How to define 'off-road capability'

[AFD]

I did the Rubicon with the guys that helped Jeep get those though it. I neglected to ask how long it took, but I bet it was one hell of a long 11 miles.

Yeah, I'm sure most anything's possible with carefully planned lines. Though I'm still left wondering if a Trail Rated Renegade is actually capable of accomplishing something a Honda Pilot or Toyota RAV4 couldn't eventually get through.

Think the Jeep Compass is Trail Rated too, right? I've been down a sketchy trail with one of those behind me, and it really didn't do all that great, but it certainly made it out of the woods just fine. Just took it a little slower and more cautiously than the other trucks and SUVs with better ground clearance.

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[Warped]

From what I've seen most trails are nothing more than dirt roads, a Honda could do 90% of them.
Unless you want to climb rocks for some reason......????

I remember when I first started trail riding in a Nissan Hardbody. Going up a trail, we saw a bunch of kids drinking in a very old Dodge Dart. So much for needing a 4x4. LOL

 

[NWJeepr]

I know this is a weird question, but I enjoy figuring out how to make my vehicle as capable as I reasonably can.
Is there a simple way to rank how capable something is? How do you define it?

I define capability as: Can the vehicle go where I want it to go?

This is an important question when starting your build, or when thinking about adding parts for capability. You wouldn't build the rig the same way if you want to race around the desert and sand versus climb in the skinny, steep and twisty, rocky-treed stuff.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

I think you nailed most of it. For me capability involves articulation, ground clearance, angles, protection of sensitive underneath components, overall toughness, crawl ratio, and reliability. There’s probably several more I’m not thinking of.

 

[Megawatt]

To really answer this question any 4wd owner needs to go out with an experienced group and hit the trails for a few hours. Not fire roads, not power line roads but trails where you stay in 4lo because that is what is needed. That is where you learn the answer to your question.

Many vehicles can off-road. Have you checked out the old crown Vic running around in Moab on hells revenge? No ground clearance, street tires, just a guy and his dog on Hells Revenge. People get all worked up on tire pressure and what is needed to go off road. The crown Vic driver was asked what tire pressure he runs in the tires….”whatever is in the tires”

Crown Vic can do linky

 

[longfiredragon]

For me it was like this. Before I ordered my wrangler I read a lot and watched video, talked to several other jeep wrangler owners.

This was the consensus I found.

(Pretty much nothing stock outright out does a jeep wrangler off road)

Rather it's really expensive or cheaper, none absolutely beat a wrangler off road. Some might do some things well, some are IFS in front and ride better on pavement.

This includes the new bronco. They may keep up with a wrangler (except where they are to wide for the trail) but they don't beat it off road.

So, how to define off road capabilities.

Look no further than your own jeep Wrangler. Every other mfg has been trying to keep up for years.

Jeep, there's only ONE!

 

[3TV]

So, are we discussing just off-road capabilities? Or is on-road capability also needed?


I ask because I have more than one vehicle that is off road capable. Without question the most capable off-road vehicle I have is a Can Am Maverick X3 XRC. Basically, Can Am's version of a rock crawler. It doesn't matter if you are skimming across the top of sand whoops at 70 mph, or crawling Pritchet Canyon, anything off-road is easier, more comfortable, and can be done quicker with a stock RC than it can be in a Jeep that has had significant mods.

But, it's pretty horrible on road. It is loud and open air, so you are at the mercy of the weather.

If we are requiring on road capability to be considered in the equation, then a Jeep beats any of the other choices.

 

[azjl#3]

I don't see a trail rated badge, which is hard to get, on a Bronco. There, they are therfore, not trail rated. Seriously, everyone mods the ride to some extent. I have seen a 4x4 frame under an El Camino, so, trail rated.

be careful sayng bronco, say new Bronco. My 73 EB will rip the spine out of 99.999% of the JL seen on this form. But I drive my JL cause well, I like radio, AC, power windows, cruise, auto, mpg.

 

[autotragic]

For rock crawling, a common Bronco-ism I've heard is 'the bronco is just as capable as the jeep, it just does it on 3 tires instead of 4'. And I have seen a lot of videos of broncos lifting tires, but going the distance.

The fact of the matter is Ford made the bronco plenty capable whether Jeepers like it or not is irrelevant.

One common thing I do see when I watch YouTube videos of disparate wheelers out running together is freaking Toyotas holding back everybody else. Oh we can't do such and such obstacle today because of our Toyota that's with us or we can't go through this mud hole because the Toyota will get stuck so we have to find a way around. I swear to God out of all the vehicles I see where excuses get made for them it's always a Toyota 4Runner.

The bronco guys bless their hearts will just freaking send it. Even if they do break a tie rod or something they don't just make excuses like the Yota guys do.

 

[Mudduck]

Bottom line for me… if I’m out alone, on challenging terrain and my options are Jeep Wrangler, Toyota anything (Post 1985) or Bronco/Subaru…. I want my damn Jeep. Body on frame, articulation, bigger tires, solid axels, no brainer.

 

[Kracka]

Yeah, I'm sure most anything's possible with carefully planned lines. Though I'm still left wondering if a Trail Rated Renegade is actually capable of accomplishing something a Honda Pilot or Toyota RAV4 couldn't eventually get through.

Think the Jeep Compass is Trail Rated too, right? I've been down a sketchy trail with one of those behind me, and it really didn't do all that great, but it certainly made it out of the woods just fine. Just took it a little slower and more cautiously than the other trucks and SUVs with better ground clearance.

Renegade & Compass ride on the same platform. The Renegade will outperform due to smaller stature. Regardless, both will make a Pilot or RAV4 look stupid when you get into the rough stuff. I was personally insanely surprised at what the Renegade Trailhawk was capable of. Know the Cherokee Trailhawk is even more capable with a true 2-speed transfer case and mechanical rear locker.

 

[Ratbert]

This was the consensus I found.

(Pretty much nothing stock outright out does a jeep wrangler off road)

It depends on what you mean by off road, right? For extreme rock crawling I'd agree, but once your speed starts climbing it's hard to compete with an IFS.

 

[longfiredragon]

It depends on what you mean by off road, right? For extreme rock crawling I'd agree, but once your speed starts climbing it's hard to compete with an IFS.

Not true. I've watched a few videos in years gone by and a straight axle vehicle set up correctly can out do or keep up with IFS even at speed. In fact it was still chosen over IFS because of strength.

Of course I am no expert and we could probably go back and forth all day.

 

[Zandcwhite]

So, are we discussing just off-road capabilities? Or is on-road capability also needed?


I ask because I have more than one vehicle that is off road capable. Without question the most capable off-road vehicle I have is a Can Am Maverick X3 XRC. Basically, Can Am's version of a rock crawler. It doesn't matter if you are skimming across the top of sand whoops at 70 mph, or crawling Pritchet Canyon, anything off-road is easier, more comfortable, and can be done quicker with a stock RC than it can be in a Jeep that has had significant mods.

But, it's pretty horrible on road. It is loud and open air, so you are at the mercy of the weather.

If we are requiring on road capability to be considered in the equation, then a Jeep beats any of the other choices.

You mentioned the weather, but that's a major factor in the off roading we. I'd hardly call snow wheeling easier in the sxs. Cruising through the desert more comfortable? Not when it's 120⁰. Then there's all the through trails in states like CA where you can't drive the sxs on the street. I'll pass on driving an extra vehicle to move the trailer 50+ miles from 1 trail head to the other in order to run the dusy ershim trail for instance. I agree as an open air, off road only, good weather toy they are hard to beat, but they are incredibly limited otherwise.

 

[tk1700]

I don't see a trail rated badge, which is hard to get, on a Bronco. There, they are therfore, not trail rated. Seriously, everyone mods the ride to some extent. I have seen a 4x4 frame under an El Camino, so, trail rated.

be careful sayng bronco, say new Bronco. My 73 EB will rip the spine out of 99.999% of the JL seen on this form. But I drive my JL cause well, I like radio, AC, power windows, cruise, auto, mpg.

What is the criteria Jeep uses to make a vehicle worthy of the Trail Rated badge? I've often wondered and this thread seems like a good place to ask.

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