Is your 4x4 a "Must Have" or "Nice to Have"

[Orv]

Originally Posted by rt66paul

https://youtu.be/qfirnP08FP0

I had a '75 VW Bus, a Westfalia conversion, for a while. That thing was darn near unstoppable in snow. It would climb hills like nobody's business. Going downhill required a bit more care, though -- if you turned a corner on a slippery downhill slope, all that engine weight would want to *keep* going downhill and you could find yourself doing an unintended 180. (A Porsche 911 owner once told me they call that "getting ambushed.")

Sadly that Bus had spent its entire life in Michigan, and it was approximately 80% rust by weight, so eventually I had to get rid of it. Most cars I had when I lived in the Midwest had that fate. Usually I could only sell them "for parts" by the time I got rid of them.

[86Scotty]

A VW bus, any year, is an unfair comparison. The Germans did some crazy voodoo on those things and they defy physics. They will literally go almost anywhere.

The short time I had a Westy Vanagon I did my best to get it stuck and never did.

I have been shamed more than once cruising around offroad with my buddy in his show quality 69 Westfalia with teeny skinny tires on beautiful original steelies. It's so small he can shame my overlandy trucks and still not get scratched up.

[Twoxentrix]

Always fun when someone's comment brings back fond memories - Back in the latter 70's my best friend had a VW Baja...street tires in the front and larger muds on the rear. There was a hill climb at the eastern end of the town we lived in which all kinds of Jeeps and pickups challenged on weekend afternoons- very few could make it over the top, but that Baja made it almost every time.
We'd do donuts in parking lots and dirt fields (well, we'd get reckless just about anywhere). Occasionally we'd hit something that would bend one of the front tires inward - we carried a thick 4ft metal bar we'd use to just bend them back. No issues. I too have an appreciation for what VW's are capable of!

[lmpetersen]

This has been a great thread to read, and one I have been looking for. My wife and I recently upgraded from our beloved 1994 e150 to a 2011 2WD Sportsmobile. We do a lot of camping, and almost always have friends around with winches in the event that we get stuck. In our '94, we really tested it...and got very very stuck a few times. Haven't really put the new one through its paces yet, but from what I have tried the traction control actually works pretty good. It's not LSD, but it seems to do more than nothing. I have a built Xterra that we use for serious off roading, and I am no expert...but it helps to kind of know what to try and what not to try. So based on what we use it for, a family station wagon/camper that occasionally goes into the backcountry, we decided to get the Weldtec 6" package. I am very excited to get it installed, and then maybe eventually add a locker and have onboard air. I am hopeful that we can do Baja...and stay on the roads, avoiding sand, but most of our travel is in the PNW in the spring summer and fall. I will be reporting on what you can do safely with 2wd, since it is kind of a topic that lacks input from van owners.

[wander]

I have a 2WD SMB and am in the process of getting it converted to 4wd (+12,000# winch). For me, it's an insurance policy that enables me to go down some trails I wouldn't otherwise.

[vandiesel]

I did forget to mention that I made it up to burnt knob on the macgruder corridor in 2wd. I would have bet $1000 it would not be possible. I was more than amazed at what my tank did in 2wd.

[vandiesel]

This is a major rock crawl

[Eric06E350]

I am thinking about upgrading my 06 E350 to a LSD. Does anyone know of any reliable shops here in Vacaville (Northern Calif) area for this project?
Thanks in advance,
Eric