NMRam
Still Here Because I'm Not There
Heavy duty trucks are not the best tool for offroading, especially diesels. They are built with stiff, heavy duty suspensions designed for carrying a load, not flexing. The diesel engines are heavy which can cause issues in mud (or snow for that matter). They are built for work, not play, although there are lots of people who use them to play.
I have an F350 v10 for my work truck, and I have to take it into some areas that are really steep and rough to get to the sites I work on. Driving it requires you to go really slow and creep over and around obstacles, and even doing that it beats you (and the truck) up. I had a Silverado 2500HD with the 8.1 prior to the Ford, and it was even worse. I have taken my personal pickup into a few of the sites when I have been in the area on a weekend or whatever and want to save myself a trip at work. I can literally make it in almost half the time with the Frontier since the suspension is soft and soaks up the rough stuff much better. I also don't feel like I have been beat on all day when I get done. But, the Frontier won't carry the tools or materials that I need to have along in my dedicated work truck, so something like it (or even a regular half ton) won't work for my full time work needs. There are trade offs with any vehicle, but if you really want an offroad vehicle, start with a platform which has most of the features you want and build from there. A Raptor may not be the ticket, but I doubt that a Super Duty is either.
Plus, if you want a real offroad vehicle, don't start with a $60k vehicle that you are going to just beat to crap. Find a beater of some sort and tear the crap out of it, then you can get into your $60k daily driver and still make it home at the end of the day.
Just my two cents.
I have an F350 v10 for my work truck, and I have to take it into some areas that are really steep and rough to get to the sites I work on. Driving it requires you to go really slow and creep over and around obstacles, and even doing that it beats you (and the truck) up. I had a Silverado 2500HD with the 8.1 prior to the Ford, and it was even worse. I have taken my personal pickup into a few of the sites when I have been in the area on a weekend or whatever and want to save myself a trip at work. I can literally make it in almost half the time with the Frontier since the suspension is soft and soaks up the rough stuff much better. I also don't feel like I have been beat on all day when I get done. But, the Frontier won't carry the tools or materials that I need to have along in my dedicated work truck, so something like it (or even a regular half ton) won't work for my full time work needs. There are trade offs with any vehicle, but if you really want an offroad vehicle, start with a platform which has most of the features you want and build from there. A Raptor may not be the ticket, but I doubt that a Super Duty is either.
Plus, if you want a real offroad vehicle, don't start with a $60k vehicle that you are going to just beat to crap. Find a beater of some sort and tear the crap out of it, then you can get into your $60k daily driver and still make it home at the end of the day.
Just my two cents.
