The Adventures of Chungus

[Roketdriver]

Wow it's been a hot minute since I updated this thread. Between the last post and this one, not much has happened except a lot of camping trips and a few oil changes.

But this weekend I accumulated some parts that will be keeping me a little busy this week. Through a local Facebook group I found some BIOR sliders and a OME stock height suspension kit:

It's amazing to think that these bits will get this rig closer to being "complete". I'm going to add some floppy rubber mud flaps and I should be all set. Thank goodness for the upcoming long weekend, I've got wrenches to spin.

Edit: Sliders went on with minimal fuss. Not a horrible job to do solo

 

[Roketdriver]

I started the suspension install yesterday then finished it this morning. After a quick lap around the nearby 4x4 loop I can say that I'm thoroughly impressed. I had no idea my stock and probably original suspension was so bad. I'm absolutley loving how it all came together this week.

 

[Roketdriver]

My company gave everybody a bonus day off yesterday, so I figured I'd hit another trail with some different terrain so I could continue to enjoy the new suspension.

It was a little moist as I headed up Mosquito pass.

Once near the top, it became apparent why the pass was still closed. I would estimate that the snow drift was still 2'-3' deep on the uphill edge.

I didn't have expectations of going up and over into Leadville, so I just parked out of the way and enjoyed the scenery.

I was about to walk back down to the rig when a Jeep (with out of state plates) drove up and over from the other side. They pulled up to the snow and got out to assess the situation. We get to chatting and despite my strong encouragement to turn around, they were highly motivated to get across. After some head scratching, we determined that we could winch them across with the line placed way uphill. Once the were halfway through, we'd hook their rear end onto my winch and drag them backwards out of the drift. Essentially the Jeep was going to swing like a pendulum as it slipped across the slick snow. It took a few minutes but eventually we prevailed. I didn't get any footage of this, but their s/o took video - I need to get my hands on it.

But it didn't stop there. Another group came around the bend, and they were equally unfamiliar with the area and wanted to get through. So I helped two more rigs Tarzan swing and the third drove it unassisted and just barely made it. I was able to grab this low-res screenshot from one of their Instagram stories, hopefully this illustrates the ridiculousness of the ordeal.

I don't necessarily condone trying to get through drifts like this, but I felt it was necessary to help everybody stay on the trail instead of trying to bypass. Probably the most sketchy thing I have ever participated in while out wheeling.

 

[Roketdriver]

This morning I was up early to run Webster -> Montezuma-Deer Creek -> Middle Fork Swan -> Glacier Ridge. I had the trail to myself as the sun came up and I enjoyed the summit of Webster pass in peace and quiet. After going up and over, I looped back to head toward the Glacier Ridge trail. I didn't want to go into Breck today (or ever, honestly), so getting off the 4x4 trail in Jefferson sounded much better.

The views were bomb, as expected.

The entire drive I was mentally preparing myself for the SOB Hill obstacle along Glacier Ridge/Georgia Pass. I knew it was going to be a jarring challenge, especially uphill.

I came to the bottom, walked it a bit, then sent it. I made it 85% of the way up under my own power, had to do a bit of a winch pull, then completed the climb unassisted. Thank goodness I have sliders on now because I would have annihilated my rockers without them. If anyone cares to see the video, I can upload the Gopro footage.

At some point during that climb I managed to tag the rear quarter, I didn't notice until later:

The scenery made the effort worth it.

Overall a fun morning on the trail with minimal traffic and some new battle scars. Not sure if I'll attempt SOB Hill again with the rig in its current configuration but it was certainly memorable.

 

[Heckraiser]

Yes, of course we want to see the video

 

[Roketdriver]

Yes, of course we want to see the video

 

[Roketdriver]

Nothing super noteworthy with the rig happened in August, took it out a few weekends and enjoyed nature.

In September I took Chungus camping at a racetrack where I had been shooting photos all summer. My application to join the media crew for Gridlife had been accepted and I couldn't think of a better way to experience an automotive festival of this scale. After three years of taking solo trips in the 80, it was nice to meet people and make friends instead of being a hermit in the woods.

The tailgate came in clutch the second night of the event. A gust of wind came through and took out every canopy throughout the campsite. Having a covered cooking space later that rainy night saved the day for my neighbors and their burgers.

Gridlife itself was incredible and I look forward to the next one.

Last Thursday I headed far east for two weddings and a family visit. I'm currently halfway through this trip and this thing continues to just eat up miles and leak oil from the valve cover gasket.

At least it gets to leak in a garage tonight?

I'm thinking that when I get home, it's time for a spa day for the rig. Thanks for reading

 

[Roketdriver]

It's always fun returning to the old stomping grounds to revisit favorite photo locations and restaurants.

On the way home I stopped in western NE for a quick overnight in the back of the rig. After a week and a half of being in large metro areas, I needed some peace and quiet.

Whenever I'm covering a lot of miles, I like to do post-trip inspections after each journey leg. While poking around with a flashlight, I noticed that my front diff pinion had started to leak.

I popped the fill plug out and stuck my finger in - seemed like there still was plenty of diff oil in the case. The following morning I headed straight to an auto parts store to pick up some more and top it off. Once I started to add the fluid, it immediately started to flow back out. I took comfort in knowing that I hadn't run the diff dry.

Once I had returned from the trip, I scheduled a dealer appointment and gave it a thorough wash, which included detailing the engine bay. Could I have done the diff seals myself? Probably. But did I want to in my gravel driveway with snow on the ground? Not really.

The dealer tech noted that my power steering pump had finally started to leak enough to merit action in the coming months. I had known that it was oozing, but it has now progressed to a very slow drip. Aside from this, Chungus was given a clean bill of health.

In the spirit of the month, I'd like to wish everybody a very merry Toyotathon & Lexus December to Remember Sales Event. May your holidays be filled with snow-wheeling shenanigans and winter camping.

 

[Roketdriver]

Crawled under the rig on Saturday for an oil change and observed the power steering drip has finally reached the hemorrhage stage. Still had plenty of fluid in the reservoir but it's time to get this fixed.

Not necessarily 80 tech, but in an attempt to save some money on gas and fill the void in my heart that opened after selling my Miata, I picked up another Mazda. This manual equipped 2003 Protege5 should help me keep miles off the 80 while I work through the PS leak and other little maintenance items.

 

[Roketdriver]

Started planning for a +3000 mile road trip so it's time to start knocking some things off the to-do list.

I picked up some OEM chrome wheels to run as my summer set. Before getting new tires mounted, I thought it would be nice to clean them up. Here's two before and two after:

I brought the faces back to live with a toilet brush on a power drill, soapy water, steel wool on a power drill, then buffed with a foam cone and some compound.

Not minting them out was a deliberate choice - I wanted them to shine but also match the patina of the rig.

Will be addressing mechanical concerns starting next week. I have a deadline of mid-April to make sure it's ready to rock all the way to California and back.

 

[Roketdriver]

Not exactly what I wanted to do with my 80 today.

I had it in the shop for over a week to get my power steering system gone through. While I fully acknowledging the value and superiority of doing it myself; it's cold out, I have no garage, and sometimes I'm a total weenie and don't want to wrench with frozen and numb hands. New pump, lines, and cooler at a dealership I trust and genuinely like.

Anyway.

Dingus dealer tech somehow put the P/S lines in wrong and the alternator pulley ate straight through one. I didn't catch it until it was too late and every drop of fluid evacuated the system. Pulled over pretty quickly, hopefully no damage to the new pump.

I evaluated the situation. I did have more fluid, generic hose that would fit, zip ties, etc. I was prepared to do a trail fix but decided to let the shop do it under warranty instead. I had barely put two tanks of gas through before it blew.

My main question now is: My alternator is now saturated with ATF, is it ruined and is it fair to ask for a rebuild as part of the warranty work?

Not mad at the dealer. Just disappointed.

 

[ppc]

I'm confused by the angle of the photo but are the belts routed properly over the idler pulley?

 

[Roketdriver]

I'm confused by the angle of the photo but are the belts routed properly over the idler pulley?

Sorry about the angle, the photo makes more sense rotated 90* clockwise:

I didn't even think to check the belts, but would have that impacted the interference between the hose and pulley?

 

[ppc]

Sorry about the angle, the photo makes more sense rotated 90* clockwise:

View attachment 3283548

I didn't even think to check the belts, but would have that impacted the interference between the hose and pulley?

Belts seem to be okay. That rotation makes it easier to visualize. That hose is just been routed/angled to close to the belt

 

[Roketdriver]

Bit of an update - dealership made it right and without hassle. The alternator came out for a good cleaning, hoses got routed correctly, etc. A new reservoir also went in while the system was empty.

Got the rig home and threw on the new Mickeys. I promptly took it out for a shakedown and some camping. I really like how these tires have been performing so far on pavement and washboard gravel.

With the warmer weather here, I finally had a reason to turn the AC on. This was accompanied by a squealing noise. Turned it off and popped the hood when I got to my destination and it seems to free spool fine with aircon disengaged, but the belt slips when it's on. I can't tell if it's related to the p/s line debacle or just bad timing.

Looks like I'll be road tripping with the windows down.

 

[Roketdriver]

After the shakedown, it was time for a pre-trip inspection and lube service. Did an oil change, greased the driveshafts, added grease to the knuckles, looked over the whole rig, checked some torque values, etc.

A few days later it was time to hit the road. I rolled out on a Tuesday afternoon, Sacramento or bust. That night I found a quiet campsite and the adventure began.

The following morning I was up and moving early. I filled up the new fuel cans and started moving away from the Interstate. I made my way through increasingly remote areas until I hit the Pony Express trail, a route I really enjoyed on my last trip to Utah. It's a fun and easy gravel road that features some fantastic views, camping opportunities, and little nuggets of history.

As I rounded a corner and started approaching a bird refuge that I was interested in visiting, I noticed something was off.

The avian oasis seemed to be on fire.

To be continued...

 

[Roketdriver]

As I approached the flames it became apparent that it was a prescribed burn. There were fire workers out and about with cans of accelerant igniting the brush. The first one I spoke with indicated that I wouldn't be able to drive through. I flipped a U-Turn and pulled over to review the map and make a detour plan. Things weren't looking great.

After a few minutes of studying and fretting, a different group of workers approached on a UTV. I applied the "Mom said no, maybe dad will say yes" logic and flagged them down to ask about getting escorted through. They disappeared into the smoke for a few minutes, then returned with good news.

So now I can say I've driven through a brush fire.

From there it was smooth sailing until I stumbled across an abandoned mine site. I poked around a little and took a few photos while keeping a safe distance from anything that could give me tetanus or nasty wood splinters.

Sufficiently amused I hopped back into the LX and went to fire it up. It cranked for a millisecond then everything electrical died. My mind immediately went to the fusible link. I grabbed one of my two spares, swapped it in, and the truck roared back to life. Crisis averted.

The old one was looking pretty haggard.

After a bit more driving, I found a decent spot to sleep for the night.

 

[Roketdriver]

I was up and moving at sunrise, I had another full day of driving ahead of me.

Working my way west, I eventually came to a point at which the trail began to narrow from a washboard road to a two track and headed into a valley.

Everything was looking great, until it wasn't. Turns out there was still snow - enough to make me turn around. Without knowing the area or trail and the chains at home, I decided that I would drive around the entire mountain range instead of winch my way through the unknown. Sometimes solo wheeling involves being smart enough to find an alternate route.

This led to my first use of my fancy schmancy new Rotopax, as it was an additional ~90 miles of driving that I had not planned for. They seem well made and did their job. The EPA-mandated springy spigot mechanisms were easy to use. No leakage when laid flat for the whole trip. I did "burp" them every time I stopped for the night, per their instructions. Not a paid plug, just my two cents for those curious.

The fuel light hadn't come on yet, but I preferred filling up on a quiet side road instead of the highway where I would have run dry.

Made it to the gas station just fine, filled everything back up for a small fortune and reviewed the next leg of my journey. That's when I noticed a new snag along my route - the route I had picked ran straight through an Air Force base. After making numerous phone calls to the facility to find out if I could pass through, nobody would pick up. I asked the service station staff, they didn't know either. But they did mention Area 51 was out that way, so it might not be the best idea to be roaming around down there.

I decided I would be able to run one more segment of the Pony Express before heading north and hopping onto the interstate to make up for lost time.

 

[Roketdriver]

The next mountain range I needed to get through had a pass that would take me up to roughly 8,000 feet above sea level. I foolishly thought that surely it would be free and clear of the winter snow. As I neared the summit, I was sorely mistaken. At least the scenery was nice.

Once again defeated by the Pony Express, I returned to tarmac and headed up to the main highway to grind the remaining miles out for the day. A few hours later, I found an area with ample BLM land and found a place to park for the night.

Apparently it was a record year for precipitation in a lot of places this year. I expected a brown expanse of nothing but was instead greeted by a landscape teeming with life.

Nobody ever told me Nevada would be this pretty.

 

[Roketdriver]

The following day wasn't super eventful, I had a few hours of pavement pounding to do and not much else. Once again I opted to take a more scenic route and swung by Lake Tahoe. Wowee.

I arrived at the destination of the main event of the trip. Got to see my parents and some family I hadn't visited with in a while. My cousin got married. I visited a farm stand and bought a bunch of cashews and almonds, etc. All the usual road trip things.

Family festivities concluded, it was time to get moving again.

Working my way south and east towards Death Valley, I continued to enjoy the views and was pleasantly taken off-guard by how much snow was in this part of the state.

If given the opportunity to drive 395, take it. The route is a breathtaking drive and is well worth the effort. Especially in the spring with all of the snow still on the ground.

I once again started to make my way towards dirt roads and started to drop into DV. A huge departure from the areas I had passed through earlier in the day. The snow faded away and things began to feel more arid.