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SLOHybrid

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Posts posted by SLOHybrid

  5. Gauging Interest: Mojave Road 12/29--> 1/1/24

    in NCLR Scheduled Trips and Event Information

    Posted · Edited by SLOHybrid

    14 hours ago, Motobrewer said:

    Get back on that 2011 SC horse with that new subframe! Redemption! (don't run over small bushes). 

    yeah! thought I would treat myself this AM by driving the 95 LWB beast after  fixing an oil leak that has stalled the rig all year... it rewarded me when I went to it with a big puddle of coolant on the ground @ the back of the engine FUUUUUUUUk ... so I drove the Golf TDi to work.  

    bought a subframe on ebay for the L322 a month ago but they are on vacation until the 13th of this month... let's see if they lose the part when they re-open... I give up.

    very tempted to re-commission the 25th for off road duty.. as it runs like a champ.

    on top of that all my other free time is restoring this 1960 Series frame up.

     

     

     

     

  12. 2023 Annual Overland Trip - Oregon BDR #5 South

    in NCLR Scheduled Trips and Event Information

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Motobrewer said:

    In the matching the L322 SC with 32: MT tires, I had no problems with the trail. Well, except for the sidewall. I attribute the puncture to a few factors:

    1. Didn't air down enough. The trail up to that point was mostly hard pack dirt and gravel trails through forests. When we entered the rocky section, it was much hotter than when we started the first two days. This would have increased tire pressure. 

    2. Fatigue from the difficulty of the trail and late in the very hot day. 

    3. Too fast for the conditions. Again, late in the day, likely traveling too fast, and I think we all just wanted to get to camp and out of the rocks. 

    4. The setting sun - mostly heading South and West on the trail and the amount of dust reduced visibility on the trail. Felt that you really needed to pay attention with your line for the smoothest path through the obstacles. 

    Sum: I take the blame for mine. I was in control and should have made the necessary adjustments for the conditions. Learning moment, albeit an expensive one. The tire only had about 4K miles on it. 

    The issues with Air Suspensions were the more severe problems that we encountered. I started a thread in Technical Talk about some trail fixes and potential modifications to the trucks to make those fixes a bit easier. Knowing what the GAPTool can do and how to use those features would have gotten us further along more quickly with potentially reducing the secondary damage and additional work required to get off the trail (clearing rocks off the trail to get the L405 on bump stops). 

    I think we all learned a bunch, and I suspect that there will be more than one Air Suspension trail fix parts kit on the next adventure. 

    Future mods for the L322 will include suspension spacers and possibly 33" Tires. Mods higher in the list will be a valve in the air system so that an external air compressor can inflate the system, laminated copy of the GAPTool Instructions on how to force the other 3 air bags in case of one failure, sliders, and underbody protection - replace the stock plastic skid plate with metal and extend back the to the transfer case/transmission and ideally, the fuel tank.

    The L322 makes a great Overland Platform, but it needs a bit more protection. It was comfortable, handled well and with the SC, plenty of power. There was more than one discussion of Modern vs Old after those few days. Each with Pros and Cons. Older models without the fancy electronics are certainly easier to fix on the trail while the newer models will make getting to the trail much more pleasant. Barreling down smooth fire roads with the L322SC was no worse that 101 in the Bay Area... 

    Paul, I am ordering a replacement t case subframe today off ebay... I plan to add a skid plate to it which I will make.  I like the aux valve idea for the lines too.

  13. 2023 Annual Overland Trip - Oregon BDR #5 South

    in NCLR Scheduled Trips and Event Information

    Posted

    14 hours ago, PaulD said:

    I threw this question out to Will/Gotrovr a couple days ago...

    Do you guys think the newer trucks with the wider tracks (i.e. LR3's, LR4's, L322 & up) were somewhat more compromised in terms of sidewall exposure in those boulder and volcanic rock fields?

    Just curious...

    --Paul

    I thought my L322 Sc did really well on it's 30.5" AT tires and all the factory gizmos it came with but by the 4th day it was apparent that the independent suspension rigs had met their limit.  the relentless rock garden took it's toll on my front control arm bushings  (the lack of transfer box protection did not help either) my family was wishing we had brought the RRC which sits on 35's and is much better suited for rock/boulder crawling.  I found out once we hit the pavement to air up my tires had miraculously aired themselves up to street pressure?? which is why we felt every bump.  Would I do it again in the L322? yes!  with shock spacers / a much better air compressor over the factory unit and taller tires. 

  16. 2023 Annual Overland Trip - Oregon BDR #5 South

    in NCLR Scheduled Trips and Event Information

    Posted

    6 minutes ago, Mr.BlueSky said:

    I have not yet had a chance to check the latest fire restrictions (if any - I expect we are in the clear), but we should plan on bringing boxed wood or picking up locally. 

    I recommend we purchase wood at a gas station in Mt. Vernon - less weight to haul and wood sourced locally (we aren't bringing potentially diseased wood across 100s of miles to a new forest)

    🙂I am sure the wood pellets we have are completely sterilized & homogenized lol

  22. 2023 Annual Overland Trip - Oregon BDR #5 South

    in NCLR Scheduled Trips and Event Information

    Posted · Edited by SLOHybrid

    On 6/18/2023 at 12:17 AM, RobertDingli said:

    Hello all.

    I’ve decided to bring Disco Stu, the D2. There is just too much stuff in there to transfer to another vehicle. This means that I will have the big water tank with up to 50 litres of water and the 65 litre fridge/freezer.   And the small oven, don’t forget the oven. 

    I’ll also bring a Joolca Hottap hot water system and privacy tent just like Jeff. I’ll bring two 5lb propane bottles and try to fit in a 4 gallon rotopax. I will also have a chainsaw. 

    I will have plenty of D2 spares  I am not sure if there will be any other D2s there but if so, let me know (4086370426) and we should coordinate spares  

    For fuel stops planning, we will need to assume 12 mpg at absolute best and a useable 22 gallons plus a 4 gallon rotopax for Disco Stu. That equates to just over 300 miles but I would be more comfortable with a -200 mile target with this load  

    I am definitely going to have to get my rear airbag helper springs working.

    Looking forward to seeing you all soon. 

    Gryphon is asking if your son is coming?

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