DD196
Observer
New member with a recently bought 02 Xterra SE. Still in the base lining phase with the intent to build for reliability and safety. Today was the first chance to take it out and try it on a local FS road that leads to an old mine site up on the flank of the Black Hills south of Mingus Mountain. It's a good test, steep with loose and rocky sections and diagonal erosion ditches that twist the suspension. On a good day my very mildly built Samurai will crawl up in 2lo. The X had a problem in one of the diagonal ditches, now wondering if the LSD rear diff is working properly. Overall it did OK with the stock suspension and the new Cooper AT3s at 27 lbs did fine. The view at the end of the trail is worth the climb.
Most of the trail is like this sometimes with bigger rocks and a few ledges. Steeper than it looks.
Here I couldn't get across the deep diagonal erosion ditch and had to go beside it. Cooper in the back seat wasn't sure of this move. I'd rather finesse a line than floor it.
The end of the trail is a lookout to the north. That's Cottonwood in the valley, the red rocks of Sedona in the near distance, and the San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff covered in snow 50 miles away. Expo world HQ is 20 miles behind me "over the hill". Nothing ahead of the front tires but down!
Not much to say about the X yet, just been going over it fixing a couple of leaks, new front sway bar hardware, new loaded UCAs incoming, idler arm bushings & brace on deck. Intent is to keep it light and simple. The Samurai has served us well but we want more range for our exploring and a proper back seat for granddaughters in car seats.
Most of the trail is like this sometimes with bigger rocks and a few ledges. Steeper than it looks.
Here I couldn't get across the deep diagonal erosion ditch and had to go beside it. Cooper in the back seat wasn't sure of this move. I'd rather finesse a line than floor it.
The end of the trail is a lookout to the north. That's Cottonwood in the valley, the red rocks of Sedona in the near distance, and the San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff covered in snow 50 miles away. Expo world HQ is 20 miles behind me "over the hill". Nothing ahead of the front tires but down!
Not much to say about the X yet, just been going over it fixing a couple of leaks, new front sway bar hardware, new loaded UCAs incoming, idler arm bushings & brace on deck. Intent is to keep it light and simple. The Samurai has served us well but we want more range for our exploring and a proper back seat for granddaughters in car seats.