|
keykey posted:Haven't posted in a while, got this thing March of last year because we got tired of sitting at home and been having a poo poo ton of fun in it. So far have done a lot of the Sierra's, 395 area, and did the Plumas backcountry trail in its entirety among other things on the back side of CA and around the coast. My next endeavor will be looking into a winch to go in further. How do you like those steps? I was considering the 589 slider steps, but I don't want to give any additional leverage to anything impacting those sliders since they attach to the body.
|
#
?
Sep 26, 2022 03:40
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 04:03 |
|
|
FogHelmut posted:How do you like those steps? I was considering the 589 slider steps, but I don't want to give any additional leverage to anything impacting those sliders since they attach to the body. They work amazing. I like how they can be attached/detached in 2-3 minutes. My wife has a fused ankle so we needed something that hangs down a bit so she can get a foot on it. We looked at the amp research powersteps and actually had them at the house when I realized they weren’t sliders so they got sent back. The only amp powerstep sliders are for jeeps. I’ve used the sliders a few times already, put a few gouges in one and I haven’t had any issues with where they are attached. GM engineers did their job.
|
|
#
?
Sep 26, 2022 04:03
|
|
|
Splinter posted:470s have seemingly been coming down in price recently. Just saw an '03 with 227k on 33s that looks to be in good shape posted in Portland, OR for $13k, which would be in your budget (unless you were talking $15k Canadian). 13k is pretty good - I will keep an eye out. There is a local 99 LX470 for $17k that i might look at too. I probably need to go look at a few to see if they are any good before I throw money at one - it might be into winter by the time I get the Leaf ready to sell.
|
|
#
?
Sep 26, 2022 21:28
|
|
|
blindjoe posted:13k is pretty good - I will keep an eye out. I doubt this will last as long as it takes to sell the Leaf but drat, where was this in March. https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/d/vancouver-2004-lexus-gx-owner/7535818373.html Oh gently caress, it's non-nav too. That's a great deal. For the record, I'm happy to take a look at and have my buddy's shop do a once over on any rigs near Portland. I'd even be happy to drive to Victoria (mostly so I have an excuse to go to Victoria). highme fucked around with this message at 22:47 on Sep 26, 2022 |
|
#
?
Sep 26, 2022 22:41
|
|
|
So I went up to Watersprite lake this weekend near Squamish in my stock Pajero iO. It's basically a Suzuki Sidekick sized vehicle and had no real problems with the features, except one steep area where I had diagonal wheels off the ground. One thing I learned is that 4H by itself really can get through a lot of stuff, and 4L didn't really seem to make things better where 4H or 4Hc couldn't get me through (i.e. Where the problem is about picking the right line). So that made me wonder, when do I need 4L? Is it just for super steep sections with lots of traction? Or getting over high obstacles like big rocks?
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2022 01:15
|
|
|
I have been on dirt roads with my 2WD minivan where lack of torque prevented progress, not traction. Pedal to the floor, engine roaring, wheels not turning. (This was with a fair amount of cargo, though). e: large wheels/tires make it worse ryanrs fucked around with this message at 01:44 on Sep 27, 2022 |
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2022 01:41
|
|
|
keykey posted:They work amazing. I like how they can be attached/detached in 2-3 minutes. My wife has a fused ankle so we needed something that hangs down a bit so she can get a foot on it. We looked at the amp research powersteps and actually had them at the house when I realized they weren’t sliders so they got sent back. The only amp powerstep sliders are for jeeps. I’ve used the sliders a few times already, put a few gouges in one and I haven’t had any issues with where they are attached. GM engineers did their job. Are they painted or powder coated?
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2022 02:24
|
|
|
Mantle posted:So that made me wonder, when do I need 4L? Is it just for super steep sections with lots of traction? Or getting over high obstacles like big rocks? All of the above plus finer control over your speed.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2022 03:24
|
|
|
FogHelmut posted:Are they painted or powder coated? They come unfinished. I took them to a local powder coating place and had them powder coated to match the sliders. When I ordered them I had to chase them down. Took a call to GM/AEV/AEV’s custom fab guy who then referred me to rock bottom off-road and at the time it was “hey I need the steps you made for Phil’s SEMA truck.“ They finally made them a standard product later last year. You can order them in a 2 or 4 pack. Here’s a link to the product: https://rockbottomoffroad.com/store/
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2022 20:48
|
|
|
What do yall use to find trails? I'm dipping my toes into it, i remember there being some apps in Colorado but that was years ago and i forget where i saw it. I'm in Montana these days fwiw
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2022 21:07
|
|
|
Mr. Crow posted:What do yall use to find trails? I'm dipping my toes into it, i remember there being some apps in Colorado but that was years ago and i forget where i saw it. I'm in Montana these days fwiw OnX Offroad is my go-to. https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/app
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2022 21:45
|
|
|
Safety Dance posted:OnX Offroad is my go-to. https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/app Def OnX Off-road. Also do a BLM map search for areas around you, dispersed camping is the only way to camp. Rather poo poo in a bucket than have to deal with people at pay camp sites.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2022 22:38
|
|
|
OnX Hunt Map. I have 200 GB of offline maps on my phone. OnX Offroad. Some useful trail notes? Last I checked it doesn't share trail markers with the Hunt app, and I do not want to split my waypoints across two different apps. Offroad should be a metadata layer in the Hunt app, imo. Hunt App Wildfire Layer + Inciweb + Calfire to dodge wildfires during fire season. Google Maps for streetview, panorama pics. Panoramas are very useful, esp if they show vehicles. Tells you what kind of vehicle can get to that spot. Google Earth desktop app for satellite images. Better / more recent sat images than Google Maps website. iNaturalist for checking animals, habitat, seasons.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2022 23:46
|
|
|
keykey posted:They come unfinished. I took them to a local powder coating place and had them powder coated to match the sliders. When I ordered them I had to chase them down. Took a call to GM/AEV/AEV’s custom fab guy who then referred me to rock bottom off-road and at the time it was “hey I need the steps you made for Phil’s SEMA truck.“ They finally made them a standard product later last year. You can order them in a 2 or 4 pack. I'm going to check them out, they're about an hour drive from me. Maybe they do a local pickup discount.
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2022 00:42
|
|
|
Lil guy got out for his first trip offroad. Friday we hit up Holly Oaks in Michigan, the Detroit Autoshow then Drummond Island. All together well worth the trip, even if it did rain the entirety of Saturday and Sunday. Right after powering out of some sand traps:  Should have been a sign no one else was heading to Drummond this morning:  If this is your idea of fun, we might get along (if you tow me out)  But mostly it was this kind of logging roads which were fun to just bomb along (this should be a .gif?)  Unfortunately did have some minor damage, any ideas how to bend this out? The high clearance exhaust seems like a good idea, except in reality it just gets crushed by the rear frame rail.  This oddly shaped non-Mopar jeep like thing was kid approved:  And so was this other GM take on a Jeep. Neither of these would have fit well down the trails on Drummond without significant Kentucky Pinstripes. Both have half doors, which I must agree seem superior for weight and storage. However, looking at the Bronco's doors, it does not seem trivial to disconnect and remove them at least compared the the JK. I know the JL has the door holders to be more civilized, so maybe the world has just moved on. Also the Hummer could easily fit 3 large people across in the back, its probably 2X the area of the JK's back seat.  Lastly, did the Jeep thread disappear? giundy fucked around with this message at 01:20 on Sep 29, 2022 |
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2022 01:17
|
|
|
https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2773074&pagenumber=525&perpage=40
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2022 02:18
|
|
|
Friend of a friend is selling a family owned 3rd gen 4Runner, manual, 4x4 with about 240k miles. It needs tires and a timing belt. The clear coat is gone and the interior shows it’s age with stains and the like. They’re asking 5k. That seem reasonable? I need more space and having ground clearance for fire roads will be super nice and I love 3rd gens. Always wanted a mild off roader for things like white rim anyway.
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2022 11:44
|
|
|
Mantle posted:So I went up to Watersprite lake this weekend near Squamish in my stock Pajero iO. It's basically a Suzuki Sidekick sized vehicle and had no real problems with the features, except one steep area where I had diagonal wheels off the ground. Running in 4L can also help with transmission temps and engine temps. The engine doesn't have to work as hard to spin the transmission. Less slipping of whatever wizardry it is that happens inside the slushbox. Seems like I should add some kind of media to this post so enjoy this video of a smol Jerp. https://i.imgur.com/uMnnSxN.mp4
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2022 16:03
|
|
|
Driving around north of Big Bear, I guess 3N17 is a big deal? We drove up a couple of decent hills with some rocks, had a fun time. But came to this: These were about as big as my kid. Maybe it could have been possible to get over with the right angles and some rock stacking, but I'm on barely 32"s and I have to drive my truck every day. Some Jeeps on some big rear end tires showed up, and only 1 out of 4 managed to take the right line. The rest high centered their differential and dragged all kinds of parts across the rocks as they reversed and gunned it, bashing their way through. I was happy with my choice to turn around.  And that was the easy side. The trail split there. The right side was plain nuts. We walked up to get a view:  
FogHelmut fucked around with this message at 23:58 on Oct 1, 2022 |
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2022 23:53
|
|
|
giundy posted:Unfortunately did have some minor damage, any ideas how to bend this out? The high clearance exhaust seems like a good idea, except in reality it just gets crushed by the rear frame rail. It's work hardened now, so you made it stronger, congrats. I am skeptical of the need to bend it back.
|
|
#
?
Oct 4, 2022 01:11
|
|
|
I think it looks fine where it is too. It can worry about itself.
|
|
#
?
Oct 4, 2022 06:02
|
|
|
My jeep dealership is offering 4 tires for the price of 3. I just got Toyo at3's installed in August and they were at least 30 dollars cheaper each than tire rack, discount tire and tire buyer even with my vet discount. They're an authorized Toyo dealer too for warranty issues and you get a Mopar road hazard warranty. It says select tires only, so I don't know which brands or specific tires it covers. I'm also assuming it's nationwide as I got it in a Mopar email. Not saying or endorsing a "stealer ship" (as the boomers say), but if you're shopping for tires, it may be worth a call or email.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2022 23:51
|
|
|
Does anyone have suggestions for true winter tires that have an aggressive enough tread to also handle moderately muddy/crappy forest service roads they are not snowy? Even though the BFG KO2s we have are 3 Peak Mt Snowflake or whatever, I've been pretty unimpressed by them on icy or packed snow roads (eg mountain roads to snowshoeing). On our previous (non-4x4) car we put unstudded Nokian Hakkapelittas on for winter and they were amazing in the mountains. It made our little 2wd Pontiac Vibe feel like it was just driving on wet pavement, while trucks and Jeeps slid around beside us. Obviously I wouldn't trust that car in snow deeper than a couple inches, though. But honestly most of our time is not spent in actual below freezing winter weather, and I don't want to get stuck on a muddy dirt road because we put on "street" winter tires. I see Blizzak DM-v2 are intended for trucks and SUVs, but I'm not sure if there's something better out there. I also wish they came in something closer to the ~32" we currently have (275/70r17, but really just for how they look).
|
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2022 04:07
|
|
|
I don't know if there's a AT or MT that's truly great in snow, or a snow tire that's great as an AT/MT. Deep snow vs hardpack snow vs slush and ice vs mud vs dry dirt vs sand vs slick rock are so different that it's really difficult to be great at everything. You're probably more likely to find a highway all season that does better in the snow than an aggressive AT. Trucks also have poor weight distribution and a high center of gravity that's going to hinder them as well. Source: I used to have a Subaru and drove like a complete rear end in a top hat in the snow on All-seasons with not a slip or a slide, while trucks lay in the ditches. I have BFG KO2s on my truck now, and haven't been in the snow yet. While they do have some siping, it's nothing compared to my wife's crossover's Michelin XLT A/S. All that being said, I previously had Goodyear Wrangler AT Adventure Kevlar, and they were horrendous and dangerous in the wet and on ice. But even near the end of their life, they gripped well in deep snow. A lot of people love Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac in the snow and ice. That might be the best bet.
|
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2022 05:57
|
|
|
I look at the K02s that came on my truck and really want nothing to do with that tread on PNW mountain roads in the winter. The water content of the snow is so high that it packs into sheets of ice way too easily. In Colorado or Utah I'd probably test it out, but here I'm gonna find some dedicated snows in a 32/33" tire to put on my factory 17s. I really loving hate studded tires so I'd prefer studless snows, but from mid-January to late March I drive to the mountain more than anywhere else and keep it parked at home otherwise. So if studs are what I end up with, I'll deal. The Milestar Patagonia M/Ts do look like a great tread pattern for your purpose OP. https://milestartires.com/light-trucks/patagonia-mt/ highme fucked around with this message at 07:19 on Nov 1, 2022 |
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2022 07:16
|
|
|
Thanks for the replies. I figured there was nothing that would bridge that gap perfectly. Just to be clear, my two concerns are: 1. Driving on ice/packed snow, such as on occasionally plowed mountain roads with little traffic. 2. Driving on unpaved forest service roads below the snow line, which can get muddy in the winter (but have no snow). I don't plan on driving in any deeper snow, so I don't think the tread needs to accommodate that sort of thing. My understanding is that the real value in true winter tires comes from the rubber compound used, which stays pliable in sub-freezing temperatures. But I'm far from an expert. highme posted:I look at the K02s that came on my truck and really want nothing to do with that tread on PNW mountain roads in the winter. The water content of the snow is so high that it packs into sheets of ice way too easily. In Colorado or Utah I'd probably test it out, but here I'm gonna find some dedicated snows in a 32/33" tire to put on my factory 17s. I'm also in the PNW (northern Oregon, southern Washington), so I'm in the same situation. I've used the KO2s for a couple winters now, and they're just not great at all on slick stuff. I need to figure out what dedicated winter tires come in 32-33".
|
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2022 18:31
|
|
|
incogneato posted:Does anyone have suggestions for true winter tires that have an aggressive enough tread to also handle moderately muddy/crappy forest service roads they are not snowy? Goddammit! I do, but they stopped making them. The Firestone Winterforce UV original design was PERFECT for this. But the fuckers discontinued them and replaced with the UV2/2 UV which is nowhere near as good on mud. As someone who lives on a dirt road in Mass and will be spending all future winters on a dirt road in backwoods pierce county, this is very annoying to me. Those were my favorite mud slush and snow tires. Very affordable too. I think the big difference was the stepped tread lug design made them much more open when new so they dealt with mud better. Unfortunately I don't think it made them any better on snow actually so they got rid of that gimmick since most people weren't benefiting from it. kastein fucked around with this message at 18:37 on Nov 1, 2022 |
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2022 18:34
|
|
|
incogneato posted:Does anyone have suggestions for true winter tires that have an aggressive enough tread to also handle moderately muddy/crappy forest service roads they are not snowy? KO2s are trash on ice in my experience. Duratracs are probably the best aggressive all terrain in that regard, at least that I've run. Falken AT3Ws weren't bad either, but not as good as the duratracs. I've also ran KM2s and nitto trail grapplers that are both better in dirt/mud than either but not as good on ice. They were all better than KO2s at literally everything though.
|
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2022 20:40
|
|
|
I have hit a patch of ice exactly one time on my KO2s. You know they didn't perform well because I remember that exact corner years later, ha ha. (I wasn't going fast; nothing bad happened.)
|
|
#
?
Nov 3, 2022 06:39
|
|
|
Trails Off-road is(mostly) free, by the way, for people asking about how to find places to go. They have some route descriptions paywalled but it's pretty good for people like me just dipping their toes in every once in a while. Edit: actually now that I look back at their website they have way more paywalled than I remember. So, do with that what you will. The map still functions as a locator regardless. Admiral Bosch fucked around with this message at 18:43 on Nov 3, 2022 |
|
#
?
Nov 3, 2022 18:04
|
|
|
 I've driven KO2s through some absolute bullshit ice and snow, and they've never let me down hope i'm not jinxing myselfWith that said, i've usually run relatively heavy rigs - usually a steel bumper front and rear, plus skid plates, plus a winch, and way larger tires than stock.
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2022 03:25
|
|
|
https://vimeo.com/775913176 FWD Toyota Sienna with KO2s at 20 psi. Full camp load out + firewood. The snow is crusty and fairly hard. It's been melting then refreezing at night for several days. My skid plates are almost/barely touching the snow. When I back up, in a few places you can see thin parallel lines between the tire tracks. Those are from the hex heads of my skid plate bolts. So what is going on here, especially at the end? I have the van more or less floored, and it's just inching along, but it is making forward progress even with massive wheel spin. I think I could have made it to the top in one go if I had kept it floored from the start. On dirt, that kind of wheel spin has always meant I'm already stuck and I need to back up and try a different approach. But I guess that's not true in snow? Please tell me about offroad snow driving technique.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2022 07:33
|
|
|
If you're trying to float over top of deep snow, having tires aired down is good. Otherwise, I have always been told that having the tires aired up (to normal pressure) is gooder because then you have uhhhhh "more weight on fewer square inches". May not be applicable in ice while going uphill specifically though. Get some tire chains maybe?
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2022 12:31
|
|
|
You have no traction, op. In addition to what wesleywillis said, you want gentle inputs on snow. If you were already spinning your way up before you got stuck, you already had no traction and it was just a matter of time before gravity took over. You really don't want to break loose. But you also want to carry your momentum into hills so you don't have to apply more throttle than necessary. Its a balancing act. Also engine braking is your friend when slowing down, especially downhill. If you start sliding, you may not recover. I would definitely recommend carrying a set of chains if you're going offroad in the snow, regardless of tires or amount of wheels driven. I've seen popular trails get blocked for hours because one guy couldn't make it up a small incline. Please see this documentary about what happens when you floor it in the snow and ice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuTXUcoGdhw
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2022 19:12
|
|
|
Unrelated - Should I get a bunch of dumb lights for my truck while they're on sale? I don't know where I would use a light bar. I have HIR bulbs in my high-beams and they already blind me when reflecting off of street signs. I don't think I'm doing any high-speed desert running in the dark. I would really love some kind of side or cornering lights, but I have no idea where I would mount them unobtrusively, and I hate how ditch lights look.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2022 19:20
|
|
|
FogHelmut posted:You have no traction, op. Yeah, that's what I thought. But gentle inputs got me stuck, and full throttle with tons of wheel spin got me to the top. So chains would help a lot? Clearance in the wheel well might be an issue, and they are a huge pain in the rear end.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2022 22:26
|
|
|
ryanrs posted:Yeah, that's what I thought. But gentle inputs got me stuck, and full throttle with tons of wheel spin got me to the top. That or snow tires, lol. There's lower profile options for chains, some less durable than others. I would at least carry something for emergency use.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2022 22:46
|
|
|
OK, I will take a look at chains. My oversize tires already rub the body at full lock, so I bet that'll sound great with chains when I turn too sharp, ha ha. Also I should point out the hill was quite steep, more so than it appears in the video. The van had zero issues on flat roads and moderate inclines. I tried to carry as much speed as I could safely, but I did not want to risk putting the van into the ditch, which was quite deep on the righthand side.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2022 22:58
|
|
|
FogHelmut posted:Unrelated - Depends on where you drive? I've generally added at least one large light bar or driving light set to every 4wd I've owned because when you're driving proper rough trails in the dark the brighter light and wider spread can really help, on fire roads the extra distance is good, and they also help a ton on rural roads without street lighting.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2022 23:08
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 04:03 |
|
|
ryanrs posted:Yeah, that's what I thought. But gentle inputs got me stuck, and full throttle with tons of wheel spin got me to the top. If you have clearance issues and don't want to use chains I'd at least look at getting a set of the fabric snow sock type things, they're not as good and somewhat fragile but do work and shouldn't do any damage (to your van, anyway) if rubbing. They would probably not have helped you much here though as they're not really meant to get wet. On the broader point, there isn't really a one-size-fits-all 'here's how to attack snow obstacles' because it depends very much on the type and depth of snow, what's going on underneath it and what temperature it is and has been, and obviously things can change from one hour to the next if you have freezing/melting going on. I can skate on top of 5ft of snow on a cold, dark afternoon, sink in it up to my waist in the same place the next day (warm, sunny), then walk on it like pavement again the next morning after it's been -10 all night and everything's frozen up. Same principles apply to driving... Being gentle is for when you want to stay on top of snow for whatever reason. If the road underneath is sheet ice rather than gravel then if you dig a hole you may have less grip, not more, unless using studs. It can work, generally works better when it's colder & with actual winter tires (basically, more siping > less) because what you're doing is using snow (packed into or on the tire) to grip snow (on the ground) - interlocking crystal structures and all that. Falls apart if it's warm enough that stuff is melting, can be made possible or impossible by a bunch of micro-scale things you'd never really think about (you just got off a 3hr highway drive and your tires are warm? not doing that straight away as you'll melt your 'road', that kind of thing). In your case here it seemed, watching the video, that there wasn't really much depth of snow, what was there was pretty much all on the verge of melting, and you were probably digging through it to get at the gravel underneath, at least in places, which was wet but mostly not overly icy? When you pull backwards it seems like there's some pretty dirty water running off. In that situation you probably did the 'right' thing, from the narrow POV of getting to where you got to. I hope you walked or otherwise knew that climb before flooring it as there could have been stuff under there (terrain, deeper snow etc) that could have had you heading off the road entirely if you hit it at speed and weren't expecting it.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2022 03:24
|
|
