The Official Off Road Roll Call Thread

[LAZ 1]

I don't know about taking my Safari OFF road but I am definitely interested in wandering along on "the road less traveled". More of an overlander than a rock crawler or stump jumper. I am a member of H/U and subscribe to their motto ..." Not all who wander are lost". Did the Baja on a KLR 650 for six weeks and want to repeat the experience in a camperized AWD van.

I am planning on spending next Winter in Baja in an AWD Safari van, probably parked at Santispac most of the time. My genuine "off roading" down there would be done by tricked out folding mountain bike
OR
exploring the shoreline in a folding kayak.

Name: LAZ 1
1998 & 1999 Safari AWD

Lift: Just spent an interesting afternoon in Duncan installing the DIY 2" front end body lift blocks into my White 99 CARGO van. I also have all the parts for another front end 2" body block lift on my Green 98 van. AND I have an appointment this Friday with Island Springs in Ladysmith to do a rear 4" lift adding another long top leaf, re-arcing the springs and either KONI or Bilstein shocks.

Diff: 3.73 in the 98, 3.42 in the 99. The 98 SUPPOSEDLY had a G80 replacement installed by the previous owner but so far have not noticed it (if it is there).

Tires: currently running 215/75/R15 but soon will go with a set of LT235/75/R15. Still debating about tires ... since overlanding in a VAN involves mostly SOME type of road, a six or eight ply M & S rated All Terrain tire with a VERY STIFF side wall, to minimise flex and " wind wander" at hiway speed, is more suitable to me than a more aggressive tread pattern. Previously, I have run Mud Terrain tires (27/8.50/R14") on a couple of my Toyota LE 4x4 vans and the improvement in handling on and off road was IMMENSE. However, my last two MPV 4WD vans ran the much less agressive Pirelli Scorpions and Michelin LTX tires and these were surprisingly adequate on DRY dirt roads.

I would really enjoy getting together with other AWD ASTRO/SAFARI owners to compare gear. And perhaps could be induced to do a bit of "fender bending" in my beater 99 cargo Safari. But the 98 is too pretty and clean to mangle.
(;{)
LAZ 1

PS: I AM CURRENTLY A HOMELESS PERSON LIVING IN MY 36' motorhome parked in Colwood. I don't have an actual address. Mostly I wander around South Vancouver Island in the Summers and some Southernly warmer place for the Winters.
Have van, will.travel.

[T.Low]

I can't seem to go back and edit my O.P. To add the other vans and their respective specs. Oh well, we'll just let people add them in where they may.



This is a good example of what I'm thinking. This is a great time, I'm just afraid it's too far for most of you to travel.

These guys met Friday morning at the beginning of WABDR Section 2, northbound. Did that in a day, then camped Friday night. Drove from the end of that section via hwy thru a few towns to Fortune Creek trail, then up the trail to camp Saturday night. Sunday, back down the trail and home.

I happened to meet them near the lake on a gnarly (optional) part of the trail.

Or, of course, we could add a day and start at the southern tip of Secction One.

Late August, September , or October anyone?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=602424

[Snowgeek]

I am in. My late summer and early fall is crammed but if it falls inbetween all the other crap I would love to make it.

2004 Astro, 4" Overland lift, Cooper AT3 245/75/16 C, Colorado Camper Van poptop, stock 3.42 gears and stock t-case.

All you 2 speed t-case guys are killing me here, my desire for the amazing snow traction has kept me at bay but I can't get it out of my head.

Ryan

[Herbie]

OK, I think we've seen some interest expressed. Who's ready to start laying plans?

Here's the deal - we just finished a week camping on the beach in Carlsbad, CA. It was our fourth year doing this trip, and it was awesome as always, but I'm sort of done with that trip for now. For next year, we're starting to talk about other ways to spend our vacation time and dollars, and one thing that's come up is a trip to the east coast to visit my wife's extended family and some of our old friends. The upside of that is that it nets me a little "wife credit" if I want to also take the family on a PNW/WABDR type trip.

If we can start settling on dates, we will fix our plans for next year's trips with T.Low's adventure at the top of the list. This means I'll have a deadline for stuff like re-gearing the axles, locker, etc.!

For my part, here are the 2015 dates we have the most availability:

2/14 - 2/22 ("President's Week")
4/4 - 4/12 (Spring Break)
6/12 - ~8/20 (Summer Break)

Yes, I'm a parent with a kid in school, so I'm stuck to the "amateur hour" dates for travel...

[Snowgeek]

Crap Herbie you are right. I have been ok with out re gearing and 2 speed but if we put a date to it then I have a ticking clock......

I also have a winch bumper i have been futzing around with for a year.... Guess that it has a dead line too.

Ryan

[ihatemybike]

Bumpity, bumpity, bumpity!!!

So, where is the best area to get something together? Where are most of you located?

[photo_van]

West of the Rockies!?!

[Herbie]

West of the Rockies works for us.

There's some merit to picking someplace along a "middle" latitude so it's equal distant from the north and south, but OTOH there is some prime real estate up PNW-way and folks who could probably be persuaded to "lead" an expedition...

I'm willing to drive a day or two to just about anywhere.

[ihatemybike]

It only takes me two days to get to Santa Monica driving solo and stopping in Moab to play for half a day.

[Herbie]

It only takes me two days to get to Santa Monica driving solo and stopping in Moab to play for half a day.

Yeah. Technically I made the drive from Tom's in Bellingham to San Diego in like 22 hours, but that wasn't a fun drive! If I were going back up there, I'd make it a two day drive. :p

[ihatemybike]

That's just my way of saying that if the event location is set West of the Rockies I'll make it.

[Captn. Crunch]

I am sooooo stuck on the wrong coast! Looking forward to reading about how much fun you all have. How sad is that?!?!
Continuing on finishing up the 136/236 swap and the cast iron LSD front diff install. Then I'm
REALLY gonna need to find someplace to play

[Astrophysics]

My 2003 AWD Astro has Overland 2" lift.
Working on wiring harness during Christmas break for NP233 T case install.

Happy New Year.

AP

[H2OJoe]

Did anything ever become of this? Spring/Summer is coming and it would be fun to try it again. There's at least a few of us here in the Pacific Northwest. Any takers?
Joe

[Captn. Crunch]

Ya how bout an east coast thing? There's gotta be somewhere we could gather to hold a " traction challenge"?