Newnes, Spanish Steps, Sat 15th Feb

[myall]

Attendees:
glen_ep, Prado 95 with 33's and dual lockers
69rollarok, Amarok with 32's and rear locker
Craig 04gu, Gu Patrol with 33's and the standard LSD

We started the day with the essential "wombat holes" - which has recently developed a pretty nasty rocky section:

Then over to "the crack" for some line practice:

More line practicing on the upper section of "the pipeline":

The Amarok had clearance issues climbing out of the last hole, but did made it in the end:

I decided against the lower steps of the pipeline due to wet conditions and bald tyres:

Myself sliding around on moon rock (notice tyre marks):

A ute with Simex's having a go, but in wet conditions and no lockers, didn't have a chance:

Somewhere along the "ranger bob" / "son of bob" track:

As promised, to finish the day we ventured into the "Spanish Steps":

Testing my recently installed supercharger:

And our very last stop - Sunnyside lookout - looking over the Wolgan Valley:

Hopefully I'll work on the videos over the next few days.

 

[BarKer]

Some nice pics there... With that bit of rain it would have been a top day for it..

 

[prawns]

Nice report mate looks like great fun

Im pretty interested to see video on the unlocked patrol doing the wombat holes if you have some? With those tyres lifting it would of been a pretty technical climb for him?

 

[cloughcarib]

Great pics there.

I wouldn't worry about the unlocked patrol, Daniel. The LSD in them is the strongest around. They don't need a rear locker.

 

[Craig 04gu]

Great pics Glen. Thanks again for an awesome day

 

[69rolla]

Awesome pics Glen, and thanks for a top day. Really like that charger pic and the wheel up action.

 

[myall]

No worries guys, good company all around makes for a great day

A Patrol's LSD is meant to be the bees nees but looking over the videos I think this Patrol would definitely benefit from a locker. Although, I don't know much about LSD's - can they be tweaked to perform better?

Here's a couple videos, more to come later...

Amarok vs Patrol at Newnes, Wombats & The Crack - YouTube

Amarok vs Prado vs Patrol, at the pipeline at Newnes - YouTube

 

[pbk1776]

No worries guys, good company all around makes for a great day

A Patrol's LSD is meant to be the bees nees but looking over the videos I think this Patrol would definitely benefit from a locker. Although, I don't know much about LSD's - can they be tweaked to perform better?

Here's a couple videos, more to come later...

Amarok vs Patrol at Newnes, Wombats & The Crack - YouTube

Amarok vs Prado vs Patrol, at the pipeline at Newnes - YouTube

Nice vids

Yes you can re-shim the LSD so it will engage earlier - you're right with a locker, front will help to crawl up with good LSD

 

[80lover96gxl]

Yeh cool pic's n vids, looks like a fun day had by all.
Looking forward to the next lot of vid's

 

[myall]

Here's another vid, this time of the massive moon rock - attempted with my Prado and a Hilux

Supercharged Prado sliding on big moon rock, Newnes - YouTube

Still to come - the Spanish Steps

 

[myall]

Another video:

Amarok offroad on Ranger Bob / Son of Bob trail, Newnes - YouTube

 

[myall]

Here's my smoking one on the Spanish Steps:

TRD Supercharged rock crawling, Prado 3.4L 5VZ-FE - YouTube

 

[myall]

The GU Patrol tackling Spanish Steps:

Patrol tackles Spanish Steps without lockers - YouTube

 

[prawns]

Great videos mate

Just a few nicely placed rocks seemed to keep the unlocked patrol going on most of that track hey (I assume he went around the first bit?)

Thanks for sharing

 

[mac_man_luke]

These tracks looks awesome.

 

[myall]

Great videos mate

Just a few nicely placed rocks seemed to keep the unlocked patrol going on most of that track hey (I assume he went around the first bit?)

Thanks for sharing

Cheers mate,
Actually I think the video handling hasn't been so good recently. My older videos seems to have better angles and clearer action. I'm going to have to work on that a bit I think!

Yeah we packed quite a few rocks at the Spanish Steps for the Amarok and Patrol, especially for the first step. That first step is the hardest part of the entire track, being a double step up with a heavily articulated rear.

Brian (Amarok) went up the far left which is usually manageble with 32's and some kind of traction aid, but rocks are still needed to help with clearance.

The Patrol tried the hardest line up the middle (bigger steps), but the LSD just wasn't helping enough with traction, and the rocks were being flung out. I think he made the right decision to give it up, as I've never seen vehicles with less than DUAL lockers and 33's manage it.

 

[cloughcarib]

Yeah, I failed on the hard line of the Steps.

 

[Craig 04gu]

I think if I dropped my tyre pressures by a couple more psi I my have made it Next time...

 

[myall]

Yeah, I failed on the hard line of the Steps.

Mate,
Don't say failed - you do fantastic driving! (especially considering you have one of those "120" things) The only thing stopping your vehicle from completing that line is a front locker. Alternatively, bring some spare CV's, steering ends and spindles, pack some rocks, then hammer it... lol

I think if I dropped my tyre pressures by a couple more psi I my have made it Next time...

There's always a next time! Btw, what pressure were you running?

 

[Toddyh]

Yeah, I failed on the hard line of the Steps.

I'm probably a front locker and 1" of tyre short of being able to make it but I've never been there so I would be keen for a look.