The pinnacle of G-Wagen insanity came in the way of the G550 4X4 Squared—a beast that rode on 37-inch tires and could clear 18-inch obstacles under the diffs thanks to factory portal hub axles. Most civilian H1s came with a GM 6.5L turbo-diesel V8, but some used a gas 5.7L V8. Samis are pokey, but they’re also feathery light at just over one ton. The first 500 Defenders (110 model) arrived in 1993 as a single spec model—all of them were white four-door wagons with a 110-inch wheelbase powered by a 3.9L V8 backed by a five-speed manual. Photo: Nick Taylor,When the North American Spec (NAS) Defenders finally came here in the early 1990s, fans of the Land Rover brand were thrilled.
At each end was a robust solid axle suspended by leaf springs. That means that with some slightly larger floatation tires a Sami is an excellent dune cruiser, despite its modest engine power. That first TJ Rubicon featured some incredible gear for the time: Dana 44 axles loaded with,With their solid axle suspensions and mini-truck dimensions, the 1979-85 Toyota trucks are at home on the trail. The 90’s chief competitor was the Wrangler. And Broncos were offered the option of a limited-slip differential in both axles for excellent grip in the rough. With a flexible suspension, stout drivetrain, stellar reliability, and good dimensions it was extremely capable on the trail. They started with a wish list of parts that Jeepers were looking for in a more hardcore Wrangler.
To further enhance trail performance, the suspension was raised two inches and the front axle was equipped with an electronic disconnecting front swaybar to unlock significant amounts of articulation.
But these trucks stood tall on their stock suspensions, which helped them provide outstanding trail capability out of the box. So, deciding exactly which 4X4s are the most capable of all time in absolute terms is a challenge to be sure. That reliability is a direct result of the bomb-proof straight six.
In terms of drivetrain gold, the high point for half-tons has to be the late 1970s when the bomb-proof granny-low SM465 four-speed manual was available and partnered to the NP 205 transfer case for splitting the power. Those 8-inch axles can be fitted with a variety of lockers and the transfer case can be loaded with lower gears for excellent crawl-ability. Both the first and second generation Raptor (which arrived in 2017) are powerhouse trail machines. An FJ80 with 100,000 miles is considered practically new. Whatever your preference, there’s an SUV out there that is made with your needs in mind, but one feature that stands as a determining factor when it comes time to cease the browsing and make the purchase is reliability. The tiny Samurai rode on a short 80-inch wheelbase—four inches shorter than a CJ-5. Photo: Jeep.The original civilian Jeep, the CJ-2A, was the archetype for just about every recreational 4WD vehicle that came after it. But the last CJs were also much better to drive to the trail. One of our favorites is the CJ-7 Golden Eagle.
At the time, Toyota liked to say that 90 percent of that torque was available at 1,400 rpm, perfect for slow-speed four-wheeling.
And the 1984-85 first-generation 4Runners share all the same parts and are equally great four-wheelers. It is a great choice for those that will actually use the full capability of their four-wheel drive.
Photo: Ford,The Ford Raptor is the truck of choice for anyone that yearns to hit high-speed desert whoops like a pre-runner in a factory fresh 4X4. If your order of qualifying parts identified with a message stating "Qualifies for Free Shipping..." is $75 or more, you may qualify for Free Shipping.The following parts are excluded from Free Shipping unless otherwise stated:The FJ-80 could be considered peak Toyota Land Cruiser.
The first models, like the Power Wagons today, are based on 2500-series Dodge/Ram pickups. Under the hood, there was a choice of either six-cylinder or V8-power. The closest it came to such a thing is ridiculously rare Hickey-developed Desert Fox trucks that could be purchased through GMC dealers. It has to be the 304 V8-powered models of the 1970s.