I absolutely MUST go 'wheeling Monday evening, Aug 13th--can you come, too?
- Thread starter TurboMinivan
- Start date
TurboMinivan
Still plays with cars
- Location
- Lehi, UT
Not yet. We'll congregate at 5:00.
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Trying to go...we'll meet you up there.
kellerexpress
Active Member
- Location
- Spanish Fork
Thanks guys, my daughter and I had a blast, it was cool meeting all of you
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workdog
Member
- Location
- Salt Lake Till I Die!
Thanks for planning this Turbominivan!
pics and videos
pics and videos
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Dempsey, how did the rig work out for ya? Any issues?
- Location
- Vehicular limbo
Wow, the ditch was really dry, huh?
TurboMinivan
Still plays with cars
- Location
- Lehi, UT
Issues? Oh, yeah. At the reservoir, I aired down but forgot to disconnect the swaybar. I realized this just as we were getting to the Forest Lake turnoff (stream crossing), so I stopped right there to take care of it... but I couldn't. The swaybar bushings were effectively glued to the pins! I was hammering on them but neither one would budge. Oh well, I figured, I'll just leave the bar connected like I always used to do.
Back in my Jeep, I engaged 4LO and crossed the stream. Immediately on the other side--we're talking 25 feet from where I had stopped to fiddle with the swaybar--is one largish rock on the right side of the trail. Just as I put my front tire on it, I heard a loud ping! as the left swaybar disconnect bolt ripped out of its threads and went shooting off into the dirt beside me:
You have got to be kidding me.
Now that I had broken it, I had to find a way to eliminate the problem. I had to unbolt both swaybar pins at the axle since the %$#@! bushings wouldn't come off, and I also removed the upper link bolts. Only after all this could I finally get the links off the Jeep.
I initially tried using zip ties to hold the swaybar up next to the frame, but those broke very soon thereafter. Thankfully, someone (Ryan?) had some bailing wire on hand and it proved to be sufficiently strong to hold things in place. (You can see the bailing wire in the above photo.)
I called Tera this morning to complain about this component failure. Sam basically told me, "the new style links aren't designed to remain connected when you flex the suspension." Really? Really?!? (sigh)
At least he's giving me new replacement parts. While I genuinely appreciate that, it still doesn't solve the problem of getting the bushings off the damn pins. I better figure something out quick.
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sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
that's too bad. I guess in the grand scheme of things it's not the worst thing that could have happened.
jinxspot
~ Bush Eater's Offroad ~
- Location
- Salt Lake Utah
Just trying to educate a bit on why RME teaches Tread Lightly... (bullet item #3)
I’m not one to jump on someone for where to drive or and where not to drive as I think we all can learn constructively from each other (believe me I've been on the receiving end of not so constructive criticism), but the following picture shows a nice section of terrain that is relatively close to the begging of the Forest Lake Trail and it looks as if you guys were taking a bypass to the right of the actual trail, correct me if I’m wrong I may have misinterpreted the situation.
When I hear that a stock-ish vehicle can make it thru all the trails on AF Canyon I sometimes wonder if the actual trail is what’s driven on. Now believe me I know you didn't create that portion of the trail, but next time I would just suggest taking the time to spot each vehicle thru those rocky sections.
Mr.Tacoma spent 3 hours going over these senarios at the RME Training Day and its the only reason why I know this:
(Check out bullet Item #3)
http://www.treadlightly.org/page.php/responsible-four/Recreation-Tips.html
Thanks for planning this Turbominivan!
pics and videos
I’m not one to jump on someone for where to drive or and where not to drive as I think we all can learn constructively from each other (believe me I've been on the receiving end of not so constructive criticism), but the following picture shows a nice section of terrain that is relatively close to the begging of the Forest Lake Trail and it looks as if you guys were taking a bypass to the right of the actual trail, correct me if I’m wrong I may have misinterpreted the situation.
When I hear that a stock-ish vehicle can make it thru all the trails on AF Canyon I sometimes wonder if the actual trail is what’s driven on. Now believe me I know you didn't create that portion of the trail, but next time I would just suggest taking the time to spot each vehicle thru those rocky sections.
Mr.Tacoma spent 3 hours going over these senarios at the RME Training Day and its the only reason why I know this:
(Check out bullet Item #3)
http://www.treadlightly.org/page.php/responsible-four/Recreation-Tips.html
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
yeah, there's a BIG, new, bypass around the rocky section above the river crossing. It's really the only semi-challenging spot on the trail, and people have made their own trail around the obstacles. That bypass wasn't there last year.
TurboMinivan
Still plays with cars
- Location
- Lehi, UT
I received my replacement parts this afternoon, just as Sam had promised. Now I just need to bolt them in... and figure out a way to make them disconnect as designed.
kellerexpress
Active Member
- Location
- Spanish Fork
I would just make sure you lube them up good because they weren't going anywhere last night.
TurboMinivan
Still plays with cars
- Location
- Lehi, UT
That's the thing: Matt did use a generous amount of (red) grease on the pins--I could see it all over the place. Even still, the bushings wouldn't budge. It was so bad, I called Matt this morning and accused him of using red Loctite by mistake.
kellerexpress
Active Member
- Location
- Spanish Fork
Lol that's funny
iconwill
ROXX N ROLLER
- Location
- Salt Lake City, UT
Demps,
We still had a great time. What a great bunch of guys. Jinx, I don't recognize the spot in the photo, but it is our group. You have my admiration for bringing it up and communicating the concern. We all need to learn from those with more experience. You make Jeeping great. Thanks!
To everyone one else, thanks for a great time. I look forward to wheeling with you again.
What about your neighbor. Did he make it home safely?
wh
We still had a great time. What a great bunch of guys. Jinx, I don't recognize the spot in the photo, but it is our group. You have my admiration for bringing it up and communicating the concern. We all need to learn from those with more experience. You make Jeeping great. Thanks!
To everyone one else, thanks for a great time. I look forward to wheeling with you again.
What about your neighbor. Did he make it home safely?
wh
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
*edit: I am posting this for educational purposes, not to point the finger at anyone.*
This is the illegal bypass that Jinxspot was talking about, where the black jeep is. It would take some careful spotting, but everyone can make it past the rock section on the other side of the tree.
That's probably the most challenging part of the trail. We've taken a stock full size stock dodge through there before. That "bypass" where the black xj is didn't exist last year, there wasn't a trail there. After 4 or 5 people decide they don't want to risk the rocky part and plow their own trail, it starts to look well-traveled and even official. In some cases it makes it tough to tell where the actual trail is, but on that particular spot of the trail, it's pretty clear that the rocky section is the actual trail. Even if there's bare dirt on the side of an obstacle, it's always best to stay as close to the center of the established trail as possible. If you don't feel comfortable going through a section of the trail, it's best to turn around and try it another day rather than widening the trail and going around the obstacles. It's too bad someone chose to do that in the first place, it's so traveled now that it looks like part of the trail.
Stephen from iconic camping does an excellent explanation of these concepts at the training days. It's a great class that all wheelers, young and old, should hear multiple times.
Anyway, thanks for taking it the right way guys. I know Jinxspot isn't trying to call you out and make you feel like idiots (and neither am I), it's just a good opportunity to educate those who see the pictures and think "well, if they did it, I can do it too." Perhaps this is one of the service projects we can tackle on our upcoming NPLD, although the Utah 4x4 club has adopted that trail and they would probably spearhead those efforts.
This is the illegal bypass that Jinxspot was talking about, where the black jeep is. It would take some careful spotting, but everyone can make it past the rock section on the other side of the tree.
That's probably the most challenging part of the trail. We've taken a stock full size stock dodge through there before. That "bypass" where the black xj is didn't exist last year, there wasn't a trail there. After 4 or 5 people decide they don't want to risk the rocky part and plow their own trail, it starts to look well-traveled and even official. In some cases it makes it tough to tell where the actual trail is, but on that particular spot of the trail, it's pretty clear that the rocky section is the actual trail. Even if there's bare dirt on the side of an obstacle, it's always best to stay as close to the center of the established trail as possible. If you don't feel comfortable going through a section of the trail, it's best to turn around and try it another day rather than widening the trail and going around the obstacles. It's too bad someone chose to do that in the first place, it's so traveled now that it looks like part of the trail.
Stephen from iconic camping does an excellent explanation of these concepts at the training days. It's a great class that all wheelers, young and old, should hear multiple times.
Anyway, thanks for taking it the right way guys. I know Jinxspot isn't trying to call you out and make you feel like idiots (and neither am I), it's just a good opportunity to educate those who see the pictures and think "well, if they did it, I can do it too." Perhaps this is one of the service projects we can tackle on our upcoming NPLD, although the Utah 4x4 club has adopted that trail and they would probably spearhead those efforts.
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Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Fun to read about, wish we could have made it. Got home too late last night, went to see Batman instead. See some of you this weekend.
Thanks for updating some of us newer guys on what is right and wrong. Honestly I had no idea that the spot we went through was not a part of the trail. I believe that there are a few more spots like this later but once again. What do you do if you do not know. Hopefully in the future I can get out with some more expirenced guys and learn more when time is available.
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