im shure that u guys go offroad. go here and tell your stories about what u did who got stuck how did they get unstuck (if they got unstuck) what challenges that u had and how did u do it what mod would have made it more flexible or manuverable. i read that other forum about people not posting. they get bored.

i will start with a story. a few weeks ago 2 friends and i were on a trail in the new york state forest the leader was in a 2005 2500hd dodge diesel with a 5 speed stick 4x4 the second was a 2001 dodge 4x4. i was in my xterra we were going good till the leader took of on a not so beaten path. 10 min later the 7500 pound diesel was grill deep in a clay type muck. mind u this is winter in the middle of our mid winter thaw. the second truck got buried pulling on the other truck. i didnt bother trying to get them with my x. i just went home for my other rig 1980 dodge power wagen and retrived my buried friends. i would have tryed with my x if i had a winch and a chain to hold my place.

fell in, 9' deep, sheer fall-no rolling downhill, landed on the roof
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Ricer-X/wreck1.jpg

stayed in over nite(the truck)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Ricer-X/wreck2.jpg

had to be craned out
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y124/Ricer-X/wreck3.jpg

yes i drive the same truck, all body damage, stricktly cosmetic($12k worth of cosmetic tho). very well built truck, had to turn the engine off when i realized it was still running as i was hanging upside down from the seat belt

how does your rig go being that it is 2 wheel do you have a rear locker

nope, sure dont. The LSD does way more good than i thought it would, even the guys in 4x4s i went on the trip with (see general sam's in trail talk) were givin me props, i've never heard my truck called a haus so many times. but a rear locker will be in my future, however not til after i get to the hieght and size i want. i think bigger and much more aggressive tires will do me more good at the moment as i have traction issues once my tires get caked up. a rear ocker would help me dig myself in faster:cool: . plus i forgot to air down last time, but we'll see what air'n down to around 20psi does for me.

Quick Q's for you guys, I took my 05 xterra just on a simple muddy road the other day and ran into a issue. It was raining and the mud wasn't more than a few inches deep. I just wanted to see how it took the mild-offroad. As I was going down the road, I started losing power, and going slower and slower. I noticed on the dash the "Slip" light was flashing, and it literally took me to a crawl. I never got stuck, but my speed reduced so much, I started to get worried. The xterra is a 4x2. Why did it do this?
Thanks,
Jeremy

ill look into it and see if i can figure it out

havin a hell of a time, i havent found anything, have you checked the 'warning lights' section of your owner's manual?

havin a hell of a time, i havent found anything, have you checked the 'warning lights' section of your owner's manual?Nope, I will read up on it though. I just found it odd, that when the ECU detects slipping it limits power.(smart but odd) Thanks for looking though.

Isn't that how it works.........I don't have it, but I understand the vehicles with the TC option you can mash it to the floor and it won't even spin the tires on ice

i believe that is correct, however my personal preference, the only computer aid i want near my ride is ABS. other than that i think its just computer interference, i want as direct feedback as possible between the ground and myself

did u down shift your ride? some of the newer suvs and trucks if they are left in drive the tc is on, then if u downshift to 1 or 2 the tc is turned off. to make it more usefull offroad. try and power brake it in 1st and see if it spins. my xterra is an 01 se i dont have tc on mine.

did u down shift your ride? some of the newer suvs and trucks if they are left in drive the tc is on, then if u downshift to 1 or 2 the tc is turned off. to make it more usefull offroad. try and power brake it in 1st and see if it spins. my xterra is an 01 se i dont have tc on mine.Yeah I dropped it into 2 & 1 to see if I could gain some more momentum. No luck, the TC stayed on. I didn't try power braking it, really didn't dare to brake it at all, was worried I would just sit and spin. I still havent had a chance to look at the manual, I might want to check there :o

So I finally read through the manual the other day, the problem was the VDC (vehicle descent control) was turned on, and when the ecu detects slipping, the VDC kicks in, hence me slowing to a crawl. So next time, I'll make sure to turn it off. (pushes big button under stereo :) ) On another note, does anyone know how to disable the tire pressure monitoring system, the damn thing goes off if its under 1psi of pressure.. such a pain in the a$$.

So I finally read through the manual the other day, the problem was the VDC (vehicle decent control) was turned on, and when the ecu detects slipping, the VDC kicks in, hence me slowing to a crawl. So next time, I'll make sure to turn it off. (pushes big button under stereo :) ) On another note, does anyone know how to disable the tire pressure monitoring system, the damn thing goes off if its under 1psi of pressure.. such a pain in the a$$.

FYI

VDC = Vehicle Dynamic Control. Its purpose is to keep the vehicle going straight when it detects slippage.

Descent control was an option on the off road unit which as I remember provides special gearing for steep hills (something like that).

FYI

VDC = Vehicle Dynamic Control. Its purpose is to keep the vehicle going straight when it detects slippage.

Descent control was an option on the off road unit which as I remember provides special gearing for steep hills (something like that).Oh, thanks for clearing that up. I don't know about it keeping me going straight, since I control the steering wheel...but it did slow me to a crawl, almost got me stuck! Is the VDC something that can be turned off mid-drive? Or do I have to stop, put it in park, and turn it off?

Oh, thanks for clearing that up. I don't know about it keeping me going straight, since I control the steering wheel...but it did slow me to a crawl, almost got me stuck! Is the VDC something that can be turned off mid-drive? Or do I have to stop, put it in park, and turn it off?


Anytime you want it off, just press the VDC button & poof its gone. :)

I don't know how the 4x2's work because they just don't sell many of them in Colorado. I have an '05 with the VDC and it took me a while to get used to it. This Winter/ Spring I have been blasting through the ice and mud with no loss of power. If the tires start to spin then the VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control?) kicks in. The first few times I started to slide the VDC reacted before I could and corrected the skid. It wigged me out for awhile but then I got used to it. I don't have the Off Road with the locking diff but it hasn't been an issue, yet.
However, when I have hit the mud/ snow/ ice and spun I have never lost power. In fact, I feel like the X just corrects itself and barrels through. I even turned off the VDC (at about 25 mph) to check it out. Now I just leave it on.
I wonder if the 4x2 just had a harder time because fewer "drive" wheels to power you through? The tires make a big difference, too. The BFG Long Trails aren't bad but you'll notice a huge difference just going to the BFG A/Ts.

Let me know, I'm curious about it.
Slas

When you are off road you should always turn the VDC off. It's a great on-road tool and can save your butt, but off road it can be dangerous. You do not want the vehicle to do something you did not tell it to do.

Well since we are talking trails and being stuck, I figure I'm willing to publicly humiliate myself..... Nothing like being stuck high center!! And still being allowed to drive after I got unstuck!! :love-eyes2-big:

http://www.westpaxterraclub.com/gallery/d/1560-2/G8QP7151.jpg

ouch! ive done that once, but thats cuz my dumba$$ rove thru some deep ruts and wasnt payin attention!

I'm not sure what the heck I did, I was following directions of a spotter and think I came down just a bit too fast and couldn't go forward or backward...it was pretty sad....A good push got me unstuck... but, I'm sure Muzik will be much happier when hes runnin full skids under there!!

Thank god for rock sliders! ;)

I'm not sure god had a whole lot to do with it...maybe just Jim Schrock!!

I'm not sure god had a whole lot to do with it...maybe just Jim Schrock!!

Jim Shrake is his name, Not real sure where Shrockworks came from.

That is an interesting story. I don't know why. But I would also like to see what my 4x2 can do in mild OR. I did almost get stuck in deeper sand near a beach, but I was able to find higher ground for traction. Got lucky, as that would be very embarrassing to need help to be pulled out... :)

the 4x2 is awsome here is a pic of me at gen sams the last place i got stuck

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h255/jsongrl/General/DSCN3319.jpg

Just to clear up a few things...

The traction control works best with just a little nibble on the gas...if you give too much go go juice, the engine control brain has to throttle you back even more to avoid wheel spin.

The open diffs are why...an open diff (A regular diff) is designed to let the outside tire push you around a turn, and to let the inside tire just coast along...

It works fine most of the time, as the outside tire is going faster than the inside tire...so - the diff is set up to send all the torque to the faster tire.

The trouble starts when you are on slippery terrain, as when a tire slips, it goes faster...and is sent all the torque, leaving the OTHER tire, standing on good traction, just sitting there...while the slipping tire sprays mud and digs a hole, etc.

The LSD is an attempt to solve that, by using (On the X) a clutch pack in the diff to lock the two sides together, so the Pass tire and Drivers side tire's turn at the same speed, locked together.

.....But, so that you CAN go around a turn w/o the X hopping and skittering...it WILL let the faster tire get all the torque, IF the difference between the two tires, torques the diff enough to overcome the hold of the clutch pack in the diff...

...so, if you reach that torque figure, the diff's clutch plates will break away from each other (Slip), and let the faster tire go spin...

...that's called the break a way torque for the LSD. (The higher the number, the longer it holds on before letting go...)

OK - So that's where the electo hoo hah kicks in....it (Among other things) uses your anti-lock braking circuits to stop your faster tire from spinning...so you can go back to the tires turning together, as god intended, etc.

Of course, applying the brakes slows things down...and, if you are trying to GO...it can be frustrating...so you nail the juice to speed things up...so, the NEXT thing the electro's have to do, is tell your right foot to go f-itself, and cut the engine's delivery of that power you asked for...so that it can nibble its way forward w/o you screwing things up with too much throttle.

So - If you have 2wd...ALL of this is on ONE axle...the one with the least weight on it....and the one with no low range, because its 2wd.

So - it looses traction quickly compared to a truck with yet ANOTHER axle, with MORE weight on it, etc...to help pull it along if ONE axle looses traction....etc...

So - a rear tire slips, gets the torque, and you're stuck...then the brakes kick in, make the tire stop spinning, and you start to move a bit again...until you are going fast enough for momentum to carry you, etc.

So - very light gas pressure is all you want to apply under this scenario...and let it nibble its way along, a bit of left tire, a bit of right tire, back and forth, untill you're free.

:D

Hill decent mode doesn't give you different gearing...it acts as an engine brake, so that the tranny stays in gear like a manual, so that the resistance of the engine drag slows you as you go down the hill...and the anti-lock's dirt circuits watch your slippage, etc.

Hope that helps!

:D

Unless you experienced something out of the ordinary, the trac control will limit the amount of power going to the wheels. I have this in my 06, and when I want to play I turn off the VDC, or vehicle dynamic control. Then you can play all you want. Get some snow up here in WI, so it's fun to turn that button off once in a while. The VDC will also make it very hard to spin out of control. It will sense if the vehicle is going into a spin and apply the abs to the needed tires and straighten itself out. I really like the idea of this feature, and have tried it out on the snowy roads, because I think it's safer for the wife and kid to be out in the snow in a rear wheel drive.