Best BOV (bug out vehicle)

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by LoganW, Dec 21, 2013.


  1. LoganW

    LoganW Monkey

    Hi - I was wondering what you guys/gals thought the best bug out vehicle is? I think either

    Honda Ridgeback.
    Jeeps either Cherokees, or the ones that people think of when they see jeeps.
    Toyota FJ cruiser.
    Toyota FJ land cruiser.
    I just think that they are the most reliable, What do you think is the best one/ones


    Thanks bye!!!
     
  2. Mindgrinder

    Mindgrinder Karma Pirate Ninja|RIP 12-25-2017

    F-150 4x4 on propane with a self-contained camper, solar panels, pro-pur water filter, chainsaw, tarps, paracord, fishing gear, guns/ammo and a galaxy tablet full of books.
    Cheap easy parts for the most common truck in NA.
     
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  3. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    Get out of dodge quickly :: motorcycle, preferably off-road with large fuel tank.
    Get out of city :: old armored car or ambulance on ford chassis
    Get into the bush with a lot of your stuff :: Deuce and a half with matching trailer.
    Get into the bush with some of your stuff :: 4x4 truck, jeep, SUV

    Get out to anywhere fast?
    How about this.
    PAL-V%20One.
     
  4. mysterymet

    mysterymet Monkey+++

    Jeeps are a favorite of mine. I'd stay away from the old clunker RV they have in the walking dead shows! ;)
     
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  5. Silversnake

    Silversnake Silverback

    Mules. Real half horse, half donkey mules. Go anywhere. Eat on the move. Will help fertilize the garden at the BOL. Eat 'em if you have to.
     
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  6. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    BOV's are just like firearms. There is no one best at it all, but there may just be a best for the situation.
     
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  7. Mindgrinder

    Mindgrinder Karma Pirate Ninja|RIP 12-25-2017

    I'm gonna totally steal this quote.
    It sings to me the same way knocking a rail spike in a tie with 1 swing does.

    Mules for Sale in British Columbia

    HMMMMMM................................................
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2013
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  8. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    I started out, in my "Hippy" Days with a 1955 Dodge PowerWagon Panel Truck. Flathead 6, with Compound Low and 3 Highway Gears. Two Speed Transfer Case with PTO Winch. 3.88 Front and 3.89 Read PosiTraction Differentials. Had LeverLoc Hubs Front and Rear. Had a 10 USG Gas Tank, and got 10 MPG, going UpHill, DownHill, into a hurricane, or being chased by one, @ 60 MPH, flat out. It could "Climb Trees" "Ford Rivers" get itself unstuck, when buried up to the gunnels in Mud, Snow, or Guts. Courted Momma in that truck. I still believe that she married 'Me" just to get the Truck. Oh, the Memories, that were had in that machine.... .... YMMV....
     
  9. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Sounds like my old '66 ford F-100, now long gone.
     
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  10. Mindgrinder

    Mindgrinder Karma Pirate Ninja|RIP 12-25-2017

    i txtd my bro....mule for xmas is total win.
     
  11. LoganW

    LoganW Monkey

    [grlft]
     
  12. NotSoSneaky

    NotSoSneaky former supporter


    Honda is not a real truck.
    Any Jeep or Toyota would be better

    My next truck is gonna be a pre-1970 Ford "something" in 4x4.
    No computer, no pollution control crap or electronics I want points & condenser. I'll upgrade the suspension and brakes and hang a big push bumper off the front.

    That'll do nicely for my needs.
     
  13. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    Just a few, in no order...

    Ford Bronco
    Jeep CJ series
    International Scout

    Geo/Chevy Tracker
    Nissan Pathfinder
    Suzuki Samurai

    I prefer older, as Sneaky said, no computer control crap and sometimes easier to fix and maintain. Of course, there are a few notable vehicles with good 4wd capabilities and are also quite reasonable on gas. Don't underestimate the smaller, lighter 4wd vehicles.
     
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  14. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    The best 4X4 that I have seen, in many years, was the Original Toyota LandRover, with the little 4 cyl Engine. No Emission BS, No Electronic BS, easy to work on. Would go ANYWHERE, easy on the Gas Pump, and the wallet. Not Fast, but if you are in that much of a hurry, Well Good Luck to you.... Tried to buy one after the PowerWagon died, but couldn't really afford it. Settled many years latter for a Subaru wagon for Momma, and a nice Nissan 4X4 Pickup, with a 4 Cyl, 4 speed with OD, 2 Speed Transfer Case w PTO Takeoff. It is still here in the BoneYard. I stopped driving it, not because the Running Gear was bad, but because the Frame was rusted so bad, it was about to BREAK in Half, right behind the Cab. Now I drive a Ford 4X4 Ranger Pickup, with that "F**ked Up Electric Transfer Case. Hasn't worked in years. I just manually put it in 4 wheel Drive, Low Range, and pulled the fuse, so it can't switch back. Oh, and my little Suzuki Samurai, again a small 4 cyl engine, but has so much Emission BS, that only my Brother can work on it. My backup rig, is a Ford Bronco 4X4, with a Big Fuel Injected V8, and all the trimmings. Lucky I don't have to BUY the Fuel for it, but it will go thru snow like there is No tomorrow.
     
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  15. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Strongly recommend striking the Geo from your list. Had one as a company car for a while, spent more time in the shop than under me. Might be a bad sample, but we had two, and both got pretty well shop worn.
     
  16. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Were those the ones with the 3 cylinder aluminum blocks? I know they had trouble with those.
     
  17. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Wasn't the engine with problems, tho' it was the three banger. Chassis was pretty weak. We used them back and forth to work as well as on the so called roads on site. Rattles and mis-alignments, mostly. Nobody cared about the rattles, but pulling left or right, or refusing to steer or stop, well ---
     
  18. gunbunny

    gunbunny Never Trust A Bunny

    As a Jeep enthusiast, and an owner of several models of them, I feel safe throwing my opinion around on this thread:
    1) Forget the CJ. The suspension is crap. The AMC model 20 rear axle found in most cj's is regarded as "only slightly less pathetic, and at least not a C-clip" than a DANA 35. Nobody wheels a CJ because it good at what it does, they wheel it because they like the CJ series.

    2) The early YJ's (88-89) have a 258 I-6 under the hood, but are plagued by the Peugeot transmission that Chrysler mated to the engine. In 1990, they moved to the 4.0L (same engine, just fuel injected) and the AX-15 5 speed transmission (a bit better tranny). The suspension is FAR sturdier, but was hampered by the Chrysler safety staff by the addition of a rear track bar, and front & rear sway bars. You don't need them with a leaf spring setup, they are redundant, get rid of them, and your YJ will run circles around other YJ's in the woods. Most YJ's have the Damn DANA 35 rear axle which is only strong enough to run a 31" tire with a locker. It will snap with anything else larger under stress. If you are lucky, you can find a DANA 44. I was NEVER lucky.

    3) The infamous Cherokee XJ was a really nice example of a good thing that eventually killed itself. Like the VW bug, you can't produce a vehicle for 20 years and not expect people to buy used ones. The ONLY thing I didn't like about my old XJ was the fact that it was a unit body. When a rust spot appeared at the bottom of the door pillar, I knew it's days were numbered. The four doors had an I6 4.0L, plenty of room, and could tow 3500lbs without a problem. Many came from the factory with the Chrysler 8.25 rear axle, and is capable of rolling on 33's with a locker without breaking, and run 35's unlocked without breaking.

    4) TJ's have the most soft, supple, and stretchy suspensions of all the jeeps I've driven. They may not be able to handle the weight that a YJ could, but they are far better at rolling over things than a leaf spring suspension. The TJ's are stuck with the super stupid DANA 35 rear axle, unless you are lucky enough to find a Rubicon. They are worth the extra money, and you will not have to do a thing to them to wheel in the majority of terrain you find.

    5) An LJ is just like a TJ, only it is 12" longer. The wheelbase is 6" further back, and will help greatly with climbing. I don't know how well that will help you when cresting, but I've seen them climb like and SOB. No 4 cylinders were made, just inline 6's, and DANA 44's. If you can find an LJ, GET IT; I have yet to see (even used) one for sale that is not asking for my first born.

    6) The new JK's have awesome axles out of the box, but they are very expensive, 2" larger in every dimension, and have very thin bodywork. You can dent the hood of a JK by just looking at it angrily. Did I mention that they are quite expensive? The fenders are all plastic and can be removed easily, which is a plus, and can then put them back on when done wheeling.

    So, what I have been working on in the past few years- a stock 1989 YJ Laredo, 258 (carbeurated) I6. I need to remove the dumb Peugeot and replace with an AX-15 that I already have sitting around. Remove the track bar and sway bars, run 31" tires with quick-loc ratcheting lockers front and rear (already have them, too), and repaint so it doesn't rust away.

    My other Jeep, a TJ, is a daily driver. I'm going to experiment with airbags in the suspension controlled by individual psi controllers so I can sidehill with ease, and tow like a champ without bottoming out. I want to replace the rear axle with a Chrysler 8.25 (which I have sitting around) but I have to remove the leaf spring stuff and weld on coil spring perches. When that is all done, I'll have to regear it to match my 4:10's that I already changed it to a few years ago (I'm NEVER going back- high gears kick butt) and put a selectable OX locker ($$$) in it. I'm running 31" tires at the moment, but I should be able to run 32" tires without a problem. Money is my only problem...

    What would be my dream Jeep? Around where I wheel, I would love to have a CJ-3A again (sold it for a CJ-7) and modify it with a GM 2.1L 4 cylinder motor. Those things run forever and put out 85 horsepower. Much better than the L head 4 cylinder 40 horse motor that came in them. A 2" lift would allow 34" narrow tread super swamper tires on 15" rims. Remove the windshield and aftermarket roll bar, and safety be damned, you would have one awesome Jeep for the twisty trails, rock steps, and occasional muddy run that we usually encounter in the Northeast.
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2013
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  19. techsar

    techsar Monkey+++

    There is no one "best" BOV, but the Ridgeline and FJ aren't them. Loaded with electronics, piss-poor fuel economy, heavy and expensive to repair.

    What works as a fantastic solution for a bachelor is not going to be worth a hill of bean to a family of five. What are you trying to do with it?
     
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  20. LoganW

    LoganW Monkey


    Well.....I looked it up and I kinda like the Suzuki Samurai,

    Why is Honda not a real truck?.......

    I think what I'll end up doing is going to a junkyard, and getting the vehicle I want, but still, please keep it coming, I still want to know what you guys think.
     
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