bilt4mud
22-09-2007, 11:31 PM
This morning I got invited to go for a ride the Proformance 9.5L V8 petrol Hummer H1's. So I drove my freshly lifted ZJ to Lancelin, not planning to actually do any 4wding myself since I am still in the process of getting a longer front drive shaft (read: I've only got rear wheel drive)
Anyway, we got there and I couldn't resist myself. Before getting to the actual dunes, we got lost and ended up at a sand mine area, the sand was hard, flat and it was a huge area. So i shoved it low and tried out my newly modded ride with 4.56 gears and 33's. My God! I got the Jeep sideways drifting as I planted my foot. This is bloody awesome I thought! My ZJ have never felt to torquey, it was the best fun, like a rally car in 2wd only.
Then we found the dunes and waited for the H1 to be fixed. The off roader in me couldn't resist again, "ah, i'll just try the first dune and see what happens in 2wd". I made it up! I was surprised. So I got a bit cocky and hooned around the dunes and had more fun. Then whilst unable to go up a steeper dune, i made the mistake of reversing n turning whilst not all the way down and got bogged (i'm only 2wd remember). After a bit of digging and help from a friend, I said to myself, ok, that'd be it for the day.
Then Scott from Proformance asked me to follow his H1 to the main dunes, I said "no way". He assured me he would pull me if I got bogged again. So I aired down more and followed him. I'm surprised with just a little adjustment to driving I could make it up where this H1 went and often faster than him in 2wd Low. I tell you my ZJ is awesome in the sand now.
We then came across three cars (TJ, Pajero and a Prado) who were bogged like 2m of each other. So we helped them all and told them to air down, looks like they have never driven on sand.
After that, found another flat area covered by dunes all the way around. Now that I got the hang of it, I gave it all... And it was magic. As a 2wd "prerunner" ZJ i got it drifting in the semi hard sand at around 80km/h. I could have done it all day, go to about 80k/h down the straight, turn slightly, get off the gas (and the rear starts sliding out) then hammer down and presto... you're drifting a tall ZJ on 33's. Frikin cool...
Then to top off the afternoon we got a ride in the stripped out 650hp H1. I was amazed at this machine. It was so stable going sideways on the massive dunes, and the power of this thing was damn, just unbelievable, you just have to experience it for yourselves...
Check them out yourself at http://www.proformance.com.au/ (speak to Scott if you wanna go, tell him the guy with the silver Grand Cherokee who got bogged in 2wd sent ya).
The worst part of the day was when the front steering of my ZJ worked itself loose in a few of the tie rod ends and the panhard from the day and gave me countless death wobbles for 100kms to Roger's house. (Thanks for helping fix my car Rodge). Man that ride home was not fun at all, I was tense as the ZJ tried to kill me so many times. I am waiting for front adjustable arms to give me more caster.
All in all it was an unforgettable day.
See the pics.
Cheers
Anyway, we got there and I couldn't resist myself. Before getting to the actual dunes, we got lost and ended up at a sand mine area, the sand was hard, flat and it was a huge area. So i shoved it low and tried out my newly modded ride with 4.56 gears and 33's. My God! I got the Jeep sideways drifting as I planted my foot. This is bloody awesome I thought! My ZJ have never felt to torquey, it was the best fun, like a rally car in 2wd only.
Then we found the dunes and waited for the H1 to be fixed. The off roader in me couldn't resist again, "ah, i'll just try the first dune and see what happens in 2wd". I made it up! I was surprised. So I got a bit cocky and hooned around the dunes and had more fun. Then whilst unable to go up a steeper dune, i made the mistake of reversing n turning whilst not all the way down and got bogged (i'm only 2wd remember). After a bit of digging and help from a friend, I said to myself, ok, that'd be it for the day.
Then Scott from Proformance asked me to follow his H1 to the main dunes, I said "no way". He assured me he would pull me if I got bogged again. So I aired down more and followed him. I'm surprised with just a little adjustment to driving I could make it up where this H1 went and often faster than him in 2wd Low. I tell you my ZJ is awesome in the sand now.
We then came across three cars (TJ, Pajero and a Prado) who were bogged like 2m of each other. So we helped them all and told them to air down, looks like they have never driven on sand.
After that, found another flat area covered by dunes all the way around. Now that I got the hang of it, I gave it all... And it was magic. As a 2wd "prerunner" ZJ i got it drifting in the semi hard sand at around 80km/h. I could have done it all day, go to about 80k/h down the straight, turn slightly, get off the gas (and the rear starts sliding out) then hammer down and presto... you're drifting a tall ZJ on 33's. Frikin cool...
Then to top off the afternoon we got a ride in the stripped out 650hp H1. I was amazed at this machine. It was so stable going sideways on the massive dunes, and the power of this thing was damn, just unbelievable, you just have to experience it for yourselves...
Check them out yourself at http://www.proformance.com.au/ (speak to Scott if you wanna go, tell him the guy with the silver Grand Cherokee who got bogged in 2wd sent ya).
The worst part of the day was when the front steering of my ZJ worked itself loose in a few of the tie rod ends and the panhard from the day and gave me countless death wobbles for 100kms to Roger's house. (Thanks for helping fix my car Rodge). Man that ride home was not fun at all, I was tense as the ZJ tried to kill me so many times. I am waiting for front adjustable arms to give me more caster.
All in all it was an unforgettable day.
See the pics.
Cheers
