The HU 4wd Forum and what does it need to make better?

[Walkabout]

The list is getting there but where does the wanted/ for sale part for vehicles with more than two wheels need to be?

In the bigger picture of the whole of the HUBB, I guess there could be a for sale/wanted section, maybe sub-divided for more specialist categories - motorbikes, 2 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive, equipment etc etc.

somewhat, but since Grant is asking for feedback about his site, I hope that it doesn't move toward extensive use of facebook, twitter and whatever; I have noticed some posts using links to these and I am one who is never going to join such social networking, no matter how pervasive they become.

On a detailed note about an earlier post, I have posted about the Freelander and that went into the LR section - after all, they are part of the Landrover family even if those with the big ones don't like that fact.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Grant Johnson

"too granular" - yes this can be an issue. I have tended to wait till a forum is getting significant traffic before splitting it up - not sure if that's the right way to go, but there's nothing worse than a forum with three posts!

What is worse, is wading through a load of posts that expound the virtues of, say, TLC when you are looking for informed views about, say, Landrover defenders.

To have a generic "all in" forum about all 4x4 would mean that my recent post about the X Trail would disappear from sight very quickly; the equivalent would be to ask a question about the Triumph Bonneville in among a load of posts that are slagging off the modern BMW bikes, or are telling us for the 100th time just how good the Yam XT600 really is.

[twobob]

The list 2.2 (a work in progress)

2x4 & Softroaders
General questions
X-trails
Freelanders
cont....

Under 3.5 Tonnes
General questions
Landrovers
Landcruisers
Nissans
cont....

Over 3.5 Tonnes
General questions
Unimogs
Iveco
Okas
cont....

Touring Gear
Vehicle Adapatation
Roof racks, toolkits, air compressors,, snatch-straps, winchs, , puncture repair, lift kits, diff locks, snorkels, twin batteries, , long range fuel tanks, cargo barriers, water tanks, turbos, jacks.
Home From Home
The tips to make it comfortable, cooking,storage drawers, refrigerators chairs, bedding, toilets, awnings,first-aid kits, entertaining the kids.

Bush mechanic
Don't panic, make a cup of tea and lets see what weve got in our bag of tricks.

Driving techniques 4x4 and 2x4
Mud, sand, clay and rock, either uphill or down and tyre/wheel selection

Shipping

Repair shops and spare parts
Truck and bike mechanics/suppliers list

Photos/Tales
Post photos and travel stories here

For sale and wanted
You look my shop? for you very good price

[rclafton]

2x4 & Softroaders
Lightweight/pickups, nissans / freelanders / subarus / 4x4 pickups


----- I still think that lightweight (softroaders etc) and 4x2 should be split, we need to highlight the possibilities of 4x2

Under 3.5 Tonnes
landrovers, landcruisers, nissans etc. (under sub-headings ?)

----- Many people won't know where to look for details if they are new, i'd keep the existing headings LR / LC and others , its the others section that is quieter anyway and will be quieter still with the other new forums. As a general principal I think we should keep sub forums at the highest level possible rather than going into sub forums



Over 3.5 Tonnes
Unimogs. Iveco, Okas etc. the big stuff (under sub-headings ?)

----- Sub headings not needed , it will get too granular and not enough activity, also as it may concern paperwork and licenses etc then that is generic

Touring Gear
Vehicle Adapatation
Roof racks,toolkits, air compressors, refrigerators, snatch-straps, winchs, first-aid kits, puncture repair, lift kits, diff locks, snorkels, twin batteries, storage drawers, long range fuel tanks, cargo barriers, water tanks, turbos, jacks.
Home From Home
The tips to make it comfortable, cooking, chairs, bedding, toilets, awnings, entertaining the kids.

----- Again keep them at a higher level, vehicle adaption would have an overlap with vehicle forums (sorry are diff locks adaptions - you mean you don't get them as standard ? ), maybe call it accessories rather than adaptions


Bush mechanic
Don't panic, make a cup of tea and lets see what weve got in our bag of tricks.

Driving techniques 4x4 and 2x4
Mud, sand, clay and rock, either uphill or down and tyre/wheel selection

Shipping

Repair shops and spare parts
Truck and bike mechanics/suppliers list

Photos/Tales
Post photos and travel stories here
Don't be shy, show us ya rigs. (alright, this one won't make the cut

Given that google seems to reference the hubb very well, lets try and keep links intact, we can change the descriptions without changing the links for trip reports and then add in the members trucks section

But I think we are getting there.............

[twobob]

"(sorry are diff locks adaptions - you mean you don't get them as standard ? ), maybe call it accessories rather than adaptions"

I installed an after-market air operated diff lock on my Landcruiser also there are Detroit lockers Rich

[twobob]

"Many people won't know where to look for details if they are new, i'd keep the existing headings LR / LC and others , its the others section that is quieter anyway and will be quieter still with the other new forums. As a general principal I think we should keep sub forums at the highest level possible rather than going into sub forums "

Hey Rich what about listing by make as sub-headings and rely on sticky posts for models?

[ralphhardwick]

As a commited 'lurker' on this and many other forums where I blatantly steal and adapt other peoples ideas I thought I would chuck in my two penneth worth.

My personal opinion is 4x4 is 4x4, regardless of softness or hardness. I have seen trip reports of Freelanders in the Sahara and other places. Is a Range Rover a 'soft roader' or is it those without low range? It's a difficult call as to what is or isn't so, my opinion is 4x4 is 4x4 keep the 2x4 stuff seperate.

In support of this, if I was planning a cross africa trip in a 2x4 Citroen 2cv I wouldn't want to wade through endless topics about Nissan X-Trails or Honda CRVs.

It has been mentioned before that there are plenty of marque specific forums on the net where you can find out about the latest 74" lift kit or nuclear powered dif lock specifc to your vehicle.

What makes this forum stand out (for me) is it's key focus on travel, overlanding, exploration and (most of all) sharing between like minded people. I'm a committed (and probably should be) LR fan but I have gained a lot of inspiration and ideas from seeing what other have done to, and with, their LCs, G wagons, etc. etc.

Lets not pander to the 'my marque is better than your marque' club other wise you will end up with a seperate board for a multiude of brands.

Keep it simple, keep the focus on the journeys, preparations before hand and keeping going when you're on them.

So for me it would be simple and pretty similar to some of the previous:

2x4
What is says on the tin

4x4 Under 3.5 Tonnes
Bung them all in together. You never know someone may even be forced over to the dark side if they read about another marque!
There is a search function if people only want to look for one model type.

Over 3.5 Tonnes
I don't know how many marques there are here but I doubt we need to sub divide. Again thats' what 'search' is for

Touring Gear
(as posted earlier-totally agree with the comment to keep vehicle mods/adaptations to the marque specific forums)
Vehicle Adapatation
Roof racks,toolkits, air compressors, refrigerators, snatch-straps, winchs, first-aid kits, puncture repair, lift kits, diff locks, snorkels, twin batteries, storage drawers, long range fuel tanks, cargo barriers, water tanks, turbos, jacks.
Home From Home
The tips to make it comfortable, cooking, chairs, bedding, toilets, awnings, entertaining the kids.

Bush mechanic
How to keep the journey going. I would also like to see field bodges and make do's to get you out of trouble. Not sure if it fits in here.

Driving techniques 4x4 and 2x4
Totally agree

Shipping
I can definately see a use for this being seperate to the bikes section and one I will personaly use.

Repair shops and spare parts
Suggest that this is 4 wheel specific. The any port in a storm cover (Bike or 4W) fits into buch mechanics IMHO.

Photos/Tales
Definately worth having as this is where you can get your best inspiration.

Final comment.
The fewer boards the better (IMHO) the more sub-categories you have, often the more difficult it is to decide which one you post goes in.

Now I'll shut up and go back to lurking

[rclafton]

Originally Posted by twobob

"(sorry are diff locks adaptions - you mean you don't get them as standard ? ), maybe call it accessories rather than adaptions"

I installed an after-market air operated diff lock on my Landcruiser also there are Detroit lockers Rich

It was a cheeky comment

My Iveco comes with front and rear diff locks as standard, my Isuzu pickup has a limited slip diff as standard so I was just being mischevious to folks who arn't so lucky.

[rclafton]

Combining the LC & LR forums will only work imho if its moderated well otherwise someone posts about which version of disco to buy and gets told which version of LC they should really buy. It really undervalues these forums and puts people off Sorry but sometimes you have to manage folks and those 2 forums do at least do that (sometimes). Lets not throw out what works

Oh someone commented on the Wanted/for Sale section - I've taken that as a given that it stays

Twobob - so when you say sub-headings, you mean just text or actual sub-forums ?

ralph - I still think theres a difference between softroaders / pickups and other HD 4x4's , they have different requirements like 4x2 and so I think a seperate area would actually allow people to see that they can use these and get places and the posts not be hidden in the mass of LR & LC posts, and its not an area thats well covered by other forums so may be a traffic generator for the site which helps Grant

[Walkabout]

So, I have used the HUBB search function (which, reference a remark above, is widely acknowledged to be not as good as a google search) for Quads:-
Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travel Search

because, over the years, there have been a few instances of posts about Quads - both 4x2 and 4x4 I guess - turning up in the motorbike threads.
In some cases those posts start with the statement "I didn't know where to put this, so I'll post it here"!

[tacr2man]

A slight heading change could probably allow a single heading at the less extreme end
4X2 & AWD
This would cater for the softroaders as many are awd rather than full strength 4x4 with hilo .
I agree re LC and LR being separate to preempt the usual conflict
once you are away from these two Other 4x4 will cover the rest and help avoid semi dormant threads as there are usually less making these choices
Over 3.5t covers prettywell anthing left going up from unimog /DAF to MAN/Tatra a lot rarer selection . Touring gear -feedback section might be useful to include in there as some of the stuff can be a bit disapointing at the least if its ever used ! I find sections in the motorcyle area can be browsed that cover things relevant to general travel .
Personally I think its pretty right as it is , and agree with the anti granulation comments JMHO

[twobob]

The list 2.3 (a work in progress)

Two Wheel Drive
Half the traction, twice the talent
Under 3.5 Tonnes 4x4
General questions/discussions
Landrover tech
Landcruiser tech
Over 3.5 Tonnes
General questions/discussions
Unimogs, Iveco, Okas etc. The big stuff
Generic vehicle accessories Home From Home and essentials-
Roof racks, winchs, lift kits, diff locks, snorkels, twin batteries, long range fuel tanks, cargo barriers, water tanks, turbos, jacks. cooking, storage drawers, refrigerators chairs, bedding, toilets, awnings, air compressors, snatch-straps,puncture repair, first-aid kits, toolkits etc.
Bush mechanic
Don't panic, make a cup of tea and lets see what weve got in our bag of tricks.
Driving techniques 4x4 and 2x4
Mud, sand, clay and rock, either uphill or down and tyre/wheel selection
Shipping
Repair shops and spare parts
Truck and 4x4 mechanics/suppliers list and recommendations
Photos/Tales
Post photos and travel stories here
Uulanbataar or Sainsburys, where have you been?
For sale and wanted
You look my shop? for you very good price

( Vehicle accessories advertising could be an income stream, so I left it up there for now, got to get this site paid for )
Rob

[TheWarden]

I only used Adaptation as I wanted to be different from modification (tend to think of mods as changed vehicle components and thought adaptation covered sleeping platforms storage etc)

one quick q why>3.5 tonnes? is a uk legislation driving the limit as the bb gets a multinational usage.

[twobob]

Rich re sub-forums or sticky posts. Initially a permanent sub forum if not used would be a waste, where as "sticky posts" could earn their stripes and become permanent


"one quick q why>3.5 tonnes? is a uk legislation driving the limit as the bb gets a multinational usage."
Warden Here in Australia the rules have changed over the last few years can't speak for the UK or others also it is another world as far as 4x4 goes , I mean what can you do to the things except polish them (steady on Rich )
plus driving skills are a little different. But if the big boys are happy to join us great unwashed you get no complaints from me

[twobob]

The list 2.3a (a work in progress)
Here's how it looks without weight

Two Wheel Drive
Half the traction, twice the talent
Four Wheel Drive
General questions/discussions
Landrover tech
Landcruiser tech
Big Rig tech
Generic vehicle accessories Home From Home and essentials-
Roof racks, winchs, lift kits, diff locks, snorkels, twin batteries, long range fuel tanks, cargo barriers, water tanks, turbos, jacks. cooking, storage drawers, refrigerators chairs, bedding, toilets, awnings, air compressors, snatch-straps,puncture repair, first-aid kits, toolkits etc.
Bush mechanic
Don't panic, make a cup of tea and lets see what weve got in our bag of tricks.
Driving techniques 4x4 and 2x4
Mud, sand, clay and rock, either uphill or down and tyre/wheel selection
Shipping
Repair shops and spare parts
Truck and 4x4 mechanics/suppliers list and recommendations
Photos/Tales
Post photos and travel stories here
Uulanbataar or Sainsburys, where have you been?
For sale and wanted
You look my shop? for you very good price

What do you think Rich ?