I've got a couple thousand miles on it now and am starting to get the build plans with CCV squared away. Still lots of questions and I'll be posting a layout plan eventually for advice. But first, lets try out that 4x4 shall we?
Heading up Frenchman Creek Trailhead toward Mt Harvard we discovered that the 4x4 section of the road requires serious clearance. Not being a complete moron I backed off... by backing up into a previously scoped spot for a K turn.
And couldn't pull forward again. Much of the weight was on the left rear wheel which was spinning in sand. The left front wheel was on solid dirt road but wouldn't pull me. The right front wheel was touching the ground but not getting enough weight for traction? Right rear wheel simply didn't get power; it all went to the spinning side? I pictured it sorta balanced on left front and right rear and the other wheels just spun.
Eventually what worked was: jack up the left rear wheel and put some wood under there so I wouldn't keep digging myself in further. Then gun it!
Here is was my thinking: I was in a hard spot with both a front and rear wheel spinning. Plus the 4ETS system might not have been engaging completely as I transitioned from brakes to gas (and preparing to give it brakes again, we didn't have a lot of room if it lurched!). I needed ignore my impulse of letting off the gas as soon as it spun and/or covering the brake in case we got going and instead give the 4ETS system a chance.
I'm still on stock tires, pressures, etc. My old chains from the vanimal don't fit and I haven't put on skid plates and basically acted like a fool. Glad I got away with it.
Any comments on my thinking about how the 4x4 works or the "put wood under the tire" approach? What else could I have tried? Happy to be learn from you all! Thanks.