2016 Cruise Moab Kokopelli Expedtion team thread (1 Viewer)

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Hi everyone!

I'm Garth, bringing the Tacoma all the way from New Hampshire. This will be my first Cruise Moab, and first wheeling trip in the area period. I'm familiar with wheeling in the mud/snow/granite mix we can get here in New England, but slick rock will be a new experience for me.

My girlfriend and I will be making the 2300 mile trip in a regular cab, so its gonna be cozy. We are leaving the 30th and expect to get in sometime early Monday.
I've owned the truck since 2010, and 3 years ago I converted it from a 2WD Prerunner to 4x4 in my driveway. I just finished an ARB install in the rear axle, so right now it is fully locked, armored, geared, crawl boxed, and rolling on 33's. I have OBA if anyone else needs help airing up, and Ill be bringing an electric impact gun along with a ton of tools and some spare parts. I'm a heavy industrial mechanic and no stranger to turning wrenches on Toyotas, so I can help out if anyone else runs into trouble.

To meet the CB requirement, I've been looking at the Bearcat 880 with a 3' antenna. If anyone has some pointers or suggestions on the subject, they would be very appreciated.

I dont have any sweet desert wheeling pics, so Ill add one from my phone. It was my truck sleeping until the road salt went away this year.
 
IMG_20160206_184244.jpg
Here is it!
 
Everyone has great action photos.
Ok this my 80 try to nudge its way under the tent, just wasn't ready for the sunshine.
20150429_202135.jpg
20150430_083433.jpg
 
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AKayl said:
On the trail run for Cruiserfest we did a check before hitting some high speed dirt, one guy had two broken studs, and there where 3 or 4 trucks that they where loose on 0_o
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Please check prior to event. Removing and replacing broken or sheared off studs is not a fun thing to do on the trail. 17mm socket and 75 lbs setting on a torque wrench is all you need to check them. Can't see everything coming, but it's nice to check to hopefully avoid issues. ~chris
 
Hi I am Cliff Hall and this will be my second time on Kokopelli trail. Went last year with Stan leading and Chris gunning, we had a great time along with a few challenges to make it interesting. Great to see that some veterans of last year's run are back for more. My brother Richard is riding with me again this year. This will be my fifth Cruise Moab since first attending in 2010.
Since last year I have received my Ham license KK6YYG and installed a Ham radio, if you haven't switched to Ham I highly recommend it. Talk to me about how wife and I got stuck in Capitol Reef with no contact on CB or Cell, when I got back Ham license was first thing I did.

After a long day on the Kokopelli, nothing like a dip in the river.
Cruiser River.jpg


My 2000 Land Cruiser, 295 BFG AT KO, OME T-bars springs, Slee (rear bump, front skid, dropdiff, sliders) ICONs, locker front and rear, etc, etc ...

Expect I will be helping with Tech Inspection this year, so make sure your rig meets the checklist and is good shape. The number of days out on the trail, length and remoteness make breakdowns on this trail more of a challenge. The group last year came together to resolve a couple of big breakdowns in amazing fashion, so you are in good hands if the unexpected happens, but good rig prep and some spares make it a lot better.
 
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Garth223 said:
To meet the CB requirement, I've been looking at the Bearcat 880 with a 3' antenna. If anyone has some pointers or suggestions on the subject, they would be very appreciated.
Click to expand...

@ridgelinescouter and I have the Cobra 18 WX ST II as it is the only single DIN CB out there. Both of us have it and an aftermarket single DIN stereo replacing factory double DIN stereo in the dash. It also being cheap and a front facing speaker was a consideration. I would not go higher end on CB and put what you save into a Ham radio. You can get into a 5 Watt ham handheld for $30 and test for license is easy with just several hours of study. Offroaders are moving to Ham and Offroading groups are promoting that move.
Good information on installing at this site, also this seller caters to offroaders.
Learning Center
 
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bluecruiser said:
Please check prior to event. Removing and replacing broken or sheared off studs is not a fun thing to do on the trail. 17mm socket and 75 lbs setting on a torque wrench is all you need to check them. Can't see everything coming, but it's nice to check to hopefully avoid issues. ~chris
Click to expand...

Studs! Two inner right moved about .25"
Will monitor!
20160409_151624.jpg
 
Also another thing for you 80 owners to check is the engine wiring harness. @ridgelinescouter and I will be replacing his next week.

20160407_142515-edt.jpg


The top arrow points to heater valve in center of firewall above engine, center arrow melted wire and burned insulation, bottom arrow the EGR riser where harness rubbed. In this case while the harness is wrapped in thermal insulation rubbing against hot riser did it in over time. The harness is normally in a plastic housing over the top of heater valve and drops down to engine on driver side of heater valve.
The harness also has some plastic clips by the fuel injectors, these clips can get brittle and fail, then the metal brackets the clips fasten to can cut into the wiring, so you might want to check those.
So the harness should be well away from EGR riser and if thermal insulation is looking worn, its time for some new stuff. While @ridgelinescouter and I will have experience dealing with this, we would rather not do it on the trail.
BTW this will likely first show up by blowing one of the fusible links by the battery, and will sometimes run okay after replacing fusible link. Whatever you do don't replace the fusible link with regular wire, folks have and it was bad.
 
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Well it never fails doing some cleaning and my passenger side seat worm gear failed, looks like I'll be ordering a replacement from Gamaviti. I love this truck but sometimes the joy of owning a 23 year old vehicle can be a bit much.
 
Hi Don, the picture is called "Emergency Breach". ;)
 
Skidoo - Thanks for the suggestion. 61.50 with free prime shipping seems like a pretty good deal to me. Will a 3' antenna be sufficient for this trip? I don't know about HAM, where I live there's cell service almost everywhere, and I rarely wheel with other vehicles.

All you 80 owners with hardware loosening up, why don't you blue loctite the studs and and use nylocs instead of the factory fasteners? Seems like a simple fix to me.
 
Garth223 said:
Skidoo - Thanks for the suggestion. 61.50 with free prime shipping seems like a pretty good deal to me. Will a 3' antenna be sufficient for this trip? .
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Depends on where you are mounting, mine is on rear bumper so run a 4ft Wilson Flex, puts top about 6' 10" off the road. I don't have to take off for garages and the like. For a bumper mount 3ft would blocked by cab in some directions, want it a little higher than roof. If you are mounting higher then shorter would be ok. Offroading don't want to get too high, low branches and overhanging rocks.
 
Skidoo said:
Also another thing for you 80 owners to check is the engine wiring harness. @ridgelinescouter and I will be replacing his next week.

View attachment 1239106

The top arrow points to heater valve in center of firewall above engine, center arrow melted wire and burned insulation, bottom arrow the EGR riser where harness rubbed. In this case while the harness is wrapped in thermal insulation rubbing against hot riser did it in over time. The harness is normally in a plastic housing over the top of heater valve and drops down to engine on driver side of heater valve.
The harness also has some plastic clips by the fuel injectors, these clips can get brittle and fail, then the metal brackets the clips fasten to can cut into the wiring, so you might want to check those.
So the harness should be well away from EGR riser and if thermal insulation is looking worn, its time for some new stuff. While @ridgelinescouter and I will have experience dealing with this, we would rather not do it on the trail.
BTW this will likely first show up by blowing one of the fusible links by the battery, and will sometimes run okay after replacing fusible link. Whatever you do don't replace the fusible link with regular wire, folks have and it was bad.
Click to expand...

The first sign of this gremlin was an intermittent short that at first was not reproducible. Dash gauges would flutter and indicator lights would blink. This occurred twice before the first FL blew. In both cases, I was in 4L making me think the Center Diff switch/relay/actuator might be suspect. Turns out that the added torque in 4L under hard acceleration would just bring the EGR pipe and harness together.

Bottom line is for 80 owners to check that harness to make sure it's not contacting the EGR pipe. Once you know where to look, it is very evident if the insulation is failing. For mine, I could see discoloration on the pipe from 5 feet away -- once I know where to look! So, use lots of thermal wrap and tie it back, away from that hot pipe.
 
ridgelinescouter said:
Stan, it's great to hear that you're leading Kokopelli again this year!

I'm Don Larson and I drive a '95 80-series, here going down Rose Garden Hill, last year. This is my fourth CM, and third as a driver. For those new to this trail, it is an awesome experience. Stan and Chris are great trail leaders. I did it last year and just had to return!

View attachment 1238047
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Hey Stan,
Just a couple of other details. I am Wilderness First Aid trained, although cert expired. I am current on CPR/AED, and basic Outdoor Emergency Care (for National Ski Patrol). I do pack a kit but that one you have is nice. Wasn't last year's a prototype? Do they have a MUD discount? Please advise.

I have my HAM Technician license, KM6BMO.

Don

P.S. - Thanks for your service!
 
I guess I forgot to mention I have my HAM as well KG7HDU, I also keep a first aid kit in the truck and have taken one wilderness first aid course but have no certs or anything like that. Also what is the checklist that will be gone over for tech or anything I should look at before the trip, I did my U-joints (one of them was powder) and checked the wheel bearings today, planning to do all of the fluids next weekend.
 
Tech inspection form is on CruiseMoab site here is a link to the pdf.
http://www.cruisemoab.com/forms/CM_Safety_Inspection_Form.pdf
More safety and vehicle qualification to the different trail levels.

Check those parking brakes, they get neglected, and we grade hard on them. Important when on a steep slope and you need to get out to resolve an issue.
Another item overlooked is a fully charged Fire Extinguisher.
Check the list over and make sure you are okay.
 
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ridgelinescouter said:
Hey Stan,
Just a couple of other details. I am Wilderness First Aid trained, although cert expired. I am current on CPR/AED, and basic Outdoor Emergency Care (for National Ski Patrol). I do pack a kit but that one you have is nice. Wasn't last year's a prototype? Do they have a MUD discount? Please advise.

I have my HAM Technician license, KM6BMO.

Don

P.S. - Thanks for your service!
Click to expand...

Great to see people with medical training, especially on the overnight runs. There will be a CM discount & we will be debuting our 3 new kits. We're still working out details but things should be in place for the event. See you all in Moab!
 
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