OV Capabilities and Limitations

[NW David]

Fellow Overlanders,

Do you know your vehicles Capabilities/Limitations?

This is an intentionally vague question; Some specs are more important than others. Myself I have a lil one, and that kiddos’ safety dictates many of my actions. How far you take it is up to you.

Manufactures vehicle specifications are “unloaded” specs. While they are a great decision making tool. These specs are meant to present the vehicle under “ideal” conditions. For better or worse, the mods we do, effect the performance of our rigs. We, the (pro)consumers and operators of these vehicles should know that; what we do changes how our vehicles behave. Aaaand the more we do to our vehicles, the more complicated it gets.

Sure add that beefy steel bumper and tire carrier system. Throw on the Roof Rack System and Roof Top Tent. Compressors, winches, dual batteries, suspension the list of modifications can be seemingly endless. Me, i want them all. You might ask me “Why?” Which I would no doubt shrug and respond along the lines of “Because reasons.” or “Why not?”.

It can be fun and easy to get lost in the cool stats. Stats like livable space, entry and departure angles. Clearances, Horsepower and Torque. Man, I can feel my beard growing just thinking about all this manly shit!

I digress. What i am trying to say is…

All the gear and mods add weight, and that weight changes Fuel economy, stopping distance, it changes the angle of your vehicle while loaded or unloaded.

Why does that matter?

(It matters) Because we travel with our loved ones in our vehicles. If yer all by your onsies, then you travel inhabited areas where the zombie fodder live with their loved ones. If by some chance your rig never sees society, then remember, it holds YOU. I sincerely hope that you care enough about your own well being to know that; your rig no longer goes X-MPG, nor will it stop as fast as it did as lighter unmodified vehicle with smaller tires.

In all reality this isn't for just overlanders, this is for anyone who changes their vehicle with aftermarket “upgrades”, or consistently carry large loads(lol large loads…).

One quote resounds quite loudly to me.

“Any fool can know, the point is to understand.”
- Albert Einstein

Get out when and where you can it doest take a genius to be safe out there! “Outfit and Explore” right!?

Hope to see you out there,
NW David

 

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

Very good point, and one I think about every time I see a massively lifted pick-up on 37's tearing down the highway at 90mph.

Asking "why" when it comes to mods can be important, though "because I want to" is usually good enough (it's a free country, right?) A more useful question is "what does this mod mean for the performance and handling of my vehicle?" Improving off road capability often means diminishing on road manners and maneuverability, and it's important to consider such things.

 

[NW David]

Yessiree, exactly what I was trying to convey.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Classic City Overland]

To add to this, now that more and more people are "overland" wanting. It that I think that folks that end up modding their vehicle and then either loaning them out or selling them should do their very best to inform the person who is going to be operating the vehicle of any changes. I have a lifted and locked Amigo, and you wouldn't believe the look I get from tire shop guys and the alignment place when I tell them to be careful driving it, because they usually like to take a "spin" to make sure all is well. I also got some little stickers with warnings in the middle of the gauge panel for this reason. Alot of people think a "car is a car" even though its a 20+ year old lifted truck, it handles much differently than a new car.

As for the "improvements" affecting handling, I think SOME of the aftermarket folks dont do a great job explaining the Cons of their products. I can tell you from my locker installation on both the front and rear, that at least some manufacturers bring up "drivability" issues first thing. For example, If you get a locker there are alot of warnings and notes and flags in the manuals to tell you what your getting into and how they make your car CHANGE. And in my case with "auto-lockers" you have to change your driving style and that is too much for alot of people, thats why selectable lockers are so popular.

If you plan on investing your time and money on any mod, do plenty of research and determine if its worth it and livable too you. In my case it is, but its not for everybody.

Eric

 

[Dakeg218]

I try to keep my mods and weight to a minimum by %. This is one area where the LR3 shines a bit. I can add the larger tires and electronically adjust the ride height so my overall CG is about the same as stock on the road. This should keep all my safety devices (anti roll over, abs, TC, ect.) working about as stock. When I get to the trail the off-road height is put in and off I go.

As to what I mean by weight by %, a quicks story. Between the massive trucks of my youth (Bronco on 38s) and the more sensible off-road rigs recently, there was an 09 Masza 3. The wife and I took it camping often, not way out but usually parking it and hiking into camp. I'd like you to imaging your rig loaded up, remove the recovery gear, and stuff all that into a little Mazda. To say it was full is an understatement. It looked like the lead sleds from the 50s with the back end dragging.

One ride home in the rain an infinity came onto the highway at 90+, slid and clipped my rear end. Not hard but at 70 with that load in the back I crossed 3 lanes of traffic and went head on into the concrete barrier.

By my guesstimate I had roughly 800lbs in the back, plus me (250) the wife (can't say) and the dog. We were probably 1300 lbs poorly distributed in the 2600lb car. 150% capacity. Take that same load and distribute it flat in the back of the Roaver at nearly 6000lbs you are well within that cars designed capacity.

Think about you jacked up Toyota with 400lbs on the roof at highway speed...all cars have roof load capacities and they have little or nothing to do with what roof colapsing.