Light Weight and Low Profile is Key

[John D]

We returned Saturday, August 16 from three weeks traveling in the West. We spent several days exploring the California Trail from the Raft River to Humboldt Wells in Idaho, NE Nevada and the NW corner of Utah. By chance we had two FWCs in the group of 12 vehicles. Our return to Alabama was via the Lewis and Clark Lemhi Pass and then via Route 2 all the way across the northern most road in the United States to Mackinac Bridge between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan.

Lessons learned; fuel economy with a FWC/ATC on a half ton will be 20 MPG if the speed is kept below 55 MPH.

The key to success with expedition style campers is in the camper and not the vehicle. Any modern fuel injected half ton or lighter pickup will perform adequately off road as long as the camper does not weigh more than roughly 1000 pounds and can be popped down to a low profile for driving.

Four wheel drive trucks are not necessary.

Keep ‘em light and low.

John D

 

[Tomas Tierra]

Sounds like a cool trip.. I will ask the obvious, do you have any photos??



and, when you get down to the end of your favorite dirt road, or one you haven't traveled before, and it rains a couple of inches before you leave.....Four wheel drive may be necessary to get out..(plus saying you don't need it will only make you need it sooner)

Or, when your sitting on pavement next to a bunch of RV's with gen's running, and you see a couple of miles down the beach a few trucks withFWC's popped up in the dunes around a huge fire with naked women running around it...You'll wish you had a 4x4

TT

 

[mtn-high]

Too funny, TT!!

There's also that occasional snowfall (in mid-Summer) in many high-altitude camp spots that makes 4 x 4 a must. (like the snowfall we had this week above 10K)

But..um...let's get back to that beach party with the naked girls....

 

[chnlisle]

Let us not forget the occasional romp on the beaches of Baja. Some folks might even use it on a boat launch ramp. One never knows. Incidentally If I drive at 55 MPH with the camper on I get 20+ MPG. And thats with all that unnecessary 4WD weight up front. OK It is a diesel but its only a 6.

 

[EdoHart]

Too funny, TT!!

There's also that occasional snowfall (in mid-Summer) in many high-altitude camp spots that makes 4 x 4 a must. (like the snowfall we had this week above 10K)

But..um...let's get back to that beach party with the naked girls....[/QUOTE[

Times 2!

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

In defense of John D's claim, I can remember that my uncle used to drive their 2WD trucks all through the woods using only "snow tires" and weight in the back. (My uncle had a couple chunks of old RR rail that he bolted to the frame rails of his '68 GMC.) In the winter time he used to negotiate un-plowed roads with the same set-up, plus chains. But they got stuck occasionally.

Still, and all, I *like* having my 4WD so much, I almost think I *need* it. But I still get stuck occasionally...

 

[EdoHart]

I have to agree with Mark re: John D's experience. I would like to pretend that as much as 20% of my driving was "off-highway" and of that 20%, all of it required 4x4. In truth, probably less than 1% of my total driving "requires" 4x4.

For the record, I was referring to the party with the naked girls. I haven't seen such a party, but believe me, if I had seen such a party, I could have made it there one way or another, and I would have told everyone about it.

 

[mtn-high]

I don't take my Tundra off-road all that much...but it's in 4WD 90% of the time from Nov-April, so I'm on the other side of the coin.

I'd take the bus if all I had was 2WD drive here in Winter.

mtn-high

 

[HERR42]

no 4WD required!!!???

bah! humbug!!!

 

[the fisherman]

Try This

If you will take your 2wd. truck from Fort Bragg Ca. to my house in Whitethorn Ca. via the famed Usal Rd. There will be $500.00 waiting. Now this is a well known road on this site, people around here travel it all the time, for one reason or another.

 

[chnlisle]

Ok Salty I'll do it in my wifes Scion but only if Edo's naked girl party is waiting.

 

[the fisherman]

I'll Have Em' Here

But it's very likley that it will cost $500.00, rather than you will receive $500.00

 

[John D]

Hey, those comments deriding my suggestion that 4WD is unnecessary were great! Obviously, I enjoyed reading them. I took all the adverse comments in the spirit of good fun. I do concede the point; 2WD trucks have limits … but so do 4WD trucks. There is an old saying in off road driving; 4WD will just get you more stuck.

Here are a couple of constructive thoughts. When driving on tracks, un-bladed, and bladed gravel roads, the single most common problem is going to be a flat tire. Thus, one should carry two spares when driving in remote areas. Assuming readers agree with that statement, those two spares might as well be aggressive off road tires, which nicely equip a loaded 2WD pickup. Add a set of chains over the supper aggressive tires and you could possibly negotiate ALMOST any trail.

The greatest deficiency in my 2WD half ton for off road is lack of low range gearing. In other words, I have no granny gear. If I had such a low gear in my truck, combined with a pair of super aggressive rear tires under my camper, I believe I could get around as well as most stock 4WD trucks. Admittedly, this would be comparing a modified 2WD truck with unmodified 4WD trucks. I concede this is not a fair comparison.

But there are indeed some further advantages to driving a 2WD truck. For one, simply put the road tires back on the rear of the truck, in place of the off road tires, and you are ready to drive the truck on the highway with no penalty in fuel economy, ride quality, and cost of up keep. To me, that makes a huge difference when I plan to drive across the continent.

You guys all know you don’t need 4WD but the truth is you just want it anyway. We all have stuff we don’t need, so it is OK. What I am saying is as follows;
if you want to save some money on gas, on repairs, and on original cost, consider 2WD combined with a little common sense behind the steering wheel. The cost saving might be the difference for some people in being able to get out there and enjoy camping. A lot of folks could get started in our hobby of wandering the west with a used light weight camper on a nice 2WD pickup without breaking the bank.

John D

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

C'mohn, John!

Dear John--

I may agree with every point you made, but I am not prepared to support your argument...

...without more pictures!


Mark

 

[chnlisle]

OK John I'm convinced. I'm putting the Ram on Craigs List today. Or maybe after I get back from Puerto Penasco in Sept. Dam, ok after my trip to Cabo and all stops in between. S!!t we may go to Casas Grandes in October. OK then just before Xmas. Hey wait Were headed back to Laguna San Ignacio next March. I think I'm stuck with it. Its like Pam. I probably dont need her but I sure want her.

 

[mtn-high]

We see serious cases of "4WD overconfidence" here in the hills with the tourist set or the new transplants...especially in Winter. Folks come here from other climates where it "snows" but have little real-time driving experience with snow. They rent/buy their SUV's in Denver...slap em into 4WD..and try to drive up I-70 @ 80mph on less-than-ideal conditions. (and they drive as badly as they do @ home...LOL)

The result is that you see 'em flying by ya like a bat-out-of-Hell....then a few miles up the road you see a huge cloud of white...then watch as they all crawl out of the upside down vehicle...skis and luggage strewn cleverly nearby. OOOoops. I bet ya can't do that again!

To each therir own..as always...but trust me...4WD isn't a luxury in an area where it snows 300 inches a year. Kinda like A/C in Arizona...you could do without it...but you will no doubt pay for your choice (in blood, sweat, or tears...or all 3) @ some point down the road if you do.

I do like the idea of better gas mileage...but then again...if I'm stuck in the ditch in a big snowbank does it *really* matter if I get 20mpg or 12mpg?

thanks for taking the jabs lightly, john...

BTW, I'll keep my tow chain handy!

mtn-high

 

[Tomas Tierra]

Sr. Pueblo

Mr. Jay,
San Ig in March??? I wonder if we could get enough wanderers there to fill a panga?? That would be a good one!

You can get there in 2wd! Just pray for no rain in the rainy season.

John D. you are a great sport for taking the stuff doled out here...but are you really going to stop, change two tires, and then put chains on those two tires when it gets a bit dicey??

TT

 

[chnlisle]

TT,
I think there will be a few Vent County folks heading that way. True it can be done in 2wd but I've been there in a chubasco pulling people out so I think I'll stick with the 4X4. This would be a great trip for the Wanderers and there is safety in numbers. This could be our last trip to the lagoon. Things are changing rapidly down there and it looks like the Japanese are up to ther old tricks again.

 

[EdoHart]

Ok Salty I'll do it in my wifes Scion but only if Edo's naked girl party is waiting.

It's TT's party, I just hope I'm invited or that he doesn't mind a party crasher.

As for San Ignacio, I'm interested.

John, maybe you could get an after market underdrive or gear splitter to bolt on to the rear of the transmission to give you that granny gear.

 

[Bat]

I just love the look of 2wd owners as you turn the corner them sitting on the hood, smile goes ear to ear and then those famous words I thought I could make it.