[benbsb29]

Some pics from my previous trips in recent times.



Along the hard surface sections of the inland track


Some sections of the island are closed to traffic to protect the local wildlife


At one of the freshwater lagoons on the island


LC60 series


Jimny on the beach




Campers making their way


My friend's Prado on its maiden off-road trip since he got it


They see me rollin..

[Amrik Singh]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

For sand, it's all about tyre pressure and momentum. See how easily i can preach here.

Let me add. In deep Desert with Sand Dunes, reading the Sand is also important. The colour, grain and waves on the sand predict the nature of sand. It also tells us what unseen lies ahead on the other side of the dune. Often the driver lunges forward to ascend the dune and finds a steep incline on the other side. If he stops, his 4WD is on belly. Neither of the wheels in contact with terrain. And if he goes further, it is worse.
At low tyre pressure, often a sharp turn makes the Tubeless Tyre create a gap between the Rim and whoosh. The Tyre is flat. Jack up set the Tyre correctly after cleaning off all sand and using Portable Inflator makes the day.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by Amrik Singh

Let me add. In deep Desert with Sand Dunes, reading the Sand is also important. The colour, grain and waves on the sand predict the nature of sand. It also tells us what unseen lies ahead on the other side of the dune. Often the driver lunges forward to ascend the dune and finds a steep incline on the other side. If he stops, his 4WD is on belly. Neither of the wheels in contact with terrain. And if he goes further, it is worse.
At low tyre pressure, often a sharp turn makes the Tubeless Tyre create a gap between the Rim and whoosh. The Tyre is flat. Jack up set the Tyre correctly after cleaning off all sand and using Portable Inflator makes the day.

Thanks a lot for the insights to desert dune driving. Needless to say, i haven't had the opportunity to indulge in dune bashing, even as a passenger despite spending all of my childhood in Dubai.

The nearest dunes in Australia which i can drive on are the Stockton sand dunes in the neighbouring state of New South Wales. In saying that, i believe they are still vastly different from the ones in the Gulf regions.

[Arshad YR]

Great thread sir. My uncle had a Pajero of the same vintage in Saudi Arabia. I still remember the first time when we went off-road with it. We tried to climb a sand dune without reducing the tyre pressures and didn't carry enough momentum. A few seconds into the climb and we were royally stuck in the sand. Thankfully there was a Nissan Patrol around with recovery gear to our rescue.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by Arshad YR

Great thread sir. My uncle had a Pajero of the same vintage in Saudi Arabia. I still remember the first time when we went off-road with it. We tried to climb a sand dune without reducing the tyre pressures and didn't carry enough momentum. A few seconds into the climb and we were royally stuck in the sand. Thankfully there was a Nissan Patrol around with recovery gear to our rescue.

We all learn from the experience, don't we?
I still recall the time my friend and I did the same in his Subaru XV and got beached. The ordeal resulted in 3 other cars getting stuck as they tried to go around us, and about 2 hours later that we were all 'rescued'.

[download2live]

I should log in more often. I always enjoy your threads.
X-Trail for off-roading is not a good choice. These are city SUV's doesn't matter if 2WD or 4WD !!

[Amrik Singh]

Originally Posted by download2live

I should log in more often. I always enjoy your threads.
X-Trail for off-roading is not a good choice. These are city SUV's doesn't matter if 2WD or 4WD !!

I disagree slightly. It may not be good choice for serious adventure but still good enough for light off road enjoyment.
As they say, "It is not the Machine, but the Man behind the Machine, that matters". So, much depends on the driver too.
Though under powered, but being light weight helps it in reasonably good off road performance.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by download2live

I should log in more often. I always enjoy your threads.
X-Trail for off-roading is not a good choice. These are city SUV's doesn't matter if 2WD or 4WD !!

Thanks buddy, been ages! Hope you have been well.
I have seen this version of the X-Trail on the beach a few times, they are only let down by the lack of ground clearance.

Originally Posted by Amrik Singh

I disagree slightly. It may not be good choice for serious adventure but still good enough for light off road enjoyment.
As they say, "It is not the Machine, but the Man behind the Machine, that matters". So, much depends on the driver too.
Though under powered, but being light weight helps it in reasonably good off road performance.

Agree with Amrik.

The instances i have seen the X-Trail on the beach, it's always in the company of a few other makes. I believe an experienced driver can take this places, making sure the momentum is sustained, and with the right tyre pressures.

[download2live]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Thanks buddy, been ages! Hope you have been well.
I have seen this version of the X-Trail on the beach a few times, they are only let down by the lack of ground clearance.

Is there then any hope for an Outlander 4WD?
Mine already creaks going over the curb !!!

Once the borders are open I am planning on some long drives. Let's see if we drive as far as to Brisbane !!

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by download2live

Is there then any hope for an Outlander 4WD?
Mine already creaks going over the curb !!!

Once the borders are open I am planning on some long drives. Let's see if we drive as far as to Brisbane !!

Do let me know when that happens. Would love to have you guys over.
As for the Outlander, i haven't seen any on the beach in all these years. Maybe owners don't want to risk it.

About the creaks, get the suspension bushes checked, just in case. Turned out to be the reason on my Pajero, although it felt and sounded like the whole suspension was a goner.

[download2live]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Do let me know when that happens. Would love to have you guys over.
As for the Outlander, i haven't seen any on the beach in all these years. Maybe owners don't want to risk it.

About the creaks, get the suspension bushes checked, just in case. Turned out to be the reason on my Pajero, although it felt and sounded like the whole suspension was a goner.

Travel is still in planning stage but yeah will let you know if we are around.

And looks like a common problem with Mitsubishi !
They did change the rubber bush or something like that in the chassis and charged me for that too. And still the creak remains.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by download2live

Travel is still in planning stage but yeah will let you know if we are around.

And looks like a common problem with Mitsubishi !
They did change the rubber bush or something like that in the chassis and charged me for that too. And still the creak remains.

Do get the handbrake checked as well. There is some greasing required around where the pads engage on the wheel, which is also a potential area to cause that creak when you go over something.

[Samba]

Loved reading this travelogue. I so much miss these kind of excursions in India. It's always great to have a team with like minded people. The pictures are just drool worthy, I can imagine the fun you had. Driving on sand is always very tricky.

In India people go for dune bashing in Jaisalmer, but again that's 2500 km from my place.

Last year, I went to Puri and there was a way to hit the sea beach with my car. I was stupid enough to venture without a backup vehicle & that too with family.

From this point I managed a self recovery by removing the sand and rocking the vehicle in reverse and front with nil or little input to the throttle.



But at this point the car was simply refusing to climb up the slope. With throttle the car was digging in, and with less power it was stalling. At last lowered the tyre pressure to 20 psi, gathered these branches by paying around 500 bucks to the locals and managed to take the car up by driving on these with a little push from the back.



A small video-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uEHArsDov8

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by Samba

Loved reading this travelogue. I so much miss these kind of excursions in India. It's always great to have a team with like minded people. The pictures are just drool worthy, I can imagine the fun you had. Driving on sand is always very tricky.

Thanks Samba.

Originally Posted by Samba

In India people go for dune bashing in Jaisalmer, but again that's 2500 km from my place.

Last year, I went to Puri and there was a way to hit the sea beach with my car. I was stupid enough to venture without a backup vehicle & that too with family.

From this point I managed a self recovery by removing the sand and rocking the vehicle in reverse and front with nil or little input to the throttle.

Ouch! Gets tricky when you are in an unknown area, and without a backup vehicle or the right tools.

When i was a kid back in the UAE, one of the tricks used to help gain some traction when most else fails was to use the floor mats from the car which were then placed before the tyres to work similar to how recovery boards would work. Needless to say, you may end up losing the floormats - either by being buried in the sand, or else damaged by having a heavy car over it.

However, when desperate you would look for any option that's available.

Not that we ever knowingly took our non 4WD car to such places those days, but one of my uncles lived in an area which was sandy and the entry to his place was always filled with loose desert sand. Was always an adventure visiting him.

[Samba]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Thanks Samba.
When i was a kid back in the UAE, one of the tricks used to help gain some traction when most else fails was to use the floor mats from the car which were then placed before the tyres to work similar to how recovery boards would work. Needless to say, you may end up losing the floormats - either by being buried in the sand, or else damaged by having a heavy car over it.

Yeah, I used floor mats too. You can see them in the above pic. I placed them under the front left and rear right wheels, as these two were spinning freely.

As you said, I returned back with two torn mats.