How good/bad are the big American utes off road?

You've picked it in one Matt!

It all depends on what you wished to do, but if manoeuvring into tight places after unhitching is your 'thing', then you can't beat the landcruiser genre. We have crossed the Simpson in a Prado and had to help two long wheel base F250's frequently hung-up on top of the dunes. Weight and wheel track width are the problems for this type of adventuring in my humble view.

Saying that, I did see a F250 loaded with a quad bike (and sundry other stuff) that had towed a 20' caravan up to the Limmen Bight River in NT over fairly sandy tracks. The tracks were not narrow but were quite soft.

Cheers

Paul

Matt our experience comes from owning Landcruisers since 1984 and also owning a F250 for four years 2006 - 2000 when we once again went back to a cruiser.

When we had the F250 it was always my intention to have a Quad bike in the back, and tinny on top the quad never happened though we did have a 3.75 mt tinny on a rack, the quad was to be used to explore where the f250 wouldn't go.

As a tow truck the big F250 was superb, fuel economy acceptable, comfort spacious, We travelled through and around Australia, never bogged in fact as a 4WD in sand it was excellent, easily up and over Big Red both sides and not just the chicken track. We were traveling full time and the F250 had to be a multi purpose vehicle, towing & town car and it's size became annoying and after 4 years we sold it.

We had no mechanical problems though we knew personally friends that have, mainly gearbox & torque convertor issues.

There were many tracks we couldn't squeeze the F250 down or if we did the paint work bore the evidence, more than the physical size the turning circle was shocking, the GPS got us into some tricky situations going down dead end tracks with the van behind, the chainsaw was used to enable some 50 point turns ;-) everything is a compromise and though our Toyota 'Ute' is our choice for now if I was towing anything larger than our 19' BT I'd keep my options open.

Hi Matt,
Having had a number of cruisers over the years along with two 200 series, I have changed to a F350 dual cab Super Duty.
It really depends on your use, if like me you want to do the long runs north and tow and carry whatever you like then I find the Ford a vast improvement. With a mild tune device mine will haul at the speed limit effortlessly and return about 22lts/100 at GCM.
It has power and torque to burn and offers a much greater envelope of performance.
It is however a little rougher in the rear when unladen obviously and gives the impression that you are in a much bigger vehicle than it really is.
It is far roomier inside and the features are comparable other than a few like the electric fold mirrors and remote start etc. Ventilation is good and the aircon handles the heat without any issue.
It's off road ability in sand I believe is very similar to the 200. I run 20 inch BFG tyres and with them down to 14-18 psi it will go anywhere a cruiser will in my opinion.
The standard features of diff locks and the ability to turn off the traction control is a bonus.
It has a higher ground clearance than the cruiser I would say.
On the down side, you are longer with a larger turning circle. This at times leads to the need to back up and go again on tight bits. I have not had it in a situation where it has bellied.
As for the width, if you have a measure in comparison to the 200, it is hardly any wider, maybe 150 mm from memory. Whilst it feels wide, you don't find that unless you are on the really tight between the trees type track. It will get scratched yes, but it won't stop you very often.
I think a lot of the perceived issues come from people's opinions maybe. We are used to and most things designed around the average car in Aus. And these vehicles are from the US where that average size is much bigger. As long as you are aware of this and don't intend to take it shopping at Myers in the city you are fine.
I see that you are from WA so some examples of where mine has been would be:
Towing the 20 ft Bt to Moores hut at fish creek then beach fishing.
Into Steep point with 1000 lts water and camping gear etc.
Yampire gorge at Karajini? The now closed section
I look at it that I spend a lot more time towing and prefer to do that at a higher level of safety than the odd time, yet to occur, that I may not be able to get somewhere.
The 200 is a very capable vehicle and if I wasn't towing a van or 3 ton boat then I would still have one thou I think.
Hope to have been some help
Regards
MG

Hi Matt

I can't say the any tracks we have wanted to go on have really stopped us.

We did some tight weaving amongst the trees but made it to both Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls in Kadadu National Park.

The track to John Hayes Rockhole near Trephina Gorge in the East MacDonnell Ranges follows a creek line, and we were wider than the worn track, so one side was rock climbing as we went, but we made it through unscathed.

We did not take it on the entire Holland Track, but in end we probably took it through the tightest stretches in the woodlands section, as well as following an old cut line which was being cleaned up for mining exploration.

On a more local scene, we chose not to try and take our F250 on some tracks in the West Cape Howe National Park, instead going with someone else in their Landcruiser.

The only places to really avoid are suburban shopping centre car parks.

The long wheel base and poor turning circle is the biggest drawback.

Motherhen

Hi Matt,
We have found the F250 good in the sand and mud ,we run. 285 x 16 tyres and have got in and out of heavy spots very well. They are heavy vehicles, ours is 5 ton on the road fuelled and watered up [have got too much junk on board] and have found they have to be kept rolling solidly, keep them powered up and going in the sand, once they slow they will bog down, still no problem just let the tyres down to about 16 psi then they just step up on the top again, don't hurry with your tyres down this low. We don't let the tyres down for sand until we have to.
Width of the F250 is the only down side on narrow tracks, we went into George river in Chitchester nat park over tight creeks and gullys took 2 hrs with machete to widen the track so as to not scratch the van or the truck.
Andrew

Matt,

The down side of the F250 is the length when you are in suburbia. The car parks are just not long enough.
In shopping centres you have to go to where there are double parks so that you can park a bit in each, or go to the outside parks where you can reverse in and let the tail hang over the garden.

Ours did 22 to 25 litres per 100km towing the 21 foot caravan at the speed limits.
Tow vehicles with a long wheel base have more stability for towing.

It was about 15lts per 100 when not towing.

The turning circle of about 17 metres is only a problem in suburbia.

Brian

Many thanks to all, lots of really helpful comments. We're leaning towards the upgrade, for the 99.99% of the time when size is not a (negative) issue and the added weight and power is a benefit.

Cheers

Haha! Turns out they're FINE off-road!

This should be no problem with a BT on the back?

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