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New to offroading

ocpsteve

New Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
6
Hi,

I've just bought a 2010 LC4.

It currently has the supplied 18in Bridgestone Duellers fitted.

I notice on the LC4 that although the centre diff can be locked, the rear diff cannot!

This option is on the LC5 (I think).

So I'm thinking it's going to struggle getting though soft mud up hill ....

I tried an experiment up the side of my steep garden in the soft wet mud I could not it make up even with the centre diff locked (even with passenger side wheels on hard core)!

Had ago with the 2nd start setting.

I expect it may well be something stupid I'm doing driving wise as I have no off road experience.

Has anyone had any experience of driving the LC4 2010 on soft mud up hill on the supplied tyres?

Cheers
Steve
 
Hi Steve,

Welcome to the club. I have the LC4 150, and with any 4x4 one of the main factors in offroad driving, especially mud is the tyres. The bridgestones on mine and i presume yours are a highway tyre. Having said that, they were great in the snow, and I have taken it around my 4x4 track in the wood here, the traction control works really well, and surprised me how well it went.

Just because its a 4x4, doesnt mean it wont get stuck at some stage. Loosing traction in wet/muddy conditions is easy to do.

I live and work on a farm, and want to change to a more aggressive tyre, but choice is limited on the 18" rims unfortunately.

To learn more come to one of our events at Lincomb Farm, or pm me and pop in one day,and I will take you around. Being new to offroading you can pick up lots of info at a get together.
 
Hi Tony,

Yes, that's makes a lot of sense about the tyres.

After a bit of experimenting I've managed to find my up the muddy hills, the land cruiser does take a bit of getting used ... well it does for me anyway.

Thank you very much for the advice.

Cheers
Steve
 
TonyS said:
Hi Steve,

Welcome to the club. I have the LC4 150, and with any 4x4 one of the main factors in offroad driving, especially mud is the tyres. The bridgestones on mine and i presume yours are a highway tyre. Having said that, they were great in the snow, and I have taken it around my 4x4 track in the wood here, the traction control works really well, and surprised me how well it went.

Just because its a 4x4, doesnt mean it wont get stuck at some stage. Loosing traction in wet/muddy conditions is easy to do.

I live and work on a farm, and want to change to a more aggressive tyre, but choice is limited on the 18" rims unfortunately.

To learn more come to one of our events at Lincomb Farm, or pm me and pop in one day,and I will take you around. Being new to offroading you can pick up lots of info at a get together.

Tony, does this mean you run off roading events for Cruisers? Looked at your site and it seems to concentrate on horses. I am definitely interested in learning how to use the new LC4 I am getting in a couple of weeks as I don't want to bend it, though I will not be doing much more than the odd muddy or rough lane in it for a while....

Jon
 
JonP said:
TonyS said:
Hi Steve,

Welcome to the club. I have the LC4 150, and with any 4x4 one of the main factors in offroad driving, especially mud is the tyres. The bridgestones on mine and i presume yours are a highway tyre. Having said that, they were great in the snow, and I have taken it around my 4x4 track in the wood here, the traction control works really well, and surprised me how well it went.

Just because its a 4x4, doesnt mean it wont get stuck at some stage. Loosing traction in wet/muddy conditions is easy to do.

I live and work on a farm, and want to change to a more aggressive tyre, but choice is limited on the 18" rims unfortunately.

To learn more come to one of our events at Lincomb Farm, or pm me and pop in one day,and I will take you around. Being new to offroading you can pick up lots of info at a get together.

Tony, does this mean you run off roading events for Cruisers? Looked at your site and it seems to concentrate on horses. I am definitely interested in learning how to use the new LC4 I am getting in a couple of weeks as I don't want to bend it, though I will not be doing much more than the odd muddy or rough lane in it for a while....

Jon

Tony runs a event at Lincomb farm for Landcruiser enthusiasts... here is a thread about it viewtopic.php?f=28&t=9756
Sign up and come and play, caters for all skill levels, and is a good oportunity to meet like minded folk and ask loads of questions
 
Not having a rear diff-lock or an electronic system that brakes the wheels that are spinning is a little limiting. Maybe look into retro fitting a diff lock to the rear diff or an aftermarket LSD?

Better tyres will help with off-roading but you'll find that you have to adapt a different driving style when no rear diff-lock is available. Momentum is your friend :).

A bit of trial and error (have a friend there to pull you out!) is a good idea to work out what your vehicle will and won't do off-road.

Mike
 
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Your Cruiser has the ATRAC system, once you have engaged the centre diff lock the ATRAC system will apply some braking force to the wheel that is slipping on the axle which allows power to get to the other wheel and gain traction. It's really quite clever but like any 4x4 and regardless of technology they can and do get stuck.

I believe ATRAC is most effective if you keep the revs under 2K, but tyres are the single biggest and cheapest modifiation that will give you better traction results (ok momentum is the cheapest). Road tyres are great on road but can be pants in wet slippy conditions (possibly wet grass.........calling our ATRAC Champion to comment?). If you do more tarmac than off road thnn I would suggest the General Grabber AT2 as an excellent performer (JCS Tyres in Derbyshire still have stock), I have these on my 2003 LC4 and love them.


Take Tony up on his offer or come to one of the Lincomb events, you will be very surprised at just what your Cruiser can do and there are plenty of challenging and non damaging pieces of terrain to play on. Only one word of warning, once you have been and have had a play, the bug will bite and then ringfence the modification and/or 2nd truck budget.

I only bought my Cruiser to tow a trailer, now I'm on my 3rd truck.
 
Did I hear someone mention ATRAC? ATRAC Rules! :lol:

You'll still be found wanting though if the tyres are not up to it. Me and dunlops got stuck on a pretty level patch of grass :oops:


Come round to the next Lincomb and you and peddle it around, there is a bit of everything there
 
Not having a rear diff-lock or an electronic system that brakes the wheels that are spinning is a little limiting. Maybe look into retro fitting a diff lock to the rear diff or an aftermarket LSD?

Better tyres will help with off-roading but you'll find that you have to adapt a different driving style when no rear diff-lock is available. Momentum is your friend :).

A bit of trial and error (have a friend there to pull you out!) is a good idea to work out what your vehicle will and won't do off-road.

Mike
.
I think one of the members here, may be Crispin, has the LC5, and has recently bought the back axle with proper locking diff, to fit to his LC.

The LC3 come as standard with the LSD rear diff, which also has the option for fully mechanically lock it.

LC3 also has the full fat coil springs, in place of the automatic height adjusting suspension.

Gra.
 
Grahm, Gary has a LC5 120 with ATRAC and he has acquired a rear axle from a LC3 120 with a locker. Not sure how this corresponds to the 150.
 
Tyre is so important for the grip...

on my work LC there is some top range SUV road tires for summer and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV studded tires for winter.

got stuck in winter in snow easy .. but it was a bit of a half melted and re frozen snow 20cm deep that you could walk on not sinking but the car sunk..
potentially it was possible to continue but it was faster to walk..

worst is i believe wet grass downhill it has Caught Me Out a few times ... worst than ice road... luckily i got the LC to a stop before the speed became un recoverable and a crash imminent.. then i clawled down the hill in micro speed and walked to check the road ahead to plan the path for grip.

some times this electronics mess up the driving.. i tend to use old school the low gear and middle and rear diff locks with the anti spin control switched off..
try to keep one of them unused driving in so hopefully there is a way to get back... if you go all in and then get stuck u cant get out of there on your own.
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