Curbside Wordless Outtake: Two Unibody Offroaders
– Posted on April 21, 2020
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I’ve owned and off roaded two Jeep XJs. Their structure and unit body design is their best feature and a monument to strength and rigidity without excess weight. Its impressive how the off road crowd, normally a traditional, conservative bunch who favor old school engineering embraced the XJ platform for serious off road expeditions for many years .
I’ve seen numerous customized Jeep Cherokees in Oregon, but never a Subaru modified so extensively. Sure, I’ve seen Subarus lowered and lifted, but not to this degree. Wonder how that Outback handles the rough routes?
Nissan Pathfinder, except one generation model, is unibody construction. Jeep XJ was definitely very advanced design when it was introduced. But it couldn’t make AMC being an independent while making a lot $$$ for Chrysler. I read on this site someone saying Jeep and AMC computer aid design program were the primary reason Chrysler acquiring AMC in 80s.
“except one generation model”
Not quite. The initial WD21s were BOF, then unibodies for the R50s, then back to BOF for the R51s. I won’t even speak of the horrible FWD minivans they’re slapping that badge on now…
As a former Subaru owner who did go off pavement quite a bit, I think the current fad for lifted and modded late-model Subie’s is pointless. They will never be a great vehicle for really rough stuff, and the mods make them much worse on the road. But this one looks less pretentious and quite a bit of fun. As for the XJ, I’ve recently gotten hooked on the YouTube videos of Winder Towing in Hurricane (pronounced “Herkin”) Utah. The owner Matt uses an XJ to do some amazing offroad recoveries including some big truck and RV extractions in mud, sand, snow … sometimes all three. His XJ isn’t quite stock, but still pretty basic.
I agree Dman. I get going to somewhat more durable all terrain tires (not too loud/aggressive hopefully) for people out West that do a lot of gravel/rocky roads. But the guys doing crazy lifts, hacking up bumpers, etc… why? Stupid fad. Just buy a 4Runner/Wrangler at that point.
In a weird version of the CC Effect I was reminded just how small these Cherokees were as one, in stock form, was coming down the street at me in front of a pickup. This just reinforces that. Around here there aren’t many left in stockish form, many are lifted and well abused from off roading.
The Mitsubishi Masturbator, I’m sorry, Pajero (sorry, Montero, sorry Shogun) has been unibody since 1999, and it’s very much a pleasure off-road and on. To drive.
Slightly less facetiously, the vehicle is an absolutely proper off-roader, and, in diesel form at least, is very long-lived even when used heavily that way. For over 20 years, they have sold in large numbers to the (slightly dull) class of retirees who want to do the Big trip around Australia but insist on towing 3 tonnes of a shrunken version of their house through the outback to do so. (Frankly, I always wonder why they don’t just get the best flatscreen available and do it all from the full-size comforts of home at a vast saving, but I’m digressing).
They’re never picked as hard-core off-roaders by that crowd largely because the aftermarket of lift kits and greenie-squashers (or whatever) isn’t the same as for Toyota or Nissan.
And, it must be said, Mitsubishi stuff has always fallen just that little bit short of the best Japanese reliability standards (apologies to Old Pete here).
Oddly, the small XJ’s were the only Jeep that ever seemed to get some serious use here. Everything else they sold since has long been considered hopelessly breakable.