BajaNomad

Edit; Any recent report about the back road between B.O.L.A. And Vizcaino, or any other back roads?

AKgringo - 10-9-2022 at 02:57 PM

I drove it southbound on 9/23, and it was difficult but passable with countless unmarked hazards and detours. South of Bahia San Rafael there were almost no other tracks besides mine.

I was wondering if any crews have at least gone through and marked some of the more dangerous wash outs? I like that road, and I am thinking about heading back north on it next week.

Edit 10/11; Ok, it sounds like no one who reads these posts has been through since my passage. How about some of the other challenging roads, like one of the north roads to San Juanico, the pass through La Purisma and San Isidro?

I will check out the pass through Los Naranjos tomorrow or the next day, and report on the conditions, but I will be out of internet access quite a bit for the next week.

[Edited on 10-11-2022 by AKgringo]

bump, with an edit

AKgringo - 10-11-2022 at 02:23 PM

David K - 10-11-2022 at 05:39 PM

Just the hurricane damage, as you should expect anywhere down there. I am looking for any raod reports on Facebook and other places... I will share here if I see something.

My effort to drive the "Los Naranjos" ranch road!

AKgringo - 10-13-2022 at 06:45 PM

Failed effort! I will post more information tomorrow when I can get a better internet feed. I keep getting bounced off-line, and my patience is faltering!

I also have "second hand" info from a couple of folks in Los Barriles that the road north along the coast to Los Planes is probably a dirt bike or quad route for now.

David K - 10-16-2022 at 07:54 PM

AK, on Hidden Baja Facebook group, someone posted 4X4 only south of L.A. Bay. No other details and just one road photo of a small washout.

AKgringo - 10-16-2022 at 08:06 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
AK, on Hidden Baja Facebook group, someone posted 4X4 only south of L.A. Bay. No other details and just one road photo of a small washout.


There are quite a few sandy stretches that having 4x4 would be a good Idea, but just to test the conditions I left my Trooper in 2wd! With the sidetrip down to San Francisquito, and the trail from El Arco south, that was 150 miles of widely variable conditions.

My rig is stock except for the tire size. I was running 265/75/16 BFG KO2's at 20 psi. If I did it again, I think I would go even slightly lower.

[Edited on 10-17-2022 by AKgringo]

AKgringo - 10-16-2022 at 08:21 PM

Yes, it does in the rear axle, and it also has an early version of applying braking to slipping wheels called "Torque on Demand" which only works when 4x4 is selected. The only thing that I just hate about the set up is the anti-lock braking system. It guarantees that if you are carrying any speed at all, you are going to hit the hazards that suddenly pop up much harder than you want to!

[Edited on 10-17-2022 by AKgringo]

Some secondhand info

AKgringo - 10-16-2022 at 08:40 PM

More on my questions from Los Barriles locals about the El Cardonal to Los Planes road along the coast.

One of the people was in town shopping and lived out past los Planes. He said all he saw were quads and bikes running that direction and did not know if they were able to transit the pass, or were returning from dead end runs.

The other person tried to check it out with a Jeep but turned around at a wash out that could have resulted in rolling down a cliff. He said there was work being done, but there was a lot of repairs waiting for a fix.

I wanted to check it out, but a rib injury had me re-considering how much bad road I wanted to subject myself to.

AKgringo - 10-16-2022 at 09:12 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
It guarantees that if you are carrying any speed at all, you are going to hit the hazards that suddenly pop up much harder than you want to!

Woah, the ABS increases your braking distance?

I have a book called "Drive to Survive", by a guy that claims that modern ABS will stop a car faster than most normally-skilled drivers, once you learn to immediately romp on the brake instead of trying to avoid locking up.

Though if you've driven a lot in Alaska, you likely have above-average traction sensitivity (i.e. can probably do better than ABS).


I wonder if "modern" applies to a 1999 Trooper? My experience is that ABS keeps you in a straight line to avoid spinning out of control, but does increase the stopping distance! It is also crap when I am crawling down loose terrain and one wheel starts sliding ABS releases braking control from the other three wheels that are not sliding, so your speed increases and can be damned hard to slow down again!

Wet or Icy roads it can be a life saver. Off road, I hate it! For what it is worth, when I am in Grass Valley CA, I am off road almost every day. Usually in 2wd, 4x4 used only to protect fragile ground from spinning tires.

[Edited on 10-17-2022 by AKgringo]

Another ABS disaster!

AKgringo - 10-17-2022 at 05:42 AM

I totaled a 1998 Kia Sportage when a guy in a Ram 3/4 ton truck pull out from a blind driveway onto hwy 174 in Nevada county. I had nowhere to go, it was into him, or a huge pine tree.

I sure didn't skid, except for a relatively short mark from One tire! I had brand new Super Swampers on the Kia which I would hate to waste all that tread skidding, but I think I could have stopped (Or minimized the damage) if the ABS if the ABS hadn't said "Oh no you don't"!

mtgoat666 - 10-17-2022 at 06:07 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
I totaled a 1998 Kia Sportage when a guy in a Ram 3/4 ton truck pull out from a blind driveway onto hwy 174 in Nevada county. I had nowhere to go, it was into him, or a huge pine tree.

I sure didn't skid, except for a relatively short mark from One tire! I had brand new Super Swampers on the Kia which I would hate to waste all that tread skidding, but I think I could have stopped (Or minimized the damage) if the ABS if the ABS hadn't said "Oh no you don't"!


Abs stops skidding, that’s one of the reasons you can stop in a shorter distance with abs.
You seem to be saying that if you could have locked up your wheels and skidded, the result would have been better. That’s not true in 99/100 cases.

David K - 10-17-2022 at 08:24 AM

The ABS system works differently in different vehicles.
In my 2001 and 2010 Tacomas, it has been no problem braking in dirt. However, in my 2005 Tacoma, that system was really scary on loose surfaces... It would not brake well, and allowed the truck to drift off the road or well beyond, before stopping. Fortunately, I never hit another car or damaged the truck. I complained to the dealer and the answer was "that's what ABS does"!
Thankfully, my 2010 brakes properly.

John Harper - 10-17-2022 at 09:00 AM

I have a similar opinion as DK on this.

I find ABS to be unpredictable when braking over uneven surfaces. Hitting a bump while stopping can cause the ABS to release as one wheel stops turning. I think the ABS thinks a skid is occurring so it releases the brakes.

Now, stopping with ABS on a smooth surface is probably helpful, but I have not been impressed with it on my truck over speed bumps, potholes, rough dirt road, etc.

John

PaulW - 10-17-2022 at 09:03 AM

ABS?
It is a proven fact that ABS should be turned off on loose surfaces because a locked tire will push gravel or sand and stop much faster than an intermittent rolling/stopping tire will do.
I have never heard of an ABS design that was not wheel independent - meaning each wheel has its own separate control. And each wheel has it independent processor for control.
On older 4x4 SUVs one had to install a manual switch to turn off the ABS. Now days I suspect most rigs are like Broncos and Jeeps turn off ABS when in 4WD mode. The designers understand vehicle dynamics and do it correctly.

4x4abc - 10-17-2022 at 10:08 AM

between 1990 and 2000 there was a switch on the dash of the Mercedes G to turn off ABS (intended for off road use)
on newer models you don't have to decide yourself
as soon as you enter any of the off road modes, ABS will be urned off for you
all newer 4x4 do that for you

http://4x4abc.com/4WD101/ABS_offroad.html

ABS.jpg - 152kB

4x4abc - 10-17-2022 at 10:19 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  


I was amazed, when I replaced my stock rear differential on a K-5 Blazer with just a limited-slip, how much less I needed 4wd.


as a general rule - you should engage 4WD as soon as you leave pavement
it reduces the load on all driving components by 1/2
imagine pull ups with one arm vs 2 arms
which one is more tiring?

and by the way, using 4WD on dirt roads reduces the creation of washboard by 1/2
because wheel slip (which causes washboard) is reduced to 1/2

and having 4WD engaged PREVENTS getting stuck

sure - most of the time 4WD is not needed
but why wait until nature reminds you that you forgot to turn it on in time

I am sure you remember what they say about prevention