4x4 is over rated

very nice da hui

 

cool man, i have an 07 prerunner tacoma and i've been wanting to take it off roading but been tooo scared, this really helped, thanks

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Yeah, don't let these Prerunner haters scare you. Unless your doing some VERY serious mudding (like water crossings up to your windows) or crazy rock crawling (which 99.9% of the 4x4's on this site couldn't handle because of lack of modifications to the suspension. More than just a three or six inch lift) you really don't need the 4x4 for off road. It does make it a bit more convenient for mud and less of a head ache in snow or ice, but your Prerunner is a very capable vehicle.

 

My first tacoma was a prerunner, love the hell out of that truck. I like overcomming obsticles with the throttle. Now I own a 4x4 and I love this truck also. I use the 4x4 when I am by myself in the country and don't wanna wait a couple of hours for some help if I don't make it. If your going offroading with some friends the prerunner is great you may not get stuck depending on you skill level and knowing your limits. The 4x4 just insures that I'll make it.

 

I know this will just continue the argument further, but... 4x4's get stuck too!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QuZM3-H4nsU

And this guys has 35 inch Terra mud graplers and a 6 inch lift.

 

The pic of sarsquids Taco was before he did the conversion.

And I agree with you on everything you just said.

 

Only reason I regret not getting a 4x4 would be going to Lake Tahoe in the winter! I guess I could rent a 4x4 like I usually do when I wanna go solo.

If I was not looking to buy a house I would have bought my sport with 4wd and paid the extra couple grand. my 2cents

 

I think i would've gotten the 4wd if it was sold here in Mexico, but not..... maybe when i buy my next Tacoma in 3-4-5-6-7 years I'll get a 4wd

 

with regaurds the that video, I dont care how big or what lift you take an all terain type tire like that and you are going to get stuck. with a good set of MT's he would have made it.

 

That doesn't prove shit. That mud looks just like the mud pits where almost EVERYONE gets towed out and the whole point is to see how far you can get. Short of having tractor tires or tracks, any truck would need help getting out of that mess.

 

Another thing I'd like to point out.

Those tires have almost zero sidewall, which gives you even less traction.

I'm not saying, but I'm just saying.

 

Exactly. You want mud? Head over to www.mymudspace.com for pics of trucks in mud.

For example, I'm sure this truck has 4wd, larger tires, more lift, but what's he standing in the bed for? Either way, you wouldn't attempt something like this in 2wd.... Well maybe someone would, but I would laugh.

 

Wow. I didn't realize that, though it may not be the perfect example, I would still have to spell out something that anyone who has ever mudded or gone off-roading would have experienced and seen first hand... 4x4's get stuck! It happens all the time. Why else would 4x4 owners have wenches.

The point is not that things with wheels get stuck in the mud. The point, as this thread states, is that 4x4's are overrated. This isn't to say that they don't have their benefits, they handle better on the ice and can maneuver better in mud than two wheels, but 99.9% of 4x4's out there couldn't handle a trail that any self respecting 4wheeler would consider a challenge.

I love the Taco, but if you take it stock to a trail, even lifted with some decent off road tires, you stand a very high chance of destroying your front end. The beloved Taco, like most all other factory 4x4's is an IFS (independent front suspension). Every body who has spent any time on a real trail has seen the countless IFS break when a decent amount of flex is put on it. The real 4x4's have locking, solid front axles, coil over suspensions, and other parts that would be ridiculous to put on a vehicle that is used for daily driving (as I would assume most of the 4x4's on this forum are).

I'm not saying that 4x4's are useless, unless you're rock crawling or swamp mudding, all I'm saying is that 99% of people who buy 4x4's seem to think that they can go to a trail the weekend after they buy them and follow the rigs that have tens of thousands of dollars in them over rock paths and through deep mud. They also seem to think that they can drive highway speeds in ice and snow. Take a quick look at TTORA or IH8MUD and you'll see some 4x4's that aren't overrated.

Your stock 4x4 can't do anything significantly better than a stock Prerunner.

 

As I would laugh when you tried the same in your 4x4 as it is now configured.

 

A stock 4x4 can get you out of some shit that a prerunner would be stuck in.
I have been stuck in a 2wd ranger and had a 4wd ranger pull me out (work trucks), I do agree with most of your post but to say "Your stock 4x4 can't do anything significantly better than a stock Prerunner" thats where I disagree with you.

 

I thought I'd add that in there so as not to kill the thread. Besides, I did qualify it with significantly.

 

So now we all have "fake" 4wd's because we don't have SFA's or front lockers?

I didn't realize the trails I've been on where 2wd wasn't enough were "fake" trails.

Then again I see you're in Texas. Have you even driven in mud or snow? Or up steep hills covered with trees and rocks you need to maneuver around?

I guess I'd be sooooo much better off getting a 2wd since my trails aren't "real". I can just hit the gas when I loose traction weaving between rocks and trees on a hill. Doesn't matter if the ass end kicks out and smacks into a tree. Having the front wheels pulling around the corner to prevent that would be stupid.

Obviously you have never driven on any surface (mud, snow, whatever) where the wheels turn and the truck doesn't. hmmmm.... Having 4wd in that situation seems to work since the front wheels can pull the front end around instead of sliding. But then if you ever drove a FWD or 4WD you would know that.

 

If the rant is good, who cares if you kill the thread!