I think you also forget Scalman that traditional 4wds are also modified - and they have a very large aftermarket support base. How big is your credit card limit??
Back in the day when Subaru’s were making a name for themselves over here (80’s), these little 4wd buzz boxes drove more like an economical around town vehicle. People modified them for more off-road ability - and had to DIY in many cases!
On the flip side, those with a traditional 4wd used to do things to make their 4wd handle more like a car on road than a truck. Now days we all modify our 4wds in some way to be more like an off-road vehicle - even the traditional 4wds!
Lift is always the contentious issue - how high is high enough? For example, I lifted my L series 3 inches and increased the tyre diameter by four inches. So I have a total of 5 inches of lift in that vehicle. With other mods it goes really well off-road while maintaining good on road handling. A four inch lift would be fun but is it really necessary? Probably not.
We now have a mid naughties Pajero/Shogun to fit our growing family into. This thing has as much lift with its saggy springs as my L series does. The factory drivetrain is more than enough required for some decent off-roading. Only mods are for off-road comforts such as a fridge and ensuring the vehicle can take knocks that could happen without stranding us (bash plates). Overall a great vehicle base to 4wd with. But of course we added more. Two inch spring lift, great clearance now and it handles on-road SO much better now! We didn’t realise how bad the old springs were. We’ll stay with the current tyre size as it’s ample.
As for fuel economy it’s a bit higher than the Subaru but it can also carry more fuel with an 81L auxiliary fuel tank, bringing total capacity to 171 litres! It’s awesome when travelling interstate!
What am I getting at? Many don’t realise what they already have in their stock 4wds then they go batshite crazy with mods and end up with a crappy vehicle to drive until you’re hitting some comp truck spec tracks, or chewing out good ones to have their “fun”.
Not all 4wdn is about rock crawling, even then, if you’re bouncing over boulders then you probably shouldn’t be in a vehicle in that area to begin with unless in a comp truck competition!
Some nice lift is good. Tyres make a HUGE difference but overall it comes down to the driver.
Solid axles have their advantage but I feel many that have only driven live axles are lazy off-roaders that stick to what mainstream thinking of live axle 4wding tells them to - stick to the ruts. Where the fun in picking a line? Where’s the fun of challenging the vehicle and the driver’s ability?
My L series continues to surprise me when I feel that I’m over the limit of the vehicle’s ability!
Which one do I like most out of the two? Honestly, that’s a tough one. I love my L series as I built it to what it is now and have learnt so much about Subaru’s along the way AND of 4wding techniques. The Pajero is awesome in its own right too - it has some aftermarket support but is still another underrated 4wd (and I like that!). It’s capable, comfortable, can tow and bring the whole family along with it too. Plus it behaves off-road very much like the Subaru due to the all independent suspension - one of the reasons I wanted to move to a Pajero too.
I’m loathe to give up on Ruby Scoo, but with a family that I like taking bush, the Pajero wins on that front. Ruby Scoo is good for two adults and two kids for several days out bush. Three kids got a bit tight but we managed well enough when no3 was quite young.
As for the forester, another reason for their appeal is their ride height in terms of the driver’s sitting position - higher than many sedans and city cars (like the swift for example), and they’re easy to manoeuvre in a car park, which translates well when out bush too. The larger factory tyre size is a significant factor in selecting the forester as an off-roader out of the Subaru line up.
I hope you enjoyed the essay, there are many options out there for off-roading vehicles, I know general road manners and off-road ability are key in our family.
Lastly, many ppl have a particular type of 4wdn that they enjoy most, and thus, set their vehicles up for this type of action. This can mean it won’t be as good as it could be in other settings. Eg: remote long distance desert/sand travel vs high country traversing (still remote in its own right, but not always as long distance as desert travel can be).
Cheers
Bennie
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