Recent content by slomatt

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  1. slomatt

    What circuit breaker/disconnect are you using in your engine compartment?

    I'm not sure what setup Michael is running, but I have a circuit breaker as close to my positive battery post as possible. This feeds all of my add on accessories. The first breaker I used was a no-name 100A breaker that failed after a year or two, I replaced it with a Buss 285100 which has had...
  2. slomatt

    US West Pardoes Trai, El Dorado NF

    The Pardoe Trail (aka Squaw Ridge or Hungaleti Ridge) can be broken up into a couple of different sections. If you head in from the west from Lower Bear River Resevoir there are some very tight sections between trees that will require careful spotting in a longer truck. Here's an example of...
  3. slomatt

    Xj vs Zj vs 4 Runner

    I had a 96 ZJ with the V8, it had a very low lift and was heavily trimmed to fit 33x12.5 tires. This truck did great on the trails, but it was not reliable and I don't think it was long enough to sleep inside. With those tires it got a max of ~17 mpg on the freeway. I currently have a 2000...
  4. slomatt

    Tool Roll and Pack List Specific for Toyota 4Runner

    I completely agree with being conscious of the added weight of tools and anything else we put in our rigs. That said I frequently travel with Jeeps that have imperial fasteners, and some aftermarket gear similarly requires an imperial wrench or socket. I don't carry any imperial tools, but I do...
  5. slomatt

    Tool Roll and Pack List Specific for Toyota 4Runner

    I think I've seen this list on t4r.org before. One thing that always stands out to me is the lack of a 1/2" drive ratchet and any 1/2" sockets other than the 21mm, 24mm, and 35mm. I think the intent is that for the 1/2" drive sockets you use the 3/8" ratchet, adapter, and breaker bar. I would...
  6. slomatt

    Show me a Road Sign.....really any sign...

    This sign has seen better days...
  7. slomatt

    Corral Hollow snow trip

    Last weekend two friends and I wanted to get up in the mountains and it seemed like a good time for a snow trip. We ran the Corral Hollow trail off of highway 4 from the east side to the west side so that we encountered the higher elevation and more difficult section first to get an idea of the...
  8. slomatt

    US West South Bay Monthly Meet Up

    Glad to see you all made it out on Sunday, it looks like the weather was much improved! After we ran into you near the cabin we explored Jelmini Basin and Flag Pole Point, and then got sidetracked moving a fallen tree off the trail and blocking an illegal bypass. While heading down highway 4...
  9. slomatt

    Anyone in the Diablo Valley area open to a more local meetup?

    Hi Jared, I'm near Walnut Creek and would be open to a local meetup. It probably makes sense to keep the one in Pleasanton as the "main" one to avoid diluting the group, but that doesn't mean we can't have smaller local meetups. :)
  10. slomatt

    How do the first gen Xterras/Frontiers compare to 1G Tacomas/3G 4runners?

    My T4R hasn't had any significant issues while wheeling, and I've been on multiple trips with groups of T4Rs on 32 and 33" tires and again there were no problems. If I remember correctly the XTerra had an issue with aftermarket front locking hubs (screws sheared off), but those weren't Nissan's...
  11. slomatt

    How do the first gen Xterras/Frontiers compare to 1G Tacomas/3G 4runners?

    I think they compare very favorably, with some plusses and minuses on both sides. For context, I've driven a friend's 2000 XTerra 5spd through some hard trails (Rubicon, Golden Spike, Black Bear, etc) and on thousands of miles of road trips. And I've owned a 2000 4Runner 5sped for 14 years and...
  12. slomatt

    Top Heavy Issues with RTT on 7+ Trails

    Overland Journal recently had a good article on how adding roof loads can significantly raise a vehicle's center of gravity and make it more prone to roll over. I recommend checking it out since they do the math showing how a relatively small amount of weight can make a big difference. In...
  13. slomatt

    Does Overlanding Require You to Go Off Pavement?

    <Insert opinion number 1,467,433 on how to define "overlanding" here>
  14. slomatt

    Pismo Sand

    Many years ago 3 friends and I took a 1970 Datsun 510 to Pismo, almost floated it when crossing the creek, and then drove it out to the end of the beach past where all the big trucks were until we eventually got stuck. The car only weighed about 2k lbs and we had brought some scraps of wood so...
  15. slomatt

    Air Compressor Question

    A friend of mine mounted a Puma compressor under his truck. It lasted for a couple years and some water crossings, but ultimately died. I have the same compressor and it is still working fine, so I think the exposure is what killed his. The install was also fairly expensive due to the long large...