IÆve been rolling the Isuzu boulder - in Sisyphus-like fashion, as it were - for quite a few years nowà uphill, both waysà and here lately, IÆm finally starting to see things from RandyÆs perspectiveà

It's just not worth the effort.

My enthusiasm for our chosen brand has not waned in the least, but rather, I have simply come to the realization that most people within the world of traditional 4-wheeling JUST DONÆT WANT TO have their opinions altered or adjusted to include anything as pesky as a few factsà Like the fact that an Isuzu is impressively well-built, straight from the get-go - Or that a slightly-modified Isuzu is an extraordinarily cost effective force to be reckoned with - Or that an extremely well-built IFS Isuzu is, dollar-for-dollar, equal to (or perhaps even greater than) just about any other street legal 4x4 on the trails. --- And then, of course, there are quite a few SASÆd `Zus, and a number of dedicated trail rigs, that even further reinforce the point.

Nevertheless, frequently, even when presented with first-hand proof (like when you conquer an obstacle that 'they' were unable to climb just moments before), seldom do our Isuzus receive the recognition that they so richly deserve. --- Instead, oftentimes youÆll hear a murmur of ôWhat the Hell is that grocery-getter doing out here?ö type comments.

WhatÆs the point? --- If someone canÆt allow themselves to process the information that theyÆve just seen with their own eyes, and realize that these æinferior vehiclesÆ must not be so inferior after all - then what good are a bunch of words gonna do?


Perhaps, in-time, after seeing such demonstrations again and again, a sort of Pavlovian conditioning will occur - wherein, at some point or another, the bulb will finally light-up over their headà Until then, I intend to keep driving right up next to those broken-down [*insert vehicle]s, and asking if they need any helpà even when I know that the response is typically going to be negative, and frequently possess an air of arrogance and condescension. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />




After learning almost everything that I know about 4-wheeling from behind the wheel of an IFS rig, I might even go as far as saying that IFS can spoil your sense of perceptionà

With IFS, the body roll itself serves as an inclinometer, whereas, in a sold axle-equipped rig, the suspension does a whole lot of compensating before you start to feel any real sense of your position.

IÆm convinced that this had a whole lot to do with why I flopped Z-ManÆs `Runner last weekend. --- If IÆd been in my Rodeo, IÆm relatively sure that I would've had a moment or two to respond, because the body would have been æinformingÆ me sooner about how hairy things starting to get û and allowed me a wee-bit of time to re-think whether or not I wanted to proceed, or grab for reverse. --- As it was, by the time that I realized just how crossed-up we really were, it was already too lateà. *Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt* & *Crunch* <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />



As such, instead of doing my previously planned SAS in the not-too-distant future, I believe IÆll be spreading the Isuzu Gospel by way of IFS for at least a few more years - with an Aussie rear, ARB front, custom steel front and rear bumpersà and if funding allows, maybe an EXO! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />


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