My gf is for some reason obsessed with them. I told her they were stupid, but we looked at a brochure and i like that it has a proper manual tranny and transfer case. And a rear LSD.

Are they legit off road or are they like H2s who's wheels fall off?

(this is purely an academic exercise, she doesn't want to buy one)

12/31/2010 2:06:10 PM

They're a 4 runner with a funky body on them that also raises their approach/departure angles some. So i'd place them between a H3 and a Rubicon Jeep in trailworthiness.

[Edited on December 31, 2010 at 2:48 PM. Reason : .]

12/31/2010 2:47:54 PM

Lol on trail worthyness

12/31/2010 4:04:26 PM

but is it trail rated?

12/31/2010 6:11:30 PM

"legit off road" can mean a whole mess of things

12/31/2010 6:30:02 PM

12/31/2010 8:31:57 PM

rock crawler... no...

will it break.... probably not.

12/31/2010 11:50:12 PM

1/1/2011 12:41:32 AM

IFS. Lame.

1/1/2011 2:36:38 AM

IFS... Not the swear word it once was.

1/1/2011 12:31:52 PM

I don't know shit about suspensions, what is it about IFS that is bad, what is the alternative?

1/1/2011 1:00:36 PM

on solid axle suspension when one tire goes up the other goes down ... so if you have 10" of compression on one side you have 20" of total offset between the wheels. On IFS if you have 10" of compression... thats all you got.

1/1/2011 1:14:47 PM

factory ifs suspension is generally considered lower in strength & overall capability in offroad situations.

1/1/2011 3:12:44 PM

the old FJ-40s and FJ-60s were indestructible, yet overweight. These newer FJs look like they would be even more overweight and have too many plastic panels and parts to tear up on a trail.

1/1/2011 4:56:40 PM

Ok, he's comparing it to an H3 not a 77 hj-45 or an early bronco with cut fenders. In this modern time of most "suvs" having car chassis and hummers just being overweight GM models with new bodies on them, the new FJ isn't bad. It still would get its ass kicked up and down a trail by a Wrangler Rubicon (better gearing front and rear lockers and solid axle suspension) but its really not too shabby by today's standard of SUVs

1/1/2011 5:16:49 PM

There was a show where they took one and built it up for a Baja rally. Everything that you would want to do to one was done. Fucker kept breaking even the beefed up suspension parts

1/1/2011 7:50:58 PM

^^ true, but he also asked if they are "legit off road". As far as new stuff goes, about the only thing I can think of fits that bill is a Wrangler. Maybe an H1 or G-Wagen, if they still make those.

1/1/2011 7:56:15 PM