ground clearance for forest roads

[GBoyd]

I've got a vehicle question for you.

I'm shopping for a rig to use for hunting, camping, and work and I'm looking at the Astro vans with AWD. My main concern is the 6.8 inch ground clearance. Do you think I could take that on most forest roads or am I going to be dragging my belly the whole way?

Thanks

[Sportfury]

It will limit where you can go on some forest service roads. Like yesterday  we were up at Burley Mt. Out of Randle and you would have had issues in that.

[GBoyd]

What's the clearance on the rig you took out there?

[Alchase]

Well the ford F150 has 9 inches of ground clearance, the same as the Subaru Outback, LOL

[bigsads]

With a buddy with a 07 excursion.   Bottomed out a lot during season

[GBoyd]

Hmm.

I like the idea of getting a van because of the versatility. I could camp in it or carry a bunch of people, or take all the seats out for deliveries. I wonder what van I could get with better clearance. Or if I should put a lift on the Astro that would let me put bigger tires on it.

[biggfish]

An astro van is still a mini van with a subframe might not be able to do much lifting. A g series though could be lifted easily it has a full frame like a truck.

[yorketransport]

An astro van is still a mini van with a subframe might not be able to do much lifting. A g series though could be lifted easily it has a full frame like a truck.

You can find some good deals on cargo vans which will have the same ground clearance as a truck. Our hunting/camping rig when I was a kid was a Dodge Prospector van. It worked great!

[Sportfury]

What's the clearance on the rig you took out there?

I have a 07 Tundra with a small lift and 35s. We were taking our Sienna up there this summer, but we ended up turning around because my wife's grandma ended up in the hospital. After seeing the last three miles in we would have drug bottom and probably gotten high centered. Saying that some FS roads are better than others. FS 75 out of Greenway error is nice and has some great camping at Lonesome Lake.

[Alchase]

I am on the FS Rds South of Randle/Packwood allot.
Every time I am there I see pickers packed like sardines in their minivans.
They do not seem to have a problem, being careful, you should not either.

[Elkrunner]

I'm pretty sure if I showed up in an astro van, that I would never hear the end of that from my hunting buddies.

[hollymaster]

I have seen one mini van and one Chevy corsair bottom out and hit the oil pan. More ground clearance is always better.

[GBoyd]

I'm pretty sure if I showed up in an astro van, that I would never hear the end of that from my hunting buddies.

Ha! I guess not everybody shares my sense of style. I think the Astros are pretty cool.

[follow maggie]

A full size van will give you about 2" more ground clearance.

[JimmyHoffa]

The Astros are actually pretty neat.  They will go on some really green DNR roads just fine, so the forest circus roads should be no problem.  Just have to get out and kick the bigger rocks out of the road.

[follow maggie]

I did some looking and you can actually get a lift kit for an Astro pretty cheap. I kind of dig it: http://www.overlandvans.com/0104_liftkits.html

[GBoyd]

I did some looking and you can actually get a lift kit for an Astro pretty cheap. I kind of dig it: http://www.overlandvans.com/0104_liftkits.html

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking of doing at the moment. I'm just trying to track down some guys who have done it to ask them what they think about the kits, if it causes any other problems with the suspension, etc.

There's also a lot of information on other mods for Astros for camping. If I go this route, I'll make a platform in the back I can use for sleeping, with gear storage underneath. I'll try to design it to be removable so I can put the seats back in and haul a crew when I need to.

I guess I'll also need to find an elegant and clean way to carry a dead elk back home.

[follow maggie]

Found that same exact website, but with a different domain name.  I mean, it's identical. May want to stay away from that one, seems kind of hinky.

[FC]

AWD Astro's are money pits, keep looking! I've made an awful lot of $$$ repairing them. If you want a tough capable AWD look at Subaru's. If you want something that will get you around in the woods and haul meat etc without need of constant repair, get a 4wd truck.

[jeepasaurusrex]

Can't ever go wrong with a Jeep

[wildmanoutdoors]

Can't ever go wrong with a Jeep

Were do you put your camping gear and Elk?

[Elkrunner]

Can't ever go wrong with a Jeep

Were do you put your camping gear and Elk?

Quarter them out or debone them.  Its a lot easier than hoisting one of those things up. 

[Jingles]

If you plan on using the forest service roads here in the Methow make sure it has a good suspension the roads here will beat even some Abrams tanks to pieces they are so washboarded potholed and rutted

[Stein]

Get yourself a Suburban, I bet the price is about the same for a used one and you have a full 8' behind the front seat that would be much more suitable for in-truck camping.  You also would have a much superior 4wd system if you get stuck in a snowstorm or mud.

[fastdam]

Get a toyota or a jeep if you want to go to the mountains.  Subarus and mini vans are for the road. You'll ruin a mini van or car in the hills.

[JimmyHoffa]

AWD Astro's are money pits, keep looking! I've made an awful lot of $$$ repairing them. If you want a tough capable AWD look at Subaru's. If you want something that will get you around in the woods and haul meat etc without need of constant repair, get a 4wd truck.

A few people I know have Subaru Outbacks and have lists of all the things going wrong.  Nothing catastrophic that would necessarily strand one in the woods, but seems every other week something new is developing.  Things like temps going up, head gaskets, fuel pumps, increasing idles. 

[Thehowler]

I will say jeep also, But not if your to lazy to quarter your animal. Yj and Xj's are simple to maintain and are total work horses. Yes, I own both. Even stock are fine for most forest service roads. A mild lift with 31 inch tires and your set.

[RadSav]

I used to have a VW hippy bus.  That thing was sweet!!!    Far fewer troubles than an Astro Van even though it was only two wheel drive.

I ended up selling it to the pot dealer/teacher from the local highschool   He modified it to run on propane and added a hot water heater and a range.

[T Pearce]

I bought a mid 90's k1500 sub and like it. Been trouble free. Ive added some things to make sure we can get out if the weather turns  but a good set of chains do that. the thing is a caddy when moving around up there. And you wont get the mini up these roads, but they are not fs rds either.
Is that a fs rd between Haney meadow and beehive? We call it the road to hell!  And no, we dont camp there.