Best cheap 4x4 for offroad forestry work?

[Slad]

Hi,

We have moved into a small holding with really steep gulleys and woodland. We need something to get humans, chainsaws, equipment and logs around the place safely and maybe tow a trailer/flail mower sometimes. It won't leave the property. It also needs a roof - it's steep everywhere, did I mention that?

So we don't chew the place up, we want to drive up and down the gulleys (used by the foresters to drag tree trunks down in the past). They are narrow and about 18 inches deep in leaf mould and muddy on the sides. I can probably go up to £2k, maybe £2.5k?

What should we get please? (The farm hack thread looks very promising but our gaff is very steep...)

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[ingenieur]

Whatever you opt for would have to be a proper 4wd with all wheels always driven (even if changeable in cab)

You'd be looking at some sort of jeep but with it being narrow you'd have to stick to smaller varieties so no Land Rovers or Toyota Hi-Lux. For the terrain you'll probably have to have some knobbly tyres and maybe even a lift-kit.

Look for something somebody has modified perhaps. I'd say something like a Suzuki Jiminy but they might be a bit small for carrying equipment / towing things...

It's a tricky brief.

[ingenieur]

Quite a lot of space in a Daihatsu Terios. Would have to put some more suitable tyres on it.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112010...

[Mammasaid]

Something like this (plus a trailer and a waterproof coat)

[ingenieur]

Mammasaid said:

Something like this (plus a trailer and a waterproof coat)

They don't tow well. The wheels start spinning... remember watching them on Scrapheap Challenge?

[Bannock]

Nissan Terrano?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102199...

[Mammasaid]

ingenieur said:

Mammasaid said:

Something like this (plus a trailer and a waterproof coat)

They don't tow well. The wheels start spinning... remember watching them on Scrapheap Challenge?

They can pull 6-700kg no problems in 4WD, especially if you've got decent tyres on them.

In any case a general purpose trailer is around 100kg, something like this;

[ingenieur]

This later model has a bit more poke: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353830270955

[blue_haddock]

Daihatsu Foutrak?

[bangerhoarder]

Fourtrak, non-Independent ideally. Older ones and commercials have a narrower track. Independents tend to rot in the chassis and snap.

[ingenieur]

Terios is much narrower. 1555mm v.s. 1780mm

If bigger 4x4s are on the cards then there are a lot more cars to choose from.

[sunbeam alpine]

Fourtrak is indeed very capable - if you can find one that hasn't completely rusted away!

Have you considered a small tractor? It might be better for what you want to do.

[Slad]

I looked at quad bikes but no rollbar + steep slopes caused concerns. The Terios looks a bit small and the reviews suggest it isn't all that off road.

OK, the brief was 'narrow' gulleys but I think the Terrano can get up all of them, if that helps give an idea of size? I quite like the look of that Terrano. Should I be worried that it's automatic?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102199...

[Slad]

sunbeam alpine said:

Have you considered a small tractor? It might be better for what you want to do.

We looked at tractors but they are 3 or 4 times our budget

[civicduty]

Polaris Ranger or similar?? Not sure if in budget though?

[Slad]

civicduty said:

Polaris Ranger or similar?? Not sure if in budget though?

Perfect...except the price

[Slad]

What do people think of modded stuff like this? Probably could live with small boot.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313830730479?hash=item4...

[Olds124]

We have a woodland and a small holding. Some of it is steep, but the tracks are not so narrow. In the woodland, this is because we or previous owners have managed the tracks so they have a decent width. You might want to think about do that: you can clear a lot of ground quickly with a chainsaw and a mini digger. I use an old Defender with decent mud terrain tyres, but also have a Unimog and a mini digger for extreme work, and old Massey 135 for hauling logs and sheep around (link box), but as 2wd it tends to get stuck mud. As noted above, yours is a difficult brief if you don’t widen your tracks - you might only need to widen key tracks to get access, and then you can access on foot or haul out by hand (using winches and chains where necessary). A tractor like this with some decent tyres might be useful, though it is a bit above your budget, but you’d want to take care driving it (or anything else) across steep gradients (not so bad up or down):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304289555443

[Walter Sobchak]

Would a SWB Shogun be too big/wide?.

[vrtrooper]

I'd check some of the listings at Brighwells, including MoD and Plant.
What about something like this, get rid of the rear seats.

https://www.brightwells.com/timed-sale/5232/lot/55...