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Pinzgauer VS Suburban

I started off this Summer season just busting buttons, after close to twenty years of giving 4x4 tours in the San Juan Mountains I was finally getting a chance to drive a vehicle that was truly different.  Over the years I have driven quit a variety of American made vehicles in these mountains, Jeep CJ 7s & 8s' J20 pick ups, and Cherokees, but the old war wagons, that I had driven on hundreds of trips over Black Bear, was the 80s era Chevy/GMC Suburban, big, yes, but capable, no doubt.  But Dave of Dave's Mountain Tours of Telluride Colorado had something new in store for me this Summer.                            Pinzgauers are the Swiss Army's version of a Jeep (or now days a Hummer) and had a lot of features I was looking forward to experiencing. We had figured since the San Juan Mountains are often referred as the Switzerland of America, that the Pinzy should be just the vehicle for us to give tours.   They have Independent Suspension all the way around and Gear Reduction at the wheels which gives you just gobs of clearance.

Besides the funky (reminiscent of a VW) 5 speed gear shift there is a mechanical lever that engages the low range, than across the dash where 3 hydraulic levers that with a quick flip would engage the 4x4 transfer case, lock the rear differential and lock the front differential.  The Drivers Seat

is located in front of the front Tires which gives you an unobstructed view, which puts the air cooled, 96H.P,(at sea level) inline 4 cylinder engine next to you in a dog house cover, and the 5 speed manual transmission behind you, which is why the gear shift linkage resembles a V.W. So you can see why I was so excited after logging so many miles in the Big Pig Burbs I was telling you about.  Burbs are pretty much old school with solid axles and leaf spring suspension with the pumpkin prone to smacking large rocks on occasion (lucky they are rather tough).  You only have one lever on the floor

to engage the front wheels and low range, no locking differentials on these old Rigs.  The drivers seat is located behind the front wheels with a vast Hood out in front of you blocking much of the view of the trail.  But under that Hood is the old tried and true, liquid cooled, 350 c.i, V8.  The Gear Shift sticks right out

of the top of the Tranny with only 4 forward gears to choose from. So early in June I get my first opportunity to try what I figured was going to be the ultimate 4x4.  But my infatuation soon began to diminish as right off I find two draw backs, one is that a Pinzy has no power steering a luxury I had grow to appreciate on rough trails with tight switchbacks, and second, typical of an air cooled Engine , they have no heat to speak of, at 13000' it can get a little chilly, but this I could tolerate as long as they proved off road capable.  The first trip was up Ophir pass ( we jokingly call it Oh-fear because it is very tame).  I soon realize the 96H.P 4 banger lacks a little in the get-up and go dept, so down into low range, might as well put it in 4x4, should be no need to lock the diffs, never had that option in a Burb.  But as the trail gets a little rough I find that the Pinzy is breaking traction to beat all, locking the rear diff cures the problem. But why is there a problem? I theorize that it must have to do with the independent suspension, on the old school solid axle, the leaf springs try to leverage the tires to the ground, the independent suspension allows the tires to float around pretty much wherever, some times totally off the ground.  I am starting to loose enthusiasm till I find a big old drift across the trail, so I lock both diffs and let it churn its way threw, now thats better, but with out power steering it is a real work out to turn, so I disengage the front diffs a.s.a.p.  Next thing you know I am heading up Imogene pass with a few more tests in mind.  I tried a steep climb up the dump pile at the Smuggler Union Mine, by locking both diffs and in basement low it is able to churn to the top, with out lockers Burbs relied on momentum and Brute H.P, which they had.  Than the pull from the Tomboy mine at 11300' to the top at 13114' in less than a mile makes for a good pull( I call this vapor lock hill many old school carburatored vehicle including Burbs would), the Pinzy breaks no speed record but pulls to the top with out a hitch.  But almost like a sigh of exhaustion, when I turn it off at the top, it would wind down a bit than blow a big embarrassing back fire out the Tail Pipe.                                                                                                                               The last big test was soon to come, Black Bear Pass, the Grand Daddy of them all, know for its steep stair steps, extremely sharp switch backs and real cliff hanging trails.  Click on the picture below if you want to continue.