Summer schedule

[Kroll]

Back from Ruby!

Vehicles present: my FJ40, Larry's FJ45, an FJ60, an XJ and a Nissan Safari.
We had a hectic trip!
Encountered some serious vehicular carnage in the FJ45 and Jeep XJ.

The 45 had issues with either the clutch or transmission, requiring the need for a tow the entire return on the Ruby Falls trail...and to Edmonton.
The Jeep destroyed it's front output on the t-case, making it a 2wd unit only that fared quite well in Low Range. Unfortunately on the last river crossing it got hydro-locked and was a complete dead stick...requiring a tow to Edmonton as well.

Big thanks to Tyler/ Charla for helping out those guys in getting their units back to town. Lots of Cruiser Karma earned today by them.

Ran into the RMLCA crew as well. Rained all day on Sunday.
Overall a good trip in my books!

 

[Bambino840]

Pictures?

 

[Bambino840]

Hearing the RMLCA had similar issues?

 

[Bambino840]

Breakdowns...

 

[Bambino840]

Posting like Tyler texts...tehe!

 

[Kroll]

No pictures yet. I got home and prepared myself for a night shift at work.

Forgot to add that a u-bolt loosened up on the FJ60 and got mangled pretty good. Peter was nice to give us a round top u-bolt that we "turned" into a square top. The Nissan suffered a bit of tree or rock rash on a rear quarter / tail light.

 

[HoffLarr]

Here are some pics.

Saturday Morning.

Cody stuck at the washed out bridge

Beautuful mountain views

More mountain views with Cruisers

A pic of my rig after the hole that finished me off.

 

[HoffLarr]

A few more

Me ready to be towed back to civilization

Karl winching himself up out of the hole at the washed out bridge on the way back.

Drilling a hole in the floorpan of the Jeep so water could drain out.

 

[HoffLarr]

And of course a really, really big thanks to Tyler and Charla.

Without them I might still be standing beside the road in the middle of nowhere.

 

[phoenix60]

Sounds like quite the trip! So you made it all the way in Larry, and it was on the way out that you got sunk? What is all the repairs you require now? I'm guessing diffs need fluid changed and breather tubes extended to prevent a future breakdown/repair.

 

[45Kevin]

Hearing the RMLCA had similar issues?

Yeah, that was me. Sounds like the exact same problem as Larry.

I was in THAT hole with muddy water up over my fender for about 15 minutes before the Safari came and towed me out.

The air filter was soaked and it would barely turn over with plugs pulled. The plugs appeared normal though. Peter towed me for a mile or so in gear and eventually the engine started. Then the clutch problems started. It slipped and then didn't and then did again. It finally gave up completely at the Ruby Lake turn-off and Peter had to tow me out to the trunk road. Then he put me on his trailer and pulled me out to Nordegg where an AMA tow truck took me to Rocky Mountain House. I got a motel room for the night and my wife came up Monday AM with my suburban and the tow bar. We got home about 4 in the afternoon.

I'll be watching Larry for info on his clutch problem, as I won't be able to take mine apart until August at the earliest.

It's a funny thing. I've been in dirty water holes up over my tranny many times before without having this issue, but I have seen it occur several times before.

If anyone knows the owner of the Safari, he got some sweet pics of me sitting in the hole.

I have to give hats off to the OEM door seals though. Barely a drop of water came into the cab during the time I was sitting there.

 

[HoffLarr]

I made it 99% of the way in. Last hole 5 minutes before the falls got. Hadn't planned to go in it, but didn't realize there was a bypass in the trees to the right. I tried to skirt the hole on the right side and ended up slipping in.

I will change the diff fluid but won't extend the breathers. The bumper took a hit on both sides, but that's no big deal. Under the drivers door got bent as well but it is not too bad. And that's it other than the clutch issue.

 

[45Kevin]

You can see how high the water was

in that hole. After the waves stopped it was sitting just below the door handle. It's incredible that the door seals, tranny hump seal, vent seals and numerous holes in the fire wall all held up so well.

 

[arnott1t]

What an ordeal and then to top it off Awl Teq Kevin had engine troubles. Thought I was headed out again last night but Peter did the rescue run instead. Glad everyone is back home and can now get on with the repairs. Seemed like just a ton of bad luck for this trip this year.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

A lot of fodder for talk at the pub on this trip!

My phone died on the way up to Nordegg and I didn't charge it until Monday morning while moving camp from Ruby Lake to the "Cardinal River Campsite" as the regulars know it. Got a couple of shots at the corner where the Ruby trail and Flapjack trail meet.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

The valley along the Flapjack trail (Flapjack Valley?) was very picturesque.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

Once at the Cardinal River campsite (top shelf site BTW) the sun finally emerged and we were able to dry out all the dampness from tent, clothes and disposition. Cooked up some burgers and chicken.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

So, on the way up to Nordegg I experienced a new "tick" noise during compression braking on the highway. Sounded like valve train noise so I figured I'd check the valve clearances when I got to camp because I was in there just the other week and maybe something was loose. It got a little louder by the time I got to camp but the valve train rail and clearance adjusters were all tight. So I wheeled the four days with this extra tick noise not getting any worse and I was going to look into it when I got her home. Once back on pavement and doing long pulls up moderate hills the water temps were climbing so I was backing off the throttle to let the cooling catch up. The tick turned into a slight knock and then a bad knock quite quickly and forced me off the road. My best guess without looking yet is a spun bearing.

Peter and Marc were already back in Calgary but responded quickly and were on the road for a rescue mission within an hour or so. For those not aware, that's a 3.5 hour drive one way. I am usually a very self reliant kinda guy but it sure is a nice feeling for guys to have your back when you need them.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

Oh, and Lowenbrau lost the function of his alternator and a wheel bearing on his trailer seized up too. Bruce and Brian removed, cleaned the bearing and were able to straighten the bearing cage enough and stuff the rollers back in to make it work with new grease. Bruce, Philly, 4 kids and two dogs all made it back to Calgary after leaving me at my impromptu camp site on the highway.

 

[45Kevin]

Some good shots of the advantage of a pintle hitch over a ball.

.