Yes, their are field projects in which they are necessary, however, saying most is completely not true. In fact, if your car is not leaving the road then no you don't need 4 wheel. Many field projects do not require 4 wheel. Thus far, I have been involved in about a dozen field research projects such as inventories and status surveys that did not require 4 wheel drive. In fact, four wheel would have been useless since all travel off of the roads had to be done on foot because the national parks would not allow driving off of the roads! In other cases the terrain made driving off road virtually impossible. In these cases, good hiking boots were far more useful than 4 wheel drive.
Having said this, many years ago I did an inventory for the US Army and 4 wheel was very useful and frankly needed. MLM On Fri, August 10, 2007 12:10 pm, Michael E. Welker wrote: > All, > > Most of the herp projects I have worked on have required four wheel drive > vehicles. Some of the PI's I have worked for were so inexperienced in > field > work that they "didn't realize" that a four wheel drive was a necessity. > Many of the others tried to get by with "very used" four wheel drives > because they didn't put enough money in their grant to get a decent field > vehicle. And on some projects they wanted us to drive our personal four > wheel drive vehicle. I would suggest the following: > > 1. Put enough money in your grant to get what you need and consider those > that will be in the field. Don't skimp on the resources it takes to get > the > job done! > 2. Any off road project requires four wheel drive. Even dirt roads > (especially NF roads) become very muddy during rains and many also have > sugar sand. > 3. If you are not inexperienced enough with field projects to plan > properly > get some advice. > 4. Get out of your lab and go to the field sites. Things look great on > paper but that doesn't mean they work in the real world. > 5. It is not your research techs job to provide a field vehicle it is > yours! > > Take Care, > > Michael E. Welker > Herpetologist / Wildlife Scientist > 3105 Eads Place > El Paso, Texas 79935 > (915) 595-8831 home > (352) 256-4000 cell > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Malcolm McCallum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU> > Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 5:33 PM > Subject: Re: Field-worthy SUV > > >> Doesn't it strike anyone kind of strange that this discussion about >> which >> SUV to choose popped up right amidst a discussion about wastefulness? I >> suggest that 90% of us using 4-wheel drive SUVs for research really >> don't >> need them. How often do you actually need to put it in 4-wheel??? >> >> Just stoking the fire here! >> >> >> On Thu, August 9, 2007 3:33 pm, Mike Marsh wrote: >>> Robert, if you don't mind something old, find (with difficulty >>> nowadays) >>> a pre1985 Toyota land cruiser, also known in Australia as a "troopie". >>> these are instantly recognizeable by the completely box-like cabin, and >>> the long-wheelbase model was designed to carry a squad of 8 soldiers >>> in >>> the rear sitting sidewise on two parallel benches, with a bench seat in >>> front. The chassis and suspension is mor reminiscent of a locomotive >>> than a truck completely solid. There is a manual, low-hi range >>> transmission. You have to get out to lock or unlock the front hubs for >>> 4 >>> wheel drive. A diesel model will chug down the road at 55 mph forever, >>> cross rivers, tow less bush-worthy vehicles, etc. >>> We went to Australia in 2001 to cross the continent with local friends >>> from Sydney to the Kimberleys. We bought a used long wheelbase 1984 >>> troopie, had oil leaks in the front hubs fixed, and set out on a 3 week >>> expedition. We covered 10,000 kilometers, perhaps 1/3 of it on unsealed >>> (unpaved) roads of various degrees of roughness, had no breakdowns >>> (well >>> ,the clutch was slipping the last 600 km), one flat tire, and came away >>> loving our vehicle, which we sold to a friend. You must not need to go >>> fast, as the fuel economy drops. With 2 fuel tanks you have 400+ mile >>> range. >>> Mike Marsh >>>> Subject: >>>> Re: field-worthy SUV >>>> From: >>>> William Silvert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> Date: >>>> Tue, 7 Aug 2007 18:16:59 +0100 >>>> >>>> >>>> I'm no expert on this, but colleagues who have worked in Africa swear >>>> by the Toyota pickups. They run circles around Land Rovers and the >>>> like. >>>> >>>> Bill Silvert >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Long" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> To: <ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU> >>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 1:23 PM >>>> Subject: field-worthy SUV >>>> >>>> >>>>> Hi folks, >>>>> >>>>> This is a fairly general question, but I'm looking for a small- or >>>>> mid-sized >>>>> SUV to serve as a field vehicle. It will be used extensively both on- >>>>> and >>>>> off-highway, although need not be capable of truly ruggged >>>>> off-roading. A >>>>> good amount of rear cargo space would be best (which eliminates some >>>>> of the >>>>> smaller SUVs like the Honda CRV), and decent gas mileage will be a >>>>> strong >>>>> plus. >>>>> >>>>> Can anyone recommend a few makes and models based on personal >>>>> experience in >>>>> the field? >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, >>>>> >>>>> Robert >>> >> >> >> Malcolm L. McCallum >> Assistant Professor of Biology >> Editor Herpetological Conservationa and Biology >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Malcolm L. McCallum Assistant Professor of Biology Editor Herpetological Conservationa and Biology [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
