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MMc
Super Nomad
Posts: 1679
Registered: 6-29-2011
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Mood: Current
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This is about getting stuck or breaking down, I sure you have a story to add before the Toyotas.
Quote: Originally posted by David K  |
Because getting stuck ... sucks!
Also, because we have Toyota Tacomas, perhaps?
Getting stuck just doesn't happen with the A-TRAC 4x4 system... but I keep trying! LOL |
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: Originally posted by MMc | This is about getting stuck or breaking down, I sure you have a story to add before the Toyotas.
| Quote: Originally posted by David K |
Because getting stuck ... sucks!
Also, because we have Toyota Tacomas, perhaps?
Getting stuck just doesn't happen with the A-TRAC 4x4 system... but I keep trying! LOL |
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Oh yes, you bet! I was just singing the praises with StuckSucks.
Here is one of my infamous stucks in Matomi Canyon, as a flash flood nearly took away my Subaru in December 1978:
Before the water got into the vehicle, it dawned on me that it was sand... underwater sand, but still, sand that was holding my Subaru there.
I deflated the tires (only 13" tires, mind you) and drove out before the river rose too high. I crossed here just minutes earlier and it was dry. When
I came to the next crossing, with water on the road, I turned around.
This stuck, like all others I remember, I never needed a pull and always got myself out.
The salt mud of crossing over to Shell Island got me real bad, once. I slept in the Subaru. The next morning, I found some boards on the beach and
jacked up the wagon, put the board under the stuck tire, and drove out.
Sand stucks were solved by digging and deflating more.
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chippy
Super Nomad
Posts: 1722
Registered: 2-2-2010
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| Quote: Originally posted by Pappy Jon | Two stories. Yep, what is a Baja trip without a few adventures.
1) Went out to Boca Grande (Bahia San Rafael). This place, as I found out later, has quite the reputation. Made it out to the wall on the beach.
Looked around. Didn't like the camping so I turned around following my tracks. Oops. I will let the picture say it all. Took me 6 hours to get out.
2) I had just started my trip and ducked up Matomi Canyon to make camp. I didn't make it very far. On one of the woops the input shaft on my transfer
case stripped. Thanks to my Delorme inReach I was able to call for help. David K emailed PaulW in SF. After spending a very sleepless night where I
broke, texting back and forth with David, Paul came out the next morning in his big-azz Ford and dragged me back to Pete's Camp where I spent a few
nights waiting until Monday and a nearby shop opened up.
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Here I thought you where talking about this wall
If you aint been stuck in the grease you aint been stuck
[Edited on 7-19-2017 by chippy]
[Edited on 7-19-2017 by chippy]
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DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
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In October 1994, on a camping trip to the Sierra San Pedro Martir, I was going too fast with too much air in the tires about halfway between Rancho
Meling and the Observatory (this was before a lot of the paving of the section below Meling's, and the section above Meling's was pretty sketchy in
parts). Big sharp rock tore a 2 inch gash in the tread of one of my BFG T/A's. While I'm on the ground swapping in the spare, my wife starts off an
interesting conversation:
Wife: "You only brought one spare?"
Me: "Uh, yup."
Wife: "What if we get another flat?"
Me: "Uh, we camp. Right there. And wait for someone to come along."
Wife: "On THIS road? We haven't seen anybody for hours." (In fact, in our three days up there we only saw one other vehicle on the road.)
Me: "No problem, we've got plenty of food and water."
Wife: [Glares, taps foot.] "Well, you just better drive more carefully."
So we got up to the Meadows just before dark, set up our tent, made chow and settled in for a cold night (low 20s overnight, froze all of our water).
In the morning after I thawed the water for coffee, we drove up to the Observatory with the wounded tire, and a couple of the guys in the shop there
worked for over an hour trying to repair it before sadly pronouncing it muerte. I offered money, which they politely declined, but they were pleased
to accept half a dozen beers for their efforts. We had a great three days hiking and exploring, and I drove back down the mountain like a grandma.
Bought a new spare at a llantera on the way back north.
P.S. Don't tell my wife, but half the time we head out I still forget to throw that second spare in the back of the pickup. 
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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| Quote: Originally posted by Pappy Jon | Two stories. Yep, what is a Baja trip without a few adventures.
1) Went out to Boca Grande (Bahia San Rafael). This place, as I found out later, has quite the reputation. Made it out to the wall on the beach.
Looked around. Didn't like the camping so I turned around following my tracks. Oops. I will let the picture say it all. Took me 6 hours to get out.
2) I had just started my trip and ducked up Matomi Canyon to make camp. I didn't make it very far. On one of the woops the input shaft on my transfer
case stripped. Thanks to my Delorme inReach I was able to call for help. David K emailed PaulW in SF. After spending a very sleepless night where I
broke, texting back and forth with David, Paul came out the next morning in his big-azz Ford and dragged me back to Pete's Camp where I spent a few
nights waiting until Monday and a nearby shop opened up.
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"Boca Grande"----------almost ate my F-250 4x4 many years ago. Took me most of an entire day to extricate myself. (saved by deflation of my huge
tires, and a lot of luck and digging). Upon arriving home, bought a winch and a pull-pal so NEVER AGAIN would I have that desperate and helpless
problem to confront. Scared the be-jusus out of me!!!
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Fatboy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 746
Registered: 6-28-2005
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Been delayed here and there a time or two.
A friend and I decided to ride our XT350 dualsports south until we ran out of time and/or money back in the early 1990's.
We rode from San Diego to La Paz, and then we hopped on the ferry across to the mainland. From there it was south past Acapulco a few hundred miles
before turning inland and back up central Mexico and northwards to the border and home.
One day a few weeks into our trip we passed several kids holding out large lizards as if we should stop and buy some, and to this day I have no idea
why someone would want them.
After passing the last of them we were riding along a remote section of the Pacific coast when I saw a large tarantula crossing the road.
Swerving to miss the monster spider the motorcycle hiccuped and told me I had better switch over to reserve. I now needed gas within the next 25 miles
or I would be pushing the bike.
10 miles later my tension drained away as we spotted a large plywood sign with that magical word 'gasolina' spray painted on it.
Pulling in we saw a few small tables and chairs under a thatched roof and a few yards away a barrel of gasolina that would allow us to continue
onwards.
It was a few minutes before anyone came out and when the six or seven year old little girl came out with a nearly naked two year old on her hip it was
quite the sight.
We asked for gasolina and she said there wasn't any. Thinking maybe that they only sell to the locals, or she was waiting for her parents, or that we
had committed a social blunder we changed tactics and asked for some sodas.
After paying a few pesos for our sodas we sat at one of the small tables glad to be off the bikes and to actually have something cold to drink while
the young girl with her baby sister watched us from the other side of a low wall.
Finishing our sodas we again ask for gasolina, and again we are told no gasolina even though the barrel was only 15 feet away. Pondering this for a
minute, I then walked over to the barrel to find it empty, ahhhhh.
My friend had yet to put his bike on reserve and thought he might make it to the next gas station and bring back some fuel for me. I ask for another
soda as he suits up and rides away leaving me alone with 2 kids in foreign country where I do not any of the language and enough fuel to go maybe 10
miles where the nearest gas station was 40 miles away.
With the children watching me sip soda, and my mind wondering how long Matt will be gone I am answered by the sound of him returning. That means there
must be gas at the bottom of the hill!
My hopes are quickly dashed as Matt takes off his helmet and tells me he had to switch to reserve as soon as he left and a sign down the road said the
next gas was 50k, way further then either of our bikes could go on reserve.
'Sodas all around!' we ask the children. At this point we have yet to see an adult and we ponder our next move 1400 miles south of the border.
Sodas almost gone, it was hot that day and we were young, when a phone company truck pulls up across street and begins opening a gate to a dirt road.
Before they have a chance to leave we run across to .... well, I do not know what was said that day, since I really did not know more than a few words
of spanish.
What did happen though was that the gentlemen allowed us to siphon a few liters of gas out of his work truck. What a relief, now we might make it to
the gas station.
Matt leaves before me and my only thought as I kicked my bike to life was how long it would take me to catch up to him. That thought turned to worry
20 miles later, then concern at the 25 mile point.
A few miles later on a sharp corner several things happened at once, the bike ran out of fuel again while a policeman directed traffic around a
horrible accident.
As I coasted up to him, I used up half of my spanish by saying 'No mas gasolina' to which he promptly replied 'Veinte kilometers'. I answered in
serious tone with 'No MAS gasolina' as I patted my empty gas tank.
He now understood, but I wasn't so sure I understood him. Did he really want me to siphon gas out of the red toyota pickup that looked as if someone
had just died in?
Yep.
Walking over to the remains of the truck with the two-liter soda bottle, and short piece of hose the officer had removed for the trunk of his police
car I prepared to siphon gas for the second time that day but I had one more problem, a locking gas cap.
Bringing the officer over to show him my most recent dilemma, he shrugs, walks back to his squad car and returns with a large screwdriver.
O.K. a few seconds later I am siphoning gas.
With my two-liter soda bottle full of fuel I am getting ready to stand up when Matt walks up and ask why I did not stop at the second place selling
gasolina a few miles back and that he has plenty of gas for me?
Holding up my newly acquired soda bottle full of fuel I say, 'And so do I'
[Edited on 7-19-2017 by Fatboy]
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cliffh
Nomad
Posts: 325
Registered: 1-23-2010
Location: buena vista, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Hi Les and Blanca, how was the crossing with all of those batteries?
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nbentley1
Nomad
Posts: 140
Registered: 9-16-2016
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I can confirm that Malareemo quick sand is no joke. Bust the bolts on my rear prop trying to get out. it was an 8 hr round trip to get the parts to
repair.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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MALARRIMO = BAD TO GET NEAR! 
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
Member Is Offline
Mood: Weary
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While I Baja, I have NEVER:
Gotten Stuck
Broken Down
Consumed too much alcohol
Consorted with loose women
OR
Told a lie
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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I have always considered that my "winch and pull-pal" are insurance against those terrible muddy "stucks" and worth every penny. Peace of mind is
soooo important and worth paying for, to me at least. LOL
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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3 or 4 years ago I stayed at Mikes Sky Ranch. The next morning after breakfast I drove my Tacoma up the hill and headed toward El Coyote. I did not
take the more northern route around but the more direct route that is similar to the race course. It's about 10am and I'm driving along kind of slow
enjoying the scenery etc when all of a sudden my right front wheel drops into a ditch. Everything is in slow motion as I see my passenger side mirror
coming into contact with a large rock. Everything is stopped. I feel I am on my side. I try to open the driver door and it must weight a ton.
I crawl out the window and the left rear wheel is off the ground at least 2 or more feet. The right front is in a 3 foot deep ditch. I open the camper
shell and everything has been thrown to the right with ice everywhere. I clean out the truck bed and get most of the ice back into the cooler. I carry
a portable winch so I get it out and several tow straps. I link the straps back behind me to a tree maybe 75+ feet back. I strap the tree then connect
the straps to the winch. I get in and shift to 4L and with the winch and the truck I back out. The passenger door and part of the fender had damage
and the mirror was busted.
I bought a simple car mirror and duct taped it on and when I got home I went to Macco and they fixed the door and fender for $500. A new mirror from
Toyota was $150.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13197
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Scary scary stories!
Cliff - look at the beginning of this thread to see how we rolled that day. A nightmare story that turned out expensive but OK, all things
considered.
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2325
Registered: 10-17-2013
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While attempting to turn around, I learned (again) that river bar gravel can be soft.
The good news: my MaxTrax were back at home, safely in my garage.
The bad news: without getting really creative, the guy in the truck with me couldn't pull me out.
The good news: I got unstuck by myself, but lost a back seat floor mat in the process.
Cue the tire pressure discussion.
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chavycha
Nomad
Posts: 373
Registered: 1-20-2014
Member Is Offline
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I thought Tacomas were impervious to that sort of thing???
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Too much air in the tires! 
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2325
Registered: 10-17-2013
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12 psi is too much? Would it improve floatation if I remove the valve core? No A-TRAC here.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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I've been down to 10 psi to get out of sand. We dropped a race truck BFGs to 4 psi. Only had 1 wheel drive because of a broken rear axle and he almost
finished the SF250 race. He came upon a stuck buggy coming out Matomi Wash and got stuck trying to get around.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4290
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
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yes, if needed go to 5psi
valve core out is a bit too dramatic
I remember a training I did for the military
we were climbing a hill of lose sand
8 psi on 35's
all lockers engaged
halfway up the hill the car stopped moving with the tires rotating in place
in low range that is 7 tire rpm
so I jumped out and told the driver to keep the tires rotating
I removed the valve cores from the rotating wheels for quick air release
within 2 minutes the tires moved the car again
we were at 3 psi at that moment
I jumped back in and we continued to the top
Harald Pietschmann
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I have dropped to 6 psi once (my previous Tacoma, no A-TRAC) and to 8 psi a couple times... works like a charm.
The other thing to do if possible Jim would be to not take such a direct approach for the climb out of the arroyo, but to go diagonally so you are not
so steep and the vehicle weight is a bit more shared rather than 90% going to the back tires.
Harald did a write up on using different tire pressures front and back (due to weight inequality)... and that applies for steep climbs, too.
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