Hi guys,

I just joined this forum and I wanted to introduce myself. I hope this is in the right section for this but I didn’t see a “New Members� area to post this in. I'm afraid to admit to all of you hardcore off-road types that I'm a complete 4x4 novice.  :-[  I've never owned a 4-wheel drive vehicle before and I've never even driven one off-road.  :-[  I hope I can learn enough from you guys here to at least be able to do some mild off-road driving with my new Tracker. Here is my story of how this complete novice came to own his first 4x4.

I was looking for a small sized 4x4 that would be easy for my wife to drive and park, be able to handle the snow covered roads and still get reasonable gas mileage (for a 4x4 anyway). I looked at the Toyota RAV-4 but I didn't like the fact that it was really just another all-wheel drive vehicle. It just wasn't a true 4x4 at all. It has one of those electronic 4x4 (AWD) systems that only powers the other wheels when it detects traction loss at the drive wheels. I figured if I'm going to buy a 4x4 vehicle I should get the real deal. A vehicle with a manually shifted, part time 4-WD system complete with a 4-Low gear for that extra torque boost when needed. I also didn't like the fact that it didn't have much ground clearance either, I think it only has about 6.5 inches. Then I looked at a few different Jeep models but I didn't have enough money for any of the Jeeps. I couldn't believe the prices of those new Jeeps.  :o  I wanted to buy brand new to eliminate any chance of buying a vehicle that might have been "beaten on" and give me problems down the road. My brother-in-law just bought a used 4x4 GMC Tahoe and so far he has put about $1500.00 into fixing it after only owning it for a few months. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid, so I went looking for a new 4x4 vehicle.

After I looked at the Jeeps and decided that they were just too much money I happened to see a small 4x4 truck at the local Chevy dealer. They just happened to have a brand new 2004 Chevy Tracker ZR2 leftover parked right in the middle of the sales floor. I looked at it with my wife who immediately fell in love with it. We took it for a test ride, she just had to drive it and I drove it too. When we got back she told me to buy it because she loved how it drove. She said it was easy for her to drive and to see the road around her compared to some of the bigger trucks she had been in. I found out while talking to the salesman that they wanted to get rid of this truck pretty bad because it was taking up prime sales floor space that they needed for newer model cars. I started talking price with him and in the end I was able to buy this truck for $7600.00 less than the sticker price of $23,415.00, just so they could get it out of their inventory. It was just too good of a deal for us to pass up. We were back at the dealer within 48 hours or so and left with our brand new 2004 Tracker ZR2, with almost every available option, for $15,800.00 and a big smile on my face.  I had my brand new 4x4 for about $10,000 less than the least expensive new Jeep model I had looked at with similar options, the Jeep Liberty.

Okay so that’s the story of how I found my Tracker, now I have a couple of questions for you guys. I’ll be going on a camping trip the first weekend in May with some friends. We will be camping in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate NY just northwest of Lake George. The place where we will set up our camp is deep in the mountains. We will have to drive about 6 - 7 miles on rough, unimproved dirt roads and about 5 miles more on what the map calls a “Jeep Trail� (sorry guys, I didn't print the map so don't blame me for the name).  :)  This trail is like a hiking trail but is wide enough for vehicles. There are some up and down hills and a few where the truck will lean to one side or another but nothing too big or too steep I’m told. There are also some good sized rocks/small boulders and sometimes large tree branches laying on or imbedded in the surface of the trail. The brush grows right up to the edge of the trail and it is muddy most of the time in the spring. From what I know of the area we will have to cross at least one stream/small river that is about 20 - 25 feet across to get where we are going. I’m told the stream is usually only about 18-24 inches deep most of the time, unless there have been heavy rains just before we get there. Now my questions are about exactly how much I can expect my bone stock ZR2 Tracker to handle when it comes to driving off-road. I have no idea just what these trucks are capable of so please excuse me if these questions from a novice seem stupid or obvious to you hardcore guys.

I guess the first thing I should ask is just how deep in the mud/water can I drive this stock Tracker of mine without getting stuck? Can I safely cross the stream if the water is no more than 24 inches deep in my truck? With the 8 inches of ground clearance I have, will I have to worry about the occasional large tree branch or medium sized rocks/small boulders on the trail? I know I have skid plates underneath so I’m not as worried about bottoming out as I am about possibly getting hung up on a boulder or thick tree branch. I worry about getting stuck miles deep in the woods because I won’t have a winch to pull myself out. Not that I would really know what to do with the winch even if I did have one!!!  ???  I’m not sure if the other guys will have a winch on their truck either so this is why I’m asking these types of questions before I go on the trip. If most of you feel like my stock truck wouldn’t make it there and back then I guess I will have to make other arrangements to get there. I was just hoping to try out the new 4x4 by starting with some mild (by your standards I’m sure) off-road driving until I get the hang of it. So what do you all think? Should I give it a try or should I make other plans to get to the campsite?

Chevzuki,
for a Stock track i would assume that you wouldnt have any problems making it on you camping trip....but you have to understand with ran, snow and esp as the milder weather comes in .. the trails will change so from what the lasttime the guys remember the trail to look like to what it does when you make the trip could change.. sometimes dirastically.. but with that being said you would be surprised at what a stocker can do.. nothing hard core by any means.. but im sure youll be happy with what it can do.. remember to bring rope just case something does happen and you need to get yanked  .. and as for bolders and trees .. you should know as you approaching them if its going to hit or not.. just get a good picture of he clearance you got and when your trying to get over.. and everything should pan out fine.. if it was me id giv'er a shot....good luck and cheers mate

You might consider picking up a "comealong" hand winch and a "tow strap".  If you should somehow happen to get yourself stuck somewhere, a nearby tree will get you out.  They're downright cheap and don't take up much room, and the recovery hoops below your front and rear bumpers are sufficient for the job.  If worse comes to worse, you can also let a lot of air out of those street tires to get a little more traction.

It's nice to have those ZR2 skidplates.  I'd try not to drive over anything (rock, fallen tree) that was more than 6" high; don't want to rip off or scrape up those pretty integrated mudflaps as your wheels go over..

Regarding crossing the stream, you don't want to get your brand new interior wet and muddy anyway, so your truck's capability will likely far outstretch your willingness to test its limits.

Almost any jeep trail or fire road will be no problem.  If anything worse than that pops up, just go very slowly and deliberately.  Basically, if this is your first 4x4 experience, you won't believe where that truck will take you. 

Welcome!

-Eric

stone,

Thanks for the reply and for all the advice. I agree with you about the trail probably being different by the time we go on the trip in May. The weather will certainly play a big part in determining the type of trail surface we will encounter as we drive into the campsite. Hopefully the weather won’t be too bad that week, I’ll have to wait and see. I will definitely be sure to bring a rope or chain with me just in case I do get stuck. I doubt that AAA will send a tow truck 12 miles deep into the wilderness to pull me out. 

Beercheck,

 Thanks for the reply and the advice, especially about the “comealongâ€?. It sounds like a good idea. I will consider buying one and bringing it on the trip. I shouldn’t really need it because I’ll have the other truck there to pull me out if I do get stuck. It might be a good insurance policy though. It certainly is nice to know I have the ZR2 skid plates underneath for protection. Still I will try to avoid any obstacles on the trail that are over 6 inches high. If I have to pass over anything higher than that I’ll try to run directly over the obstacle with my tires. This way I will ride up and over the top of it and shouldn’t have to worry about getting the undercarriage hung up on something. Don’t worry about my brand new interior as I cross the stream, my windows will all be shut tight. This will be my first ever off-road driving adventure. I’m really looking forward to it. Hopefully everything goes well and there are no dents, scratches or broken pieces hanging off my Tracker as I leave the area heading for home.    I certainly wouldn't want to explain to my wife what happened to our brand new truck!!! 

Eric,

Thanks for the official welcome to the Zukiworld forum. I hope to learn a lot from you experienced off-road guys here. I'm brand new to the whole 4x4 experience but I'm really looking forward to learning and enjoying all that the great outdoors has to offer. 

Not having crossed any water up to the doors in my '03, I can't speak with great authority, but I will say they probably didn't design the door seals to keep water like that out.  You'll more than likely get some seepage.  Nothing catastrophic, but you might want to put your sandwich up on the seat and prepare to give the carpet a little shampooing when you get home.

Don't forget about those built-in mudflaps you have.  When the tire going over the 6" rock comes down on the other side of it, so will your mudflap.  I haven't had any serious problem with mine, though.  One big advantage your Tracker has over a lot of other 4x4s is the size and weight.  You have a lot of options when it comes to what line you choose to get past an obstacle.

Very good point about the built-in mud flaps. I'll have to remember that when I look to ride over something on the trail. Thanks

i've had my 03 tracker in water deeper than 24inches and didn't have any problems with water coming in.  just be aware of whats under the water..  your stock tires won't work very well in mud.  as for the mud flap/fender thing you can expect the clips to break off on the mud flap area, they can be replaced for next to nothing. 

Welcome to the board.

Were abouts are you from?

Josh

Thanks for the welcome Josh. 

I'm in NY about 10 - 15 miles from NYC