A simple trip pickup 4 customers from Kuala Lumpur Hotel and a nice drive to Lata Berembun (Berembun waterfall) 2.5 hours away from Kuala Lumpur. I was told be wary as there was the usual NEW YEARS EVE party up there and they ran a COMP on day 2 (6 trucks). One of the participants told me we winched downhill it's muddy was all he said and laughed.
I took my god winched 13B-T powered LC II and the 35" MAXXIS Mudd terrain tires since ive stopped using SIMEX XT's. Last 3 trips here I have not winched RED at all only the open DIFFED blue handbag needs to winch on this track.
The track is 10k bottom to top (uphill all the way)
The first sign of trouble was when the usual rough Y junction turnoff and it as was smooth after that I could see the RUTS damn some serious traffic ( I find out later 40+ 4x4's and 30-50 motorbikes and 6 comp trucks) on it. Then the bamboo grove climb it was GONE replaced by DEEP ruts deep into a trench. The 35" sneakers make it 1/2 ay and then I bottom out. The GOD winch comes out only after I climb out the window I cannot open the door. TRees none one already pulled out and a STEEL anchor stake further up hello it's obviously got really bad. I winch out of the first obstacle then the second the strap pulls of the Steel stake and I have to select a tree much further up.
RED finishes the rest of the 100 meter climb under its own power.
The rest of the climb is uneventful the river crossing is easy and low The mudhole before is just deep. The BIG rock climbs out of the river reasy for the MAXXIS MT tires.
Then the big shock the last 600 meters the first 80 meters its just torn up This is where the comp boys turned around on the SS. Yes they used the track as one SS 600 meters down and back up
.The uphill mud still to go
The view back down and way behind RED
FYI from the pic to the top roughly 150 meters or 3 winches took me another 40 minutes of slogging my way through the mud and then 5 more mins or less I was at the waterfall 400 meters away.
I bottom out. Out with the winch and pull a tree over - damn out with the axe as its lying over the track.
Next tree and RED effortlessly pulls itself up and keeps winching. Round the corner I half expected it a war zone a SEA of CLAY I get barely 50 meters and bottom out. 500 meters left I look at my watch 11.00am already 1.5 hours gone 9.5k travelled. I step one step at a time through the MUD pulling a strap and 60 meters of 11mm STEEL cable , back into the truck winch 50-60 meters and do it all again - it's exhausting I repeat this over and over 12 times according to the customers. I'm due to meet the wife in the gym tonite 8pm haha I'm doing a gym workout junglegym style. One winch left I manage to get RED to drive 30 meters until it cannot climb over a tree root there is just no grip for the MAXXIS tires. Winch again. Wow we crest the rise waterfall is 300 meters away and 2 ore hours have passed by. Then I see the other SS's wow another war zone. I have consumed 1.5 liters of drink in the past 45 minutes the mud has just sapped me my arms ache from hauling the heavy steel cable and jerking it out when it pinches up. Jammed winch cable everything I have dealt with - however RED to me was simply awesome it just did what I expected effortlessly. People say give me AT's and a Winch and you can go anywhere - I say give me RED and it's god winch and I can take it anywhere. That modified 13B-T engine just provides so much effortless torque it barely raised a sweat the entire mud trail.
Its 1.35pm (wow normally its 1 hour run its taken 4 physical hours I feel it) and I pull out the lunch stuff. I take off my shirt its filthy and no spare have a wash and prepare lunch. The girls tell me to sit down and relax they will cook lunch. We get out the cold drinks from the fridge and celebrate Their first jungle trip in a 4x4 they loving it. Then they try and guess my age.
Finally its 4.00pm lunch is over the cold GRAPES eaten and the hot pasta lunch and the cold drinks consumed the roar of the waterfall has massaged our ears and the howl of the monkeys and birds in the background is going to become a memory and the truck is quickly packed. Time for home. 1 hour and we have slid our way down to the bottom winching once. We cleaned out RED's wheels they were completely covered in thick MUD.
I realise the brakes are GONE coming down.
In Bentong 20k away we find a truck wash and I pay $30rm to have it cleaned then continue the last 80k home no brakes only gears.
RED pulls over the 750 meter Genting Highlands climb at 100kph turbo singing hard.
Kuala Lumpur is 8.30pm after crawling our way through rush hour traffic and not using the brakes.
4 Sets of PADS and 2 rear DISCS needed to be replaced next morning.
More pics and video later when I get it from the customers.
The customers - they coming back another ladies trip this time 2-3 days.
Its just not suitable for this weekends friday night kiwi's fullthrottle trip at all the venue has been changed to a more vehicle friendly trip as we do have to have him at the airport by 1.30pm saturday.
pics
The customers or are they my cooking crew.
The customers and their chauffer.
My new cooks and the lunch they cooked up.
The jungle towers above us
All I could see of the waterfall I as just too busy to walk to it.
The pretty river flowing from the waterfall
The start of the return journey mud slide.
