/northeast. Most of the wheeling in VA is rocks or rocks and mud. Either you stay on fire road type trails or you'll eventually break something if you push it at all. If you're not the type to push it anyway then you have less to worry about

 

[Banandalorian]

Its easier to pull double duty with one rig if you're on the west coast than the mid-Atlantic/northeast. Most of the wheeling in VA is rocks or rocks and mud. Either you stay on fire road type trails or you'll eventually break something if you push it at all. If you're not the type to push it anyway then you have less to worry about

I feel like the VA trails escalate quickly. We have lots of prepped fire roads that any crossover can handle. We have a few trails like Peter's Mill and Switzer Lake which are about the limit of a stock-height GX with 32s but relatively straightforward. Then everything else is like 3 foot rock walls and 4 foot deep mud pits and even your Wrangler on 37s might crunch some body panels.

 

[captainva]

I feel like the VA trails escalate quickly. We have lots of prepped fire roads that any crossover can handle. We have a few trails like Peter's Mill and Switzer Lake which are about the limit of a stock-height GX with 32s but relatively straightforward. Then everything else is like 3 foot rock walls and 4 foot deep mud pits and even your Wrangler on 37s might crunch some body panels.

Pretty accurate summary of wheeling around here, anything is possible. A friend with a 5th gen 4runner managed to damage it bad enough on flagpole that I had to tow him about 5 miles to the road at switzer lake. The Cove is also total hit or miss unless you've ran certain trails before. Greens can basically be a black and vice versa. Full armor and sliders are a requirement to wheel regularly and I still come back with some kind of damage every time. My back bumper is now half broken from the cove.

 

[r2m]

I have yet to do any type of wheeling in the eastern U.S. Everything I've done has been in and around California. But here we have a very diverse geography. In the winter while it's cool we'll do the deserts like Mojave and Death Valley, various dunes, etc., then in the summer months start wheeling in the high country (trees, boulders, etc.) above 7500ft where it's a little cooler in the the middle of summer. Then we might go down to Mexico and and run along the beach (avoiding the salt water...)
The only thing we don't have much here is mud. Personally I don't mind. The times I've done it I hate the cleanup afterwards. It's a lot more fun to go "snow-wheeling", off roading in the snow, since it doesn't muck up your rig. Just can't do any type of rock crawling. Too slippery.

 

[Banandalorian]

I have yet to do any type of wheeling in the eastern U.S. Everything I've done has been in and around California. But here we have a very diverse geography. In the winter while it's cool we'll do the deserts like Mojave and Death Valley, various dunes, etc., then in the summer months start wheeling in the high country (trees, boulders, etc.) above 7500ft where it's a little cooler in the the middle of summer. Then we might go down to Mexico and and run along the beach (avoiding the salt water...)
The only thing we don't have much here is mud. Personally I don't mind. The times I've done it I hate the cleanup afterwards. It's a lot more fun to go "snow-wheeling", off roading in the snow, since it doesn't muck up your rig. Just can't do any type of rock crawling. Too slippery.

We generally don't have a choice with mud over here. I try to avoid the goopy stuff but most trails have fairly permanent puddles/bogs no matter the season. I just accept it and yell at everyone else in the car to keep their windows rolled up.

 

[OllieChristopher]

I have yet to do any type of wheeling in the eastern U.S. Everything I've done has been in and around California.

Back East think trees and mud along with the rocks. Guys that race GNCC back east and enter a rare wet District 37 desert race flog all of us!!

 

[ypyun]

finally managed to persuade my wife to let me trim the front bumper after she busted it on her first off road excursion. the current plan is to cut it off and if we do not like it we will buy the cbi bumper.

is there anything i should be aware of when trimming the front bumper?

 

[r2m]

finally managed to persuade my wife to let me trim the front bumper after she busted it on her first off road excursion. the current plan is to cut it off and if we do not like it we will buy the cbi bumper.

is there anything i should be aware of when trimming the front bumper?

Just the old saying, "Cut twice, measure once"....... er.... "Measure twice, cut once!"
Use painters (blue) tape as a cut line and find a common point that's higher on your bumper (headlights, grill, etc.) to measure down from so all your measurements are straight across.
Then when you get the tape on, sight down the tape line, much like you'd sight down a 10' 2 x 4 to see if it's warped. Get on your hands and knees and sighting down the tape line will immediately show any wobbles along the tape line. When I used to do art on surfboards, that's how we'd make our rail lines perfect.
Also a long flat surform file works great for knocking down any high spots or slight imperfections from your cut.
Amazon product ASIN B0001IWCVQ

 

[URJ150L]

Edge Trim Black Small, Fits Edge 1/16 to 1/8 Inch, Length 10 Feet (3.05 Meter) https://a.co/d/iUJ7YPJ

Use this to finish it off

 

[URJ150L]

Edge Trim Black Small, Fits Edge 1/16 to 1/8 Inch, Length 10 Feet (3.05 Meter) https://a.co/d/iUJ7YPJ

Use this to finish it off