WooHoo....Good answer...(Loud Applause in background)
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-dakota-truck@buffnet4.buffnet.net
> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@buffnet4.buffnet.net]On Behalf Of
> Shaun.Hendricks@bergenbrunswig.com
> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 2:26 PM
> To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
> Subject: DML: RE:DML lift kits
>
>
>
>
> You would be making an erroneous assumption here. I've done plenty of
> offroading in both a 4x2 and 4x4. I've done it since I was old
> enough to sit
> on my Dad's lap and drive our full time (no choice) 4wd
> articulated 8 wheel
> Case tractor through conditions anything short of a tracked
> vehicle or monster
> truck would fail in. I've been there and done that in most off-roading
> conditions, sand, rocks, snow, forest, etc. etc. Do I offroad
> for fun? No,
> I'm not into beating the heck out of my truck for no purpose
> other than to get
> back into areas that are accessible in other ways. I'd rather
> use my feet and
> hike it, it damages the area less, *I* get the workout benefit, and I feel
> like I've accomplished more when staring at those nice vistas.
> I've taken my 4x2 in places that 'experienced' 4x4 folks told me was
> impossible for a 4x2. It's not impossible, it just requires
> knowledge of your
> vehicle, how to drive, and where to drive. A 4x4 gives you more
> options, you
> can be more carefree and reckless with your choices of drive
> lines. If you
> are going to do serious off roading, I'd stay away from anything
> short of a
> Jeep. They go places other 4x4's can only dream of. If you are
> planning on
> just occasionally offroading in some standard trails, you have to
> decide if
> you want to pay the extra $1.5k for the truck, more in gas, more in
> maintenance, more in insurance, more in repairs- more often, and more, and
> more and more for a 4x4.
> If all someone wants to do is run down trails and roads that
> are already
> blazed, deal with most dirt conditions, etc. a 4x2 will do just fine. An
> experienced off roader can take a 4x2 plenty of places. Mine has
> been through
> rocky creeks, canyons, the top of 5000' mountains, etc. You just
> have to know
> your limitations.
> So you can buy your lift kits and your fancy mudding wheels,
> but most of
> those mods are toys for an everyday truck. I'll take a stock
> Jeep Wrangler
> and drive it places we could only wish our Daks (4x4 mods or not) could go
> (there are reasons why there are "Jeep only" trails). No matter
> how you slice
> it, for the most part, 4wd is wasted by most truck owners on
> trucks that'll
> never see true 4wd mandatory conditions. The steepest thing
> they'll climb is
> their driveway (at least around here). I refuse to buy into the macho 4x4
> mentality. It's a waste of money for all but the most serious of off road
> conditions and there are vastly more real conditions I'd prefer a
> 4x2 over a
> 4x4. But hey, I'm not made of money so such things matter to me,
> I'm kinda
> stupid that way. If you've got big bucks then by all means, turn your Dak
> into the next 'Bearfoot' if you like. I still say it's an image
> thing. When
> you work on a farm or ranch, then 4x4 becomes sort of a necessity
> (but we had
> a 4x2 and a 4x4 truck on a farm. The 4x2 was always rescueing
> the 4x4 because
> that front differential kept binding on rocks, mud, snow... but
> that 4x2 never
> got stuck in it, it "floated" on top of most of that stuff.
> Strange but true.)
>
> Shaun H.
>
> ---original message---
> I think the best way to sum this up is 4 wheelin' by a non-4 wheeler...
> Some of the interjections and clarifications make sense but the
> rest is hog
> wash from someone that's never been there and done that. Hard pan is fine
> for a 2wd with mild undulations but it ain't gonna cut it when the flats
> gets rough. Never mind steep hills and slippery stuff.
>
> T.
>
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