Now picture this...

[BlueLux]

OK here's a little scenario for you.
Steep uphill, low-range climb, wide enough for a HiLux and a half. Hard packed dirt, fairly grippy. 15m's up the climb, dead centre, a big rock about 1m wide and probably tall enough to scrape the hell out of the underbody. Stock dual-cab HiLux, except for custom poop stains on seats from previous close encounters.
What should I have done? Should I have risked the scrape or crawled either set of wheels up the rock?

[baby_troupe]

Obviously you didn't walk the track first.
If unsure, stall & do reverse restart & reverse back down.
Then walk back to the rock & see if it is passable & on what line.
Mark your line (even better if you have a guide) & then go back to your vehicle & have a go at it.
If in doubt, don't do it.

[BlueLux]

From the bottom of the run I could see 80% of the uphill track ahead before it went over a rise. I saw the rock in the middle and chose to take the track next to it which looked easier. Turned out to be much harder up ahead and then turned to the other track(the one with the rock at the start). This track switching resulted in wheels being airborne and me nearly rolling my truck.
In hindsight, I reckon the rock track would've been easier from the start.
In a scenario like that do you want your tyres in the highest position possible e.g not in ruts

[baby_troupe]

Depends on the angle the vehicle will be on, how deep the ruts are & how much ground clearance you have.
Being high on the top of the ruts often seems better, but if there is a risk of slipping, I would rather be in the rut as at least you know which way you will go.

[nqgu]

Gotta agree with you (baby_troupe) on that one. Sometimes it is better to be in the ruts, even when dry. A fall into the ruts can be a catastrophe. You just have to ask yourself, whats the chance i will slip into the rut and what would it do if I did? If in doubt, sometimes it is better to take the rut.

Why does 4wding have to take so much brain power....some days it makes my head hurt....or is that the beer?? ;D

[BlueLux]

Well on this particular track there weren't exactly ruts. It was pretty flat with this one rock sticking out and a few steps much further towards the top.
Anyway I'm here now writing this so I did get to the top.

I think some of the best advice i've ever heard is the scenario of, do i have to go there? is there another way?, if i get there can i get back?
It's no fun 4wding if you damage your truck, or even worse end up in hospital.

thats the way i was taught HnM :) and it's damn good advice!!

[BlueLux]

Did I have to go there? No. It was a telegraph line track in the Blue Mtns and there was a perfectly good graded road 50m's to the right. It was my first real outing in the Lux and I wanted to see what she could do.
I just sold my Vitara which would've pissed it in.

upon reflection...... that addage doesn't work as a fourby driver, because you "DON'T" usually need to go onto a certain track, but you WANT to..... to go 4WDing :) that IS why we bought them in the first place. I guess you would then need to ask yourself.... "can i confidently do it?" I have done it in the past.... looked at a piece of track and didn't think i had the confidence to do it so i went elsewhere...... i since went back after i gained a little confidence and did those tracks and was glad i did :) So i guess the ultimate answer to your original scenario would be to look at the situation, because everybody would approach it differently, look and see if you can get your vehicle over it confidently and safely. If not, go another way and try it again later..... might not work for all, but it works for me :)

guess your right roe, my avatar is a pic of just playin in the quarry an jeremy is not hangin off the side for somethin to do, the photo never gives it justice. as far as confidence goes, most of the time the challenge is only there if you don't know if you can make, but by that I don't mean that you go there if you think it is dangerous.
btw, I have another pic in a couple of days, air on stockton beach. ;D

w00t!!! lets see it!! :o

get it off me mate tonite, I'll scan it tomorow, apparently the shot was taken a little early though an only the front wheels are off the ground.
wonder if photo shop could fix that eh dao

;) I'll see what i can do for ya hehehe ;D

[BlueLux]

Well stuff it! I went back there today to see if I could get up it. Walked the whole thing and picked out a few possible lines and gave it a go. As soon as the front right hit the rock everything went pear shaped and started spinning. Reversed and tried different approaches and gears to no avail. Could of, maybe squeezed around it but didn't have a spotter so didn't want to risk the damage.
Oh well, maybe next time.(with 2inch raise, lockers and muddies)

[baby_troupe]

With more practice & knowledge of your vehicle I reckon you will get there eventually.
Things I would try for my vehicle would be lower tyre pressures to 15psi & remove the rear sway bar.
Then I reckon if it won't flex over, different vehicle set up will be needed (eg a dif lock or 2).
Problem is, go that far & you really need to know your vehicles limitations as the angles which stop momentum on LA with Open Difs with less experience actually help you to not roll your vehicle, wheras lockers will still drive you past that point.

[BlueLux]

Very true. In the end it WAS the fact that I'm not sure of my trucks limits and what it can and can't do. I just chickened out really. I reckon if I still had my little zook (which I had for 5 years) I would have got up easy. Probably not more capable than the Lux,(better tyres maybe) but I knew its limits a lot better.

But as it says in this months issue "it's better to be a wealthy coward than a broke braveheart".

[Aussie_CJ7]

Same idea but the 3 questions I was taught when learning

Am I capable enough driver to make it?
Is my vehical capable enough to make it ?
Do I really want/need to do it ?

Answer no or maybe to any of those three and you go find another track and live to fight another day

[Humpy]

Will I go to outside today?

Is there a chance i might be in a car accident?
Might i catch some nasty disease from my workmate?
Might it rain and mess up my hair?

If you think you can do something give it a go. staying on the safe side all the time is boring

ahhhh but staying on the safe side "most" of the time saves a lot of money in panel repairs ;)

Posted by: RoeDao Posted on: Today at 07:26:19am
ahhhh but staying on the safe side "most" of the time saves a lot of money in panel repairs

and possibly alot of time on body repairs or worse, money on funerals.

I agree that most of the time we don't NEED to be there but there is fine line between having fun and putting yourself and others in definate danger. You've just gotta weigh up the risks. These days if you scratch your best mates arm he may turn around and sue you, that may be another way of looking at it ;D

[Guts]

ahhhh but staying on the safe side "most" of the time saves a lot of money in panel repairs ;)
I don`t see the problem with bending panels as they still make them, only need to worry about them when they don`t make them any more ;D

yeah...... but ya still gotta buy the bastages!! hehe although, when they run out of panels i guess you can use fibreglass 8) I already dented one panel and kicked it back into shape..... but it's not too bad..... it's behind the rear wheel :o the minister for finance wasn't overly impressed ;D

[FUN-TOY]

These days if you scratch your best mates arm he may turn around and sue you, that may be another way of looking at it ;D


in my culture and in the old time, if I fall down in city mall open sewerage, that would be my own fault didnt look properly.....wont sue nobody.

Anyway, why are we 4wding? ???
Is the answer as difficult as to answer why a mountaineer climb a mountain if he has to go down again? :-\

Maybe if we can answer that question honestly, hopely we could void the repair bill that otherwise we have to pay. ;)

Within reason ;)

[2 BRUTAL]

if you are going to drive in the ruts just check how deep they are before you put your wheels in them. no point trying to drive in ruts deeper than your suspension travel, and tyre size. 4WD's don't go very far if you high centre them.

[baby_troupe]

if you are going to drive in the ruts just check how deep they are before you put your wheels in them. no point trying to drive in ruts deeper than your suspension travel, and tyre size. 4WD's don't go very far if you high centre them.

Lowest point is dif centre.
That is what to watch for in ruts, not suspension etc.

[Wizard1963]

Don't mean to be a pain in the butt but BABY Troupie?? Whoever you may be remember Not everyone who owns a 4by is a 4x4 driver and more importantly (praise for effort keeps people doing the things that matter) getting out there. i've got more than average experience in 4x4's but don't claim to be an expert but i've always found people learn better if given praise for what they did right (even if that was just buying a 4x4)

[baby_troupe]

Don't mean to be a pain in the butt but BABY Troupie?? Whoever you may be remember Not everyone who owns a 4by is a 4x4 driver and more importantly (praise for effort keeps people doing the things that matter) getting out there. i've got more than average experience in 4x4's but don't claim to be an expert but i've always found people learn better if given praise for what they did right (even if that was just buying a 4x4)

What is your point?
I wasn't critisizing, just reminding of what to look out for when in ruts (I drive in them too).

install bash plates and rock sliders and drive over the bugger GO HARD SON!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[HnM]

Godspeed mate ;D

[arfaname]

obviously the guys who see panel damage as a mere side effect of 4wding must drive buckets of crap perhaps with expensive accessories. Gimme your car and Ill push it further than you thought possible. I will put more dents in it than it has bolts.

Lemme drive the same track in mine and IF I decide to travel it I can assure you My damage will be minimal if any because I dun want my car ending up like yours.

People are out there for different things. At the end of the day, smart people will not take a risk that effects the sustainability of thier leisure activity.

On the other hand I have considered by an old fj40 so I CAN smack that biatch up.

just my thoughts

obviously the guys who see panel damage as a mere side effect of 4wding must drive buckets of crap perhaps with expensive accessories. Gimme your car and Ill push it further than you thought possible. I will put more dents in it than it has bolts.

Lemme drive the same track in mine and IF I decide to travel it I can assure you My damage will be minimal if any because I dun want my car ending up like yours.

People are out there for different things. At the end of the day, smart people will not take a risk that effects the sustainability of thier leisure activity.

On the other hand I have considered by an old fj40 so I CAN smack that biatch up.

just my thoughts





thats a very good way to look at it. It's all too easy to go hard..... but then you have to go hard to the panelbeaters to get your ride repaired.