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.