overlander vs rock cralwer

[Jeep or Tacoma]

where does a really well built overlander end and become a rock crawler?
aside form tents slide stoves refries etc.
my guess is if you can drive it daily long distance thats probably a good start.
I have 315 70 17 on 410 gears jku rubicon with a winch and side steps rails. I wouldn't consider it a rock crawler but I would be afraid to take over the rubicon having done that in a stock tj rubicon.

what are your thoughts
rock crawling I am thinking over 4 inch lift 37s 513 gears

how about you guys

 

[summerprophet]

My personal definition of an overland vehicle is one that is capable of almost all roads, regardless of how bad they are. This includes highways.... At highway speeds.

If you are redoing your gearing so 55 mph is a struggle, or have removed your anti-sway bars with terrify results at high speeds you have started building a rock crawler.

If your vehicle isn't highway legal, and you have to trailer it on pavement, or of there is more DOM tubing then original bodywork, then you definitely own a rockcrawler.

Also, it would be difficult to define by lift size and tires. A 4" lift with 37" tires looks just about right on a full size dodge, but makes a Suzuki samurai look like a monster truck.

 

[GR8ADV]

Idk but I am waiting for someone to out some bad *** flex on a MOG or FUSO

 

[Jtimbrook]

So I'm new on this forum, but pretty active on several of the other Jeep forums, but I can say the differences are only what you make them to be. For example right now the wife and I are doing a 3,000 mile road trip right now in this...



It sits on 37's, 4.88's, and 12" King coilovers and I can say it's a rather comfortable ride so far...

 

[dieselfuel]

To me it's the comfort level. Keeping the sheet metal straight, having a/c and being able to maintain highway speed for long trips separate an overland rig from a crawler. A crawler doesn't need to be comfortable for long periods, or even have doors for that matter. The vehicle of choice matters too, like my suburban, if I wanted a crawler id start with something a little smaller.

 

[jeepovich]

By definition an overlander vehicle is the one that gets you around over the land while providing you ( depends on the person ) with needed support for self sustained travel. With that being said even a bicycle to some people can be an overlander vehicle. In contrast, any vehicle can be an overlander( including rock crawlers ) while only purpose built machines are rock crawlers.
I started overlanding with my rock crawler-like JKU:

Eventually it kind of morphed into a hybrid of some kind... I love the self sustained, no base camp type of exploring while not letting a hard trail get in my way. Now instead of overlanding in my rock crawler, I rock crawl in my overlander

 

[tarditi]

All good points. Lots of times it comes down to purpose-driven form, too.

When rockcrawling, we would all get our "rigs" out to the trailhead however we needed to... then we proceeded to winch, tug, and crawl all along the rugged path that proved a challenge. The technical overcoming of the series of obstacles was the entire point of the exercise. While you may pick a line to minimize risk of mechanical damage, there are only a few ways up "potato salad hill" that count as traversing the obstacle.
When overlanding, I choose the trail that is the most navigable to get to my desired destination - yes, the driving aspect of the trip is part of it, but not the principal part - the destination may be a scenic landscape, or access to a hardly-visited waterfall or something.

I think there is a bit of overlap in the activities and even some level of vehicle preparation, but it's like saying what the US Navy does is similar to what a lake boat towing a water skier does.

 

[Happy Joe]

Just my opinion but, over landers will be capable of being driven comfortably & legally across the country/terrain to the destination (which may include rocks, mud, sand, snow, swamps, interstate highways, local roads, etc.).
Many purpose built rigs are not comfortable over long distances or licenseable/insurable and could be in violation of (often local) laws if run on the highway and thus are transported on a trailer.
Some rock crawlers fit into the over lander category, some purpose built rigs (not just rock crawlers) do not.

Enjoy!

 

[DallasJKU]

I built my Jeep to handle almost anything. Even though I don't like rocks, my Rubicon with 37's can go over rocks. I would think a dedicated rock crawler means it can't be driven on highways comfortably. Everything else can be an Overland vehicle.

 

[Scott Brady]

where does a really well built overlander end and become a rock crawler?

It all depends. . . I have crossed continents with bigger tires than most rock crawlers. In reality, there is no such thing as an "overland" vehicle. If you want to drive a 40" tire trail rig to Panama, then go for it. I use all of my overland trucks for recreation rock crawling. It is a great way to test equipment and keep driver skills fresh.

It is more important to understand the difference between rock crawling and overlanding. The vehicle choice is far less relevant.

Rock crawling= The primary pursuit is recreational sport
Overlanding= The primary pursuit is adventure travel

Here is my "overland" vehicle "rock crawling"

44x18.5" tires on a 70 series, when I crossed the largest glacier in Europe

We needed 44" tires and lockers and dual transfer-cases to cross Antarctica

The Brute is as suitable for Pritchett Canyon as it is to drive around the world. 37" tires, blah, blah

 

[codesertrat]

Tarditi, I think you hit the nail right on the head.

I've had folks who meet me for the first time and find out I'm into serious 4x4 vehicles say "Oh, so you are a rock crawler". And I always say this: I go fourwheeling to get into the backcountry; I don't go into the backcountry just to go fourwheeling. To me that is the difference between the "rock crawler" and the "overlander" (although I prefer the term "backcountry explorer"). I like to take the road less travelled, like the time my wife and I chose to drive Hwy 50 across Nevada while on a trip to California, even though I80 is faster and more convenient. Or going to Moab, UT, via Gateway, CO, over the LaSal mountains, instead of I70.

I enjoy navigating obstacles in the trail, and love the fact that my capable 4x4 vehicle enables me to go to destinations and experience things that few others do. It is too far and/or time consuming to hike to many of the remote places I go, but too rough of a trail for a car or even a stock SUV, and I can still take sufficient gear and supplies to be comfortable on the adventure. Whether it is a VW or a built-up Jeep JK on 37's is irrelevant, it's the spirit of the adventure that makes the difference.

 

[oscar the grouch]

Why cant it be both. I do both.
Rock Krawling at Morris Mountain.
MM 1-17-15 (93) by Oscar Indy, on Flickr
"overlanding" In tennesse
Cove7-11-15 (1) by Oscar Indy, on Flickr


People "overland" in a subaru. that doesn't make all Subaru overland.
here is a stock jeep jku on stock tires and 3.21 gears "rock crawling"
WRJC 2015 (98) by Oscar Indy, on Flickr
in fact everyone at the park that weekend was "rock crawling"
WRJC 2015a (25) by Oscar Indy, on Flickr


Here are some of the same vehicles "overlanding"

[/quote]



I guess the point I'm trying to get to is that the person is defined not the vehicle.
Mall Crawlers are people not rigs. Its not the rigs choice to point it at starbucks a trail head or a rock face.
I overland and rock crawl. That does not make my Jeep an anything. It will crawl like a boss and it will haul gear for self sustained camping too. Jeeps built nearly the same never leave the pavement.

 

[oscar the grouch]

In reality, there is no such thing as an "overland" vehicle.
It is more important to understand the difference between rock crawling and overlanding. The vehicle choice is far less relevant.
Rock crawling= The primary pursuit is recreational sport
Overlanding= The primary pursuit is adventure travel

Nailed it.

 

[xwazmtb]

My thoughts are that its really not about how you build it is more about how you use it. For example my last 4x4 was a 97 Zj on a 3.5" lift 29"s with 3.55 and a rear auto locker. While I wanted to build it as an overland vehicle it was. Primary taken out for 1 day trip in the year that i owned it a built it.

Sure I took it to moab and did the Lockhart basin road and camping part of it and then drive back to Colorado after camping in moab a couple days. As well as doing a 2 night "expedition" of the trails out north of grand junction and near rangley. I would still be hard pressed to thunk if it as a overland vehicle because it has also gone on dozens of single day trip up trails that are for rock crawlers and not overland vehicles like middle saint vrain and Coney flats.

On the other side my new project a 07 4runner sport with a 4.7 v8 is gonna be build and used more as a overland vehicle than almost anything else (besides a daily driver).

 

[GR8ADV]

It all depends. . . I have crossed continents with bigger tires than most rock crawlers. In reality, there is no such thing as an "overland" vehicle. If you want to drive a 40" tire trail rig to Panama, then go for it. I use all of my overland trucks for recreation rock crawling. It is a great way to test equipment and keep driver skills fresh.

It is more important to understand the difference between rock crawling and overlanding. The vehicle choice is far less relevant.

Rock crawling= The primary pursuit is recreational sport
Overlanding= The primary pursuit is adventure travel

End of story, move along, nothing more to read here. Way to ruin a perfectly fun post...