I'm in the process of building my dualcab for hardcore offroading. What i'd really like to do is have a off-road challenge at a 4wd park or similar, to see who has the most capable VW. We could have classes for bugs/buggiesand kombis. I'm not talking about sand(which there seems to be a challenge for allready)but mud ,rocks steep gravel tracks etc. Who can go the furtherest? Warning I want to win toughest kombi......better get those tractor tyres. :vader

dubcab,
have got a pair of 31x10.5x15s with tractor lugs fitted (vulcanized on) which might suit. I'd love to get involved with the Desert Bug but the distance is a bit restrictive.
Cheers, lan.

I think we need to confirm right up front that your kombi will never be able to go hard offroad in relation to a 4WD. That is of course unless you build a custom kombi with 4wd parts. Kombi have few serious problems when it comes to offroad and the likes. Note I am talking serious offroad not outback touring, sand driving or heading down a forestry track. I think if you were going to compete against other kombi's it would be funny to watch. Just ask 11CAB how his Dual Cab went offroad, long night from memory.

ANyway if you do want to get something up and running you may well want to piggy back onto the Manx Club. I am currently working on an Offroad Race series for Buggy and Baja's. It will be run just near Narangba and consist of 4 events based on time, driver skill and vehicle ability. It will not be through cams so the timed events will be run a little different to what some may think. I am happy to include a kombi class if there is enough interest ( ie more than 3 vehicles ) Entry fee should be arount $20 - $30 an event ( TBC ).

So you keen to come out and break some stuff with us ? I know 11CAB had fun last night rally, even though it was not what I would call serious offroad it was a good chance to let people out and have a play in the dirt.

read the Manx Club - Nanango old coach road post. If you had've tried all the tracks we saw that day you would've surely rolled your kombi.

How would you know ? I have been told you didn't go up most of them

no-one went up most of them, that's the point :puke

Ok, a kombi has a few issues when used offroad, remember I am talking about serious offroad as stated..

- Weight - at over 1100kg they are not very light at all
- Traction - they have one wheel driving
- Transmissions - these are geared to high and are to weak to allow for effective control offroad, add biggertyres compound teh problem.
- Power - relates to gearing as well as usability, engines tend to bog down once you have big tyres on so you gas it up which breaks stuff.
- COG - you lift them up they get very unstable and have minimal down travel on suspension, this pushes them towards rolling over and feeling very unsafe.

These are the main areas they suffer in. I have tried jacked up kombi's with mud tyres, 1600 gearbox's and 2L engine with Dells and a cam. It was fine on the road and on mild bush tracks etc. As soon as you are working it hard on gradients the engine starts to bog and you need to get a run up. The high COG makes it pretty unsafe and breaking gearboxes becomes and issue.

You can build them to get around these problems but then they get a long way from being a kombi.

They are fine offroad, touring around and stuff but serious offroad they suck and break, they will never touch a buggy or a baja and most 4WD's would easily kick their ass as well.

It is one thing to own a kombi it is another thing to be realistic about what it can and cannot do.

That being said I am more than happy to assist people in their endevours to proove me wrong.

Thanks for the explanations

Your welcom happy to help out. I can provide more details if you want but I think you get the gist of what I am on about. Ask some of the Offroad Kombi boys about the problems they have had.

I know 11CAB has gotten up to some cool stuff in his.. Also had some scares ...

OK, as far as a Kombi beating a buggy or a Baja on serious offroad terrain, you've not no hope......Thats why I'm building a Manx. I've previously had a Jacked up Twincab which Brad knows all about, it had a 4 inch lift at the front and 235/75R15 tyres and about the same lift on the back with 33x12.5R15 Mud Terrains, 1600 gearbox & 2L Engine...we took it out the back of Mt Cotton on some rough tracks that I'd say were easier than the ManxClub Night Nav run and whilst trying to get up a steep embankment I snapped every tooth clean off the pinion....this resulted as Brad said from having to have too many revs & too much momentum to get up the hill....one front wheel dropped into a rut lifting a back wheel when it hit the ground again the Mudders broke the box........
I also have our Baja Kombi which has a 3 inch lift at the front with 235/75R15 tyres, and 31x10.5R15 All terrains on the rear. It also has a 1600 box & 2L engine, It goes great on the Beach as we were camping up at Freshwater in January for a week, and drove everywhere and didnt get bogged once, but the Kombi's limitations were definately shown at the Manx Night Nav........dont get me wrong, we had a great time, and all in all I was quite surprised that we made it to the end (as I'm sure others were too.....).
We got stuck twice requiring assistance, the first time was trying to go around the boghole that Daz got stuck in. we had to drive across deep wheel ruts and up an embankment on an angle....now it was easy for the buggies as they all drove around me, but the first time i tried it with a bit of momentum it can close to tipping over.....High COG.....the second time rear wheel dropped into a large hole....lack of rear wheel down droop......we then got towed out with 4 guys hanging off the side to stop it tipping over.
Jacked up Kombi's are great fun and they look cool, but you have to be realistic about their capability.
Buggies will beat a Kombi everytime....
Graham

I WASN'T BOGGED, I WAS JUST RESTING....

Ok sorry Daz.....I was mistaken......:alien

Quote:
"If you were resting then why did the hilux have to put a snatch strap on your bar and drive forward with it under tension ??"

------------------------------------------------------
Would you beleive?

" I had my foot on the Brake?"
Or
" I left the handbrake on?"
Or
"I was stopped to hook up Graham on the Strap Behind me?"
Or
"I saw a Frog crossing in front of me?"

Or this far fetched reason,

" You could have told me about the Cruiser that was bogged there earlier in the day, which left a hole big enough to swallow my whole wheel!. Next time we use the Faster is better approach, invented by the Elpresidente!"


Ohwell Yeah I was bogged, but it did provide some entertainment....:P