1500 series quad cab overlanders....your thought please.

[KiwiKurt]

The kiwi crew is expanding. And while i over all very much like my xterra, more room will be required. We are considering quad cab short bed pickup options to accomodate the family and all the requirements for "glamping".

Ive been looking at the few midsize offerings, but curious how people are faring with fullsize trucks on the trail. We arent into crazy rock crawling and the like, just taking whatever is required to get to where we want to go. My concern with a fullsize truck is width. In a recent trip through canyonlands, i would be concerned about fitting through? What about trails like black bear or imogene pass etc?

With the engine options, space, etc of a fullsize it almost seems a better choice than a midsize.

Input appreciated.

 

[Buliwyf]

The kiwi crew is expanding. And while i over all very much like my xterra, more room will be required. We are considering quad cab short bed pickup options to accomodate the family and all the requirements for "glamping".

Ive been looking at the few midsize offerings, but curious how people are faring with fullsize trucks on the trail. We arent into crazy rock crawling and the like, just taking whatever is required to get to where we want to go. My concern with a fullsize truck is width. In a recent trip through canyonlands, i would be concerned about fitting through? What about trails like black bear or imogene pass etc?

With the engine options, space, etc of a fullsize it almost seems a better choice than a midsize.

Input appreciated.

Don't know those trails. But a 250 or 2500 is the same size as a 1500. Just sayin'. If you've outgrown an SUV, it's only another year and you'll have outgrown a 1500's capacity as well.

......and ahem, Longbed. That is all.

 

[MR. ED]

I took my bone stock F150 super crew short bed up Imogene with no problems. It had the 265/70/17 P rated tires on it. I slammed it down hard a couple times because I wasn't paying attention. Since then I've lifted it and put on some 33's. I'm still working the up courage to tackle Elephant Hill in it. Some day...
I did just crack my passenger side mirror on a branch the other day. The bigger truck takes a little getting used to, but the room inside is worth it. The short bed is great for my off road applications and I can still use it as a truck if I need to for work. Good luck with your decision.

 

[calicamper]

Look at your load numbers. The difference between a new Tacoma and a dodge1500 regarding load carrying ability isnt very much. As pointed out depending what your packing the 1500 may actually be too light for your expected needs.

 

[RockyMtnFamily]

I went through the same decision when looking for a full sized rig. I decided to pass on the half ton models as the beds on these was 5.5--5.75 feet. My F250 has a 6.75 foot bed, much better for when I want to sleep back there and not practice yoga contortions!

 

[KiwiKurt]

hmmm i think the load is fine....I dont need the payload capacity as much as I need the space. 2 kids in car seats takes up room....

 

[calicamper]

hmmm i think the load is fine....I dont need the payload capacity as much as I need the space. 2 kids in car seats takes up room....

True...
I have two in car seats also. Our primary road tripper camping rig is a 2010 2.5 CVT Subaru OB. We at times max out load capacity, but thats when were packed heavy in our version of heavy. 900lb 4x6 trailer, + bikes, and camping gear for 3+ days.

A Tacoma 4dr would work but if I had a Pickup I would want load capacity to put a FWC on it which case kids + fwc and gear the tacoma is too light on capacity. Seems like dads that start out with the tacoma end up full size pretty quick due to the kids + stuff + capacity for a camper.

 

[KiwiKurt]

Im not looking at the tacoma. Im really eyeing up the new GMC Canyon. Supposedly next year or year after they will have a denali trim and a duramax for it. Capacity in stock form is 1700lb, which is plenty.....

 

[calicamper]

Im not looking at the tacoma. Im really eyeing up the new GMC Canyon. Supposedly next year or year after they will have a denali trim and a duramax for it. Capacity in stock form is 1700lb, which is plenty.....

Yep drove the first z package Colorado our local dealer got. Liked the size, rear doors are skinny classic GM skinny 2nd row doors. I think the tacoma does a better job on 2nd row access. All indications from Nissan is that the new Frontier could be the right combo of interior space and comfort of the two ground up new midsized options. I didnt like the v6 in the Colorado, not torquey at all which is a big downer. The diesel could be really interesting.

Canyon interior for sure WAY better quality over the odd 80's cloth and fake leather combo they put in the Z package Colorado.

If the Colorado/Canyon gets a poor crash rating then that makes it an easy call. No excuse for poorly rated new vehicles today.

 

[KiwiKurt]

agreed. I want to see how it pans out.

did you drive a crew cab?? its got 3 or 4 inches more rear leg room than the tacoma quad does....surprised you had issues with the rear access.

Im curious about the new frontier. If they do that truck right and with a diesel Ill get that. I hate chevy based on principle alone, but they do make a good truck. And a midsize diesel quad cab is what the overlanding crowd has been begging for here state side for years.

right now my only gripe is that you cant get the all terrain package and leather...it gets an upscaled cloth from base and has hill descent, but no leather option....slt with leather doesnt have hill descent. Honestly id probably forgo the hill descent and off road suspension knowing Id lift it anyway, and ive used the easy clean up of leather waaaaaaaay more frequently than ive used HDC.....

Im getting sent to europe for work for a couple years, so it will give time for the new models to hit and get a year under their belts and see where everything is when i get back.

 

[calicamper]

agreed. I want to see how it pans out.

did you drive a crew cab?? its got 3 or 4 inches more rear leg room than the tacoma quad does....surprised you had issues with the rear access.

Im curious about the new frontier. If they do that truck right and with a diesel Ill get that. I hate chevy based on principle alone, but they do make a good truck. And a midsize diesel quad cab is what the overlanding crowd has been begging for here state side for years.

right now my only gripe is that you cant get the all terrain package and leather...it gets an upscaled cloth from base and has hill descent, but no leather option....slt with leather doesnt have hill descent. Honestly id probably forgo the hill descent and off road suspension knowing Id lift it anyway, and ive used the easy clean up of leather waaaaaaaay more frequently than ive used HDC.....

Im getting sent to europe for work for a couple years, so it will give time for the new models to hit and get a year under their belts and see where everything is when i get back.

I load kids in car seats narrow doors suck. HA. Using the 2010 OB as a comparison given the seating space is similar and we own one. The wider door on the Subaru makes the seating space feel bigger. Granted the OB rear seat is still larger and has better bottom seat padding. As a road tripper I'm not sure the rear seat would cut it in the Colorado. Around town yes, but long road trip thinking no. Better seat padding would be a big improvement though.

Our current truck is a 07 Sequoia huge 2nd row doors for easy 3rd row access!!! If my my Subaru were to be totaled tomorrow, I would like to see a Midsized diesel 4dr comfy 4x4 truck as a possible replacement. Right now I dont see it.

 

[KiwiKurt]

Always a compromise....subaru's won't get me where I want to go, and if it is at all possible Ill never buy another one again.

Ive had 5 and every single one of them burned oil by the quart before 100k except for the 2.0t wrx, which had issues of it own. The legacy was the worst offender taking 3+ quarts between every oil change.

I hate subaru. The wife loves them and wants another one. :smh: if she does, she gets to deal with the maintenance this time so she can learn her lesson too.....

 

[KiwiKurt]

wife wants the forester. Im not going to argue, because I dont want any gruff when I want a new bike/truck. lol.

Ok, so its going to be a 2.0xt touring. Looks like 1.5" lift kits and skid plates are available?

What else should I look at doing? Previously, all the engine tunes on turbo subarus were abysmal and needed a cobb accessport or open source tune to cover for the lean condition that lead to knocking and cracked ring lands....same thing again? Ill probably do skid plates right out of the gate, and consider the lift depending on what we need.

What are the must haves?

Thanks!

 

[TwinStick]

Our PW is the same outside body dimensions as a 1500. Thats what we are gonna use it for, Overlanding. Just 2 people. I do not plan on any rock crawling with our set up but lots of off pavement travel is in our future. I am gonna make a storage area out of our rear seat area with drawers & such on each side & a home made multi-tier bed slide for 2 ARB 82 qt fridge/freezers, 2-4 12v deep cycle batteries/chargers, extra propane tanks etc.

Kids & family tends to grow. Get it right the first time IMHO. If you go mid-size, you will want full-size eventually.

We bought a new 2013 Subaru XV CrossTrek for our daughter. 26k so far. Love it. Yes it has had to have oil added. Do you think the 0-w20 is too thin & it is getting by the rings or what ?
My wife wants a new Outback wagon next year, before we retire. Definately a V-6 for us.

 

[Martinjmpr]

KK: Have you considered an Avalanche? I've been looking at the full size trucks recently too. I have to say the convertible bed/passenger area of the Avalanche is sheer genius. The only downside for me is that the Avalanche is very long and I'd have a hard time fitting it in my garage. From what I've seen (I've been doing a lot of Edmund's research) the Avalanche seems to be on the same frame as the Suburban, which means a 130" wheelbase.
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The thing I like most about the Avalanche is that you get a full 8' bed plus the ability to carry 4 passengers (albeit, not at the same time) without being excessively long. On a conventional pickup you either have to choose between diminished passenger capacity with a cab-plus; short bed; or an aircraft-carrier-size turning radius.
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I just wish the Avalanche was on the Tahoe chassis and not the Suburban. But that's just me - all my youngn's are out of the house so it's just me and the misses and our travel trailer.