How hard is the Rusty Nail trail?

[themaniam1]

Some friends want to take us on the Rusty Nail trail this weekend while we are in Moab and then onto the Crack, Gold Bar and out PSM. I have heard that it has some tough oblsticles. Both my rigs are Rubicon LJs, one only has a 2" lift the other is on 35s with 6" long arm.

I have to take both rigs to fit my family and I am not worried about the LJ on 35s, it is the basically stock Rubi LJ that I am worried about. So do I do the trail?

 

[Cody]

stock rubi? I'm not so sure I would take it on there. There is a 'bypass' for the first obstacle, but it's not necessarily that simple nor do I think it should be there. I think you'd have a hard time with the smaller rig.

I'd say if you're on 33's it's doable since you're locked, but if anything smaller you're going to get hung up

 

[themaniam1]

That is what I was thinking. I just sold our other built rig and now have some funds for this one but have not yet done it. It only has 31s.

We have done PSM and Steel Bender. We are have a few reletives riding with us who have never been rock crawling and want us to "scare" them if we can. Plan on playing on Fins and Things to get them use to wheeling Friday evening. What trails would you recommend knowing that I have to take the smaller Jeep as well?

 

[Greg]

Hells Revenge is always a good choice for a smaller-tire'd vehicle. You ought to be able to scare the bejesus out of them with Hells Gate!

 

[waynehartwig]

The first time I ran Rusty Nail, I had a 4.5" long arm kit and 31" MTR's and the trail is nothing now like it was before.

The first obstacle I finally got after playing with tire placement and rock stacking - more of the stacking than anything The bypass wasn't there then and it's still not much of a bypass.

The second obstacle I couldn't get (couldnt get my front tires on top and would slide back down) and there was a full size blazer in the crack off to the right, so I took a strap to climb the rock faced wall to the left.

From there I drove the rest unassisted.

That trail has changed since then, though and I don't think I'd take an LJ on it unless it had at least 35" tires. Mostly because of break over/departure angles.

My opinion is Rusty Nail is a more difficult trail because of being technical. Lot's of good places to flop on there if you don't have your tires in the right place all the time.....

 

[mbryson]

STUPID bypass, IMHO

 

[Bart]

It's not a bad trail at all, once you're past the first two obstacles. Just drag the little Rubi up both and have a blast.

 

[del0075]

i have done it twice .one time with a stock cj 7 with 32" tires. both times we came from the crack down. we had to pull the cj over most the obstacles, but it was a fun ride :greg:

 

[Brett]

I ran it open on 33's......

 

[Cody]

I tend not to encourage people to take under equipped vehicles on trails--especially if you're going to drag them up 2/3 of the trail (since there are 3 obstacles, being dragged up 2 of them would be 2/3's). It can ruin the day when you aer spending your entire time stacking rocks and being dragged over things, and then in the situation where the "tow rig" on the trail happens to have a problem, you're in a bad spot.

There are plenty of challenging trails out there for a rig of any build, I would say just stick to that. Newbies will be more frightened and amazed by Hells Revenge than they would Rusty Nail IMO.

 

[BroncoMama]

I tend not to encourage people to take under equipped vehicles on trails--especially if you're going to drag them up 2/3 of the trail (since there are 3 obstacles, being dragged up 2 of them would be 2/3's). It can ruin the day when you aer spending your entire time stacking rocks and being dragged over things, and then in the situation where the "tow rig" on the trail happens to have a problem, you're in a bad spot.

There are plenty of challenging trails out there for a rig of any build, I would say just stick to that. Newbies will be more frightened and amazed by Hells Revenge than they would Rusty Nail IMO.

Well said. The thrills are fewer and farther between the closer you get to the top of the hill. Enjoy your time at the middle, there's a lot of fun to be had there!

 

[notajeep]

I have a few pics. Keep in mind that these are 40" tires next to the rocks.

 

[benjy]

I would not run it with the stock LJ :sick:

 

[Bart]

I tend not to encourage people to take under equipped vehicles on trails--especially if you're going to drag them up 2/3 of the trail (since there are 3 obstacles, being dragged up 2 of them would be 2/3's).

Whole heartedly disagree, to a point. Those first two obstacles are within a two block area, making up less than 1/10th of that trail, and the rest of the trail has some great scenery.

In your favor, I guess I missed the part where they were newbies, and if that be the case then by all means, do something else. The first time on the trail would require experience on tougher trails, and a good spotter.

 

[Cody]

I guess I only consider Rusty Nail the section of trail between the first obstacle, and when it dumps off....so like maybe a mile?

By those standards you could say a stock escalade could do 90% of pritchett, since the tradational route is about 21 miles, but only 2 of those miles contains any formidable obstacles

 

[Bart]

And I read it as going up Gold Bar, doing Rusty Nail, then the Golden Crack, then out the Spike, and back down Gold Bar. You say potatoe and I spell potato. I would like to see an Escalade out there. Can we take yours?

 

[CJ Matt]

Unfortunately was only a passenger earlier this year on Rusty Nail but I want to do it next time I have my Jeep down there. Below is the carnage from the 3 Cherokees, 1 TJ and 1 Rubicon:

1 steering linkage
1 axleshaft ujoint
1 rear yoke and ujoint
1 rear ujoint yoke and driveshaft
1 tire

It turned out to be a long day.

 

[leorn]

I have always liked moab rim for a good pucker factor. It's one of my favorites.

 

[del0075]

I have always liked moab rim for a good pucker factor. It's one of my favorites.

makes for a nice night ride...

 

[waynehartwig]

There is definately a lot of carnage possibilities for a newbie on this trail... There are several places if your tires aren't placed correctly, you will flop or worse. The second obstacle, if you go end over end you may not stop before the cliff. The third? obstacle has even left seasoned vets on their side because they weren't paying attention. The fourth? obstacle where you drive out on the rock and then onto the ledge is on a cliff.

That said there are lots of death possibilities on Hells Revenge, too. But the difference between the two is HR can handle a stock rig (no lockers and 29" tires) where RN can't.