Niki

@Ale Vallecchi I am sad to leave this drive ... unable to make the timing work and rather not risk arriving late/rushed.  Have a super trip all!  

@Arman ran some led Christmas lights down the flag pole 🎄!  Was a very clever way to add visibility!  Do let us know how you power it (assumed a simple battery pack).  

@Chaitanya D big thanks for this tip ... have ordered the same as your recommendation and getting ready for a future night drive.  
 

@Pmaraziti my stock FJC is blessed with Ikea candles as headlamps so I am not very confident driving with stock lights so am trying to find a budget light bar (will invest in more if I enjoy driving at night)

Many congrats @Watteau 🎉 calls for a celebration  (justifying adding a tank to your compressor) 

Many congrats @amir amiri🎉

Many congrats @Arman 🎉

@Luca Palanca Falsini really appreciate the thought and effort you put into the route for this drive (considering the beautiful trucks that dominated the convoy).  It paid off incredibly well with zero stucks in the trickiest of starts and ending with a drive with more self recoveries than assisted!! 

was a pleasure to play my first time CF /Sweep and owe it to such a great convoy to make it a gentle learning for me!  One rope, one winch, one shovel!  

I have nothing more to add to your great summary/guidance for each on the convoy.
 

One tip @Watteau and I both learnt from Richard ( @Wrangeld)  that we can share with @Dodi Syahdar @amir amiri is that rarely on these drives will you ever need to move above 3k rpm.  When we both took that lesson on board, it changed our approach to building momentum and tackling these drives!  Try being conscious of this and see if it can help prevent the urge/need to hit the gas so hard at times! 
 

@amir amiri also when at the garage next ask them to check if the shocks at the rear have faded.  During some climbs I noticed a lot of bouncing which is often a sign... and am so impressed you got through so many technical areas with such soft/bouncy rear (I am not at all skilled as a mechanic ... I just watch a lot of YouTube 🤦🏽‍♂️ So a true experts opinion will help). 

@Arman I really appreciated you warning me throughout of the upcoming bumps and steps ... super drive and superb support to the convoy (especially me).

kudos @Ranjan Das for a flawless SL! 

I wish one day to have a car as kitted out as yours @Watteau ... a no compromise setup!! Was nice to pay it forward knowing how much help you provide on every drive to others!  
 

see you all again soon on the dunes

Hi @Ale Vallecchi can you kindly add me to the wait list ... need to check if I can make it after school pick up and free myself from work that afternoon. 

8 hours ago, imranaasghar81 said:

Thanks Niki! See you soon man! Ps have you seen those new screens that go where the speedometer goes! There badass!

@imranaasghar81 I had to look over my shoulder when I read this as I was watching those vids on Instagram!!!  ... but don’t do it ... don’t do it.... you’ll turn our FJC into an S-Class (I’m tempted lol).  See you soon and post those videos else you’ll be the first carnity member to be relegated. 

Congrats @imranaasghar81 🎉

thank you @Frederic that has saved me a lot of time/effort  

@Zed okay your app looks awesome!  I have downloaded it and will play around tomorrow!  Thanks for sharing.  

Hey I think you may have created an OBD enthusiast in me!!  👋🏽

I use a Veepeak BLE+ Bluetooth 4.0 dongle (link) ordered from the US (Dubai Amazon had an older version or the WiFi one). I prefer Bluetooth.  
 
100% agree on the phone screens being poor vs iPad... I have a 12.3” screen in the car but it doesn’t allow mirroring as Toyota didn’t install a hdmi port as an input even though the headunit allows .. I may try Android mirroring  (though Android auto was a bad experince in the car). I have the perfect screen to display the dashboard but haven’t found a solution to add the app to CarPlay or get mirroring to work  so for the moment I look at the readings during breaks in our drives (a quick check on temps). 
 

I’ll drop a screen recording of the app for you here once I can reduce file size <10mb ... it has a 37aed option to add 2002 model Toyota’s  Incase that may save you all the effort to program PIDs .. The set up seems similar in that is scans many modules. 

@Zed awesome thread!  

I think it may have been you who encouraged me to look at OBD scanner plus apps alongside @Frederic. 
 

Am an absolute beginner but have been playing with the bellow setup for a few weeks with main objective being: 

1. Transmission temp (I drive in D and my car FJ cruiser doesn’t have this on the display) 

2. A method to identify potential sand in engine? (Using the MAF sensor and doing some research) 

I use an iPhone as found a super easy App with a small payment that had a large number of PIDs pre-programmed including the A/T ... I found the PID values on a US site but loved the idea of an App that had car specific PIDs already setup (at a small cost).  The app is called OBD fusion and has a very basic dashboard and is customizable but not the best looking. 

I track the below PIDs 

A/T 

Coolent temp (digital version of the dial)

Battery voltage (just to fill the space) 

MAF to measure aid flow (researching if this is useful or not)

intake air temp (baseline Incase I ever add a snorkel to test difference) 

RPM (to measure idle and also fill space) 

There is a radial dial dashboard but I am struggling to setup (time) the range limits and make it relevant to metric vs imperial values... once done I will do a follow up and share. 

Do share which app you use and any tips 

@Ale Vallecchi another special drive and my first long range patrol/adventure complete!  Please continue to find these routes and drives as I am hooked on these exploration/long range drives and massive thanks for planning such a great trip! 

I really appreciated the tutor system!  My only issues came with refusals and a crest because I followed to close (lost concentration/patience) or didn’t follow the tracks of my tutor!  @Archibald Jurdi  you  didn’t likely realize but you helped me a lot by showing me tracks/momentum to build!  Thank you.  @Gaurav Soni  I was grateful for  your support right behind during the stucks, I was being hugged by experience this whole ride sandwiched between you two!

Huge appreciation to @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ and his awesome son for helping me shovel and rope off that crest near the end!  Also I appreciate you encouraging me to go more bold with deflation ... really appreciate all the tips you share and you motivating your son to climb the dunes by foot to dig me out were hilarious (telling him to go into 4L when he tired) 

@Abu Muhammad  I only wish I got to see you drive your beauty ... am in awe of how you got through the route from right at the back with the stunning truck/yacht of yours!  Kudos! 

@Mario Cornejo wow ... super second lead and a role model driver as a fellow green intermediate drive! 

@Ale Vallecchi again thankyou for an awesome trip and keep these coming pls 🙏🏽 

Have added a few pics to the gallery ... I tried to create a 1990’s style car advert as the sunrise created an incredible colour palette! 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and see you all soon.  

2 hours ago, Lakshmi Narasimhan said:

Leads give opportunity for 2nd chance and I even got 3rd chance to correct myself, then only I realized I need to practice more. I am not shy of taking more drives at newbie level. Some terrain don’t offer certain maneuver for working out the week areas, hence I have requested for focused drive, probably my topic heading was wrong, now I want to slow down my pace and give it the time required till I am satisfied and confident as I am looking to learn properly and be safe when I am around with other friends.

@Lakshmi Narasimhan I must apologize as I miss understood your post and likely added my comments out of context!  As Gaurav mentioned ... everything you are keen to experience is coming in fewbie... don’t hesitate to join those as soon as possible... that way you have even more rides to choose from  see you out there soon!  Enjoy this weekends drives 

6 minutes ago, Ahab Shamaa said:

What can I say my friend @Gaurav Soni, the FJ’s in the garage for upgrades quite a few times. She’s into cosmetic/enhancement surgeries.  You’re just jealous because I have easier finance ministry approvals than you 🤣

he told his wife he's getting a new offroad flag and some better floor mats!  his finance minister is equally as tough as yours... he just has found a technique to 'fudge' the books like those wonderful American investment banks  

@Lakshmi Narasimhan i want to reinforce @Gaurav point having been on a recent Fewbie Ridge Riding trip (3+ hours of ridge riding which means 3+hours of criss crossing  with @Ale Vallecchi)

As a fewbie+ on that ride i massively leveraged what i learnt as a newbie & fewbie with regards throttle control and especially momentum (not speed).  without that prior experience the risks on ridge riding would have been far greater as momentum (not speed) ensured we were able to enter a ridge vs jump onto it and also the ability to exit safely as we didnt ride ridges at excessive speeds!  The time spent as a newbie and fewbie on the foundations is essential as it ensured when we did the dedicated ridge riding or technical drives - our natural throttle/momentum management was instinctive. 

everyone  learns at their own pace - you appetite is awesome and all i want to pass on as more of a cautious driver is that enjoy learning the basics as mastering momentum and throttle and steering in the sand makes everything more fun (and less risky) when you move onto the fewbie/fewbie+

Many Congrats @Rob Harper 🎉

Congrats @Thomas Varghese 🎉

Congrats @Mario Cornejo 🎉 

using @Rob Harper advice above - ordered a roll of this tape  ready for my next visit to the tire store.  @VipinShetty Finding a garage with the right hammer on weights or that uses better adhesive may take longer so will use the BMOT method 'bring my own tape'  until i find that place!

great tips - i haven't suffered this (yet) but adding the tape to the tool bag now! 

Thanks all for your guidance and recommendations plus @VipinShetty for starting this discussion.

@Muzza many congrats on the new ride!! Cannot wait to see you as part of a convoy woth the new adventure X. 
 

@Ale Vallecchi is one of the Marshalls and rides an FJ... join one of his absolute newbie rides as soon as you are ready (or any absolute newbie ride). 
 

there is a dedicated page under the Toyota forum for us FJ owners so any questions you have let us know.  Many beautiful FJ extremes out here and as many stock FJs so you will have a lot of company and support! 
 

welcome and share some pics when you get a chance!  See you soon 

Firstly @MUHAMMAD Kashif RAZZAQ so glad nothing serious and you were able to drive home!! Huge kudos to @Rob Harper for bringing his skills to perform the ‘rubicon’ upgrade on your Jeep  ... @Thomas Varghese did you proud as SL!

@Wrangeld THANKYOU for deciding to sacrifice an easy Saturday morning by the pool to create a second convoy so that we could join this super Saturday ride!  Loved it and especially the highway!  I didn’t know I had a love for Baja style driving!!! Appreciate the patience throughout!  Thank you

@Watteau first time on a drive with you and wow... such a calm and clear radio voice you have!  Super sweep!  Ps the only time you disappointed us was by teasing your winch on the forum... having the perfect moment to use it and.... then deciding to use a rope!  All forgiven considering how great you were supporting all! 

@Yousef Alimadadi our star today and busiest driver.. shoveling, rope and reroutes ... huge thanks and an education for me on the CF role! 

2 minutes ago, Yousef Alimadadi said:

@Ale Vallecchi, there is some issue with meeting point. Can you please kindly share with us the correct one? 

https://goo.gl/maps/c3jKtX1DwSvZKkzT7
 

from earlier posts above link works (removed the ‘.’)