How to define 'off-road capability'

[flanders]

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.

As a jeep owner that has put a lot of money into increasing my articulation, that's caused me to ponder what 'off-road capable' really means.

If you have two vehicles, what parameters go into ranking it's capability? My first thought would be the one that can keep the most rubber and the least metal on the rocks, while distributing the weight most evenly on the rubber would win. But would that vehicle really have the 'capability' to complete more trails than the other one?

I know this is diving into a weird realm of off-road philosophy, but here are some of my thoughts.

• Powertrain: Ability to break traction at the lowest rpm (independently with lockers)
• Suspension: Most linear bind-free articulation, most rubber on the ground and even distribution of weight to each patch (level body? Currie off-road swaybars?)
• Body: Best break over, departure, approach, clearance, (wheelbase/width debatable?)
• Weight: Lightest always better?
• Tires: Tread/sidewall/pressure? (lots of debate)
• Center of gravity: Lowest always best?
• Reliability: Most reliable wins (lots of debate)

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?

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[kah.mun.rah]

This checks most of the boxes:

 

[Dale's Jeep]

Becareful I asked a similar question on a different thread and people get pissy when you ask things like this.

 

[AcesandEights]

I would think about where I want to go, then determine if the vehicle gets me there. If it does, it's capable.

 

[Bobby Hank]

IMHO, all those things matter, a lot, but the biggest factor is the driver. Experience, wisdom, ability, evaluation on scene, and guts.
I’d want four tires on the rocks. And the ability to change how the vehicle does its business as needed.
I love how I can go from rock crawling and mudding to interstate speeds and hold alignment in my Jeeps (past and present).

 

[gl420]

Don't one of the aftermarket suspension brands have a machine that they use to test and score an off-road rig on the capability based on articulation and ability to keep wheels on the ground?

It's probably not as comprehensive as your list, but then again, I think a lot of the things you mentioned help contribute to a high score. So there's one way some people define it.

I think everyone needs to first define what off-road means to them and their situation and only then can you figure out what the most "capable" vehicle is for you.

I definitely agree with @Bobby Hank that driver skill is the most important factor.

 

[Mudduck]

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.

As a jeep owner that has put a lot of money into increasing my articulation, that's caused me to ponder what 'off-road capable' really means.

If you have two vehicles, what parameters go into ranking it's capability? My first thought would be the one that can keep the most rubber and the least metal on the rocks, while distributing the weight most evenly on the rubber would win. But would that vehicle really have the 'capability' to complete more trails than the other one?

I know this is diving into a weird realm of off-road philosophy, but here are some of my thoughts.

• Powertrain: Ability to break traction at the lowest rpm (independently with lockers)
• Suspension: Most linear bind-free articulation, most rubber on the ground and even distribution of weight to each patch (level body? Currie off-road swaybars?)
• Body: Best break over, departure, approach, clearance, (wheelbase/width debatable?)
• Weight: Lightest always better?
• Tires: Tread/sidewall/pressure? (lots of debate)
• Center of gravity: Lowest always best?
• Reliability: Most reliable wins (lots of debate)

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?

For a off road vehicle, especially rock crawling, 2 boxes absolutely needed to be checked. !) body on frame. 2) Solid axles front and rear.

The rest of the "My Toyota, my Subaru, My Bronco," is mostly BS. Yes, Yotas have better reliability history from the past but not so much now as cheap materials and labor cuts have taken hold. All of them can do some offroad stuff, but Jeep seems better suited for all around use. Jeeps check a lot of boxes the others don't straight from the factory.

Just my.02 as a Lifted Subaru, Suzuki Samurai and Willys owner.

 

[Wbino]

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......????

 

[Kracka]

We bought our 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk Elite while living in South Dakota for it's capability. Is it a hardcore off-road rig? Absolutely not. Is it capable of handling the conditions and environment we used it for? Absolutely! Nasty winters with extreme snowfall, dirt roads, and some towing duty (rated for 4,500 lbs.).

It's better at some things than our 2023 Rubicon, while it's worse at others (shouldn't be too hard to figure out which is which). Both are incredibly capable vehicles in their own right, when used as designed.

 

[AFD]

?‍

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https://www.jeep.com/trail-rated.html

 

[Zandcwhite]

The fact is anything with 4wd, lockers, and ground clearance will be more capable than most people are going to push their rigs anyway. Especially if capable means simply completing the trail or obstacle. Now when you get to the extreme limit, logic says the one that's already unstable with a tire or 2 off the ground is either going to lose traction or roll 1st. Now if you're factoring in a speed component, like being able to complete the trail quicker that is an entirety different topic. The wife's jlur on 39s is far more capable on the rubicon trail or John Bull than my JT mojave, but if we are racing across the desert she doesn't stand a chance. The extra wheel base, fox 2.5s with internal bypasses, and hydraulic bump stops let me carry freeway speeds across washboard roads. Criteria is too lose to say one is more capable "off road".

 

[TrailScooter]

Becareful I asked a similar question on a different thread and people get pissy when you ask things like this.

No, it was just you....

 

[Kracka]

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https://www.jeep.com/trail-rated.html

Our first BOH was accomplished in a 2021 Renegade Trailhawk. My wife was fearless bombing that thing over rocks and through/up/over things no Renegade should do!

 

[Ratbert]

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https://www.jeep.com/trail-rated.html

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.

 

[txj2go]

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.

That is a physical impossibility. If you have 3 tires pulling vs. 4 tires pulling, using real lockers, and the situation is traction limited, having 4 tires to pull will pull harder. If you are using some kind of brake lock system then it's even worse because you lose 1/4 of your torque.

I've done enough rock crawling myself and I've watched enough videos of people in difficult situations to know that you need to keep from unloading any of the 4 tires. Articulation is very important for that. Tires matter, driver matters, the line you take matters, so articulation is only a part of it. Unless your thing is challenging the most difficult trails in Moab then this doesn't matter so much. Most people can go anywhere they want to go with a Rubicon, or even a Sport with Rubicon springs and tires. But there are trails in Moab and Colorado that I don't want to attempt so my requirements are a bit lower than some people.

If this is getting into a Bronco vs. Jeep discussion- I thought the Bronco was proven to be pretty fragile on trails. For that matter I think the various Toyota products break pretty easy too.

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