My wife, 7 month old daughter, and I did the rubicon trail a couple weeks ago for rubithon. The trail was a neat experience, we were in a group run with cruisers and company, 8x 80’s and then me, the lone 200. I was surprised to see in the springs I was the only 200 for the entire event. If I had to guess it’s because people believe that the 200 doesn’t belong on that trail. Happy to report that other than a couple dumb things I did myself and one mechanical failure which I couldn’t control, my lx570 did fine. I say that and I did wreck a driveshaft, bent a trailing arm, and did a cv but the cv was expected.
Damage:
- No body damage was added during this trip.
- Blew apart a CV. I say blew apart because it exploded sending the ball bearings flying, also didn’t break at the shaft like I’ve seen in the past.
- Bent a trailing which I think took place during a hard winch pull when I was hung up. This pull is also what lead to my mechanical failure of my winch.
- My comeup winch broke during this trip, second one I’ve gone through at this point in 5 years. Pretty hard pull and after about 30-60 seconds of pulling it stalled the vehicle. Never experienced this before, usually this and the first comeup I had just work. After testing a bunch of things it was determined by myself and comeup that a gear is likely what failed internally, binding the winch up. I say likely because I’m still hunting for the culprit gear.
- Dented my driveshaft in a good amount and also sheared the zirk fitting off. In a moment of shear stupidity I had parked up after an obstacle directly in front of of a pretty large rock. When it was time to roll again I had forgotten entirely about said rock and drove straight over it, the rock caught the driveshaft and the forced the entire axle off the ground. Tried backing off and that lead to the rock rolling a different way shearing the zirk fitting off and also forcing the driveshaft up into my exhaust slightly pinching the exhaust. It was an expensive stupid oversight. No pictures were taken as myself and some others jacked my rig off the rock. Also drove 1000+ miles home with the dented driveshaft before replacing, honestly shocked it didn't have a bad vibration.
- Dissent rear bumper beaten up and starting to shift up into the body. The bumper and swing outs are still in place and function but I’ve definitely reached the point of using this bumper that it needs to be replaced. What dissent makes are amazing products, for 95% of the people who are overlanding and off-roading. I think that maybe I’ve reached a slightly more aggressive or severe use with my rig and aluminum and big swing outs just don’t cut it anymore. I need something minimal, steel, and likely will be cutting some stuff up in the rear to fit a different rear bumper in the future.
All in all I was expecting body damage so happy nothing new was added.
Rubithon was a really neat event which seems to be all 40’s and 80’s, throw in some mini trucks, occasional 4Runner or Ben with his lc250 on portals. Not a single 100 and just me representing the 200’s. Definitely going to make doing the rubicon and probably this event specifically a yearly thing for my family, hope next year maybe some other 200’s will join!
Damage:
- No body damage was added during this trip.
- Blew apart a CV. I say blew apart because it exploded sending the ball bearings flying, also didn’t break at the shaft like I’ve seen in the past.
- Bent a trailing which I think took place during a hard winch pull when I was hung up. This pull is also what lead to my mechanical failure of my winch.
- My comeup winch broke during this trip, second one I’ve gone through at this point in 5 years. Pretty hard pull and after about 30-60 seconds of pulling it stalled the vehicle. Never experienced this before, usually this and the first comeup I had just work. After testing a bunch of things it was determined by myself and comeup that a gear is likely what failed internally, binding the winch up. I say likely because I’m still hunting for the culprit gear.
- Dented my driveshaft in a good amount and also sheared the zirk fitting off. In a moment of shear stupidity I had parked up after an obstacle directly in front of of a pretty large rock. When it was time to roll again I had forgotten entirely about said rock and drove straight over it, the rock caught the driveshaft and the forced the entire axle off the ground. Tried backing off and that lead to the rock rolling a different way shearing the zirk fitting off and also forcing the driveshaft up into my exhaust slightly pinching the exhaust. It was an expensive stupid oversight. No pictures were taken as myself and some others jacked my rig off the rock. Also drove 1000+ miles home with the dented driveshaft before replacing, honestly shocked it didn't have a bad vibration.
- Dissent rear bumper beaten up and starting to shift up into the body. The bumper and swing outs are still in place and function but I’ve definitely reached the point of using this bumper that it needs to be replaced. What dissent makes are amazing products, for 95% of the people who are overlanding and off-roading. I think that maybe I’ve reached a slightly more aggressive or severe use with my rig and aluminum and big swing outs just don’t cut it anymore. I need something minimal, steel, and likely will be cutting some stuff up in the rear to fit a different rear bumper in the future.
All in all I was expecting body damage so happy nothing new was added.
Rubithon was a really neat event which seems to be all 40’s and 80’s, throw in some mini trucks, occasional 4Runner or Ben with his lc250 on portals. Not a single 100 and just me representing the 200’s. Definitely going to make doing the rubicon and probably this event specifically a yearly thing for my family, hope next year maybe some other 200’s will join!
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