decent place for off-roading?

[swooopeno]

This question goes out to all 4 of the AZ members on this board... Are there more somewhere????????

For work, I have been driving out near lake pleasant, actually, about 10 miles west of it on the carefree hwy. There are a number of turnoffs which seem to lead to some type of fun adventure. I took one today, and it wasn't to bad... i might go back after it rains in the next couple days.

Anyway, have any of you been around that area?

Also, I'm in Tempe. Any ideas on the closest decent place to have some off-roading fun this weekend??? I assume out near saguaro lake should be nice???

 

[kdmello]

swooopeno I am ready how are we to get in touch. I fish at lake Pleasant. I would like to see if there is a road leading to the Agua Fria River. My wife will not allow me to go alone.

Have you driven on castle hot springs road
-------------------
4runner v8 sports edition

 

[swooopeno]

CASTLE HOT SPRINGS???

is that the road just west of lake pleasant??? I've driven by it and been curious, but never on it.

So you say thats worth the drive???

 

[kdmello]

Some information I got on the web

http://www.azvjc.org/oldsite/Trips/View.asp?T=341

http://www.delange.org/CastleHSpring/CHS.htm

I do not think it is a difficult trail

 

[carina71]

Alaska! Pic of my old 93 4Runner off road.

 

[swooopeno]

so i actually did it.

I got bored the other day, and finally decided to take on my first off-road adventure.

Myself and a couple others went out to bartlett lake to try the FR 42 run. Keep in mind I haven't done this before. I was shocked when I saw the first tough uphill climb. Wow! I have to say, I am amazed and extremely impressed with the capabilities of the 4runner. It took everything i dished out, including a couple hundred tiny white scratches all over the nice black paint job. So, here are my observations/questions based on this first run:


I locked the center diff and turned off the side air bags:

1. Whenever i lost traction on one or 2 tires, i heard a fast clicking noise and some other kind of noise, and then i regained traction (sounds like the computer kicked in or something)

IS THIS NORMAL? WHAT IS THE NOISE FROM?

2. Running boards have to go. I can't believe they are even still attached after what I put them through.

3. Not sure where fr42 goes. I found a cove at the lake (near a 3-way trail intersection). Ate lunch there. I tried both of the trails, only to get a lot of scratches, one dead end, and a 4' wide trail. I eventually turned back, and went the way I came in. Note to self - somehow get a map of the trail before you go. (toyota GPS has, what I think, is FR 42, but only a portion of it)

4. After I got back, i have been reading up on things, and apparantely, I should have let some air out of my tires. Any advice on this?


5. how in the world do you get these tiny scratches out?

6. couple pics from a not-so-good camera phone.

 

[swooopeno]

.

 

[dcampen]

1. Whenever i lost traction on one or 2 tires, i heard a fast clicking noise and some other kind of noise, and then i regained traction (sounds like the computer kicked in or something)

IS THIS NORMAL? WHAT IS THE NOISE FROM?

This is normal. It is the ATRAC system selectively pulsing the brakes on whatever wheels have lost traction.

4. After I got back, i have been reading up on things, and apparantely, I should have let some air out of my tires. Any advice on this?

Airing down helps in deep sand. I think it is of much less value on rocky, rutted roads where you lose traction because you have one or more tires in the air.

 

[swooopeno]

so the way that it re-distrubutes power to the other wheels is by applying brake power to the slip wheel and since the power can't go there, it goes to the other wheels?

 

[kdmello]

Hello I have taken my 4runner to various fishing holes that one would not want to drive to and I am amazed at what this vehicle can do. I have not done FR42 but now that you have done it, that gives me courage, it is a trail that is rated +3.0. This website has a vehicle rating guide and it says that the 4runner can do a 3.0 trail but the side steps need to go.
http://www.expeditionswest.com/resources/expedition_handbook/vehicle_rating.htm

I have already got my side step scraped underneath.

1. Whenever I lost traction on one or 2 tires, i heard a fast clicking noise and some other kind of noise, and then i regained traction (sounds like the computer kicked in or something)
(That is ATRAC (breaking the wheels in the air to give traction to the wheels on the ground) the other noise maybe the side step doing the scraping (just joking))

IS THIS NORMAL? WHAT IS THE NOISE FROM?

2. Running boards have to go. I can't believe they are even still attached after what I put them through.

3. Not sure where fr42 goes (goes to horseshoe lake). I found a cove at the lake (near a 3-way trail intersection). Ate lunch there. I tried both of the trails, only to get a lot of scratches, one dead end, and a 4' wide trail. I eventually turned back, and went the way I came in. Note to self - somehow get a map of the trail before you go. (toyota GPS has, what I think, is FR 42, but only a portion of it)

4. After I got back, i have been reading up on things, and apparantely, I should have let some air out of my tires. Any advice on this?
(Actually I am not sure about this letting air out of the tire thing, I have noticed that the tires conform to the rocks on my Dunlops at 32psi


5. how in the world do you get these tiny scratches out?
(I have got one nice scratch which I will get out later, buff it out with some polisher)


6. couple pics from a not-so-good camera phone
(I have just purchased a digital camera so I will be posting pictures of my new adventures in time.)


I joined this group www.azbackcountry.com I will be going on my first trip with them to Four Peaks on Saturday the 26th of February if you are not doing anything on the 26th you can come along.

 

[dcampen]

so the way that it re-distrubutes power to the other wheels is by applying brake power to the slip wheel

Yes.

and since the power can't go there, it goes to the other wheels?

Close, because of the open differentials torque/power sent to either wheel is limited by the amount of torque/power that can be sent to the wheel that is slipping. When the ATRAC is active
power is now going to both wheels - at one wheel the power is being used to move the truck and at the other wheel (where ATRAC is applying the brake) the power is being used to heat the brake pad.

 

[swooopeno]

great... thanks for those responses... I think i'm getting it now. So i have one more question.

When i am on a trail that has the possibility of having only 2 tires in full traction, I should have the center diff locked right? I attempted a couple runs w/ the diff unlocked, and the computer cut all my power and wouldn't let me continue forward. Am I thinking about this right?

 

[kdmello]

I have had no problems with my wheels in the air and the center differential unlocked under dry conditions.

 

[dcampen]

I lock the center differential when road conditions are such that I am likely to have one or more wheels in the air.

 

[expeditionswest]

FR42 is a challenging trail in a stock vehicle with a new to 4wheeling driver. Good job.

Here is a map and GPS info for the entire loop.
http://www.expeditionswest.com/adventures/2003/FR42_2003/index.html

Having tested the Gen 4 4Runner, I am exceedingly impressed with its capabilities.

Regarding airing down.

You should always air down when traveling off-highway. It provides the following benefits:

1. Improved ride quality (the tire becomes part of the suspension cycle)
2. Improved deformation (the tire will wrap around rocks, etc.)
3. Flotation (Important in deep snow, mud and sand)

Best of luck with your off-road adventures

 

[sspantic]

If you guys want some fun trails, try Stoneman lake road, (exit 308 on I17 after Sedona exit). There are many small trails not difficult at all, but with all this rain that we got they became very challenging. It will definetly put your snow/mud driving skills to the test.

Also, Senator's highway should be very nice drive this time of the year.

 

[swooopeno]

FR42 went very well (this was several months ago). The runner did some things I really didn't think it could do. I feel like I was on the 2 wheels most of the time.. it was great. The bad thing... and I mean VERY bad thing about the day, was I got a whole lot of AZ pinstripes. It was terrible. I'm not even sure I was still on FR42 to tell you the truth. The worst part, is after I went through all the brush about 1 mile, it got REALLY narrow, and I had to turn back and do it all over again. The sound that makes hitting fresh black paint is the worst I've ever heard. Besides that, it was awesome! We stopped at a beach area next to the lake and had lunch. I wish I would have turned back at that point... oh well... lesson learned.

 

[sspantic]

Was it a stock 4runner?? The trial sounds like too much fun, but I don't think that I can cope with loss of fresh paint.

 

[salsa_sr5]

Expeditions West website

Regarding kdmello's link to the Expeditions West website:

Wow ! The things they have been doing on their trips are awesome. I'm drooling.

They have cool pictures and videos and excellent right ups. Perfect armchair/laptop adventure stuff.

 

[acomelek]

any activity here?