Gaurav

TRIP REPORT With an amazing change of weather now it was very refreshing to enjoy cool breeze at morning while deflating tires. Looks like we all waited for this so for so long and finally much-awaited winters are approaching. Almost everyone was on time and we were ready within 10-15 minutes to start the drive. As per nice and strong newbie convoy I intended to head towards the big read direction and then loop back on left side to head to Pink rock from the tall dune side. We had loads of side swing and everyone performed fairly well with couple of refusals and just one stuck. By 7:30 we all reached to Pink rock and newbie with 4+ drive experience started practicing their very first side sloping with small U-turn. Inspite of tremendous traffic at pink rock in morning, everyone in our convoy waited patiently for their turns to make it safe for 1 car at a time doing a sidey and coming back safely. Thank you everyone. Due to insane cross tracks in that area with churned up sand by hundreds of 4WD everyone face difficulty in starting and then limiting their climb capability with a slow start and a weak momentum. There is practically nothing you and your car can do unless you pick a far off place and smooth line of attack to increase the momentum just before the hill climb. So I request all newbie not to judge yourself and your rides with yesterday limited hill climb at pink rock. @jodha singh shekhawat thanks for doing the wonderful second lead and being very responsible to hold or redirect the convoy. After 1 or 2 drive you can apply for Fewbie promotion by yourself. Your overall drive skills are ready for fewbie level, but you just need a firm control over side sloping. @Ashok chaturvedi every time I am seeing you and your Pajero, I see the big improvement in your driving style, confidence and car stance with an adequate lift and a bash plate now. You have done fantastic yesterday and you may apply for your fewbie promotion, please. @Jason Johnson It was good to see you getting along with manual gearing and started enjoying now with little practice and confidence. As I mention, keep practicing manual gear driving in sand and you will get better but experience of on-road driving of manual gear cannot replace the learning of sand. Also with big beafy tires, try 10 PSI and see if it helps you more, ideally they should. @Abu Muhammad it was very nice to see how you manage to sail through Sequoia and yet enjoy every dune and sidey with confidence and ease. Keep it up and always remember the size and weight limitation while off-roading to not to cause any damage or sticky situations. @Hardik Mody I guess it's time for you to start exploring how to switch of the traction or ABS interference that is preventing your montero truly potential to unleash. Although you did perfect in 99% drive but that just 1% lacking from montero spirit must be irritating for you. Don't sweat as it happen to all of us and slowly you will get through this too. @Foxtrot Oscar I remember you driving your montero with quite an open throttle, maybe you can share your tips please. @Vanessa8580 you and your enthusiasm always add great touch to any drive. Thanks for your center forward support, patience and tolerance. @Francois Germishuys Im really sorry that you have to return from the deflation point because we couldn't locate the rear tow point on your beautiful truck. I know we must have missed this before (somehow) but front and back tow hooks are mandatory for all off-road drives. Thanks for understanding and appreciate your patience, see you soon. @Vijaysekhar as I havent heard much from you and I assume you were doing great at the back and you did perfect in following that small re-route we did just before pink rock. @tcarrimjee you still manage to survive with Y62 bumper is an achievement and testament of your patience and caution. I suggest ask more suggestion in a new post from @Chaitanya D, @Lucky sAm and @Salarios @Dagdag Sofiane your drive style has improved a lot over last few weeks and I feel you are ready for the fewbie promotion now, please apply it through the structure. @Hatim Patharia good to see you growing up in in this sport and practicing safely every week. For your wrangler standard ground clearance is about 8-9 inches and in Rubicon it has 9-11 inches. So now you can measure yours and find difference to identify your lift is 6/8/10 inches and then decide to lower it up to 4-6 Inches MAX for better and safer center of gravity. @Shaaz Sha you were doing fantastic with your wrangler and if you already have one then I dont see a point of buying V8 Land cruiser for off-road unless you need more comfy and spacious ride. Wranglers are far more responsive and agile than Land Cruiser and well known for all round better off-road capability. For newbie - fewbie level land cruiser might be comfortable but for doing the intermediate level heavier cars are slightly more difficult to manage. @Miguel Ibarbia it was nice to see you after a long time and thanks for your wonderful support as a sweep to keep a watchful eye on the whole convoy and keep us informed at all times. You seem to be ready too for fewbie level, please apply it through the new structure.

Well done @Mukundan Nair for finding a working solution and coming back to post a copy here for everyone's future reference. THIS IS THE TRUE COMMUNITY SPIRIT. 👏 Rather than just sitting and complaining Xterra forum is not informative here as not many BOTHER to come back and contribute with the working solution, once their problem is resolved.

@Chaitanya D @J J @Rinelle Sanaani @Febin Frederic @Matti Brockman @Mels Wolf @Najeeb Mohammed @Vanessa8580 @Foxtrot Oscar @Desert Dweller @Kalahari Thanks everyone for welcoming these training session, yes indeed some of the stuff you intermediate boys/girl knew already but its good to refresh again to know everything in a proper structured manner. I have driven with few of you and notice that few recovery steps get skipped like a Chinese whisper loss of message. For the first part, I was truly impressed with all of you and actually I wanted to get first 5 cars crested next to each other where chaitnaya got crested but as we were short on time, so I thought will live with one Xterra only. As per new structure everyone will get Recovery training - Intermediate level Leading a drive - Advance level Extreme and Technical recoveries - Advance level Basic Firefight and First Aid - Expert level Once you think you are ready or the next level, please apply for your promotion.

Seems like a dying solenoid or dead. Remove battery terminals for 15 min so it can eliminate any electrical gone wonky scenario. If still behave the same after 15 min, you need to show it to mechanic to check solenoid or its connections.

It's very surprising to see only one drop out this week, and drive is still full. Due to safety reasons we dont exceed 12 count of newbies in a convoy otherwise I would have made some exception.

TRAINING RSVP IS CLOSED NOW Here is the final convoy list Gaurav Pajero Chaitanya D Xterra J J Jeep Wrangler Rinelle Sanaani Jeep Wrangler Febin Frederic Jeep Wrangler Matti Brockman Jeep Wrangler Mels Wolf Pajero Najeeb Mohammed FJ Cruiser Vanessa8580 Pajero Foxtrot Oscar / Desert Dweller Xterra Kalahari Xterra @Chaitanya D @J J @Rinelle Sanaani @Febin Frederic @Matti Brockman @Mels Wolf @Najeeb Mohammed @Vanessa8580 @Foxtrot Oscar @Desert Dweller @Kalahari Get ready for some fast pace intermediate level fun driving to start the session, as we need few real cars stuck Please be on time, sharp at 5:00 PM, little early is always better. Please tune to Carnity Channel 1 - 446.006'25 freq. Deflate your tires to 12 PSI as soon as you reach to the meeting point. Be inside your car - AT ALL TIMES - after the deflation.

DRIVE RSVP IS CLOSED NOW Here is the final convoy list Gaurav Pajero jodha singh shekhawat Xterra Ashok chaturvedi Pajero Jason Johnson Jeep Wrangler Abu Muhammad Toyota Sequoia Hardik Mody Montero Sport Vanessa8580 Pajero Francois Germishuys Ford F150 Vijaysekhar Jeep Wrangler Dagdag Sofiane Pajero Hatim Patharia Jeep Wrangler tcarrimjee Nissan patrol Silver Shaaz Sha Jeep Wrangler Miguel Ibarbia FJ Cruiser @jodha singh shekhawat @Ashok chaturvedi @Jason Johnson @Abu Muhammad @Hardik Mody @Vanessa8580 @Francois Germishuys @Vijaysekhar @Dagdag Sofiane @Hatim Patharia @tcarrimjee @Shaaz Sha @Miguel Ibarbia Please be on time, sharp at 5:30 AM, little early is always better. Please tune to Carnity Channel 1 - 446.006'25 freq. Deflate your tires to 15 PSI as soon as you reach to the meeting point. Be inside your car - AT ALL TIMES - after the deflation. FOR YOU AND YOUR VEHICLE SAFETY PLEASE WATCH BELOW MANDATORY VIDEO WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTIONS.

LAST REMINDER Please read and click "Totally Agree" on this below Embedded post and not on my this post. @Ashok chaturvedi @Shaaz Sha @Miguel Ibarbia @Vijaysekhar @jodha singh shekhawat

Congratulations @Pancho for reaching the Intermediate 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. Intermediate: Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 10 drives are required within last 6 months for Intermediate promotion. (Drives can be a mix of Newbie, Fewbie (50%) and Fewbie plus, depending on your adaptability, learning progress and Marshal’s feedback) What you'll learn Basic GPS and navigational skills Basic tow rope and winch recoveries Extreme side sloping and long hill climb Tall dunes ridge riding and criss crossing Precise control over technical dunes Fast pace desert driving Skills required Adventurous and thrill seeker but in a safe manner Level headed under stressful situations Responsible, dependable and accountable Car Worthiness Capable 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle High profile tires Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor, tool kit, rated recovery rope and 2 rated shackles, GPS. Drive teamwork Manage center forward position with Trip Lead’s permission Learn/assist recoveries under Trip Lead’s supervision Re-route convoy and coordination, when needed Learn to lead small portion of Intermediate drive under Marshal supervision Drive Joining Join Newbie, Fewbie, Intermediate and Exploration drives only Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

Thanks @Dagdag Sofiane for clicking on right place. @Hatim Patharia and @Jason Johnson Please read this below thread fully and then click "Totally Agree" on that thread.

@Ashok chaturvedi @Abu Muhammad @Hatim Patharia @Hardik Mody @Francois Germishuys @Shaaz Sha @Miguel Ibarbia @Vijaysekhar @Dagdag Sofiane @jodha singh shekhawat @Jason Johnson @tcarrimjee We have had a few cases recently of 'discussions' about the need for masks during the drive (from deflation to inflation included). As drive leads we want to be sure that even during the COVID period we are still able to drive, if not socialise, which is why we continue to remind about this. It's not a Carnity thing, it's a UAE legal requirement. As a result, we are asking once again that you make sure you have 'totally agreed' to the COVID regulations on carnity that you will find on this post. It's already "Totally Agree" by 101 active members Please make sure once again that you have agreed to these terms, or you will be signed out from the drive. While we do understand that 100% compliance is a challenge, but we all still have to try our best at all times. However, If your view is that masks are not needed and you will not wear one because you don't see the point, please don't join this drive. The fines for non compliance are there for a reason. Thanks in advance.

Thanks @Jose Martin for timely update. @tcarrimjee you have been added to this drive. @Ali Abas Ali you are next in the wait list now.

Camping chair I asked for people who feel tired staying out for an hour or two, so they can sit and learn. This training is actually focused on recoveries only, rather than vehicle familiarization, which I assume you all at Intermediate level already know your cars and gizmos, but I'm happy to answer any of those questions too. There is a reason that this is done for Intermediate so that person is fully seasoned with desert driving and knowing the basics of offorading first. I plan to do this and lot more training moving forward, so once we have next batch of Intermediate i'll arrange this again. Don't worry. Done, you've been added to this training.

Getting stuck and unstuck is an integral part of off-road journey. To get unstuck with minimum efforts, tools, gear and time is an art. With an aim to teach the real art of recoveries we need a stand alone training session so that you can learn the basics, tricks and techniques with a complete peace of mind. Bring your camping chair, shovel, FACE MASK AND GLOVES, hat and a willingness to learn. What you'll learn: How to control the stuck scenario How to self recover yourself How to recover from a crest without a tug When and where to dig and where NOT to dig How to help others to help them self recover safely How to safely recover with a tug on a crest Safety checks Communication Securing strap/rope Gentle tug with a precision Repeat or Stop How to safely recover on a side slope with or without tug Safety checks Where to Shovel to create a channel Clearing sand wall before each gentle tug or winch How to deal with overheating vehicle How to cool the radiator How to cool the transmission cooler Level: Intermediate and Above. (NO NEWBIES/FEWBIES ALLOWED) When: 04 Sep 2020, Friday Meeting time: 5:00 PM, (Sharp, without any exceptions) Meeting Point : Mahafiz Tree Shade - https://goo.gl/maps/8V1RbtfrWQ6un4qdA Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. Approximate finish time: 08:00 PM Please RSVP on the below calendar:

I just been to service center today for an oil change and spotted another Pajero on the lift. I couldn't resist to take a pic of how badly tow point can get rusted and imagine if this Pajero comes to offroad and needs a tug. And when this breaks and cause all the damage, it will be blamed on Mitsubishi stock points. So everyone who are offroading weekly, please check your tow points regularly, at least once every 3 months. If any tow point is loose or shaking get it fixed. It will surely break. If its rusted like this, take a wire brush and scrub all to see if it's superficial or deeper. Once clean if it superficial, spray paint with couple of layers to prevent rusting again. If its rusted deep, better get it changed with new rated tow point and rated bolts.

Congratulations @Ale Vallecchi for reaching the Marshal level with Carnity Offroad Club. Alessandro has Joined Carnity late last year and since beginning his passion for off-road, contribution and intelligent support on multiple weekly drives were highly appreciated. He has successfully mastered the art of off-roading, leading, exploration and recovering by enjoying different drives through out the UAE. His exceptional leadership skills, practical and well-planned approach are creating a new benchmark among Carnity trip leads. MARSHAL is one of the most prestigious and sought after title that comes after a lot of hard work, patience, tolerance, and dedication. Just like all the levels in Carnity offroad club is "NOT" only based on driving skills but instead based on the combination of your personality + intelligence + team spirit + adventure. This Marshal title is an epitome for all levels in the offroad grading structure. So if anyone wants to grow, they can set any of Carnity Offroad Club Marshal as a PERFECT example for not only following the driving skills and style but also observing their behavior, teamwork, presence of mind, calculative approach, patience and tolerance to teach and support new offroaders. Carnity Benefits Earn reward and recognition from 1:1 Desert Driving Course Off-road Certification with rank and skills achieved Full access to Carnity without any paid subscription Join any drive in “Manage” tab even when drive is full Carnity Contribution Committed to drive with Carnity off-road club only Lead 3 drives or more per month with 1 Newbie drive at least Carnity off-road club betterment and advancement Drives Attended (Indicative) Minimum 20 drives are required for Marshal promotion along with mandatory attendance to leaders lead drives. (Promotion will be based on Marshal / Crew feedback.) What you'll learn Trip route planning as per convoy’s response Drive topic and calendar posting and management Deal with different cultures, mind sets and nationalities Explore new areas and conduct recce trips independently Basic car technical and electronic management skills Skills required Humble, approachable and social person Matured, pro-active, calm and composed Mentor-ship skills to train off roaders at all levels Car Worthiness Capable 4x4 vehicle with low range gearing Suitable approach and departure angle High profile tires Off-road gear required Safety flag, tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, shovel, fire extinguisher, medical kit, radio (walkie-talkie), air compressor, tool kit, rated recovery rope and 2 rated shackles, GPS, Floor jack and jack board, tire repair kit, tool box, tie-down straps, fluids. Drive teamwork Lead ALL LEVEL drives independently Assign and manage second lead, center forward and sweep Support and supervise senior offroaders at all levels Drive Joining All Levels Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

We started using additional rope support on every soft/medium/hard tugs. It cost additional 30 seconds but safeguard everyone life and expensive damage.

Congratulations @Tamas Hoffmann 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 Basic self-recovery techniques Advance side sloping and hill climb Basic ridge riding and criss crossing Basic control over technical dunes Slightly faster pace desert driving 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 And Fewbie Plus, after 5 drives at Fewbie level only Forum participation Active participation on the forum Share drive experience + feedback Share drive pictures in the gallery Post trip report after the drive

It should be ESP - Electronic Stability Program OR ABS. Do you have traction control off switch in your model? @Jun Zamora which year your wrangler is?

Wherever you do it, it's your choice but stick to 100% OEM original gear oil and filter from agency. Price difference is not too steep from BM road dealer vs agency, but will save you from duplicacy possibility.

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely. MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: BAN POST Two Way Radio Guidelines Every Offroader brings his own radio, programmed to the frequencies described in below advice topic. We will not share spare radios or program your radio on the drive. If you need assistance in programming the radio, post a topic on the Carnity website with your questions and we will help you out. Make sure your radio is fully charged. It will be your only way of communication while driving. Before buying, please carefully read below advice so you are informed properly on which model / cost / shops... No radio = No drive. It is an essential tool and you should make sure you bring it on every drive and learn/practice how to use it. MUST WATCH: NEWBIE VIDEO BRIEFING Drive Details Level: Newbie, Absolute Newbie and Above (All Levels) When: 04 Sep 2020, Friday. Meeting time: 5:30 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: - Tawi Nazwa Farm - https://goo.gl/maps/rkkmz9FmyFwSb1jc8 Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 09:30 AM End Point: 2nd Dec Cafeteria P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 15 cars only. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 1 Lead Marshal + 1-2 Senior Members + 12 Members. If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list. Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others. Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month. PLEASE RSVP THE BELOW CALENDAR EVENT

@Barry nailed it perfectly with technical explanations. Well done. @anish if you didnt had any A/T issue then normal transmission service is more than enough for your case. The first telltale sign of ageing A/T fluid is jerk while shifting especially from 1st to 2nd gear and then in off-road A/T light will keep coming quiet frequently. Occasional A/T light occurrence are acceptable when you push your car too much in cross tracks, it really heats up A/T oil on cross tracks. So if you don't have these issues at the moment normal 5 liter OEM fluid is plenty for your transmission service.

@Wael Mounier yesterday was not the first time you and your friend have been reminded politely and verbally. All trip lead remind people politely on every drive, as we do understand that sometimes everyone slips off. But the answer to the question: where is your mask, when replied with "its inside the car with a shrugging and no forgetful looks" do require such warning if we decide to protect other offroaders. It's really not about having more or less of members, as you might perceive but simply about respecting the law of land and safety for everyone is PRIME, not only in words but in actions too (if needed). And btw, while inflating you are still within the drive responsibilities unless you move yourself out of the inflation point, which was not the case as you were surrounded by 8 other cars and risking everyone. @Dagdag Sofiane I'm sorry you feel that way, but it wasn't your first time either. I humbly request all of you to take this as a gentle but last reminder as we ourselves don't like such harsh rules. But in this difficult times when we only have a permission to drive and not socialize yet from Police, we are bound to enforce such rules to the highest degree possible with zero tolerance to not jeopardize other offroaders safety and not to violate any laws.