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Driving after heavy rain… new experience for sure. First of all apologies for being late, and was really kind of you guys to wait, till I dropped Abdelghani back home. In the beginning and seeing the rain, thought will have good time driving after rain, or during rain. After receiving comments from previous drives leads, and challenges of driving after rain, was not sure how it will look like. And yes, found it not much fun. Heavy rain, made it good for first desert drivers. For followers (like us) was not much fun, specially if you can not avoid existing tracks, which were really hard. Started moving towards big red, and then on the way to pink rock, we found areas not visited after the rain, which was good and fun. Reached pink rock, and it was really cultivated, and looked horrible, made a round, stop at the top of next dune for some sometime, and back to the area where was better to spend in, which is next to Tawi Nazwa. Had good time, and exited from Tawi Nazwa. In summary: - total drive 2 hrs 30 min - moving 2 hrs (most of it silence, on @munkybizness assurance all good) - total 55 km - No ropes, no shovel, no winch 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Amazing support @Lawrence_Chehimi @munkybizness and @Fabien Monleau. Well done @MMansoor @Mohamad Anwer @Naveen Raj. Summary of drive screen shots below

Thanks @Wrangeld for a great drive. Different conditions, but still challenging and enjoyable. @Alex Raptor - almost dried off now! 😉 Happy new year to everyone!

Happy New Year All. The first drive of the New Year really did start with a Bang! Thank you for the amazing drive @Wrangeld and @Alex Raptor and safely Navigating us through the terrain. It felt very different riding on the hard surface - thoroughly enjoyed riding the slopes and ridges. Special Thanks to the wonderful convoy and helping me to get setup on an F1 style pitstop.

Thank you @Ale Vallecchifor yet another amazing drive and playlist I had just returned from Pakistan and was planning on joining a drive next weekend when I saw that I just maybe able to get a spot in Ale's convoy. I got lucky and was able to join. I really liked how the convoy kept moving like a tight pack. I also enjoyed the sweep position. Looking forward to more drives with all of you!

During the drives, I put my radio in the cup holder and sometimes it's distracting to look down to pick it up. I still haven't managed to find a suitable solution to secure it on the dashboard. Any suggestions?(I tried using a phone magnetic mount but the radio is too heavy for it) and also use a handsfree system (which actually works 😀) pls?

Congratulations @Marwan Haddad for reaching the Fewbie Plus Level with Carnity Offroad Club. Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the latest Emergency contact details. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. FEWBIE PLUS Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 10 Fewbie drives are required within last 6 months for Fewbie Plus promotion. What you'll learn Advance dune and sand reading Advance recovery techniques Rocking and crawling to make path Learn to flatten/compact soft sand patch Self recovery from crest Advance side sloping and long hill climb Advance ridge riding and criss crossing Advance control over technical dunes Slightly faster pace desert driving FULLY control and avoid fishtailing Never fight or challenge gravity Skills required Enthusiastic and positive attitude Willingness to learn and help others Extremely attentive and focused while driving Car Worthiness Any 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle Bash plate and skid plate protected Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor. Drive teamwork Manage second lead and sweep positions upon request Intuitive and proactive to support Trip Lead Observe recoveries and offer help, when needed Drive Joining Join Newbie, Fewbie and Fewbie Plus drives Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

Congrats @Marwan Haddad. Well done

Congratulations @Marwan Haddad..see you soon on drives!!

Hi @Karthik Raptor I am using the below clip on mike / speaker and it works quite will as it has 2 buttons on it and you can use either of it. Just clip it on your collar and very easy to use without fumbling with the radio unit. Radioddity RS22 Remote Speaker Mic with Clear Sound, Compatible with Baofeng UV-5R UV-5RX3 BF-888S BF-F8HP H-777 Radioddity GA-2S GA-510 TYT Kenwood Two Way Radio Walkie Talkie (Single PTT): Buy Online at Best Price in UAE - Amazon.ae

Congratulations @Marwan Haddad

I listen to loud music while driving with my windows down so I want the radio as close to me as possible. After trying a mount and an earpiece, I settled on a lanyard as the simplest and most effective setup. This way it's always on my person - whether I'm in the car or out. In recovery situations, I don't have to switch between a belt buckle or a wristlet both of which would impede if I was doing any shovelling. I am now getting more comfortable at "one-handing" it too but that only works when @M.Seidamis not leading me through technical dunes ~ what I call the "twisties" 🤣

You have a few options: 1) Go for a full rebuilt if you are planning to keep the car. Yes it's more expensive but its only a one time job that will give you satisfaction for the coming years. (expect 10-12kAED cost) 2) Try to find a good scrapyard engine in Sharjah. This is tricky and you will need to have good connections with people that know their way around these places, otherwise you will drown inside the bottomless pit and wander around for days without a lead. A 3.8 Pajero engine of the 3rd generation Pajero might not be easy to find. Chances are that you will need to source 2-3 engines, built them in, and test them properly before deciding which ones runs best. This is a hassle for the mechanic as well. If you have time and don't need the car urgently this is however an option you can go for.

Thanks for a great drive at Al Fayah @Vanessa8580, I enjoyed a lot in the passenger seat with @Desert Wrangler (Sita) and also the couple of recoveries. The weather was great and I loved zoning out in the long uninterrupted drive segments - it was tranquil. Hope @Melenany car gets sorted out soon, I am pretty sure he had a great time in the sweep. It was @Desert Wrangler's first drive after the absolute newbie drive with you and I happy to see that she drives a lot better than that I did at the same level. I had a couple of problems with air this morning. Two Apex Valves decided it they don't want to work, as I could not pull them at all. And after the drive the ARB hose would not work air up my tires. Thanks to @Osama M who lent me his hose and waited for me to fill up.

We are all hoping that your wife appreciated you taking the kids out of her way to mop up after the flood Great to see you and the kids again.

Thank you @Ale Vallecchi for the fascinating terrain and exiting drive today. Was able to see the dreaded chimney close up (with a bit of help from the hardened sand from rain I guess) for the first time.😏. Around 100Km is covered which is comparable to the full day drives !... thanks @Werno @Archibald Jurdi @Zed @Humayun Ghias for the execllent company in this lovely weather... See you soon on sand..

I have been to Tawi Nazwa several times. I like the soft sand and the dunes allow for a very nice flow. I must say that today is very different which was still a great experience. The weather was fantastic too. Good learning experience for all when dealing with the pop outs. thanks @Jeepiefor leading and to the rest me the convoy members, hope to see you all next time.

Thanks @Shaaz Sha for this lovely first drive of the year. weird surface condition which we enjoyed. muds caused some extra oversteering which was fun to do 😆.

Dear Desert Wanderers, this drive was a nice conclusion of our 2021 off-roading year! With a clear sky and a wet, mostly virgin sand after the rainfalls the drive was bound to be special, and indeed it was... We started our day deflating in a chilling 16°C air, but welcomed by a wonderful sunrise by the nearby pond at the start of Bab Al Shams road: The convoy was a bit slow in getting ready for the drive, and it was only 7:40 when we were really able to enter the sand, after our briefing. The first stint of the drive was across beautiful virgin dunes with literally no tracks. We soon had a couple of stucks with @haridas kt and @Mohammed Sirajuddin, our newest joiners both at their very 1st Newbie Drive. We've all gone through those first drives where everything seems overwhelming and complicated, instructions sound always unclear and handling the radio while acting on the steering wheel and the gear stick seems just too much to do at once... but don't worry, you'll get used to it and, for a first time, you both did incredibly well!! As we moved further north-east, we entered an area of nice long-range dunes where we could practice sustained side-sloping over and over again, getting practical demonstration why "do not fight gravity" is such an important recommendation for both new inexperienced drivers and seasoned, sometimes, overconfident ones. Meanwhile, the sun had shown up and we could enjoy a fantastic blue sky with a light refreshing breeze. As we proceeded south, we entered an area of way more complex and large dunes that required one-by-one guiding in order to get the convoy through some of the most challenging passages which, I'm sure, at first sight seemed totally beyond most drivers' own capabilities. In the end, everyone got a bit beyond their comfort zone, discovering that they (and their cars) could do way more than expected! Kudos to all, as the most complex passage was undoubtedly not far from a Fewbie drive level!! As time went by, the sky started to get covered again with heavy clouds, cumulating from the west side, in stark contrast with the bright sunlight we were still blessed with.. By the time we reached the area of the rocky formations on the south side of Moon Lake, the looks of it were quite a spectacle: Moon lake itself is always a nice stop to take a breathe of fresh air after a couple of challenging driving hours across demanding dunes and to enjoy some family time, as @Gregory did with a nice smile behind the masks: Before exiting, we had the chance for a quick detour back in the dunes to reach the last spring of the day, actually the one I always find most fascinating in Al Qudra: As our time was over, we quickly headed out across the sabkha, where we could see a couple of oryxes, then reached the dirt track that eventually took us back to our starting point next to Bab Al Shams, where we reached at approx 11:10am. Everyone did very well: @Gregory was an excellent 2nd lead, as always when I've had him in my drives: cautious, responsive and diligently following my instructions to reroute here or there. @haridas kt and @Mohammed Sirajuddin had quite an experience in their first Newbie drive, but I'm sure they learned a lot, especially about not being shy on the throttle when it comes to maintain momentum and speed along side-slopes and, most importantly, about not fighting gravity under any circumstance and steering down whenever momentum is lost!! They both improved as the drive proceeded and were eventually able to go successfully through some very tricky passages towards the end. Kudos to both!! @Ammar Naji and @Kolin were admittedly back in the sand after a long absence: well, if it was the case, we couldn't notice, as they both drove very well, handling their beasts without hesitation, even across the most difficult spots. Well done!! @Waqar Sarwar followed very effectively, showing great improvement since the last newbie we had toghether. Quite impressive! @Pacific enjoyed drawing nice lines along side-slopes, collecting awe-filled radio comments by the convoy. It was a pleasure to watch you go through! @Anoop Nair was a great Center Forward for the day, always ready to help, be it shoveling, handing over a rope or giving radio instructions or updates from the center of the convoy. Great support! @Tom V and @Claudio C cruised very well at the back, despite the churned up sand they had to go through. @Claudio C, in particular, had a fully loaded car with lots of passengers, who hopefully enjoyed the ride too! Last but not least was @Melenany, who was great support at the back, always present and responsive, ready to come over and help whenever needed. As the guys in the 2nd half of the convoy were all very good and had very little issues, he was more often in the front than at the back whenever a stuck or refusal happened!! Great job! Overall we drove 50.6km over a total time of 3h 34', of which 2h 24' spent actually moving and 1h 09' stopped for recoveries or short breaks. our average moving speed was 21km/h (a bit doped by the final stint along the dirt track), a very good average for a Newbie Drive. Thank you everyone for you company and see you soon in the sand. I wish you a wonderful new year 2022, full of dunes to ride on!!

I thought I’d start a new topic regarding general advice with the Ram. Predominately I am concerned with progressing into Fewbie (and maybe even beyond) territory with the vehicle ‘as is’. It’s taken a beating in newbie level drives and even though I am officially now a fewbie I am fearful of risking it just yet. So, I just wanted to highlight the pitfalls of this car for other owners or potential owners. - the front bumper is super low, which makes approach/departure angle awful. The stock ‘bash plate’ has taken a beating and I’ve been quoted around 8k to get something decent put on there. It requires a whole front bumper change - the electronic transmission sucks! Coming out of 4L when trans temp is high is impossible. After any tug the 4wd system gets temporarily disabled - there is no ability to disable side airbags. The fuse for them is connected to the ECM. Removing it would disable the whole car - the break over angle is awful due to the long wheelbase. Prepare to crest many many times That being said, it’s so fun smashing round the desert in a big V8! It’s very capable in deep soft sand, rarely gets bogged down, and of course it’s weight and inertia helps to get through some very tricky spots. If any seniors have advice on dealing with these issues mentioned above I’d appreciate it, but I don’t think the car ‘as stock’ would be able to handle a fewbie drive.

Driving off-road is a very interesting and entertaining experience but there are a few basic things you need to check first before heading for your first off-road drive with Carnity Off-road Club. Every driver should know when to join for an offroad drive and when to pass until all below things are checked. VEHICLE Ground clearance: Minimum 8 inches under front and rear bumper is must. You will need to be careful while driving and slow down while descent and approach to avoid any minor bumper damage. If your 4x4 have EAS (electronic suspension), lift it to the max height and then measure it. Also read the manual to know what is the max speed you can drive with off-road height, as many manufacturer limit up to 60 Kmph with off-road height, which is plenty in most cases. Knowing that limit is better in case you go above that speed, so you can lift it again once you slow down. Tow hook: Your 4x4 should have at least 1 tow hook in the front and 1 tow hook at the back, more the better. Also you should check the integrity of all tow hooks and its appearance, if they are shaking or rusted or missing a bolt, then get them fixed before joining any off-road drive. Engine: Your engine should be in perfect working condition without any check engine light or any warning lights on dashboard or leaking oil or coolant. Engine takes more stress while off-roading so well serviced 4x4 performs better on off-road. If you recently bought the car and have no idea of last service, then it's highly advisable to get the engine service before your first off-road drive. Gear / Transmission: Your 4x4 should have 4L and 4H gearing option. AWD or SUV without LO/HI gearing option are not advisable for sand off-roading. Suspension: Your 4x4 vehicle suspension should be in reasonable and drivable condition. You can drive with stock suspension perfectly fine and then you can decide to modify it, if really needed. Any suspension lifted up to 2-3 inches are accepted, anything above 3 inches lift need trip leader approval before joining any drive to make sure if you have widened the wheelbase to lower the center of gravity in an orderly manner. Tires: Your 4x4 tires should be in good condition with enough tread and more than half life left. Tires nearing their end usually fail while off-roading, so check for date of manufacturing shouldn't be more than 3-4 years. No visible cuts or lost tread chunks or cracking sidewall should be there. Fuel Tank: You should always join the off-road drive with full fuel tank, as all vehicles consume double or triple the amount of fuel while off-roading. You don't need to change the fuel type from special to super for off-road purpose, continue with your fuel type as per manufacturers recommendation. Sign up: Once you have checked all these above points then RSVP the drive calendar and post an introductory message on the drive post - sharing your 4x4 details, previous off-road experience (if any), so that trip lead can acknowledge and plan the drive accordingly. OFF-ROAD GEAR You don't need any off-road gear or recovery gears for your first off-road drive, but if you have a shovel, flag and a radio (walkie talkie) then please carry it with you. Rest all the off-road gears and recovery tools will be shown to you once you attend the briefing and you can read more about them here: https://carnity.com/advice/offroad/most-comprehensive-list-of-off-road-gears-and-recovery-tools-r81 OFF-ROAD DRIVE Always wear long pants and closed shoes (no slippers) to avoid any injury or sun burn. Carry hat/cap/scarf, in case you need to spend long time under the sun. Carry plenty of water and soft drinks of your choice to keep you hydrated. Carry your camera mounts if you like to record the drive (no hand held). No carrying or consumption of any type of alcoholic drinks on the drive.

Congratulations @Derius Olivier for reaching the Fewbie Level with Carnity Offroad Club. Looking forward to seeing you growing further and helping others to learn the art of offroading in a safe environment. Please make sure your Carnity user profile is always updated with all the latest Emergency contact details. P.S. Trip lead might deny your participation if you don't have required off-road gear. FEWBIE Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 5 Newbie drives are required within last 3 months for Fewbie promotion. What you'll learn Basic dune and sand reading Self-recovery techniques Shoveling at right place Crawling out of difficult situations Blip Blip - Coordinate steering and gas control Basic side sloping and hill climb Basic ridge riding and criss crossing Basic control over technical dunes Slightly faster pace desert driving Ability to manage stuck/refusals with radio Learn to control and avoid fishtailing Never fight or challenge gravity Skills required Enthusiastic and positive attitude Willingness to learn and help others Presence of mind and attention to detail Car Worthiness Any 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor. Drive teamwork Manage second lead and sweep positions upon request Intuitive and proactive to support Trip Lead Observe recoveries and offer help, when needed Drive Joining Join Newbie and Fewbie drives Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

@Karthik Raptor, I use the same setup which Anoop mentioned.

Congratulations @Derius Olivier. 👏👏

Done one newbie ride with carnity and a couple drives with some friends in the same car you have, 100% spot on so far on what you said. Break over angle is horrible , Been thinking of a few suspension lift mods already but would most likely affect the warranty and I don’t want that just yet.. Banged the skid plate one too many times already, front bumper is too low, level kit? Maybe.. also not sure on that just yet, aftermarket bumper options are design ur own locally for as u said 8k ish or ADD bumper for about 11k from the US, too expensive eventually may end up costing like a trx with what I have in mind .. thanks for starting this post im curious to learn about the car more and what can be done. The traction control button on 15 second hold seems to turn off stability control yet it still does have some traction controlling function which I think the fuse is the only option to completely disable ?

Scrapyards are quoting 9000 these days

Mitsubishi 6G75 engine Tested + 30 days guarantee is selling for AUD 1250 / 3300 dirhams on eBay, am sure cheaper in Sharjah... why would you spend on non-genuine which will break later? If scrapyard is quoting you above 3000dhs, may be better to find logistics friend who can help import it less than DHL... i know someone ordered a hood/bonnet for LandCruiser from Australia 😂 link: 6G75 engine used https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mitsubishi-380-DB-05-08-6G75-3-8-L-6Cyl-Engine-Motor-182-000-Kms-Express-/252791179183?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=705-154756-20017-0

I've done that in the past on multiple diesel engines (in my old job). Some lasted 2 months others lasted 6 months...

Many thanks and such a great club

Congratulations @Derius Olivier, enjoy the new level

Congratulations @Derius Olivier! You're going to enjoy the new level, and the convoys will look better with the diversity your car brings

Thank you @Gaurav, @M.Seidam

One hand 😱. I am still not there yet to drive in the desert. Even with two hands I felt like I burnt more calories than I would do in a gym with @Kailas’s technical masterclass on Saturday 😅.

One solution is to hang it by a ( card hanger ) around the neck ( personally I don’t like this option while lot others use that so it’s near to your hand and you don’t need to fetch it around ) . Others hand set free ( I guess @Kailas is having that or similar) … I learned to drive with my left hand and the radio always in my right hand but it’s me ( in desert only 😄)

Dear Team Carnity @Carnity Family Best wishes for much joy , passion , health and success for 2022 and years ahead to you and your loved ones happy new year 🥳 Mohamad Seidam

Hi All, @Vanessa8580 and recovery team @Looper, thank you so much for this wonderful trip. it was my 1st off-road and i have learnt a lot from the team, feel more confident in my next trip. look forward to see you all again. Cheers

You will normally find them in ACE, Adventure HQ, or Speedex Hardware shops. The AOR branded ones are also good:

Thanks @Wrangeld for another great learning experience. it was truly a blast and was certainly different in the harder packed wet sand. As someone smarter than me said, the biggest risk in anything we do are the decisions we make. you certainly made the correct ones today to keep the risk down and us all safe, really appreciated. And of course thanks also to your wingman @Alex Raptor as always a great learning experience every time we are out, appreciate the knowledge sharing, and your puddle splashing expertise is second to none Great to meet some old and new friends out in the sand it was an exceptional drive made possible by you all, really enjoyed it thanks again @Rob Soughton @Reggie Landicho @Gertjan @Dinesh Kumar A @Felix Obst @Marcin Wronowski @Alexanderrr @Tom B @Amir Amiri

Thank you for the session this morning @Vanessa8580. Good experience on wet sand driving. @Frederichope to see you next trip.

Hello.. To begin with, it was a great and relaxing day, and thank you to everyone for signing up and arriving at the meeting point on time. We made it to the sand after the briefing, and it was a strange experience. The terrain was difficult due to severe rain. It started off as a warm-up for the convoy, but an hour later we were on our way to the actual drive. We took advantage of all the opportunities that the landscape provided, and everyone in the convoy performed admirably. We encountered a few refusals and stucks, and rope was required a few times.We had our fair share of side slopes, ridge riding, and criss crossings, and you guys rocked it. It felt more like a scenic drive with some action. Thanks to @GauravSoni and @Arman for the wonderful support. You guys performed an incredible job today 👏👏. Thank you , @Aisha S, for a fantastic second lead. As usual, you excelled. @Alphin Aloor, it was great meeting you, and I hope you had a good time on your first FB+ drive. The AD boys @ShereenMKand @Josh T. performed excellent today and you guys were unstoppable... well done. @Charbel.. I believe you had a great day today. I hope you enjoyed your time with us. Finally, @imranaasghar81, I heard from you at the meeting spot and at the exit...total radio silence!!! You did an excellent job and hope you've had your fill of fun. It was fun and privilege to drive with you people 🙏 and see you soon. Some pics in the gallery 😃

Thank you @Jeepie, I loved the drive. Looking forward to even more technical ones 😉

Post Drive Report @Rob Soughton @Reggie Landicho @Gertjan @Dinesh Kumar A @Davie Chase @Felix Obst @Marcin Wronowski @Alexanderrr @Tom B @Amir Amiri Well, that was a blast! After we exited Marcin - sorry but we could not risk two leaking tires, we drove and drove all the way to the Sorting Hat at Solar Park. Normally, the last 20 kkm of that route are done on dirt tracks, but the convoy was so good (and helped by the conditions) that we could channel our inner Desert Champions and take the off road route. A really fantastic drive by everyone. Perhaps we could have crissed and crossed a little more, or we could have ridden more ridges, but I think that the novel circumstances, and getting used to the harder sand on both sides of the dune, we made the right decisions and stayed safe. Speedwise, this was faster than normal, again largely because the sand was so wet. Everyone did really well in the drive, without exception: particularly in the treacherous technical section as we get close to the solar arrays and the last piece as we approached the Solar Park visitors centre. You just have to see how few tracks there were in that are to understand that most people would not go there. Thanks to my wingman/mentor/support, @Alex Raptor Alex 'The Raptor' Raptor, sorting out every problem (very few this time round). Thanks to all of you as well. Good morning's fun. Happy New Year. See you soon in the sand.

Last updated: 7 June 2022 In line with the UAE new resolution to change the work timing from Monday to Friday, please follow the below changes to carnity off-road drives and announcements effective from 1 Jan 2022. All Carnity drives will be announced now every Monday (instead of Sunday). WhatsApp Announcement at 11 AM - Every Monday. All Weekend Drives will go live at 7 PM - Every Monday. Weekend Drives will be scheduled for Friday (New Change), Saturday and Sunday. Single Drive restriction starts from Monday 7:00 PM till Wednesday 11:59 PM. From Thursday 00:00 hrs onwards - RSVP on multiple drives will be open. Week Day Drives will be posted from Monday to Thursday. Weekday drives will be counted as an experience for your promotion. Weekday drives will not be counted as "one drive per weekend" restriction.

Happy New Year Guys!!!

Happy new year!

Thank you everyone at @Carnity for providing the opportunity and channelizing our passion for desert driving. Thank you for all the drives in 2021, may the adventurous spirit grow stronger still in 2022. wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2022.

Happy New Year @Carnity!!

Happy New Year 2022 everyone!

Happy new year to all !!

Have a happy and blessed new year everyone with good health and prosperity

Happy new year @M.Seidam!