Abingdon 4x4 Festival

[ianu]

Originally Posted by sumomeister

Guys,

Can't take credit for these, they're not mine, but found the link on Facebook.

http://www.freewebs.com/dudleydo/apps/photos/

My car's not there

There are a couple of J2 SMU, is that you Ian?

http://www.freewebs.com/dudleydo/app...toid=100196054

http://www.freewebs.com/dudleydo/app...toid=100195929

...thanks - that's me yep. The balancing ramp was pretty frightening - it don't half come down with a thump. I had a load of gear in the boot I thought was going to join us in the front....

[ianu]

... OK here we go hopefully:

URL for viewing the album from a computer

http://www.cig.canon-europe.com/p?p=HcnYf47Saik

URL for viewing the album from a mobile phone

http://www.cig.canon-europe.com/m?m=HcnYf47Saik

Password:
Abingdon4x4

Sorry for the quality - must try harder next time.

Cheers
Ian.

[gillberry]

Great pics , superb to see xc90's in action .

[sumomeister]

Nice videos Ian, just wish I had the balls to have another crack at it, but my sensible head took over

As the marshal said though, I helped flatten one of the mounds with my side step!

What tyres were you running on, and what was the aluminium plate you were talking about? Did you put that on yourself?

One last question, are your side steps the standard Volvo ones? I've got the round tube type ones, I think made by Cobra, not sure, so I need to know from somewhere what bracket I need to get. Any ideas?

Cheers.

[ianu]

Originally Posted by sumomeister

Nice videos Ian, just wish I had the balls to have another crack at it, but my sensible head took over

As the marshal said though, I helped flatten one of the mounds with my side step!

What tyres were you running on, and what was the aluminium plate you were talking about? Did you put that on yourself?

One last question, are your side steps the standard Volvo ones? I've got the round tube type ones, I think made by Cobra, not sure, so I need to know from somewhere what bracket I need to get. Any ideas?

Cheers.

Hi Sumomeister,
I really don't blame you for bailing out - it was quite a deep end to jump in anyway but all credit to you. But - until you try you never know do you ;-). Call us pioneers.. :-)
The aluminium plate is a Volvo accessory that replaces the plastic tray under the front. It's pretty heavy guage stuff and picks up the original mounting points - but it's a bit fiddly to keep taking on and off because of the different length ali' spacers. Definitely worth it if you're thinking of doing this more than once. I bought mine last year in preparation for the Total Off Road event at Kirton (i broke a side step bracket there too). Give FRF Volvo a shout for a price - they're only down at Swansea and discount for Forum members.

I've got the standard Volvo steps - and to be honest they are pretty tough. They will support the weight of the car across the middle - but it's the sudden shock impact of landing on a crest that's caught me out twice now (practice makes perfect I suppose..) The original brackets are solid castings - the new ones are hollow.
Cobra sounds like a good place to start with yours - did it shear the bracket or twist it off ?? Are these more like plates than the cast elbows the Volvo ones have and do you have a bracket in the middle too ?

Tyres - last year I had the standard Michelin Synchrone Mud/Snow (similar to the Pirelli Scorpions) and they coped really well (they don't make them now unfortunately).
This year I cheated a tiny bit and renewed with Cooper Discoverer ATR which have a much chunkier tread which might have helped on the really sloppy mud run at the end and certainly on the loose stuff at Kirton.

I'd definitely try and go again next year if it's on - this time maybe rendezvous before hand and organise film tactics.
I'll keep an eye out for any more clips - thanks for the link to the other photos.

I think I've finally cooked the wishbone bushes - they were advisory on the MOT last week and there's a distinct bump thump audible now :-(

Cheers
Ian.

[lolinginthelolvo]

Hi, My first post on here, but I just had to log in and comment!

I am thinking of replacing my aging S60 with an XC90, and I would never do what you have done in yours for fear of losing important organs to the Mrs!

In my spare time I muck about with "proper" f'roaders (not ment as an insult) and the one condition of getting the XC is that I am never allowed in so much as a muddy field with it

My toy is below (If it comes out)... It is a little worse for wear, its spends its time upside-down or up to the windowline in water...


Fair play for actually using the XC offroad, I wish I went to Abingdon now - I spent the day on Salisbury plain!

[ianu]

Great picture and nice looking piece of kit there. There were a few at the show too - I'm not in the Mrs good books either by the way....

For anyone still interested - DSTC stayed on all the way round - you could feel it working as either a wheel (or 2) lifted off or lost grip...

Well if you do decide to go for the XC - you've got an idea of what it could do - only in an emergency of course...

Cheers
Ian.

[ianu]

"....better than a Hummer.."
Some serious respect from the Landrover fraternity:

http://forum.landrovernet.com/showth...borrowed-Disco

[gillberry]

For the car and the driver .

[Pinstripe]

Originally Posted by ianu

Password:
Abingdon4x4

Sorry for the quality - must try harder next time.

Cheers
Ian.

Am I the only person for who the password does not work?