The Automotive Thread

[Orchid PE]

Definitely gonna be after millennials. It's those gen z'ers that don't know how to drive a standard.

Also, looks like the trust fund kids tried to go off-roading lol

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[Dothracki PE]

I used to know how to drive manual when I was a valet in high school/college. Now I am out of practice.

Also got myself a new hybrid car this weekend. Doesn't quite fit in the trend of this thread but I have seen some videos of people taking the Rav4 Hybrid off-roading.

 

[Road Guy]

if its like the 4WD on my sons Rav 4 (2009) it will only go in 4WD up to around 15 -18 mph?

But he drove it home last thanksgiving through a straight up blizzard From South Dakota - Wyoming - Colorado and it did really well just in the FWD mostly - 

 

[Road Guy]

This is sort of automotive, redneck engineering here...but last year went camping, backed my trusted hitch hauler into a tree:

 - I bought this in 2002- first family trip to the beach when my oldest was 3, middle was a little over 1, youngest wasnt born yet, since then its been on every road trip we have ever made as a family, from Key Largo to Yellowstone.. Its also rated to hold 2000 lbs and not like the ones you buy at the wal mart - 



Tried to find a welder locally, most still wanted more money than I wanted to spend, so I got out the old sawzall..

and then flattened the piece out:



Then a few drill bits later..





Probably not rated at a ton anymore but I got in the back and jumped up and down and it still held  - Im going to add some reinformcement for where the steel mesh was bent, but I mainly use it for camping and winter trips when the ski's take up all the space in the thule..

Yeah I know it looks a litte  ghetto fabulous, gonna rattle can that  

 

[Orchid PE]

I used to know how to drive manual when I was a valet in high school/college. Now I am out of practice.

Also got myself a new hybrid car this weekend. Doesn't quite fit in the trend of this thread but I have seen some videos of people taking the Rav4 Hybrid off-roading.

Hey, as long as it has an engine it's fair game.

I've been considering a Tesla. Yeah, super expensive, but I'm only going to live once! If anything, I'd get that cybertruck and put it through the paces out on a trail. I'd want the tri motor model. The only thing I'm concerned about is that it's marketed as AWD and not 4WD. That could be a deal-breaker for me if I can't lock in into 4WD.

 

[Orchid PE]

Its also rated to hold 2000 lbs and not like the ones you buy at the wal mart

lol What's the tongue capacity of your Jeep?

 

[Road Guy]

porbably not that!

I did use it when I had my old TJ to haul half a pallett of sod to the house from the sod farm ( full pallet in two trips)

I was worried it was going to fall off the frame - mainly becasue that jeep had been in Pennsyvalnia and had its share of rust

If I decide to stay in my house and make the commute I have been thinking about getting the cheaper tesla - the self driving part would be pretty sweet for me - I dont know about the truck though..

 

[Dothracki PE]

Hey, as long as it has an engine it's fair game.

I've been considering a Tesla. Yeah, super expensive, but I'm only going to live once! If anything, I'd get that cybertruck and put it through the paces out on a trail. I'd want the tri motor model. The only thing I'm concerned about is that it's marketed as AWD and not 4WD. That could be a deal-breaker for me if I can't lock in into 4WD.

I think they have been coming down in price lately. The model 3 is relatively affordable although not much of an offroad vehicle. Plus the amount of features they pack into the car makes it worth the pricetag.

 

[Supe]

Does anyone have a hitch mount cargo carrier they really like?  Our options are either trade in for a larger SUV (not in the cards), or find a hitch mount weatherproof carrier we can use that will fit at least two medium sized suitcases plus some miscellaneous crap in it.  Looks like these stupid things are around $800 a pop?

 

[Road Guy]

See my post above

But what we normally do is I have a large black toolbox thing (you could put a smallperson in there) for clothes / suitcases - and then there is room for a large cooler - that is our normal winter time setup just to keep the snow out of it.

But the really good ones are in that price range - I found some aluminum ones online but I havent seen 

Mine above was $250 in 2001 dollars - I got it at one of those places that sells truck camper tops and they had a bunch of these out for sale -I used to loan it to a friend in Atlanta and he would carry his dirt bike on it

Do you have a roof rack? You can fit a lot in those large Thule Roof Racks ( for us we put 5 peoples ski gear in there with room) you coudl probably get at least one large suitcase in it + a medium size one?

 

[Supe]

No roof rack.  Any idea what cu/ft your box is?  I guess the perk of the pricier ones is that they either slide out or swing away from the back for hatch access.  We would want one that swings out if possible since we'd be using it with dogs that need to hop in and out.

 

[Road Guy]

ill measure it when I get home, 

 

[bwin12]

Does anyone have a hitch mount cargo carrier they really like?  Our options are either trade in for a larger SUV (not in the cards), or find a hitch mount weatherproof carrier we can use that will fit at least two medium sized suitcases plus some miscellaneous crap in it.  Looks like these stupid things are around $800 a pop?

Do  you have the ability to make your own? Or have a fab shop do it? Just go with the heaviest steel available, well for the hitch/tongue at least. 

The carrier worked fine. I saw it laying next to my dads scrap pile when I visited my parents this summer.

The XJ was not a fan. 

 

[envirotex]

Does anyone have a hitch mount cargo carrier they really like?  Our options are either trade in for a larger SUV (not in the cards), or find a hitch mount weatherproof carrier we can use that will fit at least two medium sized suitcases plus some miscellaneous crap in it.  Looks like these stupid things are around $800 a pop?

We got one for free from someone who never used theirs...check FB marketplace....

 

[Supe]

Do  you have the ability to make your own

Yes, but I wouldn't be able to make one that's waterproof, which is why I'd prefer to not just use the tray style.  Honestly, the tray style are so cheap it's nearly break-even vs. my costs to build anyways.

 

[Road Guy]

Supe not sure what type of vehcile you have but you can add a roof rack to just about any car (Thule does have that **** figured out)

Expecially if you want waterproof I have seen some enclosed hitch haulers on the road but they look pricey

This is our set up for water / snow proofing - The box is way up on a shelf so I didnt measure it but the hauler is 5FT X 2 FT - Depth is 6 IN

This was the onlly pic I could find of it loaded with our "box" - but I would use this for our road trips from Atlanta to the Keys (it would usually rain a ton) and this would stay dry -

This pic is pre lift but I had to add an extender to the jeep becasue the new spare tire was too big for the hitxh hauler to fit the hitch -

 

[Road Guy]

& yes thats the OG engineerboards.com decal on the side there

 

[Road Guy]

Do  you have the ability to make your own? Or have a fab shop do it? Just go with the heaviest steel available, well for the hitch/tongue at least. 

The carrier worked fine. I saw it laying next to my dads scrap pile when I visited my parents this summer.

The XJ was not a fan. 

View attachment 18589

the XJ just needs a suspension upgrade for the weight!

Do they still have the XJ?

 

[bwin12]

Or balance... I remember I felt like I could pop a wheelie in that setup easier than the R6...

I think the last year they made them was 2001. That one was a 99. My dad bought 3 black 1999's that had been in accidents in 2005. I picked the Classic, very easy to work on. My brother and I each robbed parts off the 3rd. It was an awesome vehicle to have in college. I am 100% certain the airbag would not have gone off if I had been in an accident after my replacement. Very good regarding sport and even better utility. But it got like 11 mpg in the city and when I got my first real job I traded it in for a Saab. 

 

[Road Guy]

Did some wheeling with the daughter and some of her friends today- man I forgot how much better the 2 DR jeeps are compared to the 4 doors (and probably anything else) - hers is basically stock 33’s- no lift - but that thing made some climbs that mine was struggling with- and made it look easy. Just like watching a billy goat walk on a steep slope with ease..

gotta ditch this 4 door!