Sub Title - Don't you love it when 4wd theory just works out the
way its supposed to !
I headed down a ridge on the weekend on a dead end track
knowing that the only way out was the way in and that the track was
a moderate downhill slope of about 20 degrees.
Considering the heavily forrested track was damp I couldn't
be confident of calling it but figured I had a 50/50 chance.
So you evaluate your options on the way down and tick off
the actions you may need to take.
Being alone I figured there were 5 steps I could take if
I couldn't make it back.
1/ Engage Locker
2/ Drop tyre pressures
3/ Make a cup of Coffee
4/ Fit chains
5/ Winch.
5 Plus, Make another cup of coffee - and as Bear says, cool it and think.
So we are now heading back up the 1km track.
I'm in my automatic 4800 GU Patrol with my D693 dueller road tyres on
and pressures are around 20 psi.
More than 1/2 way up now, driving slow and steady so as not
to break traction.
Things are looking good, I should make it, there is just
one little steeper washout ahead.
Up we go and the slipping starts and sure enough we stop.
No big deal, reverse back down 10 meters, engage the front
locker and head up again but with a bit more speed.
3 meters past the first slipping point and we progress no more.
This time things are a little more awkward as the car
starts the dreaded backwards downhill slide, but its only
a couple of meters before it stops.
The tree behind me looks a little dissapointed at not scoring the
first dent on this car.
Ok, option 1 has failed so we are into option 2.
This requires getting out and dropping tyre pressures to 12 psi.
Off we go again and this time we sail straight up with
almost no wheel spin at all, amazing.
The simple reduction of tyre pressures right down worked
just like it is supposed to.