Thread: First off road issues with the L322

Bloody hot yesterday. Solution, bundle the new pup Wolf into the new silver Rangie and head out for a drive as the car at least has super AC.

The road turned to gravel and then to dirt and then way into the bush we see a sign indicating Narbethong to the left and Toolangie to the right. Planning to make a round trip of it, we take the left, thinking we will wander down through the Black Spur to home in the cool of the evening.

Then a short cut appears, Black Range Track so we go that way. The track starts steep at that end and the car climbed beautifully. Crested the top and thought we should try the HDC and we were really impressed. Held the car well on the slippery scree slope. Superb.

Didnt know what the other button was for, so the wife grabs the book, and we find that basically its a traction control that comes on by default and the button is to actually turn it off. We tried it on and off a few times but couldnt really feel much difference on the loose downhill slopes. The auto held really well, and no matter what LR gear we were in, the HDS worked perfectly.

The last km into Narbethong started getting a bit rough with some pretty deep ruts but we managed okay. We were riding the top of a series of ruts, rounded a corner and slipped a wheel into the rut. All good, three more still on top. And then the bottomless black soil got us. Grounded like a beached whale, all four wheels off the deck and going nowhere. Bugga.

Called to a mate who lived 10 minutes away, and we caught him before too many beers took effect, and we had to suffer the embarrassment of being pulled out be a Landcruiser. Better than the alternatives though. So it was an eventful day and the cool change came through whilst we were in the bush.

So here we are stuck in a black soil rut. One wheel with a little purchase, the car beached on the the front diff and rear tank cover. Now normally in the P38 if I had 50mm of for / aft movement, I would try pretty hard to rock the car reverse to drive etc, and try and move it. But not this car. We had one wheel rotating!! Didnt seem to matter what I did, I couldnt get drive to the rear wheels.

I tried the HDC and each real wheel rotated a few mm in each direction but that was it. Front right wheel was spinning freely, and nothing from the rear of the car. Now with the car broached and high and dry, the P38 would have given me a spinning wheel at each end and then all four wheels with the lockers in.

But the P38 will lock centre dif when in LR. The L322 didnt seem to do that. With a Vogue, I expected a slipper diff in the rear, open diff in the front and then LR to lock the centre the same as the P38. But no.

So I need to ask you guys, I cant find any way to lock the centre diff. Why did I not have drive to the rear. A one wheel drive RR isn't much good to anyone.

Also, I had read somewhere that if in HIGH suspension mode, if you beach it, you can hold the height dial and get a bit more lift. This didnt work either?

Any instruction would be greatly appreciated.

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Next time you want to go out give us a shout, happy to be the recovery vehicle and avoid the toyota embarrassment.