This is my 20th time watching this video. I don't get bored of it. The same when watching the 4wd 24/7 channel as well. Choosing the right 4x4 is important. You need to know what kind of vehicle you need for the task you are going to use it for. But what I learned from watching these videos is that, what you want when going off roading is knowledge. Knowledge, knowledge, knowledge.. You need to know your vehicle and what it can or can't do and you need to know the terrain you are going to take it into. The more you learn and put into practice, the better off you are. Like Andrew says, the best way to learn is to just take what you got and get out there. If you don't have 4x4, use these videos to help you choose one. What I learned about my truck recently was Tire pressures make or break a vehicle's capability on any terrain. A land cruiser with the wrong tire pressures will get stuck on the seemingly simplest of obstacles. However with right pressures, my Ram 1500 handled the dunes perfectly, without even breaking a sweat.
I can't speak highly enough of the Toyota 4-Runners. My '88 manual went 225k miles until it roof-surfed a highway in heavy traffic in the Rockies (and did it well). My '99 manual is over 260k miles now, a large number of them in the back country in Utah, and still going strong. What you said about old Toyotas still running around the world is so true. Treat them well, and they go forever. Treat then harshly, and they still go almost forever. You can mod them, bolt anything you want onto them, and it's easy. I've had them up 35 degree sandstone inclines that scared me to death, and they just handled it all. I'm not the phan-boi type, but in this case, the 4-Runners have earned my respect and love. Thanks again for your wealth of insights and experience. You are an asset to us all.
Loved your opinion regarding the FJ Cruiser. I've seen people overdo theirs with 6 inch lifts and 35 inch tires. I went the Total Chaos long travel (2") route and made sure the lift was 2.5 with 33 inch tires. Nothing but smiles ever since.
Interestingly, I have owned a 1972 series 3 Land Rover for 25 years now, not because I'm in love with it, (let's be honest, it leaks oil everywhere, it's noisy, uncomfortable, requires lots of maintenance and is extremely draughty), but simply because even though I have overloaded it many times and it didn't care, you can get spares for it almost anywhere, relatively cheaply and are, by today's standards, easy to fit. I've used it for work, towing vehicles and camping. (Roof tent etc) I like the fact that you can walk up the front, stand on the bonnet and get to things on the front of the roof rack, without worrying about denting the bodywork, or scratching the paint. The ground clearance, as it's on a military one ton chassis, is really good. One added bonus, it's worth more now than when I bought it. Plus, you can change the tyres to any size you want and it has no computerised anything on board. The insurance is surprisingly cheap (even with a 200TDi conversion) and the road tax is free. And it's still allowed into the London Low Emission Zone as a diesel, with no charge ! Would I change to a newer vehicle? Probably not.
Awesome video with lots of practical information. I am new to overlanding & off-roading. While searching for an overlanding vehicle I wanted to purchase a Disco 2 or 1 but couldn't find one for sale in my area. Jeep Rubicons are too expensive. I did find a Hummer H3 stock version for sale. The H3 is full time 4wd with 4hi lock and 4low lock and traction control. The H3 has great clearance along with the ability to forge 24 in deep water. Tires are 33 in. 285/75-16. The H3 has performed very well over off-road and I have modified the inside for overland use. I have owned it for 7 months with absolutely no mechanical or performance issues. Hummers like the Land Rover has a dedicated following and community. The Hummer is a very capable off-roader. The H3 was designed for off-roading. Not only is it a great off-roader it's also very comfortable for city driving and on the highway.
I really agree that clearance is probably the most important aspect of any 4x4 closely followed by low range. An example of this was a trip I did up to Sandy Cape near Jurien with our old HJ60. I stuck it into high range 4 wheel drive and drove around the sandy tracks for a while and it felt a bit sluggish and seemed to want to bog down more than usual. We pottered around all afternoon and came close to getting bogged once, when I came to a dead end and had to turn around in soft stuff. Still we got round without bogging after putting it in to low range. Nothing unusual about that I hear you thinking, well, when it came to the end of the day and I went to unlock the front hubs (a manual operation on a 60 series for those who have never driven one) I found I hadn't locked the hubs before hitting the tracks. We had spent most of the day on pretty soft sand but had never actually got bogged. We had been in 2wd the whole time. The one thing that got us through was the nice high clearance of the HJ60 as it has been given a bit of an extra lift.
Hi Andrew - Just a little correction on your statement about the W463 G Wagen's suffering in your words "catastrophic suspension failure". It was in 2011 and I know someone who was on that trip. He said they were driving like mad men and he wasn't surprised that they broke shocks. In his opinion the felt was travelling way to fast for the conditions - and he is a G Wagen owner himself. But it wasn't catastrophic by any means. All vehicles could still drive. Just failed shocks. A quote from David McCarthy “Contrary to some reports none of our vehicles are undriveable and we are a very long way from being stranded.” and “The Canning Stock Route is in very bad condition in certain areas and has caused suspension damage to most vehicles disembarking north of Well 33 over the past 48 hours. We have reduced the pace we are travelling at to ensure the vehicles remain driveable, which all seven of them currently are..."
Hey I love your videos! I am a mechanical engineer (currently doing my PhD) and 4 wheel drive systems are one of my great passions! I agree with you with almost everything, except from your view about the Jeep commander. In an old video of yours (yes I love your videos and have seen them time and time agai) you had test driven the Grand Cherokee with the quadra drive II 4wd, and said yourself that it was the best traction control system (although I wouldn’t classify it as traction control as it works with active viscous fluid diffs and not brakes) and praised the car about its off road capabilities at least compared to stock rivals. Also the car does have a solid rear axle contrary to most other suvs in the category. And the fact is that the commander is exactly the same car, with a bit of a different bodywork. So yeah I wouldn’t say it is a land cruiser, but the potential it has for off road I would say it is good enough, and I wouldn’t dare to say it is a city car. Anyway, you are the best 4x4 TH-cam channel by far, cheers from Greece.
That Grand Cherokee video was shot a very long time ago, and at the time the traction control was one of the best I'd ever seen. Today, things light be different. I haven't driven a Grand off road for a very long time.
I agree with the comment on the commander, 20 months ago I purchased a 2006 with a 5.7 hemi and 148,000 miles. I was looking for something with a lot of space, something I can take my sons camping, parts availability and overall something that was affordable. Besides the normal maintenance expected with a 10-year-old vehicle after 20,000 miles of off-road driving family hauling the jeep has been amazing. I love it more and more with every trip we take, and like Mr. Andrew said I love looking at it. I think the Quadra Drive II is a great value with the limited slip front and rear diffs, I don't think any any other vehicle here in the United States has that feature standard other than the new Chevy Colorado ZR2 with front and rear locking diffs.
I know its not scientastic but I have a quick visual rule for a vehicle being an appropriate off road traveler: Draw a line from the center of the front wheel and connect it to the center of the rear wheel, and if the body is ABOVE that line (not accounting for removables like sidesteps) then its met the most basic requirement for off road travel. If it doesn't, it was always meant to stay on pavement. it seems to hold up to scrutiny.
You are so right about how important is the tire on an overland vehicle. I made an expensive mistake twice with my Mercedes ML 400 (W166 petrol). I drove it on a small track in our Swiss Alps to visit a friend and my rear right tire was cut by a rock on its side. You can imagine how bad was the situation being in the middle of nowhere, with a heavy SUV with a flat tire ... The second was in Corsica where I drove too fast on a big bump, rims cut sidewalls...not a lovely experience. After this bad experience, I have decided to look for a "real" overland vehicle and guess what ? the first element I am looking for is what king/size of tires I can mount on it. After few phone calls and research on tire dealer, you realize quickly that all actual Land Rover Vehicles, Mercedes ML, GLx, Jeep (except Wrangler), small SUV are not suitable for overland. The best way I found to create my wish list vehicles is to visit BFGoodrich website and see what 4x4 are listed :-)
I bought a 2002 Lexus LX470 three years ago. When I saw this truck I knew I wanted it. Then I started modifying it as an overland vehicle. I know what you think: overland truck with this crazy fuel consumption??? No way!!! However, for the overlanding trip I make (mainly in Eastern Europe) its appears to be an excellent overlanding vehicle. My truck runs on LPG which costs between €0,60-0,70 in the countries I travel to. And LPG is available everywhere, no need for extra fuel tanks (120l LPG and 90l petrol). So travelling long distances is doable and affordable. The truck is very comfortable and offroad capable at the same time. Travelling in eg an Unimog or even a 70-series Landcruiser would be much more uncomfortable and less fun. For me, the choice of an overlanding vehicle very much depends on the specific requirements for the kind of adventure you want to undertake. A LX470 for driving the Canning Stock would be ridiculous. For my purpose, the LX470 shines as an overlanding vehicle.
So true Andrew. The VOETSPORE team here in South Africa once tried going into Africa with VW Amorok... They immediately went back to using Landcruisers as before.😊👋👍
Hi Andrew, I am super happy you gave the FJ Cruiser a good review. I agree with everything you said about it. The payload is too small, but in all other respects, it is a brilliant 4x4. Mine has a 2” lift, OME BP51 shocks, ARB bar, an alu-cab gen 3 tent, alu-cab shadow awn & quick en-suite. I am getting ~1200km per tank and it goes just about anywhere. It’s built like a brick and I love it :)
Thank you for these bits of your wisdom from all of your experiences. I'm in the United States and am working on starting some overland trips with my wife and boys now that they are grown up a bit. I'm using the (rare for the U.S.) Mitsubishi Montero /pajero 1999. I know when we start going on longer trips next year I'll be prepared thanks to your wonderful videos.
28:35 FJ Cruiser opinion is spot on 👍🏻 great vehicle. I am running 285/70/17 Cooper Discover STT PRO’s on my FJ Cruiser with a 3 inch OLD Man Emu / Bilstein 5100/5160 lift. Also changed out the Upper control arms for SPCs. Great setup. Might be better setups but this works great for my use.
Awesome. That's what I like to see, honesty. No BS. Honesty, experience and specifics. Thanks for that Andrew. I'm still thinking about getting a Jimny for small camping trips, and as a daily driver. Easier to park in the city. Hahaha
I watched this for the first time today and only once reviewing the comments did I realise how relevant it still is today-could not believe that it was 4 years old. 40 years in driving African conditions and not much has changed in my opinion. Land Cruiser still passes the test of time as king of tough, old Defenders still pant around, Hilux's are many because of reliability, and new LR products need rollback trucks. My experience with Jeep has not been good (clearance, suspension, water pump seal damage by sand), G-Wagon ditto-cooling system and most others-just cannot get parts for them. Isuzu's are tough pickups but do not sell well enough so have poor dealer support. Great advice on tyre choice (therefore vehicle choice!) with the abandoned LR D4 saying it all-I have seen this with anything less than 60 profiles all over Africa-do not do low profile tyres and overlanding.
I've watched and enjoyed all of your videos! In the US (and other similar colder climates), snow and ice is another twist on 4-wheeling, goes hand in hand with over-landing. Its different than sand and other similar wet/dry mud. I thought of this when you mentioned that center diff-lock does nothing; note that in snow and ice, it is mostly what you need for ~40 50 mph, i.e. higher speeds than where rear diff-locks are typically used. The change in vehicle control is noticeable and is useful feature, though not an end in itself. I drive and FJ with 6MT and a 5th gen T4R. Snow and ice is a different animal than anything you find in SA/Australia. Please add subject this when you can, not trying to be a wise a$$. Thanks!
I did the Simpson Desert in my stock Jimny, it didn't bat an eyelid! Two guys, 60l additional fuel + 60l of water! Had to turn the AC off for a few of the dunes but otherwise not a hiccup. I heard of a German couple doing CSR in one carrying basically only petrol but could never verify... Such good cars, but I agree not ideal for OL travel
The Discovery 4 has no issues with proper tires. When they first came out the MTR’s were superb! When they stop making them the Coppers were awesome and so was the general grabber. Done epic trips and never had problems, because, like you said don’t run them low. 18 was the lowest and occasionally soft sand drop it to 15. Best 4wd I had ever owed!!!
I learn SO much from your videos! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise, experience and valuable insights. My partner and I are researching which vehicle to buy for a RTW overland journey and the info you have provided is extremely helpful in helping us make a decision.
can relate entirely to the just touching a curb with general tires and getting a sidewall puncture been down countless dirt roads with no problem but touched a curb in town and tire was done bf goodrich only from now on for me
Am a todler in this field but am happy for your view on Isuzu dmaxx.. av always thought of this little ute in the same way especially given the high price of hiluxes
Thank you for the advice about air pressure in low profile tires. I think you saved me a lot of money. I have low profile tires and and I was going to air them down.
The main way to lift an independant suspension vehicle is to mount the front sub-frame on spacers. So the suspension is exactly the same as it started out, but the body/frame is mounted on a block. There is one that I know of that doesn't do this for the front... The Jeep Renegade suspension lift kits that I have seen just mount a spacer on top of the front struts, but it puts spacer blocks on top of the whole rear subframe/suspension mounts. You do gain real clearance.
Thanks for your brilliant videos Andrew. I bought my first ever new vehicle and my first ever Toyota through my business recently. I proudly bought a 79 series dual cab. Within 2200 k's the ABS unit leaked brake fluid into the engine bay. Even a vehicle with the reputation of a Toyota 70 series can have it's problems. I unsuccessfully tried to have the vehicle replaced. The cruiser was repaired under warranty but the purchase has soured my experience and I have little regard for Toyota Australia and their treatment of me as a customer. If we buy new vehicles again, I will really need to think hard about purchasing another Toyota. I will say that despite the many shortcomings of a 70 series, i still love driving that V8!
Sometimes the reputation for Toyota's reliability can be over-stated by the fans. They are without doubt one of the most reliable vehicle brands in the world. But that doesn't mean they never go wrong. It sounds to me like a pretty ordinary breakdown/problem, and I'm not surprised at all that they did not replace the vehicle. The warrantee was honoured, and that's what its for. I've seen manufacturers refuse to replace a vehicle when it was proved that the body shell was bent out of alignment and the doors wouldn't close! I would say you were treated fairly and according to the contract of sale. PS I am not sponsored by Toyota.
Im hearing so many stories like this of people who are not drunk and blind with love for Toyota, and they're saying Toyota's support is bad and even 70's are having issues. Bit worrying as i am considering doing exactly what you have and buy a new 79 series
Hi Andrew, another very interesting video. Must agree on the tyre front. When I got my Disco 3 it came with 18inch rims. Swapped those for 17's. Better tyre choice, better off road & only slightly less stable on road.
The Isuzu Trooper/Jackaroo was a spartan but very capable 4WD, I opted for my present XJ Cherokee for the improved GVM, towing power/engine capacity, front solid axle and equipment level... each to their own 👍
This is quite timely. I had an elderly gentleman turn up here at my station in a LR4 and he quipped off the cuff that his 20 inch tyres cost 6000 AUD for a set of 5. I quietly mumbled to myself how skinny cross plies cost 150 dollars each.
We did the CSR a few years ago with two lifted (2") discovery 2's and a stock Prado....the only issue on the trip for the Prado was its clearance but apart from that it performed very well and we were super jealous of its fuel carrying capacity
Without reading the miles of comments: Regarding the LR4 (US 5.0 V8 Model) Due to the massive rotors and brakes (rotors are 14") the only alloy wheel that will fit without spacers is the 18" Compomotive PD1881. Mine wears these with BFG AT KO2 265/65/18 for a 31.6" wheel. I then could permanently lift by 2.5" by installing something like Johnson rods, or simply alter height with a GAP IID Tool. (Lucky8 now sell steel wheels which will also fit) Many folks on the tube running 32" tires. The suspension failure highlight was none other that the Japanese manufactured Hitachi compressor, since replaced by LR with a better German built AMK design. Mine died at 89,000 miles, and I replaced it in about 2hrs. Everything else suspension wise is fine. As for running Canning Stock, I actually believe the air suspension would handle the journey better due to less component stress, provided you keep the vehicle within its weight limitations and put 18"s on it. LR did take the LR4 on an 8,000 mile journey from Brum to Bejing, and the only failure was a flat tire. BTW the Jag AJ133 5.0 V8 - extremely reliable, up there with Toyota 4.7 V8 in my 08 200 Series LC.
its a double edge sword - big brakes means effective brake based traction control, but it means terrible tire choices. I would rather take a slightly less effective traction control it it meant real wheels and tires.
The Nissan Frontier/Navara here in the states can be pretty awesome. It shares the chassis with the Titan and a few others so upgrading diffs and suspension is easy but you don’t have the drawbacks of the weight in the bigger trucks. The 6 cylinder is pretty dependable but a bit thirsty. I love mine especially after the Titan suspension swap and 285/75/r16s. It floats on sand and just trucks through mud. I wish you could drive what I’ve created!
I drove toyota 4wds for 20 years with no problems. Bought the last of the landrover 90s brand new in 2013. Was towed back to the dealer 7 times in 2 years. Couldnt trust it to go out into the desert. Traded it on a fortuner which has been great, but I just ordered a 79 series which should be the last truck I ever buy.
I have, after 2 decades, dropped Discos and Rangies for a H3 V8 with 4H and 4L and the 4:1 transfer case, CDL, FDL and RDL and it might be worth you having a look for touring/overlanding although it is quite small in reality.
Valid points on Land Rover tires. Many of us are buying 18” wheels for the 5.0 gas V8 LR4 and fitting 32” tires (265/65R18) E load ko2s to get the best sidewalls we can with the toughest sidewalls possible, while still being bump stop compatible. some even change bump stops so they can go larger on tires. The stock tires and approved tires are idiotic. They went through countless tires on the trans american trail trip they did with lr4 on street tires. the factory wheels sizes are unfortunate, but they have great brakes!
REALLY nice and helpful video. The choices of 4WD here in Brazil are quite small actually and for that reason I'm looking forward a ute. We only have RAM 2500, Chevy S10 (Colorado), Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Frontier, VW Amarok (with no low range here) and Agrale Marrua AM200 (a civilian version of the truck made to the Army). I'll do more research and try to test drive'em to make a good choice. Don't wanna make too much changes, just tires, snorkel and maybe 2" lift. Thx for the video, really great and helpful!
I would love to show you some of the work around type "cheats" if you will, I've come up with on my Discovery 3. I've (so far.. only had it a year, 4 trips in the US thus far) had zero issue, I do indeed carry spares, in the form of spare air line and I have 2 spare suspension sensors, as you've mentioned in your last video regarding the air suspensions on these, plus I carry a Land Rover specific OBD plug in tool that will allow me to do basically everything a shop can do on the Land Rover, but out on the trail (I will concede, this is a MUST HAVE. You will be stranded, as you mentioned, if you cannot access those menus and repair/un-fault the vehicle!) Tires! ..I have indeed put K02 BF Goodrich tires on with a steel 18" wheel and they've been wonderful. They wear well, no punctures (I do keep them pretty hard, as like you said, you can't air down a whole lot) I've been very impressed by them. I should add that, being in the United States, we don't get perhaps as remote as Canning Stock or places in Africa, and possibly due to that, I find I have very little issue on my 3. I have had to replace things, sure.. After the 100k mile mark (I'm currently at 122k) it was time for a suspension work over, all done myself, all done in fact in my driveway in about 4 hours time on a nice sunny day, drives like a new one now. I was impressed. Parts are not very expensive if you shop smart, and just like old LR vehicles, you can't buy one and not know how to do work, like you said. You WILL go broke. I should also add, being a mechanical person, I kind of bought this vehicle as a challenge to myself to see if I can make it work (coming out of an 80 series LC.. Which was wonderful but I had LOTS of rust battles. I live in a state that uses MASSIVE amounts of road salt in winter and I purchase my vehicles 2nd hand) I do think, based on my options in the US market, I would likely move on to the 200 series if I had issue with this one, as I like what that has to offer and Toyota as you know, is wonderful. I also think the LR3/Discovery 3 is about as far as I can go personally with my capabilities on electrics for 4wd use and being able to fix it on the trail etc.. Though I think that is still some time off as I tend to keep my 4wds for many years. 7-10 is average, as I can fix just about anything on them. I'll definitely be honest and update you of failure points in the times to come, as the D3 chassis is very much a personal experiment, and I think because as a used vehicle, they're HUGELY tempting here in the US. Less than half the price compared to a similar year/mileage/condition Land Cruiser. I figure a guy like myself (about 17 years of what is now regarded as overlanding in the US) can push the envelope and really run one of these D3 chassis vehicles for a few years and see if they are really all that bad. To close, I love these conversations! I think your knowledge is first rate, I have followed from afar for a few years now and I love seeing these types of vehicles and kit getting pushed in amazing conditions and in places I can only really dream of visiting. Keep up the great work!
I should do a video on LR3 and LR4 cheats. There are many of them, and its a subject worthy of looking at more closely! And don't talk to me about Land Cruisers and rust! Some of them are terrible!
Andrew, any experience with the 100 series V8 2UZ engine? Apart from the horrendous gas mileage, several examples of that engine have reached over 1 million miles. Extraordinary reliability.
As a rule, I always avoid any book with "The Complete...." in the title, because it never is! - I do possess your book though, ironically the one with the Mahindra on the front cover - thanks for explaining that one to me.
I still consider it as one of the most comprehensive guides to 4wd published anywhere. I can think of only two others that match it, and in both cases, exceed it.
Jeep commander, Why not? I'm not going to argue anything in it's favor as I can't say anything positive from experience (yet)but I recently got one for 2600 usd. I don't expect to take on Australia with it but fully intend on riding trails and through state parks and hunting tracks. No rock crawling or mudding though, i have no interest in that. It's my first jeep and my next would either be the truck they are working on or the Toyota fj. I can't talk about it's off road prowess (or lack of)till summers end 2018, I already have some steel wheels and larger at tires for it, and intend on lifting 2.5inches, roof rack, removing the 3rd row seat for a drawer I'll build, winch bumper and some extra armor underneath and side rails. I would like to do some electronics aside from lighting, like solar and a fridge, but function before convenience... dictated by budget
Strike number 1: steel wheels that have an inward bowl shape will not clear the calipers. Also I realized that, like a solid axle vehicle, bigger tires lift the diff...BUT due to the diff being mounted to body, a lift kit will also raise the diff :D
I wonder if you can do a video on equipment, and underpacking vs overpacking. I've been curious of your thoughts on this since your first video saying that you shunned a Defender 90 for being way too small. I've done trips myself with 1 passenger in a Suzuki Jimny, we packed, in my mind fair bulky, with 2 one man tents, enough survival equipment for a mountain climb and vehicle recovery kit that has served me well at pay and plays, we had plenty of room in the Jimny below the gross vehicle weight. However I am coming from a hillwalking background, I watch your videos and a lot of the stuff I see you pack I'd say are rather frivolous (a shower? :D). I'm wondering if you could touch on what is really necessary for newer (young) expeditionist vs what you carry for comfort.
Thanks for all your videos love watching them and have learned a lot from you! My question is what do you think about Nissan? I have been a fan of their vehicles for many years have had multiple Pathfinders and a Frontier/Navara, but you don't seem to have anything at all to say about Nissan despite them building some legendary trucks! I and I am sure others would love to see a video on the Patrol/Safari and even the little Pathfinder/Navara 4x4s! Thanks again for all the great material, I look forward to seeing more in the future.
No one is ever mentioning a VW Touareg as an overlander. I am busy getting mine a 2009 Model ready for Namibia and Botswana. It is by far one of the best vehicles I have ever driven or owned. It has steel suspension, low range and Full size spare wheels. Better to drive on the long gravel roads than a subaru (one of the best gravel road cars) and more comfortable than any defender or 70 series cruisers. I really hope more people see the potential of the VW. Hope its reliability is ok, and will remember DHL is your friend for spare parts anyway. I found the thing that breaks is usually the thing I do not have spare parts for. Having driven a Cape Town to Hong Kong trip I know that the secret for a good reliable overlander is to travel light. You do not need an immense amount of stuff, keep it simple stupid.
It is probably because its regarded as a complex, electronically-controlled SUV with not much of a payload. The same reason why so many modern SUVs are not regarded as suitable overlanders. And if you are going to need spares, the chances are, only a VW approved dealer will be able to repair it. But I have to admit, the Touareg is an impressive machine.
thanx for replying and your feedback. I hope that I have little to no issues, we will see soon and keep you updated. Planning on going with the family to Namibia later in the year and do a proper tour next June. I would not recommend the canning stock route in a Touareg as that is a proper expedition(after watching your lovely videos) but as an overlander I have big hopes.
Love the video, really fair and soo well expressed! I've started out with a 90 series Prado and it's just brilliant almost 300k km still on the original clutch! Can't help at look longingly at the manual V8 Discovery 1 & 2 and want to add one alongside it in the garage. From personal experience I've found the new Ford Everest to be quite good off-road despite its small tank, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport felt a bit cheap quality wise to give me any confidence in its ability.
Have you checked out the Jeep Trailhawk trims? 4wd, simulated low range, 8.7" inches of clearance, skid plates, tow hooks, off road tires, full size spare all standard. I believe the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee have rear locking differentials.
They are very capable unibody cars but not for rugged trails or overlanding. The suspension rubber bushings and insulators will wear out quickly or tear.
I had a Jimny, it was an amazing offroad vehicle but terrible for overlanding in Australia. Problem here is we have loads of hills, and hills, the Jimny, even if barely loaded, can barely maintain speed at a 100. And worst, frigteningly imbalanced at that speed. Always felt like it was going to roll over (even though it probably wouldn't) and for this reason, I sold it. I now have a Disco 4, and tires. Hmm yes tire sidewall is an issue, however, like that Discovery in your video, if he had ditched the 19" or 20" wheels for 18" and changed the tires given the extra sidewalls (eg say 255/55r19 to 265/65/18) or even larger, it is incredible. Especially since that truck had external wheels carriers at the back, it should easily accomodate larger tires. The only limitations are when there are no external wheel carriers on the Disco, it doesn't want to fit underneath properly. And Andrew, didn't you have to abandon a trip with some Bridgestones because in fact you hadn't addressed tire pressure properly at the time and they delaminated due to heat? Those were also high sidewall tires.
To the best of knowledge the g wagons doing the canning stock route was in 2011 and they all were g350s but the 7th was military spec currently used by the Australian army
Some interesting thoughts there. I would be interested in one almost forgotten vehicle which you may know from SA as well and that is old VW T3 Syncro. You can have pop top conversion, diff locks, lifts etc and it can give you lot of comfort. But it has independent suspension etc. For some basic expedition environment. Not a rock crowing. In the past you can find them in many NATO countries military bodies, fire brigades etc
I was waiting to hear Andrew's opinion (other than Toyota copied them) of the Nissan Patrol's.......... I guess he can't find a word that means they are far superior to (shits all over) anything he has even driven before.
28:30 100 series bigger than 80 Series, i hear that a lot I have both in my driveway, i have run a tape measure over both (measuring internal space, seats, cargo area, width, doors, etc) Near enough to exactly the same.
Hey Andrew love your work mate you can go on forever if you want mate I don't mind but for all those that don't want to watch a 30min clip basically in a nut shell just buy a 70 series cruza haha
Hello Andrew!, What about the AMAROK 2.0 TDI?. Looks like a good platform for an overland vehicle. what do you think? greetings from Argentina!! You have to came for hollidays to our Northwest, you will love it. Great place to "overlanding"
I can tell you no straight away it does not have diff lock and you cannot tow with it Basically a show pony that's it the engine is only a 2.0l and not really big enough also the AWD system will not give much choice on tyres
Re: the comments on Land Rover low profile tires.This is why I won't sell my LR3. I can fit 31.5" 265/65 18's, without modification. I think with some light mods I can go up to 32" 275/65's next time. Point being, the LR3 has more options than the LR4 (19" or 20" wheels) and you can put some wonderful tires on it, including the BFG KO2's.
Have the last version disco before 5. 19” rims used Goodyear duratrac tures. Great tread pattern no punctures despite cape York trip but worn out at 30k. Green oven to sell 18” rims to fit though which would solve issue I’d say. But $$$
You mention: "the fortuner, Hilux, Everest, pajero sport... Lack that toughness of the land cruiser." What specifically do you mean by toughness? Is it load capacity, reliability, likelihood of breakage on long trips, all of the above? You then go on to say that you CAN use them for overland vehicles. What are the downsides? I would find this information very useful as they are certainly more affordable. Great vids BTW, keep it up.
Its like a heavy-duty tool. It will take more abuse for longer. As far as performance goes, they are by no means better at everything. For example. Overload a Tacoma and drive it across Africa, by the time it reaches the other side it will either be broken, about to brake and worn out. Do the same with a Hilux, and it will be okay, and probably with a bit of TLC, be ready for another trip. Do it with a Land Cruiser, change the oils and off you go again.
What about the early Terrano or Pathfinder as it is called in the U.S. They have an IFS with torsion bars, and though I know that may be a minus, mine has been really great. It is a 93 with 250,000 miles on it and still going strong. Great video as always...love your work. Cheers from N.Y.
Please! If you can! Get into a Jeep! Do a trip! (keep it short though, not great mileage) I am sure you will have a positive review for it's off road capabilities. :) Love your channel, keep it up. Would love to see you do a trip in Canada.
Thanks Andrew. Love your videos. Been meaning for a while now to tell you: Geländewagen is not pronounced like the Afrikaans "land", but instead like the English "lend", hence the two dots on the ä. Ge - lend - a - vahgen.
Great video Andrew. Good for a beginner like me. However need your expertise on this...What do you think of Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4x4 pick-up? Can it be used as a good off road vehicle? What are the other upgrades other than suspension and tyres? Looking forward to seeing your next videos.
Love you content, very jealous of your life. I very much appreciate the fact that you point out that you a unfamiliar with vehicles in The United States. As I'm sure you are aware, the vehicles sold here are very different from vehicles sold in other countries, even vehicles by the same name. People here tend to ignore this fact, and become "fan boys". For instance, I would own a landcruser anywhere else in the world, but here in the states, Toyota does not make a product for me.
I'm really in doubt about which 4x4 diesel should I choose. I live in Brazil and the cars available here in the appropriate price range are: Mitsubishi Pajero 2011; Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2007; Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (also called challenger or Dakar) 2010; Toyota Fortuner 2008. How good are these cars off-road? How stable are they on the road? How well built are they? How comfortable are they on difficult roads? I personally am inclined towards Pajero or Pajero Sport. Any answer is welcome.
Andrew, I'd love to hear your take on the Toyota Tacoma. I have a 2019 TRD Off Road. Not alot of options for good trucks here in the states, this is the best we can get. I also had two Hilux's previously, one was a late 90's model, autocar.nl spec, and one an early 2000's, Africa spec (old all metal body style produced in SA, also through autocar.nl). I have only two major complaints about the Tacoma. The first is fuel. They are thirsty and the factory tank is much too small. Stock I get a max range of 480km per fill up unloaded, when set up for overlanding you'd probably by in the low 300's. Second, Toyota thought they needed to put a giant square hood on it for the north america market. My last Hilux was so nimble, you knew the line each tire was taking to the inch. We used to thrash it on rough Angolan roads, tossing all the weight onto one side or the other to skip over the worst ruts. In traffic, you felt like you could reach to the other side of the car with your hand from the drivers seat. You also felt like you could see the front bumper over the hood. (my older Hilux didn't have such great visibility, but it did have a full body external roll cage, so who cared). The Tacoma has a foot of empty space between the radiator and the grill. It is unnecessarily long and has abysmal visibility over the hood. I plan to fit a camera on the front just so I don't run over children when dropping the kids at school. Stupid of Toyota to put such a hood on what otherwise would be a fine truck. Too bad they insist on keeping the Hilux out of North America.
Hello Andrew, have you had any experience with the older VW T3 syncro 4wd vans as a overland vehicle? Hopefully ones with both front and rear diff locks?
Could binge watch your videos all day, my fav TH-cam channel.
i started watching yesterday. Can't stop. Send help
Been bingeing for months - there is no help, only enjoyment and the occasional recovery. :)
Watching this video. I hope to come back and comment when I get my first landcruiser
This is my 20th time watching this video. I don't get bored of it. The same when watching the 4wd 24/7 channel as well.
Choosing the right 4x4 is important. You need to know what kind of vehicle you need for the task you are going to use it for. But what I learned from watching these videos is that, what you want when going off roading is knowledge. Knowledge, knowledge, knowledge.. You need to know your vehicle and what it can or can't do and you need to know the terrain you are going to take it into. The more you learn and put into practice, the better off you are. Like Andrew says, the best way to learn is to just take what you got and get out there. If you don't have 4x4, use these videos to help you choose one. What I learned about my truck recently was Tire pressures make or break a vehicle's capability on any terrain. A land cruiser with the wrong tire pressures will get stuck on the seemingly simplest of obstacles. However with right pressures, my Ram 1500 handled the dunes perfectly, without even breaking a sweat.
I can't speak highly enough of the Toyota 4-Runners. My '88 manual went 225k miles until it roof-surfed a highway in heavy traffic in the Rockies (and did it well). My '99 manual is over 260k miles now, a large number of them in the back country in Utah, and still going strong. What you said about old Toyotas still running around the world is so true. Treat them well, and they go forever. Treat then harshly, and they still go almost forever. You can mod them, bolt anything you want onto them, and it's easy. I've had them up 35 degree sandstone inclines that scared me to death, and they just handled it all. I'm not the phan-boi type, but in this case, the 4-Runners have earned my respect and love. Thanks again for your wealth of insights and experience. You are an asset to us all.
Loved your opinion regarding the FJ Cruiser. I've seen people overdo theirs with 6 inch lifts and 35 inch tires. I went the Total Chaos long travel (2") route and made sure the lift was 2.5 with 33 inch tires. Nothing but smiles ever since.
Interestingly, I have owned a 1972 series 3 Land Rover for 25 years now, not because I'm in love with it, (let's be honest, it leaks oil everywhere, it's noisy, uncomfortable, requires lots of maintenance and is extremely draughty), but simply because even though I have overloaded it many times and it didn't care, you can get spares for it almost anywhere, relatively cheaply and are, by today's standards, easy to fit. I've used it for work, towing vehicles and camping. (Roof tent etc)
I like the fact that you can walk up the front, stand on the bonnet and get to things on the front of the roof rack, without worrying about denting the bodywork, or scratching the paint. The ground clearance, as it's on a military one ton chassis, is really good. One added bonus, it's worth more now than when I bought it. Plus, you can change the tyres to any size you want and it has no computerised anything on board. The insurance is surprisingly cheap (even with a 200TDi conversion) and the road tax is free.
And it's still allowed into the London Low Emission Zone as a diesel, with no charge !
Would I change to a newer vehicle? Probably not.
Awesome video with lots of practical information. I am new to overlanding & off-roading. While searching for an overlanding vehicle I wanted to purchase a Disco 2 or 1 but couldn't find one for sale in my area. Jeep Rubicons are too expensive. I did find a Hummer H3 stock version for sale. The H3 is full time 4wd with 4hi lock and 4low lock and traction control. The H3 has great clearance along with the ability to forge 24 in deep water. Tires are 33 in. 285/75-16. The H3 has performed very well over off-road and I have modified the inside for overland use. I have owned it for 7 months with absolutely no mechanical or performance issues. Hummers like the Land Rover has a dedicated following and community. The Hummer is a very capable off-roader. The H3 was designed for off-roading. Not only is it a great off-roader it's also very comfortable for city driving and on the highway.
4xoverland this is the best explanation of ground clearance I've ever heard. Simple, great info and easy to understand.
I really agree that clearance is probably the most important aspect of any 4x4 closely followed by low range. An example of this was a trip I did up to Sandy Cape near Jurien with our old HJ60. I stuck it into high range 4 wheel drive and drove around the sandy tracks for a while and it felt a bit sluggish and seemed to want to bog down more than usual. We pottered around all afternoon and came close to getting bogged once, when I came to a dead end and had to turn around in soft stuff. Still we got round without bogging after putting it in to low range. Nothing unusual about that I hear you thinking, well, when it came to the end of the day and I went to unlock the front hubs (a manual operation on a 60 series for those who have never driven one) I found I hadn't locked the hubs before hitting the tracks. We had spent most of the day on pretty soft sand but had never actually got bogged. We had been in 2wd the whole time. The one thing that got us through was the nice high clearance of the HJ60 as it has been given a bit of an extra lift.
Hi Andrew - Just a little correction on your statement about the W463 G Wagen's suffering in your words "catastrophic suspension failure". It was in 2011 and I know someone who was on that trip. He said they were driving like mad men and he wasn't surprised that they broke shocks. In his opinion the felt was travelling way to fast for the conditions - and he is a G Wagen owner himself. But it wasn't catastrophic by any means. All vehicles could still drive. Just failed shocks.
A quote from David McCarthy “Contrary to some reports none of our vehicles are undriveable and we are a very long way from being stranded.” and “The Canning Stock Route is in very bad condition in certain areas and has caused suspension damage to most vehicles disembarking north of Well 33 over the past 48 hours. We have reduced the pace we are travelling at to ensure the vehicles remain driveable, which all seven of them currently are..."
80 series land cruiser all around... Will put a smile on your face. They are second to none especially diesel ones
Hey I love your videos! I am a mechanical engineer (currently doing my PhD) and 4 wheel drive systems are one of my great passions! I agree with you with almost everything, except from your view about the Jeep commander. In an old video of yours (yes I love your videos and have seen them time and time agai) you had test driven the Grand Cherokee with the quadra drive II 4wd, and said yourself that it was the best traction control system (although I wouldn’t classify it as traction control as it works with active viscous fluid diffs and not brakes) and praised the car about its off road capabilities at least compared to stock rivals. Also the car does have a solid rear axle contrary to most other suvs in the category. And the fact is that the commander is exactly the same car, with a bit of a different bodywork. So yeah I wouldn’t say it is a land cruiser, but the potential it has for off road I would say it is good enough, and I wouldn’t dare to say it is a city car.
Anyway, you are the best 4x4 TH-cam channel by far, cheers from Greece.
Rafael Domenikos quadradrive ii was an amazing system. Maintenance heavy but pretty effective.
That Grand Cherokee video was shot a very long time ago, and at the time the traction control was one of the best I'd ever seen. Today, things light be different. I haven't driven a Grand off road for a very long time.
I agree with the comment on the commander, 20 months ago I purchased a 2006 with a 5.7 hemi and 148,000 miles. I was looking for something with a lot of space, something I can take my sons camping, parts availability and overall something that was affordable. Besides the normal maintenance expected with a 10-year-old vehicle after 20,000 miles of off-road driving family hauling the jeep has been amazing. I love it more and more with every trip we take, and like Mr. Andrew said I love looking at it.
I think the Quadra Drive II is a great value with the limited slip front and rear diffs, I don't think any any other vehicle here in the United States has that feature standard other than the new Chevy Colorado ZR2 with front and rear locking diffs.
Rafael Domenikos i
I know its not scientastic but I have a quick visual rule for a vehicle being an appropriate off road traveler: Draw a line from the center of the front wheel and connect it to the center of the rear wheel, and if the body is ABOVE that line (not accounting for removables like sidesteps) then its met the most basic requirement for off road travel. If it doesn't, it was always meant to stay on pavement. it seems to hold up to scrutiny.
I recognize you as one of the top authorities in this field. What's better is that your the best at telling the story.
thanks mate.
You are so right about how important is the tire on an overland vehicle. I made an expensive mistake twice with my Mercedes ML 400 (W166 petrol). I drove it on a small track in our Swiss Alps to visit a friend and my rear right tire was cut by a rock on its side. You can imagine how bad was the situation being in the middle of nowhere, with a heavy SUV with a flat tire ... The second was in Corsica where I drove too fast on a big bump, rims cut sidewalls...not a lovely experience.
After this bad experience, I have decided to look for a "real" overland vehicle and guess what ? the first element I am looking for is what king/size of tires I can mount on it. After few phone calls and research on tire dealer, you realize quickly that all actual Land Rover Vehicles, Mercedes ML, GLx, Jeep (except Wrangler), small SUV are not suitable for overland.
The best way I found to create my wish list vehicles is to visit BFGoodrich website and see what 4x4 are listed :-)
I bought a 2002 Lexus LX470 three years ago. When I saw this truck I knew I wanted it. Then I started modifying it as an overland vehicle. I know what you think: overland truck with this crazy fuel consumption??? No way!!! However, for the overlanding trip I make (mainly in Eastern Europe) its appears to be an excellent overlanding vehicle. My truck runs on LPG which costs between €0,60-0,70 in the countries I travel to. And LPG is available everywhere, no need for extra fuel tanks (120l LPG and 90l petrol). So travelling long distances is doable and affordable. The truck is very comfortable and offroad capable at the same time. Travelling in eg an Unimog or even a 70-series Landcruiser would be much more uncomfortable and less fun. For me, the choice of an overlanding vehicle very much depends on the specific requirements for the kind of adventure you want to undertake. A LX470 for driving the Canning Stock would be ridiculous. For my purpose, the LX470 shines as an overlanding vehicle.
So true Andrew. The VOETSPORE team here in South Africa once tried going into Africa with VW Amorok...
They immediately went back to using Landcruisers as before.😊👋👍
Hi Andrew, I am super happy you gave the FJ Cruiser a good review. I agree with everything you said about it. The payload is too small, but in all other respects, it is a brilliant 4x4. Mine has a 2” lift, OME BP51 shocks, ARB bar, an alu-cab gen 3 tent, alu-cab shadow awn & quick en-suite. I am getting ~1200km per tank and it goes just about anywhere. It’s built like a brick and I love it :)
Thank you for these bits of your wisdom from all of your experiences. I'm in the United States and am working on starting some overland trips with my wife and boys now that they are grown up a bit. I'm using the (rare for the U.S.) Mitsubishi Montero /pajero 1999. I know when we start going on longer trips next year I'll be prepared thanks to your wonderful videos.
28:35 FJ Cruiser opinion is spot on 👍🏻 great vehicle.
I am running 285/70/17 Cooper Discover STT PRO’s on my FJ Cruiser with a 3 inch OLD Man Emu / Bilstein 5100/5160 lift.
Also changed out the Upper control arms for SPCs. Great setup. Might be better setups but this works great for my use.
Best use of my 33 minutes in youtube. You sir are a legend!
Awesome. That's what I like to see, honesty. No BS. Honesty, experience and specifics. Thanks for that Andrew. I'm still thinking about getting a Jimny for small camping trips, and as a daily driver. Easier to park in the city. Hahaha
I watched this for the first time today and only once reviewing the comments did I realise how relevant it still is today-could not believe that it was 4 years old. 40 years in driving African conditions and not much has changed in my opinion. Land Cruiser still passes the test of time as king of tough, old Defenders still pant around, Hilux's are many because of reliability, and new LR products need rollback trucks. My experience with Jeep has not been good (clearance, suspension, water pump seal damage by sand), G-Wagon ditto-cooling system and most others-just cannot get parts for them. Isuzu's are tough pickups but do not sell well enough so have poor dealer support. Great advice on tyre choice (therefore vehicle choice!) with the abandoned LR D4 saying it all-I have seen this with anything less than 60 profiles all over Africa-do not do low profile tyres and overlanding.
I've watched and enjoyed all of your videos! In the US (and other similar colder climates), snow and ice is another twist on 4-wheeling, goes hand in hand with over-landing. Its different than sand and other similar wet/dry mud. I thought of this when you mentioned that center diff-lock does nothing; note that in snow and ice, it is mostly what you need for ~40 50 mph, i.e. higher speeds than where rear diff-locks are typically used. The change in vehicle control is noticeable and is useful feature, though not an end in itself. I drive and FJ with 6MT and a 5th gen T4R. Snow and ice is a different animal than anything you find in SA/Australia. Please add subject this when you can, not trying to be a wise a$$. Thanks!
I did the Simpson Desert in my stock Jimny, it didn't bat an eyelid! Two guys, 60l additional fuel + 60l of water! Had to turn the AC off for a few of the dunes but otherwise not a hiccup. I heard of a German couple doing CSR in one carrying basically only petrol but could never verify... Such good cars, but I agree not ideal for OL travel
another bloody good video by the way
The Discovery 4 has no issues with proper tires. When they first came out the MTR’s were superb! When they stop making them the Coppers were awesome and so was the general grabber.
Done epic trips and never had problems, because, like you said don’t run them low. 18 was the lowest and occasionally soft sand drop it to 15.
Best 4wd I had ever owed!!!
I learn SO much from your videos! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise, experience and valuable insights. My partner and I are researching which vehicle to buy for a RTW overland journey and the info you have provided is extremely helpful in helping us make a decision.
Hi, thank you for sharing your expertise and experience. Your perspective is very refreshing.
Yet another excellent video from Andrew.
Knowledge backed by experience. What more could we ask for. Thank you very much for your brilliant TH-cam channel
that formation of trees at 2:25 is excellent
I had enormous fun in a coil sprung Sierra across the Simpson desert just me though and packed light
can relate entirely to the just touching a curb with general tires and getting a sidewall puncture been down countless dirt roads with no problem but touched a curb in town and tire was done bf goodrich only from now on for me
Am a todler in this field but am happy for your view on Isuzu dmaxx.. av always thought of this little ute in the same way especially given the high price of hiluxes
Thank you for the advice about air pressure in low profile tires. I think you saved me a lot of money. I have low profile tires and and I was going to air them down.
Toyota 100series and 79 series released Australia with Factory turbo 1HZ motor, Best Combination ever
woo 80 series love! coming up on 300,000 miles and still grinnin.
The main way to lift an independant suspension vehicle is to mount the front sub-frame on spacers. So the suspension is exactly the same as it started out, but the body/frame is mounted on a block. There is one that I know of that doesn't do this for the front... The Jeep Renegade suspension lift kits that I have seen just mount a spacer on top of the front struts, but it puts spacer blocks on top of the whole rear subframe/suspension mounts. You do gain real clearance.
Thanks for your brilliant videos Andrew.
I bought my first ever new vehicle and my first ever Toyota through my business recently. I proudly bought a 79 series dual cab. Within 2200 k's the ABS unit leaked brake fluid into the engine bay. Even a vehicle with the reputation of a Toyota 70 series can have it's problems. I unsuccessfully tried to have the vehicle replaced.
The cruiser was repaired under warranty but the purchase has soured my experience and I have little regard for Toyota Australia and their treatment of me as a customer. If we buy new vehicles again, I will really need to think hard about purchasing another Toyota.
I will say that despite the many shortcomings of a 70 series, i still love driving that V8!
Sometimes the reputation for Toyota's reliability can be over-stated by the fans. They are without doubt one of the most reliable vehicle brands in the world. But that doesn't mean they never go wrong. It sounds to me like a pretty ordinary breakdown/problem, and I'm not surprised at all that they did not replace the vehicle. The warrantee was honoured, and that's what its for. I've seen manufacturers refuse to replace a vehicle when it was proved that the body shell was bent out of alignment and the doors wouldn't close! I would say you were treated fairly and according to the contract of sale. PS I am not sponsored by Toyota.
Im hearing so many stories like this of people who are not drunk and blind with love for Toyota, and they're saying Toyota's support is bad and even 70's are having issues.
Bit worrying as i am considering doing exactly what you have and buy a new 79 series
Andrew, Please do go on forever as we could listen forever :)
Hi Andrew, another very interesting video. Must agree on the tyre front. When I got my Disco 3 it came with 18inch rims. Swapped those for 17's. Better tyre choice, better off road & only slightly less stable on road.
Toyota’s main competitor in Australia has always been the Nissan patrol. The y61 and now the new fancy y62.
The Isuzu Trooper/Jackaroo was a spartan but very capable 4WD, I opted for my present XJ Cherokee for the improved GVM, towing power/engine capacity, front solid axle and equipment level... each to their own 👍
Love the videos mate. 2002 Xterra w/230k miles. It brings me joy when I see it across the campsite 🙂.
This is quite timely. I had an elderly gentleman turn up here at my station in a LR4 and he quipped off the cuff that his 20 inch tyres cost 6000 AUD for a set of 5.
I quietly mumbled to myself how skinny cross plies cost 150 dollars each.
Correction :
6000 AUD to change from 20 inch to 18 inch rims plus tyres.
We did the CSR a few years ago with two lifted (2") discovery 2's and a stock Prado....the only issue on the trip for the Prado was its clearance but apart from that it performed very well and we were super jealous of its fuel carrying capacity
I come here for the HONESTY. Great fun videos.
Without reading the miles of comments:
Regarding the LR4 (US 5.0 V8 Model) Due to the massive rotors and brakes (rotors are 14") the only alloy wheel that will fit without spacers is the 18" Compomotive PD1881. Mine wears these with BFG AT KO2 265/65/18 for a 31.6" wheel. I then could permanently lift by 2.5" by installing something like Johnson rods, or simply alter height with a GAP IID Tool. (Lucky8 now sell steel wheels which will also fit) Many folks on the tube running 32" tires.
The suspension failure highlight was none other that the Japanese manufactured Hitachi compressor, since replaced by LR with a better German built AMK design. Mine died at 89,000 miles, and I replaced it in about 2hrs. Everything else suspension wise is fine. As for running Canning Stock, I actually believe the air suspension would handle the journey better due to less component stress, provided you keep the vehicle within its weight limitations and put 18"s on it. LR did take the LR4 on an 8,000 mile journey from Brum to Bejing, and the only failure was a flat tire. BTW the Jag AJ133 5.0 V8 - extremely reliable, up there with Toyota 4.7 V8 in my 08 200 Series LC.
its a double edge sword - big brakes means effective brake based traction control, but it means terrible tire choices. I would rather take a slightly less effective traction control it it meant real wheels and tires.
The Nissan Frontier/Navara here in the states can be pretty awesome. It shares the chassis with the Titan and a few others so upgrading diffs and suspension is easy but you don’t have the drawbacks of the weight in the bigger trucks. The 6 cylinder is pretty dependable but a bit thirsty. I love mine especially after the Titan suspension swap and 285/75/r16s. It floats on sand and just trucks through mud. I wish you could drive what I’ve created!
Some people used to say the vw beetle was an excellent off road vehicle. It could float across rivers and dams...lol
I drove toyota 4wds for 20 years with no problems. Bought the last of the landrover 90s brand new in 2013. Was towed back to the dealer 7 times in 2 years. Couldnt trust it to go out into the desert. Traded it on a fortuner which has been great, but I just ordered a 79 series which should be the last truck I ever buy.
I have, after 2 decades, dropped Discos and Rangies for a H3 V8 with 4H and 4L and the 4:1 transfer case, CDL, FDL and RDL and it might be worth you having a look for touring/overlanding although it is quite small in reality.
Valid points on Land Rover tires. Many of us are buying 18” wheels for the 5.0 gas V8 LR4 and fitting 32” tires (265/65R18) E load ko2s to get the best sidewalls we can with the toughest sidewalls possible, while still being bump stop compatible. some even change bump stops so they can go larger on tires. The stock tires and approved tires are idiotic. They went through countless tires on the trans american trail trip they did with lr4 on street tires. the factory wheels sizes are unfortunate, but they have great brakes!
REALLY nice and helpful video. The choices of 4WD here in Brazil are quite small actually and for that reason I'm looking forward a ute. We only have RAM 2500, Chevy S10 (Colorado), Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Frontier, VW Amarok (with no low range here) and Agrale Marrua AM200 (a civilian version of the truck made to the Army).
I'll do more research and try to test drive'em to make a good choice. Don't wanna make too much changes, just tires, snorkel and maybe 2" lift.
Thx for the video, really great and helpful!
I would love to show you some of the work around type "cheats" if you will, I've come up with on my Discovery 3. I've (so far.. only had it a year, 4 trips in the US thus far) had zero issue, I do indeed carry spares, in the form of spare air line and I have 2 spare suspension sensors, as you've mentioned in your last video regarding the air suspensions on these, plus I carry a Land Rover specific OBD plug in tool that will allow me to do basically everything a shop can do on the Land Rover, but out on the trail (I will concede, this is a MUST HAVE. You will be stranded, as you mentioned, if you cannot access those menus and repair/un-fault the vehicle!) Tires! ..I have indeed put K02 BF Goodrich tires on with a steel 18" wheel and they've been wonderful. They wear well, no punctures (I do keep them pretty hard, as like you said, you can't air down a whole lot) I've been very impressed by them. I should add that, being in the United States, we don't get perhaps as remote as Canning Stock or places in Africa, and possibly due to that, I find I have very little issue on my 3. I have had to replace things, sure.. After the 100k mile mark (I'm currently at 122k) it was time for a suspension work over, all done myself, all done in fact in my driveway in about 4 hours time on a nice sunny day, drives like a new one now. I was impressed. Parts are not very expensive if you shop smart, and just like old LR vehicles, you can't buy one and not know how to do work, like you said. You WILL go broke. I should also add, being a mechanical person, I kind of bought this vehicle as a challenge to myself to see if I can make it work (coming out of an 80 series LC.. Which was wonderful but I had LOTS of rust battles. I live in a state that uses MASSIVE amounts of road salt in winter and I purchase my vehicles 2nd hand) I do think, based on my options in the US market, I would likely move on to the 200 series if I had issue with this one, as I like what that has to offer and Toyota as you know, is wonderful. I also think the LR3/Discovery 3 is about as far as I can go personally with my capabilities on electrics for 4wd use and being able to fix it on the trail etc.. Though I think that is still some time off as I tend to keep my 4wds for many years. 7-10 is average, as I can fix just about anything on them. I'll definitely be honest and update you of failure points in the times to come, as the D3 chassis is very much a personal experiment, and I think because as a used vehicle, they're HUGELY tempting here in the US. Less than half the price compared to a similar year/mileage/condition Land Cruiser. I figure a guy like myself (about 17 years of what is now regarded as overlanding in the US) can push the envelope and really run one of these D3 chassis vehicles for a few years and see if they are really all that bad. To close, I love these conversations! I think your knowledge is first rate, I have followed from afar for a few years now and I love seeing these types of vehicles and kit getting pushed in amazing conditions and in places I can only really dream of visiting. Keep up the great work!
I should do a video on LR3 and LR4 cheats. There are many of them, and its a subject worthy of looking at more closely! And don't talk to me about Land Cruisers and rust! Some of them are terrible!
4xoverland looking forward to your D3/D4 (LR3/LR4) cheat video!
Such excellent content, so much better than any other 4x4 youtube/TV shows etc.
thanks Mali
Good points on the Discoveries... helped clarify things.
Suzuki Samurai stock is one amazing little rig! Small size is like a glorified quad...only caviar: Need a helmet, Shakes you up pretty good inside.
Andrew, any experience with the 100 series V8 2UZ engine? Apart from the horrendous gas mileage, several examples of that engine have reached over 1 million miles. Extraordinary reliability.
Tried them all, and my favorite is still my 33 year old Toyota SR5 Longbed Hilux 4×4...
You should have taught me at school Andrew i may of had a chance! Lol..great stuff again thanks.
I learned so much from your stories. Keep them coming. Thank you.
As a rule, I always avoid any book with "The Complete...." in the title, because it never is! - I do possess your book though, ironically the one with the Mahindra on the front cover - thanks for explaining that one to me.
I still consider it as one of the most comprehensive guides to 4wd published anywhere. I can think of only two others that match it, and in both cases, exceed it.
As a (almost) South African you forgot the Marauder! Please ask them for a test vehicle, kit it out and see how it performs!
I wonder if Old Man Emu makes a suspension kit for it yet.;)
And Alu-Cab's RPM-proof roof-top conversion might be quite costly.
great follow up video after the last few ones.
Jeep commander, Why not? I'm not going to argue anything in it's favor as I can't say anything positive from experience (yet)but I recently got one for 2600 usd. I don't expect to take on Australia with it but fully intend on riding trails and through state parks and hunting tracks. No rock crawling or mudding though, i have no interest in that. It's my first jeep and my next would either be the truck they are working on or the Toyota fj. I can't talk about it's off road prowess (or lack of)till summers end 2018, I already have some steel wheels and larger at tires for it, and intend on lifting 2.5inches, roof rack, removing the 3rd row seat for a drawer I'll build, winch bumper and some extra armor underneath and side rails. I would like to do some electronics aside from lighting, like solar and a fridge, but function before convenience... dictated by budget
Indeed why not! Certainly a good option if you can pick it for cheap enough.
Strike number 1: steel wheels that have an inward bowl shape will not clear the calipers.
Also I realized that, like a solid axle vehicle, bigger tires lift the diff...BUT due to the diff being mounted to body, a lift kit will also raise the diff :D
I wonder if you can do a video on equipment, and underpacking vs overpacking. I've been curious of your thoughts on this since your first video saying that you shunned a Defender 90 for being way too small.
I've done trips myself with 1 passenger in a Suzuki Jimny, we packed, in my mind fair bulky, with 2 one man tents, enough survival equipment for a mountain climb and vehicle recovery kit that has served me well at pay and plays, we had plenty of room in the Jimny below the gross vehicle weight. However I am coming from a hillwalking background, I watch your videos and a lot of the stuff I see you pack I'd say are rather frivolous (a shower? :D). I'm wondering if you could touch on what is really necessary for newer (young) expeditionist vs what you carry for comfort.
Thanks for all your videos love watching them and have learned a lot from you! My question is what do you think about Nissan? I have been a fan of their vehicles for many years have had multiple Pathfinders and a Frontier/Navara, but you don't seem to have anything at all to say about Nissan despite them building some legendary trucks! I and I am sure others would love to see a video on the Patrol/Safari and even the little Pathfinder/Navara 4x4s! Thanks again for all the great material, I look forward to seeing more in the future.
No one is ever mentioning a VW Touareg as an overlander. I am busy getting mine a 2009 Model ready for Namibia and Botswana. It is by far one of the best vehicles I have ever driven or owned. It has steel suspension, low range and Full size spare wheels. Better to drive on the long gravel roads than a subaru (one of the best gravel road cars) and more comfortable than any defender or 70 series cruisers. I really hope more people see the potential of the VW. Hope its reliability is ok, and will remember DHL is your friend for spare parts anyway. I found the thing that breaks is usually the thing I do not have spare parts for.
Having driven a Cape Town to Hong Kong trip I know that the secret for a good reliable overlander is to travel light. You do not need an immense amount of stuff, keep it simple stupid.
It is probably because its regarded as a complex, electronically-controlled SUV with not much of a payload. The same reason why so many modern SUVs are not regarded as suitable overlanders. And if you are going to need spares, the chances are, only a VW approved dealer will be able to repair it. But I have to admit, the Touareg is an impressive machine.
thanx for replying and your feedback. I hope that I have little to no issues, we will see soon and keep you updated. Planning on going with the family to Namibia later in the year and do a proper tour next June. I would not recommend the canning stock route in a Touareg as that is a proper expedition(after watching your lovely videos) but as an overlander I have big hopes.
Love the video, really fair and soo well expressed! I've started out with a 90 series Prado and it's just brilliant almost 300k km still on the original clutch! Can't help at look longingly at the manual V8 Discovery 1 & 2 and want to add one alongside it in the garage. From personal experience I've found the new Ford Everest to be quite good off-road despite its small tank, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport felt a bit cheap quality wise to give me any confidence in its ability.
Have you checked out the Jeep Trailhawk trims? 4wd, simulated low range, 8.7" inches of clearance, skid plates, tow hooks, off road tires, full size spare all standard. I believe the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee have rear locking differentials.
They are very capable unibody cars but not for rugged trails or overlanding. The suspension rubber bushings and insulators will wear out quickly or tear.
I had a Jimny, it was an amazing offroad vehicle but terrible for overlanding in Australia. Problem here is we have loads of hills, and hills, the Jimny, even if barely loaded, can barely maintain speed at a 100. And worst, frigteningly imbalanced at that speed. Always felt like it was going to roll over (even though it probably wouldn't) and for this reason, I sold it.
I now have a Disco 4, and tires. Hmm yes tire sidewall is an issue, however, like that Discovery in your video, if he had ditched the 19" or 20" wheels for 18" and changed the tires given the extra sidewalls (eg say 255/55r19 to 265/65/18) or even larger, it is incredible. Especially since that truck had external wheels carriers at the back, it should easily accomodate larger tires. The only limitations are when there are no external wheel carriers on the Disco, it doesn't want to fit underneath properly.
And Andrew, didn't you have to abandon a trip with some Bridgestones because in fact you hadn't addressed tire pressure properly at the time and they delaminated due to heat? Those were also high sidewall tires.
To the best of knowledge the g wagons doing the canning stock route was in 2011 and they all were g350s but the 7th was military spec currently used by the Australian army
TheHylas53 that's my understanding of the situation too. Suspension built for shopping centres vs Afghanistan
Best 4x4 video ever👍
glad to hear your comments on the fj cruisers!
lilith strange FJ’s are awesome!! :)
Some interesting thoughts there. I would be interested in one almost forgotten vehicle which you may know from SA as well and that is old VW T3 Syncro. You can have pop top conversion, diff locks, lifts etc and it can give you lot of comfort. But it has independent suspension etc. For some basic expedition environment. Not a rock crowing. In the past you can find them in many NATO countries military bodies, fire brigades etc
Need to review Nissan vehicles also!
I was waiting to hear Andrew's opinion (other than Toyota copied them) of the Nissan Patrol's..........
I guess he can't find a word that means they are far superior to (shits all over) anything he has even driven before.
28:30 100 series bigger than 80 Series, i hear that a lot
I have both in my driveway, i have run a tape measure over both
(measuring internal space, seats, cargo area, width, doors, etc)
Near enough to exactly the same.
Hey Andrew love your work mate you can go on forever if you want mate I don't mind but for all those that don't want to watch a 30min clip basically in a nut shell just buy a 70 series cruza haha
Which is the best? Ford Ranger, Toyota hilux or an Isuzu D-max
Hello Andrew!, What about the AMAROK 2.0 TDI?. Looks like a good platform for an overland vehicle. what do you think? greetings from Argentina!! You have to came for hollidays to our Northwest, you will love it. Great place to "overlanding"
I can tell you no straight away it does not have diff lock and you cannot tow with it
Basically a show pony that's it the engine is only a 2.0l and not really big enough also the AWD system will not give much choice on tyres
Re: the comments on Land Rover low profile tires.This is why I won't sell my LR3. I can fit 31.5" 265/65 18's, without modification. I think with some light mods I can go up to 32" 275/65's next time. Point being, the LR3 has more options than the LR4 (19" or 20" wheels) and you can put some wonderful tires on it, including the BFG KO2's.
Have the last version disco before 5. 19” rims used Goodyear duratrac tures. Great tread pattern no punctures despite cape York trip but worn out at 30k. Green oven to sell 18” rims to fit though which would solve issue I’d say. But $$$
You mention: "the fortuner, Hilux, Everest, pajero sport... Lack that toughness of the land cruiser."
What specifically do you mean by toughness? Is it load capacity, reliability, likelihood of breakage on long trips, all of the above?
You then go on to say that you CAN use them for overland vehicles. What are the downsides? I would find this information very useful as they are certainly more affordable.
Great vids BTW, keep it up.
Its like a heavy-duty tool. It will take more abuse for longer. As far as performance goes, they are by no means better at everything. For example. Overload a Tacoma and drive it across Africa, by the time it reaches the other side it will either be broken, about to brake and worn out. Do the same with a Hilux, and it will be okay, and probably with a bit of TLC, be ready for another trip. Do it with a Land Cruiser, change the oils and off you go again.
What about the early Terrano or Pathfinder as it is called in the U.S. They have an IFS with torsion bars, and though I know that may be a minus, mine has been really great. It is a 93 with 250,000 miles on it and still going strong. Great video as always...love your work. Cheers from N.Y.
it might fall over if you sneeze lol too true i had one many years ago and it fell over 3 times on a normal road lol fun little car
Love these talks
Please! If you can! Get into a Jeep! Do a trip! (keep it short though, not great mileage) I am sure you will have a positive review for it's off road capabilities. :) Love your channel, keep it up. Would love to see you do a trip in Canada.
Thanks Andrew. Love your videos. Been meaning for a while now to tell you: Geländewagen is not pronounced like the Afrikaans "land", but instead like the English "lend", hence the two dots on the ä. Ge - lend - a - vahgen.
Thanks for coming to Oregon friend i love yr film's you make.
Any thoughts on 3rd generation Toyota 4runners? Pretty common here in the western US
Great video Andrew. Good for a beginner like me. However need your expertise on this...What do you think of Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4x4 pick-up? Can it be used as a good off road vehicle? What are the other upgrades other than suspension and tyres? Looking forward to seeing your next videos.
Love you content, very jealous of your life.
I very much appreciate the fact that you point out that you a unfamiliar with vehicles in The United States. As I'm sure you are aware, the vehicles sold here are very different from vehicles sold in other countries, even vehicles by the same name. People here tend to ignore this fact, and become "fan boys". For instance, I would own a landcruser anywhere else in the world, but here in the states, Toyota does not make a product for me.
I'm really in doubt about which 4x4 diesel should I choose. I live in Brazil and the cars available here in the appropriate price range are: Mitsubishi Pajero 2011; Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2007; Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (also called challenger or Dakar) 2010; Toyota Fortuner 2008. How good are these cars off-road? How stable are they on the road? How well built are they? How comfortable are they on difficult roads? I personally am inclined towards Pajero or Pajero Sport. Any answer is welcome.
Bought the book from amazon.
Will start the journey...
thanks man
Andrew, I'd love to hear your take on the Toyota Tacoma. I have a 2019 TRD Off Road. Not alot of options for good trucks here in the states, this is the best we can get. I also had two Hilux's previously, one was a late 90's model, autocar.nl spec, and one an early 2000's, Africa spec (old all metal body style produced in SA, also through autocar.nl). I have only two major complaints about the Tacoma. The first is fuel. They are thirsty and the factory tank is much too small. Stock I get a max range of 480km per fill up unloaded, when set up for overlanding you'd probably by in the low 300's. Second, Toyota thought they needed to put a giant square hood on it for the north america market. My last Hilux was so nimble, you knew the line each tire was taking to the inch. We used to thrash it on rough Angolan roads, tossing all the weight onto one side or the other to skip over the worst ruts. In traffic, you felt like you could reach to the other side of the car with your hand from the drivers seat. You also felt like you could see the front bumper over the hood. (my older Hilux didn't have such great visibility, but it did have a full body external roll cage, so who cared). The Tacoma has a foot of empty space between the radiator and the grill. It is unnecessarily long and has abysmal visibility over the hood. I plan to fit a camera on the front just so I don't run over children when dropping the kids at school. Stupid of Toyota to put such a hood on what otherwise would be a fine truck. Too bad they insist on keeping the Hilux out of North America.
Kind of an oversight to not mention the Isuzu Trooper. My second generation 95 will compete dollar for dollar with just about anything.
Superb Video and experience, thanks
Hello Andrew, have you had any experience with the older VW T3 syncro 4wd vans as a overland vehicle? Hopefully ones with both front and rear diff locks?
No vw product is suitable for overland travel. They're endless money pit vehicles as they age...
Awesome vids from you Andrew! Keep up in same superb fasion!👍👌, cheers from Norway.