Well, HOV means "High Occupancy Vehicle" usually associated with using the carpool lanes

Perhaps HOV and 4WD are related in the sense that HOV is really OHV mis-typed...
OHV means "Off-Highway Vehicle"

Hmmm. Maybe that means a Ford Excursion is an HOV OHV! :p

Umm... two things

1. It's Fremontia bozo!
2. Assuming the Jeep has shocks by then, I think it's the day we make it to the top.

- Matt

Huey,

Let's meet in the Mountain View area for breakfast between 7am - 8am this Saturday, OK ?

That way, I can follow you to Hollister, since I forgot how to get there...aarrgghh:freak:

I'll bring the Xterra seat covers with me...We can get them installed before we take-off...It should only take 10 to 15 minutes to install them...

Let me know if this works for you, OK?

Umm yeah...

Actually, no. :p I'm may not be awake by then. You could try giving Akio or Dean a buzz (they live down there) and see if they can meet you for a caravan. I do still want the seat covers tho! It would just take me out of my way to go through Mountain View and I have a feeling by the time I leave I will need to haul a$$ to get there by 11. It's not that hard to get to Hollister, just follow the map.


directions

:p I make pretty pictures for a living.

Kewl...Thanx for the map Huey.

I'll bring the seat-covers...you can pick them up when you get there...

I should be at Hollister between 9am to 10am, but I'm going to eat breakfast first...

If anyone from the Mountain View to San Jose area would like to join me, let me know...

Later All,

Hi all,

Off-roading noob here. I posted on here a year+ ago when I first got the Xterra (I can't even remember what my login was). It's my wife's daily driver and I have *finally* pressured her into letting me take it offroad, so I'd love to join up on Saturday. The truck is a bone-stock '02 4x4 XE-SC (auto), stock Generals and all. I did some reading a while ago (and am doing more now on the linked discussion of offroad basics from this thread), but just wanted to open things up for questions.

For vehicle prep, I intend to remove the step bars and mudflaps, as well as generally check fluids etc. Any other recommended vehicle prep?

I intend to bring a tire pump and pressure gauge, my FRS radios, and a cooler for food/drink. What other tools/supplies should I bring? I have no "offroading" gear or extraction gear, but I have a pretty good array of tools. Is there minimum extraction gear I should go out and get (cheap! ), or any other stuff I should bring along?

My wife is coming along too. I've never been to Hollister hills, is it someplace we'd want to spend some time after the 'wheeling? We have mountain bikes, but she's not a hardcore biker.

Finally, I am coming down from Pacifica, so if people are meeting up on the peninsula and caravaning down I'd love to join up. I'm looking forward to meeting up with you guys and getting the truck dirty...

Your prep sounds fine. One thing you might want to check is engage your 4wd drive someplace where you can (dirt/gravel rd) to make sure it is ok.
Minimal recommended recovery equipment is a "snatch strap". If you get stuck, it is good etiquette to provide the lifeline, but there are always plenty of people willing if you can't get/find one in time.
And since it's her daily driver, don't forget to let her have a turn at the wheel. Get her hooked and you will find it easier to get offroad!

I have used the 4wd on and off, so it's functional, but a check before Saturday is a good idea. Where can I pick up a strap? What kind should I get, with what hardware, and how much $ is it? If it's relatively inexpensive, shouldn't be a problem grabbing one. I'm on the central/northern peninsula.

As far as letting her drive? No chance. Not because I wouldn't, but because she'll have nothing to do with it. The whole idea scares her, and even when doing what little "off-roading" I have (which was nothing more than Old Coast Road at Big Sur) she was almost eyes-closed freaked-out. I've tried the "let her drive" thing in the past (I'm a car nut - I do open track events etc., and have a 500hp Mustang and an Audi S4), but have realized that getting her to even be present is about as much as I can hope for . Oh well...

Thanks for the info!

4wheel parts in S.J. will have them as would any 4wheel store. Somebody else might suggest other stores if they exist around here. They are usually 2" or 3" wide by 30' long. Loops are sewn into both ends. You don't want hardware on the ends of the strap (read the 4x4 basics for why). You have a hook mounted to your frame on the front of your X, and if you have a tow hitch in the rear you are good to go. If you don't have a tow hitch and need to be extracted stern first then you need some attachment point in rear frame. Some people have used deep U shackles around the leaf spring hangers as one solution. A good strap is ~ $30.

I highly recommend this strap. The price isn't bad and it's beefy.

click me

BTW, you should be able to get it at your local 4Wheel Parts store for the same price.

Speaking of tow strap...Does anyone know if there is any strap that is shorter than 30'? :rolleyes:

Last weekend, I almost had a chance to pull out my strap to help a full-size truck unstuck, but I did not want to use my 30' strap... It's just that it would have been a lot easier to set up and put away if it were shorter than 30'...

Sorry guys, won't be able to make it. Committed to helping a friend move...and since i have a lot of bedspace...have fun guys..take pictures!

Denny

I hate missing the chance to pull anyone else out, having been pulled once (or twice) myself.
Here's a place you find all kinds of yanking stuff
Super yankers

Cool, thanks for the tips. 4wheel parts in SJ, eh? A shop farther north would certainly be more convenient. Palo Alto is where I work, and that's pretty far south for me I live in Pacifica. I'll google for one, but any suggestions are welcomed.

Yeah, I read why you don't want hardware for a tug removal, I just didn't know if I needed stuff for anything else. I do have the factory tow hook and class III hitch.

Yeah, you can get a 2" x 20' (20,000-lb.) tow strap. It's what I use most of the time. I believe I got mine at either Pep Boys or Wal-Mart.

dangit! i'm out too, gonna go mountain biking @ wilder in santa cruz with a female companion i'm interested in
i'll have to meet up with you guys next time...

It's on your way to Hollister

You should be all set then. The hook/hitch/strap combo will get your a** out of most of the tight spots. Add to that some skill/luck/common sense and you might not even need them. You don't have to get stuck to have fun wheeling, although that seems to float some people's boats.

you don't use that canyon crawler one anymore?

I usually bring with me the Canyon Crawler strap you gave me, but I haven't used it yet.

Please update your sign up guys.
------------------------------------

1. Huey/Xterra/11 obsticle course
2. slamson00 (out)
3. KJ_dragon/stock Xterra/ 11am at Obsticle course
4. XSAL
5. XPLORx4
6. KaiOtiK (wanna meet him for breakfast?)
7. dirty dee (out)
8. XBihlmana (out)
9. Matt/Jeep GC/11 obsticle course
10. GAKII/Stock Xterra/11am
11. Chip G

1. Huey/Xterra/11 obstacle course
2. slamson00 (out)
3. KJ_dragon/stock Xterra/ 11am at Obstacle course
4. XSAL
5. XPLORx4
6. KaiOtiK (wanna meet him for breakfast?)
7. dirty dee (out)
8. XBihlmana (out)
9. Matt/Jeep GC/11 obstacle course
10. GAKII/Stock Xterra/11am
11. Chip G/Stock X/looking for caravaning northerners

Just cleaning up the list a bit.

1. Huey/Xterra/11 obstacle course
2. KJ_dragon/stock Xterra/ 11am at Obstacle course
3. XSAL
4. XPLORx4
5. KaiOtiK (wanna meet him for breakfast?)
6. Matt/Jeep GC/11 obstacle course
7. GAKII/Stock Xterra/11am
8. Chip G/Stock X/looking for caravaning northerners
9. Marty (I think he's still going)

Plus maybe a few nubies that replied via email.

Little too late, but it might have been a good idea to set up a meeting place for those who are not familiar with "how to get to Hollister" like it has been done before....

USA Gas station off of 85, @ Bernal Exit @ 9:45 am. ....Or something like that.

I still don't know for sure, but we might be visiting Napa, instead... Our aunt had a little accident (not traffic), and she's been in a hospital.

I only have 1/2 day free tomorrow (have to be back around 3-3:30). If I can make it for a few hrs, I'll be the USA gas station at 9:45am.

....