All four flares made it through the "Con"

[Taz]

Unfortunately the front passenger side door and rear quarter panel/tail light/tailgate where not so lucky

I also have a strange leak from the front dif? The bolts holding the dif were all loose when I got to Rubicon Springs? Which is very strange because I had about five thousand miles including Moab on the rebuild and I even checked all those bolts before leaving for the "con". I tightened down all the bolts but I still have a pretty good leak, the gasket must be cracked? I was thankfull not to "break" any thing as it sounds like some other 80's weren't so lucky?


We had a great time and can't wait till the next!

When is 80's on the Con?

 

[clarkrw3]

damn!! sounds like you had a blast mark. I want an evaluation of the performance of your rig...

 

[Cruiserdrew]

That loosening of the front diff is very common. I've had it happen and know of one other. The thin paper gasket does get destroyed and so you have to go through the whole exercise of pulling the axles and diff out to fix it. I re-torque those guys every oil change, but even then, I'm not sure that will keep it fixed.

The Rubicon trip this year was a blast, your body damage is why I bring my FJ40!

 

[Taz]

The rig performed perfect...the only time I had to "back up" was trying to avoid body damage. The truck just crawled (slid) up, over or around anything I pointed it at. The quarter panel happened when I slid sideways off a rock a little before Buck Island. I guess the guy spotting me in the 40 forgot I was a couple feet longer . The other was from Big Sluice... in the dark...this boulder just jumped out and hit my door! I have to say cudos to all at Slee for all the parts and advice over the years. I was one of the few in my group that didn't break something over the week. Now the question is, do I fix the quarter panel or just "Bob" it so it doesn't happen again?

I got the heavy duty tie rod/relay rod right before I left from Slee and I am REALLY glad I did. Somewhere on Big Sluice I had both front tires off the ground with a bolder wedged under the tie rod and it hardly scratched it.

 

[clarkrw3]

Sweet, glad to here everything worked so well. I have been thinking about those tie rods, but figured I would wait till I broke something...maybe I should rethink that. I would think that the rear quarter should be able to be popped out from the inside....doesn't look that bad. pull off the panel on the inside and give it a few hits and see where you get....the door is harder but might be the same type of thing.

 

[locrwln1]

That is part of the reason I sold the 4runner and got out of rock crawling. That extra body length over my jeep was a real pain, the wheelbase was great. I started out with a super clean one owner. Once the plasma cutter and the rocks got done with it, it wasn't so clean. Looks like a great trip.

Jack

 

[concretejungle]

I dig body damage, so i say leave it as a trail story.

As for the bolts on the front diff coming loose, can you locktite them?

 

[locrwln1]

Sweet, glad to here everything worked so well. I have been thinking about those tie rods, but figured I would wait till I broke something...maybe I should rethink that. I would think that the rear quarter should be able to be popped out from the inside....doesn't look that bad. pull off the panel on the inside and give it a few hits and see where you get....the door is harder but might be the same type of thing.

Also try a normal bathroom plunger. They work great on large parts like doors and body panels. Use it like a slide hammer, just push against the dent and "pop" it back out. Takes a few pops but you can remove an amazing amount of a dent with one.

 

[TiredIronGRB]

You would be suprised how much of that damage a good "Painless Dent Removal" guy could get out..that is if you let them have first shot at it.

 

[Newps]

Taz I PMed you to give me a call. Would love to hear the details of your adventure. I might be heading up to do the Rubicon next month with some of the editors of Four Wheeler. We are going to squeeze this thing through the Con. This ought to be interesting. *updated picture with winch.*

Go figure how the most obvious thing to get ripped off came through with out a problem.

 

[concretejungle]

no winch on that thing? they must be awefully confident.

 

[Dusty]

that project titan build up is available at the 4wheeler website. impressive machine

 

[concretejungle]

wait a second, now the pic has changed and it has agressive tires and a winch. Now that's a little diffrent.

 

[gnx7]

I'm suprised you suffered that much body damage even with 37's. There is no way in hell I would attempt that trail with my 33's.

I wonder what that Titan will look like after the "Con." Bet that paint and clean body will get some trail buffing.

 

[cruiserdan]

Nothing quite like 4 thousand bucks worth of damage to make it a fun trip....

 

[Brentbba]

Jeez - I don't think my flares fared as well on Holcomb Creek in Big Bear! I'm trimming all them up when I have the time.

 

[Newps]

Nothing quite like 4 thousand bucks worth of damage to make it a fun trip....

Keep in mind this truck is a crusher (i.e. it will be crushed). It has no VIN and is a pre-production unit. Most of our project vehicles come this way, when we are done with them they die an ugly death. So until then wheel the hell out of them.

Bentbba:

Your flares were fine on Holcomb Creek, it's the mud flaps that need to go. I think you can get away with just trimming them for awhile but you run the risk of the mud flaps ripping off your fender flares.

 

[FirstToy]

That loosening of the front diff is very common. I've had it happen and know of one other. The thin paper gasket does get destroyed and so you have to go through the whole exercise of pulling the axles and diff out to fix it. I re-torque those guys every oil change, but even then, I'm not sure that will keep it fixed.

Do you have the torque spec handy? Or do you go by feel

 

[Brentbba]

Bentbba:

Your flares were fine on Holcomb Creek, it's the mud flaps that need to go. I think you can get away with just trimming them for awhile but you run the risk of the mud flaps ripping off your fender flares.

My - yep flares just fine - mud flaps beat to death.

 

[cruiserdan]

Take the flappies off on the rough trails.