How capable is a Pinz off road?

[STPPINZ]

Is there any reason to believe that a 712M can’t do a trail run that an XTerra can do?
Timothy

You just made me laugh out loud in my office. People are looking at me weird now...

[andy]

Texas is NOT the place to be if you want great off roading or hunting. Texas is like 98% privately owned and if you want to play you will have to pay.

Not being a smart a$$, but I get to go off roading because my little business gets me onto ranches that I'd never get on if I wasn't taking care of their deer.

I'm, envious of the Arizona and Colorado guys. Tons of public land out there and a group of like minded folk for support.

I'd like to see you make the Big Bend trip too, but since that isn't feasible I still suggest that you go play on the beginner trails for awhile and once you have some confidence, try something a little harder. You will be amazed what these trucks with their itty bitty motors can do.

Personally, I don't have enough testosterone to do some of the rock stuff I've seen in the Youtube videos (mainly because if I break my truck I know I can't fix it) and I absolutely run out of nerve on anything more than about a 10 degree side slope. Outside of that I have a blast with the truck.

You'll be fine.

Andy

[pinztx]

Andy, I believe you call that "pucker factor". My gauge is very sensitive also.

[Twin Pinzies]

I would be willing to bet that a 712 would still be more capable than an Exterra.... Even if you were driving it in reverse...... in two wheel drive.... with one hand tied behind your back!

[Jimm391730]

Five years ago, when I moved to California from Indiana, the only offroad experiance I had was muddy cornfields. First time I linked up with a Pinz group they took me on a triple-black-diamond trail near Big Bear. Everyone else is in their 712 and 710Ms, and I'm in my 712W (9 feet tall!). Well, I made it, listened to their advice (and did some thinking of my own) but it took forever for the pucker creases to come out of the seat! But it did help considerably to have other Pinz owners to listen to.

BTW, I used to drive a Jeep Cherokee, and my W would out turn it by an inch or two -- and an Exterra turns two feet wider.

So go out and explore and experiment, be sane, don't let your EGO force you to do something you shouldn't (yet, until you get a little more Pinzing under your belt).

Jim M.
712W and 710M

[LibTimothy]

Well, I found two other groups who are looking for folks to go out on trail rides with them. So next weekend I will go out riding all weekend. I can't wait!

I know my weakest link is the driver (me) I'll get some experience. I do not have enough EGO to do anything dumb with the Pinz. I can't afford too many repairs so I plan to go slow, experiment, and have fun.

Timothy

[psychoman]

Just surfing old threads... how did you get on?

[Jerbearyukon]

This year when I bought my Pinz 710 in WI I made the long road trip home (5000 miles back to the Yukon). I can't remember how many vehicles were in the ditch on my way from Blue Mounds to Kansas City the first night I drove her , but it was over 50.

I pulled a few out and I drove into the ditches to do it...they were stuck after plowing into the ditch and I just drove in there (and I was a complete rookie) Paul Underwood gave me a 15 minute debriefing on the girl and it was dark in there so I wasn't even sure where the hazards were.

So I just just pulled levers and headed in - pulled them out and then just to see once I drove in where a guy had buried a forerunner and drove in and straight through where he was stuck in about 3 feet of snow and back onto the highway piece of piss .

Even the few trips I have had up here she is untouchable for the most part (sure glad I have the winch though). What I find here is that these guys have these trucks jacked up with huge motors (NO FRIGGIN WINCHES which just amazes me), but they drive through everything so fast cause they just don't have the traction that the pinz has so they are trying to avoid getting stuck in the middle of these places.

So they tear everything up spraying mud and water and crap all over the place (and for no reason I think), but I just idle through it with usually no problems.

If I do get stuck or start spinning I just start in on the diff locks one at a time and if that doesn't do it I just use my winch. I always carry my waders by BTW .

Jer Bear

[Twin Pinzies]

Even though Pinzies have shift on the fly 4wd and lockers, you should NEVER engage a locker while you are spinning your wheels. Let the wheels stop BEFORE hitting the locker levers.

[Jerbearyukon]

I do stop - I just meant when they start spinning and I am stuck, then I use the diff lock - sorry just the way I typed it in I guess

Jer Bear

[LibTimothy]

I guess I should have posted my experience a while ago.... Sorry, a few things came up that distracted me.

The Pinz ran like a champ. I got beat up like a rag doll and hurt my neck, but the Pinz was great.

I'm going back out with the Xterra group on Aug 16. I now know what I will do and what I will not do. I'm going to have fun and let them eat my dust.



I'll give a better report after Aug 16.

Timothy

[AZ_Dave]

I have some experience about xterras that may help. I have an 02 nissan frontier which, in my comparison to an xterra my friend has, seems to be identical except for the body style, even all the controls and, i believe, engine options are identical. body style (Pickup vs closed SUV) seems the only difference (Anyone who knows better than me can correct me if i'm wrong). I have taken the frontier offroad many places I didn't expect to take it, but it does have some big limitations other than just being light in the back. These are not full sized trucks. They build the bodies on xterra up to appear that way, but they aren't. Even with the v-6 and a lift, I am still sure a pinz would smack them. I have driven my truck pretty conservatively and taken it easy off road and now the suspension makes weird noises. They are not really that rugged stock, and you can forget about climbing over rocks or up steep inclines that I would never doubt a pinz could take. I have never even driven a pinz and am 100% sure I would rather have one off road, that is why I will soon buy one. Nissan isn't up to par with what I want. Like the others, I too laughed at the idea that an xterra is better than a pinz off road, no offense. They are acceptable off road on some roads but not anywhere near ideal. Nothing compared to an 80's blazer or full size chevy pickup and that is from experience.

[Jerbearyukon]

I would say by anything you want if it's for speed on the highway etc - but for off road - case closed

Jer BEar

[LibTimothy]

Well I guess I owe a report on my trip last weekend with the Xterra group. I did have a great time and learned a lot about off roading with the Pinz.

First of all, even with huge tires, the Xterras have much less ground clearance than the Pinz. But I guess you all knew that. I know a bunch of Xterra owners that know that now also. Frankly, I couldn’t understand why they thought certain trails were so hard, until after clearing the rocks, I sat around watching them winch themselves off those same rocks. Frankly, the Pinz made me look Way more experienced than I am. By the end of the day, they kept asking me if I was sure that it was only my second time off roading.

I was only at a disadvantage in a few places, and that was because I had trouble making fast turns while going down steep hills with large rocks in the path. Their power steering must have helped them. Me, I’m going to go and get bigger arms.

Anyway, pictures. Some of these I took and some were taken by other members of the club.

Before we got onto this hill, the group was worried that I would not be able to handle this, but someone made a wrong turn and there we were. We fretted over this for a for a half hour before I decided that anything they could do I could do better.



This was a piece of cake. The hard part was the next hill. From the top looking down bakwards.



And here is me not being able to turn sharp going down hill with big rocks. You can't see the big rocks as they are on the other side of the Pinz and up the hill a little. I did catch my rolled up side flap on that stupid little tree and break one of the plastic windows, but that was the only damage I had all day.



But after backing up the hill and trying again...



Anyway, after that hill everything else was a piece of cake...





And a showoff shot...




Hi Ho Silver!!!


So, I think that next time someone tells me that my Pinz will not be able to keep up with the Xterras, I'll just say "Lets see an Xterra do this..."





Timothy

[andy]

Way to go Tim! Those are some pretty good pictures. I'm glad it turned out good for you. That little excursion should have been a confidence builder for you about the Pinz and yourself. Do it again soon.

Andy