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Me, stress testing the AC lift components...


gothamist
08-09-2001, 03:19 PM
I had to find out if I was as likely to snap tierods as Nissan Mike...so far, I'm doing fine. (I figured, if I did snap a centerlink on this trip, no biggy, since Todd had about 20 of them with him, passing out the new EOE centerlinks to those who ordered them...)

So here's my ascent. You have to crawl the front wheels up the face or else you won't clear the rock ledge, and then gun it as soon as the front end pops up and over, and hope the rear wheels find traction. After several attempts I made it--and I didn't break anything! Kick-ass.

Picture taken by killerx.
http://www.beatdriven.com/xterra/4x4lo_mirror/clifford_hill.jpg

rhombus
08-09-2001, 03:33 PM
Awesome shot!

Philosopher
08-09-2001, 03:51 PM
I would say that Goth has fully tested the AC front lift parts. :D

Same trip, different spot ... good stuff!

KillerX
08-09-2001, 04:17 PM
Well since everyone seems to be posting pictures taken by me (yes, I'm bragging a bit), go here to view all of the pictures I've taken from that trip (almost all are from this rock face -- only time I really remembered to take pictures):

http://medcina.50megs.com/Western_VA_2

There are pics of T, Goth, and FSR going up the rock face.

Schludwiller
08-09-2001, 04:18 PM
Originally posted by Philosopher
I would say that Goth has fully tested the AC front lift parts. :D



Maybe it would be wise to use the parts a bit longer than a month to claim them "fully tested".

How about "nothing broke this time." ;)

gothamist
08-09-2001, 04:24 PM
I think it's more, the big question was simply, would I snap a tie-rod as soon as I landed hard on the front wheels...this was the problem that plagued Nissan Mike @ ECXC, and we weren't entirely sure if it was the lift, or the 10" rims w/ very little backspacing. I think right now empirical evidence points towards the wheels being the culprit.

Synchro
08-09-2001, 05:00 PM
empirical evidence huh? ok, darth. ;) i agree with schlud on this one. one weekend of wheeling does not consititute fully tested. passing the first test, yes, but not fully tested.

Philosopher
08-09-2001, 05:32 PM
Originally posted by Synchro
empirical evidence huh? ok, darth. ;) i agree with schlud on this one. one weekend of wheeling does not consititute fully tested. passing the first test, yes, but not fully tested.

You didn't see how many times he dropped his front end from 2 feet in the air.

KillerX
08-09-2001, 06:24 PM
Originally posted by Synchro
empirical evidence huh? ok, darth. ;) i agree with schlud on this one. one weekend of wheeling does not consititute fully tested. passing the first test, yes, but not fully tested.

Each one of the pictures I took of him (with the exception of one or two) are attempts to make it up at various speeds. Go to the link I provided above and count them. The first batch are the attempts that he didn't make it up. The second batch after T's pictures is when he finally made it up after airing down. There were a couple attempts that I didn't take pictures too, so he really tried more times than the number of pictures indicate. Quite impressive.

Synchro
08-09-2001, 10:44 PM
Where is "Mr Consumer Product Testing Labs" aka FSRBIKER?? I have done software development and this is not thorough testing. no matter how many times he tried to make it up there. as i said, it is part of the test, but not fully tested.

gothamist
08-09-2001, 11:27 PM
No offense man, but I don't think comparing software development and suspension design testing methodologies is really that valid.

I do however see your point, but it seems you're deliberately avoiding the point that I am trying to make, which is simply that, judging from the performance of Nissan Mike's truck at ECXC, he would have bent several tie-rods in attempting to make it up the hill like I did. The fact I didn't is reassuring, and assuages our largest fear of the AC (or any) lift kit. The other factors left to test are ones that will take months or years to verify (CV joint life, torsion bar sag, etc.), and are not as easily born out in a semi-controlled test situation like we had. I was deliberately hard on my truck all weekend in an attempt to find (and break) the weakest link...and I didn't find it, which at least confirms that the tie-rod issue faced by Nissan Mike was unique to something (presumably his wheels) on his truck.

M'kay?

Lugnut
08-10-2001, 12:44 AM
I think no matter how you slice it though, it is still pretty impressive as to how the X holds up considering what some of you guys put it through. Let's see, I've dl'd picts & videos of it used as a PT boat...another of one laying on its side....and my favorites are the videos from SL racing with their Evil Knievel jumps. These things are certainly more than I'd ever put mine through, so I have at least some small confidence that it will hold up to my punishment.

hehe, I like it Gothamist.

Lug

:evillaugh

KillerX
08-10-2001, 11:25 AM
Yup, Synchro didn't make it out to our last run (too bad, it was a blast), so he really didn't see all the crazy stuff Gothamist was doing -- deliberately I might add -- to break stuff. I for one was impressed with how well it held up. I do agree that it isn't "fully tested" yet, but for one weekend of heavy abuse, it held up just fine.

neil
08-29-2001, 09:19 PM
gothamist,

continued success on your project x! i think you (and philosopher) have the coolest xterras i have seen -- and i dont even like the red (well, now i do).
i agree with the other post: i will never do anything so extreme but its nice to see you pushing the limits of what this xterra can do.

btw, i like youre small pic next to your posts-

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