jalalski
Date Registered: 02-2004
Location: SUTHERLAND, SYDNEY
TOTAL POSTS: 29100
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Re: The Rocket Launcher
quote: Hills Boy wrote:
Please explain the last shot! How long did it take you to get out?
If you look at the first shot, it should give you an indication of the time it took him to dig himself out. hahahahahaha
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30/Aug/2007, 4:53 pm
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Naff
X-TRAIL VETERAN
Date Registered: 09-2005
Location: QLD
TOTAL POSTS: 786
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Re: The Rocket Launcher
Ok so the story goes like this...
We had a bit of a boys weekend camping on Stockton Beach. My mate Dean (who some of you have met), a mate from work, his two kids and his mate.
We were up in the soft dunes having a bit of a muck around on a bogey board. Head first sliding down on our stomachs and then attempting to stand up and make it down. That certainly provided some entertainment and pain in the process. I myself will always be remembered for a 40km/hr+ face plant in the sand
After we had our fun, my work mate drove his Navara 4x4 down the dune, but having seen him go down I decided it wasn't for me... his back end was practically lifting out of the sand and I was worried about rolling.
I chose the smaller decline option towards the water (which must be remnants from the rains lately). Dean and I looked at the water and thought we would go through that way for a bit of fun. I edged up to the water in order to jump out and check out the depth (i.e. wade in and have a look). BUT before we knew it, the front left wheel was sinking. This was my only moment of panic for the evening But it stopped sinking.
The Navara came back and we jumped out and had a look... and the photo is what we saw!
Quicksand. It was like walking on custard. The surface was enough to support our body weights, but the whole area moved like a water bed might. Personally, I've never seen it before.
So right before dusk (perfect timing of course) we were having a chuckle to ourselves.
The rear tyres were on solid sand and the front right tyre was only sunken a fraction. The situation didn't look hopeless...
We stuck a snatch strap on the Navara and gave the Exy a pull... no good. I tried to accelerate at the same time during the next attempt but my front wheels where just churning water. Another attempt to snatch it out saw the strap snap (it was a bit old). That and the entire belly of the car was on the sand... making the dead weight probably well over 4T (??).
Next step was to go and fetch the shovel and some tree branches. We dug right around the car and wheels. By this time, the tide (or underground water) had receded.. making the sand a bit harder, but better to work with. We put a plank of wood down near the bogged wheel and jacked the wheel up with the Exy's jack. Once it was clear of the sand we threw some wood under both of the tyres on that side.
Then we just drove it out (forward) but very quickly so as to not risk sinking again, with the water being right in front of us. This was just under 2 hours later. A good result I think! It was certainly a learning experience.
One thing we struggled with was that despite pressing the LOCK button, the rear wheels didn't want to engage, which made the task all that more difficult. I'm still curious as to why they didn't work...
There are more photos and I can upload them this evening.
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30/Aug/2007, 5:17 pm
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Revhead Kev
Date Registered: 10-2006
Location: Mona Vale, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
TOTAL POSTS: 6355
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Re: The Rocket Launcher
Nice light you had there Nathan.
Would have been difficult without it.
Any details ?
--- Kev X450(c) T30 Guru
03 Titanium Ti T30 Series 1 **MODIFIED**
My Blog
My CarPC Worklog
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1/Sep/2007, 7:52 am
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BRETT72
X-TRAIL HOLIC
Date Registered: 10-2005
Location: Orange. NSW.
TOTAL POSTS: 1999
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Re: The Rocket Launcher
Nathan,
"Now that is a bog"
I am not sure what it is about bogging on a beach, near the high tide mark, but it sures gets the bloom pumping. As long as the tide is receeding, you are generally all right. But that looks like it was an all-nighter.
In one of the latest '4wd monthly' movies, Roothy does a similar thing in his truck on the quicksand at Fraser, but luckily for him, he had another large vehicle which got him out.
I did a similar thing in the middle of Lake Eyre (not in the exy) and it took 6 hours of digging in 43 degree heat to get it out. But I had no sticks to use, just small rocks the size of marbles.
Perhaps your next investment should be an 'exhaust jack', which would have lifted the exy nicely and allowed you to pack the wheels.
But, when you take the exy to extremes, you must be prepared for this type of 'mishap'. It just adds to the adventure.
I bet the beer tasted great when you were out.
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1/Sep/2007, 8:49 am
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Revhead Kev
Date Registered: 10-2006
Location: Mona Vale, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
TOTAL POSTS: 6355
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Re: The Rocket Launcher
quote: BRETT72 wrote:
Perhaps your next investment should be an 'exhaust jack', which would have lifted the exy nicely and allowed you to pack the wheels.
But with the twin exhaust outlets its difficult to get the bag to inflate with the other pipe open.
Been discussed somewhere else before and I don't think any conclusion reached on how to solve the problem.
--- Kev X450(c) T30 Guru
03 Titanium Ti T30 Series 1 **MODIFIED**
My Blog
My CarPC Worklog
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1/Sep/2007, 3:41 pm
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