Front Drive Shaft Update

[Zimm]

Based on the numbers I have been told it is a very fraction of those numbers

1/100 or 99/100?

 

[Tazzieman]

You simply cannot drive certain trails here without 40's. Not because someone with 40's tore it up before you, but because the rocks or ledges etc are just too big. Having clearance under the frame is fine, but we need clearance under the differentials.

And yeah thanks for backing up my point, we all have different tolerance and skill levels. Me, I despise mud and just won't take my trucks out in it full stop. I stick to the dusty dry rocks of the desert etc.

In Australia you can enjoy deeply eroded mountain tracks with steep valley/ cliff drop offs , as well as boggy mud and deep sand...in the same morning!
To get to them requires gazetted roads and 35s are the legal maximum. So people learn to use their rigs , accepting that rocky trails are what break things the most.
And without lockers and without solid axles that will happen more often.
Repairs in boggy, sandy and remote areas requires spares and skills ( and willpower!) many don't possess.
Australia and other places are very different to the rocky places beloved by the 4wd community in the USA . From what I have read/ observed.

 

[Dokatd]

In Australia you can enjoy deeply eroded mountain tracks with steep valley/ cliff drop offs , as well as boggy mud and deep sand...in the same morning!
To get to them requires gazetted roads and 35s are the legal maximum. So people learn to use their rigs , accepting that rocky trails are what break things the most.
And without lockers and without solid axles that will happen more often.
Repairs in boggy, sandy and remote areas requires spares and skills ( and willpower!) many don't possess.
Australia and other places are very different to the rocky places beloved by the 4wd community in the USA . From what I have read/ observed.

View attachment 7905983

The same is possible in the USA. But we have trails that simply cannot be done with 35's. Not "ohh that's going to be tough", but trails that simply cannot be done with 35's. Those trails are purely for those who enjoy the challenge. They can be under a mile long and take all day to get 10 trucks through. We have hosted small groups from several places across the globe and they are all amazed at how hard we push our trucks. This isn't a flex, it's just that we have better access to some really tough trails that nobody will likely die on if a truck fails. Aussies have a totally different challenge in that failure can easily be a life and death situation and that's way beyond my skill set. I always know that flipping my truck just means a quick cell phone call or Garmin message and I will be out in less than an hour or two. Worst case most places are just a quick hike to the main road.

It's just different and both have their challenges.

 

[Zimm]

In Australia you can enjoy deeply eroded mountain tracks with steep valley/ cliff drop offs , as well as boggy mud and deep sand...in the same morning!
To get to them requires gazetted roads and 35s are the legal maximum. So people learn to use their rigs , accepting that rocky trails are what break things the most.
And without lockers and without solid axles that will happen more often.
Repairs in boggy, sandy and remote areas requires spares and skills ( and willpower!) many don't possess.
Australia and other places are very different to the rocky places beloved by the 4wd community in the USA . From what I have read/ observed.

If placed on a trail in a that required a minimum of 40's in a perfectly capable buggy, with all your self assured 35" gazzette track skills that don't require anything more than any other person on 35's in a challenging terrain anywhere else in the world, you'd be walking out with stained gutchies. You actually wouldn't know what to do, or even see the line if it wasn't worn, and the same backwoods bubba that builds these types of rigs will sleepwalk through your toughest trails. It's an entire continent with vast terrain variation, and you're watching rubicon trail and moab vids to make an all enconasing myopic opinion of the entire place. You read like Cliff Claven right now.

I'd have my money on Dokatd schooling you on your own trails, and your life insurance paying out to the woman on his.

 

[Tazzieman]

If placed on a trail in a that required a minimum of 40's in a perfectly capable buggy, with all your self assured 35" gazzette track skills that don't require anything more than any other person on 35's in a challenging terrain anywhere else in the world, you'd be walking out with stained gutchies. You actually wouldn't know what to do, or even see the line if it wasn't worn, and the same backwoods bubba that builds these types of rigs will sleepwalk through your toughest trails. It's an entire continent with vast terrain variation, and you're watching rubicon trail and moab vids to make an all enconasing myopic opinion of the entire place. You read like Cliff Claven right now.

I'd have my money on Dokatd schooling you on your own trails, and your life insurance paying out to the woman on his.

Ouch, very ouch baby! Umm, keep your money. US dollar is no longer what the world wants.
He'd be at sea without a handgun for protection from the snakes in the long grass & crocs ; then there are the roadtrains that upset any monster truck 4wd!
I mean you have to visit , to be able to flex in front of me At least be able to press your spare tyre overhead 10 times!

 

[Dokatd]

Ouch, very ouch baby! Umm, keep your money. US dollar is no longer what the world wants.
He'd be at sea without a handgun for protection from the snakes in the long grass & crocs ; then there are the roadtrains that upset any monster truck 4wd!
I mean you have to visit , to be able to flex in front of me At least be able to press your spare tyre overhead 10 times!

Most of my spares weight about 375lbs. I'll pass on that one if you don't mind.

 

[NQ94]

T

If placed on a trail in a that required a minimum of 40's in a perfectly capable buggy, with all your self assured 35" gazzette track skills that don't require anything more than any other person on 35's in a challenging terrain anywhere else in the world, you'd be walking out with stained gutchies. You actually wouldn't know what to do, or even see the line if it wasn't worn, and the same backwoods bubba that builds these types of rigs will sleepwalk through your toughest trails. It's an entire continent with vast terrain variation, and you're watching rubicon trail and moab vids to make an all enconasing myopic opinion of the entire place. You read like Cliff Claven right now.

I'd have my money on Dokatd schooling you on your own trails, and your life insurance paying out to the woman on his.

The challenge in Australia is getting your 4x4 to the tracks with out a canary, defect notice from the law. Ok if you got a trailer sailor with no rego and going on private property but any gazzetted roads which are any off road tracks that are accessable, mapped and legal to drive on has to be done with a road registered and road worthy vehicle so we are limited to legal modifications and max 35" tyres. Australia does have the hardcore tracks that require 40" tyres and big mods but on private property and there is a extreme off road following but they are limited to private property as well. Gazzetted roads can be still patroled by the police, Victorian high country for example, that can and will fine you and defect your car off road.

 

[Dokatd]

T
The challenge in Australia is getting your 4x4 to the tracks with out a canary, defect notice from the law. Ok if you got a trailer sailor with no rego and going on private property but any gazzetted roads which are any off road tracks that are accessable, mapped and legal to drive on has to be done with a road registered and road worthy vehicle so we are limited to legal modifications and max 35" tyres. Australia does have the hardcore tracks that require 40" tyres and big mods but on private property and there is an extreme off road following but they are limited to private property as well. Gazzetted roads can be still patroled by the police, Victorian high country for example, that can and will fine you and defect your car off road.

I have watched this discussion hashed out many times going back to the 90's with concessions going both ways. There is some impressive stuff down under to be sure. Sucks you are so limited in what you are allowed to do. That certainly narrows the scope of most of your trucks.

End of it all is still that every persons idea of hardcore is different and typically based on local restrictions. We just happen to have few here in the USA so things get a bit wild at times.

 

[Tazzieman]

We just happen to have few here in the USA so things get a bit wild at times.

Next time in Moscow?

 

[parb]

It's one of the things I really like with the US. You're largely free to do whatever you want to your vehicle as long as you own up to it if it creates an accident.

Manufactures doesn't nearly have as much freedom as owners to when it comes to modification of cars. As an owner I'm allowed to remove almost all safety systems if I feel like it.