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bajarich
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Registered: 1-13-2005
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My recomendation. If you really want to do some offroad exploring, get a full size diesel 4 x 4 (3/4 ton) and put a 4-Wheel pop-up camper on it. It
is a very light camper with an aluminum frame that is built to take a beating. Your truck won't even know it's on there. The diesel will give you
better milage and a lot better range than a gas truck. Get a winch that will fit into a reiceiver hitch on the front and back of the truck and buy a
Pul Pal anchor for the times you get stuck and there isn't anything to tie onto.
I made the mistake of buying a 1/2 ton truck, and when I add the camper, along with all the other things I carry, the truck is really overloaded. I
think the Toyota Tundra is only a 1/2 ton. I have been told it is a full ton because the payload is over 2000#, but that's true of most 1/2 ton
trucks. Really it's about things like floating axles, suspension, and just all around heavier duty trucks with a 3/4 ton. 1/2 ton trucks are built
more like cars.
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TMW
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Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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If your going to put a big cabover camper on it then go for the larger 3/4 or 1 ton trucks. For a 1/2 ton I'd limit my camper weight to a small
cabover or a pop up type. You need to look at the axle weight specs. If you want to get back into the tight nasty areas then a smaller vehicle is
best. Full size 4x4s will let you go to probably everywhere you'll need to go. But you'll never go over the summit or up basketball hill on the Pole
Line road, especially with a cabover on it
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bajarich
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Some friend of mine bought a Toyota Tundra quad cab with 4wd. The haul a 23 foot trailer, I don't know what brand, but my friend complains that he
only gets 10 mpg while hauling the trailer, and also that he hated driving it because he feels like the trailer is always pushing him. That's another
reason I recommend a diesel 3/4 ton truck. With a Diesel, the weight doesn't affect the milage nearly as much.
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windgrrl
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Posts: 1335
Registered: 9-2-2006
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Thanks!
Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on this topic. We really enjoyed reading all of your prespectives as we drove on our latest trip.
We just got back from a trip to the Rockies and almost bought a lease-back from a Ford dealer near where we were staying (2004 Ford 150 4x4, supercab,
6.5' box, so many electronic conveniences and a nice price).
The rear seats split and flip up, so that Miss Vida would have her own private "cabin" in the rear while I would have space for my feet on the floor
up front. This would have replaced our '98 F150 4x2 long-box, 4 spd. standard.
As for those Canadian winters (there's a heavy snowfall warning north of here today) - we only ever have gone to the extreme of studding our winter
tires. We tend to park at the edge of fun and then walk, bike, snowshoe, sail into trouble. Now sand will be a brand new challenge! Still aren't sold
on the 4x4, though...we like the idea of relying on skills & knowledge (lowering air pressure, etc.).
Now we are thinking about bigger trailer, so we're gonna do some re-thunking!
Must just be the adventurer part in us...now would that be 5th wheel or...?!!
Best wishes,
Jane
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
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Mood: undecided
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Heavy snow warning!!!  How far up there are you and what elevations?
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
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Registered: 9-2-2006
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Snow tires optional - winter vacation mandatory!
Here's the link:
http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/warnings/ab_e.html
This is part of the system that drove us home yesterday. We live in the SE corner of Alberta and although we are in a "semie-arid desert" on the
CAN/USA border, looks like we might get snow on the prairies on Sat.:
http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/city/pages/ab-51_metric_e....
Brrr!
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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aha baja
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Posts: 221
Registered: 1-19-2005
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Mood: wherever you go, there you are...
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Better pop open a Molsens, kick back on the old chestefield and watch it through the picture window, by tundra eh!
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windgrrl
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...indeed - and I've already been stylin' with headwear from my huge toque collection whilst gazing at the Prince of Wales Hotel and enjoying a
Drambuie chaser! One is surely from the Canadian prairies if you know what a "biffie" or a "coulee" are!
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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aha baja
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Posts: 221
Registered: 1-19-2005
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Mood: wherever you go, there you are...
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biffie= toilet, w/c, lou, porcelin teddybear,crapper,dumper,head,conveniance,outhouse,sh-tter,gotta see a man about a horse
room.............................
coulee= pond or creek . No not from Canada but watched a lot of SCTV and the Great White North.
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Pappy Jon
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
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Mood: Temp rising.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
I am on my second 4WD Tacoma... about 25,000-35,000 miles per year with no problems... |
I have 280K on my 4Runner. Still have a long ways to go.
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
the new 2007 Tundra is supposed to have a 10,000lb towing capacity, 3 engine choices (6, V-8 - the current model, and a new and a bigger
V-8)..............I'm waiting. My local dealer told me maybe December. The double cab in 4x4 looks like a great Baja rig. |
I believe a diesel will also be an option in 2007.
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1335
Registered: 9-2-2006
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A coulee is a...
..place you definitely need a 4x4. It's our version of an arroyo!
Thanks for the laugh , Aha!
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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aha baja
Nomad
Posts: 221
Registered: 1-19-2005
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Mood: wherever you go, there you are...
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I wasn't sure about coulee so i googled it. It gave my defenition first then the ravine defenition. The rest I really do know from spending some time
with Candadians who come down to Bahia de Los Angeles, and the movie "Strange Brew"
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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4x4 helps the most in sand. If you stay out of it you don't need 4x4. There are many places to go where sand can be a problem. If your a 4x2 then make
sure you have others with a 4x4 there with you. If you travel alone you want to avoid places like the coastal run from Catavina down to Santa
Rosalillita, the loop around Morro Santo Domingo, Playa San Rafael, hwy 1 thru San Antonio to Bahia Blanca, El Crucero by Mission Calamajue to Cocos,
Laguna Chapala to the coast at Punta Vibora. There are many other wonderful places but this is enough to start. For me the choice is easy, I don't
want to be limited to where I can go because I don't have a 4x4. I've been stuck and it wasn't always fun, sometimes it was, but not always.
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aha baja
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Posts: 221
Registered: 1-19-2005
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Mood: wherever you go, there you are...
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OK OK back on thread..... simple but true saying tis better to HAVE it and not need it than to need it and NOT HAVE it!!!On at least 5 times in the past 3 years I have assisted pulling people stuck in soft
sand with my Ford 4x4.Guess how may of them WERE 4x4???..... answer=0 Hope this helps in the decision making process
[Edited on 01-19-2004 by aha baja]PS None were Toyotas either... They don't get stuck too often
[Edited on 01-19-2004 by aha baja]
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Timbercrete
Junior Nomad
Posts: 49
Registered: 3-22-2006
Location: SoCal
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If you buy a 4x2 truck, you will be helping those private, pristine places I enjoy, stay just that. Privite and pristine.
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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I've been stuck once in a 4x4. As the saying goes, when your stuck in a 4x4 your really stuck. It was in the silt beds on the Baja 2000 course south
of San Ignacio before El Cuarenta. I took the wrong line and before I knew it all 4 wheels were spinning at idle. Out of nowhere a bunch of friendly
Mexicans came and surrounded my 91 chevy. I asked what they planned to do and one said pick up the truck and move it out of the silt. I smiled and
took my place around the truck as did my two brothers. Well we lifted and lifted I doubt we moved it a faction of an inch other than spring action. I
ask if anyone had a 4x4 and one young man said yes and off he went and came back with a Ford Ranger 4x4. We hooked up a tow starp and he tried to pull
me out, but no go. I told him to pop me out and he did and it did. I gave him $20 and my older brother gave the group a 12 pack of beer and off we
went. To their surprise they would find out that the beer was non-alcoholic. We had a good laugh over that.
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TecateRay
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Posts: 346
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: La Mesa, CA
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New (2007 or 2008) US diesels won't run Mexican diesel fuel
Be sure to check carefully if you choose a diesel. The US has gone to low sulfur diesel fuel and I'm not sure if it is '07 or '08 models that the
diesel trucks will add smog equipment that won't allow use of the diesel fuel now available in Mexico. (BTW - I drive a Chevy diesel 4x4 and love it
for Baja!)
The situation is similar to the old days when the US went to unleaded gas before Mexico and if you had a catalytic converter you would have problems
running Mexican gas.
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1335
Registered: 9-2-2006
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...thanks for the tip on diesels TecateRay!
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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aha baja
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Registered: 1-19-2005
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Mood: wherever you go, there you are...
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Should be plenty of good quality late model used diesel trucks for sale that won't have the smog test involved. Like I posted earlier the current
price of diesel in mexico is about $1.25US LESS per gallon than the U.S. That coupled with the inherant better mileage than a comparable gasoline
truck and less maintenence, (usually) makes a diesel rig pretty attractive. Mexico may be selling low sulphur diesel by then but who knows for sure? I
drive a '01 F250 4x4 crew in baja so I'm biased but I too love it and love the fuel savings vs gasoline.
[Edited on 01-19-2004 by aha baja]
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bajarich
Nomad
Posts: 464
Registered: 1-13-2005
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I forgot to mention another reason for getting 4wd. If you come to a rough spot you can put it in 4-low and creep over it. If you only have 2wd, you
have a tendency to gun it and go for it. It's much easier on the vehicle to do the former.
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