100 in the sand dunes... problems! (80 comparison)

[SamoL]

My son did the editing

I was driving with locked center diff all the time. I was using my rear lock only when I was stuck and only in 1st gear or reverse. Off course I was driving in low all the time. When I got back to the solid ground I had trouble as I tried to "skip" the first gear
After my friend broke the rear diff when driving locked I was using it with extreme caution.

Regards
Samo

 

[EL_3grab]

My son did the editing

I was driving with locked center diff all the time. I was using my rear lock only when I was stuck and only in 1st gear or reverse. Off course I was driving in low all the time. When I got back to the solid ground I had trouble as I tried to "skip" the first gear
After my friend broke the rear diff when driving locked I was using it with extreme caution.

Regards
Samo

Why driving in low?? I rarely used the low, just some time when I get stuck, never driven the low more than few hundred meters.

About the broken diff-, are you talking about OEM or ARB?

 

[SamoL]

He broke the rear diff on Prado. It was a Toyota diff. You can see how it happened:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-570257652137873863

I was driving in low as it gives you more useful gears: 1st+locked rear diff when you are stuck, 2nd for the extreme stuff, 3rd for more or less everything else when in the high dunes, 4th and 5th for the straights between the hills. It also prevents you to drive too fast with aired down tires
Remember: i don't have the privilege to drive the sand tires like you. And even if I would have them: we did at least 15km offroad over the camel grass (small bush). How is with puncture resistance with Siams? MT/Rs sure are puncture resistant.

Regards
Samo

 

[EL_3grab]

How is with puncture resistance with Siams?

Horribale

all of my 4 corner had at least 2 puncture

 

[SamoL]

Then I don't want them. As I use the car for expedition purposes and there might be snow on the roads when I drive to/back from Africa, I'll stick to MT/Rs or might replace them with some A/T tires (that are NOT snow rated, as snow rated tires are not suitable for rocks). Puncture resistance is the most desirable tire property when driving long distances.
Some people tried to get over the snowy Europe with Michelin XSs on their way to Africa and they've said it was the most thrilling driving experience ever.

Regards
Samo

 

[Escape Artist]

Interesting posts ... from before my hair went gray. I have an 06 LC ... recentlty returned from Glamis sand dunes. The truck for me did fine dune'n from wash 3 to Oldsmobile Hill. Was my first time with this truck to the dunes. K02's down to 10-12 psi. CDL engaged ... Low Range ... Five souls on board. I pointed her up the hill and after the woops I smashed the skinny peddle as hard as I could ... but about half way up the hill I had to turn around.

"Everybody out" I yelled! Again I attempted the hill ... and failed. Third attempt with a different line - failed.

After a night of heckling I returned the next morning. I thought maybe I would try in high range. Center diff locked. Nailed the gas and in second gear the truck ran out of gusto ... 265 horses doesn't cut it. I turned back again. Everyone watching.

Next time, I kept the CDL on as before, High Range as well - but kept the gear selector in L to keep her on first gear. I mashed the peddle, gnashed my teeth and bounced the needle off the Rev Limiter ... She pulled hard all the way up the hill to the top. SCORE! I went back, loaded up the four other buddies who didn't believe me, and we did it three more times, from three different lines. No problem.

I felt like without the gear selector in first gear that something computer related was hindering my ascent. the first and second gear ratios are not enormously spread apart on the five speed. But no matter what I did I couldn't get the RPM up over 2500 unless it was locked in first gear. I know the system doesn't engage at RPMs north of 3k, but it just seems odd that it wouldn't climb that hill and anything else but high range and first gear.