RTI, and why can't we all get along?

[jmbrodsky@domain.elided]

Tom,

        Just as an aside, if the HUMMER in the TTC is the burgundy one
that eventually rolled on the hill climb, that is the very same person
that gave me my HUMMER brush guard.  Sam Stein in Phoenix gave it to 
me as he was getting a new one from Stinger.  I'm on the hummer list
too, and they do alot of discussing of RTI and Trailability, however,
the HUMMER is not a UNIMOG.  I bought, then returned a MOG about two
months ago (had a terrible tranny noise after 35 min. of driving) and
these trucks are AMAZING!  The Mog is spec'd that any wheel can lift
36" before any other wheel lifts.  Yet, when compared to my Travelall
I can lift any wheel 31" before any other wheel lifts (74" on a 25deg
ramp).  Head to head the mog is far and away superior, then the HUMMER
then these crazy J@@ps, but each has it's purpose and abilities.  Allan's
Pickup is even better than mine!  My only hope is that with 3/4T springs
(or the new Trailmaster that I hear about) my articulation might be 
better.  We'll see.

        Well, I'm off to my Phoenix Scout club meeting.  Talk to you all
tomorrow.

     -Joel Brodsky

         '76 IHC Scout II 345/tf727 RE8000, Cibie40s, custom 
                rear tire rack, 6 different color body panels.
                Not much sport, all utility.
         '75 IHC Travelall 150 4wd 392/tf727 Hummer brush guard, 
                3/4T rear springs, Hella Rallye 2000s, Con-Ferr 5x7,
                Class IV hitches front and rear, 3" Exhaust.
                1st Place, Rocky Mountain IH Rendezvous,
                3rd Place, Tulare IH Western Regionals

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Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 10:20:24 -0400
From: tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)
Subject: RTI

I think long wheelbase rigs *are* penalized on the RTI Ramp... and on
purpose.  Remember that the RTI was designed to score *stock* (new)
vehicles... to give some type of "figure" that rated a rig's "off-road
worthiness" ...
<snip>
For another comparision... look at the Hummer.  Read last year's TTC in
FourWheeler.. the Hummer's articulation was horrible... 400-something... but
he could drive right off the end of the ramp w/o tipping.  The extra track
width didn't do much good in this situation either.

I've read FourWheeler trying to explain the RTI figures a few times.. and
this is at least similar to what their answers are... they never thought
it'd catch on like it has. :-)

- -Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'77 Scout II - 730RTI stock, 810RTI w/ 4" lift

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