DEAR AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER.....

hossblur · Sep 13, 2014

I was looking at the truck and camp post, and reading the tire chain post and got to thinking WTF. What has become of off road vehicles? Dad bought a new jeep cherokee a decade ago. First, JEEPS ARE TRAILRATED?? It had passenger car tires, not even c rated. It took a week for him to shred those tires. We went muzzloading with his new big o mt, but we got stuck(seeing how they worked). There was NO WHERE to hook a chain, NO WHERE.
So finally, after paying over 30k for the TRAIL RATED jeep, he spent another 1k+ on tires and rims, then I have no idea for tow strap hooks, however much for undercariage armor.
I realize that we have gotten softer. I know that a truck, to be a truck now has to have leather seats with butt warmers, GPS, blue tooth, diesels that pull 30k pounds, etc, etc,. My question is would it be possible to be able to chain up? Could we have at least a couple "SUV" that have transfer cases? Is it possible to have a place to hook a strap, even if its just a hole in the frame? Would it be possilbe to have a FREAKING SPARE TIRE? Call it Rocky Mtn. package, offer it in a truck, and perhaps an SUV.

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"

DW · Sep 13, 2014

I said it b4 I'll say it again, thank god for old fords! +1 hossblur!

YBO · Sep 13, 2014

DW yep. Bought a new Ford last year after driving nothing but Chevys all my life. I bought Ford because they refused the Obama and bush bailout!

crimedog · Sep 13, 2014

that is one reason why I love my Montero.

A couple of years ago I bought a 2001 Montero (not sport) Full size spare on the back not under, Tow Hooks in Front and Back, transfer case with 4h, 4hlock, 4lowlock. This thing has been great, have had it down on the boulder a couple times fishing and havne't had to use the 4wheel drive down there. Just kept climbing over everything.

The only complaint on it is that it's pretty big for the little v6. It's pretty gutless on the highway.

1FastGambler · Sep 13, 2014

>I said it b4 I'll say
>it again, thank god for
>old fords! +1 hossblur!

Amen!

DW · Sep 13, 2014

>DW yep. Bought a new Ford
>last year after driving nothing
>but Chevys all my life.
>I bought Ford because they
>refused the Obama and bush
>bailout!

1 more reason! +1

DeerMadness · Sep 13, 2014

RE: that is one reason why I love my Montero.

I had a Montero too and I miss everything but the low power.

mtmuley · Sep 13, 2014

RE: that is one reason why I love my Montero.

Old Fords? Thank God I can pull them out of my way with a GMC and keep going. mtmuley

hounddawgs · Sep 13, 2014

we have a Toyota FJ works good has places to hook a tow rope,high and low transfer case can chain it up but haven't had to as of yet 193K miles and still going strong.

DW · Sep 13, 2014

RE: that is one reason why I love my Montero.

LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-14 AT 08:40PM (MST)[p]>Old Fords? Thank God I can
>pull them out of my
>way with a GMC and
>keep going. mtmuley

Lol....can u run chains on that Jimmy according to your owners manual? Or does it void the warranty and jack up the abs?

DW · Sep 13, 2014

>we have a Toyota FJ works
>good has places to hook
>a tow rope,high and low
>transfer case can chain it
>up but haven't had to
>as of yet 193K miles
>and still going strong.

I got a 96 150 that I bought with 1 mile on it in Oct 95. It's got 450,000 on it now. Got a 92 250 with 230,000 on it. And an 89 with 175,000. Not allot a parts needed....knock on wood!

Anaconda · Sep 13, 2014

I agree with the original post 110% !!

Even new Toyotas are wimpy compared to the 4X4s they put out 20 and 30 years ago.

I think some auto maker could make a killing by coming out with a bare bones 4X4 pick up.
No CD players, no leather or power windows (door locks, seat adjustments) a manual transfer case with LOW gears in low range. Easy wash, low maintenance interior. Open the hood and you don't need a masters degree the change the plugs or air cleaner.

eelgrass · Sep 13, 2014

+1 Anaconda

The old wing windows would be a plus too. Now, if you crack your widow open in the rain, water pours in unless you install rain guards.

Eel

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

deerslayer88 · Sep 13, 2014

Ironically in my Ford I have pulled more Chevy's and Dodges off the road and or too the mechanics then any other Fords. In all fairness I have never actually pulled a Ford to date. But there is always tomorrow.

?If men were angels, no government would be
necessary.? John Adams

elkantlers · Sep 14, 2014

Realistically the amount of people that use tire chains is so small that automotive engineers could not care less about making a truck that chains can be used on.

Personaly I carry chains in all my trucks and have used them lots of times over the years. As I get older, I try really hard not to have to use them but some times you just have to.

Darkcloud · Sep 14, 2014

The way I see it.........if you want a bare bones truck, buy an 80's or 90's anything and "BUILD" it for the off road adventure. You can get old trucks for cheap and put some money into them to make the perfect rock crawler, mud digging, hunting machine. Then go buy your $60,000 high horse power diesel truck to take your wife shopping at the mall.

mmwb · Sep 14, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Sep-14-14 AT 09:43PM (MST)[p]I determined years ago that automotive engineers will form the second longest line into hell. They shouldn't even be able to sit up to the drawing table until they've worked in a shop for five years!

Ford, Dodge, Chevy... I've had some of the best and worst of all three. The constant is that the older models were and are the best all around trucks. My 76 M880 isn't a smooth ride, but it'll get you from point A to point B and I never have worried about breaking down or getting stuck. Not that it hasn't broken down on me (twice--electrical problems--preventable--quick fixes both).

Same with my 68 f100, 73 F150 Highboy and 72 Scout II. Just reliable. Never a lick of trouble. The 91 chevy was a sweet ride, but the tranny and front end seemed a bit sub par. No durability. That being said, I was pushing snow with a plow a bit on the large end for the beast too.

elks96 · Sep 18, 2014

One simple thing for you... Go get a 4 door Rubicon and be done with it. Those 4 door Rubicons will beat the crap out of anything that stock "back in the day". the only real disadvantage they will have is in deep snow and sand due to lack of HP.

Also a little older Toyota TRD truck with a small amount of lift and a set of lockers will eat up almost any of the older trucks as well.

It you want a power house with all the luxury and off road abilities, go get the dodge power wagon. Stock with lockers, lift, winch, etc.

Or like mentioned above buy and older one and build it. Hell a guy can get a good running late 80s K5 for $3500. Spend another $4000 on it and have a rig that would be awesome.

Unless you really look today's vehicles will not cut the mustard, but the ones I listed are far better than any stock vehicle ever put out.