What is a good small 4x4 pickup?

[aczlan]

Just for conversation- As was just mentioned by Islandtractor One thing most folks are either unaware of or forget to mention is braking ability is so much improved when both ends are tied together in 4wd/AWD be it a truck or car.
Subaru's are superior in that respect in that they are all AWD and most later models have 4WAL. :thumbsup:

Please expound on this. How can AWD or FWD provide better braking than 4 wheel ABS?
The '97 Dodge 1500 I mentioned will stop better on ice in 4wd, but that is because the ABS is not very good and it is somewhat weak in the rear brakes department. My Volvo V90 with good ABS and 4 wheel discs will outstop the truck on most any surface. The V90 also has a "winter" mode which changes shift points to reduce torque when taking off and prevent wheelspin.

Aaron Z

 

[IndyIan]

Just for conversation- As was just mentioned by Islandtractor One thing most folks are either unaware of or forget to mention is braking ability is so much improved when both ends are tied together in 4wd/AWD be it a truck or car.

Subaru's are superior in that respect in that they are all AWD and most later models have 4WAL. :thumbsup:

Eh, I think if you read the fine print, all the automatic subaru's are fwd until the front wheels spin(just like the CRV and most other SUV's based on cars), and the old manual trans ones had an open centre dif. Maybe its just my Tracker but I find in 4wd(no centre dif, no fluid couplings, no electronic anything like ABS, ESC, etc..) having the rears tied to the fronts helps until all 4 start to slide and then you may have to start counter steering...
A fwd car with ABS and snow tires may not stop quite as fast but it will stay straighter in my experience which is more important at highway speeds.

 

[downslope]

I wish you luck man :thumbsup: it takes a big person to get on these forums with personal questions or situations and suffer the wrath of naysayers etc.

Btw I am all for the Civic I have rebuilt and sold lots and lots of them when I was a used car dealer. And I could sell a yard full of them now if I had em on hand with gas as high as it is etc.

fwtw My wife drives a 99 EX 4dr Civic now I bought wrecked and rebuilt fact I made one car out of two put a front clip on it 10 years ago gets 35 on the road 27 in town cheap reliable transportation that and they ride a lot better than Corollas which are the same class car. good luck

Was the engine in the EX's of those years a little larger displacement than the lower line Civic models? If so, do the smaller engines get a little better gas mileage? Thanks for your info.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

A Subaru Baja may suit you if you can find one. They stopped making them in 2006. You will want the non-turbo model to get 26-28 mpg. In the back, you could haul 0.25 cord of wood, or a washer or a dryer, but not much else. I haul wood in mine, and have hauled a 500 lb wood stove.
That is an AWD vehicle, so it is ready for a slip at all times.

EE Bota,

IF I could find one, and IF I could afford it... I would TOTALLY go for one of those. Even the bright yellow one...

David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I have a 1998 Ranger that has 183,000 miles and counting. Gas mileage is decent (~24) but it keeps going and going.

How much do you want for it?

David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I think he should get a compact car with R1 tires, a gear drive, a dodge motor, chevy transmission, ford body painted Deere green with NH blue wheels and Kubota orange racing stripes. I think that should cover everything!

I'll TAKE IT!!!!:thumbsup:

You had me at the R1 tires...:laughing:

David

 

[IslandTractor]

Just for conversation- As was just mentioned by Islandtractor One thing most folks are either unaware of or forget to mention is braking ability is so much improved when both ends are tied together in 4wd/AWD be it a truck or car.

Subaru's are superior in that respect in that they are all AWD and most later models have 4WAL. :thumbsup:

I think you are wrong. AWD and 4x4 vehicles have no better braking than similar 2wd vehicles. AWD has a slight advantage in handling over 2wd in extreme situations but braking is identical or because 4x4 and AWD versions are always heavier the braking would be slightly worse.

Other than ABS and vehicle weight the only important factor in braking in snow is traction which has nothing to do with the drivetrain when stopping.

Maybe the urban myth that AWD or 4x4 gives better braking in ice and snow is why we see so
many of them in snow banks!

 

[Car Doc]

I think you are wrong. AWD and 4x4 vehicles have no better braking than similar 2wd vehicles. AWD has a slight advantage in handling over 2wd in extreme situations but braking is identical or because 4x4 and AWD versions are always heavier the braking would be slightly worse.

Other than ABS and vehicle weight the only important factor in braking in snow is traction which has nothing to do with the drivetrain when stopping.

Maybe the urban myth that AWD or 4x4 gives better braking in ice and snow is why we see so
many of them in snow banks!

Ever try to spin a wheel thats off the ground on a 4wd thats locked in? Cant do it and its same with skidding one there in lies the reason braking is better in 4wd no myth whatsoever pure mechanics.

I imagine the real reason people end up in snow banks all over the country is because they are over driving their ability or are avoiding someone else who is but there again I may be wrong.

 

[aczlan]

Ever try to spin a wheel thats off the ground on a 4wd thats locked in? Cant do it and its same with skidding one there in lies the reason braking is better in 4wd no myth whatsoever pure mechanics.

So the 4wd forces all the wheels to keep turning, just like ABS... Why dont you think that my 4 wheel discs wont do the same?

I imagine the real reason people end up in snow banks all over the country is because they are over driving their ability or are avoiding someone else who is but there again I may be wrong.

I think that they are overdriving the traction available to brake and/or steer with as they have enough traction (thanks to 4wd) to go faster.

Aaron Z

 

[Car Doc]

Was the engine in the EX's of those years a little larger displacement than the lower line Civic models? If so, do the smaller engines get a little better gas mileage? Thanks for your info.

The EX designates it has the the VTEC engine that has 3 lobes on the cam for intake (same in all Honda cars) where at a certain rpm or throttle position a solenoid on the outside of the cyl head opens and an oil operated valve moves a dowel pin over and locks the other intake valve rocker in to the VTEC intake rocker arm and using a higher lift lobe under it on the cam giving the engine better low end and top end. The engine operates with the low lift lobe for the intake valves at other rpms for low end power. The VTEC engines are all port injected and the rest are throttle body btw.

The x's below the EX (C,D etc) are 1.6 also in 99 anyway earlier Civics were 1.5 and all have about the same mpg from my experience their all good! :thumbsup: