Who has taken their 100 on the Rubicon?

[2000UZJ]

I have only cursory read this thread and may have overlooked it somewhere... but I remember someone recording a ton of video of a 100 tearing it up through the the Rubicon.???

Snook had some very good footage of the 100 on the rubicon. It didn't look fun, a lot of scraping going on.


Toyota ran the 105's on the Rubicon. It was stock, no modifications. I'm not sure what trails they ran. I'm not sure if the rubicon is one long trail or if its like what we have in the southeast. Which is a network of trails with difficulty ratings. I've ran just about the hardest trails in the southeast in my 100. Every body panel is smashed on mine pretty much. If I ever get the chance, I am hitting the rubicon full force in my 100. It's one of the things I have always wanted to do.

 

[OGBeno]

Snook had some very good footage of the 100 on the rubicon. It didn't look fun, a lot of scraping going on.


Toyota ran the 105's on the Rubicon. It was stock, no modifications. I'm not sure what trails they ran. I'm not sure if the rubicon is one long trail or if its like what we have in the southeast. Which is a network of trails with difficulty ratings. I've ran just about the hardest trails in the southeast in my 100. Every body panel is smashed on mine pretty much. If I ever get the chance, I am hitting the rubicon full force in my 100. It's one of the things I have always wanted to do.

Toyota ran a couple of 100's on the Rubicon in 2005 or 2006 IIRC. They were modified--sliders and IIRC, ARB front bumper with winch and FR/RR air lockers. They were not 105's.

The Rubicon is one damn long trail...and you can run it one way or back through the other way, or do it both ways (amazing how the trail changed significantly when we did it this way).

Your 100 would do fine Nick....you have no fear!!

 

[Junglejack]

Hello,
I truly could not possibly agree more with the sentiment that shorter wheelbase trucks like 40's and Jeep's would be far more enjoyable for the Rubicon. While I have no doubt that a significant number of 100 owners here rigs that could pull it off, I just do not think the juice is worth the squeeze.
Cheers.
Jack

 

[cruiserdan]

In some spots on the Rubicon, 2 or 3 inches can make the difference between a clean pass and needing a new door, or a taillight, or a mirror...

Or shorts.................

 

[OGBeno]

Or shorts.................

Or :schotts:

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

We'd like to believe that 100s are in the same position as 80s were. Where people say they are too big to be any fun to get through.

80s seemed to over come this. But how? With higher lifts and owners willing to suffer body damage for the experience?

How do other similarly wide vehicles get over this limitation? With a lift?

The lift height limit on the 100s probably makes its size more of an issue. And the limiting dimension for the 100 seems to be its width. So I'd assume that not many 2.5" lifted 80s have gone through it either since the width is pretty similar.

I've seen a full size Titan go through the rubicon (in a magazine). But the thing was lifted to the sky so it just drove over the right spots.

But we can only improve our approach, break over and departure angles so much (2.5" lift up front with a slee or custom front bumper, 3" lift in the rear with a HC bumper on 35" tires seems to be the Limit right now). And can't improve the width at all.

To summarize this thread to this point:

So the consensus is that 100s can do it with the mods listed above, lockers, regearing, skid plates, and a good driver/spotter team, but it will be an unpleasant "scratch dent and slide your way through" experience. And it is what it is because we can't modify 100s more to make it better. So if you still want to do it knowing this, go for it.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I have only cursory read this thread and may have overlooked it somewhere... but I remember someone recording a ton of video of a 100 tearing it up through the the Rubicon.???
***********
Found one of the the videos I remembered

http://vimeo.com/6503377

I think that video makes the point, watch Andy drive through the obstacle. Watch every one else beat the s*** out of their truck to get through, it's like watching someone pound screws with a hammer.

On the other hand, I take my 40 on trails that are just as hard for it so who am I to talk?

 

[Nottajeep]

I think that video makes the point, watch Andy drive through the obstacle. Watch every one else beat the **** out of their truck to get through, it's like watching someone pound screws with a hammer.

On the other hand, I take my 40 on trails that are just as hard for it so who am I to talk?

Yep, I thought that video pretty well summed up the whole thread and also explains why I now have a 40 to wheel hard and keep my 100 away from damaging tight trails.

The NorCal guys did an really good job putting the edits together.

 

[dclee]

Yep, I thought that video pretty well summed up the whole thread and also explains why I now have a 40 to wheel hard and keep my 100 away from damaging tight trails.

The NorCal guys did an really good job putting the edits together.

Which is why I sold my 80s, keep the 100 mild for expeditionary-type family wheeling (why I got into this to begin with), and haven't done this trail since.

My sister just bought Ross Kuzma's built 40, maybe she'll let me drive it on the trail some day...

 

[Cruiserdrew]

My sister just bought Ross Kuzma's built 40, maybe she'll let me drive it on the trail some day...

Wow! Both that he sold it and she bought it. Ross is one of my heroes and I try to emulate his approach when leading that trail.

Derek-good to see you back. I'd love to have you and your sis do the trial with us again. I'd even get the 40 out of retirement for that! Heck your 100 is almost 10 years old, maybe you could be #2 after Amando since Shotts is now retired. Did he ever do it? Long ago I tuned out threads he was in and never heard.

Fun to relive that 2005 run watching the video.

Here's my take. 100s can do the Rubicon, but it isn't a great idea. The steering rack and links are the weak spot and there's no trail fix for it. Related to that is an inability to lift the truck in a way that's practical and cost-effective. An extra couple of inches beyond the usual 2 1/2 would make a big difference. I remember how hard we worked to get Amando's truck through the Rubicon. I also remember that Tony's 4Runner mangled every body panel and then had to be towed home on Brett's trailer the minute we hit the pavement.


Those were good times!

 

[dclee]

Hey Andy, glad to hear from you! I don't think I'll be doing Rubicon again anytime soon (at least in my 100). Trisha did it recently as a passenger in her fiance Paul's 80, that's a nicely built truck. She sold her FJ Cruiser so had nothing to wheel until she got Ross's truck (she'd really always wanted a 40 anyway). It's funny, she's now a school principle, I would have loved any of my principles to show up to school in a built 40 with a little rust and a Chevy small block!

BTW, I think your comments are spot on about the IFS 100. And no, Shotts never did the trail. Though from what I've heard they've blown up or filled in a lot of the obstacles over the last few years, so it might be a lot easier now that it used to be (I have not been on the trail since they blew up Gatekeeper).

 

[jimbo92]

I'm assuming this is the rubicon? This picture is up on the wall of my Toyota dealership, it's from when the fj was introduced and there is a 100 in the background.

 

[jimbo92]

And one from pirate:

 

[fireball]

@2000UZJ when are you heading out to do the Rubicon?

 

[2000UZJ]

@fireball if you gather a donation for the gas I'll cover the rest on my end

 

[fireball]

I just watched a video of a guy doing it in a 3rd gen 4R. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/124686-The-Rubicon-Trail-Sept-2013

He made it look decidedly easy! So I came on here searching for information about 100s that might have done the trail and came upon this thread. Was bumping for more recent info. The video quoted in post #187 above looks really gnarly!!! Much more so than the thread on Expo.

I think a master plan would involve driving out to Rubithon at the end of June, crushing the trail and perhaps the truck in the process, driving to Slee to drop it off for repairs and flying home for a bit and then back into Denver before 100s in the Hills. Crush the San Juans then drive back home.

 

[hoser]

Fireball, there have been numerous changes to the trail since Jay's 2005 video (post #187) and the trail is easier now. That 2013 video on expo of the Utah guys was nicely produced. But I don't think it shows the parts the 100 will have a problem on... plus it was done in the opposite direction than you probably would be going. So, expect reality to be somewhere in the middle of those two vids. Going during the Rubithon would be an excellent idea.

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

The recent articles about the FJ Cruiser on 33s completing the trail make me think the 100 would definitely do it. But as others have said. What's the point? There are better tools for the job.

 

[revoked]

The best tool is the one you've got... That said, I ain't doing it!

The recent articles about the FJ Cruiser on 33s completing the trail make me think the 100 would definitely do it. But as others have said. What's the point? There are better tools for the job.

 

[fireball]

The point is that I want to do it, and currently only have one tool in the belt and that's the 100-series

Was just checking to see if there was any more recent info.