Extreme off-roaders

Extreme off-roaders

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Discussion

Lefty 200 Drams

Original Poster:

16,679 posts

209 months

Wednesday 14th July 2010
quotequote all
For trials and things like that.

Obviously, land Rovers are used by the majority of competitors along with Suzuki SJ's and the occasional Jeep Wrangler.

Some people spend a huge amount of money on mods including ultra-long-travel or dislocating suspension, retroftting Unimog axles, central winches, tray-backs etc etc but I've always wondered if there isn't a better way of doing it (not that I'm planning a build myself, just idle speculation).

How about a tracked vehicle like a small tank or APC (or Hagglunds for that matter)?

Or a wheeled vehicle but based on a small 4x4 articulated dumper truck?

What's the ultimate competition offroader?

normalbloke

7,714 posts

226 months

Wednesday 14th July 2010
quotequote all
That all depends on which rules you have to play by.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

197 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Lefty 200 Drams said:
For trials and things like that.

Obviously, land Rovers are used by the majority of competitors along with Suzuki SJ's and the occasional Jeep Wrangler.

Some people spend a huge amount of money on mods including ultra-long-travel or dislocating suspension, retroftting Unimog axles, central winches, tray-backs etc etc but I've always wondered if there isn't a better way of doing it (not that I'm planning a build myself, just idle speculation).

How about a tracked vehicle like a small tank or APC (or Hagglunds for that matter)?

Or a wheeled vehicle but based on a small 4x4 articulated dumper truck?

What's the ultimate competition offroader?
Rules and terrain type and aim of the competition or course will dictate what is best.

Landy's sure are number 1 in the UK, but I suspect if you look beyond our boarders they aren't. In the US (which is far, far bigger) Wranglers, Bronco's and other Ford/Chevy trucks tend to dominate.

Lot's of good Jap stuff too. Although many "extreme" vehicles are so custom built, that they may have no real links to any make or model of vehicle and just use a selection of bits from various automakers.


Some examples:

If you want to do trialling, which is common and popular in the UK. The aim is to drive a course without stopping or hitting a gate. Terrain can vary from mild to fairly extreme, but the size of the vehicle dictates mostly how affective they are.

In the Landy world, a chopped down Range Rover to an 80" wheel base and Series a-like body will be about as good as you can get.



However as capable as they are, such a vehicle would be pretty useless should you need to cross deep water, where deep mud holes would leave most Landy's up to the windscreen or roof line.



If rock crawling is your thing, which is common in many parts of the US and other countries, then quite a different vehicle and setup are required.




Desert of sand use again requires a different setup and type of vehicle.


Lefty 200 Drams

Original Poster:

16,679 posts

209 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
300bhp/ton said:
Cheers. The redneck in me really wants one of those.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

197 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Lefty 200 Drams said:
300bhp/ton said:
Cheers. The redneck in me really wants one of those.
hehe

Know what you mean, if I had the money and could justify it, well get the nod from my partner at any rate, I'd love to have one of these parked outside the house.


BLUETHUNDER

7,881 posts

267 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
I can leave a Landrover for dead over really rough ground in this......





Soaks up the bumps and ruts like no ones business.Can really move at speed across seriously rutted ground.A Landrover would still be picking its way through over the same stuff. I was able to keep up easily with a Challenger 2 in this.Ive owned and played with tracked stuff. And although great fun. Can be a bit tedious when you get track problems.

PhillipM

6,529 posts

196 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
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BLUETHUNDER said:
I can leave a Landrover for dead over really rough ground in this......

I'll race you in this then:




Using the guns is a disqualification though hehe

Edited by PhillipM on Thursday 15th July 13:05

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

197 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
BLUETHUNDER said:
I can leave a Landrover for dead over really rough ground in this......





Soaks up the bumps and ruts like no ones business.Can really move at speed across seriously rutted ground.A Landrover would still be picking its way through over the same stuff. I was able to keep up easily with a Challenger 2 in this.Ive owned and played with tracked stuff. And although great fun. Can be a bit tedious when you get track problems.
that's way cool biggrin

PhillipM

6,529 posts

196 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
I can see an ebay search for an ex-army offroader going on hehe

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

205 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
BLUETHUNDER said:
I can leave a Landrover for dead over really rough ground in this......





Soaks up the bumps and ruts like no ones business.Can really move at speed across seriously rutted ground.A Landrover would still be picking its way through over the same stuff. I was able to keep up easily with a Challenger 2 in this.Ive owned and played with tracked stuff. And although great fun. Can be a bit tedious when you get track problems.
I always thought the position of the spares was a really clever idea to stop them beaching. Proper eureka moment that.

Ayahuasca

27,428 posts

286 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
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I see your little ferret and raise you this -



But I would put some more kit on it and make it into one of these -



rhinochopig

17,932 posts

205 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
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I'm pretty sure there is a stalwart mocked up to look like this...can't find pics though.



Picture doesn't seem to work - pic of The Mole from TBs

Edited by rhinochopig on Thursday 15th July 21:54


Edited by rhinochopig on Friday 16th July 08:36

BLUETHUNDER

7,881 posts

267 months

Thursday 15th July 2010
quotequote all
Coudnt have a Stalwart.All that transmission wind-up would be enough for me....hehe