Rahimdad

@Mohamed Seidam we have tried using hand brake, but its not recommended for prolonged periods. Best way would be to dig, use the blip blip @Gaurav bhai tradenark and steering full left and full right 5 times. If nothing works than tug the poor vehicle out.

To have a clear picture, open diffs means that each wheel has different power depending on how your vehicle requires it, so in the instance of going in a circle, the tires on the inner side will rotate fewer times than the tires on the outside of the circle. With open diffs the vehicle in case of stuck gives more power to a freely moving wheel and takes away power from the wheel which is stuck. When you apply the difflock the vehicle provides the exact same power to all the wheels irrespective of whether they are free or stuck. This helps us to create a little movement when stuck, which allows us to rock the car until we have enough momentum to come out of the stuck position. Try turning a circle with the difflock engaged, you will feel one side of the vehicle skip as all tires are rotating at the same speed. I would personally not recommend to climb any dune with the difflocks on, on a straight up you may engage the diffloc as @Gaurav bhai put it in high gear and not low to get a little assistance, however if you are unable to make it to the top turning from the height with locked diffs can have a lot of load on the shaft of the vehicle. So stop and reverse back all the way. I would not at all recommend doing sideys with the difflocks on as some amount of steering is required to manage any sidey. @Gaurav bhai's Pajero is special and has both rear and central difflock, it is from an era when Pajeros were ruling the Dakar and most of the technology made it to the top end models. The newer Pajero only 3.8 liter version comes with rear difflock only. Central difflock locks from the middle thus giving each tire the same amount of power. Pajero with the rear difflock means it only locks the rear wheels, which means the rear wheels power is equally distributed. However I would highly recommend using difflocks in case of stucks only and not while doing other maneuvers or climbs. For climbs I would recommend you give yourself and your vehicle some time. We normally approach a big climb or play area after doing some desert driving, even if all the readings show normal there is some heat trapped somewhere which kind of eats into the power. While you are waiting for your turn open the bonnet of the car, switch off the engine for a while. Check your tire pressure, as after about 1 hour of drive you might have gone up 2 or 3 PSI on tire pressure. Adjust your tire pressure. Open and inspect your air filter and make sure it is clean, just gently tap against your tires to make sure any dust is off. Start your car and try to climb, it will give you much better result than just using the difflock for an easy climb. If I remember correctly @Atif bhai the last time we were at Faya you took it head on and succeeded, there is no comparison to making it to the top with just the steps as I have described rather than putting unnecessary toll on your car components. You cannot beat me at being a loser as I can never climb up Faya or Iftar Bowl straight up, that is why I choose to make myself some cheat routes.

How about doing twins with @Gaurav bhai and @Frederic bhai. https://tnydu.biz/DOzSnn

@Thomas Varghese it will be my pleasure to have both your son and son-in-law join us for a boring drive. I will announce the frequency along with the convoy position on Thursday.

@Srikumar you are a little off with your years, let me put this correctly. Wrangler TJ : Till 2000 - 2004 (TJ Model) - 4.0 i6 engine - 5 speed manual / 4 auto - Awesome car if you can get it clean Wrangler TJ : Till 2005 - 2006 (TJ Model) - 4.0 i6 engine - 6 speed manual / 4 auto - Awesome car if you can get it clean Wrangler JL : 2007 to 2011 - 3.8 V6 Engine - Reliable engine but has some heating issues and the engine is not powerful enough Y61 of the old used to come with 4.5 liter engine with a pathetic gear box, and the newer Y61 with the 4.8 liter engine and great gear box is damn expensive, specially during the season. Plus they would 99% be abused.

My favorite years for Wranglers personally were from 2000 - 2004 TJs manual, which were built to last, although the TJ continued through to 2005 & 2006, but manual came with the 6 speed instead of the 5 speed on my favorite models. Off-roader did complaint about the 6 speed manuals, however automatics should be just fine. If you are going manual you will take a few outings to get the right gear and clutch use, lucky you can learn from the very best of @Gaurav, @Srikumar and @Frederic. Plus older models are cheaper so should give you some extra cash in pocket for any repair jobs. @Wrangeld can help you with what to look for in SWB Pajero, I would recommend a 2014 model or later for the gear upshift issue with the automatic in the previous years. Like before I would again recommend the Prado SWB 6 cylinder 4.0 if you can find one in good condition. A Prado too will hardly loose its resale value.

@Niki Patel im impressed that you have bothered to read and post from the owners manual, it a bit rare. Its always better to be safe than sorry. An early oil and filter change is not really going to have any negative effect on FJC, buFJgetting late in a service can have a bad effect. A dumb a$$ once said oil and filter is cheaper than your engine, sadly he was correct. A few extra Dirhams spent every six months will only protect your investment. I would rate a weekly drive as regular off-road. If you have a respectable and reliable garage who can do the job for you, you can buy the original engine oil and filter and get it done outside. This should not void your warranty, I'm sure @Gaurav bhai can shed more light on this subject. I will let the FJC owners take over from here. Off to you @Ale Vallecchi, @Ahab Shamaa, @Pickey Singh and more i can't remember.

@DANIEL NOGUEIRA please don't mind me, I was just pulling @Ahab Shamaa legs and did not mean to hurt your feeling. Ram is one of my favourite trucks and I true hope for a speedy recovery. See you soon buddy.

Dr @Chaitanya D your second point on the second set of instructions, if you cannot secure with another car, if you have some heavy equipment like a spare tire you can secure the car by sticking it behind the rear wheel to avoid slipping back. Just a thought, hope it helps.

You should keep an eye for your coolant temperature. Most cars do not have a transmission heat gauge, but if the transmission is heating the warning light will come on. I like @Srikumar's explanation, if light is orange it means beware, red light means stop. Always keep an eye on your instrument cluster, and announce on radio and stop. Eventually we will figure out the issue and get you sorted and moving again. If you're really interested there are OBD II readers with mobile apps to show you live data about your car. Nowadays they are very cheap and available in Bruce Lee Mall and Bezos.ae but be sure that they are compatible with your model vehicle.

@Thomas Varghese you will have plenty of opportunities to learn and develop towards the sweep position. For this drive I want to keep you close to me and would love to learn and pick up things from you.

Wow @Atif bhai, what a thought provoking post. many people would wonder about these things but never ask. That was not much of a fishtail, just a little bit due to the jump and the FJ settling in. It is a good practice to steer down as soon as you start to feel the fishtail, you are absolutely correct in doing so. That threshold of you acting as soon as you feel the fishtail will develop and a delay will automatically come to you as you get comfortable. There is a very fine line between fishtail and a roll over, its always better to react early rather than being too late. Another one of your questions is would turning down due to the bump would be a good idea when fish tailing, as I see it that would be the safest choice, it is always advisable to make a big turn and reduce speed as you are coming down. However I do not feel it was that big a danger in this case. Any vehicle being raised by 2 inches has to be dangerous as it changes the center of gravity, however increasing the base by an inch with a proper wheel spacers should take care of reducing the chances of a roll over. From how I see it the jump at the start his vehicle was pointed up and not on a sharp angle so did not pose the danger that you see it to be. However at Carnity we do take extra precautions to make sure the Marshals ride out the sideys first and advise fellow members regarding the dangers and bumps to avoid.

When this Electric vehicles started popping up to reality I was really put off by them, I did not even give them a chance. I was in love with my V6 and V8 and could not imagine myself being caught with and Electric Vehicle. The past couple of years have however changed the way I think, I was not all that interested when the Tesla Cybertruck got announced, but when I first saw the Rivian R1T it caught my imagination and compelled me to follow the progress of this amazing truck. More recently the Hummer EV has caught my attention and I am caught struggling to imagine which one I would go for if in a few years time I had no option but to go Electric. Tesla Cybertruck to me looks ugly and when on the launch event the windows of the truck were smashed by Elon Musk who claimed these would not shatter, I had little faith in these. Plus the bad press that Tesla easily attracts like the problems incorporated with the different Tesla models and the very poor after sales service for these vehicles I am put off by the Tesla name altogether. Although it is a joy to watch a Model S or Model X to be sighted on the UAE roads, but lots of negative media kind of puts me off the Tesla vehicles. That being said, I do understand they were the first company to launch the Electric cars and have the best infrastructure in place to charge these vehicles. Rivian R1T was the first one I saw a couple of years back they have not gone overboard with their design like Cybertruck, it looks like a proper truck and has some elements to it which give it a unique look like the stadium type lighting. Extra storage space between the passenger cabin and cargo bed is an awesome spot for a quick lie down and rest before continuing on long trip. It also impresses me with the skateboard platform on which the battery pack lies and is secure from any bumps on the way as these battery packs are dangerous to catch fire or explode if ruptured. Another thing that impresses me is the range on these vehicles along with the towing capacity. Surely these cannot carry as much load as a battery pack can never give the kind of pulling power a combustion engine provides, thus reducing the range by a big margin if you are towing heavy stuff. I guess that defeats the purpose of a truck, unless you just want to look good. I recently saw the renditions of the Rivian R1S which is just as impressive, however is a full 7 seater SUV rather than being a truck. Hummer EV is something that caught my eye this year and seriously got me thinking as to which one I would put my money on if I had a chance. The Hummer brand was discontinued during the last recession as America lost its appetite for a huge SUV or truck running V8 as the trends changed. Hummer remained a brand for the wealthy who wanted to make an impression on entry rather than use it for what it was meant to be for, off-roading. The Hummer EV brought back a lot of amazing memories and one of my friend had a Hummer H2 supercharged and rode it like it should be driven, jumping dunes and destroying any trees in the way. It was fun to watch, but a nightmare to recover if ever he got himself into any situation. As per the original figures released to the press it seems very capable and definitely more iconic than the Cybertruck. So my first choice if money is not an issue would be the iconic Hummer EV as I think it looks good, Chevrolet has some infrastructure in place for EV vehicles and reliable after sales serve with their service centers spread right across UAE. However my heart still pounds for the Rivian R1T if they have proper support and infrastructure in place here in the UAE. Let me know which one you would prefer and why?

Members often ask me why I wear Superman T-Shirts, or are fascinated and start calling me Superman, or say they are Marvel fans. So the question stands as to why I adorn Superman T-Shirts on drives. As you must have realized from my graying beard I am an old timer and I am influenced by the 1980s as I was in my teens then. One of the shows and movies that I really loved to watch was Superman, an alien who uses his powers for the good of mankind. At the time Superman was played by an actor and director who went by the name of Christopher Reeve. He unfortunately had an accident on 27 May 1995 when he broke his neck and paralyzed him from the shoulders down, and he depended on a ventilator to breathe. From his wheelchair, Reeve returned to creative work and lived life to the fullest with stride in every step. He was an activist and after his accident also lobbied to start research for neck and back injuries and started his own research centers and also tried to better the insurance coverage for people with disabilities. Christopher Reeve died on October 10, 2004, at the age of 52. When I started off-roading my younger brother who suffers from some ailments which can be life threatening at times first wore the Superman T-Shirts for our drives. He continued driving with me off-road for about 3 years before the doctors told him he needed to stop or else he would be aggravating his condition. Although he loves off-roading and misses the times we have spent together in the vastness of the desert he hung up his boots. He is and always will be my original Superman. Most of the Superman T-Shirts you see me wear are from him as a gift to me, and I wear those T-Shirts with pride knowing that nothing is impossible. So although I can never be Superman, I like to carry that symbol to reassure myself that anything is possible. You only need to have a will to live life to the fullest no matter what comes your way. Although the Superman T-shirt does not make me physically strong, but it gives me the strength to carry on with life no matter what challenges lie ahead. This is my story for why I wear the Superman T-Shirts, i would love to hear from all of you what you believe in, your stories and what makes you what you are today and how you would like us to see you in future.

Wow, so impressed with you @Desert Dweller, I guess we will have to give you a PHD with honors in off-roading as well.

@Arman it is always good for a lead to know that the participants are enthusiastic enough to ask. On my drive @Shehab Alawadhi pointed that out that he likes to be in sweep. After getting good reports from all the Marshals he has driven with, I decided to allow him there. Again he has been very expressive to try out the second lead as I have promised him after seeing him this Friday. So mention what you feel like and if we find you to be able to concentrate on the drive and take care of others we will give you that chance too.

@Mohamed Seidam and @Atif bhai, just to add to this knowledge base we lift the car from its lower arm instead of the jacking points, so instead of lifting the suspension, we are actually lifting the wheel, plus if we need we can always dig under the tire to clear the sand to give the tire a free spin.

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 and above (All Level) Meeting time: 6:30 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: - Tawi Nizwa Farm - https://goo.gl/maps/uhfU4J2mXoDPgnhR7 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: 10:30 AM P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: Limited to 15 cars maximum. RSVP will close on Thursday - 9 AM. 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. Members that do not confirm the terms of the COVID requirements will be removed from the RSVP list. 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 ON THE CALENDAR

Now @Ahab Shamaa guess Santa will not be bringing any gifts for you this Christmas. You've been a naughty boy. @DANIEL NOGUEIRA will seriously be thinking Japanese now. You know my love of the 5.7 hemi Ram. Hope the Ram gets well soon.

@Asif Hussain bhai always the highest regards for you. It was a pleasure having you on the drive last year. I really love that area and I would love to join you soon when you're ready to revisit.

Trip Report Wow what a different day for me. For the past few months I had been doing early morning drives only so it was so different to be driving out during broad daylight and driving back in the dark. My sincere thanks goes out to @Wrangeld who after an exhausting morning drive joined me to support my afternoon drive with a commitment for Saturday early morning. It was great for me to have a social distancing brief after a long time, @Wrangeld again stepped up to deliver a humorous and awakening brief where everybody was involved. As we all agreed that @Wrangeld should be a fly sweep we marched on with our original convoy positions leaving @Wrangeld to keep an Eagle eye on our convoy. Within a few minutes of departure I was informed @Wrangeld was tangled and headed back. It was amazing to see how a little digging and proper use of all tech on his Pajero he was able to wiggle himself out. Not only that with a tree right below he masterfully avoided it to join the convoy safely. I had attended a drive earlier led by @Jeepie and @Wrangeld and I loved their route so much I tried to get as close to that route as possible. Many members love this area like myself due to the amount of fun learnimg we can apply at all levels. Today my mission should I be ready to accept it was to level it down to Newbie. To my surprise everyone handled themselves so well I could have easily got carried away. As we drove through handling everything what the desert had on offer we were treated to some awesome play areas one behind the other. We all took our turns at impressing everyone with the amount of steering and throttle control we possess. More than anything what impressed me was the calm and safe way everyone managed to steer down when momentum was lost. As we had our fill in the play areas we headed to the power lines as 2 cars had to leave. The rest of the convoy continued in pursuit of reaching the top of Fossil Rocks. After a few tries and realising that some of us wouldn't make it, the rush on top and with bare rocks on top which meant we had to drive around it anyways, we came back down to reroute around Fossil Rocks. I must confess that going around Fossil Rock with the dunes around are not the easiest, but I'm so proud that the convoy made it through with a little help. From here it was easy to just drive through and have a little chat on the radio. At this point we inflated and left with a silent promise to see each other again on another exciting drive. @Anvar Sadath Bekal was an excellent second lead with his Pajero. He was in with his beautiful girls and I just loved the smiles and energy from them. Its been some time since I last drove with him and his improvement shows with great steering and throttle control with good lines. @Michael Gazi and his Pajero had a point to prove. He too showed great control and his pleasant smile and friendly approach was wonderful thing to carry through the drive. Very calm approach following the tracks with great competence. Well done. @Badar Tariq completed the trio of Pajeros up front with just as much finesse and it was a treat to see how well he managed his Pajero. @Sreenath Giridharan came and really showed us what a 4 cylinder 2.7 litre Fortuner. After witnessing @Jolly Abraham with a similar vehicle there is a lot they can learn from each other. @Umar Kamal with his Jeep Grand Cherokee managed the entire trip very nicely. However the throttle control needs a bit of work as he over sped through a bump on one of the sideys. Thankfully nothing major and we managed to recover the plastic pieces from the site of the bump. Insha Allah it should be sorted out soon and hope to catch you again. As discussed in the beginning of the drive please remove the rear bumper lip also it will just give you some additional clearance. @Brette has mastered the JGC and he can guide you better if you want to continue using it. @Ashy also has some experience with the JGC and he too can help you if needed. @Senthil Kumar did extremely well with his JKU limo. I had selected him as my Centre Forward an important position and he did really well filling up those huge shoes. He also chose great lines to drive on and really handled his ride well. @Arman with is Wrangler was cautious, which is always a good trait at the newbie level. That being said he did not let that get in the way of having fun and learning in a safe way. I am looking forward to seeing him use the power of the TJ to his advantage as we discovered together with his kind permission. @varunmehndiratta drove amazingly well and was in our second limo of the day. I really admire the way he drove and handled the entire trip. However a little mishap with the radio and caused a bit of a menace, but nothing we could not handle. With some information exchanged we will now make sure to lock our radio keypads so that they don't accidentally change channels in case of a bump. @syed salman raza had his own surprise in store as he rode in with his Ford F150. I have to admit that I love the grunt of his 5.0 V8. It was wonderful to see him flattening the dunes behind him. Just one little slip into a pocket which saw the little Pajero with a big heart pulling it out. @Harold Roberts was a treat to have with his FJ Cruiser. Queit, yet handling his FJ with grace. Great concentration and joyfully following the convoy to perfection. @Shehab Alawadhi who had his dream come true did amazingly well with his Ford F150. There is a reason these are some of the best selling trucks in the world. With an amazing personality riding the F150 made our convoy secure in sweep. As a sweep he was always updating me about the convoy situation on radio. I hope I made you proud as your lead, and as promised I will have you as my second lead on our next drive together. Once again a special shout put to a special person, @Wrangeld who makes any trip filled with humour and joy. With your little black Nt for a Psjero you saved the day in so many ways. I recognise you must have been tired from your morning trip and had an early morning appointment on Saturday, but that did not stop you from adding that much needed energy to the drive. Until next time keep tuned to the upcoming drives and don't forget to sign up on time.