How much truck

[LittleEars]

So Warwick northern New and Gympie are the areas I can get too.
I took a trip to Warwick and since I don't currently have a truck I ended up hiking about 10k a day. I would rather spend that time digging and panning and it just so happens that it is time for me to get a new vehicle.
How much truck do you all use that you are happy with?

 

[xcvator]

Depends on how hairy a chest you've got
I've got a 1999 diesel 4wd "jackaroo" that gets me pretty well any where I need/want to go and tows our smallish van well. Couple of mates have v8 turbo diesels, front and rear diff lockers, 3" exhausts,12000kg winch's that can get to places I can't .
How deep are your pockets, how long is a piece of string ?
More importantly if it gets you in there can you get back out (on your own )

 

[Occasional_panner]

So Warwick northern New and Gympie are the areas I can get too.
I took a trip to Warwick and since I don't currently have a truck I ended up hiking about 10k a day. I would rather spend that time digging and panning and it just so happens that it is time for me to get a new vehicle.
How much truck do you all use that you are happy with?

Have a read through this thread mate.
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=20189&p=1

 

[Peko]

You don't need a truck you need a 4wd

 

[LittleEars]

Xcvator - A jackaroo, that is awesome. For myself I would take the punt but I will be hauling my son out with me so the equation changes a bit.
Occasional - that is a mighty fine link, thank you.
Peko - good point, with the cost difference between a truck and a 4wd I might consider buying a truck instead and use the savings to buysome bikes and ride in.
I really really don't know how I want to try and crack this nut. I do know I would like to skip ideas people have tried and found to be no good.
I think I will come at this a different way in a new thread.

 

[Potbelly11]

I also own a 1999 td jackaroo and unless you can swing spanners pretty well I would say steer well clear of this model!

I do love my jack though

 

[GypsyGoldAu]

Used to have a 3" lifted Landcruiser (which i loved) and now own a 4wd Mazda Bravo (1994) dual cab ute..

Had a mate who used to get out bush in a 1987 Ford Fairlane....another used to treck the scrub in a Merc 380...and another had one of those three cylinder micro vans (Daihatsu?) and camped out in swags..

If you drive to the limits of the vehicle, you will surprise yourself just where you can go, but beware of the limits.

If your worried about paintwork, i wouldn't get a truck for some of the narrow (treed in tracks) passages and overgrown tracks...out west or in the territory may be different though...

 

[Occasional_panner]

I know someone that walks and uses a pedal bike, the minute he has an opportunity to buy a 4wd He'd bloody pounce on it.
Simple fact is mate, if you go to hard to reach spots the right equipment is required.

I don't quite know where the need for a truck idea came from, they are wider, don't have as much traction and have a terrible turning circle compared to a 4wd.
Depending on models etc you could get by with $5k for a 4wd, prob $10k would be wiser though.
I've never seen a small truck anywhere in the areas I go, you'll find the difference between 2wd and 4 wd is so so so bloody massive you really will never go back once you see what they can do.

 

[ballarat_gold]

Ive seen a 20+ seater bus converted into a motor home trowling creswick before...All i could think was 'good luck getting anywhere off the main tracks'. 4x4 be your friend in this situation mate.

 

[Nanjim]

We have an 80 series Landcruser ...
Most of the fruit winch etc .....
Gets us we're we want to go ....
Basicly if it is not Deissel and 4x4 it is not worth owning.....
Just my 2 bobs worth....

Cheers Nanjim
Jim

 

[7.62marksman]

4x4 will get you into so many places
No 4x4 just park and walk carrying alk your gear while the rest drive past or
If you try to drive in wait for someone to come and pull you out of a bog
or better still get a PLB and when you are out in the middle of nowhere and get bogged set it off and waste all the peoples time to come and get you
JMO is all

 

[LittleEars]

Listening to you all talk it is feeling like a good 4x4 is near a basic requirement.
I am such a cheep/poor *******, it is going to be hard to give up my i30 diesel. The last 6 hour round trip to Warwick I did on a half tank of fuel.
It would be good to have some capacity again though.

 

[Eric2017]

I have a Patrol, small lift and mud terrain tyres. Plus recovery gear and compressor.

Gets me anywhere we want to go and space for kit.

 

[G0lddigg@]

i used to run a gq patrol td42 naturally aspirated best truck i ever had, sold her when the kids came around and bought a nice neat gu patrol... cant go past a patrol but the older ones lend themselves better to pushing throught the scrub... ask me whats the best truck for getting out there and old diesel gq anyday and they can be got for $3000 easily and with only a little lift and decent bearings and tyres your good to go.

 

[lukem]

Can't beat a 99 - 02 ford courier turbo diesel 4x4. Put a waeco in the back an a yzf250. Just shy of 600,000kms in mine before we parted ways. Never did bush in it, but never been bogged fully loaded from top to bottom of Fraser a few times. Was a NSW rails ute when I got it, put heavy duty suspension on an recon diesel pump. Kept water, fuel and oil topped an never got a service for the last 300,000km.

If you don't plan on towing a big boat or large camper van, wouldn't touch a patrol or land cruiser. Power to weight to fuel is worse than a mack truck. New parts pricing is like a European sports car.

 

[The Green Wanderer]

Have a look back at some of the 4x4 discussions on here...

Its pretty much horses for courses mate, how much gear and passengers do you need to haul? How much are you willing to spend? What is the worst terrain you want to drive over?

As has been said, you can get any number of trucks for sub 10k. From micro 4bys like the suzuki jimny, daihatsu rocky or feroza, mid size like the mitsubishi pajero, toyota prado or landrover discovery up to large rigs like a cruiser, patrol or troopcarrier...

Then theres the ever growing range of 4x4 utes...

Diesel, petrol or gas....

Already modified or stock standard...

Just my opinion but im so happy with the 2nd hand toyota I bought several years ago I'll buy another when its time

Best of luck with your 4x4 hunting.
TGW.

 

[Solid Luck]

I've got a stock Triton and I was navigating one of the worst tracks ever (for me) yesterday around Blackwood. Made me realise how much you need to have recovery gear.
Went through three massive bogs and just made it but then hit the creek crossing in the valley and I was done. Had to turn around and go through the same bogs again.

Floored it and crossed my fingers

Travel with others if possible as well.
Depends how much you want to spend and how much damage you are willing to put up with. Cause inevitably the damage will happen. I've got stacks of new scratches on my paintwork and a decent sized ding from some freakin' log smashing my drivers side door.

*Disclaimer: I am not in anyway experienced in 4W Driving. But always willing to give it a go.

"it's only a car" in the end.

 

[Occasional_panner]

I've got a stock Triton and I was navigating one of the worst tracks ever (for me) yesterday around Blackwood. Made me realise how much you need to have recovery gear.
Went through three massive bogs and just made it but then hit the creek crossing in the valley and I was done. Had to turn around and go through the same bogs again.

Floored it and crossed my fingers

Travel with others if possible as well.
Depends how much you want to spend and how much damage you are willing to put up with. Cause inevitably the damage will happen. I've got stacks of new scratches on my paintwork and a decent sized ding from some freakin' log smashing my drivers side door.

*Disclaimer: I am not in anyway experienced in 4W Driving. But always willing to give it a go.

"it's only a car" in the end.

Did you deflate the tyres?

Sorry OP getting off topic here.

 

[Rockhunter62]

I use a 2012 Isuzu D Max 4x4 and it gets me to all the places I need to go. If you drive to conditions you will get to most of the places you want to go. You could always just get a Model T Ford, skinny tyres, high clearance and low geared and would go most places that our modern 4x4's go.

Cheers

Doug

 

[Solid Luck]

I've got a stock Triton and I was navigating one of the worst tracks ever (for me) yesterday around Blackwood. Made me realise how much you need to have recovery gear.
Went through three massive bogs and just made it but then hit the creek crossing in the valley and I was done. Had to turn around and go through the same bogs again.

Floored it and crossed my fingers

Travel with others if possible as well.
Depends how much you want to spend and how much damage you are willing to put up with. Cause inevitably the damage will happen. I've got stacks of new scratches on my paintwork and a decent sized ding from some freakin' log smashing my drivers side door.

*Disclaimer: I am not in anyway experienced in 4W Driving. But always willing to give it a go.

"it's only a car" in the end.

Did you deflate the tyres?

Sorry OP getting off topic here.

No Op. But it did cross my mind. I was probably lucky I didn't blow a tyre. I do not have a compressor. As mentioned I am stock. No mods yet.