First post here - not sure if this is the right place. If it isn't please move it to that place. :)

With that said, I'm 15. I just got my permit. Big whoop, I know. I've been driving since I was 11 though, from the cars me and my uncle worked on and restored to the Volkswagen Bug conversion a few friends and I did - so I'm not completely stupid when it comes to the stuff.

I've always liked trucks. I've always liked lifted trucks. I've always liked trucks with lifts with huge tires. :laughing: Throw in a mud pit and I'm on Cloud 9.

But; anyway. How much power do you really need? I am getting a 1986 Mazda B2600 4x4 for free that I'm going to snatch up (They guy can't sell it for whatever reason...he's letting me just have it) if I can get my uncle to let me park it at his house for the time being to work in it and such. :) But is it really enough? I can find lift kits and the such, but that's only half the battle...'specially with only a 4 banger. :( Would a truck like that be even remotely off-road worthy?

It's not a bad little truck, just needs some work on it at the moment, which really isn't a big deal to do. Just need the $$ to actually do it, which I should be starting this summer.

I know that people say "99% of Off-Roading is skill, and the rest is luck", especially down here and they have the mentality that if it has 4 wheel drive, go for it; and if you get stuck, find a buddy with a truck that can do it. :laughing:

So, anyway. Only question.
1) That truck got the power to be any decent? Big thing around here is mud, which I know has a lot to do with the tires more so than the actual power, but I can't really see a 4 banger doing much more than being petal to the metal, smoking, and getting stuck halfway through every mud pit when with your buddies. :shaking:

4-bangers do just fine if they're geared right, even in the mud. Now, if you go with 38.5 boggers, you may want something a little bigger to spin those tires to clean them. Otherwise, most stuff you can get stuck in with 35's or smaller will get you stuck no matter how much power you have.

You could gear a 4-banger down far enough to pull a 5-bottom plow if you had the traction, so for trail riding/crawling, you will be fine with enough gear. Mud, however, is really a different story. You can't rely on gearing alone because you need to really spin those big tires to propel you through the goo. You can't just bolt on 44" boggers and gear the crap out of it because the engine can only turn so fast and can only make so much power. It takes a lot of power to spin large, agressive tires against the resistance of deep mud, and if you gear it down to the point where you can make enough torque using the 4-cyl, you likely won't be able to spin them anywhere near FAST enough and you'll be sitting. If you want a serious mud runner, you really need tires, horsepower (not just torque), clearance, and light weight. The one thing in your favor is that the Mazda is light. Because of that, it might be a fair mud runner with some decent tires and a deep set of gears, but if you really want to build a serious bogger, you'll need a something with some decent stones. A big block Chevy should do nicely for your Mazda. :flipoff2:

Plan is by my Junior year to have a mud/trail capable rig to play around in (Sophmore now - got about a year - year and a half) I was always planning on getting myself an off-road capable truck - just now I'm trying to match a deadline since a group of 10-15 of my friends are wanting to take a 3-4 week camping trip just hitting trails and mud. It's a blast, but it obviously will be more fun when you drive instead of just sit shotgun. :)

I'm just not sure if I should put up money into the Mazda, when I could save up $2-$3 grand, get something more capable. :confused: (Late 80's Bronco, Late 80's Chevy 1500, etc.)

Guess it's still a bit off and is a bit to early to be planning, right? :p

Never to early to plan. If i had to do it all over again i would start with a clean nice platform. It will save you time and money in the end. Not that i will have to say that all the crap i fixed and half ass built before my truggy I have now is what i was able to learn on and figure out just what i like to wheel and what worked best for that application. Remember that this is not the only truck you will ever own so dont think into it to much just find something in your price range and have fun and start thinking about the dream rig you want to build in a few years. I had a friend with an 85 ford bronco we called Red it had a straight six with an 8.8 rear end and ttb front end. That truck more abuse then anything i can ever lay witness to. We all had a blast in that thing rocks mud snow rain covered city streets it did not matter. I was about your age when he aquired it from his dad and till this day it still comes up in stories. Good luck in your adventure. Tread lightly and remember...............PACK OUT WHAT YOU PACK IN.

CRS

Plan is by my Junior year to have a mud/trail capable rig to play around in (Sophmore now - got about a year - year and a half) I was always planning on getting myself an off-road capable truck - just now I'm trying to match a deadline since a group of 10-15 of my friends are wanting to take a 3-4 week camping trip just hitting trails and mud. It's a blast, but it obviously will be more fun when you drive instead of just sit shotgun. :)

I'm just not sure if I should put up money into the Mazda, when I could save up $2-$3 grand, get something more capable. :confused: (Late 80's Bronco, Late 80's Chevy 1500, etc.)

Guess it's still a bit off and is a bit to early to be planning, right? :p

I Think You answered Your own question . . . Good Luck is when preparation meets opportunity . . . As long as that Mazda is free and reliable You could keep that as Your daily driver/parts hauler and plan/build a dream machine You can be proud of . . . Take Your time, Do Your research, save where You can and spend on the things that Matter. You'll have a bast and have the envy of all Your friends and maybe there Parents too . . . Life is Not a Race . . . None of Us had the Internet at Your age to Learn From. There is a HUGE amount of talent and Experience to draw from here That most of Us Never even dreamed of . . .

Good Luck . . . ;)

I Think You answered Your own question . . . Good Luck is when preparation meets opportunity . . . As long as that Mazda is free and reliable You could keep that as Your daily driver/parts hauler and plan/build a dream machine You can be proud of . . . Take Your time, Do Your research, save where You can and spend on the things that Matter. You'll have a bast and have the envy of all Your friends and maybe there Parents too . . . Life is Not a Race . . . None of Us had the Internet at Your age to Learn From. There is a HUGE amount of talent and Experience to draw from here That most of Us Never even dreamed of . . .

Good Luck . . . ;)

But...but...then I can't have everything now and I'll have to wait. :eek:

Joking of course. That's actually a pretty good idea. :) Hopefully I can make my mom think the same thing - she's all paranoid about having me, my sister, her, and my step-dad parking in the same driveway - let alone two cars from me. :laughing:

Thanks for the help guys. I'll keep ya'll informed when I read up one some more of the stuff here and "stuff" in general. Tell ya'll what I'll do when I know more of what I really want to do. :p

I am in the same boat as you. I just got my permit about 3 weeks ago and i am in the process of building a 1969 Bronco. I hope you have deep pockets because once you get started there is no turning back. You will always find another way to improve your vehicles capabilities and outdo your friends. Take into consideration the size of the vehicle you have. Having a big long huge truck does you no good for tight technical trails. And also be sure to not pass up safety. (i.e. roll cage and brakes) and although you have been driving since you were 11 (me too) you dont have much experience so be careful.

Most importantly though have fun wile you do it.

Get a set of used 31" mudders and just go to town. Your stock engine and gears should be able to have some fun with them in low range.

If the Mazda is reliable, then jump on it. I have had many 4cyl trucks and wheeled the crap out of them. Keep your tires small (30"-32") and throw a lunch box locker in the rear and you will be set. By doing that it will still be steet friendly and decent on gas. Wheel it till it dies or till you have time and money to build a trail machine.

ive had a few trucks with no power at all. and i never broke anything cause they were so underpowered.

my first truck was a 84 k5 blazer with 38inch tires, a 305 engine and 273 gears, it couldnt spin the tires in reverse in 4low while stuck. and wheeled it like that for a few years.

also had a 85 s10 blazer with a 2.8 with a dead cylender on 33 12.50s and it sadly had more power then the k5 did in 4low

Get a set of used 31" mudders and just go to town. Your stock engine and gears should be able to have some fun with them in low range.


This is what I'd do. You'll likely never be able to make a serious bogger out of the Mazda without major mods, but with a few basic, conservative modifications, it could be a hell of a fun and fairly capable general purpose trail rig. I wouldn't get too carried away with the Mazda, just do what you can to it without breaking the bank, learn how to make up for the lack of equipment with skilled driving, and just have a blast with it. Some of the best fun I've ever had offroad was in stock or near stock vehicles when I was just getting started. It's a challenge to wheel a close to stock rig, and it will make you a much better driver. Eventually, after you learn some real driving skill and save up some cash, you can build something a little more radical. At your age, you'll be better served in the long run wheeling your Mazda sort of "as is" rather than working all the time to build something that will take ages to finish anyway.

1st mod to the mazda, get it runnin....good & relyable.
2nd mod get a GOOD winch, & recovery kit & highlift
3rd mod, get some used mudders...like said 33 or less
4th mod, weld the rear.
5th mod, no 5th mod, just drive it till the wheels fall off!

in the mean time look for a vehicle that you really like, & can see your self working of for the next 10 years.....LOL or just see what pops up, by looking around & getting to see what rigs take a beating & go where you wanna go, with what mods. LOL I grew up a Chevy guy, & now I really like fj40's & Unimogs.

It should be a good truck for you to start with, and down the road if you are longing for more power 4.0 and 5.0 swaps arent that hard since they are brothers to the ranger.

It should be a good truck for you to start with, and down the road if you are longing for more power 4.0 and 5.0 swaps arent that hard since they are brothers to the ranger.

not in that year.