re: Review: 1st-gen Toyota Fortuner Ok, thanks for the laugh w.r.t. Tofu, folks. But do I detect a tiny sarcastic note? I wonder why, given that this is a Fortuner thread.
Anyway, I have a few questions for folks well versed with 4WD driving and mountain driving, because the last few posts seem to have the same theme: all that torque with a Torsen setup is useless in real life offroading scenarios.
1. Why would someone ever use 4LL on tarmac or high traction terrain for an extended period, and risk transmission windup? How many such trails - worth traveling on i.e. leading to a good destination (instead of just tacking a trail to see whether your vehicle can handle it) exist in India? I haven't been to Ladakh, so I am curious to know. Are these roads so steep that one can't tackle them on 4H with 350 NM torque and a decent torque/weight ratio?
2. Wouldn't power/weight ratio play a role in slushy terrain, especially in 4HL mode - with respect to added momentum ? Why would one use 4LL in slushy terrain - the extra torque would ensure wheel spin.
3. The Arjun, while heavier than the T-90, has a lower weight/sq inch figure than the T-90 - this, along with its more powerful engine, helps in the sand. Is it absolute weight that matters, or weight per square inch of surface area? To what extent to larger tyres (more surface area especially when deflated), and power/weight and torque/weight ratios impact drivability through slush or snow? Given similar sized tyres and say similar torque and power to weight ratios (if that were possible), and ignoring wheel base size, would a lighter Jeep or Gypsy outperform a heavier Thar, say? Let's keep driver skill, 4WD system etc. constant.
4. To what extent can handbrake negate free rear wheel spinning, and allow Torsen setup to deliver adequate torque to the wheel with traction?
5. Why have high torque + good low range transfer case ratios on SUVs at all - apart from the low speed crawling angle?
@ SS-Traveller: "the one that will be beaten by the others is the one that you'll spend the most time cleaning up and restoring to sparkling state before and after crossing nullahs and passes." - what makes you think that someone who takes their SUV to difficult terrains is bothered about vehicle look in the middle of such a journey? Besides, who will do a Manali-Leh circuit or cross-country drive with offroading thrown in - with family - in a Gypsy or a Jeep?
Last edited by nilanjanray : 6th September 2011 at 14:55.
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