new here and have a question

I have a 2000 Xterra and it has RWD. I was wondering If my Xterra would be able to handle the off-roading abality with just RWD. I know its not a 4X4, but I want to know If I can take my X off road.

Thank!

Welcome to the forums.


There's no reason you can't take it off road, but you may get stuck a bit easier than if you had 4WD...

Um, why is a Civic owner replying to this topic?

Anyway, a 4x2 can do a fairly decent job off-road, but don't expect it to be "half as good" as a 4x4. Hell, I took my old VW Beetle off-road years ago and it did a fair job. Of course you'll want to be careful where there's mud, and moderate-to-steep hills of any kind can be a problem, especially if they're not pretty smooth. Your biggest problem will obviously be when the rear tire is unweighted or completely off the ground, usually on highly wavy/rutted terrain. If you have a limited-slip rear differential, it will be minimally helpful but it's very loose and really only helpful when both tires have relatively equal weight on them.
Don't be afraid to explore the limits, just be sure you have someone in a 4x4 with you to get you out of trouble.

Brent

ok... Thats wut I thoought, I was just making sure.

Thanks for answering the question!

Since you are from Florida, I will give you a Florida viewpoint. With some decent tires and driving skill, you will be able to run most of the sand based trails in Florida as long as you have an LSD and aren't afraid to push the go pedal. Mud, forget it. If you do get stuck, getting you out will be an excercise in patience because you have no front drivetrain assisting. There are a group of 2WD Xterras and some stock 4X4 Nissans hitting the trail and if you are interested in info on how to hook up with them, drop me a private e-mail and I will be happy to forward your address on. They will be staying on trails you can handle so you should get along just fine. I wouldn't advise hitting the trail with advanced level 4X4s, as they may take you places you never intended to go. For them it is easy, for you it will stink. You can see photos from the most recent trail ride several of us were on as well as a link to the Rover site of the folks we were with here (http://www2.4x4parts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=249692&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1). There are a number of us that use that site as the focal point for outings. You can also go to xterraownersclub.com and go to the Florida Xtreme Xterra forum to find other Xterra owners, some of whom have 2WDs that share your interest.

Biggest problem. No transfer case, so you don't get 2:1 gear ratio. 2x4 owners wil swear until they're black and blue they can go where 4x4's can go, but not having a lower gear ratio is at least half if not more than the challenge. The other stuff has been covered by previous posts. Basically you have an advantage with high clearance and (maybe) the limited slip, beyond that you have a tall station wagon.

Not to say you can't enjoy your truck. It's just a good vehicle to get you to outdoor destinations. But don't expect it to drive you up the mountain.

And BTW welcome to the forum :D

I definately agree on the gearing issue. At least half the time I'm offroading I need 4WD for the gearing and not the traction. You get bogged down in dirt, sand, or on a steep hill and 1st gear in high range is way too tall. I've even been on steep logging roads where I could not climb the hill without the low range gearing. Oh, and a very steep paved driveway too! If you have an automatic life will be easier, but it's still a huge issue with offroading.

Anyway, keep it to mild trails and you should be fine.

It's always interesting the difference between our wheeling and that of those from the mountain country. On my last outing, I used low range 1 time. Now when I head up to NC or TN, it is a different story. There I use it most of the time. Climbing here means a sugar sand climb up a mild hill. I generally just air down (15 PSI or so), put it in high 4WD and first gear then push the pedal to the floor until I hit the top. Here I primarily use the front drivetrain, not so much the gears.