My girlfriend is a dog musher. She has a team of six huskies that she needs to move around. This means six medium-large dog crates, a hitch receiver for carrying a dryland cart, room for a passenger, and some extra space somewhere for gear.
Right now she rocks a 2012 Ford Transit Connect, and it's really pretty good, but it has some deficiencies I'd like to rectify. The biggest issue is that it struggles with rough terrain. Even at very low speeds, it vibrates, pitches, and heaves down the dirt roads she frequents. The thing feels like it's gonna come apart. Ground clearance is minimal if ever she would like to venture a bit further off. The tires are 205/65-15, which means the best we can run is a set of snow tires, or try and mess with rally racing tires. I really don't know if I could go much bigger, and I don't think regearing would be possible, so options for real off-load tires that resist puncture and get through mud are slim.
General question: In terms of smoothing out terrain, I assume suspension travel and shocks matter significantly more than increasing the diameter of tires?
So, with the dearth of dedicated factory overland vans in the US...what could I buy/build? Some priorities:
1) Reliability. Not getting stranded in the woods is priority one.
2) Easy maintenance. The owner will have no interest in working on it.
3) Smooth out heavily rutted and pitted dirt roads. It would be nice to go a few dozen mph without rattling apart.
4) Maintain highway capability (70-80mph calmly and safely).
5) Maintain interior space.
6) Improve tires/traction/clearance. The less smashing of components the better.
It seems likely that the next rig will be a Long Term Investment, with custom dog boxes being made and overland accessories etc, so I'm hoping to find something with as few miles and years on it as possible, with as many factory components as possible.
Some possible solutions:
Pickup Truck
Problem solved, right? Throw some cages in the bed and your drivetrain options are limitless. For various reasons, she's hoping to keep the dogs inside the cabin.
Quigley
They offer a Ford Transit option and a GMC van option. Both look great. Both are over $40k. All the used Quigleys I've seen have seen years and years and thousands and thousands of hard miles, and they still ain't cheap. The 4WD is great, but lifts are still limited. They seem to mostly just raise the body as opposed to adding travel. Helps get a tire under there, but probably doesn't help with rough terrain much.
QuadVan
These seem great, but there is no mention of price on the website, so it makes gauging them difficult. I think it's $13k to convert an existing vehicle, which is about the same as Quigley. Anyone have experience with this company? The fact that your average shop could work on them is compelling.
Transit Connect
This would be fantastic, but...There just aren't many kits available, much less good ones that add travel. I just don't see it being practical.
Chevy Astro
I have a 2005 AWD that I love, but it's pushed passed 140k miles. It might double that, but it remains a difficult car to lift. The options for lifting aren't exactly a Metalcloak system...More like brackets for lifting the body, and once you go over 2", you have drivetrain angle concerns...Much like the Transit, it doesn't seem like it's good for much more than getting bigger tires under there. I mostly mention it because, well, it sure would be cheap...for as long as it kept runnin'...
Chevy Express
These suckers came with AWD until I think 2014, they have plenty of space, and anyone can work on them. This is my top pick, but again I face poor-quality lift options as with the others above. What are the real options for getting some usable travel under one of these without it becoming a terror on the highway?
Somebody's Monster Build
I always have my eye out for off-road vans (like everyone here, it seems), but they're usually very old, very beat, and/or very heavily modified. I'm looking for the kind of vehicle where you can drive into some shop and say "do whatever is recommended at x miles" and they won't look at you in fear and confusion.
Anything I missed? Are there any other viable vans/trucks/SUVs that have strong aftermarket support for good off-road suspensions? Hummer?? A Jeep Unlimited would be too small in back. A new Suburban starts at $50k and I don't know what to think anymore.
Right now she rocks a 2012 Ford Transit Connect, and it's really pretty good, but it has some deficiencies I'd like to rectify. The biggest issue is that it struggles with rough terrain. Even at very low speeds, it vibrates, pitches, and heaves down the dirt roads she frequents. The thing feels like it's gonna come apart. Ground clearance is minimal if ever she would like to venture a bit further off. The tires are 205/65-15, which means the best we can run is a set of snow tires, or try and mess with rally racing tires. I really don't know if I could go much bigger, and I don't think regearing would be possible, so options for real off-load tires that resist puncture and get through mud are slim.
General question: In terms of smoothing out terrain, I assume suspension travel and shocks matter significantly more than increasing the diameter of tires?
So, with the dearth of dedicated factory overland vans in the US...what could I buy/build? Some priorities:
1) Reliability. Not getting stranded in the woods is priority one.
2) Easy maintenance. The owner will have no interest in working on it.
3) Smooth out heavily rutted and pitted dirt roads. It would be nice to go a few dozen mph without rattling apart.
4) Maintain highway capability (70-80mph calmly and safely).
5) Maintain interior space.
6) Improve tires/traction/clearance. The less smashing of components the better.
It seems likely that the next rig will be a Long Term Investment, with custom dog boxes being made and overland accessories etc, so I'm hoping to find something with as few miles and years on it as possible, with as many factory components as possible.
Some possible solutions:
Pickup Truck
Problem solved, right? Throw some cages in the bed and your drivetrain options are limitless. For various reasons, she's hoping to keep the dogs inside the cabin.
Quigley
They offer a Ford Transit option and a GMC van option. Both look great. Both are over $40k. All the used Quigleys I've seen have seen years and years and thousands and thousands of hard miles, and they still ain't cheap. The 4WD is great, but lifts are still limited. They seem to mostly just raise the body as opposed to adding travel. Helps get a tire under there, but probably doesn't help with rough terrain much.
QuadVan
These seem great, but there is no mention of price on the website, so it makes gauging them difficult. I think it's $13k to convert an existing vehicle, which is about the same as Quigley. Anyone have experience with this company? The fact that your average shop could work on them is compelling.
Transit Connect
This would be fantastic, but...There just aren't many kits available, much less good ones that add travel. I just don't see it being practical.
Chevy Astro
I have a 2005 AWD that I love, but it's pushed passed 140k miles. It might double that, but it remains a difficult car to lift. The options for lifting aren't exactly a Metalcloak system...More like brackets for lifting the body, and once you go over 2", you have drivetrain angle concerns...Much like the Transit, it doesn't seem like it's good for much more than getting bigger tires under there. I mostly mention it because, well, it sure would be cheap...for as long as it kept runnin'...
Chevy Express
These suckers came with AWD until I think 2014, they have plenty of space, and anyone can work on them. This is my top pick, but again I face poor-quality lift options as with the others above. What are the real options for getting some usable travel under one of these without it becoming a terror on the highway?
Somebody's Monster Build
I always have my eye out for off-road vans (like everyone here, it seems), but they're usually very old, very beat, and/or very heavily modified. I'm looking for the kind of vehicle where you can drive into some shop and say "do whatever is recommended at x miles" and they won't look at you in fear and confusion.
Anything I missed? Are there any other viable vans/trucks/SUVs that have strong aftermarket support for good off-road suspensions? Hummer?? A Jeep Unlimited would be too small in back. A new Suburban starts at $50k and I don't know what to think anymore.
