To further elaborate - if this helps ...

During the one day I tested this problem (that I could readily reproduce in those conditions) - I was alternatively level and with a slight gradient (perhaps less than 10 degrees). I could not get above 2k - more like about 1500rpm.

Describing one scenario (access road to beach, with slight snow cover). I attempted to enter the beach got about 10 feet in the road a pair of 10" depressions (someoe before had spun thier wheels to get free). When the front wheels hit this (with speed - less than 10mph) - no problem. When doing the same thing and crawling (less than 5mph) I was not ablle to scale these rutts. No wheels where spinning, one of the rutts could have been deeper than the other I'm not sure, and pushing the gas to floor yielded no more power (1500rpm) than slighty toughing the gas.

I was only able to free myself after rocking back and forth for several mins. It has defintely made me hesitant to use the vechicle in any demanding 4wd situations.

Several months ago I took it out on several beach trips and expierneced very similiar behaviour - if there is no momentum - the car cannot build it (or deliver power sufficient to free itself efficently)

AIM SHERPADUDE2
MSN arnao@interglobal.com