| Author | Message | ||
     Rob Liflander (Rliflander) New Member Username: Rliflander Post Number: 5 Registered: 03-2003 |
I'm trying to figure out why I've had a decrease in off-road traction on steep, slippery, uneven terrain versus last year. This is the kind of thing that's awfully hard to quantify, since obviously I can't take my truck from last year and compare it to my truck this year! But it's definitely happening. My truck simply cannot make it up difficult terrain as easily or gracefully as it used to. Here are the facts: I have a 99 Disco I with an OME MD suspension and 245/75 Goodyear MT/R's. No other suspension mods except homemade swaybar disconnects, which I disconnect every time I go off-road. I wheel hard when I go, and have been to many places with hard, sharp, abrasive rock in the past 2 years. I try not to spin the tires excessively, but sometimes it can't be avoided. I consider myself a good, not great, off-road driver. I off-road about 10-12 times per year. The lugs on the MT/R's seem to be less sharp than they used to be. They're more rounded off now, more like the shape of little hills than the little mesa plateaus they used to be. Also, I've noticed that the sides of the lugs seem to be worn in a spongy sort of way. Could that wear be degradation of the rubber compound from the oily mud of Paragon Park in Pennsylvania? Or is that wear from spinning tires excessively? I'm focusing on the tires, but could my decreased traction be caused by a problem in the diff lock or even in the differentials? I think this is an interesting issue. Hope to start a good thread here! - Rob | ||
| Phil (Discoanywhere) Member Username: Discoanywhere Post Number: 53 Registered: 06-2003 |
I'd have to go with the tires. Make sure your diff lock is working still too.. Do you have any power loss? or like a slipping clutch feeling? How oily is this mud? That shouldn't be a problem for the rubber though ....but maybe its oilier this year and thats why your slippin more!... | ||
| June H. Han (Junehhan) New Member Username: Junehhan Post Number: 32 Registered: 04-2003 |
I've just got back from my 3rd trip to Paragon, and I have to say that many of the trails are eroding FAST. If there is nothing wrong with your vehicle, it may be the trail itself. I don't know what this oily mud you are talking about, the trails are worsening in condition from natural erosion which may explain some of your new difficulties climbing hills and stuff. Next time I head to Paragon, maybe we can get together for a weekend of wheeling up there. Bad news, is that Paragon is 9 hours away from me, so I don't have a chance to head there very often. |
