[reactivity]

Finally got a chance to really test the capability of my car. We were doing a pre-run for an event called "BorregoFest" coming up in a few months out in Anza Borrego.

We started in Culp Valley -> Truckhaven Trail -> Calcite Mine -> Tarantula Wash -> Cut Across Trail -> Ocotillo Wells -> Gas Domes -> Jasper Canyon

The "crossed axle" sections of the Calcite Trail were ROUGH due to the recent floods. Many large boulders were on the trails this run.

Had a GREAT time. You can hear all the scrapes, crunches and power transfers in some of the videos. Got a little stuck a couple times too but managed to get through most of it without throwing a tow rope.

Absolutely killed my front skid plate... will be looking for a custom plate this time instead of the Primitive model, which don't seem like they were made to skid over rocks... would be good for dirt/sand though.

Anyways... the car did fine. Only real body damage was to the rocker panels from getting hung up in a rocky rut.

Take your car out and see what it can do!!

 

[txmatt]

Wow, nice trek. Thanks for posting the video. A couple of those sections looked pretty technical. Definitely some cringe-inducing scrapes and bumps. We're hoping to get out to Big Bend sometime soon and do some offroad exploring. Thanks again for posting.

Matt

 

[bruce_van]

Note to self: Do not buy used car from REACTIVITY.

HAHA!

That looks like a lot of fun.

 

[subiesailor]

Cvt? Must be

 

[OldStyle]

Thanks for that! And thanks for the natural road sounds instead of music.... Makes me want to buy a second just for trails! :29: Pic please of your vehicle? You did great btw!

 

[OBnube]

Thanks for posting the video. A couple of those sections looked pretty technical.

"michaeyoun" is a spambot. It copied part of post#2

 

[reactivity]

Cvt? Must be

Yeah. I just leave it in manual-mode 1st gear most of the time on the slow stuff... just really with the (simulated) gears were a LOT shorter. Who needs to do 30mph in 1st gear??

Thanks for that! And thanks for the natural road sounds instead of music.... Makes me want to buy a second just for trails! :29: Pic please of your vehicle? You did great btw!

I like hearing the rocks crunch, the engine, exactly when the tires break loose.. it's all cool stuff to hear.
pics: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/96-outback-unpaved/42197-southern-california-trails.html

 

[Thai]

Very nice...but i wish that someone had videotapped you from the outside over some of the more technical sections.

Thanks!

 

[RocCityOutback]

Those are some sweet videos. The crunching makes me cringe though. But if you crunch a piece of plastic cladding you can always replace it! Bet the fest will be fun.

 

[wutbürger]

Just have to ask- did you do that all with the 19mm or stock RSB?

 

[reactivity]

Just have to ask- did you do that all with the 19mm or stock RSB?

stock. I usually take the 19mm bar off when i'm going to do rockier trails... helps the ride out a little bit.

 

[N8thesk8]

pics of the destroyed Primitive skid plate?

 

[foxrider68]

I like knowing that I can take my car up these kinds of trails. However I'll still take my Honda XR650 dual sport any day of the week for stuff like this. Just a personal preference is all. Perhaps when the OB gets some age I'll take it on some real trails.

 

[subiesailor]

I like knowing that I can take my car up these kinds of trails. However I'll still take my Honda XR650 dual sport any day of the week for stuff like this. Just a personal preference is all. Perhaps when the OB gets some age I'll take it on some real trails.

Foxrider - what is funny is I find that all the old guys who built 4x4 rigs over and over all these years - who busted rear diffs - axles - have crazy stories of getting trucks jammed into tight spots rebuilding trucks in the boonies using rocks and trees. They all own ATV's or trail bikes now and have a nice pickup or SUV they leave down at the dirt parking lot. HA HA

Something tells me they are the smart one's they have a pile of fun exploring on machines that are easily fixed - fairly cheap and don't really get stuck often and when they do require far less effort to get unstuck. LOL

My Uncle is one of those guys for years and years he used horses till he fell through a frozen over lake - then he spent years beating the living **** out of his Chevy stepside I lost count at three total ground up rebuilds in the back yard on that thing. For the last 10yrs or so he rides quads even spent a couple of years hauling his quad to Montana with a Gen2 Saturn wagon someone gave him HA HA.

Today he has a really nice full size Toyota pickup with a bed rack the ATV sits on - and he tows a little 23ft RV trailer behind him for his hot shower and comfy bed after a long day exploring. His golf clubs fit in the closet in the RV which was his biggest must have! LOL

 

[bradze]

thanks for the heads up that the primitive skid plate isn't the greatest. changing my lowrider outback so it can handle **** like that. and will probably sell my 19mm rsb when i get king springs.

 

[foxrider68]

Foxrider - what is funny is I find that all the old guys who built 4x4 rigs over and over all these years - who busted rear diffs - axles - have crazy stories of getting trucks jammed into tight spots rebuilding trucks in the boonies using rocks and trees. They all own ATV's or trail bikes now and have a nice pickup or SUV they leave down at the dirt parking lot. HA HA

Something tells me they are the smart one's they have a pile of fun exploring on machines that are easily fixed - fairly cheap and don't really get stuck often and when they do require far less effort to get unstuck. LOL

My Uncle is one of those guys for years and years he used horses till he fell through a frozen over lake - then he spent years beating the living **** out of his Chevy stepside I lost count at three total ground up rebuilds in the back yard on that thing. For the last 10yrs or so he rides quads even spent a couple of years hauling his quad to Montana with a Gen2 Saturn wagon someone gave him HA HA.

Today he has a really nice full size Toyota pickup with a bed rack the ATV sits on - and he tows a little 23ft RV trailer behind him for his hot shower and comfy bed after a long day exploring. His golf clubs fit in the closet in the RV which was his biggest must have! LOL

Ideally I could afford to replacing parts on my rigs and experience off road in all ways, however I can't. There are some nice trails in northern idaho we'll take our Outback on with the family but my bike is always going to be my preffered option. While the bike is cheap to fix I'm not so I never ride alone! I also do not support in any way shape or form people running race exhausts on trails. It ticks me off and they wonder why trails get shut down.

 

[I call her Sheila]

Great vids, thanks for sharing them.

Is that an old VW microbus up there with you? Did they do the same path?

 

[reddoak]

thanks for the heads up that the primitive skid plate isn't the greatest. changing my lowrider outback so it can handle **** like that. and will probably sell my 19mm rsb when i get king springs.

Well, it is aluminum! Get a steel one if you're going to bash rocks.

I figure if he dragged it over terrain like that and didn't destroy an oil pan... it worked. But I think I'd want something a bit more stout for that kind of use.

 

[scoobydoo2]

...very cool. What a ride!

One thing I would want on the bottom of my OB if I was to go that extreme would be a primitive rally skid plate. Just the sound of all the rock popping around tells me that the plastic OEM bottom plate will take a beating.

 

[reactivity]

thanks for the heads up that the primitive skid plate isn't the greatest. changing my lowrider outback so it can handle **** like that. and will probably sell my 19mm rsb when i get king springs.

don't get me wrong... the primitive plate it pretty thick, easy to install/remove and it works, it's just not really made for the kind of stuff I do. No big deal and lesson learned. If you don't think you'll be slamming down on to rocks too often, it'll work just fine. the noise it makes pressed up in to the sway bar SUCKS though and bending it back in to shape is no easy task.

Great vids, thanks for sharing them.

Is that an old VW microbus up there with you? Did they do the same path?

You're welcome... and yes. It is a 4wd VW bus with upgraded diffs and selectable front and rear lockers. That thing can go anywhere!

Well, it is aluminum! Get a steel one if you're going to bash rocks.

I figure if he dragged it over terrain like that and didn't destroy an oil pan... it worked. But I think I'd want something a bit more stout for that kind of use.

exactly. my next plate will def be steel... but totally true. it DID work. my oil pan is still in good shape.