Road from Bahia Tortugas to Malarrimo

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

look at the name of your vehicle it is good for most forest service roads in rich countries the majority of Baja roads are not for a Subaru including the road to Malarrimo

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc   look at the name of your vehicle it is good for most forest service roads in rich countries the majority of Baja roads are not for a Subaru including the road to Malarrimo Subaru will do fine on unpaved roads in baja. Most mexicans drive those roads in toyota corollas. Gringos and europeans think you needs 4x4 and $25k in accessories to drive an unpaved road that mexicans commute daily in a 2wd econocar. Btw, my first trip camping in baja was in a datsun b210. We survived in a 2wd low clearance chitbox. Explore roads as far as your car will take you. Walk or bike the rest of the way, or stay put and enjoy the place you got to.

Which Malarrimo?
The traditional Playa Malarrimo (beachcomber's paradise) is north from San José de Castro.
The fish camp of that name is reached north from Bahía Tortugas.



That said, 4x4abc knows the road and the best 4x4 advice.
What is the ground clearance under a Forester? Being AWD and no low range is less than ideal. Always have a tire pump because the best traction assist for ANY vehicle, is to lower the tire pressure (10-15 psi range for sand, 15-20 psi for climbing. When you lower the pressure, you are also lowering the vehicle, so ground clearance is important if big rocks need to be traveled over.

Quote: Originally posted by jwheel1970

We made the trip a year ago in two Tacoma's, Jeep and a full size Ford, all 4x4. We made it to beachcombers paradise (Malarrimo) but it was a tough go. We had one vehicle get stuck and many scrapes and underside bruises. I would not take a Forester, they are great cars, we own one but not for this trail. It will get you into 95% of the other baja destinations with no issue. Not Malarrimo.

What He Said.

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

I miss the older version of the Subaru SUV! When they had the low-range option you could get away with tweaking the suspension a bit, trim the fender wells for improved fat tire clearance, and go places they were never designed to get to!

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

I miss the older version of the Subaru SUV! When they had the low-range option you could get away with tweaking the suspension a bit, trim the fender wells for improved fat tire clearance, and go places they were never designed to get to! on my last trip to Baja I tested the limits of a Honda Element. I like the funky little box that rides on a CRV chassis, but the Subarus I used to have got around better! I have never been into Malarrimo, so I can't say if a modified Forrester could survive the trip in there. It sounds like it really is "Bad to be near" for most vehicles!

I owned three Subaru 4x4 wagons (in '77, '80, & '86). I could get them anywhere including Gonzaga Bay on the original road and into Matomí canyon, plus they were great on the beach. The first two had only high range 4WD with a 1600cc engine. The last one had low range and a 1800cc engine. When they changed to AWD (no low range), it was a big disappointment and my next 4x4 was a Toyota Tacoma (in 2000).

In March of 1978 on Shell Island (I was 20)


In November of 1979, south of Puertecitos at steep grade (took about three attempts and lost my muffler): I was pre-running the Baja 1000


In Calamajué Canyon, south of Gonzaga, 1979:


In Parral Canyon (Azufre Wash) in 1981, heading to Matomí:

Good answer Harald.
May I recommend your website for further knowledge: www.4x4abc.com with many side pages for specific questions, like driving in sand and how deflating tires improves traction, etc.

My son, remembering his youth in Baja, bought a Subaru Outback, Wilderness edition with the top bells and whistles.

Sadly, on his first attempt at driving along a river (mud) it got stuck or hung up below. I wasn't there, just his wife and baby. A local in a big old truck used a chain to yank him out... damaging the brand new vehicle's undersides. It was still drivable and he got the repairs made. He did have fun driving in the sand, with ease...

So, as Harald says... ground clearance is major and even though the Outback has 9.5" of ground clearance (same as my Tacoma), the underside is not all that high being an independent front & rear suspension. Their impressive sounding AWD didn't get him unstuck:
The standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system in the 2025 Outback midsize SUV is designed to optimize traction in snow, rain, on bad roads, or even when there’s no road at all. It constantly evaluates acceleration, braking, and cornering in real time to continuously deliver power to all four wheels. If a wheel slips, power is instantaneously transferred to the wheels that have the most grip.

Flashy talk that makes you think you can get out of any situation! So, with just one tire having traction and the other three spinning, yadda yadda yadda... does no good if you are stuck underneath because you are too low.

Now, it may been a case of a novice driving off road and not knowing the car well enough to know what it can't do or which traction button to press.

Personally, I wouldn't have driven into a river if it wasn't unavoidable... Like back in 1978, when a flash flood in Matomí Canyon cut off my escape route, temporarily. Fearing the rising water would take my little Suby away was a real thing!

Lowering the tire's air pressure got me out!




[Edited on 3-12-2025 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Flashy talk that makes you think you can get out of any situation! So, with just one tire having traction and the other three spinning, yadda yadda yadda... [Edited on 3-12-2025 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

Quote: Originally posted by David K   Flashy talk that makes you think you can get out of any situation! So, with just one tire having traction and the other three spinning, yadda yadda yadda... [Edited on 3-12-2025 by David K] think about it - if one wheel drive could get you out - why would you need four wheel drive in the first place?

That's a generator in the road. About 40 miles out from Mulege.
Not my generator!

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc   In the previous post, I am agreeing with you (about the PR talking points). On the one wheel drive vs 4WD or AWD, you don't know which one wheel will have traction, so power must be available to all four. Subaru claims that their system will power that one. I don't know, and it didn't help my son (but, as I said before, I wasn't there and maybe there was something holding him in place). understanding 4WD is not easy it seems easy - but it isn't here is the basic rule for all 4x4 they use up to 3 differentials to direct engine revolutions to the wheels the amount of force (torque not power) reaching each wheel is ALWAYS equal that's where even most 4x4 "experts" get it wrong they tend to say "All power is lost at the wheel that is slipping" #1 it is torque, not power that moves a wheel #2 nothing in physics is ever lost one of the weird characteristics of differentials is that the wheel with the least traction determines how much (equal) force the other wheel(s) get since only a low amount of force is needed to make a wheel on slippery ground spin - the other wheels also get that same low amount of torque 4 times very little is still very little often not enough to move the truck what Subaru and all other vehicles with automatic traction control do is - they create a little bit of extra resistance at the slipping wheel - increasing the amount of torque at the slipping wheel that increases the amount of torque at the other wheels by the same amount remember, torque is always equal at all 4 wheels with the increased total amount of torque the car is likely to keep moving what makes some trucks with automatic traction control better? they create a higher amount of resistance at the slipping wheel(s) netting a higher amount of force at all wheels creating a better chance of moving however, for serious off road use automatic traction control is severely limited they work best on vehicles that are still moving they don't work well on slow moving trucks or stuck trucks for serious/professional 4x4 use a mechanism to disable the differential is needed called diff locks or other fancy names. if you are stuck in the jungle with a rental 4x4 (no diff lock) and the bad guys are shooting at you - take your diff cover off (forget the oil, it is not need short term) - stick a piece of wood in between the diff gears - now you have a diff lock and can drive out to safety diff locks require stronger, heavier, more expensive axles and diff gears they have some serious draw backs (like all potent medicine) and require serious training that's why you don't find them on most 4x4 and if they are often only in the rear any feedback on which 4x4s have 3 diff locks?

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

if you are stuck in the jungle with a rental 4x4 (no diff lock) and the bad guys are shooting at you - take your diff cover off (forget the oil, it is not need short term) - stick a piece of wood in between the diff gears - now you have a diff lock and can drive out to safety

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc   if you are stuck in the jungle with a rental 4x4 (no diff lock) and the bad guys are shooting at you - take your diff cover off (forget the oil, it is not need short term) - stick a piece of wood in between the diff gears - now you have a diff lock and can drive out to safety If the bad guys are shooting at me, time may be critical; how long will it take to remove the diff cover and stick a piece of wood in the gears?