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stockton beach 4x4 trip
so we decided to try and test the limits of a volvo xc90...
we got bogged....repeatedly.
up until now our testing has served us well and its done much more than we ever imagined from a soft roader but when you flog an engine and a drivetrain for kms along a beach, things start to let up, namely the not so super-duper automatic 4wd engagement unit. i fail to see what's so hard about having a switch to lock it in rather than it thinking for me itself. so the floormats came out along with the spade and the tyres went from an already low 20psi down to 15 and eventually we got out.
im thinking of getting a suzuki sierra to turn it into a bush bashing machine?
anyone else here enjoy a bit of 4x4?
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Ta-da:
http://rainton.com/fun/diary/php/thumbnails.php?...
Erm... but really the fozzer isn't up to the job. Or more precisely, it's clutch isn't. This trip may or may not have been why it needed a new one after 24,000Km. Hmmmm.
I've been there a couple more times but limited to riding quads (ye-ha!) or driving the fozzer down by Anna bay where the sand is more packed.
It was fun, but unless you have a 'proper' 4WD (with diff lock and low range - the XT doesn't get low range 'cos they say the engine will shred the gearbox in a trice) driving in the dunes probably isn't a good idea. Which is a shame, 'cos it is fun.
I think the moral of the story is... stick to MTB, it's not as expensive when things break and more environmentally friendly
why would you want to get your 4WD dirty
Don't mind a bit of 4WDing myself if it involves going somewhere interesting, we did a week long trip through the Victorian high country 18 months ago & I enjoyed every minute of it. Not into sand/beach driving, too boring!
I've taken my shortie BJ Landcruiser to the Brindabella ranges - west/south west of Canberra. I actually went after some bike riding in Canberra at Majura/Sparrow
good fun, especially for beginner 4x4s....aka moi.
but surely the XT can be used with low range gearing if the engine revs are kept really low (i.e. before the turbo kicks in)?
What I mean is... the normally aspirated fozzers have a low range gearbox (you know, second gear lever for super low range). But on the XT it's just not there.
True, the turbo has a lot of torque which helps, but this isn't enough if you want to slowly pull through or get going in deep sand sometimes.
the NA Foresters have a low range gearbox.
I was just wondering that if the XT had a low range gearbox then the driver would have to keep the revs level below the level where the turbo kicks in to "stop the gearbox from being shredded by the engine".
Or Subaru would have to build in some kind of engine limiter that kicks in when the low range gearing is engaged.
...they could just build better gearboxes.
... it and the clutch is clearly a weak link here. They say they make the clutch weak on purpose so it breaks rather than the box being damaged.
End of the day, you have to remember that driving a soft roader in deep sand is like riding a XC bike on a DH course. You can do it, and you might get away with it once or twice... but sooner or later you're going to enter a world of pain
you could just set the spring on the wastegate really low (i.e) letting all your boost fly out the window. but its smart having the clutch being the weekest link as they're a damn side cheaper than a new gearbox. and your right, sand driving is one of the hardest on drivetrain and engine and sooner or later things are going to break. forresters are good for sand though cuz they're light.