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View Full Version : This weekend at Paragon



Skyline
07-02-2006, 11:29 PM
Wheeled the stock ZJ a little too hard this weekend. The most costly failure happened on Saturday, when the AC compressor wimmpered a bit then stoped working. (Remember, us ZJ guys wheel with the AC on!) It spit melted bits of stuff out the edges of the clutch assembly. Fortunately, the pully still turned, so it didn't eat the belt as well as the clutch, so on we went. (I'm still wondering whether I need just a clutch or the entire compresssor). I realize that this was not technically what I could call wheeling carnage; could have just as easily have happened on the street.

On Sunday, I steped up to a harder group, and this was when the fun started. Maybe I should have taken a hint, that every other person in the group had at least 5in more height than I did. I gave the rock sliders a pretty good workout. I was doing very well until we got to an area with a lot of deep slick mud at about 2pm. I was following a Rubicon who was going too slow and I had to stop. I could not get moving again, and had to be pulled back. (first time in about 8 years for me!) Well there was a cut off for the deep part of this mud bog, and against all good advice, I decided to not use the bypass and give it a go anyway. I really hammered it through, determined not to get stuck again. but about 3/4s of the way through, I was stuck again. This time I was not high centered or anything. I just wasn't moving. One of the members of the group noticed my front wheels were not moving at all! Sure enough, I had destoyed the POS CV joint in my front driveshaft. I now had 2wd and an open diff in deep mud. NOT good! The group leader doubled back, and we mapped out a bit of a bypass off the trail through the woods, and he dragged me to a dry spot. To add insult to injury, while being pulled out through the woods, I ripped my exhaust apart.

We strapped the exhaust up, and I had to be escorted out of the park. We were probably at one of the furthest areas of the park from the entrance. At least I had the satisfaction of making it all the way out in 2wd without needing another tow. Time to get a better driveshaft! Once out of the park, I took out the driveshaft, and put the exhaust back together. I drove home 160 miles with one shaft. (Hope I haven't killed the 249....I'm not quite ready financially to put it out to pasture!)

Well, at least I made it home in almost one piece.

2jeepsforus
07-03-2006, 10:06 AM
as far as driving without a front driveshaft, you should be fine... I did it for a week while they were making my new driveshaft. My 249 still works fine. If you did happen to trash yours out somehow, I will be removing mine in the next week for my 231HD....

Dave

Sudz
07-03-2006, 10:23 AM
what trails did you run?

:worthles:

Skyline
07-03-2006, 10:24 AM
Thanks for the offer Dave, I appreciate it. But if I have to go through the trouble of replacing this TC, the last thing that will go in is another 249. I still have not decided on whether I can live without full time 4WD, so I'm thinking about a 242, but I haven't made up my mind. I do a lot of winter driving in this GC. I guess one can use a 231 case in PT 4WD on the street as long as the roads are at least wet, (I did this for years in a Cherokee with 231 TC I owned prior to the ZJ), but it means stopping to switch from 2 to 4 wheel and back as conditions change. Kind of a PITA. I do hear you can build a 242 to be pretty robust, even if a bit shy of a 231HD.

Skyline
07-03-2006, 11:00 AM
what trails did you run?

l really couldn't tell you exactly which ones. We went on mostly Green 2 and Green 3 trails. I have not really been to Paragon enough times to learn what trails are what; and I didn't bother to take note. The only other stock vehicles in my group were Rubicons; so I had by far the biggest challenge.

I think I was on "Lucky Trail" when I broke, but whatever it was, it had 2ft deep mud ruts. The 15" or so of rain they had in the last week has made several areas of the park considerably more difficult. They have also been forced to close a number of areas due to trails being washed out completely. I'll work on getting some pics up.

All in all, it was a great weekend. I took my 13yr old on his first serious 4X4 trip, and he had a blast. In fact, he wouldn't talk to me all the way home because he was so pissed that I broke the Jeep and forced us to miss the last couple of hours!

Sudz
07-03-2006, 11:22 AM
l really couldn't tell you exactly which ones. We went on mostly Green 2 and Green 3 trails. I have not really been to Paragon enough times to learn what trails are what; and I didn't bother to take note. The only other stock vehicles in my group were Rubicons; so I had by far the biggest challenge.

I think I was on "Lucky Trail" when I broke, but whatever it was, it had 2ft deep mud ruts. The 15" or so of rain they had in the last week has made several areas of the park considerably more difficult. They have also been forced to close a number of areas due to trails being washed out completely. I'll work on getting some pics up.

All in all, it was a great weekend. I took my 13yr old on his first serious 4X4 trip, and he had a blast. In fact, he wouldn't talk to me all the way home because he was so pissed that I broke the Jeep and forced us to miss the last couple of hours!

my 13 year old has been there so many times he knows the trails like the back of his hand - :D

anyway, we got blasted by rain and most of the towns in the area along the major rivers are flooded - i hail from yardley, pa

lucky is def a nasty trail - deep water - even the bypass is rough

i avoid monthly ride weekends and prefer to take groups out on my own - i guide at paragon

next time you go, give me a shout

-Sudz

BigD
07-03-2006, 01:04 PM
Hey Sudz,

I'm a local PA ZJ guy, perhaps we should try and get a grand ride together. See how many grands we could get together to wheel for a day at Paragon.

I'm off to Tellico the 8th through the 15th with JeepsRUs, but maybe we could get a ZJ ride together sometime at either Paragon or Rausch.

BigD

Skyline
07-03-2006, 02:29 PM
my 13 year old has been there so many times he knows the trails like the back of his hand - :D

anyway, we got blasted by rain and most of the towns in the area along the major rivers are flooded - i hail from yardley, pa

lucky is def a nasty trail - deep water - even the bypass is rough

i avoid monthly ride weekends and prefer to take groups out on my own - i guide at paragon

next time you go, give me a shout

-Sudz

Well thanks for the offer. I need to sort out my driveshaft first. I think I want to get my lift installed as well before going out there again; but I may go one more time at stock height.

2jeepsforus
07-03-2006, 02:36 PM
I'd be down for a ride to Paragon.... I just don't have my sliderz made yet.... I've actually never been there and I'm about 4 hours away

Rubber Chuck
07-04-2006, 08:42 AM
Damn Steve......I had heard you had issues on Sunday......just wasn't sure how bad. You never said anything about your A/C compressor when I saw you Sunday morning.
The trail that ate your front shaft was "Puddle of Mud".....fun trail if you like mud. If it makes you feel any better....I took stockers through there in May and promptly got a Brand New Commander and a Newer TJ stuck in the same spot that you had issues.
Let me know if you need anything.

Texas ZJ1
07-04-2006, 08:43 AM
No Pics = no wheeling.


Hunter

Skyline
07-04-2006, 12:35 PM
No Pics = no wheeling.

Hunter

That's me:
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000296.JPG

Playing in a rock garden:
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000263.JPG

Examining the melted bits spewing out of the A/C clutch:
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000284.JPG

Mud anyone???
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000289.JPG

http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000291.JPG

Skyline
07-04-2006, 12:55 PM
More pics: (Believe it or not, these two little kids in the back of this yellow Wrangler slept through most of the day!)
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000295_782967.JPG

Where we were standing here was soon under water as the wave from the vehicle pushed through.
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000317.JPG

Serious rock garden, serious Jeep:
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000320.JPG

Paragon's primitive campground:
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000335.JPG

http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000347.JPG

http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000358.JPG

http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000366.JPG

A rattlesnake at trail's edge:
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000382.JPG

Skyline
07-04-2006, 01:11 PM
High centered Rubicon. I had just made it through this spot with about 4" less ground clearance:
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000387.JPG


This trail was absolutely insane. (This was NOT one our group attempted!) It had boulders as big as my GC. Just prior to being winched to this point, this guy was wedged completely sidways (driver's side down) up against his windshield frame. This Jeep was not all that big, so it was a bit curious to see him on that trail. What surprised me even more was to see a GC right behind him, but then again that was one bada** GC...looked like a 8" lift and 35's.
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000390.JPG

Part of the day's carnage:
http://www.jeepforum.com/gallery/files//4/3/0/4/6/P1000393.JPG

Well, I have a new front DS on order from Tom Woods, so that will be fixed in about a week, (U-Joint instead of CV joint this time!). I got an A/C compressor from a junkyard yesterday for $150, and about an hour later you could hang meat in the GC. I still need to get a new U-clamp for my exhaust, and figure out how to put back the 1/2 dozen or so wires that got yanked out of the O2 sensor plug.

BigDaveZJ
07-06-2006, 01:48 PM
I'm assuming you're getting a new pinion yoke too?

Skyline
07-06-2006, 03:30 PM
I'm assuming you're getting a new pinion yoke too?
Of course.

Skyline
07-06-2006, 03:38 PM
Damn Steve......I had heard you had issues on Sunday......just wasn't sure how bad. You never said anything about your A/C compressor when I saw you Sunday morning.

Thanks, Chuck. An A/C compressor doesn't count as far as wheeling carnage is concerned, so it was really no big deal. It's just a PITA. I got enough wisecracks from the TJ guys as it was! I guess they don't get how hot it can get in a GC WITH doors, roof and no A/C.

Steve

O'Tool
07-06-2006, 04:52 PM
I didn't realize that paragon was so close...
I'm in Buffalo, so it looks like about 5 hours away.
That's not too bad. I'll have to give it a shot sometime!
Aaron

Skyline
07-06-2006, 05:16 PM
I didn't realize that paragon was so close...
I'm in Buffalo, so it looks like about 5 hours away.
That's not too bad. I'll have to give it a shot sometime!
Aaron

It's been my first exposure to a true ORV park, and it's well worth the trip. Lots of very varied terrain, (sand, mud, rocks,you name it) and very nice people running the place. You can check out their web site at: http://www.paragonap.com

You can go through the park self guided with groups of three vehicles or more, hook up with a guide (we have a few on this board), or just go unescorted to one of their monthly guided trail rides, (as I have done). At the monthly rides, it's a bit more crowded from what I understand, but they will group you based on the level of trails that you want, and it's still tons of fun. The park is plenty big to accomodate all the customers with ease.