Operation Stockton Beach 101 style.

**101 Ron** · 22nd February 2009, 05:14 PM

First up I forgot my camera so there are no photos......I may got some later of someone else.
How this started I was talking to dodge with e mails.
He recons the 101 is good on the WA sand.
I being in Nowra have no access to beaches or sand to test dodges opinions.
The local 4wd club was planing a trip to Stockton beach.
I have never been there before.
So it was on.......operation 101 stockton.
The gas decided not to work after mount Ousley.....thats OK just use petrol and hurt my wallet.
I was with modern 4bys so after awhile I punched up the speed a fair bit at times 110 kph cruise on the F3 freeway and slowing down to 90 kph on the climb out of the Hawksbury River and the canvas top and bar treads protested at anything more than 120 kph.
Now in 101 terms this is like braking the sound barrier.
I figure the fuel use to Lavis Lane servo was about 130 litre if I used petrol all the way.
Stockton is fantastic, just camping on the beach, but find your way in there at night and have not driven in soft sand for more than 20 years puts you in the deep end real quick.
Well the the 101 loves sand but the 10 ply bar treads are the worse thing for the sand.
Those tyres made the old girl work so much harder as the power requirement is great for the tyres dig when you need to float.
I used 50 litres of petrol going from one end of stockton to the other and some playing around too.
I got the 101 grabbing some air going off the top of the dunes and I can say the springs still dont work even on landing.
I broke the tacho out of the dash board though a hard landing.
I blew a hub oil seal on the way to stockton too.
I rolled one tyre off the rim as I was down to below 12 psi to try an get the tyres to bag.
The 101 went every where all the others went and I was happy with that.
I drowned the ignition once in a fresh water crossing.
It was the old fan picking up the water and spraying it on the coil trick again.( the head lights needed a bath internally again).
Some circle work work was tried.....some thing I dont get to do often.
Sand dune driving and ocean swimming ...what a life.
Again at Lavis servo refuelling I found the fast trip up had taken it told on the front UJs and they where rattling around and the splines on the tail shaft worn too ( it was greased and checked on leaving home )
So a slower trip home was taken with a 90 kph cruise speed.
The 101 pulled top gear overdrive out of the Hawksbury on the way home and I went via parrmatta , cumberland hwy with about fithty or more traffic lights and then the hume to nowra via wollongong.
I travelled 350 km and used 65 litres of petrol on the way home.
( can any one work that out in miles per gallon )
The Ujs held together.
WOW ! I had a great time.
RON

**Ferret** · 22nd February 2009, 05:35 PM

Sounds like you had a ball at Stockton.

I used to live about 10k from the Lavis Lane servo so know that area well. Would really like to see some pics of the 101 on my old local beach if you can get some.

350 km using 65 litres of petrol (15.2 mpg) - not bad, considering shape, weight etc.

**101RRS** · 22nd February 2009, 10:07 PM

Hi Ron,

Sound like you had a good time - but sounds like you need to go on trips with series 3 GSs.

The tyres were always going to be an issue - I believe the original spec bar treads were only 6 or 8 ply so anything heavier makes the suspension work more - certainly not made for jumping sand dunes.

I think it is time to do something about waterproofing your ignition system.

So with the driveshafts - was it the actual UJs or the slides on the shaft that took the hammering.

So = all in all - sounds like the 101 performed really well.

Garry

**101 Ron** · 23rd February 2009, 06:52 AM

The slides and Ujs are stuffed.
They were perfect before I left.......I let the thing buzz because I was pushing hard to get to Stockton and keep up with the modern 4bys I was with on the freeways.
I was supprized how fast I could get the old girl going on good road.
The 5.57 diffs means every thing is really spining too hard.
Two of my tyres are 10 ply Nakings and the MRFs are most likely less plys, but did not do any better.
I used twice the fuel getting the extra speed even though with the overdrive the engine was spining at no more than 3200 rpm at 115 kph.
The box shape doesnt like speed.
The airborne landings are very hard , it seems like the springs still will not move even under that sort of stress.
With the correct rubber thing would be unstoppable in sand.
The fuel use on sand was very, very high( I wouldnt go across the simpson unless I had two 44 gallon drums in the back)
I got to just over the top of the front tyres before the water stopped the engine.
All the little lakes behind Stockton are fresh water.
I hope someone got the takeoffs and the landings on a camera when I was trying.

**101RRS** · 23rd February 2009, 12:00 PM

Pics are required - no pics is not an option.

Actually your fuel consumption is on about par for the specs off-road and a little better on-road when you were cruising at proper speeds. (8 mpg offroad - 14 mpg on road).

The 101 is not too bad when compared with my jag - best ever I have achieved is 17mpg - worst is 10mpg and normal is 14mpg - and my jag is not shaped like a brick and has not capable of going offroad.

Garry

**Ferret** · 23rd February 2009, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by 101 Ron

I hope someone got the takeoffs and the landings on a camera when I was trying.

If not, you are going to have to go back there and try again for the cameras.

**DODGE** · 23rd February 2009, 02:56 PM

Gday ron

Sounds like you had an interesting trip. know what you mean with the bar treads making hard work of the sand. what was the problem with the gas ?. what a pain in the ass.

cheers gaz

**101 Ron** · 23rd February 2009, 04:06 PM

It will be a few days before I get to clean the old girl , unpack and sort out the broken bits.

**101RRS** · 23rd February 2009, 04:36 PM

Suggestions for the water problem - new cap and leads just in case there is a crack there - some silastic around the cap and some lanotec sprayed around - and a small bleed pipe from your onboard air system to the drain hole in the dizzy - when you go near any water - turn on your onboard air to pressurize the dizzy so keeping the water out.

Garry

**101 Ron** · 23rd February 2009, 07:13 PM

some pics coming soon.

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