Difficult Comparisons - Springs, Shocks, Seats, Load, & Preferences
We've never driven our 2014 FG with stock springs, shock, tires, or seats. So our experiences might best be interpreted as "Fusco FGs can be modified to provide superb ride, visibility, & long hours of back country meandering".
We took delivery of the truck in May 2014 from EarthCruiser when my first 1/2 day's drive was 500 miles and the next day was 750 miles (the trip was Bend to Overland Expo 2014). All of that was highway (little interstate) and I was admittedly giddy with "I'm driving our EarthCruiser" but the ride was comfortable and I liked the vast expanse of glass, no hood in front, and elevated view provided by the cabover configuration.
A little over a year and 20,000 miles later we recently spent close to 12 hours in the seats during a 16 hour day as we wandered from Saddlebag Lake, CA at 10,000 feet (just east of Tioga Pass in the Sierra Nevada) to Emerson Lake Trail Head SE of the South Warner Wilderness Area, S of Cedarville, CA around the western side of Pyramid Lake. That day included maintained gravel; paved highway; interstate; Reno rush hour traffic; rough, but not 4x4 two track; and 100 miles of small paved highway where we did not encounter any oncoming traffic (we're convinced that's a personal record for lack of traffic on pavement). We finally raised the top and went to sleep at 1 am - tired but not absolutely exhausted. Why drive so late, you might ask? We wanted to have an early breakfast at the Country Hearth Restaurant and Bakery in Cedarville! Highly recommended.
Obviously we were not longer "giddy" as I was on the two day drive to Overland Expo 2104. However, I don't think we could have been more comfortable throughout that long day of varied driving and traffic stress (Reno at rush hour contrasted to 100 paved miles without another vehicle) in any vehicle I've ever owned or ridden.
I suspect it is hard to make comparisons among various trucks and owners for a variety of reasons including:
1. Springs - configuration, length, rate, etc.
2. Shocks - more variables than a climate-change model!
3. Seats - Again - I have no experience with the stock seats, but reading through this forum suggests that anything is better than stock seats! Our EarthCruiser seats are mechanically suspended and we're perfectly happy with that set up. Others prefer air suspension, so checking out the two systems would be a good idea.
4. Load - total weight and distribution of that weight. This obviously interacts completely with springs & shocks.
5. Tires - size and pressure. Again, our experience is limited to the 16" 315/75 Toyo Mud/Snow tires that came on our truck but they ride well for us. If we were less lazy and would drop the pressure when off of the pavement they'd ride even better.
5. Preferences. This might be the greatest obstacle to evaluating comparisons among us. Some of us want a comfortable truck ride while others want a passenger car experience. Some of us drive quickly while others trundle along looking for lizards and wild flowers (guilty as charged). Some of us like to research each component and design our own systems while others prefer to seek out someone with more experience and accept their package or recommendations. Some of us like to see over surrounding vegetation and traffic while others prefer a lower vantage point.
I guess the main recommendation I would make is to invest in travelling about so that you can ride in vehicles that are set up rather than drive a stock configuration. These trucks can ride comfortably and elegantly, but it might not be simple to get them to that point. We're extremely happy with the springs, seats, weight (amount and distribution), tires, wheels, etc. of our EarthCruiser and the ride those components provide. Between EarthCruiser and All Terrain Warriors I'd say the bases are well covered for those of us who are satisfied with letting someone else do the research and design.
Howard
We've never driven our 2014 FG with stock springs, shock, tires, or seats. So our experiences might best be interpreted as "Fusco FGs can be modified to provide superb ride, visibility, & long hours of back country meandering".
We took delivery of the truck in May 2014 from EarthCruiser when my first 1/2 day's drive was 500 miles and the next day was 750 miles (the trip was Bend to Overland Expo 2014). All of that was highway (little interstate) and I was admittedly giddy with "I'm driving our EarthCruiser" but the ride was comfortable and I liked the vast expanse of glass, no hood in front, and elevated view provided by the cabover configuration.
A little over a year and 20,000 miles later we recently spent close to 12 hours in the seats during a 16 hour day as we wandered from Saddlebag Lake, CA at 10,000 feet (just east of Tioga Pass in the Sierra Nevada) to Emerson Lake Trail Head SE of the South Warner Wilderness Area, S of Cedarville, CA around the western side of Pyramid Lake. That day included maintained gravel; paved highway; interstate; Reno rush hour traffic; rough, but not 4x4 two track; and 100 miles of small paved highway where we did not encounter any oncoming traffic (we're convinced that's a personal record for lack of traffic on pavement). We finally raised the top and went to sleep at 1 am - tired but not absolutely exhausted. Why drive so late, you might ask? We wanted to have an early breakfast at the Country Hearth Restaurant and Bakery in Cedarville! Highly recommended.
Obviously we were not longer "giddy" as I was on the two day drive to Overland Expo 2104. However, I don't think we could have been more comfortable throughout that long day of varied driving and traffic stress (Reno at rush hour contrasted to 100 paved miles without another vehicle) in any vehicle I've ever owned or ridden.
I suspect it is hard to make comparisons among various trucks and owners for a variety of reasons including:
1. Springs - configuration, length, rate, etc.
2. Shocks - more variables than a climate-change model!
3. Seats - Again - I have no experience with the stock seats, but reading through this forum suggests that anything is better than stock seats! Our EarthCruiser seats are mechanically suspended and we're perfectly happy with that set up. Others prefer air suspension, so checking out the two systems would be a good idea.
4. Load - total weight and distribution of that weight. This obviously interacts completely with springs & shocks.
5. Tires - size and pressure. Again, our experience is limited to the 16" 315/75 Toyo Mud/Snow tires that came on our truck but they ride well for us. If we were less lazy and would drop the pressure when off of the pavement they'd ride even better.
5. Preferences. This might be the greatest obstacle to evaluating comparisons among us. Some of us want a comfortable truck ride while others want a passenger car experience. Some of us drive quickly while others trundle along looking for lizards and wild flowers (guilty as charged). Some of us like to research each component and design our own systems while others prefer to seek out someone with more experience and accept their package or recommendations. Some of us like to see over surrounding vegetation and traffic while others prefer a lower vantage point.
I guess the main recommendation I would make is to invest in travelling about so that you can ride in vehicles that are set up rather than drive a stock configuration. These trucks can ride comfortably and elegantly, but it might not be simple to get them to that point. We're extremely happy with the springs, seats, weight (amount and distribution), tires, wheels, etc. of our EarthCruiser and the ride those components provide. Between EarthCruiser and All Terrain Warriors I'd say the bases are well covered for those of us who are satisfied with letting someone else do the research and design.
Howard