TC.Barky's NW Adventures

[TC.Barky]

Hey all,

Thought I'd keep track of my adventures in the new NW. Largely for my own benefit but also for anyone who is interested I'll try to remember to post up a couple pictures after each trip I do with a bit of a description of where it was. If anyone wants any further information just ask, always happy to talk trips

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First up was a quick trip to test out the 4WD system in early July 2014, the articulation and see how the rear locker/traction control systems work near Bruthen in East Gippsland. This was a basic area but it's a good little spot to test things out as it has a mix of terrain ranging from clay, dirt and hard/soft sand and a few different challenges such as moderately steep inclines/declines, soft sand hills and areas to get crossed up in. This was with about 800kms on the clock/2 weeks old. It's also where I got the first (of many) pinstripes.

Conclusion was that the car was pretty swish, the traction aids were great and the car was in serious need of a lift and a bullbar to improve clearance and approach angle (due to those stupid front mud flap things). Didn't take any pictures as it was just a little test trip but I've taken some stills from some footage I had.

Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrdc...Afp-8q_S2A7Hqj

[TC.Barky]

Next trip was a forum trip the following weekend that my.paj and I organised to visit the snow. This was a fun little trip, glad I had the bushskinz though Original link for the trip is here: http://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/...ad.php?t=40000

This trip was purely about getting a few guys together and having a play in some snow. We went up to Mt Matlock via Marysville on what turned out to be a great weekend for snow cover and then shot off down the other side of the mountain for some more adventures.

I got my new paj semi-stuck for the first time on this trip. Drove off the side of the road by a few meters to line up for a photo shoot but there was a bit of water under the snow so traction was practically non-existent. Managed to get out under my own steam, just required some careful manoeuvring to get free but managed to get a bit of mud inside

Video of me getting unstuck here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhTKRpInNl8

Great trip with a great bunch of blokes.




Photo by Allanmac


Photo by Allanmac

[Stevo77]

Awesome pics!
Love the mighty Paj!

[TC.Barky]

Lerderderg Quarry Trip

4WD season will be starting up again very soon so it's time for a couple of warmup trips!

First of all was a trip to the old stone quarry in Lerderderg State Park just north of Bacchus Marsh. This is an area we visited a few times in the old NL and I've been wanting to head there to see how the new one stacks up compared to the old one.

So a few of us from the forum headed down there to have a short play in the morning. The paj was very impressive here. Starting to get a real feel for the auto and the traction aids and am starting to really change my driving style to a much more controlled, slow pace.

The quarry is a ripper of a place for testing things out, it's got a mix of climbs from easy to pretty extreme, little bit of rocks, some mud and some gnarly side angles in some spots. Below is a picture of the hardest climb. Last time we were here everyone managed to pass this obstacle (most required a couple goes) but it has become significantly more challenging since then. This time around it was only my NW that got up in our group through the marvels of traction aids. Having said that, only three cars from our group had a go this time around. I can honestly say that unless I hit it super hard to the point of risking damage I don't think the NL would have been able to clear it.


Image courtesy of my.paj

When I first approached this hill I didn't think it was going to make it, largely due to pretty mild tyres and a lack of clearance. The plan was to take a very slow approach and see how far the traction control could pull me. Impressively it just walked up with minimal fuss!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLBDAoVIeaI&list=UUN2Rk6MDKqaWOlhcWFFBZdg

Video stolen from Downunder35m

After that I had to see if it was any easier with the rear diff lock. Suprisingly, it didn't make it through with the diff lock engaged! If you watch the video below, I had another go straight after with the traction control instead so we could do a direct comparison of the two systems looking from the same angle. You can see that the rear diff lock helps more initially when the rear wheel leaves the ground, but when the front right wheel lifts up there was not enough traction to push the car up (both rear wheels were free spinning) and it needed some kind of input from the front to pull it past that point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9AKYAT_B6E&list=UUN2Rk6MDKqaWOlhcWFFBZdg

A fun little trip with great weather, looking forward to heading back there in a couple weeks with more people to do a full loop of the park.


Image courtesy of my.paj


Image courtesy of my.paj

[shemdeb]

That traction control is amazing

[TC.Barky]

That traction control is amazing

Yeah I'm very pleased with it. Love that everything can be taken as a slow controlled approach, particularly coupled with an auto behind it.

[shemdeb]

Yeah I'm very pleased with it. Love that everything can be taken as a slow controlled approach, particularly coupled with an auto behind it.

If only I was allowed to get mine dirty

[my.paj]

Looking good, cant wait to get to know the traction control better.

[Rovingman]

Great stuff

[Goodsy]

Looking good, cant wait to get to know the traction control better.

You don't have it. First out with the 3.8L's

[TC.Barky]

You don't have it. First out with the 3.8L's

Not so Tim. The last of the 3.5s that had ABS (generally exceeds) had traction control. No ASC of course as its a cabled throttle. We were confused also when he was first looking at it as the T/C light came on the dash on startup but no ASC off switch. Definitely there though, we've tested it in the field.

[TC.Barky]

Been a while! Have been pretty busy with work so haven't had a lot of time for any major trips. Been camping a bit (no photos) and just came back from a run to the High Country (photos to come).

Anyway, forgot I had this video, this is the third part of the traction control test. The previous video is on the other page (http://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/...40&postcount=4) comparing the factory rear locker (with TC disabled as per the factory setup) and the traction control. This video shows BOTH systems working together (as I've overidden part of the traction control system).

This was a few weeks later than the first video so the obstacle has degraded a little more, however I was able to get through the obstacle even slower with this setup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRy4IR5omDk&index=1&list=PL7VE10bqPCtk6JdMQV-Afp-8q_S2A7Hqj

[awbeattie381]

that video is very impressive!! I know a lot of much tougher fourbies that would struggle on that little loose section! My paj certainly wouldnt make it! Maybe if I kept the foot to the floor but thats not really the best way of doing things

[Chooseboost]

I am currently trolling through threads to find the "how to" for the TC mod.

Do you get worried that it may affect warranty? The other half is concerned about me doing it and breaking something...

[TC.Barky]

I am currently trolling through threads to find the "how to" for the TC mod.

Do you get worried that it may affect warranty? The other half is concerned about me doing it and breaking something...

Check my build thread, got the links on there that I used.

It will definitely affect warranty, but only if the traction control (or similar) shits itself and I'd just solder it back together before taking it in if that happened and I dare say they'd be none the wiser