Dune Bashing w/pics

[nodaksn3]

One of the touristy, fun things to do here in Abu Dhabi is to go "Dune Bashing"- so, my wife and I and some friends signed up, and yesterday, we went. There is a commercial company that hosts these tours, and they are quite popular. The most interesting things for me were the cruisers which they use. They were all 2006 models, 1FZ engines, stick shift. Over here, most, if not all, have cloth interiors. What a ride. We were together with 5 other cruisers from the same company. When we got to the dunes, they aired down to 15 psi, and off we went. I've owned cruisers for 20 years, and done some off-roading, but nothing like this. The sand is extremely fine powder, but the trucks just plowed on through. We dove over the edge of the steepest dunes, almost striaght down in places, but the sand is soft enough to minimize the risk of turning over. They use Land Cruisers exclusively. I'll post some pics. The 45 we saw while driving earlier. Ned

 

[nodaksn3]

More. One of the cruisers got hung up on the lip of a dune. Hey, everybody gets stuck sooner or later! Ned

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

That looks like a blast! Did you get stuck?

TK

 

[nodaksn3]

Hey Alaska, you're up early! One of the Cruisers did. He got hung up over the lip of a big dune. One earlier pic is of him getting pulled out. The two guys in the traditional "dish-dash" are two of the drivers- they're from Oman. Very modern guys, but like a lot of the locals, they prefer to wear the traditional clothing. Ned

 

[thestallionq8]

Good stuff! I wish we could do the same here in Kuwait but we don't have dunes that big or sand that soft! We do have a place called "Dune of Death" but I haven't been to it! The "Dune of Death" is infamous amongst Kuwaiti Bedouins due to the amount of deaths caused by their rigs rolling over!

 

[Ebag333]

The "Dune of Death" is infamous amongst Kuwaiti Bedouins due to the amount of deaths caused by their rigs rolling over!

No doubt because I'm a stupid, lazy, fat American, I have trouble with "Bedouin" and "rig" in the same sentence. But then again, it's a bit harder to roll a camel....



Anyway, nice pics! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Rallyroo]

They were all 2006 models, 1FZ engines, stick shift. Over here, most, if not all, have cloth interiors.

I wish that us in North America could get them in manual and with cloth seats.

 

[Grolar]

Not to spoil the party, but do you have pics of dunebashing 80s? We're fetishists here.

 

[96r50]

Good stuff! I wish we could do the same here in Kuwait but we don't have dunes that big or sand that soft! We do have a place called "Dune of Death" but I haven't been to it! The "Dune of Death" is infamous amongst Kuwaiti Bedouins due to the amount of deaths caused by their rigs rolling over!

There is a video in the 200 series section that could fit in that description.

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Hey Alaska, you're up early! One of the Cruisers did. He got hung up over the lip of a big dune. One earlier pic is of him getting pulled out. The two guys in the traditional "dish-dash" are two of the drivers- they're from Oman. Very modern guys, but like a lot of the locals, they prefer to wear the traditional clothing. Ned

Nice Sunset Safari 4Wheelin in Abu Dhabi. nodaksn, would you mind if I add some pictures of my safari trek on your thread? I have some pictures from Dubai showing the rock and was riding on both 80 and 100 series Cruisers

 

[nodaksn3]

4 x4- Yes, add them. Are you in Dubai? I don't own a vehicle, yet, because my visa has not come through. When it does, I'm getting either an FJ45, or a LX470 imported from the US. Maybe we could get together and wheel someplace? Are you the guy who was looking for a winch for your 80? 'Cause I found one in the local industrial area. Ned

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

4 x4- Yes, add them. Are you in Dubai? I don't own a vehicle, yet, because my visa has not come through. When it does, I'm getting either an FJ45, or a LX470 imported from the US. Maybe we could get together and wheel someplace? Are you the guy who was looking for a winch for your 80? 'Cause I found one in the local industrial area. Ned

The guy looking for a winch is prossett and I believe he lives in Al Ain. I'm back in the States now. Don't forget to import some subtanks and associated parts. I got my subtank in Sharjah from one of the junkyard.

I have seen the Camel Rock near Oman. I had a good time over there with Safari Tour bashing the dunes.

 

[romey]

nice, nothin like burning home grown cheap fuel huh?! gotta love them bare bones 5spd cruisers!

 

[thestallionq8]

No doubt because I'm a stupid, lazy, fat American, I have trouble with "Bedouin" and "rig" in the same sentence. But then again, it's a bit harder to roll a camel....



Anyway, nice pics! Thanks for sharing!

What was that all about?

There is a video in the 200 series section that could fit in that description.

Will search for it! Thanks!

 

[Altaf]

Nice photos! Being out in DC we've got nothing like that at all. Actually, there's no place to even go off-roading without driving a couple of hours. Good to see the LC's being put to work out there. It must have been a blast!

 

[millatruse]

Cool pics!

 

[Adsonic]

Just a side note, there's a club called Abu-Dhabi 4X4 www.AD4x4.com and its one of the greatest clubs in the area for offroading. They have weekly trips and free training courses. Check them out, just tell them I sent you

http://www.ad4x4.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1

 

[ChuckB]

I've been on that tour. TONS of fun!!

 

[thestallionq8]

I went out with a friend and he told me to copy what he did while I still had all my tires filled with air. He told me not to deflate them but to just follow! This is what happened : OOPS The new front and rear bumpers made the car heavier than my friend's 100 series with ARB Sahara front end and ARB standard rear end.