Who has taken their 100 on the Rubicon?
- Thread starter wngrog
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DO it......you know you want to......
You have my number so I can fix you back up........
You have my number so I can fix you back up........
Drexx has only done Tahoma to the Springs, and I think that was in his 80. The man you want to talk to is i4c4lo on this forum. I witnessed it, it was awesome! Alvaro and James Doh have some great pics of this run and the 100. Jay (Snook) also has a video of this run. It was shown on the beach at last year's Surf 'n' Turf.
He's running 35s, can't remember which lift. Custom bumpers he built himself with super good angles. All locked up. Excellent driver, of course.
Nolen, we do an annual Rubicon wagon run for NorCal Wagons, that's the run Amando took his 100 on last year. He made it fine, no body damage except for a torn body side molding, though it was more difficult and time-consuming negotiating some of the obstacles, of course. Your 100 will do fine, though I'd suggest 35s and a bigger lift.
This is a great trip, with great trucks, great company, and of course gourmet food. It's the highlight of my wheeling year. But...I'm taking my MOG next year...
He's running 35s, can't remember which lift. Custom bumpers he built himself with super good angles. All locked up. Excellent driver, of course.
Nolen, we do an annual Rubicon wagon run for NorCal Wagons, that's the run Amando took his 100 on last year. He made it fine, no body damage except for a torn body side molding, though it was more difficult and time-consuming negotiating some of the obstacles, of course. Your 100 will do fine, though I'd suggest 35s and a bigger lift.
This is a great trip, with great trucks, great company, and of course gourmet food. It's the highlight of my wheeling year. But...I'm taking my MOG next year...
dclee said:
First video from the following site:
http://www.snookoffroad.com/
These videos are AWESOME! I haven't gone through all of them but they are worth the time to watch and drool
. Definitely not your typical 30 second YouTube blitz!!
Do it nolan!! I'm in as soon as I finish the armor - don't know when that will be but would like to do the Rubicon in the next couple of years. Hard to justify when there is so much is here in Colorado.
bwbski26 said:
OK, since you asked, I'll indulge a bit about my Mercedes on a Land Cruiser forum, heh...
No pics of my specific MOG, but it looks kind of like the attached (except mine is not red and doesn't have the super-cool spotlight). It is a former German army firetruck, though, like the one in the pic.
- Forward control.
- Portal axles, of course.
- 42" x 12.5" tires.
- Mechanical locking front and rear diffs. Absolutely no ECUs (yes!)!
- Shift on the fly 2WD to 4WD to 4WD locked, no Hi or Lo range.
- Six speeds forward, two in reverse, plus two additional crawler gears, with nearly a 400:1 crawl ratio.
- Fully armored and enclosed front/rear driveshafts (no more barberpoled shafts).
- Frame rails designed to flex individually, adding to coil spring articulation.
- Unique "floating" engine and tranny mounts to allow the frame to flex around them, yet still keep them rigidly mounted together and inline. Same for the triangular bed mount arrangement.
- NATO shielded 24V electrics (which will mostly be gutted once the diesel goes in...).
- Military blackout lighting system.
- Mercedes winch driven off the front PTO (just like the one in the pic). This is sweet, it won't ever quit, power out, or overheat as long as the engine is running.
- Onboard engine-driven air compressor and 40L (I think) reservoir for the air assist over hydraulic brakes. But there is also a valve for airing up tires or running air tools.
- Dual fuel tanks (16 gal. and 16 gal.).
- Everything is mounted very low, between or just on top of the frame rails, including the two batteries, so even with 18" of minimum ground clearance (under the pumpkins), it has a low center of gravity and is very difficult to roll.
- Can traverse a 42 degree side slope, climb and descend 100% grades, and has 45 degree approach and departure angles.
- The snorkel gives it around a 50 inch fording depth. If I extend the snorkel to the top of the cab, make that 8 feet.
- Lots of other stuff that I can't think of right now.
The downsides
- Top speed is 60mph at sea level with no headwind, and at that speed you have to wear earplugs (I plan on Dynamatting the interior and engine compartment).
- Heat soak from the engine, which you are pretty much sitting on top of.
- No A/C or radio (not that you could hear one anyway).
- Crappy seats.
- No power steering.
- Lots of other stuff that I can't think of right now.
Most of this can be alleviated with time and money. I have a factory rebuilt Mercedes 3.0L turbo diesel with the heavy duty block waiting to go into the truck this winter. New tranny with prototype tranny cooling system that I got for pennies. Should allow 65-70 mph top speed, and comfortable cruising at 60, as well as no more carb tuning at altitude, or choking the engine at extreme angles (since the diesel uses mechanical fuel injection). Also a power steering conversion from a later UNIMOG. Dynamat. Red Dot industrial A/C system. LCD widescreen with PC and game console setup in the crew cabin, Pimp-My-Ride-style. Should be sweet. Wife is not so enthusiastic...
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I will bring mine down if you bring yours...
Kind of like I will show you mine if you show me yours...but way more exciting.
Kind of like I will show you mine if you show me yours...but way more exciting.
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- #11
bull said:
We should coordinate that. I would like to run it with another 100.
Also about the tires, there is not a dime worth of difference in my 325 Nittos and the 35" version. I measured a set the other day on a truck and they were 1" taller mounted on the truck.
That is 1/2" at the diff. Not enough for the trouble in my opinion.
I guess I will need some time in this Pig before I tackle the Rubicon in it, but that will be OK.
Nolan,
I was also there when Amando ran his 100 through last year...so far as I know, he has been the only "privately" owned 100 to go all the way through. As you know, the 100's that Toyota took through last year got pretty chewed up. I'm sure the difference of Amando's bigger tyres, front locker and armor made it more doable...not to mention that Amando is a great driver (not saying the Toyota guys were'nt). In my personal humble opinion, if I were to ever take my 100 through the Con (of which I have no immediate plans), I'd only do it late season. During Rubithon in early season, the trail is much more difficult and I don't think even the best of drivers would come through unscathed. Amando did suffer a small trail trophy ding as well as a beat up gas tank (which gave him so major grief the following spring in Death Valley).
All in all I think it's totally doable if you take your time...just don't expect your truck to look as clean as Shott's when you are done
I was also there when Amando ran his 100 through last year...so far as I know, he has been the only "privately" owned 100 to go all the way through. As you know, the 100's that Toyota took through last year got pretty chewed up. I'm sure the difference of Amando's bigger tyres, front locker and armor made it more doable...not to mention that Amando is a great driver (not saying the Toyota guys were'nt). In my personal humble opinion, if I were to ever take my 100 through the Con (of which I have no immediate plans), I'd only do it late season. During Rubithon in early season, the trail is much more difficult and I don't think even the best of drivers would come through unscathed. Amando did suffer a small trail trophy ding as well as a beat up gas tank (which gave him so major grief the following spring in Death Valley).
All in all I think it's totally doable if you take your time...just don't expect your truck to look as clean as Shott's when you are done
dieselbigot said:All in all I think it's totally doable if you take your time...just don't expect your truck to look as clean as Shott's when you are done
My 100's "bling" days might be numbered. We've about completed the details on a run where damage is likely. It will be notably harder and far more risky than the Moab Trails I ran in the 100.
So far on this trail, two 100's have been eaten, though in fairness, neither were outfitted like mine is. They had 33's and normal 100-series lift components. Also, 4 80's (so far) took beatings that included mangled drive shafts, control arms and the like. My and another dudes rear drive shafts were unusable and had to be removed ASAP.
The point of taking my 100 on this trail will be to show to me that the rig is up to the task. The added height, tire size, and articulation will make the difference. (I pray
)
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ShottsUZJ100 said:My 100's "bling" days might be numbered. We've about completed the details on a run where damage is likely. It will be notably harder and far more risky than the Moab Trails I ran in the 100.
So far on this trail, two 100's have been eaten, though in fairness, neither were outfitted like mine is. They had 33's and normal 100-series lift components. Also, 4 80's (so far) took beatings that included mangled drive shafts, control arms and the like. My and another dudes rear drive shafts were unusable and had to be removed ASAP.
The point of taking my 100 on this trail will be to show to me that the rig is up to the task. The added height, tire size, and articulation will make the difference. (I pray
just be sure not to use that Hi-Lift of yours, that thing is a work of art!
e9999 said:just be sure not to use that Hi-Lift of yours, that thing is a work of art!
Oh ya. I'll borrow one for sure!
Amando did a great job negotiating the Rubicon (yeah, I was there too )
Amando and I went down Cadillac Hill a couple years earlier to meet with everyone at Rubicon Springs during Rubithon...so he knew what to expect on that trail with the 100...plus I'm pretty sure he'd been on the 'con before.
It's definitely doable in a 100. Some obstacles need to be approached a little differently given that you're running with IFS.
The damage that Amando picked up was very minor -- just a scrape on the DS rear door trim. I hit the same spot...but you can barely see the scuff on mine (gots me some sturdy bedliner there).
)Amando and I went down Cadillac Hill a couple years earlier to meet with everyone at Rubicon Springs during Rubithon...so he knew what to expect on that trail with the 100...plus I'm pretty sure he'd been on the 'con before.
It's definitely doable in a 100. Some obstacles need to be approached a little differently given that you're running with IFS.
The damage that Amando picked up was very minor -- just a scrape on the DS rear door trim. I hit the same spot...but you can barely see the scuff on mine (gots me some sturdy bedliner there).
NorCalDoug said:Amando did a great job negotiating the Rubicon (yeah, I was there too
Amando and I went down Cadillac Hill a couple years earlier to meet with everyone at Rubicon Springs during Rubithon...so he knew what to expect on that trail with the 100...plus I'm pretty sure he'd been on the 'con before.
It's definitely doable in a 100. Some obstacles need to be approached a little differently given that you're running with IFS.
The damage that Amando picked up was very minor -- just a scrape on the DS rear door trim. I hit the same spot...but you can barely see the scuff on mine (gots me some sturdy bedliner there).
enough already, Doug... Get a 100! We know you want one. Plus then you can justify hanging around these parts...
e9999 said:enough already, Doug... Get a 100! We know you want one. Plus then you can justify hanging around these parts...
Nope. Doug's waiting for the IFS/IRS version.