SAS Solid Axle Summit 2017 Official Thread

[4Cruisers]

i will be bringing the SWR meter for tuning. I also have my handheld ham if anyone else has one. May be good for to have one up in front and and in the rear in case our convoy line is to long for CB.

Thanks, that would be good. My Wilson 305-38 magnetic base antenna will be here Thursday. It still looks like my wife and I will be able to join the Texas contingent in Taos on the 9th. We booked a room in Monte Vista that night at the same motel @POTATO LAUNCHER (and others?) is staying at.

 

[POTATO LAUNCHER]

Yessir, we have 4 in my group heading out next Wed morning. Will keep you posted on ETA in Taos.

 

[1997 FZJ80 40th]

So I haven't chimed in on this thread since my initial post in March with my name and other particulars. I am so pumped to make this trip. We are sharing a site at 4Js with Brandon Hawkins (user MTMMAN133 on this thread). The 2017 SAS trip coincided nicely with a trip I already had planned with daughter #2 (12 year old). Our family has what is becoming a tradition for each kid to take a Colorado road trip with dad and the RTT Trailer the summer before they start middle school. We start our trip with SAS 2017 in addition to some hiking, rafting and ziplining, etc. Then I spend a week climbing peaks and acclimatizing for the Pike's Peak Ascent race on 8/19.

Now for the confession - despite my best efforts, I have not been able to get my 80 to a point where I have confidence in its safety for the trip. I have done quite a bit of work on it in anticipation of this trip. However the brakes are just not where they need to be for pulling my off-road trailer on twisty roads, mountain passes, I-70, etc. So I have had to punt and will be driving our LX470 which has proven itself on many a trip with my DIY trailer which is on the heavy side (pictured). I wanted to get that out there since the spirit and stated requirement for this trip is to be SAS. We are planning on riding with Brandon in his 60 for the trail running portion of the fun so we will be compliant. However, I will there as a solid axle loving 80 representative. I will have my promised beer contribution (Blue Star - Green Tractor IPA). And I am ready for some campfire banter along the lines of "can you believe just how pesky that pesky heater hose is?" or "to LSPV or not LSPV", etc. I'm looking forward to some 60 guys tag team wrestling some 62 guys in a show of round-headlight vs square headlight dominance. Everyone have a safe drive in and I look forward to meeting everyone. -James

 

[POTATO LAUNCHER]

Thanks for the update James. You and yours are accounted for.
All but "what size tires, how many cup holders?" crap will be tolerated at many campfires. Different crew with the classic guys.

 

[4Cruisers]

Replaced my old round mirrors with new rectangular mirrors and installed the CB radio we bought back in '84 for our new FJ60. The mounting bracket that came with the CB has one centered hole, which lines up with a slot in a bracket (in the OEM radio opening) that's part of the dash sheet metal - one 6mm Toyota bolt and nut is all it took to mount it in place. I did have to modify an FJ60 cigarette lighter that I had in my parts stash, it fits perfectly in the stock hole in the dash. I didn't even need to modify any of the FJ40's wiring. The body of the lighter housing grounds directly to the dash sheet metal. I mounted the bracket for the mike using one of the existing ashtray screws, the ashtray is safely tucked away in the glovebox. The CB powered up just like it did before I boxed it up 31 years ago , so I'm anticipating it'll work fine. I won't be able to test it out until the 9th when I meet up with the Texas contingent in Taos.

The Wilson CB antenna arrives tomorrow, and then I'll be set to go.

Two other things on my to-do list. Adjust the valves (don't know if they've ever been adjusted and the 2F has almost 65,000 miles on it) and try to modify the passenger seat mount to get my wife a couple of extra inches of legroom (Note to self: The last item on the list is IMPORTANT).

 

[Dirtydawg]

I want to send a big thank you to Yackster and Potato Launcher for their help getting my fj80 back on the road and making it possible for me and my family to make it to the first ever Solid Axle Summit. After a blown head gasket Yackster machined the head and replaced the valve seals and got the lifter buckets back in for me and Potato Launcher had the right answers every time I had technical questions. He even came out to the house and helped me torque the crank bolt. So I owe it to these guys for making it possible for me to get my first ever Toyota to come back to life.

 

[POTATO LAUNCHER]

Happy to help you out Doug, ready to do this thing.
Thanks to @mcguirejohnson for getting the whole thing going and to all that have signed up. We have lost a few people with conflicting schedules but we will still be 28 Cruisers strong in Ouray next week.
The list on page 8 has been updated as of this posting. We will have everyone's shirts and participant stickers at the 4J campground sometime on Thursday. Will be there asap, our travel group is planning on crossing Stoney Pass into Silverton then into Ouray.
Less than a week folks, can't wait to hang out with some fellow Mudders..

 

[4Cruisers]

So Stoney Pass it is, can't wait. It's been well over 20 years since we took the pass from west to east in the '84 FJ60 - one of my favorite passes in Colorado.

The Little Wil antenna arrived today, it's hooked up and the CB set-up is ready to go. Now I'll have to re-learn how to use the dang thing.

Well, we dodged a major conflict. A few days ago my wife received a notice for jury duty, starting on the 9th, the day we're scheduled to meet in Taos with the Texas contingent. The motel we'll be staying at in Ouray requires a one-week cancellation notice, which was this afternoon at 4:00. She put in a request for a postponement, called the court this afternoon after lunch and found out it was approved . We're stoked! Here's a teaser:

 

[4Cruisers]

For those who might want to take a day and do some easy non-technical climbing not far from Ouray I'd recommend driving north a little past Ridgway and heading east over Owl Creek Pass into the drainage of the West Fork of the Cimarron. Courthouse Mountain is a distinctive and unique geological feature and a beautiful climb. My wife and I climbed it after dinner one evening from our campsite along the stream.

Here's a view looking NNW towards Courthouse Mountain, with Grand Mesa in the far distance. Photo was taken from the pass at the headwaters of the West Fork.

Here's a view from the summit of Courthouse Mountain looking SSE towards the headwaters. Our campsite was along the stream in the valley bottom just out of the left side of the photo. Engineer Pass is about 8 miles from the summit, just beyond the upper right corner of the photo.

 

[The Machinist]

Only 3 days until I leave and I'm still building stuff! Can't wait to hit the road Monday morning

 

[rhah]

Make sure all your stuff is done!

With big emphasis on brakes

 

[POTATO LAUNCHER]

Yeah brakes are good.
Just cleaned the starter contacts on my 40. Top and doors back on shortly.

 

[PabloVTA]

so bummed i'm missing this one...
you guys better post up a bazillion pics whenever you hit a cell signal.

 

[fjdiesel]

so bummed i'm missing this one...
you guys better post up a bazillion pics whenever you hit a cell signal.

I second this!!! I hope you do this again next year!!

 

[POTATO LAUNCHER]

Yessir, this is #1. We wil have a group of folks from all parts with a common intrest. Cold suds and campfires will bring next year brainstorming sessions.

 

[ajax1]

Ready will be coming down on Thur I think I have campsite 15 At 4j
Pics are from this last Memorial Day weekend busting open passes down there

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Well today was the last day I had to do all my fixes and get supplies (beer). Off to Chicago for work for a week. The local beer I'm bringing is Austin Beer Works Fire Eagle American IPA. I am also bringing some cheap Texas beers for the out of staters to try. They aren't necessarily good beers but Lone Star markets itself as "The National Beer of Texas" and Pearl says it's "Texas Oldest Brewery". I mainly drink Pearl because as a kid I saw it in my grandpas fridge all the time. Lone Star is my dads beer of choice. He and his friends softball team back in the 80's was called Enol Rats, which is Lone Star spelled backwards.
View attachment 1506473

Yep my grandpas favorite as well.

 

[ajax1]

I can bring ton wood to that I have left from last winter for camp fires

 

[4Cruisers]

Fixed the two nagging oil drips on the FJ40. Added a bit of Teflon tape on the threads for the mechanical oil pressure gauge fitting on the DS of the engine block and swapped out the adapter/plug at the recently installed oil cooler bracket with a BSPT allen plug wrapped with a bit of Teflon tape. Hopefully the drips are gone for good.

I'd like to be able to remove my new magnetic base Wilson CB antenna from the fender when not in use, but the coax cable goes from the antenna directly to the back of my Uniden CB. It's a pain in the a** to disconnect the coax from behind the unit so I've been looking at 90* elbows and/or short (3-foot) coax cables. Trouble is there aren't any truck stops near here and I believe all of the RadioShacks have now closed. Any suggestions on where else I might be able to buy these? It's too late to buy online and have them shipped to my house before we leave for Taos on Wednesday.

UPDATE: Was able to find the 90* elbow and 3-foot cable on Amazon with delivery on Monday - $7.98 for shipping made it a no-brainer.

 

[4Cruisers]

How many vehicles will be in the Texas contingent traveling together through Taos on Wednesday? Are the plans to take the Rio Grande Gorge bridge route over to Tres Piedras on the way up to Monte Vista?