West Cape Howe - Dunsky Track

[BoulderFoz]

Just got back from a climbing trip to West Cape Howe.

Pleased to report that my stock SJ '18 Forester made it down the Dunsky Track to WCH without any trouble. Only addition to the vehicle is Cooper AT tyres (225/60/17), aired down to about 20 PSI.

I was paired up with a Nissan Navara and a Nissan X-Trail. The X-Trail was doing pretty well, but seemed to lack the power on the steeper ascents and was left tucked away off the track about half way before we continued in the Navara and Forester.

The Navara ate up the track with ease, it's low range gearing made it an easy day out.

The Forester wasn't able to match the slow pace of the Navara, but nothing some momentum wouldn't solve.

Unfortunately, I was having too much fun to take any pics .

Overall, I was stoked with the Forester's performance, I've watched plenty of videos online of SJ Foresters struggling on hills with the CVT cutting out. I didn't experience any of this trouble, appears that to get the SJ's out there, all that's needed is some momentum and a care free attitude about some scratches and bumps XD.

X-Mode on, Traction Control Off.

 

[Kevin]

The X-Trail

The older versions disengaged AWD above 40 klm/hr so pretty useless; not sure about the newer models.

 

[BoulderFoz]

Sounds like an awful design flaw, it was a T31 (2007 - 2013) not sure exactly what year.

 

[Kevin]

@BoulderFoz Yes, that was the T31 - we had one try to scale the hard track up the Simpson Desert "Big Red" dune in 2011. As it reached the top it was plainly obvious that the rear wheels were not being powered.

 

[ABFoz]

Unfortunately, I was having too much fun to take any pics .

That's the spirit. Happens to me many times too.

Overall, I was stoked with the Forester's performance, I've watched plenty of videos online of SJ Foresters struggling on hills with the CVT cutting out.

Many do not use technique when going up obstacles. A car/truck won't drive itself up those.

Sounds like an awful design flaw, it was a T31 (2007 - 2013) not sure exactly what year.

Most AWDs are like that. Even new ones with the centre diff lock will disengage at around that speed. Only Subaru and Audi are AWD all the time up to whatever speed is driven.