Newbie Offroader

[Ruflyf]

I have officially realized I am a newbie offroader. This afternoon I was out looking at houses with the wife and I passed a trail along the side of a river I use to play at as a kid. Well of course I HAD to check it out.

To the objection of the wife off down the trail I went, not that she doesnt enjoy it, its moreless she thinks we might get stuck or break something. Not having any rain in, I cant remember how long, water would not be an issue. Anyway I was having fun going through the rutted out trails and came to a fairly sandy area where I decided to put it in 4wd low rather than just 4wd auto. Hmmm, couldnt make it up this lil bump, back kept spinning, so I pout it back in 4wd auto, same thing. Being that my 4wd apparently working correctly I headed back out before I got somewhere I couldnt get out of. About ten miles down the road almost to the house it hits me, my hubs were unlocked!!! I forgot I had been running with them unlocked for several gas fills to see the difference.

[tomdietrying]

About ten miles down the road almost to the house it hits me, my hubs were unlocked!!!

I don't get it? We don't have manual locking hubs. Please fill me in.
Peace.
Tom

[Triathlete]

Some people have installed the Asin manual hubs.

[Ldub]

You can go offroad a thousand ways
When you ask yourself, and say
It all comes down to that single rock
CAN I MAKE IT UP THIS HILL UNLOCKED?

Trans Mississiberian Offroad Orchestra

I know...I don't rhyme very well...all I wanted to say is:
When you stop doing "dumb stuff", you probably aren't doing anything.

[kpaske]

Is there some advantage to having manual locking hubs? Does it save wear and tear on the front diff if you run with them unlocked or something?

[Ruflyf]

Tom dietrying, yes have aftermarket aisin hubs

Ldub, too funny...not bad for on the fly rhyming

Kpaske, thats exactly what I am trying to find out, will post my fuel reports when I finish them. As for diff wear and tear, probably some, parts are still turning but not under a load.

[E-ZooZoo One]

I have officially realized I am a newbie offroader...

Sorry, but I can’t help but laugh…
Although, if it helps, I’m laughing at MYSELF!


Last October, in Uwharrie, while running the Daniel trail in my Rodeo, I was quite pleased with how well it was doing… I simply pointed, and it went right on along without protest – of course, having a rear locker makes a HUGE difference over stock.

After 3-wheeling it over one section, with a front tire at least 3-feet in the air for about 20-feet - finally I arrived at the base of the steep S-curve hill climb and parked it, awaiting my turn on the 4-foot ledge immediately beyond (where everyone had been having trouble all morning). --- While I was sitting there waiting, some of the Toyota guys from behind me walked up and we started talking… then suddenly, out of nowhere, one of them asked me, “Do you know that one of your hubs is unlocked?”

“For real? - Well, if one of them is, then they both are!”

And then it hit me…
I had intended to lock them while I was airing-down, but in my rush to get out there on the trail, apparently I forgot.


Despite how well I had made it up-to-that-point in 2WD, if that Toyota guy hadn’t noticed my hubs when he did… a few minutes later, on the ledge, I would have thought my Rodeo was broken for sure!


Trust me; it’s not a ‘Newbie’ mistake

[Maugan_VX]

hey Smiley,

did you see where I finally broke the VX's offroad cherry at U-harry? :P