Advice for a hunting rig

np307

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So I'm kicking around the idea of getting a ford e-series van and turning into a hunting rig. I am, of course, also looking at other options, but that's not what I want advice about. I specifically want some opinions on an e-series van. Keep in mind that my plans involve going out west, potentially as earlier as next year, for yearly or semi-regularly hunting trips.

1) would a 2wd with locking read axle be enough to get around on forest service roads? I'm not talking about serious offroading, but the kinds of places necessary to go find elk, or even some more remote places around here.

2) how difficult of a job would it be to swap the standard rear end for a locker? I've replaced an axle before on a toyota truck that I had, and I've done a fair amount of shade tree wrench turning, but my abilities stop dead short if we're talking about welding or fabricating anything.

3) any years or specific problems that you know of to look out for on these things? My experience with them has just been driving them as church vans. Never really shopped for one before.
 
If you're dead set on a Ford E-series, and I don't know your budget, but I'd take a look at these folks:

https://sportsmobile.com/sportsmobile-4x4/
Yeah, that's gonna be well outside of what I'm looking at. Those are pretty sweet though. Like I said, I'm not dead set on the Ford van, but I have a couple leads on a reasonably priced model. I figure if a locker is an upgrade I can make and it'll do what I want, it may be the best direction to go.
 
Most forest service roads I have been on don’t require 4wd or locked rear ends on 2wd, so you should be fine. I think that getting a locker put in the rear would be fairly inexpensive, especially if you go with a lunchbox style locker. This will get you the ability to go places an open 2wd can’t but I don’t know what roads you will be traveling.
 
Most forest service roads I have been on don’t require 4wd or locked rear ends on 2wd, so you should be fine. I think that getting a locker put in the rear would be fairly inexpensive, especially if you go with a lunchbox style locker. This will get you the ability to go places an open 2wd can’t but I don’t know what roads you will be traveling.
I guess my main concern is just that I haven't driven those roads and I know weather can be pretty unpredictable in the mountains. Snow and mud on mountain backroads makes me not feel warm and fuzzy about 2wd and open diff.
 
Depends on where the roads are located, and current weather conditions. Been on many that could be driven carefully with a Camry, and been on some 50 miles from cell service that I wasn’t sure I was going to make it with front and rear lockers after a rain storm. I’ve left winston at 95 degrees in July and had to break 30” of snow to get to my fishing spot. If you’re talking remote, make sure you you take a means of communication. Whether that be ham radio, personal locator or sat phone.
 
Depends on what you are looking to spend initially but there are a good many 3/4 ton Ford Van's that are 4x4 out there for sale at a decent price. I've seen some fire and forestry roads that my f250 wont go up in the dry summer. I'd be Leary of a 2wd even with lockers especially if you are going in snowy weather.



There's a 4x4 Chevy van on craigslist in Charlotte now for $6900
 
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With a selectable locker or a limited slip and good tires.....you should be ok unless there is a lot of winter weather or mud. If there is......a 4WD with at least one locking diff may be necessary.

Ive set up gears and differentials......there is some skill involved and sometimes special tools, just depending on the axle. There are articles on places like Pirate4x4 that go into some detail that will give you an idea of what you would be getting into. If you could luck up at a junkyard like pullApart and find an axle that would bolt in.....it would be cheaper than buying the differential.
 
2wd e-series get stuck in wet grass. Cross your fingers to find an old 7.3 4wd E350 if you insist on the van route. Otherwise any old beat up 4wd truck will suffice. No need to over complicate things.
 
I've been out west on a hunt. We wouldn't have made it anywhere with 2wd even if it was locked. The biggest issue with 2wd would have been ground clearance. There were too many rutted roads that were rutted too deep for the ground clearance of a 2wd. An autolocker with 2wd might get you out of trouble but you also have to be careful with a autolocked 2wd (rear) when traction is low. You will fishtail back and forth in low traction (mud) and you won't be able to turn an autolocker off when traction is low. When we went we had a 4wd Jeep Cherokee and there were even days where we waited until the roads froze solid (mud) after dark before we left our hunting location to head back to camp. It snowed on is so we used 4wd pretty extensively. After the snow the mud was bad everywhere we went. We went near Gunnison so half our driving was flat and the other half was hilly/steep.
 
You will definitely need 4wd for elk hunting in Co. You should also get yourself some chains for your 4wd.
 
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