SANParks.org Forums

KG, you mean that NUT behind the steering wheel...?

Something like that, the sand is nice loose so expect great footage for the 4x4 trail video

From own experience, a good quality dome tent on the ground handles strong winds very well. A RTT is very exposed and takes some battering in strong winds. However I will still take my RTT on the Eco - wind is not top priority.

You're right, the wind is not TOP priority, the lions ON TOP probably is!

@ Switchback, you are so right

Wind! at least it might cool us down.

Hi,
This is my first post and if I "screw-it-up" please accept my apologizes and forgive me since I'm from Texas . My sister and I are "scheming" a possible trip this summer (as space allows) on the Nossob Eco 4x4 trail. I'm curious about the driving skill needed for the trip. We've driven on sand before (a previous trip to KTP - the !Xaus road and the Bitterpan trail). Given our level of experience, are we "getting in over our heads"? Any comments including "stay-home" will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Don't stay home, There will be other peeps travelling with you, and it is really not that bad(Although I have not done the trail in summer) If you need someone to join you, I cook very well, and I can clean.

Welcome to the forum pedalgeek -- beware -- it's addictive And don't worry about your posts -- if you have a question, ask.

I've never been on the eco-trail, so add salt as required

From what KG has said, it is not a vehicle/driver testing trail, more a being "out there" trail. There are folk to help should you get stuck too

I think the important thing is to have a capable 4X4 vehicle.

If you've driven the Bitterpan trail, I think you'd be fine.

But I'm sure the experienced folk will chip in here as soon as they get back from the eco-trail next week .....

yes, agreed, very similar to Bitterpan trail.

I presume the trail you refer to is the one between Nossob and Mabuase hube, ending near Bosobogolo Pan. It certainly is sandy, but nothing difficult. Just remember that it is single lane but two-way traffic, so when roaring up the odd dune be aware that someone else could be roaring up the opposite side - all you can do is slack off on the crest and hope for the best! (The Dunes are not formidable...) But it is a wonderful experience. Just keep your eyes open. Need any more info, please ask....

The trail runs indeed from 60km north of Nossob to about 45km north of Twee Rivieren. I have just returned from completing this trail - if you have done the Bitterpan route, you will be ok.

One VERY important aspect - tyre pressures. Have your tyre pressure at 1.2 bar when cold, in other words, in the mornings, and you should be fine. We found that with the extreme heat, tyre pressure went up by 0.4 by 10AM already!

If you want to get up Big Bertha - make sure your tyre pressure are at 1.2 bar just before you go up this big dune.

PS: If you want to do really well on this trail, hire an Isuzu...

This is a question that is of interest to me too, but nobody seems to have answered fully. I have an X-trail 4x4, no low range but central diff lock. Would this vehicle be able to do the trail( without burning out the clutch)?

Hi shfish,

To answer fully: You need a 4x4 vehicle with Low Range, not only a AWD vehicle. Low Range is a pre-requisite for this route and you will definitely need Low Range.

A Central Diff Lock "locks" your front and rear drive shaft when all four wheels provide traction. This is handy when either both front wheels or rear wheels has little or no grip, then, because your central diff lock is engaged, power is also still sent to the wheels that has traction and power not lost to the ones struggling with traction. The only reason you want your central diff to be dis-engaged is so that you do not get gearbox windup on tar roads.

Gearbox windup happens if your central diff is engaged and you are travelling on a hard surface that provides good traction, then, when you are turning, your front and rear wheels do not follow the same path; the front wheels obviously determines the direction and the rear wheels follow in the shortest path possible. Because of that, the front and rear wheels want to turn at different speeds to cover the same distance, but because your central diff is engaged, it is forced to turn at the same speed and the you get gearbox windup which is very bad for your transfer case.

In short, your central diff has no advantage in sand driving, neither is a rear or front diff-lock, those are actually never used in sand driving, using rear diff-locks in thick sand will want to push your car straight when you want to turn - not a good recipe for climbing a dune with a turn in it. Your car will under steer, you'll lose momentum and fail to clear the dune.

What you need for this trail, is a 4x4 with Low Range, and preferably one that does not have Traction Control or one where you can turn your tractions control off when in Four Wheel Drive and have engaged Low Range.

Traction Control and sand driving is not very good friends and are not ment to be used together. Traction Control is good to keep you on the tar roads when you are cornering too fast, not when you are trying to clear Big Bertha. When you are busy climbing a steep, sandy dune and you have the correct speed and momentum, wheel slip still occurs. If you have traction control on when this happens, power is cut from that wheel to stop it from spinning and sent to the other wheel which has good traction. This sudden "extra power" at the other wheel makes that wheel "grab" for more grip in the sand - which in lose sand makes that wheel spin, power cut from that wheel and more power is again sent back to the previous wheel - a vicious circle. Basically in the end all four wheels digs out chunks of the dune which results in a messed up, corrugated dune for the poor oke that follows you to climb.

I hope this answer is a bit more clear?

Switchback -- what a great explanation

Thank you from those that should know the physics and get muddled