Ziplock: Ready for Expedition
- Thread starter Behemoth60
- Start date
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For some visual reference...
https://forum.ih8mud.com/az-copper-...cruise-moab-2012-pictures-12.html#post7653135
Happy trails Peter!
- Thread starter
- #23
We're Back!
My travel Companion... Shaker, in his highly modified 80 series, and I, and our female escorts have all returned safely. Marc and I have been to Cruise Moab a few times and done a lot of the 'normal' trails in the area, but this trip was to explore some of the long distance, multi-day trails. We managed to string together three such adventures.
Kokopelli's Trail. We started in Fruita Colorado, and followed a series of trails, roads, and even some short highway sections to follow this dynamic long distance trail. It's well over 100 miles or more in total distance. There's a lot of easy roads and dirt tracks, but a number of short sections of ledges and large rocks. I had to pull int he lockers a few times, and we both needed spotters to navigate 'Rose Garden Hill', which was surprisingly challenging. After getting into Moab, we check the trail condition on Traildamage.com, and were not surprised to read that Rose Garden Hill is rated a 9 out of 10, and there was a warning posted from just 2 days before we were on the trail, that it was in especially challenging condition this year1 Thank goodness we were going downhill, as an uphill traverse of Rose Garden would have definatley been extremely challenging and potential for damage would have been high. It took us 2 days to get off the trail.. but it should have been 3. we had to push much too hard to get done in 2 days.
Ziplock descending Rose Garden Hill on Kokopelli's Trail.
White Rim Trail,
White Rim Trail is 100 mile look in Canyonlands National Park. We left Moab early in the morning, and travelled up Long Canyon Trail as a short cut to get to White Rim Trail.
Shaker going under the fallen rock on Long Canyon.
We took 3 days to complete white rim, and that was pretty easy. The trail was slow due to being uneven and rocky, but it was not challenging per se. The scenery, on the other hand, was quite spectacular, and the climbs up the canyon walls... Shafer Trail, Hogback, horsethief canyon... the climbs were very impressive. A must-do Moab experience!
Camped at Candlestick camp on white rim trail, enjoying the shade of the Foxwing awnings.
My travel Companion... Shaker, in his highly modified 80 series, and I, and our female escorts have all returned safely. Marc and I have been to Cruise Moab a few times and done a lot of the 'normal' trails in the area, but this trip was to explore some of the long distance, multi-day trails. We managed to string together three such adventures.
Kokopelli's Trail. We started in Fruita Colorado, and followed a series of trails, roads, and even some short highway sections to follow this dynamic long distance trail. It's well over 100 miles or more in total distance. There's a lot of easy roads and dirt tracks, but a number of short sections of ledges and large rocks. I had to pull int he lockers a few times, and we both needed spotters to navigate 'Rose Garden Hill', which was surprisingly challenging. After getting into Moab, we check the trail condition on Traildamage.com, and were not surprised to read that Rose Garden Hill is rated a 9 out of 10, and there was a warning posted from just 2 days before we were on the trail, that it was in especially challenging condition this year1 Thank goodness we were going downhill, as an uphill traverse of Rose Garden would have definatley been extremely challenging and potential for damage would have been high. It took us 2 days to get off the trail.. but it should have been 3. we had to push much too hard to get done in 2 days.
Ziplock descending Rose Garden Hill on Kokopelli's Trail.
White Rim Trail,
White Rim Trail is 100 mile look in Canyonlands National Park. We left Moab early in the morning, and travelled up Long Canyon Trail as a short cut to get to White Rim Trail.
Shaker going under the fallen rock on Long Canyon.
We took 3 days to complete white rim, and that was pretty easy. The trail was slow due to being uneven and rocky, but it was not challenging per se. The scenery, on the other hand, was quite spectacular, and the climbs up the canyon walls... Shafer Trail, Hogback, horsethief canyon... the climbs were very impressive. A must-do Moab experience!
Camped at Candlestick camp on white rim trail, enjoying the shade of the Foxwing awnings.
- Thread starter
- #24
Our last outting strung together 7 trails into a very long off-road journey... From Kane Creek Road, we headed over Hurrah Pass, drove part of 'Chicken Corners', and veered off that track to take on Lockhart Basin trail. A side trip down Lockhart canyon, then briefly on the highway to get to Elephant Hill. We headed south from Elephant hill down Devil's lane, throught he SOB Hill and overnight Horsehoof Camp. South from there through the so-called Bobby's Hole climb, and we were then into Beef Basin. We did some tourning of old settlers ruins, as well as some ancient cliff dwellings. From there, we followed the trail back to the highway. This was another 3 day trip, and probably our most challenging loop for a few reasons.
Shaker Picks a carefull line up lockhart basin trail.
First of all was the heat... we had 40C heat, which for us Canadians... is a lot. Our research on lockhart basin trail was... wrong. I assumed from some research that this was a fairly easy trail... that was Lockhart Canyon Trail... easy... Lockhart Basin Trail.... Hard. You can imagine us by 2:30 in the afternoon, only 1/2 way done the trail on the map, knowing how hard this terrain is, and believing it might be this way the rest of the trail. It's 40C, and we're going through water fast, facing down heat induced panic. It was a genuine test of our personal fortitude and commitment to exploring these remote backroads. You can imagine our relief after coming around another bend to find easy gravel road. I believe that I broke the third leaf of my right front pack along this trail.
The Cruisers descend the backside of Elephant hill.
The unique geology of Devil's Lane.
Shaker Picks a carefull line up lockhart basin trail.
First of all was the heat... we had 40C heat, which for us Canadians... is a lot. Our research on lockhart basin trail was... wrong. I assumed from some research that this was a fairly easy trail... that was Lockhart Canyon Trail... easy... Lockhart Basin Trail.... Hard. You can imagine us by 2:30 in the afternoon, only 1/2 way done the trail on the map, knowing how hard this terrain is, and believing it might be this way the rest of the trail. It's 40C, and we're going through water fast, facing down heat induced panic. It was a genuine test of our personal fortitude and commitment to exploring these remote backroads. You can imagine our relief after coming around another bend to find easy gravel road. I believe that I broke the third leaf of my right front pack along this trail.
The Cruisers descend the backside of Elephant hill.
The unique geology of Devil's Lane.
- Thread starter
- #25
My love-hate relationship with the Spring Over suspension definately developed into more of a hate-hate relationship. Maybe its because my particular spring over is going on 8 years old.. the springs are tired, the shocks are tired, there's no anti-sway, and the ride is positively sloppy, both on the road and on the trail. Ziplock is just plain old fashioned worn out. I have been wheeling the heck out of this thing for almost a decade, with almost no maintenance to the suspension... It still has the same leaf springs it came with the from the factory! So, that definately contributed to a lot of terrible performance.
But, alas, the things that are great about it is it's raw performance. The big tires actually track very well on the highway at 75 mph. The are king of the rough gravel road. They float beautifully in the sand, and they make big ledges and bolders on the trail seem like minor inconveniences. I never touched the body, or even an axle tube on a rock during the whole trip. The big tires open up all kinds of options for lines that smaller rubber cannot. This is especially important with a heavily laden and top heavy expo rig... to be able to have the options to pick the least off-cambre line.
I strongly believe that multi-link suspension with coil-over springs will improve both the off and on-road performance. I am also an increasingly strong believer in the value of anti-sway bars.
Ziplock is in need of a rebuild. Stay tuned for a build thread...
But, alas, the things that are great about it is it's raw performance. The big tires actually track very well on the highway at 75 mph. The are king of the rough gravel road. They float beautifully in the sand, and they make big ledges and bolders on the trail seem like minor inconveniences. I never touched the body, or even an axle tube on a rock during the whole trip. The big tires open up all kinds of options for lines that smaller rubber cannot. This is especially important with a heavily laden and top heavy expo rig... to be able to have the options to pick the least off-cambre line.
I strongly believe that multi-link suspension with coil-over springs will improve both the off and on-road performance. I am also an increasingly strong believer in the value of anti-sway bars.
Ziplock is in need of a rebuild. Stay tuned for a build thread...
I have had my truck 6 years and put on about 70,000 km (no DD) and on my second set of Dakars (60 heavies rear). These like the last set provide a diabolically horrible ride compared to coils (wash board is unbelievably harsh). Despite the urging of many, I have resisted doing a SOA, because after all that downtime, labor and and expense -- I still have those evil primitive leaf springs under there.
If there was a proven multi-link suspension with coil-over spring kit available for the BJ74 I would get rid of those leaf springs in a heart beat.
I have driven with the sway bar on and off in many varied situations and have concluded handling is better with it on - despite how mangled those rubber bushings get.
If there was a proven multi-link suspension with coil-over spring kit available for the BJ74 I would get rid of those leaf springs in a heart beat.
I have driven with the sway bar on and off in many varied situations and have concluded handling is better with it on - despite how mangled those rubber bushings get.
Rose Garden Hill, that's where I took the wrong line off one of the many steps down and had the truck teetering on 3 wheels, and all the bike trails we followed until it turned into a bike only trail and had to back track, until we finally figured out we were reading the dotted lines on the map wrong. ahhh the memories. Great pics and write up btw.
You guys should look at the RJ73 or a Prado suspension for a coil and multi-link suspension as a blue print? Probably just need to upgrade spring perch and springs for the heavier front end. The arms on the Prado's look close to the 80s. Or put in 80 series axles and arms?
Your wheel and tire set up look pretty sweet, reminds me of the Iceland trucks.
You guys should look at the RJ73 or a Prado suspension for a coil and multi-link suspension as a blue print? Probably just need to upgrade spring perch and springs for the heavier front end. The arms on the Prado's look close to the 80s. Or put in 80 series axles and arms?
Your wheel and tire set up look pretty sweet, reminds me of the Iceland trucks.
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It's the Zed updates I'm looking forward to.
Oops.
I meant this thread:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/70-series-tech/605812-zed-ultimate-cruiser-build-thread-3.html
I meant this thread:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/70-series-tech/605812-zed-ultimate-cruiser-build-thread-3.html