Thread: Budget Family 4WD

Mudgripz has laid it out as well as anyone can.
Fit the basics and essentials first, then learn how to drive your 4wd off road,
Carry a means of self recovery, Spade/shovel grubber, handsaw etc.
Start simple before going crazy on the fancy stuff.
The big tyres, winches, 200 spotlights, lockers etc. probably aren't needed.
Learn to pick what equipment you need for different environments. Not all 4wding requires you to take all the gear you own.
A biggie is knowing how to use the gear you have, whether it be a winch, traction aids or a snatch strap.
Carry a good basic tool kit, spares parts, CVs, belts, fuses, tyre repair kit, spare oil and fluids.
Within our group of 4wds we have a good collection of recovery gear, But not everyone has every item, bar the basics. Any one with a winch also carries shackles, rope, tree protectors, winch extensions.
We have a mid 90s 3.0L Prado, with a bit of lift, 33 inch tyres, a recovery hook on each corner and some bar work for body protection (Quit often this doesn't work).
We often go a bit further off road in our small group and have lockers, winches rock sliders and a few other items to assist us. Often these items get us more stuck than unstuck.



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@ROKTOY have noticed that number plate and truck round the Tasman region.

That towball one is a really valid point, not only is the standard ball not rated for shock loads but if surged a lot of the snatch type straps will pop off the ball leading to the recovery vehicle launching like Apollo 11 due to not collecting the expected weight on the snatch strap. Have seen one wagon doing the full send over a banked corner and landing on a patch of native bush, slowly sliding about 8m down a bank leading to a HEAP more recovery work and a lot more dodgy a situation!!!

The recommended option with a towball when recovering is to not use the towball itself, but looping the tow strap under the towbar tounge and then crossing the loop over the top of the tounge so that the legs of the loop pass each side of the towball shank. That way the load is placed onto the towbar and direct to the vehicle chassis and not the shank of the towball. Biggest risks then are sharps on the bar tounge damaging the tow strap and shock load bending the tounge...

I think the 80 series VX Cruiser is the pick. Solid over engineered dont brake. The 92 with the double difflocks would be the best but impossible to get. Can be dragged out over rocks and logs and come out unbroken.
Value for money the Izuzu is hard to beat but need to be second or third on a crossing - need another vehicle along
Suzuki - fantastic performance in mud, slippery tracks, great in water as long as the floating issue is allowed for and the right ford and fording method is picked - like reversing upstream in the water as far as possible on the near bank before starting a well angled downstream crossing, so that they dont get side on to the flow.
I would buy an old de-reg suzuki and put it on a trailer. Mod it up as a off road buggy

Yeah, nah, the 80 series don't brake alright - I'd second and third that one all by myself... They do break as well, but there is a lot more effort required to achieve a decent bust in them. They are prone to wearing things out like ball joints tie rods and bearings, but that's just machines in general I guess.

The ones that impressed me were the mines units modifed with the sealed wet braking system. They were really very good and a definite upgrade over standard.

Note to self, 'Break' not Brake in post above. Nothing wrong with the 'Brakes'

I was being serious there, one of the worst scares I've had is in the front left seat of an 80 series on a long downhill on gravel approaching a hairpin with a heavy trailer on. Driver was like OK, taking it real easy here - this hill is a bitch... I'm like ??? as we slowly roll over the top, and in 2nd the bloody thing instantly starts sliding down the hill under the weight of the trailer pushing. I'm like oh OK, this is interesting, driver is onto it though. He's holding it well and not overusing the brakes but we get to about 100m off the hairpin and we can smell the brakes. Driver: Yeah, dunno what it is but always does this here... FFS! Anyway got around the hairpin and onto the flat, but far out was a lot more exciting that planned. Funny thing, the patrol and the utes no issue.

I would choose a 1990s Ford Bronco for those purposes, but that’s just me. I like older cars, and I don’t have kids yet. I know that newer cars can provide more comfort for kids and are better (in some regards), but I still cannot defy my love for older cars. They have something special about them.

Originally Posted by Cartianin

I would choose a 1990s Ford Bronco for those purposes, but that’s just me. I like older cars, and I don’t have kids yet. I know that newer cars can provide more comfort for kids and are better (in some regards), but I still cannot defy my love for older cars. They have something special about them.

I hope that after I learn how to use ynab, I will save enough money to buy a Ford Bronco in a year. Some people say they manage to save more than 20K with this application and the system of diversifying your budget. A proper system would help me spend less and save more to achieve my goals like buying this car.

Originally Posted by Cartianin

I hope that after I learn how to use ynab, I will save enough money to buy a Ford Bronco in a year. Some people say they manage to save more than 20K with this application and the system of diversifying your budget. A proper system would help me spend less and save more to achieve my goals like buying this car.

Can someone give this knob jockey the Heave ho

Originally Posted by Cartianin

I hope that after I learn how to use ynab, I will save enough money to buy a Ford Bronco in a year. Some people say they manage to save more than 20K with this application and the system of diversifying your budget. A proper system would help me spend less and save more to achieve my goals like buying this car.

You should see how much I've diversified my budget since I started riding your mum.

Originally Posted by Cartianin

I hope that after I learn how to use ynab, I will save enough money to buy a Ford Bronco in a year. Some people say they manage to save more than 20K with this application and the system of diversifying your budget. A proper system would help me spend less and save more to achieve my goals like buying this car.

I guess having a mrs as cheap as yours offsets the extornionate fuel bills you'd have driving a Bronco in the Uk .

Depending on how many seats you need the V6 90 or 120 series Prados are worth a look with the 3rd row seats if you can stretch closer to 20k. Reliable and should hold their value but being a 4l v6 they like to drink a bit more

I reckon you can't beat the old td27 Terranos for bulletproof reliability and reasonable capability as an off-road hack. My experience is based mainly on buying many $5-7k sort of price range trucks over the years and then driving them to their death as farm hacks. The Terranos have always well outlasted anything else and I don't think we have ever actually killed an engine or anything in the driveline in the three or four we have had. Have killed surf's (petrol and diesel) Bighorns, Pajeros, Couriers, Ferozas, Suzuki's of various breeds etc all with relative ease but the Terranos have all well outlasted what we paid for them. Currently in the process of trying to kill a Mitsi challenger

Hows the Challenger holding up compared with the Terrano?