Offroad Rabbit
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:46 pm
Gents,
I just spent the last 3 hours driving around 40 miles on muddy forest access roads in my Rabbit. I didn`t really plan for it, it has just been a recurring theme around here. Of course much of the time was spent nearly getting high centered, or losing traction completely. My car did come with a factory style oil pan skid. I believe I have a LSD also, when losing and gaining traction happens it reminds me a lot of a 4x4 LSD.
I'm normally content to take a normal 4x4 Jeep out there but lately can't stomach a $80 fill up & burning most of it.
The fuel gauge on the Rabbit barely moves on these slow moving journeys.
The issue here is of course ground clearance. I am aware of a lift kit made by this guy. And this brilliant DIY leveling kit by TylerDurden.
Lift kit is a non-issue on this, but i`d like to see/hear how others might have done it.
The smallest bias-ply mud tire I found by Interco comes in a 27.4" OD 7" wide & 14x6.5" rim. My larger snow tires are about 23" in diameter & 6.5" tread width roughly.
To make up for the FWD only traction, i`d probably install a smaller rock crawler style winch.
This leaves just fuel lines, tank & shifter linkage under the car dragging on stuff.
I would like to open a discussion of everyone else's experiences with Rabbit, offroad, lifted, tires, FWD, photos, and etc on the topic.
I just spent the last 3 hours driving around 40 miles on muddy forest access roads in my Rabbit. I didn`t really plan for it, it has just been a recurring theme around here. Of course much of the time was spent nearly getting high centered, or losing traction completely. My car did come with a factory style oil pan skid. I believe I have a LSD also, when losing and gaining traction happens it reminds me a lot of a 4x4 LSD.
I'm normally content to take a normal 4x4 Jeep out there but lately can't stomach a $80 fill up & burning most of it.
The fuel gauge on the Rabbit barely moves on these slow moving journeys.
The issue here is of course ground clearance. I am aware of a lift kit made by this guy. And this brilliant DIY leveling kit by TylerDurden.
Lift kit is a non-issue on this, but i`d like to see/hear how others might have done it.
The smallest bias-ply mud tire I found by Interco comes in a 27.4" OD 7" wide & 14x6.5" rim. My larger snow tires are about 23" in diameter & 6.5" tread width roughly.
To make up for the FWD only traction, i`d probably install a smaller rock crawler style winch.
This leaves just fuel lines, tank & shifter linkage under the car dragging on stuff.
I would like to open a discussion of everyone else's experiences with Rabbit, offroad, lifted, tires, FWD, photos, and etc on the topic.