McGrew Trail Pre-Run - July 12th

[K2KK]

Not to intrude on your groups fun, being an out of towner but I've been on the McGrew a few times with stock rigs in the group and they made it with only a few bumps and dings. The open difs are what get them. Plenty of bypasses for the week of heart. And as one said it is as hard as you want it to be.
I'm a late registrant. Jeff should get my app before the deadline. And a new member of TLCA. Never been on a run with only LC's before. I'm excited to see them all. It's always been with Heeps and the such. I run a 70' fj40, Member of the Lost Coast 4x4's.
I do want to thank everyone who posts with help and the write ups. Being a carpenter and a none mechanic helps me tremendously...

[TOY350]

Originally Posted by K2KK

Not to intrude on your groups fun, being an out of towner but I've been on the McGrew a few times with stock rigs in the group and they made it with only a few bumps and dings. The open difs are what get them. Plenty of bypasses for the week of heart. And as one said it is as hard as you want it to be.
I'm a late registrant. Jeff should get my app before the deadline. And a new member of TLCA. Never been on a run with only LC's before. I'm excited to see them all. It's always been with Heeps and the such. I run a 70' fj40, Member of the Lost Coast 4x4's.
I do want to thank everyone who posts with help and the write ups. Being a carpenter and a none mechanic helps me tremendously...

Just to clarify we are running on July 12th as a fun run for our new chapter members to get to know one another and such (no fees, no registration, just guys getting together). The official TLCA run that you must sign up for is on July 25-27 which most of us will also be on.

[K2KK]

I gathered that toy350. My post was just...well two fold. One to say that the trail is Ok for a stock rig and just a bit of an introduction of sorts. I am new to the TLCA group as I said and just wanted to pipe in. I am looking forward to meeting those that I can on this sanctioned run. I live in a jeep world down here and anyone enthused about LC's are friends. So if you see a blue 70' with a black softtop, pto, 35's, a gal and a couple of kids in tow rolling in on Friday night stick your hand up and . I'll know then you are a friend... It is a great run, cruisers rule...

[TOY350]

OK, I just wanted to make sure you were on the right track on the runs and you are!

Some of us will actually be heading in to camp via the trail on Friday and hanging out there all weekend, most will be on the official sanctioned run Saturday. You are welcome on both.

See you soon!

[K2KK]

Thanks for the invite. Are you guys giong into Sourdough on friday night of the sanctioned run? I'll be getting into O'Brien on that evening and camping there, then heading up and down into camp in the morning. Perhaps even back to O'Brien via the trail on Sunday. That's very tentative though. I have been through a total of only three times and the last time I ended up leaning up against a rock and not on all four. It can be what you make of it.
At any rate, if you see me or my rig give a yell. I only know one other that is going. He drives an 80 series. Have fun on the 12th.

Keith

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

K2KK, I think the plan is one unofficial run through the trail on that friday, and one unofficial group heading in on the fire road on friday???? Then the normal run in on Sat.

Where do you live? And is it Russ that you know with the 80? Just a hunch...

[K2KK]

Hey Jerod, That's what I gathered from the other posts. Though I was just thinking only one unoficicial run on the trail the day before. Your hunch is good, it is Russ and he has some shots and vids of me and my rig, if you haven't seen them already. He's a good guy. Wheeled with him a bunch. He has a nice 80, but we tease him about his tires. I am in Fortuna and an active member of the Lost Coast 4x4 club. For those unfarmiliar with Fortuna, it is just south of Eureka, Ca.

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

My sister used to live in Fortuna Small world.....

[K2KK]

It is a small world. I run into folks I know all over the place.

I'm a carpenter and not a mechanic and I replaced my tierod ends(apparently not doing the correct job) a while back and I just noticed some wear on my front passenger tire. Turns out my toe was out by about 4 degrees! Now I know why they have U bolts to hold on the stabilizer. My buddy welded a bracket on after we straightened and added some angle iron to my tie rod. I had bent it, then straightened it, and to reinforce it we added the angle and welded the stabilizer bracket to it. Now it is in the wrong possition...ofcourse.
I think I should take a welding class. I may need it. I have a couple of onboard stick welders, one to install so I should learn...think.
Looking forward to seeing all the rigs at the end of the month!

[Ebag333]

I've updated the first post with meeting times/locations.

Note that the current timeline that is posted, the timing is very tight with not a lot of extra room, so if you want to come you'd better be on time (or on the phone begging us not to leave you behind ).

How do those locations/times sound to everyone?

We should also plan out some food since this is a sort of all day event (or at least seems to be from what I've heard). Does everyone want to be on their own, or do we want to do a potluck style again? I (along with others, I'm sure) can bring a small camping sized BBQ grill, perfect for lots of hotdogs/sausages or maybe 6-8 hamburger patties.

[knoll0351]

I'm in for this weekend with room for up to four if need be...

[Ebag333]

Originally Posted by knoll0351

I'm in for this weekend with room for up to four if need be...

Glad to hear you can make it!

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Right on, I'm still on the fence.... Found a few more issues on the Caird.... We'll see how it goes... It does run and drive though!

[Fly Rod]

The mud flaps and running boards are off. I only snapped two bolts and spun one nutsert.

I need to pull out all the kids toys and clean out what ever food/mystery items I find under their seats....

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Gabe, you need to do what Steve just did.... Or the panty-mobile may never be the same....

[Ebag333]

Originally Posted by 2ndGenToyotaFan

Gabe, you need to do what Steve just did.... Or the panty-mobile may never be the same....

I intend to. I also need to tear apart my rear diff actuator and clean it up. Anyone done that before?

[TOY350]

Originally Posted by Ebag333

I intend to. I also need to tear apart my rear diff actuator and clean it up. Anyone done that before?

I have and Curtis helped me, but sorry Gabe I'm out of town as of Thursday morning. Maybe Curtis has some time, I have the FSM if needed.

[Ebag333]

Originally Posted by TOY350

I have and Curtis helped me, but sorry Gabe I'm out of town as of Thursday morning. Maybe Curtis has some time, I have the FSM if needed.

Ahhh, that's right. He did offer to help me, I'd clean plumb forgot. Too much information to process.

[TOY350]

You should start by making sure you are getting power to the plug. Unplug the the harness at the actuator and engage the locker switch and look for a hot with a test light. If that's good to go then you might pull the motor and bench test it. Odds are everything is OK, might just be a lube issue to free it up.

[knoll0351]

You said lube...

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Careful hot wiring the motor, without the controller it can "hyper extend" its self (at least the Tacoma lockers can..), and you will have to take it all apart.... If it's not a wiring issue, pull the motor, but test it with the stock harness I think.... You don't need a locker anyway.... I dont' have any!

[Ebag333]

Originally Posted by 2ndGenToyotaFan

Careful hot wiring the motor, without the controller it can "hyper extend" its self (at least the Tacoma lockers can..), and you will have to take it all apart.... If it's not a wiring issue, pull the motor, but test it with the stock harness I think.... You don't need a locker anyway.... I dont' have any!

Curtis has the magic touch.

Now keep in mind, at least on half a dozen occasions I've spent time driving forward, backward, circles, figure eights, reverse circles, reverse figure eights....I've gone until I'm dizzy.

So Curtis first checks to see if the motor is working. We hear it clicking and trying to engage. So he hops in and we start driving along his street.

He says (paraphrased) "That sounds like it's engaged." The light on the dash is still blinking. "No way," I say "Look at the light."

We procede to continue driving, and notice that after turning the locker switch to off, the tires aren't slipping as bad. Repeat this for about another 10 minutes, and we figure out that the locker is actually engaging, just the indicator light THINKS it's not.

Another oddity, multiple times the rear locker would be engaged and light solid (after we used it several times and freed it up). As soon as I kicked on the front locker, the rear would start flashing again, even though it stayed engaged. Turning off the front would cause the rear to go solid again.

Anyway, after quite a bit of driving around the rear seems to be working correctly (including the indicator light, or at least it's less schizo than it was). The center and front will engage instantly nearly every time, the rear still requires some futzing before it'll engage. Hopefully use this weekend will free it up even more.

So:

Rear locker: done

Tail light damage multipliers: gone

Mud flaps: gone

Running boards: gone (buys about 3-4 inches of clearance)

Front damage multiplier: gone (buys about 3 inches clearance)


Looks like I'm ready to go!

[CJF]

Yo! Locka!

Get yo ass workin... NOW!!!