Triton 4x4 - Take 1

[Eurard]

Well then here we go with TAKE 1 of my 4x4 experience.

Part 1

Eversince MR T was a pup, he wanted to NOT only run on hard black stuff. He wanted to go and get his feet wet, kick up some dust and just run where nature intended him to. He wanted to be free!

So where would we go then. As part of his birth from Mitsubishi Sandton (a Great hospital) he had a little 4x4 Training attached. Although he was born with some shoes (Bridgestone Duelers) he was ready for the challenge. After a full month of only admiring the view of barriers he finally got his first chance to look into the distance, admire the wild untammed rough bush. He got to go on a cross terrain 4x4 training day! I could just hear that soft purr under the hood while going there. He was preparing himself ... and stood proudly top of the podium a few hours later!

Okay guys this is my day and take on the 4x4 training day that comes with every Mitsubishi sale (Sandton). I wondered if this would be a great experience. Or is this just going to be a squeezed in unintellegent day. But the day delivered in heaps and bounds and I for one is very glad I did go and do this, would go again in a heartbeat!

So the day started with a nice 40 minute drive to the Krugersdorp Nature Reserve. Parked the vehicle and with the previous days full rain a beautiful FULL waterfall was behind the Tritons back as I parked him and went inside. We arrived 8:45 as told and by that time there were already about 15 Mitsubishi's there, Pajero Sport, Pajero GLX, Triton 4x4 3.2 and Triton 3.2 4x2. This was Mitsubishi country today!

Protea Eco Adventures
Greeted by Jannie Rykaart with a coffee and given a little radio in hand. After a very good lecture on the different gearboxes on the Mitsubishis and the major differences besteen ES and SS, it was off to the Lions to watch the feed. We got in the car and off we went. It was a nice convoy drive with Jannie communicating via the radio and was crystal clear. Every time we went from Tar to sand we had to do the 4x2 to 4x4 switch and this is where we started playing around with 4H and RD lock, no 4L on this drive. The professionalism of this man was starting to show and just the way he communicated was a pleasure. Driving down to the Lion disclosure and then to the feed.

At the feed, we all parked in a big circle indicated by poles so everyone can have an equal view of the happenings. Here is where there is a little secret. When in the convoy, make sure you are about midpack to start with. This way when leaving the Lions you will be front of que, just park far left at the feed as you approach it (you will know what I mean when you get there).

The feed was awesome with the big male dominating procedures but this is about the 4x4 so well move on swiftly.

Now we were off and we started to do a 4h speed drive, at 35-40 km/h through the enclosure, back the way we came. Short, only about 500m, to get to know the reactions of your car through threaded terrain. Out of the enclosure and through a more tricky terrain where we now started practicing 4L (Please remember I am not going to state 4LLC or 4HLC but only 4H and 4L, the Pajero has 4H but this is not for this). We used our 4H with RD for a while and then started a mild 4L route where we went through slopes and loose rocks, all very slow and was a pleasure to get to know how the vehicle "traps vas".

After a while we arrived at the first of MANY obsticles. This was a 32 Degree slope to the left. With SWAMBO closest to the ground and looking at me funny, Jannie clearly stated at which angle the car will roll and also what procedure to follow when you do feel the car is starting to tip. Then also following this was the first axle twister, a mild one (Only after I saw the others later on), and the way these things axles work is breath taking, make sure you have a car infront of you. It was awesome and through some more terrain and we arrived at the Movie house. Here we could smoke a ciggie and have a juice. We stretched the legs (15 minutes) and Jannie giving a small talk about the next bit of road ahead.

TO be continued, just going out for a ciggie

[Eurard]

Part 2

From the movie house we entered the first tricky section. Very tight squeezes and tight turns was the agenda for this trail. We also we through our first river cossing and I really enjoyed this bit as we were between trees and full canopy cover most of the time. We continiously were reminded of ethics when moving in convoy and procedures to follow. We ended this trail back at the Boma where we casually got togehter and waited for the rest to arrive and park their vehicles. Our day was amazing so far and the time was well managed without the trips feeling pushed or to drawn out.

Jannie got everyone togehter and did a presentation on recovery gear and procedures when using certain gear for different scenarios. This was a great presentation for me as my recovery techniques were basically non existant before this. I feel confident that I can manage situations after this now and what gear is best suited for recoveries.

We broke for lunch and this was well prepared too. Nice piece of meat with Pap, sauce, great salad and some veggies well prepared. There were also a cash bar at this stage where you could buy something for the throat. The distribution of toilets were also nicely spaced so far. With all activities happening from the Boma from here on out.

After lunch the instructors went through the obsticle course and how to approach and handle it. Jannie gave the presentation verbally with his collegue doing the driving. What NOT to do and what to do was the order of the day.

The obsticles consisted of:
1. Bridge crossing chasm with only 3 logs on each side for the wheels. The approach and momentum which was most important. A guide showing you how your wheels are facing and what adjustments to make.
2. Incline followed by another axle twister, this time more intensive.
3. Downhill and uphill, no rocks but slippery mud.
4. Slopes to the left and right
5. Channel downhill carved into the ground and exit followed by viscious axle twister
6. Axle twister followed by see saw where you drive midway, wait for the front to drop down and drive down
7. River crossing with steep down and up slopes, but we were told to rather when in the river turn up stream and drive in the river for 50 meters before exiting
8. River crossing (deep) with steep slippery down slope and VERY steep exit.

These were the laid out obsticles.

Jannie also gave a presentation on tire and tire pressure selections, this was great too.

Now everyone had to go and do it!

[Eurard]

Part 3

Jannie told us that we can when going through the obsticles always chose whether or not we wanted to do it as we were not there to prove anything but rather to enjoy our vehicles and day. I opted to do all of it.

Part of the obsticle course and driving between obsticles you have two choices. Either take a very advanced 4x4 route or the 4x2 route. Well again I chose the 4x4 route.

All was great with the vehicle flying through the obsticles with no problem at all, here the AT box is simply amazing. With 4L selected and RD on nothing was stopping the beast.

We arrived midway through the obsticles at an incline. OMG this wasnt an incline it was K2 standing in front of me, I looked at the boards. 4x2 left and 4x4 straight on, what worried me was that the 4x4 was followed by ADVANCED. I wasnt advanced at all, hell I am just starting to feel my vehicle. But fear was not an option. In front of me was a Pajero and he climed the hill well. Then right at the top, the last 10 meters he stopped. SWAMBO looked at me and said, the instructor said you must keep momentum, look at that guy! Now the Pajero was spinning it's wheels and getting nowhere. Go down backwards and do it again. After 5 attemps to crawl out he was still in one place. He went backwards about 20 meters and then attempted again, trust me not the place you would like to be stuck, there where trees tightly packed around this hill. This time the Pajero kept momentum and climbed out. SWAMBO looked at me and said, show him honey. LOL what! Swambo - Looks like the 4x4 bug bit hard!

Well I approached and started the incline, steady as he goes keeping the rpm's at 1,100 constitantly and well slowly but surely crawled all the way to the top. What! This thing just keeps impressing! At the top SWAMBO uttered a "Yeah"and followed it with a high five, I have never seen my wife so excited about something, ever!

After this hill was the most terrifying part for me, a very sharp left on a very steep incline. The beast crawled steadily and with grip lost and found made it through, no problem. Now we went through some more tight corners on down hills and inclines and crawled our way through the 4x4 advanced course.

What followed was surely what made my day. Over the radio the following. "Hey Jannie ek hang aan n rots!""Waar is julle?", Ek weet nie maar die view is moer mooi!, ha ha well turned out it was the Triton 3 cars ahead of me and he took a corner to sharp left and did not account for the rear wheels in RD and now got stuck on a boulder. Jerry was swiftly there to assist and freedom. This was a tricky section and SWAMBO when we went through kept reminding me that this was the rock pointing at it. I made sure I took a wide angle and midway through had to turn right to keep traction, made it but yes a tight ride.

Further still down and up etc and we got to the See Saw. I asked SWAMBO to get out and video tape it, what followed confirmed that she will now want to go to the Richtersveld etc. "Wat, wil jy nou he ek moet dit mis, ek bly net hier, ry jy! Ek het mos die ander ouens afgeneem!"Ha ha well okay then.

Axle twisters and up the see saw. a Guide once again showing the wheel allignment. Waited and slowly dropped down! Made it!

Then the river drive, down the slope! Buy what a slope and into the river, SWAMBO's favorite and scariest bit. Driving 50 meters up the river with the bow clearly visible and even a nice wave going out infront of the car. Just kept my distance behind this wave and easy as he went. Then there was a wall in the river, and I never thought I could get over this but the Triton got through with no issue at all. So I thought this is it, one more turn and then back down, but NO I was wrong.

What followed was a VERY tricky 4x4 trail. This one was tough, it tested all the day's worth of driving in about a 2 km stretch of very hard inclines, axle twisters and down hills very tight turns and plenty of lose rocks. This was the most enjoyable cause I knew what the car could do and just kept my rpm steady and crawled through each problematic situation. AWESOME.

Then the final river crossing. A very steep downhill and through the river. We saw the other cars go through this but I swear we went the deepest. On all others the water never crossed the bonnet. But with us we were submerged with the bonnet not even visible at one stage. Kept momentum and the bow and reached the incline, slightly harder on the gas and at 1.200 rpm climed up this final hill. We MADE IT! The board stating "Now you are on your own", and we were we did it, the Triton did it, I was majorly impressed! My wife looked over and said, "Good Buy!"That was word enough, SWAMBO happy, Eurard Happy!

Now we had a short Certificate seremony and all was done. It was 3:40 and time to head home, what a Day and Jannie Rykaart, what a guy, awesome and a well planned day.

These are times as I remember them:
08:45 - 10:00 Welcome, coffee and gear discussion.
10:00 - 11:00 Short drive, 4H and RD and Lion feed
11:00 - 11:15 Short stop at movie house with drinks and bathroom break
11:15 - 12:15 Nice 4L RD drive up to Boma
12:15 - 12:40 Recovery gear and recovery techniques
12:40 - 13:15 Obsticle walkthrough and tire discussion
13:15 - 14:15 Lunch
14:15 - 15:45 Individual obsticles and Advanced 4x4
15:45 - 16:00 Certificates and good bye

I can recommend this to anyone without a shadow of a doubt.

Just do what I did, when at the Boma I asked Jannie If he can assist in removing the side steps, word... Side steps BAD!!! So from now on no side stuff, Jannie at the Boma axle twister showed me specifically by going through with his Triton how much space he has without the steps, and this was amazing. ALL the Tritons with the side Steps scraped but Jannie's cleared it with at least 10 cm to spare.

When we left the one oke said he saw I took off my side steps but he should also have cause his is now bent. So guys remove those side steps before attempting axle twisters!!!

I was driving my stock Triton with all extras and Long range tank, with 3 Bar tire pressures Road Tires, all of which would make life difficult in 4x4, but the Triton beat the odds.

Verdict - The Triton 3.2 is a marvel and a true 4x4 BEAST!

Cheers until my next adventure and Take 2!

Peace

[JohanVisser]

Nice one. Very detailed writeup.
Thanks Eurard.
I didnt do the training. we joined the group from Wegry on 2011-04-03 and did it all. I liked the trail and will visit it again anytime.
cant wait for the next Mitsu family day to join up with other members of the Mitsu family.
Here is some pic of the 4x4 training trail during our trip on 2011-04-03.
I dont drive a Triton so hope you dont mind the Pajero in the Pictures

[Eurard]

No not at all, Pajero is actually the real beast, just ask the Dakar people.

But the Triton walks side by side! These cars are built for the occasion.

[Eurard]

Pictur 6 from left to right top to bottom is "hang aan n rots"with the ROTS on the left of your Pajero! Nice one!

[Eurard]

Nice to see the Steed behind you in the pictures, showing it did the trail too without issues, well done, sure the GWM guys will like that!

[JohanVisser]

Thanks. Must say the pajero has opened up new adventures for me in the last 4 months since i got him.

And the steed isnt far behind. Its my friends and its silenced a few hardened critics with its abilities.

[Bostokkelos]

I did the same course when I bought the Sport, know Jannie for a while and he tours the continant. He gives training for Mits, Jeep Toy etc etc. And his personal car...Pajero Sport! Must say something about mitsubishi! He prefers the life axel at the back for better articulation of the triton and the sport over the Gen series's independed rear