Most Comfortable Vehicle for Forest Roads

[browning2480]

For those that use SUVs as hunting rigs, how do you haul animals in the back? Tarp? Painter's drop cloth? Some kind of rubber/Weathertech mat?

I don't have much use for a truck bed other than carrying a couple of a deer per year. I would happily move to a smaller SUV if there was an easy way to haul critters without leaving a mess.

Either you quarter and cut them up via the gutless method, or you get you a hoist that mounts in the hitch. I have been hunting out of a Tahoe for 15 years. No reason to throw them in there whole, but if you wanted to, just a good weather tech mat for the cargo area would work/

All of ours go in a cooler so it is no big deal

 

[NateTP38]

Either you quarter and cut them up via the gutless method, or you get you a hoist that mounts in the hitch. I have been hunting out of a Tahoe for 15 years. No reason to throw them in there whole, but if you wanted to, just a good weather tech mat for the cargo area would work/

All of ours go in a cooler so it is no big deal

Until recently my state required animals to be presented whole for registration, so I'm used to brininging out the whole thing. Quartering in the field sounds like a good solution, it just isn't something I'm super familiar with.

 

[ODB]

I've never been in a truck more capable of soaking up abuse than this one:

 

[A.hol1]

For those that use SUVs as hunting rigs, how do you haul animals in the back? Tarp? Painter's drop cloth? Some kind of rubber/Weathertech mat?

I don't have much use for a truck bed other than carrying a couple of a deer per year. I would happily move to a smaller SUV if there was an easy way to haul critters without leaving a mess.

Tarp is down covering the whole back when the seats are down just in case but quartered and in large coolers. I can get 3 large coolers and all my hunting gear in back easily. Antlers are tied up top on roof rack when I get lucky ! A whole deer easily fits in the back of this rig, sometimes it’s easier that way until I’m home


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[Batch]

if your roads are like our forest service roads you need a trophy truck to handle the wash boards and ruts

 

[roosiebull]

I was always under the impression that airing down the tires (15-20 lbs) dramatically decreases the life of the tire because it breaks down the sidewall. Is this just an old wives tale that has no basis in fact?

When was the last time you saw tires that were worn out due to sidewall wear? Unless the sidewall gets gouged or punctured, it’s going to outlast the tread.

In all reality, I can hardly tell by looking when I air down, they still look full, E rated tires on small rigs is hard to notice a low tire until it’s under 15psi

I wouldn’t worry about sidewall wear, even if it was hard on sidewalls, who airs down enough to create issues? I air down at times, but it’s very few miles annually that I’m driving on low psi

My zr2 just handles really well, so the only time I air down anymore is for traction, not comfort… a little standard cab pre Tacoma is the perfect rig for airing down, really helps for comfort, they are about as bouncy as a 1 ton or a jeep

 

[Terrapin]

I test drove a late model Range Rover one time. I drove it on a rough, washboard road at about 40 mph and it hardly wiggled or made a noise… then again I was used to a very stiffly sprung Toyota Tacoma with a flatbed. I must be near a million miles in Toyota trucks since I got my first one in ‘96. They are not the most comfortable, but they last forever with irresponsible maintenance.


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[black dawg]

When was the last time you saw tires that were worn out due to sidewall wear? Unless the sidewall gets gouged or punctured, it’s going to outlast the tread.

In all reality, I can hardly tell by looking when I air down, they still look full, E rated tires on small rigs is hard to notice a low tire until it’s under 15psi

I wouldn’t worry about sidewall wear, even if it was hard on sidewalls, who airs down enough to create issues? I air down at times, but it’s very few miles annually that I’m driving on low psi

My zr2 just handles really well, so the only time I air down anymore is for traction, not comfort… a little standard cab pre Tacoma is the perfect rig for airing down, really helps for comfort, they are about as bouncy as a 1 ton or a jeep

I dont think airing down to 15psi even 10 times a year will cause problems if the speed is kept under 15-20 mph. We have had years where we were aired down 50+ times and almost always at 5psi or less on a big 40 inch tire, creating lots of sidewall flex, but almost always on snow and very rarely over 10mph. What this does to the sidewalls does worry me, but.....havent had any problems. Other than losing balance because of tire rotating on wheel.

 

[Kevin_t]

Anything with a hydraulic suspension (Lexus LX ) or air suspension (lots ) . I have had a Tundra, Nissan Nismo, Lexus LX and GX470, plus used many others). The two Lexus are next level (some of it has to do with SUV weight vs how a truck is weighted). They both can be made into good vehicles for trailhead sleeping as well. The LX is really next level on the washboard roads.

 

[Kilboars]

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[roosiebull]

I dont think airing down to 15psi even 10 times a year will cause problems if the speed is kept under 15-20 mph. We have had years where we were aired down 50+ times and almost always at 5psi or less on a big 40 inch tire, creating lots of sidewall flex, but almost always on snow and very rarely over 10mph. What this does to the sidewalls does worry me, but.....havent had any problems. Other than losing balance because of tire rotating on wheel.

Prior to this year, I didn’t know people built crawler like rigs for snow wheeling, certainly a different set of rules you guys play by, saw lots of those rigs in NE Oregon… I can see the concern there, always airing down… not many will air down enough or enough times to cause sidewall issues, if it was a problem, you guys would know, and the guys who spend a lot of time on the dunes would know.

I assume it used to be an issue tires of old, if it was ever a problem, especially airing down to smooth out the ride, you aren’t airing down that much.

 

[roosiebull]

Another cheaper option, if you can find one in good shape, the s-10 zr2 was a very nice ride off road, I had one for awhile in between tacomas, and there was no comparison stock, it rode way better, and the 4.3 vortec was a zippy engine in that pickup…

 

[black dawg]

Prior to this year, I didn’t know people built crawler like rigs for snow wheeling, certainly a different set of rules you guys play by, saw lots of those rigs in NE Oregon… I can see the concern there, always airing down… not many will air down enough or enough times to cause sidewall issues, if it was a problem, you guys would know, and the guys who spend a lot of time on the dunes would know.

I assume it used to be an issue tires of old, if it was ever a problem, especially airing down to smooth out the ride, you aren’t airing down that much.

I have zero experience in the sand, but I would imagine the 8-12ish psi I hear they run, would be much harder on tires than low single digits in the snow.

 

[FLATHEAD]

if your roads are like our forest service roads you need a trophy truck to handle the wash boards and ruts

No lie, down here in the SE on one particular FS road I get sideways every time if I dont
slow waaaay down.

 

[CorbLand]

When was the last time you saw tires that were worn out due to sidewall wear? Unless the sidewall gets gouged or punctured, it’s going to outlast the tread.

In all reality, I can hardly tell by looking when I air down, they still look full, E rated tires on small rigs is hard to notice a low tire until it’s under 15psi

I wouldn’t worry about sidewall wear, even if it was hard on sidewalls, who airs down enough to create issues? I air down at times, but it’s very few miles annually that I’m driving on low psi

My zr2 just handles really well, so the only time I air down anymore is for traction, not comfort… a little standard cab pre Tacoma is the perfect rig for airing down, really helps for comfort, they are about as bouncy as a 1 ton or a jeep

Saw it a fair amount in my short stint at a tire shop. It was generally caused by low pressure and high speeds. I doubt airing down on FS roads and driving is going to do much to sidewalls but make sure you aren't pushing the speed to much. There are some roads that you can cruise on here and long periods of high speed with low pressure can cause issues with sidewalls.

If you plan to do this a lot, mention it when getting tires.

 

[Poser]

I was always under the impression that airing down the tires (15-20 lbs) dramatically decreases the life of the tire because it breaks down the sidewall. Is this just an old wives tale that has no basis in fact?

Like someone else mentioned, with 10 ply tires, they barely appear “low pressure” at 15-20 psi. Now, LT tires are a different story. I air down my E rated tires almost every weekend and do not see any signs of premature wear. Also, mind you, wearing your tires out, say, 10,000 miles early is cheaper than beating your vehicle into a rattle box.

 

[roosiebull]

Saw it a fair amount in my short stint at a tire shop. It was generally caused by low pressure and high speeds. I doubt airing down on FS roads and driving is going to do much to sidewalls but make sure you aren't pushing the speed to much. There are some roads that you can cruise on here and long periods of high speed with low pressure can cause issues with sidewalls.

If you plan to do this a lot, mention it when getting tires.

Yeah, it’s just never been something I considered… makes sense, but I think a little common sense goes a long way, like you said, hauling ass aired down… not just sidewall stress, but rolling your tire off the bead… we did that once trying to get up this steep narrow hill, and it didn’t help our cause… Finally got out of there, but it was a later night than anticipated

When I do air down, I don’t think it’s very hard on anything, considering I don’t air down a lot, often, and for sure not driving fast aired down.

It’s easier to just drive a rig that handles crappy roads well a few years ago (after my s-10 zr2 burned down) I got a Jeep Wrangler, always wanted one, the second day I had it, I had to make my 3.5hr commute down the coast to work, that drive had me question my decision… just not used to it… yeah, that’s why, haha

After work the next day, a buddy I work with and I decided to go up in the hills and do some shooting, it’s a pretty tore up gravel road, nothing that would test a Subaru, just bouncy… half way up the first steep grade I hit a pothole and almost knocked my buddy out, he whacked his head on the roll bar, haha

When we got back to the boat that evening, I put the damn thing on Craigslist, at the end of that work stretch, I was driving a 4Runner home

Airing down would have helped a lot with that rig, but I’m off pavement too much to air down every time I leave pavement, I thought I was a jeep guy until I bought one.

Another time, when I was driving a 91’ standard cab Toyota (great little woods rigs but beat you up) I decided to go check the water clarity on a river up in the mountains, I didn’t think I was going to be fishing that day, but I had cabin fever from a long series of storms, I was dry and warm, drinking some coffee, but had my waders, bobber rod and bait if the river was fishable

I turned down the last little spur, maybe 1/4 mile to the trail to the river, and half way down there was a nasty pothole, and not wanting to spill my coffee, I went around it, and with the torrential down pour we had for 10 days, the ground was soft on the downhill side, and I slid down the hill… crap… long story less long, I tried a little before realizing my pickup was going to drop 20’ if I kept trying, so I left it there and started walking until I got cell service a few miles down the mountain… took a 1 ton ford and a Tacoma to get me back on the road without rolling… of course it was a boneheaded move by me, but those pickups were so stiff, I knew even going slow through that hole would suck… I don’t want a rig I have to air down to smooth the ride to tolerable, plenty of nice riding rigs these days, or you can make any rig ride pretty good with well thought out suspension

 

[Sacmaster]

For those that use SUVs as hunting rigs, how do you haul animals in the back? Tarp? Painter's drop cloth? Some kind of rubber/Weathertech mat?

I don't have much use for a truck bed other than carrying a couple of a deer per year. I would happily move to a smaller SUV if there was an easy way to haul critters without leaving a mess.

I use a 100 series Land Cruiser as my hunting rig, and I haul deer wrapped in a tarp on a hitch rack (east coast). It’s a great vehicle for rough roads and moderate off road; only downside is 12 mpg.

 

[Tremain4414]

Most of these are pretty great options but I’ll stick with my sxs to keep the wear and tear off the truck and get us where we need to go!

 

[Poser]

View attachment 449683
Most of these are pretty great options but I’ll stick with my sxs to keep the wear and tear off the truck and get us where we need to go!

Translation: “for the cost of 2-3 very nice sets of suspension for my main vehicle, I’ll just buy a stupid looking Abomination that happens to transport the worst user group on public lands and then dump money into 2 vehicles, increase the cost of my insurance and have to buy a $2000+ trailer for it.”