Feel somewhat inferior to the rigs in Alaska

ericcris10sen

First Fill-Up (of many)
Lol I love my Xterra and I will never get anything other than one. But when you're driving around Alaska or on some Alaska off road forum groups, man, these guys have HUGE ass trucks or jeeps that are decked out like no other and they ALL have these HUGE tires. I feel somewhat inferior to their rigs! I'm on Alaska4x4network and they seem to be somewhat active but I've seen pictures of their trucks going through REALLY bad places that my Xterra wouldn't make it lol

I love Alaska and all that it offers but people who live out here are pretty much all truck/mechanic junkies who know almost everything about vehicle maintenance, modding, off roading, tires, etc. I know jack diddly squat. Even going to Off Road Plus to get some modding done on my X, they're telling me all this stuff and I'm sitting there feeling like an idiot not knowing 99% of what they're saying!

Those who live here, does anyone else feel this way? I really want to go off roading with people here but my truck would look like a little baby next to theirs with all their modding done to it. INSANE TRUCKS OUT HERE!
 

TJTJ

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
NJ
There are simply places where tire size is what makes it work.

There are also people who "over prepare".

I recommend that you do some ride alongs with the groups you'd like to wheel with, and see what it is they are going through. The ground clearance will be be your main homework typically. See how deep the terrain is, so you can judge how close to where YOUR frame and axles will be sitting in the same spots.

If the bogs/mud are so deep or the boulders so tall that your axles or grill, etc, would be working as a road grader the entire time, you can't play there w/o getting your frame or axles up higher. Generally, if they are going through stuff you can clear, they're just over prepared, and, you could run with them.

Go along for some rides to get to know them...and, see what makes sense.



Historically, I was always running with some pretty built jeeps for example, and, there is a satisfaction from going where everybody else went, in the smallest rig. :D
 

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Take it from me (as if I'm any expert) TJ's passing along extremely valid wisdom. I got my X many years back and did nothing but get larger tires and a tow bar. Thought I was doing something. In NC I didn't really need much more... or so I thought. Went out with a group from XOC when I moved here and was taught a lesson. Went with this group to NXM2 and felt completely out of my league. Learned the hard way I wasn't as prepared as I thought. I now know... and plan upgrades accordingly.
 

Diadaga

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Virginia
I've got a buddy currently stationed in Alaska and hopefully the guys you are wanting to wheel with do more then him and his "offroading" buddies do. They just attempt to go out and sink their trucks as far as possible and act like they did something.
 

ericcris10sen

First Fill-Up (of many)
There are simply places where tire size is what makes it work.

There are also people who "over prepare".

I recommend that you do some ride alongs with the groups you'd like to wheel with, and see what it is they are going through. The ground clearance will be be your main homework typically. See how deep the terrain is, so you can judge how close to where YOUR frame and axles will be sitting in the same spots.

If the bogs/mud are so deep or the boulders so tall that your axles or grill, etc, would be working as a road grader the entire time, you can't play there w/o getting your frame or axles up higher. Generally, if they are going through stuff you can clear, they're just over prepared, and, you could run with them.

Go along for some rides to get to know them...and, see what makes sense.

Historically, I was always running with some pretty built jeeps for example, and, there is a satisfaction from going where everybody else went, in the smallest rig. :D

I was going to buy some 31's and put them on there, but they were used tires and even though he said the tires were in great condition (said they still had the nipples) and that it was being sold down from $230-250 to $190 a pop, I still didn't want to dish our $1k for 5 tires. Tires are SO damn expensive, I'd have to save for QUITE a bit. And since I only need to replace 2 of my tires right now, I'm going to replace them, save, and maybe buy bigger ones down the line.

I'll see what I can do about doing a ride-a-long. I'm 2 hours from the nearest city so it'll be quite a drive unless they do one near me.
Yea when my xterra was literally stock, I ran with some total badasses from California (when I was in Arizona) and they were TOTALLY helpful and awesome guys, and they were surprised that my X was able to go everywhere theirs were. I need to go out with other people to get more experience.

Take it from me (as if I'm any expert) TJ's passing along extremely valid wisdom. I got my X many years back and did nothing but get larger tires and a tow bar. Thought I was doing something. In NC I didn't really need much more... or so I thought. Went out with a group from XOC when I moved here and was taught a lesson. Went with this group to NXM2 and felt completely out of my league. Learned the hard way I wasn't as prepared as I thought. I now know... and plan upgrades accordingly.

Damn I'd love to go to a NXM! That must have been so awesome! What happened to your truck when you were out there?

I've got a buddy currently stationed in Alaska and hopefully the guys you are wanting to wheel with do more then him and his "offroading" buddies do. They just attempt to go out and sink their trucks as far as possible and act like they did something.

Dude I wouldn't mind going with him lol! Better to go with someone and get experience than sit here because no one I work with goes off roading...
 

TJTJ

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
NJ
2001 - 2004 X's can fit 32 x 11.5's stock (Or a fatter 32 if available) with no lift and just some plastic trim inside the front wheel wells. 33's fit with a 2" BL for example.

THEY may be running 35's or 44's or whatever...hence, you wanting to go along for the ride (Co-pilot/riding shotgun, etc...) to see what they are actually doing.

:D
 

ericcris10sen

First Fill-Up (of many)
haha yea some of these guys run BIG tires and just BIG rigs. I'm waiting for someone to post an event there so I can go along. Otherwise I've been posting on there looking for people to go with me on some easy to moderate trails.

I went on the Denali Highway and saw a trail that went off of it. Since the landscape is pretty much tundra which is REALLY soft and spongy, I drove my front two tires on it and it made a 5 inch deep impact in the ground. Talk about a different environment!
 

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
x5 on the ride alongs. When I moved up to Iowa with my Xterra, I had never offroaded before. I ended up going to a local offroad event with someone that I met on clubxterra (midget28). I didn't drive, I just met up with him, met some new people, and rode along in his X (SAS with 37" tires...much bigger than mine). I often found that wherever he went, there was "an easy way out" if you went around some obstacles instead of hitting them head on. Very helpful just to learn and get familiar with the area.
 
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