Does anyone actually take their vehicle into the woods?

[Idaho45guy]

I grew up in this area (Northern Idaho/Eastern Washington) and using 4x4 vehicles to get to hunting/camping/fishing spots was just a way of life. Plus, with the long winters and lots of hills and mountains, 4x4 is a necessity.

My previous daily driver vehicle was a 2014 Ram 1500 that I did a mild lift on and added some parts. It was perfect for going pretty much anywhere I wanted to go around here that was accessible.

You see, we have been invaded by dirty hippy environmentalists who took over the Forest Service. They decided that every single road that anything smaller than a logging truck could access should be gated and locked year-round.

So, while there are millions of acres of awesome areas with thousands of miles of dream off-roading roads and trails, they are restricted to vehicles 52" wide or less. So, you have to have an ATV to really go deep into the woods.

Now, you can drive on a logging road well into grizzly country near Montana in a near stock pickup, but the side roads with the most challenging terrain are all closed off to everything but ATVs and motorcyles.

So, that means that all I need to enjoy the outdoors around here is a 4x4 with good tires. My Yukon with some leveling in the front and 32" Duratracs should be just fine.

Wondering if others have done any serious wheeling with their vehicles or set them up for actual off-road adventures.

 

[afpj]

I don't know what you would consider serious off roading;, we have a stock 2002 Yukon 4x4 with Michelin LTX tires. Been on logging roads up in the California area National Forests. Some offshoots of those roads have fairly deep ruts and you do need 4 low to crawl over them. Also been on trails around Moab Utah, and some of those trails are fairly skinny and steep also requiring 4lo. The only other vehicles I seen on those Trails were Jeeps, the vast majority being Wrangler. I was the only large SUV out there. They could go a lot faster than me on those rough roads, as I think my truck at the time had a hundred and twenty thousand miles. After that Moab trip, I had to change shocks and the front sway bar bushings and endlinks cuz it got beat up pretty good. With good tires, these rings are amazing

 

[Idaho45guy]

I don't know what you would consider serious off roading;, we have a stock 2002 Yukon 4x4 with Michelin LTX tires. Been on logging roads up in the California area National Forests. Some offshoots of those roads have fairly deep ruts and you do need 4 low to crawl over them. Also been on trails around Moab Utah, and some of those trails are fairly skinny and steep also requiring 4lo. The only other vehicles I seen on those Trails were Jeeps, the vast majority being Wrangler. I was the only large SUV out there. They could go a lot faster than me on those rough roads, as I think my truck at the time had a hundred and twenty thousand miles. After that Moab trip, I had to change shocks and the front sway bar bushings and endlinks cuz it got beat up pretty good. With good tires, these rings are amazing

I'd say that's pretty decent off-roading...

If you need to go into 4-lo and pick a line though an obstacle; I'd say that's pretty good off-roading. If you are on a road and a Subaru Forester catches up to you; that's not serious off-roading... LOL.

I don't really go off-roading; I go hunting, or camping, or fishing and occasionally need 4wd to get to where I need to go.

With my Jeep, I just go sight-seeing in the woods, but don't seek out difficult trails for the challenge. I'm tired of breaking stuff for the heck of it.

 

[Idaho45guy]

I head out on mild logging roads to get to morel mushrooms in the spring; almost time again!

 

[swathdiver]

I like to take mine off the road but am careful so we don't get stuck. My wallet is not deep enough to hazard the truck on a whim, I like to check the places out before going in and not go where the trees will scratch up the paint. Just a sight seeing, not a true 4-wheeler I am. My youngest daughter though, she'll be the 4x4 girl with 35s and a lifted truck, she wants mine to get a 6 inch lift! Then I'd never get inside, these old worn out knees protest now.

 

[Etraeger]

We have taken our '16 Suburban on some decent OHV trails that required 4 Lo. Ours is set up pretty much stock except for 6" lift and 35" MT's. And a bumper and winch. We ordered it geared as low as we could for stock, which isn't super low for off-roading, but so far so good.

 

[Martinjmpr]

We go on Forest Service and BLM roads all the time. In fact, this weekend we'll be out in the Sand Wash Basin of Northwestern Colorado looking for wild horses. It can sometimes get very muddy there, we always travel with multiple vehicles and I always carry a strap. This is on an 04 Suburban.