When looking to select some of the most capable off-road vehicles from 2020; a few were an easy choice. Naturally, the winner of Nitto Tire’s King of the Hammers big race finds itself on the list having tackled one of the toughest off-road races that put not only the driver and race truck to the test in the open desert but crawling up the gnarliest rock formations and mountains seen by 4 patches of rubber.
But we also wanted to showcase a few of the most capable trucks that were purpose-built to serve their genre of off-roading justice. Whether it is carving the mountain trails, running the deserts of Baja California, or gearing up for an overland trek; these rigs were built to run any terrain.
1. Josh Byler’s 2020 KOH Winning 4400 Solid Axle King
The 2020 King of the Hammers winning race rig naturally makes its way onto the list of most capable off-roaders.
One could easily say it takes the top spot. What is somewhat unique with Josh’s Ultra4 setup is that it features a solid front axle. The 3 previous KOH winners were all IFS setups. It helps that the chassis was built out by the last Solid Axle winner; Miller Motorsports.
A few features that made Josh Byler King:
- Miller Motorsports Pro 4130 Chromoly Chassis
- 765HP LS7 Engine
- 40x13.50R17 Nitto Trail Grappler Tires
See the story behind Josh Byler's Solid Axle King
2. Triton JL Modern Jeeper
The modern JL platform offers even more comfort, and off-road capability when going on longer overland trips throughout all types of terrain.
The Triton JL outfitted theirs with beefy Currie axles and all the gear and accessories needed on their trips.
A few features that make this JL ready for the trail:
- Outfitted with Overland Gear
- Currie Extreme 60 Axles
- 40x13.50R17 Nitto Trail Grappler Tires
See more on the Triton JL Jeep
3. Loren Healy’s Ultra4 Bronco
The name Loren Healy is no stranger to the off-road race world. As a past winner of KOH; he recently debuted his Ford Bronco-themed desert ride.
The single-seater took a promising lead early in the race, only to drop to finishing 7th due to a bent skid plate snafu.
Highlights of Loren Healy's Latest Racer:
- IFS Suspension
- 780HP 460ci Ford V8
- 25-inches of Rear Travel
See more on Loren Healy's Ultra4 Bronco
4. RTR Fun Runner Ford Ranger
When one of the drift kings enters the off-road world; he brings the fun. Vaughn Gittin, Jr’s Fun Runner Ranger can churn up as much dirt as smoke.
That performance is thanks to a full Kibbetech/KING suspension and massive flares. The truck serves to pre-run the KOH course and act as the team's chase truck at checkpoints.
A few features of the Fun Runner:
- Kibbetech Suspension KING Shocks
- 5-inch AVD Fender Flares
- 37-inch Nitto Ridge Grappler Tires
See more of Vaughn Gittin Jr's RTR Fun Runner Ranger
5. Clever Girl: Adventure-Ready Ford Raptor
When Ford introduced their Raptor edition trucks; they offered the upgraded suspension, tires, and accessories that all desert off-roaders desired.
Of course, taking things a few steps further is in the nature of the off-road world as well. So the level of customized Raptors was raised. The Clever Girl Raptor is built to handle any terrain and emergency situation thrown at it…anywhere.
A few upgrades of Isaac's Raptor:
- FOX 3.0 Shocks
- EcoBoost V6 Performance Upgrades
- GPS/Radio Command Center
- Bed Rack and Nitto Ridge Grappler Tire Carrier