COVID19 Compliant - Morning Intermediate Desert Drive - Area 53: the 1km ascent quest - 26 Jun 2021

[Looper]

@Srikumar My tires are 245/75/17s, yes they are AT. Bridgestone Dueler A/T. I have been told by the service center that the tires have unevenly worn out, I assume it is a by product of driving in the desert. 

Edited June 27, 2021 by Goutam

[Srikumar]

I don't think uneven wearing would happen in the desert for a couple of reasons :

1. You do less km on sand than on road

2. The traction is much higher on the road than on sand. That's why you can get away with driving with central difflock on sand but not on the road.

So most likely you have alignment issues, worn out control arms, etc that would be causing the problem. 

Your tyre of 245 mm is what I would call the skinny tyres and they can cause a little more fishtailing than broader tyres. When the time comes to change you can try used tyres of bigger width say 255 or 265 mm and see if that makes a difference. Till then you will have to take even better lines to avoid fishtailing

[Gok Krish]

Video is dedicated to @Lorenzo Candelpergher and the rest of all of us.....in my first few clips, I am hearing myself from the dash cam recording a few sighs after holding my own breath!! But as the drives and climbs went on, I did not hear them. Thanks guys for this wonderful display of skills, speed and entertainment. 

 

[Thomas Varghese]

29 minutes ago, Srikumar said:

I don't think uneven wearing would happen in the desert for a couple of reasons :

1. You do less km on sand than on road

2. The traction is much higher on the road than on sand. That's why you can get away with driving with central difflock on sand but not on the road.

So most likely you have alignment issues, worn out control arms, etc that would be causing the problem. 

Your tyre of 245 mm is what I would call the skinny tyres and they can cause a little more fishtailing than broader tyres. When the time comes to change you can try used tyres of bigger width say 255 or 265 mm and see if that makes a difference. Till then you will have to take even better lines to avoid fishtailing

If its a bumpy wear then for sure the shocks or springs are faulty

 

[Varun Mehndiratta]

28 minutes ago, Srikumar said:

I don't think uneven wearing would happen in the desert for a couple of reasons :

1. You do less km on sand than on road

2. The traction is much higher on the road than on sand. That's why you can get away with driving with central difflock on sand but not on the road.

So most likely you have alignment issues, worn out control arms, etc that would be causing the problem. 

Your tyre of 245 mm is what I would call the skinny tyres and they can cause a little more fishtailing than broader tyres. When the time comes to change you can try used tyres of bigger width say 255 or 265 mm and see if that makes a difference. Till then you will have to take even better lines to avoid fishtailing

Sri i have 255/70/R18 stock on LWB Wrangler didn't consider need to upgrade...considering this R18 size, do you think upgrade to 265 may help? Still pretty new tyres, however something to consider for next change? 

[Thomas Varghese]

1 minute ago, varunmehndiratta said:

Sri i have 255/70/R18 stock on LWB Wrangler didn't consider need to upgrade...considering this R18 size, do you think upgrade to 265 may help? Still pretty new tyres, however something to consider for next change? 

My tires on my Xterra is 265/70 R16. All seasons is what they call the Dunlop Grandtrek TG 28 M2. I have no problems till now even after 40000km. Still going fine

 

[Alexander Alcala]

There is not much to add to all that has been already said.  I join the chorus to thank @Lorenzo Candelpergher for a great ride.  It was fun and allowed me to do some testing to my jeep capabilities.  All I can say is that I had so much fun climbing all the dunes and watching the convoy zagging up and down.  I cant wait to repeat the experience.  My jeep behaved up to the task with no refusals even at some very complex angles.

I was surprised about how fluid the drive was, taking into consideration the large number of cars and the complexity of the terrain.  Great line selection by @Lorenzo Candelpergher and handling from the convoy members.  It was a great challenge and we were up to it.

Thank you all for a great ride and for making my work as CF very easy.

I see you soon on the Dunes.

[Alexander Alcala]

@GoutamBesides what others mentioned, Two things to consider are the tire pressure and the momentum:  The size of the foot is heavily impacted by the tire pressure.  The other thing is to maintain the momentum.  Sudden accelerations also impact the grip and can cause the car to lose the tail.  I have a technique to keep a steady acceleration by pressing my right foot against the right wall of the cockpit.  

I think that you handled very well and it never happened at risky moments, but it is something to pay attention (what I would call at work "an improvement opportunity").

[M.Seidam]

18 minutes ago, Alexander Alcala said:

 I have a technique to keep a steady acceleration by pressing my right foot against the right wall of the cockpit.  

Agree and it’s very good one 

Beside this what I do especially in side slope , keep my eyes not far no close and rely on the peripheral vision . This makes the neck and shoulder to follow and the foot consequently steady . 😉

 

[Ahab Shamaa]

Amazing drive on Saturday morning @Lorenzo Candelpergher! It was a true intermediate level drive through and through. The terrain was amazing, the drivers were strong and the camaraderie was fantastic.  The support team was extremely helpful and ever watchful. The trails and ascents were challenging and exciting. Engines roared, faces smiled, and we went on to enjoy a beautiful drive.

As to which drive was better, the Extreme or the Intermediate one, it's impossible to answer. Each drive was great in its own right. This was my kind of weekend! Two fast paced, action packed drives 😂

A general comment from our Saturday drive; as our skill level increases, we tend to get more relaxed and confident. I'd like to remind my fellow drivers to still watch your speed, fishtailing and following distance... These principles still apply on all the drives

See you all on the sand real soon!