OldSalt Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I have a 4X4 but I find that ground clearance is usually more important to me then 4 wheel drive. I am wondering how important you guys think having a 4X4 is for gold hunting in Arizona. Do you think you could get by in AZ with a 4X2 with lots of ground clearance and some aggressive tires? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dorado Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I'm certainly not an expert on Az terrain. Of course 2X2 will work absolutely fine until you get stuck! Having a 4X4 is like having an insurance policy..... Just my :twocents: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haderly Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I would never go back to 2WD. I can go almost anywhere with my 4x4 and get to the places the 2WD trucks cannot. As El Dorado said it is like having an insurance policy. Once you limit your transportation to 2WD you limit the places you can go prospect unless you bring along an ATV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Soloman Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 While I agree 4-wheel drive is preferable, I remember my Dad getting us into washes and up hillsides up near Bumblebee in his little 2-wheel drive Toyota pickup truck back in '69-'70. My brother and I had trouble getting back in there recently with his 4x4! - Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haderly Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 My brother and I had trouble getting back in there recently with his 4x4! - Terry Terry - your brother had trouble in his 4x4 but did you did make it? Trouble becomes a whole lot bigger when you only have 2WD. I have had too many close calls with 2WD trying to go places that I was not equipped to go. I still push the limits with my 4x4 but it adds a little extra safety factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill-costa rica Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 you need a 4x4 with lots of ground clearance. winch helps too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homefire Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Depends on what where and when! I had a old 1976 Datsun I put 15" tires on the back. As long as I could keep some weight on the back tires I could go places 4X4 could not go because they were to wide or heavy. They had the advantage in the mud or loose sand. Trouble now days is the Gearing they put in them. Nothing has the low gears any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dorado Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Bill... that is sure one meaningfull Unimog! Must scare the beejesus out of most drivers in those little cars on CR roads Homefire....your joking, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lon Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Oldsalt 4x4 just means you get in trouble further from help a good ground clearance 2x4 will get the job done but if you want to crawl over them boulders you may want to invest in a good winch just to keep it safe Lon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homefire Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Bill... that is sure one meaningfull Unimog! Must scare the beejesus out of most drivers in those little cars on CR roads Homefire....your joking, right? No Joke! I could go places between rocks, Skinny Edg road that the Heavy Armor could not. The only thing that could get past that one was a Old VW Baja set up , that could crawl up the trail and float on the sand. I can only guess you have never found sugar sand. 4 X 4 has nothing to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paseclipse Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 I just recently upgraded from a 2WD Truck to a Jeep about five weeks ago. I had a nice little Nissan Pickup truck with BF Goodrich All Terrain tires. Good little truck but it defintely had it's limitations. After driving my Jeep around all I can say is WOW... What a world of difference! For the most part you can get to a lot of places with skillfull driving in a 2WD, however in time you'll realise there's a lot more places you can get to in a 4WD. The biggest difference I've noticed so far is how a 4WD handles soft sand... I don't even have to sweat it anymore, my Jeep just cruises through it with no problems! If ground clearance is an issue, you can always lift a 4WD a few inches. Del Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSalt Posted September 1, 2009 Author Share Posted September 1, 2009 Excellent input guys. I appreciate it. I currently have a 2004 Blazer 4X4 with the ZR2 off road package. It has 9" of clearance from the differential. Off road performance is very good. I don't have much else to say about it that is nice except that it is narrow and compact. Came across an excellent deal on the lifted 4X2 pick up, but after reading everyone’s input, I think I will pass it up and look for another 4X4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richs Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 El Dorado I like the skin on your tacoma. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamikaze Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 I used to take a 2wd truck into places that most would only dare with 4X4. Granted it was easier to do with 4 wheel drive but it was challenging and fun! Something I'd like to point out though, a 2wd may be able to make it over a rough 4X4 trail but it sure messes up the ground more than a 4X4. And repeated passes with a struggling 2wd will surely leave that trail with more potholes and whoop de do's than a 4X4... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Hoser Oates Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Love my 4 x 4 toys-04 taco and 86 taco(best ever made)longbed sr5-long trans with efi-NO TURBOS EVER-John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill-costa rica Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 the unimog has 18" of ground clearance at the diff. 8 forward gears and 4 in reverse. has a 5.7 liter diesel .you have 2 wheel drive to get you where you want to go. then you can shift to 4x4 that will get you most places, but if you get stuck you can lock the diffs to have full 4 wheel drive. and that will get you out of most trouble. if all else fails the winch will get you unstuck. I don't think there are any 2 wheel drives that will even come close. I had a Toyota hilux diesel with a limited slip rear diff that did great. but not even close to the unimog. bill-cr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heybeerman Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 If you outfit your 2x4 properly and scout ahead in tough areas you will be fine. A locker in the diff, winch, Hi lift jack, some stout ramps will all help when you get in trouble. I like 4x4 myself. My daughters drive their Jeep places most guys couldn't walk and carry a steering wheel :innocent0009: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill-costa rica Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 heybeerman really like that rock climber, that will go places my unimog won't even think of going. bill-cr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h20prospector Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 heybeerman really like that rock climber, that will go places my unimog won't even think of going. bill-cr The dumb question is the one that's not asked, so here I go. From looking at some of the links on Google, it seems the Unimog is more than 15 years old or older. Are the prices out of this world as the sites I went to only indicate if their sold or still available? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richs Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Hey Blake that is a well built machine. Who did the cage work? Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill-costa rica Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 h20 prospector the first unimogs were built in the late 40's and are still built today, the new ones are a bit spendy, mine is a 1982 when i bought it a few years ago it had 6100 klicks and 408 hours on the motor. it was a firetruck in sweden, spent it's life in the firehouse. if you look around europe you can still find them. i paid about 30,000 plus shipping and import tax into costa rica. there are different types that are gas powered and much cheaper. if you want a 4 door like what i have you are going to pay. hope i answered your questions. bill-cr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Just the place for my question...my Toyota is made in Brazil and geared very low but I want to put in a limited slip or a locking diff so what info do I need to buy the correct parts?.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dorado Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 If I remeber correct the data plate called it an OJ-55...... confirm that and I will research Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvchris Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Try this link Don lockers in a pinch just for a very short time I used to apply the parking brake to "lock up the rear end" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill-costa rica Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 garimpo it depends on what the make of the diff. one is easy the other you need to replace the whole diff. I can't remember which is which. the limited slip diff was a option on Toyota hilux 4x4 for the rear.. it has a sticker on the diff that says LSD diff use type 5 hypoid oil I know they put both types in the Toyotas. bill-cr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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