Overlanding with "stock" 4X4

[Sparksalot]

How about some discussion, or a YouTube, about overlanding in a stock 4X4? Seems most info is about mod rigs as if to say one can't go overlanding to adventure in a stock vehicle. It seems that the manufacturers of 4X4's wouldn't agree given that they have invested no small amount of effort in R&D and they outfit with suspensions, drives, AT tires (etc) and market specifically claiming that capability. What are the realities of overlanding in a stock 4X4? What are the capabilities and restrictions associated with "stock"? Why do you say that larger tires and lifts are "required"? Does adventure require investments into a modified rig? I'm an old sailor and we had the expression that "paradise looks the same regardless of the size of the cockpit".

I didn’t mean to hijack your thread. I think the basic message is to explore your limits safely. You will likely find there is a lot more capability in your stock rig than you realized. I learned this over many years riding with my dad and grandpa when younger then further later on. Many years ago I took a Chevy Corsica into a rocky place where the Jeep guys thought I was nuts. In that case it was all about wheel placement. It was also a one time deal.

run what ya brung.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

What do you guys consider stock? My wife's Focus isn't even stock, it has a rewound starter and alternator to exceed stock oem standards because replacing every 3 years is a joke.

I think you may mean original versus stock.
Stock is how it came from the factory even if you have to replace an original equipment piece with aftermarket replacement parts. My wife's car had three Ford starters replaced by Ford in one year. Finally I bought a life time warranty starter from NAPA. I never bought another starter again and never had another starter go out. The car was still stock, it was unaltered or modified. It just had a better built starter. :-)

 

[Anak]

If the part isn't factory oem in most cases it voids the factory warranty. Case in point. 2002-2005 Jeep Wranglers with the 4.0 and 6 speed transmission had a recall for the ignition system. At about 50-75,000 miles the bronze distributor drive gear would fail. Chrysler's fix was a new aluminum drive gear. The "new" gear introduces aluminum into the oil as it wears taking out the camshaft bearings. There realy is only one fix for this problem, an aftermarket camshaft with harden steel gears, an Aftermarket distributor with bearings and hardened steel drive gear, along with an aftermarket timing set. All of these parts voided the manufacturer waranty. Wich I needed because the aluminum particles also took out the rod bearings prematurely. All the aftermarket parts I put in exeeded minimum stock specs, but weren't Cyrsler parts so voided the waranty. All parts were put in at the local dealership, by a "certified" Jeep mechanic.
I could have done the work myself and saved a ton of money as at the time, I had several ASE Certificates, one being Engine diagnostic and repair.
So even if a part meets and/or exceeds manufacturer specs, doesn't mean its still stock.

Good example.

Modified, and now more reliable with a longer life ahead of it than if it were left stock.

Also a good example of how the manufacturer is not interested in the customer's needs, but in their own bottom line.

 

[Buckaroo]

It’s nice to see another Vanagon here! I took my 2wd Vanagon to Vancouver Island and got to plenty of fun places... yes, I would like to have 4x4 and lockers, but I wouldn’t trade my van for anything-

they are fairly capable stock, but a few upgrades go a long way... such as 16” wheels (don’t laugh, it’s as big as I can go without substantial suspension modification) and a bit of lift... and when I rebuild the extra transmission sitting in my garage, I’ll add a positronic differential, and maybe a locker.

That said, a stock Vanagon is a very different beast than a most stock 4x4s... my partners stock 05 Xterra is very capable. One could argue money might be better spent (at first) on recovery gear

16" wheels, BFG AT's all round, 2" brickwerks lift kit + spax gas adjustable shocks. 40% LSD in transmission and granddaddy low on first gear.
PS. winch to make a washing line for the wife....never needed to use it

 

[Buckaroo]

just throwing this in.
jeep for off roading, Land Rover for overlanding.

 

[Smileyshaun]

Are we still discussing this it’s already been proven that you cannot be a true Overlander in a stock vehicle, it’s way to scary on those gravel roads You need to have your rooftop tent and patches And again only a fool would go off road without lots of lights and you also need Jerry cans tons of them and don’t think about going on gravel without Max tracks. Going off road without upgrades and accessories.......

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

You guys mean I have to get rid of my 395/20R/26 tires so I can be stock again ?

 

[Anak]

Anything past twinny-fo's and you are just showing off.

 

[grubworm]

The weight of a passenger is more detrimental to the vehicle than is the frame plating.

i do know that most cars in south louisiana have a definite right lean to them...

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

i do know that most cars in south louisiana have a definite right lean to them...

View attachment 129185

Grub, did you get her phone number ? I have a couple of cars that need crushing !

 

[Billiebob]

If the part isn't factory oem in most cases it voids the factory warranty. Case in point. 2002-2005 Jeep Wranglers with the 4.0 and 6 speed transmission had a recall for the ignition system. At about 50-75,000 miles the bronze distributor drive gear would fail. Chrysler's fix was a new aluminum drive gear. The "new" gear introduces aluminum into the oil as it wears taking out the camshaft bearings. There realy is only one fix for this problem, an aftermarket camshaft with harden steel gears, an Aftermarket distributor with bearings and hardened steel drive gear, along with an aftermarket timing set. All of these parts voided the manufacturer waranty. Wich I needed because the aluminum particles also took out the rod bearings prematurely. All the aftermarket parts I put in exeeded minimum stock specs, but weren't Cyrsler parts so voided the waranty. All parts were put in at the local dealership, by a "certified" Jeep mechanic.
I could have done the work myself and saved a ton of money as at the time, I had several ASE Certificates, one being Engine diagnostic and repair.
So even if a part meets and/or exceeds manufacturer specs, doesn't mean its still stock.

On this. There was hysteria on the internet over the OPDA, oil pump drive assembly, which works off the distributor on the '03 thru '06 TJs, but I went to a Chrysler link and keyed in my VIN and they said my TJ had the OPDA fixed on a recall in '07. It never caused an issue for me. I have no idea what S and J Engines used in my remanufactured engine installed in 2017 but with a 7 year warranty I'm not too concerned.

But we are now completely derailed.

Of course most of us were off warranty YEARS ago.

 

[Billiebob]

and then there is this....

 

[grubworm]

that's why the "hood" has more crown vics than escalades...mamma didn't raise no fool!

 

[peeeeetey]

just throwing this in.
jeep for off roading, Land Rover for overlanding.

Me too.

 

[peeeeetey]

i do know that most cars in south louisiana have a definite right lean to them...

View attachment 129185

OK

 

[M Rose]

On this. There was hysteria on the internet over the OPDA, oil pump drive assembly, which works off the distributor on the '03 thru '06 TJs, but I went to a Chrysler link and keyed in my VIN and they said my TJ had the OPDA fixed on a recall in '07. It never caused an issue for me. I have no idea what S and J Engines used in my remanufactured engine installed in 2017 but with a 7 year warranty I'm not too concerned.

But we are now completely derailed.

Of course most of us were off warranty YEARS ago.

I was throwing that out there as; even though my timing components met and exceeded stock specs the manufacturer said that the engine was modified and no longer considered stock. Even though the parts were baught through the mopar catalog and installed by a mopar technician, it violated my factory extended powertrain waranty. Even being that the recall was supposed to fix the issue all together even though the parts failed again in under 1000 miles. But the rest of my story is best served in a camp fire chat, and not exposed in this forum.

 

[Billiebob]

I was throwing that out there as; even though my timing components met and exceeded stock specs the manufacturer said that the engine was modified and no longer considered stock. Even though the parts were baught through the mopar catalog and installed by a mopar technician, it violated my factory extended powertrain waranty. Even being that the recall was supposed to fix the issue all together even though the parts failed again in under 1000 miles. But the rest of my story is best served in a camp fire chat, and not exposed in this forum.

You can thank all the guys chipping their engines for this maybe over reaction by Chrysler to your particular "mod" and some techy lawyer wanna be's interpretation of said "mod". You will also be able to thank those same guys chipping their diesels and pouring black smoke into the air we breathe with the reaction of CARB to seal engines and outlaw anything but factory OEM components. I think they already have done it to motorcycles.

But the over reaction or misinterpretation is always due to guys trying to claim warranty after they chipped their engine to double its horsepower without the brains to realize that might affect its service life.

 

[bgenlvtex]

just throwing this in.
jeep for off roading, Land Rover for overlanding.

Parts availability is a thing, and completely dependent on where you are.

North America? Jeep no doubt.
Australia? LR for sure.

 

[systemdelete]

Parts availability is a thing, and completely dependent on where you are.

North America? Jeep no doubt.
Australia? LR for sure.

Oddly enough, I’ve found somewhat opposite. While Jeep has moved like many modern manufacturers through the years to specialized components, those older defenders and the early discos were pretty serious in their design about using off the shelf parts wherever possible. For example when I needed a front wheel bearing for my 2014 Toyota, it was $$$ and had to come from the warehouse at a local parts supplier, the local dealer, or somewhere over the internet. My hubs on the D1, use a standard set 37, front, rear, left, right, inner, outer, ALL hubs use the same bearing. I can rebuild an entire axles’s bearings and seals for less than that single front hub bearing assembly from the newer Toyota. If I’m carrying spares, a single spindle will bolt at any of the four corners, a pair of bearings will service any of the corners, etc. it reduces cost of spares, space they require, and weight.

 

[bgenlvtex]

Oddly enough, I’ve found somewhat opposite. While Jeep has moved like many modern manufacturers through the years to specialized components, those older defenders and the early discos were pretty serious in their design about using off the shelf parts wherever possible. For example when I needed a front wheel bearing for my 2014 Toyota, it was $$$ and had to come from the warehouse at a local parts supplier, the local dealer, or somewhere over the internet. My hubs on the D1, use a standard set 37, front, rear, left, right, inner, outer, ALL hubs use the same bearing. I can rebuild an entire axles’s bearings and seals for less than that single front hub bearing assembly from the newer Toyota. If I’m carrying spares, a single spindle will bolt at any of the four corners, a pair of bearings will service any of the corners, etc. it reduces cost of spares, space they require, and weight.

I didn't say anything about a Toyota, their overpriced or proprietary parts.

Carry a bearing set for Dana 44? No thanks I'm more likely to be struck by lightning.

If you legitimately believe that parts/aftermarket support is better (or even remotely in the same ball park) for LR ANY LR than Jeep ANY Jeep in North America then by all means carry on. I can buy what is necessary to make most any Jeep go down the road at virtually every auto parts store 7 days a week. Good luck doing that with LR.

I'm not talking crap about LR, but Jeep CJ through JL are the most prolific on/off road vehicles in North America by several orders of magnitude. As a result (supply and demand and such) parts availability is superior (durability not withstanding).