Best prospecting vehicle

[DigAU]

What do you guys think is the best prospecting vehicle? I realize there is no best.

But a 3/4 ton super cab isn't getting me very far back in. I am hoping to find so areas that aren't hunted out

or full of lead. I am trying to decide between a jeep,a quad,a rhino and a Suzuki Samurai.

Thanks for your input.

Terry

[Guest sandtrap]

I have an 86 Samurai.. I am very happy with it, however if you need parts, you will pay big time. I had mine completely rebuilt, so it runs great. but if looking at part lists,EG., on e-bay, you will pay big time, due to the fact that there are not many old ones like mine, around.. If I did it again, I would get a jeep. Jeeps are like old chevys and fords, ; you can always find parts.

[wonderer]

#1 An ATV is the most versital & can be loaded into the back of your truck, if you don't like trailers & comes with alot of add on accessories

#2 Rhino - if you have a significant other who likes to tag along & or want to carry alot of equipment (think it needs a trailer to haul)

#3 toss-up - Enclosed cabs, heated, less dust & can be used on the main roads to

wonderer

[wes]

The older Jeep grand cherokees are pretty cheap and you can sleep in them. I've beat mine pretty good out in the desert and in the Sierras. Also has a factory limited slip which works well.

[The Shadow]

But a 3/4 ton super cab isn't getting me very far back in.

What? My daily driver is a stock long bed 3/4 ton quad cab and there are very few places I can't go with it. For those I just load up the quad on its back and let her rip. Most all 4x4 quads are just fine. No need to go much bigger then 250cc's but my 350 is great.

[Dakota Slim]

I have a Samurai and love it. It's like a 4 wheeler with a roof, a windshield and a heater. I've had it for 3 years and it gets me where I want to go and back. I scrape it up in washes now and then but could care less. Other vehicles couldn't go there. It will go pretty much anywhere a 4 wheeler will go and it is street legal. They are also easy to work on. They aren't made for speed. They aren't real good on the highway and they lose a lot of power if over 5,000 feet. They are easy to tow. Just hook 'em up, put 'em in neutral and go.

They are also pretty inexpensive compared to your other options. Mine was mechanically sound when I bought it and it still is. The parts I have needed I was able to get on eBay for reasonable prices. Sometimes you have to wait for a good deal.

[nuggethunting]

Hello Digau,

I thought for a long time a full sized truck was best. You can have all your prospecting and camping gear with you at all times. However, after buffing the trucks paint and getting stuck a few times I had to find something else that made more sense.

I finally went out and purchased a new Polaris 500 Sportsman EFI 4x4 Quad. Man, talk about covering the country fast and not tearing apart my full sized GMC anymore.

I considered a side by side quad (like the Rhino or Ranger), but since I'm just one person and all my friends had quads it made more sense to purchase a quad.

I purchased a nice plastic case for the back of the quad, one that has the back rest seat. I can carry my entire metal detector, several coils and all the accessories and then some!

Speaking of Jeep Cherokees, my partner owned a stock one and we got into places I couldn't believe. They are great 4x4er's if the trail is wide enough for them.

Talk with you later,

Rob Allison

[MrSandsman]

Get all 4 and then you can decide which one to take depending on the area you are going

I think it really depends on how tolerant you are I like the quad and Rhino the best because they are going to get you into the tightest spots with the least amount of trouble. If you dont modify the Rhino you can get it into the back of your truck it just sits up really hi. I know I have done it with my 3/4 ton truck.

The nice thing about the Jeeps and Sami are they have a thing called a Heater and in most cases an AC. I know one of my hunting buddies used on of the two and let me tell you on those cold morning driving in I pitty the guys on the quads. I also like the Jeeps and Sami because they keep the elements off you and your equipment. Most of them can also be a daily driver or back up vehicle if daily driver goes down. I have a jeep that can go most places a quad can go just see my pic but it came with a stiff price

If you are keeping the truck I think I would go with the Quad but that is just ME

Good Luck

HotRock

[Bandana Don]

Morning ALL: There's no doubt the Jeep Cherokee's are very , very good off road vehicles... just ask Bob Dansie what he thinks of the Cherokee.

I've had a Sami and it would almost climb a verticle wall in 4 X 4 Low. Think the Sami is great but didn't appreciate the canvas rag-top which didn't stop any road dust. I sold the Sami and later bought a '93 Geo Tracker and added a Pavement Ends two-piece hard top that does a pretty good job of keeping the road dust out. The Geo doesn't have a very good 4 X 4 low gear... seems to only be in normal 4 X 2 Low like perhaps 4 4 low is there but doesn't engage. If I scrath my Geo I wince a tad since the body and paint are in great condition... but, that's one reason I bought the Geo to be able to get off road.

My Geo gets me most evey places I want to go and gas mileage varies from 28 - 32 mpg. This Geo is a 1/3 more easy on fuel than my Silverado.

I recently purchased a Polaris Sportsdmasn 500 with EFI which I like but need a trailer for transporting even though the 500 will fit into the bed of my extended cab Chevy Silverado.

Hey guys this post is my 2 cents worth on What to buy! But is there really a "one is best" solution?

Don

[Miner Matt]

This is what I used for years and I still have it. Had it set up with a rock crusher on the back.

I'm going to put another one on it some day

[The Shadow]

Its all about how you drive it. But quad's are a great addition to your tool box.

Heres a couple of shots of my 3/4 ton long bed on a little jeep "only" track we pass often. Notice the driver rear tire...

[kcoulson]

I have both a 3/4 ton Dodge Ram 4x4 and a Jeep Wrangler. I drive the Jeep most of the time. It will go some places that the Ram 4x4 won't . shorter wheel base and more narrow. I just finished putting a winch on the front of the jeep - just in case the going really gets tough.

Ken

[Nuggetdigger]

What do you guys think is the best prospecting vehicle? I realize there is no best.

But a 3/4 ton super cab isn't getting me very far back in. I am hoping to find so areas that aren't hunted out

or full of lead. I am trying to decide between a jeep,a quad,a rhino and a Suzuki Samurai.

Thanks for your input.

Terry

i drive a 1990 chevy 3/4 ton 4X4......will go anywere

rob

years ago i bought a brand spanking new off the showroom chevy K5 blazer with factory 4" lift,chrome rims and HUGH tires,high gloss black metallic paint,etc.

the very first thing i did with it is take it up to one of my claims and ran it right thru the manzanita......i figured that if i scratche dit a couple of times, i wouldnt worry about it.

problem is, i dont know what they put in the paint on that sucker, but you couldnt hardly scratch it with a freaking rock!..best paint i ever had on a truck...only drawback is it had that nice buckskin tan interior.....that went from tan to dark brown to black in about a month ...lol

ive own alot of prospecting trucks.7 (chevy,jeep,international,toyota,etc...the ones that stuck out the absolute best in my mind for being virtual goats 4x4 wise and never having a problems with were

1989 ford bronco II with V6

international scout

jeep cherokee

and my chev i have right now. i put a nice insulated snugtop camper shell on it awhile back so when i go out, if im by myself i can throw a matress in the back and air it up and be good to go....

[AZNuggetBob]

This is what I used for years and I still have it. Had it set up with a rock crusher on the back.

I'm going to put another one on it some day

Hey Matt when did you switch to an outhouse on the back? Just kiddin

These days I prefer something smaller with better gas mileage, unless Im haulin a trailer. I guess it just depends on accessories? azNuggetBob

My #1 choice ? A horse.

[montana]

I'm partial to the Jeep Cherokee or Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Grand Cherokee surprised the heck out of me. Looking like Moms station wagon, it's a total beast for off roading and tough, cruises comfortably on the freeways, and you don't even feel the washboard on the road to Stanton. With the straight six 4.0 it gets 21 MPG on the highway and pulls my pop-up and bass boat like they aren't even there. My second choice is the Suzuki Samuri. Despite the small size and toy like look , it's a serious 4 wheel drive and gets into the really tight spots. It's my quad with a roof and a heater. Not much on the highway but comes alive in low range 4WD. Mileage seems to run between 25 and 28 MPG no matter what speed you run it. Tows easily behind the Grand Cherokee for real expeditions.---Bob

[Hawkeye]

DigAu

I've got a 88 Jeep Cherokee that works great for getting out into the back country. It holds all my gear and as others have said it comes with a heater and AC. It has over 200,000 miles on it and doesn't use or leak oil and runs great. You can get them relatively cheap and parts are readily available. You can also get aftermarket 4wd equipment for them. Mines equipped with a 50" x 60" roof rack, A smittybuilt 8000lb winch and my son and I just built an exterior rear swing away tire mount and bumper.

Wes

[wes]

Ya, You can't beat that straight six in the Jeeps. Good motors they are and pretty good on gas mileage.

[paratrooper]

I 've been thinking lately about perhaps a Baja Bug . Good on gas , light enough to winch out of anywhere , room for gear , has a heater and parts are everywhere . A good one will go for $2500 to $4000 so you don't have to give up your daily driver . A roof rack will help as well as some I have seen with a modified pick-up truck bed . They are easy to work on .

[AZNuggetBob]

Sometimes I think the best vehicle for prospecting Is satellite imagery but it takes all the of fun out of it. Happy New Year AzNuggetBob

[lemons]

A Happy New Year all from down under where we have a Heat Wave across the south.

Miner Matt, is that old WW11 rig a Studebaker?

I used to have a 6X6 version doing rehab for a mining company.

Thanks for the great image.

You have different needs for going bush in the US.

I would avoid complicated electronics. . . computerised engine management.

If you can't fix it with fencing wire and No-More-Nails, then its no good.

cheers all.

lemons

[scorpion]

When I first started prospecting I was using my 89 Chevy suburban 2WD to get me from Houston out to the gold fields of Arizona. I always took it off road cause I have all terrain truck tires on it. Got it stuck numerous time cause of the long wheel base. A good jack is a must. Then I went and bought my 94 jeep wrangler. It came with 32 inch tires and a two inch body lift! But the differentials are the original 3.73 ratio. I need to go to 4.10 or 4.54 ratios to get my power band back up.

I have towed in behind the suburban to go out to AZ and I have driven it out to AZ. Having an AC and a heater and Rancho 9000 shocks with in cab adjustment makes it a great ride even on that oh so smooth Congress to Stanton road! ROFL I think I have lost one of my kidneys on that road!

I keep thinking about a quad! My wife would probably shoot me if I get one!

The jeep can pretty much take me anywhere I want to go. But there are times when I would like to really get off the beaten path and I'm not all that interested in blazing a trail with the jeep! Especially if it is the only vehicle I brought out from Houston.

I guess it all depends on how much money one has to throw at the need to solve it!

Each trip out I find myself paring down what I have brought in the past!

If it wasn't for the risk of destroying one's detector if you dropped the bike......even a 125cc or a 250cc dirt bike would work.

Good luck on whatever choice you make!

Regards

Karl

[Dakota Slim]

I'm not all that interested in blazing a trail with the jeep!

That's where a scratched up old Samurai comes in handy. It's narrower than a Jeep and the body shields you from the cat claws and cactus. Whatever you drive, make sure you Slime the tires.

[Rifleman]

I have a 90 Chevy 1500 Blazer. 2" lift and some tall off road tires. It has got me to hell and back. With it's shorter wheelbase it goes a lot of places. Chevy parts are easy to come by, and with the fuel injected 350, it does not stall out on the steep hills. My next purchase will be a quad. I'll use the Blazer when it's too hot or cold for the quad. I put one of the aluminum racing radiators from Summit racing in it, with an electric fan and no matter how hot it gets or how slow I'm crawling, it never runs hot.

Using your gray matter keeps you out of most trouble. If it looks bad enough to worry me, I take to the shoe leather.

[grubstake]

The BEST off road Vehicle, is someone else's, that way you don't get yours beat to death and torn up. Let Your friend take his. Grubstake

[DigAU]

Hey Grubstake, that's a great idea!! I'll be right over, no, wait a minute, it's 681 miles from my town to yours, I need to find a friend a little closer.

Thanks again to all for your input.

Terry