Me & my truck in over our head

[Schattenjager]

I just found this video of a Bill Burke class I took two weekends ago in Bailey, Colorado. It was tremendous fun and as with any Burke class, I learned a lot. It was a great day and the event was heavily sponsored by Rob Columbin of MIT, a Land Rover shop in Evergreen Colorado. His Disco is the last rig you see in this clip. I was the only non oil leaker there.:snorkel:

Anyway, my poor Tacoma did its IFS best to keep up, but typical of a poorly driven IFS rig it bobbed and thrashed around like a cork in a troubled sea. The Landy's just roughed it smoothly of course.

I'll post more pics / vids as I get them back from the participants. Thanks again to Bill Burke for a fun day and to Rob Columbin of MIT for making it all happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p7kjKoC9HU

 

[Martyn]

I thought you and your rig handled the obstacle very well.

I liked Bill's reply to your "How much Oil is leaking out" question.

 

[mountainclimber8]

X2

 

[Pskhaat]

...Rob Columbin of MIT, a Land Rover shop in Evergreen Colorado.

Where exactly is this shop? I need to go have a look-see....EDIT, nevermind found it, will drive-by tomorrow...

 

[nwoods]

I liked Bill's reply to your "How much Oil is leaking out" question.

Too funny!

 

[Schattenjager]

Pskhaat - you have a PM.

 

[revor]

I've seen a few trucks roll coming out of that hole..

 

[RoverMack]

Bill Burke Training

Enjoyed the video, thanks

I have done a couple of Bill Burkes classes as well as a Colorado trip several years ago, highly recommended.

Picture below of Bill informing me that i am stuck ! no amount of left foot braking or turning the wheel was going to get me out of this without the use of a winch or tow strap.

Anza Borrego

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

I see you got a winch. Congrats...

I wouldn't overly evaluate one video over one obstacle and the truth is even the best off roaders have little errors and mistakes or take a line wrong, just the nature of the game. Your taco looks pretty well set up for me.

The biggest issue there appears to be wheelbase difference. The lack of down travel in the front unlike the SAS rovers is also a factor but is secondary for at least this vid. Different trucks with different wheelbases in particular handle differently. You will also have compensate for this as your truck will handle a little different. This, in particular in my opinion, is probably the most you could get from a course is learning where to place your wheels over different terrain with your specific vehicle. Nothing wrong with that and there are plenty of situations where your truck will perform just well, but you will have to learn to compensate for those factors. Likewise your truck is probably more solid on the road than most of those Discos because of the IFS and the longer wheelbase and probably significantly more stable in most milder terrain such as tough dirt roads.

 

[Schattenjager]

Well, I appreciate the props for the Tacoma, but the truth is, despite Bill's kind words about how I placed my tire and 'nicely done' or whatever he said - I couldn't see much at all. The Tacomas have only slightly better outward visibility than a WWII tank gunner. While the suggestions about compensation are very valid, there is no making up for the fact that the IFS is a poor substitute for a solid axel and makes the ride very rough and tumble.

But on the other hand - I really appreciate the Tacomas on road manners, its ability to get me to most of the camp sites I want to go to, and nutty reliability. In 80K miles all I have had to replace is gas.

Compare, in the video, my rig and my buddy Rob's (the last one with the ARB sticker) attitude over the obstacle. If I had much gear, it would have to be VERY CAREFULLY stowed due to the thrashing around. Rob's rig just glided over the hole like a hovercraft.