HikeArizona.COM

What kind of vehicles do you guys all drive when your going hiking? Im thinking about investing in a 4wd high clearance Jeep or something of the sort so I could get to some places where I definitely couldnt get to with what Im driving now (73 mustang):) I saw a Jeep Grand Cherokee today for $2600 and I was thinking about checking it out. What "hiking vehicle" is easiest to drive and which gets the best gas mileage (even though I know most wouldnt be too fuel efficient.)

This is what I use - very comfortable.

https://www.rei.com/product/186712/nemo ... pad-double

@big_load
I have the optional slide out in the back and there is no bump, which is perfect, but to Chumleys point a good air mattress fixes that right up.

hikeaz wrote: ↑Mar 20 2023 1:29 pmE rated tires

I'm still thinking about tire choice. Some people recommend C rated instead to save weight. Does that weight savings come with too much of a durability penalty?

@big_load
Depends; put a stick thru a C rated sidewall on a trip to Parashant. The spare was slightly smaller so I really didn't want to use it. Butt got saved at the school house with a local Las Vegas Sammy group out 4 wheeling had a patch kit we could use. Drove 800+ miles home on a patched sidewall. E rated tires for me ever since. The last flat I got was when I first got the Rubicon because it still had the stock tires on it. Depends on what kind of TH you need to get to.
I personally have driven over prickly pear pads, small cholla piles, ocotillo, sharp limestone with E rated tires and had no problem or been lucky. The only thing I do is warn the guys at the tire shop if I am in for a rotation if I've been over cactus lately.

@RedRoxx44
That's good to know. I'm mostly going to be traveling solo, so extra durability at the most likely point of failure is welcome. It would be nice if doing so didn't turn it into a lumbering beast on the on-ramp.

For now I'm planning to stay at stock tire size and not lift. I can make those changes later if I ever have to turn back from someplace I really wanted to get.

big_load wrote:I'm planning to stay at stock tire size

Do the research. Without any lift, I upgraded tire size just slightly (an extra 1" if you do the math) with no ill effects or rubbing, but because they're not the OEM size on a popular vehicle and the subsequent demand that creates, my tires cost almost $100 less than the OEM size (per tire ... over $400 less for the full set)

chumley wrote: I upgraded tire size just slightly

What size did you go to? It looks like 275/70R17 might work, but 285 seems to require mods for most people.

@big_load
I'm not next to my truck atm to be specific, but I have a taco not a 4runner, which is obviously different. Point is ... do the research. It might pay.

@chumley
I've seen at least one person claim 275's rub at full turn, but otherwise fit OK.

@big_load
Another thing you might look at if you have the extra moola is rims. Especially the backspacing. Not sure how that would work with an IFS front tho. I initially did spacers ( which I hated) for the Jeep when I went to 37's. It made the stance a little wider more stability but harder to get around in the garage. I had a weird driving experience on a hill section at some speed so off they went. After some research I swapped out the rims with different backspacing to run the 37's which do rub a little at full turn but not enough to care.
The FJ stock tire size is 265 with the optional 275 with no lift but as you mentioned some rubbing. With a 3 inch lift no rubbing and I possibly could run 285's but with the roof rack don't want to take the chance on getting in and out of the garage as my driveway has a slightly steep pitch before getting it inside.

@big_load If you are upgrading to larger tires like 275s then you may want to consider wheel spacers. Specifically for 4-runners you need to ensure your spacers are hub-centric. This will reduce the rubbing, but at full turn will still not completely eliminate it if you go with 275s. A more exotic option is to completely replace the suspension with larger control arms and whatnot, but that is more than I was prepared to do and wheel spacers are a cheap and effective alternative.

(In my opinion, ensuring you use at least blue Loctite or similar is imperative to the "effective" opinion I expressed.)

@RedRoxx44
@nonot
Yeah, I'm tracking the possible offset-based need for spacers or rim change with non-stock tire sizes (even 275s). For now I'm willing to bet one pair of stock-sized E-range tires that I won't wish I had done more in at least the next calendar year. Of course that means not going everywhere @RedRoxx44 might go.

The adventure begins.

@big_load
Let the modifying begin.

Alston_Neal wrote: ↑May 10 2023 8:30 pm @big_load
Let the modifying begin.

I'm starting small. This weekend I'll try to install a pair of front recovery points. That may cure me of wanting to do much else for a while. At least I'll be doing it before the bottom is covered with crud to drop in my face while I'm trying to work.

My jeeps have always been stock, no mods. The 2 door is like getting into a Gemini spacecraft. May explore other options on my next vehicle.

@big_load
Just to be sure that you can self rescue yourself from a bad choice of road, have a jeep following you!

SuperstitionGuy wrote:ust to be sure that you can self rescue yourself from a bad choice of road, have a jeep following you!

My strategy for avoiding that need will be to recognize early enough when proceeding is inadvisable. I did seriously contemplate the Wrangler, but the difference in comfort and driving experience for everyday use tipped the balance, especially for my backup driver.

@big_load
The 4Runner is definitely more comfortable to drive than a Wrangler, but surprisingly, my Wrangler Rubicon with the 392 hemi gets better fuel mileage than my last 4Runner. The last 4Runner had a 2.5” lift, which was the only difference between it and my first 4Runner, but it significantly lowered the fuel mileage.