Overland vehicle pick up???

A Fue australian forums that I browse every now and then have had quite a fue hits on people turning to Utes or Pick ups for their Off Road Expedition Choice. Most popular choice seems to be the 70series Landcruiser Ute.
Is it just a fad? They would have more space in the pick up bed but would it be more restrictive to get too especialy if you have a hart top?

Has anyone got a Pick up or Ute that they use for expeditions or overland travel? Tell us about it. Show us some Pics.

TJ

As a dual purpose work/travel vehicle, I reckon a pickup could work well with a bit of planning. A mate of mine has just bought a brand spanking new hilux doublecab and has had a custom rear canopy made that works well for work but also takes all the same size boxes as he'd be taking travelling with him so should work well. We've been doing a fair bit of work away so have been living out of the back of it a bit and so far it works.

I used to run pickups for work (had a couple of hiluxes, a hicap 110 and a 130 quadtech) but went smaller when I changed careers. Finding the 90 isn't quite as useful for work and that really a pickup mightn't be such a bad idea again.

Have seen some really good pickup set ups on US based forums and there's even some pickup bed tents available which are quite a novel approach.

It really does surprise me that we've never had the 70 series available in the UK - I'd probably be very tempted by one if they did.

Pick up = bakkie in southern Africa
Most people have a bakkie. Most fit a canopy for overland travel. The Toymotor Land Cruiser is the most popular in single cab, as made by Toyota or double cab which is a conversion in ZA either a plastic or a steel one.
Then the Hilux.....Every other car is a Toy, every other Toy i a Hilux....

Now the kids..Well youngsters buy a bakkie as do the woman/ girls for running about. The Opel Corsa is a big choice. You see them with big exhaust pipes, wide wheels and lowered suspension. I don't think I have any pics because I dropped my pocket camera

Have a look on here....
http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=126

mike

Chris S wrote:

It really does surprise me that we've never had the 70 series available in the UK - I'd probably be very tempted by one if they did.

I did have a old 70 series Prado that I imported from Japan. Was a 2.4td LWB. Rear LSD. Worked pritty good with a set of All Terrain tyres. But its got nothing on the current 70 series out of australia. The spec's speak for them selves. A real peice of useful kit. Would love to buy one aswell.
Last time i spoke to Anton from OEC International he did say that he could get ahold of the 70 series brand new from aus. - Just incase anyone has the buck to import one.

I owned a Mazda BT50 single cab that was for work, carrying around timbers and tools as well as fishing gear at the weekends. Worked well for what I wanted, I quite liked the rear leaf springs when carrying weight.. I can see them working well in the overland scene.


In that pic you can see the old 70 series prado behind the BT50 with a fue mods that came in handy from time to time, bought the pick up new in 2007 for £9995, i thought it was a great deal. I replaced that 70series with the pick up, and the pick up with the Terracan. Long road to get here but ive found a vehicle that is perfik.

The Hi-lux as seen on the Top (crap) gear going to the arctic were nice, designed and built around that enviroment. I thought the vehicle worked well despite the drivers.
My Dad has just bought a Isuzu Rodeo 3.0 auto doublecab and over the next 6 months he will be adding on a fue items to prepare it for a overland trip. So when its all done i will post some pics,,,,,if he ever gets round to it.

Me and the guy with the hilux in my last post are quite fancying getting his sister (who lives in Aus) to help us sourse a decent 70 series pickup (for him) and a decent 62 series (for me) as well as lots of spares so we can fill a 40 foot container and ship it back over here.

I know what you mean about the leaf springs on the rear - I realise they don't ride as well as a coil but for load carrying I think they are great.

I 'm not a big fan of the hiluxes of any age really - I can live with them but I think they could be better. I had a mark 3 on a K reg that was ready for it's third engine by 90,000 miles - it just couldn't handle working for it's living.

The invincible seems nice enough, and tows really quite nicely but still feels like a spaceship with lots of buttons, flashing lights and plastic bits, and you cant see anything out of any of the mirrors (or even the widscreen either for that matter!)

Chris S wrote:

Me and the guy with the hilux in my last post are quite fancying getting his sister (who lives in Aus) to help us sourse a decent 70 series pickup (for him) and a decent 62 series (for me) as well as lots of spares so we can fill a 40 foot container and ship it back over here.!)

Let me know when you do this. The company I work for source parts and makes pick up hardtops and accessories from, korea, china and australia. We take roughly 1000 hardtops per quater thats around 30 containers. If we have a order going from australia around that time you are more than welcome to have a container at a third of the price the shipping companys would charge, this includes insurance of contents.

Sounds great with both 70 & 62 series. The 70 series Troop carrier rear leaf sprung is about the only vehicle i would trade in mine for. 4.5v8 & 430nm @1200 torque...............

TJ

Terracan Jas wrote:

Chris S wrote:

Me and the guy with the hilux in my last post are quite fancying getting his sister (who lives in Aus) to help us sourse a decent 70 series pickup (for him) and a decent 62 series (for me) as well as lots of spares so we can fill a 40 foot container and ship it back over here.!)

Let me know when you do this. The company I work for source parts and makes pick up hardtops and accessories from, korea, china and australia. We take roughly 1000 hardtops per quater thats around 30 containers. If we have a order going from australia around that time you are more than welcome to have a container at a third of the price the shipping companys would charge, this includes insurance of contents.

Sounds great with both 70 & 62 series. The 70 series Troop carrier rear leaf sprung is about the only vehicle i would trade in mine for. 4.5v8 & 430nm @1200 torque...............

TJ

Cheers for the kind offer - it's still most likely a long way off happening but eventually that's the plan.

I still regret ever selling my previous 62 - it would have been fantastic for travelling in

It is again a personal choice, for a dual purpose vehicle a pick up could be ideal, but for pure off roading they can be lacking, the problem being a lack of weight over the rear end to maintain traction, this was the problem many found when pick ups became lifestyle vehicles several years ago. If they are loaded it negates this issue, but another one arises, lack of passenger space, with the smaller rear seats, often benches, they are not suitable for carrying passengers off road over any distsnce as the rear seats are uncomfortable and nowhere near as comfortable as a standard hardtop vehicle with proper rear seats.

Ultimately it is down to choice, personal use, and what people require of a vehicle.

Assassin wrote:

It is again a personal choice, for a dual purpose vehicle a pick up could be ideal, but for pure off roading they can be lacking, the problem being a lack of weight over the rear end to maintain traction, this was the problem many found when pick ups became lifestyle vehicles several years ago. If they are loaded it negates this issue, but another one arises, lack of passenger space, with the smaller rear seats, often benches, they are not suitable for carrying passengers off road over any distsnce as the rear seats are uncomfortable and nowhere near as comfortable as a standard hardtop vehicle with proper rear seats.

Ultimately it is down to choice, personal use, and what people require of a vehicle.

I suggest you go to South Africa and Namibia and tell those guys that. Boy will they laugh at you.

gemini wrote:

Assassin wrote:

It is again a personal choice, for a dual purpose vehicle a pick up could be ideal, but for pure off roading they can be lacking, the problem being a lack of weight over the rear end to maintain traction, this was the problem many found when pick ups became lifestyle vehicles several years ago. If they are loaded it negates this issue, but another one arises, lack of passenger space, with the smaller rear seats, often benches, they are not suitable for carrying passengers off road over any distsnce as the rear seats are uncomfortable and nowhere near as comfortable as a standard hardtop vehicle with proper rear seats.

Ultimately it is down to choice, personal use, and what people require of a vehicle.

I suggest you go to South Africa and Namibia and tell those guys that. Boy will they laugh at you.

They probably would laugh at you, but thats probably because everyone has got one and if you don't have one you are inferior, similar to the green oval badge brand in the uk. But IMO assassin is right in what he said.
I totaly agree, I found all of this in my Mazda pick up. The leaf springs were great when loaded but when the vehicle was empty the ride was quite harsh even on the road & rear LSD was working full time even pulling away out of a corner. The seats were comfy enough but in similar double cabs I would probably need to get out and stretch my legs every now and then. - Still for carring loads it the best option.

But then I solely used my pick up to carry tools and drive through fields. When overland pick up owners join this forum it will be good to hear why they are begining to be more popular (acording to other forums) and post up some pics and specs.

Gemini:

Have you considered why this is the situation in SA, it is because nearly all new 4X4 sales are to companies and commercial operators, mainly involved with the mining / quarrying / mineral industries who need a dual propose vehicle which is cheap and reliable, with a good spares and repair infrastructure. Cost is the issue, pick ups attract no SA duty so they are considerably cheaper to purchase and run than a hard body, and more practical as they are dual purpose and barely run unloaded.

Being the predominant vehicle means they are in abundance on the second hand market cheaply, and as many of the black South Africans are relatively poorer than most white South Africans they make an attractive choice of vehicle as they are much cheaper to buy and run as the infrastructure for repairs and spares is in place. It is very little to do with choice, more a case of what many can afford, and this is the predominant reason they are so popular. It is also rare to see them running empty, so they nearly all have weight in the loadbed.

Sorry to dissagree Assassin but both blacks, whites and coloured have bakkies in equal numbers - just as a defender is no 1 here so the bakkie is in ZA. Where I stay in Walvis Bay Andre has a Hilux double cab. Used for normal driving about. He has nothing to do with any of those industries. Our friend Amamari who's a schooll teacher sold her BeeM and bought an Opel Corsa bakkie. It's part of their culture. As I said earlier kids, Girls as well as boys will buy a small bakkie for their car. Dad will most likely have a big Land Cruiser, Not the little round thing we get here but the nice square one with front wings you can put a cup on.

My friend Elinnah has a sister who runs a double cab. She's a nurse and he's the logistice manager for a tour operator.

Have a look at the Cruiser on www.Alu-Cab.co.za. If it;s still on there.
Thery're all debating the lates VW Amorak [SP] over there in the mags. The Nissan is also well thought of. The people at Toro Lodge who let me measure their Commander had one.
There's a big market for bakkie canopies there as well. Alo-Cab being one of the most expensive.

Until Land Rover gave Kingsley Holgate the Discovery 4 for his mozzie net distribution to the very remote parts of Africa he used double cabs.

I am aware of this as we have just spent the last 6 months travelling in southern Africa.

mike

Assassin wrote:

It is again a personal choice, for a dual purpose vehicle a pick up could be ideal, but for pure off roading they can be lacking, the problem being a lack of weight over the rear end to maintain traction, this was the problem many found when pick ups became lifestyle vehicles several years ago.

I used to think the same until I started going down to Malaysia for the Rainforest Challenge. The Toyota Hilux is an awesome machine in mud, and whilst it's true later in the competition they are laden in the rear with spares, kit and supplies, even on the Prologue when empty they still perform as well as full-bodied rivals. Can't see how given they lack of weight in the rear, but the proof was there in front of my eyes ... not just one time but six visits-worth of proof!!!

That said, the sticky clay of the Malaysian jungle will eventually claim all victims no matter what make or model.

Yes Tom but that machine is a completley different machine to what came out of the showroom. The only thing that won't have been changed is the bodyshell

TJ....I can think of one really good reason to have a pickup or ute in Australia and it's not necessarily about load space

Aircon.....it takes less to cool the space of a ute cab than it does a full stationwagon Just one other thought

I didn't think about that! I suppoe it would cool the cabin quicker and you could probably save on fuel from A/C to do with this.
Would a pickup being classed as a comercial vehicle have much impact on road tax or Insurance?

Another advantage of a pick up is it is easier to throw a body into the back of.

Hopefully not an advantage often needed, but it's there. Just remember to cover it up properly.

You could even lock 'em up if they are still kicking!



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A Namibian Herero bakkie......

Joberg Northbound on the N1

Cairo ring road -

That's brill Mark. Found this one on the net - it appears pick-up's do have a limit!

Why are alot of extreme 4wd owners turning their land rover, Toyota, Jeep in to tray backs? I thought that pick ups were too light in the back and did not provide enough traction. So why then are people essentially turning a disco in to a tray back pick up?

TJ

Terracan Jas wrote:

Why are alot of extreme 4wd owners turning their land rover, Toyota, Jeep in to tray backs? I thought that pick ups were too light in the back and did not provide enough traction. So why then are people essentially turning a disco in to a tray back pick up?

TJ

Do you mean like for Winch chalenges? Generally it's for removing overhang, removing damageable bodywork etc. On challenge events, the lack of grip due to weight is made up by the winches, tyres, diff lockers etc so it pales into insignificance

It's also a matter of speed for winch challenges. With a tray-back waffle boards are easily accessible, the ground anchor, ropes, tree protectors, shackles, etc.