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Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:47 pm

For those of us who can't afford or don't want the maintenance of a Syncro, (or just don't have one) lets see you 2WD vans built for off-highway driving.
IMO, a 2WD with the right parts is pretty compentent just on ground clearance alone.

Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:55 pm

1982 Westy with Van Cafe lift springs, Bilstein shocks, and 215/75-15 tires. It has the ride height of a Syncro, but not the firm ride.

Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:08 pm

My 87 GL.

215/75/15 BFG AT KO's on Rheins

stock suspension

it does ok off road, mainly logging roads out kayaking in the Cascades.

Hi Tyler.

Chris
:vw:

Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:23 pm

kirsplat wrote: My 87 GL.

215/75/15 BFG AT KO's on Rheins

stock suspension

it does ok off road, mainly logging roads out kayaking in the Cascades.

Hi Tyler.

Chris
:vw:

Hah. I think I've worked on your van before, Chris. I no longer work for the shop, but a van exactly like yours came in a couple years ago with a hot idle problem that was driving me nuts trying to track down. If it is in fact the same van, its a nice, nice rig.

Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:46 pm

I don't have a photo but my '86 Westy Weekender is great off road. I run 27 x 8.50 14 BFGs. It still has the stock springs, but something that really makes it great is the manual steering. I has a much tighter turn radius than PS which has really come in handy turning around in tight places. Another thing is it's much lighter weight than the full campers. What is really missing, compared to a Syncro, is the lower gear.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:18 am

It's an older pic but works.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 9:56 am

I agree, high clearance, aggressive tires, and some driving finesse and you can get a lot of places. The only real limiting factor is the open diff.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:33 am

Here's my '85 with Van-Cafe lift springs and 16" Yokohama Geolandars. Excellent ride, and no worries about traction with the moderate trails we occasionally travel.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:43 am

"pre-runner"

as in pre-running an offroad race course to learn the route and check conditions?

No. I'd not opt to make my only VW Westy into a pre-runner... All that cabintery slamming around? no thanks.

I could see doing it to a base hardtop van.. strip the interior, remove some glass... cut the wheel wells.. go to airbags (the real ones) or the tall coil overs.

But I DO have a similar rig to 1621.

VC springs, 16 wheel/tire combo, big brakes going in.
Spare clamshell removed, air dam removed... stock plastic bumpers.

And an LSD will be going in when the transaxle gets rehabbed for the SVX.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:47 am

tomnglo wrote: It's an older pic but works.

Very nice looking van!

Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:52 am

j_dirge wrote: "pre-runner"

as in pre-running an offroad race course to learn the route and check conditions?

No. I'd not opt to make my only VW Westy into a pre-runner... All that cabintery slamming around? no thanks.

I could see doing it to a base hardtop van.. strip the interior, remove some glass... cut the wheel wells.. go to airbags (the real ones) or the tall coil overs.

But I DO have a similar rig to 1621.

VC springs, 16 wheel/tire combo, big brakes going in.
Spare clamshell removed, air dam removed... stock plastic bumpers.

And an LSD will be going in when the transaxle gets rehabbed for the SVX.

No, Prerunner as in a 2WD built to see some dirt. It's also what Toyota and others call their 2WD trucks with 4WD suspension components. ie, all the ground clearance and burly components without the added weight and cost.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:12 pm

buildyourown wrote:
No, Prerunner as in a 2WD built to see some dirt. It's also what Toyota and others call their 2WD trucks with 4WD suspension components. ie, all the ground clearance and burly components without the added weight and cost.
"Pre-runner" is a marketing gimmick by Toyota.. sorry.. not much more there than some decals and platic flares, I'm afraid.
Thier old 2WD trucks from the late 70s were great offroad rigs.. you could beat the hell out of those little trucks. And lots of those were used as platforms for 2WD desert racing. Which soon morphed into tube frames and fg faux body panels

I was just trying to clarify, because I think it would be a blast to build a true pre-runner starting with a more suitable platform, like a hardtop, single or double cab doka... More Paris-Dakar stylie...

Add an LSD and you'd be able to go lots of places where many modern 4WD SUVs would be left behind.

I think the front suspension on a Vanagon would get trashed though.. Have spent some time under mine, and I can see potential for major damage when the front end comes down wrong on something.. Maybe some skid plates and some protective bracing is in order.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:03 pm

Pre-runner- What the big boys use to pre-run the course for Baja 1000 for example.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:12 pm

Not sure if it's a pre-runner...but it is pretty capable off road!

might be for sale soon too...

Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:16 pm

Honestly i shouldn't have put this in until i have the locker finally hooked up. Even having the limited slip last winter was a HUGE improvement from the year before when it still had the "extra" slip differential. It sits high,but i believe it's basically the same springs as a westy, however without all the pressboard cabinets and plumbing to weight it down it sits pretty high.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:41 pm

j_dirge wrote:
"Pre-runner" is a marketing gimmick by Toyota.. sorry.. not much more there than some decals and platic flares, I'm afraid.

Actually, the Tacoma Pre-runner is everything the 4WD is sans transfer case. I have one. It's suspension and wheels/tires are identical to the 4wd. It has a rear locker too.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:42 pm

Nice vans guys.
I was in a grass parking lot on a hill at Laguna Seca with my 2wd last year. The clutch was released and the engine was revving but we weren't going anywhere. Stuck my head out of the window and saw the rear tires were moving then asked the GF are we going backwards? We were sliding sideways for a while before we got traction and started moving forward- scared the crap outta both of us. I would have loved to have real tires not street tires on the van that day.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:54 pm

Rumor has it that not all Toy prerunners have a rear locker. So if you don't get the TRD package you have to buy a option package that has it.

Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:46 pm

I haven't a locker or limited slip but this old van has suprised a lot of people with its agility off road. The tires are 215/75R15 Pirelli Scorpian ATR's. I had originally planned on BFG TA/KO's but thought I'd try something different. So far I will tell you these are good on dirt, soft ground but the BFG's were better in the snow.

Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:13 am

Junkyardog I love those eyes, howd you do that?