Toughest and best all round truck or suv

[Jeep or Tacoma]

Ok I am thinking I may have to sell my rubicon. If I do I would like to know what you guys think is the toughest ( Ie biggest stock axles and diff) requiring the least modification to run at least 35's (power, axles, and diff) best clearance and breakover/ approach/ departure angels . and with a great supply of after market parts. that can be used as a daily driver. please include old iron as well. but don't count things that are way too expensive.

Ie don't count things like 50's dodge power wagon tough but not really a daily driver, sportsmobile ( How I wish too expensive) unimogs too slow and not really a daily driver.

this is for my own Knowledge . Keep in mind i have owned toyotas both landcruisers, fj100 and tacomas, 78, and 82 pick up and 85 fourrunner, jeeps, broncos, and blazers, suburbans and tahoes. I want to camp out of it but want it to be a good daily driver, something realatively stout and not easily broken.

is a good pick up the answer or something else want to keep things as inexpensive as possible . thoughts ? please no arguments just thoughts and opinions.. thanks

 

[HenryJ]

Can you set a price range?

What terrain will you expect to traverse?

Is a trailer in the plans or vehicle only?

How far is the daily commute and what kind of mileage is a deal breaker?

 

[beast1210]

Well my vote is for international scout. 345 v8 or sd33t diesel, stout t18/TF 727, dana 20/300, dana 44. But Im partial to IH Iron. Its all I'll run

 

[Jeep or Tacoma]

cheap as possible

Under 15 K . mileage around 17 on highway, mostly back roads but some rock crawling may be like anza borrego fish creek o r devils drop off. No rubicon type stuff. No trailers prefer some creature comforts.

 

[HenryJ]

Truck or SUV?

How many do you travel with in your vehicle or is it mostly solo?

Just a gut feeling here, but downsizing to 33" or smaller tires is going to cut costs in several ways. The tire selection is good. They are easier on suspension parts and re-gearing will not be needed to get some reasonable power with the mileage.

Running tires that size on a rig is going to put you in the fullsize class, unless you plan to do quite a few modifications. Most can get by on 33" tires and do very well with some easy changes. 35" tires are going to require lots more work and make it very difficult to attain the mileage that makes them an affordable daily driver.

Most of the older full size stuff is going to get less than your desired mileage. Teens are about all you can expect for "Old's Cool Iron" (Blazer, Suburban, F250, Bronco) running gas engines on the ethanol blend fuels made prior to the mid nineties.
A mid to late nineties and as far as early two thousands full size GM Tahoe, Suburban, or 1500-2500 might be an option. Those handle a 235/85-16 very well. Lots of aftermarket support. Parts are cheap and plentiful. Mileage on the top side of fifteen mpg is pretty common. Low twenties is not unheard of. Every vehicle has its problems. These have theirs as does any. Nothing that is not able to be solved though.

You really do need something new enough to have good used parts available. A weekend warrior can go older easily, but the daily driver is going to need to be a little newer to have the dependability required and parts immediately available.
Less than a decade old can usually still be found in the salvage yards with decent parts. The dealers will also be stocking parts for them. After ten years old the availability starts to diminish. Ford especially. Theirs goes to a separate obsolete parts division.

Insurance costs are cheaper for a domestic than import. I know that many are built in the USA. The cost of parts is more though, so insurance costs more. Diesel is nice for mileage, but the cost for parts puts them out of the running. In the long run you pay one way or the other.

I am not a full size guy. The trails I frequent are easier to traverse in a compact. That is why I drive an S-10 crew cab. It takes quite a bit to get one ready for the conditions that a fullsize can handle with only a tire swap. Mileage in the small domestic trucks can be equal to that of a fullsize. I know its not fair.
33" tires for a compact is going to take some work for sure.
I have been really envious of some of the capabilities the Astrovan has. The room is nice and swapping with s-series parts is easy to do. I think they make a wonderful mini Sportsmobile with a little work. Mileage and dependability would be right in there as things go. Price is cheap to be sure. I think they are an unpolished gem that will someday be brought to light. It like the S-series is not going to handle the 33" tires without some modification.

If compact is where you want to be the Toyota Four Runner is a nice rig. All the Toyotas seem to hold their value very well. That will force you to go back a few years to buy a rig. On the right vehicle it might be a good option.

I thought that the Nissan Xterra would be my choice for a small SUV. They have lots of good options for lockers and durable interiors. I am pretty sure that they would be on the high side of your budget.

Those are a few thoughts off the top of my head.

 

[haven]

What are you hoping to gain over what your Wrangler Rubicon already provides? Extra toughness? Improved MPG? More interior room? Ability to tow a bigger trailer?

 

[Ryanmb21]

why do you need 35's if you're not running gnarly stuff?

 

[jh504]

FZJ 80 with elockers.

 

[78Bronco]

78/79 Ford Bronco.

Fullsize platform can be outfitted easily. Stock V8, NP435, NP205, Dana 44 and Ford 9". Parts are cheap, lots of room. Only made for two years for a unique factor. Can be found with a pop-up camper with cab pass through. Convertible. I would recommend at least 2" of lift to fit 35's but really you can fit 35's with no lift. Ford 9" is the cheapest to build and re-gear versus any other differential. Dana44 is cheap to build aswell. NP205 is indestructable, NP435 is indestructible. 104" wheelbase with fullsize width very stable on side hills. The best part is you can install a 351W EFI and manual 5 speed into this truck to increase MPG as the transfer cases will bolt to 80-97 year motor/tranny. They can be a little rusty but all the replacement steel is easy to find to fix the rust issue.

Did I mention D60's from a fullsize 78/79 Ford F350 can be swapped in a day with this platform.:coffeedrink:

 

[Sportsman Matt]

Just about any fullsize truck from the big 3, preferably in the 3/4 ton range. First off, don't expect good milage from a 35" tire. I run LT265/75R16E tires on my truck, and best I can get with my 02 GMC Sierra 1500 2WD truck is 16MPG if I'm empty with a tailwind. Most of the time it's 14 to 15 MPG. Towing is around 10 to 11 MPG depending on the load, speed, hills, winds, etc.

Second, which you need to tell us everything. How many people will be going with you? How far do you drive with it? What percentage of the time will be offroad, and how much will be pavement driving? Camping, are you tenting it, using a cap, putting a small truck camper in the back? What type of offroading are you doing? Rock climbing, or just logging trails? How much clearance do you need beneath? I've been driving 2WD trucks in places where people wouldn't dare take their "high priced status symbol" 4WD vehicles, and have yet to run into a problem. Of course knowing the limitations of your vehicles maked a big difference, along with knowing how to drive on various terrain.

There are so many questions to ask to get you pointed in the right direction, that anything made after 1940 to today is a possibility the way the question is written.

Personally my plan for my next rig is a Sliverado 2500HD 4WD Crew Cab with the 8 foot bed, and either an ARE Cap with the Camper Door, or an AT Flippac. Unfortunately that will be another 13 plus years from now, as I have less than 80,000 miles on my 02 GMC Sierra 1500 and the goal is to hit 500,000 miles plus on that one truck. Actually at this rate, I figure I'll have that truck for the next 40+ years.

 

[Token]

For all around reliability and out of the box toughness and ready to wheel..? Jeep Rubicon 4dr JK..

I've got several friends with basically stock rigs, except for a meduim lift and 35's.. In the right hands there's nothing out there that can touch them off road short of full buggy builds..

Not much of a camper, but there is some room to haul basic camping gear in the 4dr.. Or get a trailer to haul the gear.

 

[rusty_tlc]

fzj 80 with elockers.

x2

 

[jeepdreamer]

To many choices...

Not really possible to say what is "THE" best choice here. There are a pile of options out there.
Being a Jeep guy I will try and resist my obvious thoughs and my cheapness by nature.
Some of what you wish doesn't make much sense or seem "needed" given how you discribe you off road areas. 35s? I'd say 33s and a winch. 33s will keep you from trying to silly of stuff and the winch will help free you when you do...no matter what size tire your running!
The closest thing I can bring to mind to cover many of your whises is a 3/4 ton Dodge 4x4 Cummins. I bought my 99 Qcab, longbed with a little over 160k on it for 6500 bucks. It has the manual tranny, a dana 60 front and a dana-huge rear...All leather interior for the upity crowd. And 35s would be easy to fit but 33s would be a bolt on.

 

[Co-opski]

78/79 Ford Bronco.

Fullsize platform can be outfitted easily. Stock V8, NP435, NP205, Dana 44 and Ford 9". Parts are cheap, lots of room. Only made for two years for a unique factor. Can be found with a pop-up camper with cab pass through. Convertible. I would recommend at least 2" of lift to fit 35's but really you can fit 35's with no lift. Ford 9" is the cheapest to build and re-gear versus any other differential. Dana44 is cheap to build aswell. NP205 is indestructable, NP435 is indestructible. 104" wheelbase with fullsize width very stable on side hills. The best part is you can install a 351W EFI and manual 5 speed into this truck to increase MPG as the transfer cases will bolt to 80-97 year motor/tranny. They can be a little rusty but all the replacement steel is easy to find to fix the rust issue.

Did I mention D60's from a fullsize 78/79 Ford F350 can be swapped in a day with this platform.:coffeedrink:

Ha! There is one for sale just up the road. 1975 bronco with a 4 wheel camper. 64k miles and under 7 grand.

http://alaskaslist.com/1/posts/10_Transportation/34_Sport_Utility_Vehicles/123484_1975_Bronco_with_Pop_Up_Camper.html

 

[dieck]

A jeep rubicon.