nwoods
Expedition Leader
For that class of vehicle, have you considered the Bridgestone Dueler Revo's? I have a set on my Nissan Armada and they've been excellent.
Ridgeline as ExPo vehicle?
- Thread starter GroupSe7en
- Start date
For that class of vehicle, have you considered the Bridgestone Dueler Revo's? I have a set on my Nissan Armada and they've been excellent.
stioc
Expedition Leader
Late to the party...I own a Ridgeline and have taken it off-roading (even posted pics in the completed adventures section). It's main use was pulling our 17ft fiberglass travel trailer and it did quite well (some trans hunting going up the grades but never felt it was lacking power).
Others have already pointed out some of the best features i.e. ride quality both on and off-road, safety ratings and reliability as well as the cool trunk and tailgate design.
Off-road capability wise it's lacking two things ground clearance (8.2" stock) and 4-Lo. I solved the former by going with a 2" lift kit (lift blocks go on the struts). It now has 10.2" of ground clearance and more than enough to tackle some scary looking rocks. It could use a couple of skid-plates still and re-routing exhaust would be great if possible. It has more traction on slippery and gravel surfaces than even some of the most formidable 4x4s due to the IFS/IRS but that's a can worms and depends on the terrain. The only thing I miss is 4Lo because on really rough surfaces with big boulders and rocks I have to ride the brakes and I hate that. I wish it had 4Lo where it could just keep crawling at 1mph with the engine idling like my buddy's Tundra.
Other than that the lack of aftermarket support sucks. I wish someone made a camper shell for it that looked normal. The ones I've seen are really bizzare and goofy looking...I guess they kept with the looks of the truck lol - though the looks have grown on me and it suits my purposes well. I'll admit though I still look at the Tacoma crewcabs with lusty eyes...sometimes. I just don't know I can trade the ride comfort once I'm used to it. As for uni-body that's never been an issue unless you're thinking of pulling a 5th wheel with it - and you shouldn't be. The XJ is also uni-body and so are several new SUVs on the market.
I've followed Suburbans, F250s and Tundras on a handful of trails where observing the truck ahead made me ask what the heck am I doing here with a truck that has less than 1000 miles on it
Others have already pointed out some of the best features i.e. ride quality both on and off-road, safety ratings and reliability as well as the cool trunk and tailgate design.
Off-road capability wise it's lacking two things ground clearance (8.2" stock) and 4-Lo. I solved the former by going with a 2" lift kit (lift blocks go on the struts). It now has 10.2" of ground clearance and more than enough to tackle some scary looking rocks. It could use a couple of skid-plates still and re-routing exhaust would be great if possible. It has more traction on slippery and gravel surfaces than even some of the most formidable 4x4s due to the IFS/IRS but that's a can worms and depends on the terrain. The only thing I miss is 4Lo because on really rough surfaces with big boulders and rocks I have to ride the brakes and I hate that. I wish it had 4Lo where it could just keep crawling at 1mph with the engine idling like my buddy's Tundra.
Other than that the lack of aftermarket support sucks. I wish someone made a camper shell for it that looked normal. The ones I've seen are really bizzare and goofy looking...I guess they kept with the looks of the truck lol - though the looks have grown on me and it suits my purposes well. I'll admit though I still look at the Tacoma crewcabs with lusty eyes...sometimes. I just don't know I can trade the ride comfort once I'm used to it. As for uni-body that's never been an issue unless you're thinking of pulling a 5th wheel with it - and you shouldn't be. The XJ is also uni-body and so are several new SUVs on the market.
I've followed Suburbans, F250s and Tundras on a handful of trails where observing the truck ahead made me ask what the heck am I doing here with a truck that has less than 1000 miles on it
stioc
Expedition Leader
That looks like Sierra Expedition's Tacoma...
As for the pics, don't know the story so what can I say...it's like the GT3s at the race track that I used to get around going into turns in my pidly Spec Miata. Equipment is only as good as the skills of the operator.
Again, RL is a great truck if you can live with the shortcomings I mentioned but is it a Humvee competitor? far from it. In fact, the famous Baja race truck has completely different suspension pick-up points since it has very limited wheel travel from the factory. That's probably why the Kings Shocks won't talk to the original poster when he called.
As for the pics, don't know the story so what can I say...it's like the GT3s at the race track that I used to get around going into turns in my pidly Spec Miata. Equipment is only as good as the skills of the operator.
Again, RL is a great truck if you can live with the shortcomings I mentioned but is it a Humvee competitor? far from it. In fact, the famous Baja race truck has completely different suspension pick-up points since it has very limited wheel travel from the factory. That's probably why the Kings Shocks won't talk to the original poster when he called.
fangars
Adventurer
Yes thats the Sierra Expedition's Tacoma.
The RL driver just took a bad line through the water, if he had come up stream a bit he might have had a fighting chance.
GroupSe7en
Adventurer
We had a fun time with some Ridge-friendly offroad this past weekend at the New England Meet & Greet with Rain76King and his tricked-out Lexus.
We had to laugh that we were the New England Hard Core with the Ridge and the Lexus LOL.
Had a good time though - we'll post picks when we get back from Labrador & Newfoundland.
Cheers,
Mark
We had to laugh that we were the New England Hard Core with the Ridge and the Lexus LOL.
Had a good time though - we'll post picks when we get back from Labrador & Newfoundland.
Cheers,
Mark
Tifighter
New member
Pilot guy checking in
Long time lurker, first time poster blah blah blah...
I have a 08 Pilot (basically the same as the RL, and stop laughing) and can echo what's been posted. When I bought it, it was for ski trips in the PNW, and as a basecamp/bicycle transport for multi-day bike trips. But a year ago, my wife and I moved south to CA, and I've been exploring the roads out here more. I've taken it out on local forest roads, as well as a ORV trail or two (gasp), and got through okay. But the lack of low range, & clearance (that exhaust hangs low) limit it, as well as the unibody thing. Oh, and its wide.
A 2" lift and better tires would help, but its hard to justify putting money into something that will always have limitations. OTOH, its cheaper than a new vehicle. I'd like to see some of the trails in Death Valley sometime, probably nothing beyond a moderate rating at best, and wonder sometimes if the Pilot could pull it off.
What to do, what to do. Nice meeting you all...
Long time lurker, first time poster blah blah blah...
I have a 08 Pilot (basically the same as the RL, and stop laughing) and can echo what's been posted. When I bought it, it was for ski trips in the PNW, and as a basecamp/bicycle transport for multi-day bike trips. But a year ago, my wife and I moved south to CA, and I've been exploring the roads out here more. I've taken it out on local forest roads, as well as a ORV trail or two (gasp), and got through okay. But the lack of low range, & clearance (that exhaust hangs low) limit it, as well as the unibody thing. Oh, and its wide.
A 2" lift and better tires would help, but its hard to justify putting money into something that will always have limitations. OTOH, its cheaper than a new vehicle. I'd like to see some of the trails in Death Valley sometime, probably nothing beyond a moderate rating at best, and wonder sometimes if the Pilot could pull it off.
What to do, what to do. Nice meeting you all...
Sure it can be worse
it weighs more has a much worse break over angle and if damaged will cost more to repair.
The only thing subaru's have going for them off road is the fact that they are small...the Ridgeline is far from small
dustboy
Explorer
I just wanted to chime in here, as I'm near becoming one of the converted. Here on ExPo, we all pretend that we need a truck that can go anywhere, handle any situation. Some members do, and I'm duly impressed by their adventures. But the reality is, most of us don't go anywhere a Ridgeline can't. I did the hardcore 4x4 trail thing in my Tacoma, half the time you end up camping next to some drunk, shotgun-blasting bozos. I can get that action here in Oakland.
Almost every remote campsite I've been to in the last few years has been accessible to a truck like the RL. For example, when we got to the top of Lippincott grade in Death Valley, we found ourselves sharing a campground with a stock Subaru and a Honda CR-V. Turns out, there is a gravel road up from the other side!
The more comfortable I make my wife and son on adventures, the more I get to go on.. I think the Ridgeline satisfies that requirement well.
Almost every remote campsite I've been to in the last few years has been accessible to a truck like the RL. For example, when we got to the top of Lippincott grade in Death Valley, we found ourselves sharing a campground with a stock Subaru and a Honda CR-V. Turns out, there is a gravel road up from the other side!
The more comfortable I make my wife and son on adventures, the more I get to go on.. I think the Ridgeline satisfies that requirement well.
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
My 2wd tundra on 20's and high performance street tires goes "everywhere" I need too, I see no reason why a Ridgeline wouldn't be a good vehicle.
GroupSe7en
Adventurer
Dustboy,
Still got ours. It's a DD and runs like a top.
It's ready to go from Sarasota, across the TransLab, and back, and the only thing it would need would be an oil change when you got back.
It's got stupid amounts of storage space. You can haul a ton of stuff under the rear seats and in the trunk. It's protected, and it's down low so that it doesn't mess up the handling.
We're getting a small offroady trailer to pull behind either it or the Cayenne.
We were going to put a RTT on it, but my wife wasn't all that keen on the RTT - but she loves the RL.
My only caveat would be that the ergs aren't the best. I find the seats to be less than comfortable when you're in them for 10+ hours.
Plus, there's no comfortable place to rest your left arm - the door armrest is terrible.
Other than that - go for it.
Cheers,
Mark
Oh, yeah, we got a SoftTopper canvas cap for it - SUPER!
Still got ours. It's a DD and runs like a top.
It's ready to go from Sarasota, across the TransLab, and back, and the only thing it would need would be an oil change when you got back.
It's got stupid amounts of storage space. You can haul a ton of stuff under the rear seats and in the trunk. It's protected, and it's down low so that it doesn't mess up the handling.
We're getting a small offroady trailer to pull behind either it or the Cayenne.
We were going to put a RTT on it, but my wife wasn't all that keen on the RTT - but she loves the RL.
My only caveat would be that the ergs aren't the best. I find the seats to be less than comfortable when you're in them for 10+ hours.
Plus, there's no comfortable place to rest your left arm - the door armrest is terrible.
Other than that - go for it.
Cheers,
Mark
Oh, yeah, we got a SoftTopper canvas cap for it - SUPER!
Jay H
servicedriven.org
Such a strange vehicle. Really seems like its ahead of its time. Every time I see one I wonder how a vehicle that large can get the highway mileage that is does. The ridgeline seems to defy classification, its really not a truck, its certainly more practical than most of the SUVs out there and its not a car. Its like the monotreme (monotreme's are egg laying mamals) of the automotive world.
I for one find it cool that it runs as a front wheel drive at highway speeds and lacks a low range because those two things alone probably account for 4 highway mpg. Going up hill over mountain passes my all wheel drive car with 2 or 3 bikes and a luggage box on top is further south of 25mpg than most are willing to admit.
To carry the same amount of stuff in a forester it would have a massive roof rack and the ridgeline would get better mileage.
I hope eventually there will be after market suspensions that will push these things into a class entirely of there own. I am not a ridgeline owner but they seem fascinating. I have a feeling there more capable than people think. But then again I am solidly in the annoy the real expo folks by turning up in my awd car in unexpected places category.
Most of us do drive long highway miles and the ridge line seems to be leaps and bounds ahead of trucks at highway speeds on the open road.
I often thing that if they put the same drive train in an Element with the same suspension and ground clearance it would be the ultimate expo vehicle. I bet the ridgeline drive train has less drag than the element. Probably too much to hope for any how.
I for one find it cool that it runs as a front wheel drive at highway speeds and lacks a low range because those two things alone probably account for 4 highway mpg. Going up hill over mountain passes my all wheel drive car with 2 or 3 bikes and a luggage box on top is further south of 25mpg than most are willing to admit.
To carry the same amount of stuff in a forester it would have a massive roof rack and the ridgeline would get better mileage.
I hope eventually there will be after market suspensions that will push these things into a class entirely of there own. I am not a ridgeline owner but they seem fascinating. I have a feeling there more capable than people think. But then again I am solidly in the annoy the real expo folks by turning up in my awd car in unexpected places category.
Most of us do drive long highway miles and the ridge line seems to be leaps and bounds ahead of trucks at highway speeds on the open road.
I often thing that if they put the same drive train in an Element with the same suspension and ground clearance it would be the ultimate expo vehicle. I bet the ridgeline drive train has less drag than the element. Probably too much to hope for any how.
This drives me crazy in my girlfriends honda! This is a huge deciding factor when I am buying a car.
