Did a little wheeling today. In the process I managed to use every piece of armor on my truck- and found a few places I need more armor.
I met up with a few other mudders and spent some time near Knoxville, IA at a private off road park. It had rained pretty heavily two days ago. But we were hoping it would dry out for us. Unfortunately, it rained again last night, and drizzled all day on top of that. It was a muddy, mucky mess. You didn't drive your truck, you pointed it in a general direction and asked politely to go that way. Most of the time, the truck drove itself. Oh Joy.
Anyway- back to the armor. Jim's sliders (solidrockoffroad.com) saved my doors from damage more times than I can count. The trees were thick in this wooded section and I was using the sliders like pin-ball bumpers. It was great. Not to mention the 2 massive hits they took when I crested a very steep hill and slammed the full weight of the truck on them, twice- on a large boulder that you just couldn't avoid. The first big hit shook the truck violently, and I thought for sure I broke something. But- it's all good.
The front bumper (sleeoffroad.com) took some significant hits. I literally ran head on into a tree three times. Like I said before, steering was just a general input- which is why I hit the same tree three times. The testiment to the build quality of the bumper is the fact that you can't see where I hit the tree. No dent, no ding, not even a powder coat chip. Great bumper.
The rear 4x4 labs bumper (4x4labs.com) got the least of things but saved me from some damage that could have been a lot worse. I slid sideways down part of a hill and smacked the quarter panel on a large tree. One big dent near the gas door, and another good one on the D pillar. I'm thankful it didn't break the sliding glass. Had the bumper wings from the 4x4 labs bumper not kept the tree from pushing in further on the body, I think I might have broken that window, and maybe the marker and tail light as well.
Oh, and I strapped a FJ out of a mud pit. Nice amount of water.... INSIDE the truck!
I also got to use my 12.5k T-MAX winch a bunch today, about three times. Pulled my 80 sideways to get me back on track, and out of a good stuck in deep mud. The mud I was stuck in was up to the axles on the drivers side of the truck, and when I was pulled out I brought a large wall of mud with me. That winch was probably pulling 2-2.5 times the weight of the truck because of the mud and the embankment.
Pics:
Poor FJ
The mud pit I was well stuck in.
Ah- it'll buff right out.
Flexy-Flexy!
I met up with a few other mudders and spent some time near Knoxville, IA at a private off road park. It had rained pretty heavily two days ago. But we were hoping it would dry out for us. Unfortunately, it rained again last night, and drizzled all day on top of that. It was a muddy, mucky mess. You didn't drive your truck, you pointed it in a general direction and asked politely to go that way. Most of the time, the truck drove itself. Oh Joy.
Anyway- back to the armor. Jim's sliders (solidrockoffroad.com) saved my doors from damage more times than I can count. The trees were thick in this wooded section and I was using the sliders like pin-ball bumpers. It was great. Not to mention the 2 massive hits they took when I crested a very steep hill and slammed the full weight of the truck on them, twice- on a large boulder that you just couldn't avoid. The first big hit shook the truck violently, and I thought for sure I broke something. But- it's all good.
The front bumper (sleeoffroad.com) took some significant hits. I literally ran head on into a tree three times. Like I said before, steering was just a general input- which is why I hit the same tree three times. The testiment to the build quality of the bumper is the fact that you can't see where I hit the tree. No dent, no ding, not even a powder coat chip. Great bumper.
The rear 4x4 labs bumper (4x4labs.com) got the least of things but saved me from some damage that could have been a lot worse. I slid sideways down part of a hill and smacked the quarter panel on a large tree. One big dent near the gas door, and another good one on the D pillar. I'm thankful it didn't break the sliding glass. Had the bumper wings from the 4x4 labs bumper not kept the tree from pushing in further on the body, I think I might have broken that window, and maybe the marker and tail light as well.
Oh, and I strapped a FJ out of a mud pit. Nice amount of water.... INSIDE the truck!
I also got to use my 12.5k T-MAX winch a bunch today, about three times. Pulled my 80 sideways to get me back on track, and out of a good stuck in deep mud. The mud I was stuck in was up to the axles on the drivers side of the truck, and when I was pulled out I brought a large wall of mud with me. That winch was probably pulling 2-2.5 times the weight of the truck because of the mud and the embankment.
Pics:
Poor FJ
The mud pit I was well stuck in.
Ah- it'll buff right out.
Flexy-Flexy!
is gonna be on your case 
