Trip report: The TC fools (The Bros) do Anza
A very few places in my life have had such a magnetic appeal, and storied history as does The Anza Borrego Desert State Park and environs in Southern California. My first trip there in 1965 was with...
Forum Discussion
Anu wrote: "I am amazed how well your rig had very little sway, and non existent slippage." A: The True Tracs and 20 pounds of air will increase the floatation and tractive effort. I had the new Rancho 9K's on the stiffest setting, and by the looks of the vid, I need an additional pair of rear shocks, which I've been contemplating for a long time. Don't underestimate the anti sway of having all the heavy stuff down low and tight new grommets on my rear anti sway bar. The twisting up of the axles allowed per the vids is a lot more than I suspected, but limited by the 3" lift on the front as the control arms are already aiming downhill and don't have much travel compared to stock. Another issue is I think the travel of the front shocks is not as far as the suspension will allow, causing a wheel to momentarily hang in air.
Q: "Do the cabover struts/braces offer much support?"
A: Not really. I don't think 15 years old struts have much left in them anyway, but I never reached the outer limit on the strut's travel. The fact is my 20 year old camper has live for 15 years, full time, more or less on the bed of the truck, and there is a lot of settling of all the 'attaching and holding up' parts of the truck making it fit like an old shoe.
Q: "How loose were your rear tie downs? Or is it more about the truck and tires?" A: I did not do much adjusting of the tie downs this trip, because when you have the suspension dialed in, and lower the pressure things have a tendency to smooth out. Going that long, fairly steeply uphill, I worry that the camper could just "slip out the back, Jack", (according to the Paul Simon song, 50 ways to leave your lover)
Q: "It also appears the moto cross folk were not street legal and had no business even looking on as you took the drop off." A: The motorcycles were led by someone who has already climbed the beast, but his attempt in front of his compatriots failed about 3/4 of the way up and he had to recede down the mountain. Most of the people looking on were slack jawed that someone would try this sand hill in a 10K pound rig, and one guy said, "I've never seen that before." But, there is always more to the story and it's not about luck. I'm thinking Bro John's (who has the same model truck you do) and my 50 years of hard core jeeping and off roading sets the stage for finding the edge of what is do-able and what isn't. It's all those sticky little issues like air down and airing up: how much and how fast. When I don' go hard-core TC-ing for a couple months, I loose my 'edge' with the 'road feel' and where the edge actually is. In the depths of Sandstone Canyon, Anza:
So, thanks again for your interest in our little sojourn.
jefe
Q: "Do the cabover struts/braces offer much support?"
A: Not really. I don't think 15 years old struts have much left in them anyway, but I never reached the outer limit on the strut's travel. The fact is my 20 year old camper has live for 15 years, full time, more or less on the bed of the truck, and there is a lot of settling of all the 'attaching and holding up' parts of the truck making it fit like an old shoe.
Q: "How loose were your rear tie downs? Or is it more about the truck and tires?" A: I did not do much adjusting of the tie downs this trip, because when you have the suspension dialed in, and lower the pressure things have a tendency to smooth out. Going that long, fairly steeply uphill, I worry that the camper could just "slip out the back, Jack", (according to the Paul Simon song, 50 ways to leave your lover)
Q: "It also appears the moto cross folk were not street legal and had no business even looking on as you took the drop off." A: The motorcycles were led by someone who has already climbed the beast, but his attempt in front of his compatriots failed about 3/4 of the way up and he had to recede down the mountain. Most of the people looking on were slack jawed that someone would try this sand hill in a 10K pound rig, and one guy said, "I've never seen that before." But, there is always more to the story and it's not about luck. I'm thinking Bro John's (who has the same model truck you do) and my 50 years of hard core jeeping and off roading sets the stage for finding the edge of what is do-able and what isn't. It's all those sticky little issues like air down and airing up: how much and how fast. When I don' go hard-core TC-ing for a couple months, I loose my 'edge' with the 'road feel' and where the edge actually is. In the depths of Sandstone Canyon, Anza:
So, thanks again for your interest in our little sojourn.
jefe
