Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Some reading matter for those who have nothing better to do!

We're just back from a weekend at Landcruiser Mountain Park with the Mitsubishi Club - first trip with the new (to me) tyres. It was supposed to be the "President's New Members Weekend" but our illustrious president got called in to assist on the club's DAP, so another member stepped in to fill the void.

With quite a mix of vehicles present Saturday was more of a leisurely cruise with the occasional hard track option. The other vehicles included the trip leader's 100 Series diesel (live front, stock apart from front and rear bars and BFG muds), another 100 Series live front diesel with front locker and average ATs, an NL Exceed with front Detroit and BFGs, a Triton twin cab, a Gen 1 stocker, a Surf and an old Landy.

The two Cruisers and the Exceed drove the red section at the top of Camp Road, and made it look pretty easy, so I gave it a go and made it without much trouble. I was very happy with my first attempt at an "extreme" track.

After lunch the Gen 1 and the Surf stayed behind. We did Lower Davidsons, and again I made it up the red bit without trouble, but I took one of the easier tracks - the Landy had to be snatched after he started sliding sideways off the side of the track. The Exceed made it up the gnarliest track without trouble, then the Cruiser with the diff lock got stuck on the same track - broke out the winch twice, then we joined three straps and the Exceed pulled him up the rest. That's where my girlfriend lost our map, so I don't know where we went after that, but nobody had any more problems.

Sunday started with ice over everything (anybody know the freezing point of olive oil?) and some new arrivals - father and son team from Kilcoy with Gen 1 Pajeros with front Detroits, the son's being a shorty with a rear detroit and supercharger on his 2.6 - awesome toy! We set out on a tour of the northwest corner of the park; the two 'Cruisers, the three locked Pajeros and mine (unlocked ) I donned my skirt and opted out of some of the steeper bits that the unlocked 'Cruiser couldn't climb, but ended up having a go at a few tracks I would never have contemplated before. I was snatched once, through some talc powder like loose stuff on the Club Rally Circuit, and had a few problems later in the day on similar stuff. In hindsight, I think I was too hard on the throttle, and the MTRs just dug holes at every opportunity, so I'll have to try very gently next time.

In all I'm very happy with the way the Paj performed - mine was definitely the least capable vehicle on the Sunday (well, with me behind the wheel anyway ) but it wasn't far off the pace. A couple of times I cruised over obstacles that locked vehicles had trouble with, probably as much luck as anything else. I reckon it was fairly close to both 'Cruisers in capability, although the Cruiser with the locker was hindered by it's tyres - I'm glad I did the lift/tyres thing before the locker, or I might not have learned some lessons.

I had the front end pulling some significant air a couple of times, and we got on some nasty seeming side slopes - they probably weren't that bad (25-30 degrees on the bouncing golf ball) but neither my passenger nor I were comfortable - how far can a lifted Paj on 33s tilt before it goes "too far?" I have this vague recollection that 35 degrees is still pretty comfortable for the car, but don't know where it came from.

Now I've just gotta get that exchange TC with the 2.85s in, and have another go. When are those front lockers available now?

Thanks go to the trip leader, and the other club members for helping to make the weekend fun.

Cheers,

Scott

I had the front end pulling some significant air a couple of times, and we got on some nasty seeming side slopes - they probably weren't that bad (25-30 degrees on the bouncing golf ball) but neither my passenger nor I were comfortable - how far can a lifted Paj on 33s tilt before it goes "too far?" I have this vague recollection that 35 degrees is still pretty comfortable for the car, but don't know where it came from.

The inclometer will go further than you think.. On a suzuki night run a few years back, my gen 1 paj rolled the inclometer around the wrong way... So the back was visible rather than the front with the numbers.... It was running 33's at the time as well...

Sounds like a good weekend with a few quality pajs there...

Hi Scott,

thanks for the report on the weekend, now I really wish I had been there. The DAP was cold as well ( -3 degrees ) but no significant driving was done, nobody was interested in having a go at the quarry wall, I think it was too close to rum o'clock.

Sounds like the tyres made a huge difference to the car, I know I love the way that they just roll over obstacles rather than bump into them. Did you play with different pressures in them, and what pressure felt good?

cheers

John

Hi John

I let them down to 20psi and forgot about it! I was too busy watching the other cars tackle the tracks, trying to decide on lines, and I didn't think to play with the pressures. They certainly felt comfortable, and crawling along a creek bed was much easier than I expected (wasn't at all concerned about the sills - the rocks in the creek couldn't have been that big. ) I've previously worked on the theory that a lighter vehicle doesn't need as much surface area, so I can get away with higher pressures - maybe I need lower pressures to make the tyres bag more? But I don't want to stake one either...

I think I'll stick with 20 for a while, and try less pressure on the throttle instead!

Cheers,

Scott

awesome stuff sounds like the mtrs are going well! seems everywhere is just a dust bowel at the moment.
got any action pics?

Hi Scott,

20 psi sounds like about where I would start for your shorty with lthe lighter weight, I have been running 22 psi in my LWB and it feels good for most surfaces without loosing the bead seats. I initially tried 25 psi, which I used to run in the 265's, but felt the 285's were a bit stiff at that pressure, so 22 seems to be the go for me for general hard stuff at the moment.

No pics - I don't have a digital, and the old fashioned film camera complained of a flat battery after my girlfriend took two pics of Kookaburras when we first got there!

Some of the others were taking pics with digitals - I'll see if I can track some down.

Cheers,

Scott

well show us the birds then!!!!