SHTF/OFF Road Vehicle

[Chefcook]

I have just purchased a 1994 Camo Geo Tracker 4x4. It has 200000 miles on it but still runs like a March hare. This will be my hunting/range, SHTF kinda off road around town toy play truck. I am not wanting to get a lot of money into this but there are a few things that seem mandatory, for instance the front bumper is all but gone rusted away, so I thought of replacing it with some simple tube stock and doing this on the back as well. I was hoping maybe there was someone on here that has a welder they have just been dieing to use that might want to play some weekend. Also if anyone has any first hand EXP. with this sort of thing I would love some ideas. All I really plan to do is bumpers mud tires and maybe some extra lighting. But like I said this is a $700 Tracker, I don't want to sink a ton of dollars into it.

 

[4sarge]

 

[Chefcook]

I wont have it for a couple more weeks I still owe a few bucks on it. I will post Pics as soon as I get it home...

 

[Waveraider]

Post some pics so we can see what you have.

 

[Dyerbill]

Smart move! It's a ball out there in the woods with 4x4. I have a '96 Dakota I do the same with.

 

[slacker]

If you ever want to go on a road trip to the bad lands count me in! I have been looking for some people to go wheeling with.

 

[jason867]

That'll come in handy when zombies over-run Raccoon city...

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

Be sure to include a tow loop or something on the front and back bumpers for getting pulled out/pulling other people out when they get stuck.

Just curious, but what is the acceleration like in those? I was thinking about getting one, but heard they had something like a measly 85 horses...

 

[slacker]

My sister had a 4x4 sidekick with a 5-speed and it did alright. It was sluggish on the mountains in the northeast, but I think my jeep would be too. I only drove the side kick a few times, but it was not too bad, if you put bigger tires on it I think you would want to re-gear. It maxed out around 73mph on the highway

 

[csaws]

Chef I wish you would have told me you needed a 4x4 I have an 85 Ramcharger I would have sold ya cheap.

Off topic to this thread... Please tell me that wasn't your place that burnt last night.

 

[Stove]

I had a 95 manual soft top. It was my offroad and badlands truck. There are some cheap mods that will make a huge difference. You have to look around the web for details for specifics, but you can add different shocks in the rear and different springs for major articulation. The rear is a 3 link, so it will droop a long way. Mine came with the shocks, I am thinking they were something off a crown vic, or mustang. The springs with slightly longer ones I found at the junk yard. You have to work to get trackers stuck, or at least I did with super swampers. Few pics from the badlands.

 

[Chefcook]

I had a 95 manual soft top. It was my offroad and badlands truck. There are some cheap mods that will make a huge difference. You have to look around the web for details for specifics, but you can add different shocks in the rear and different springs for major articulation. The rear is a 3 link, so it will droop a long way. Mine came with the shocks, I am thinking they were something off a crown vic, or mustang. The springs with slightly longer ones I found at the junk yard. You have to work to get trackers stuck, or at least I did with super swampers. Few pics from the badlands.

Mine is a "94" automatic soft top 4X4 It looks exactly like this except its Camo... One of the first things I need are tires, its got basic street tires on it now. I had found some tube style bumpers online for $161ea front and back, but cant find them again for the life of me. Tires bumpers a winch and some beefed up suspension and maybe a set of off road lights should fill the ticket pretty well. I thought about putting a breather on it also but just the other stuff will probably be double what I paid for it LOL....

 

[El Cazador]

You need a set of these on it:

 

[P-Shooter]

I have a 94 Jeep Cherokee that I've lifted and done various mods to. If I had it to do over, I'd have left it the stock height and just put really aggressive tires on it and maybe cut out the fenders. Now my mileage is crap and regearing is expensive. Also, don't be tempted by the expensive open filter intakes. I've had a K&N and another aftermarket, and have since gone back to the stock. The best performance upgrades I made were a free flow exhaust and header. Having said this, I don't have any experience with the Zuki's themselves. Plus 2 on the above comments concerning recovery points with the new bumpers. Also, you might want to weigh the costs between a winch bumper and winch vs a diff locker. Just my

 

[BurninBrass]

I've played around with Jeeps and more recently toyed with some Suzuki Samurai's. Just my advise, but I would stick with stock-sized aggressive tread tires. The skinnier and lighter the better. Your Tracker either has 80 or 105 HP and the auto trans is only a 3-speed. Larger (read: heavier) tires will add additional rotational weight and lower your gearing. Something you REALLY do not want to do to an already low powered vehicle. Unless of course you plan to upgrade the gears but that will cost more than your original purchase price.

Like everyone else said, put up some pictures after you get it home!

 

[teknickle]

I have a stick welder you can borrow up here in Elkhart.
I got it a couple years ago when the swing arm broke off (from rust) on my old 83 Datzun Sentra diesel (that got 50mpg avg).
I use it pretty seldom, but you are more than welcome to use it.

BTW, I just picked up a new SHTF Jeep wrangler last Friday (post pics soon). I have had a few jeeps and enjoy working on them. (got rid of my 1990 4runner that I got and redid last year).

 

[tyler34]

you can get some dakota(pep boys) mt's cheap and they do the job quite nicely for the price, a plus is they are studdable if the need arrises. and for lighting o'reillys has some H.I.D. driving lights for like $100 that would be the best bang for the buck in that category. you want to think about some cheap fabbed up skid plates too.

 

[Chefcook]

Here is the Tracker Just brought it home...

 

[Mudcat]

Hey that looks familiar at least the paint job does. The Zuks are great vehicles I wheeled the crap out of this $600 piece of Zuk.

 

[Suprtek]

I admit that my vehicle was built more for fun than for a SHTF vehicle but this is what I got. It's still a work in progress (aren't they all?) but I have taken it to Haspin once. It was a blast and I couldn't get it stuck even when I tried. There may be more practical choices for when the SHTF but few would be any more fun. Also, I have a MIG welder if someone wants to come over and burn some metal, I'm on the Southeast side. I'm no expert welder but that's what a grinder is for right? There are more pics and a video at: Pictures by Suprtek - Photobucket