firdom Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 anyone used a rav4 on the fields etc read so many good reports about them just wonder are they any good offroad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minghis Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 In my opinion no. Poor ground clearance and no low range or diff locks. However, if you stick to muddy lanes and nothing too sticky or rutted it'll be OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrygrey382 Posted December 2, 2009 Report Share Posted December 2, 2009 In my opinion no. Poor ground clearance and no low range or diff locks. However, if you stick to muddy lanes and nothing too sticky or rutted it'll be OK. out of interest, what has factory fitted diff locks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby22 Posted December 3, 2009 Report Share Posted December 3, 2009 Hi, Ive used a rav 4 for the past 4 years now, an can honestly say its been a cracking offroad bus. I do all my keepering in it-and have never once been stuck -its been through some sodden ground too where my friends hilux got stuck!! Just my experience & opinion-hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danccooke Posted December 3, 2009 Report Share Posted December 3, 2009 as per my post without diff locks i would have been bogged yesterday. both my old Pajero and my current L200 have diff locks as standard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minghis Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 out of interest, what has factory fitted diff locks? Sorry, I meant to say limited slip diff, not diff locks. To be honest I don't even know what a diff lock is, however I do know that a limited slip diff will give better traction. I guess plenty of vehicles have LSD's, including my shooting hack Maverick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 it won't, LSD's are fine but come the really muddy stuff when you have no traction on one wheel it won't stop you loosing most of the traction to that wheel. Locking diffs are then required that stop the wheel spinning and make it spin at the same speed as the one the other side. I know my L200 has a locking rear diff never tried it though as never got it that close to getting stuck (yet) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minghis Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 it won't, LSD's are fine but come the really muddy stuff when you have no traction on one wheel it won't stop you loosing most of the traction to that wheel. Locking diffs are then required that stop the wheel spinning and make it spin at the same speed as the one the other side. I know my L200 has a locking rear diff never tried it though as never got it that close to getting stuck (yet) A limited slip diff will give better traction than a standard, non limited slip diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrygrey382 Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 Sorry, I meant to say limited slip diff, not diff locks. To be honest I don't even know what a diff lock is, however I do know that a limited slip diff will give better traction. I guess plenty of vehicles have LSD's, including my shooting hack Maverick. yeah that's more like it. Heaps have LSDs, nothing has had factory diff locks I'm aware of. Diff locks essentially turn it into a rigid axle. Tractors have them. So if you forget to turn them off and turn a tight corner on tarmac you may snap something. But serious off road traction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvoCars Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 UK spec shoguns have a locking rear diff, switch on the dashboard, import pajero's have lsd'd, uk spec landcruiser vx's and amazons have both front and rear locking diffs, as do Mercedes g waggons, but pretty much anything can have locking diffs fitted, companies like arb and Detroit make locking diffs for all sorts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 There is nothing intrinsically (extra points for getting that word in ) wrong with the RAV4 after all ---there is plenty of room to fit in the scissors, blow drier and curling tongs :good: I keep saying unless you are doing something really extreme or pretending to be Ray Mears so called soft roaders are adequate shoot transport and just require a sensible approach 98% of the offroad useage is going to be on rough slippery farm tracks provided you have enough clearance to navigate over the track ridges and move through deep puddles you should be OK. That said the early model RAV is fugly has insufficient space for dog transport unless the seats are folded forward the new model at least looks better though I would not like to try squeezing in my two with the seats up.( may not apply to LWB version). Feel free to ignore this is if - you are part time keepering and have to carry large bags of barley across fields frequented by cattle you need a diff lock decent tyres and plenty of ground clearance get a landy L200 Hilux or similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvoCars Posted December 5, 2009 Report Share Posted December 5, 2009 If you go for the rav, make sure its a 4wd one, not all are, my mate bought one for "off roading" only for me to look under it and ask "wheres the rear diff and propshaft" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danccooke Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 (edited) nothing has had factory diff locks I'm aware of. Diff locks essentially turn it into a rigid axle. Tractors have them. So if you forget to turn them off and turn a tight corner on tarmac you may snap something. But serious off road traction! As already the said the L200 defo has rear diff lock, i can only engage it when in 4x4 with the centre diff locked as well. I believe the new Navara only has LSD. Landies have diff locks. standard 4x4 = all four wheels driving but if one slips then most of the drive will be lost through that wheel = one wheel slipping could cause bogging 4x4 centre Diff locked = 50% of drive to front diff, 50% of drive to rear diff = you'd have to have one front wheel and one rear slipping to be bogged 4X4 centre diff locked, rear diff locked = 50% front diff 25% rear left 25% rear right = three wheels slipping to be bogged. (both rear and one front) or all four wheels. Obvously that is slightly simplified but that is the general gist of it. Tyres make a massive difference too. A decent set of off road tyres can negate quite a lot of a cars mechanical deficencies. Edited December 6, 2009 by danccooke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookbones Posted December 22, 2009 Report Share Posted December 22, 2009 i run a 2.0 95 swb import rav and have had no probs thus far. i get guns,gear & a big fool pointer in with the seats up. if i was taking a partner on a regular basis then i may stick a top box on but so far its not been needed. iv had in the past all manner of 4traks,sportraks,vitars,sjs,discos ect n the rav is by far the smoothest being comfy,warm n really good on the long hauls.it copes with the rough and handles like a car on the road with bags of go when you stamp that hoof down. im trying to think of what id change on it now n im drawing a blank.... errrrr...... id say ground clearance but its not been a prob yet besides i use it for shooting not the paris dakkar .if i had to cross the polar caps or take a wardrobe across Mongolia i would say it may not be the best choice but for a day to day working/living/shooting/dog waggon its more than capable .... its worth a mention that it has hauled more than 1 rangerover out of trouble that had got its fatself bellied in the kack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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