It Doesn't Show Where I Am
I just locked the center diff and had no problems. Approaching Rasor Road, I could see a car parked along my path that had a person sleeping inside. Just north of Rasor Road is a fun hill. I mentioned this hill in the coda of my Arrowhead Trail post. It's not too difficult. Just enough to make you pay attention. I got out and walked it first, just to see how slippery it was today. I decided that I'd use low range (L2) going up the hill and H2 descending the other side. Here's a shot looking down the othe side. And looking back up the other side. I missed my planned turn shortly after the hill. I wanted to turn left and get over to the powerline road. Google maps showed 3 parallel spurs leading over there, and I wanted to take the 2nd trail. I failed to zoom in all the way. Only one of those trails actually exists.
The ABS responds well in off road situations, too, not becoming nervous or over zealous in its response. If going bush is something you plan on doing regularly, then the Defender delivers in spades. With its short front and rear overhangs, it allows you to approach obstacles callously. Both the approach and departure angle is 47 degrees. Our test model is fitted with the optional Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tyres that proved very useful over rocky obstacles, and in wet, sloppy conditions. The Defender鈥檚 drivetrain proves hard to fault off road. Rather than relying on two drive wheels to get around like many other off road vehicles, the Defender constantly sends power to all four wheels, with selectable high and low range. The factory-fitted centre differential lock helps to make mince meat of just about any off road track, keeping excessive wheel slip to an absolute minimum. The maximum recommended speed with the centre diff locked is 60km/h, which is certainly fast enough for off road trekking. While the Defender 90 is a serious bush-ready vehicle, we strongly encourage those who are interested in buying one to actually get out there and have a crack at some decent off road stuff. You鈥檒l be mighty impressed.
Physical testing of a vehicle wading through water is performed to gauge its capability to traverse through shallow to deep levels of water, wherein various vehicle performance parameters are observed, recorded and analysed. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has instigated and established a comprehensive CAE test procedure for assessing the same, which makes use of overset mesh (in a CFD environment) for a non-traditional approach to vehicle motion. The paper presents investigations made into the established wading physics, in order to optimise the splashing and water jet modelling. Large Scale Interface model was implemented instead of the previously standardised VOF-VOF fluid phase interaction model, and a comparison is made between the two. The implemented wheel rotation approach was scrutinised as well and appropriate inferences are drawn. JLR has devised an extended simulation methodology, making use of the passive scalar model, to understand water impingement and splashing in a greater detail; which are the two critical performance parameters during vehicle wading. Passive scalar acts as a pseudo catalyst in the target fluid phase of the multiphase CFD simulation. Analysis carried out using this model gives the amount of water ingress from specific locations on the vehicle and also the amount of water subsequently splashing on the pre-set target locations or components in the engine bay. The assessment was performed on a simplified block model, scaled down with reference to vehicle dimensions, which permitted reiterative simulation setup with minimum computational cost. The methodology was successfully implemented on a full scale JLR vehicle later. Thorough physical testing of vehicles was carried out so as to understand and assess water ingress and in turn, drive further developments in CAE.
Approach and departure angles? Check, check and check. Defender is as capable off road as my Syncro, here's where I easily trump you with my vehicle choice: Comfort. I'll have some. You won't. We'll both get to wherever it is we're going, I'll just be feeling nice and refreshed when I get there. Time to play dirty. Turkus responds to my Syncro like a Ford Fan responds to a Bowtie. Turkus: While I appreciate your noble decision not to attack my Land Rover, I won't be observing any such courtesies. How can you argue over space when I can remove the roof and have seating for ten people? Oh, it gets better. Those rear benches can be retracted, at which point my Defender basically becomes a pickup truck. Sure, your vehicle is comfortable, but you and I both know there's something to be said for lack of comfort being an asset. My Defender will deliver a far more elemental, visceral and most importantly, entertaining driving experience.
