Stage II - bigger, heavier, slower.

[SirFuego]

I had the same thought. I may just bend the other side to match and make 'em "high clearance". Good idea.

My buddy bent a Clayton's arm. Said the same thing...

That climb on 15 was a blast. That rock wall on the right that my rig kept wanted to go towards was pissing me off though.

So you figure out what all that squeaking in the steering is from?

[rstrucks]

That climb on 15 was a blast. That rock wall on the right that my rig kept wanted to go towards was pissing me off though.

So you figure out what all that squeaking in the steering is from?

That slop at the top of 15 was just plain nasty. When I was spotting for Pearce in the dark I stepped onto what I thought was a mud covered rock. Nope! It was about 12" of muddy goo.

Did you hear something that I didn't? I heard what I assume was a TB squeak but I don't think I heard a steering noise. Of course it may sound different from in the cab. I was just going to pull the TB and lube the axle end poly bushing.

[SirFuego]

Did you hear something that I didn't? I heard what I assume was a TB squeak but I don't think I heard a steering noise. Of course it may sound different from in the cab. I was just going to pull the TB and lube the axle end poly bushing.

It could have been a suspension-related squeak, too. I seem to have remembered it being more pronounced when you were steering, but I could be wrong.

I just looked at the one video of you and I think you are right since it seemed to squeak when your front axle was drooping/compressing. I'll upload that video and let you decide.

[SirFuego]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2bxIQVEUXk

[rstrucks]

Cool, thanks.

Damage report;

Here is how the ZJ came home. I'm glad my neighbor is cool and has a pressure washer I can borrow.



My bumper took a few solid shots and held up pretty well. It reminded me that I need to relocate my trans cooler lines - I kinda got lucky that I didn't smash them shut or cut them in half.



Custom fender rolling



Is that supposed to be straight?

[Pearce]

NICE!

[jfowlzj95]

Love that first pic, how did you like the Pitbulls?

[leeanderthal]

Man that thing is a bad rig. Lets see more.

[AgitatedPancake]

Damn man your rig is lookin BADASS. I like how you push it too, that's what it's all about!

I hope I have the chance to wheel with ya sometime

[chadjans]

Is that supposed to be straight?

Be thankful these weren't square stock. You would still be on the trail.

[rstrucks]

Be thankful these weren't square stock. You would still be on the trail.

As in - they would not have bent as easily and something else would have broken/ripped off? Elaborate for me.


Jon, I LOVE the tires. They did really well in the conditions. I would recommend them in a heartbeat.

AP, come on out here and lets wheel! I think our rigs would match up pretty well.

Thanks for the compliments guys. I hope I can keep it looking good for a while.

[ATL ZJ]

Be thankful these weren't square stock. You would still be on the trail.

doesn't "stock" mean solid? what are you talking about?

Ryan, I need to watch those pitbulls work in person

[rstrucks]

Ryan, I need to watch those pitbulls work in person

Heck, I hardly saw you and we stayed in the same dang cabin. Maybe I can finally wheel for more than one day with out pussin out next time. Maybe a trip to GMP is in order? (as long as you don't expect my full bodied rig to keep up with yours)

[ATL ZJ]

Heck, I hardly saw you and we stayed in the same dang cabin. Maybe I can finally wheel for more than one day with out pussin out next time. Maybe a trip to GMP is in order? (as long as you don't expect my full bodied rig to keep up with yours)

I know, the only bad thing about having a big turnout like that is there ends up being people everywhere and not enough time to talk with everybody, much less wheel with them...

How bout I slap on some junkyard doors and mirrors and we call it even? I only have 1/10 of a liter on you

[chadjans]

As in - they would not have bent as easily and something else would have broken/ripped off? Elaborate for me.

When square arms fail they fail like flat plate. If this bent arm was square it would have not gotten you off the trail.

Square arms are nice and we all know the strength vs round debates but when sqaure arms fail they fail bad.

My rear lowers are bent even with a rib on the bottom. Aluminum here I come.

[ATL ZJ]

When square arms fail they fail like flat plate. If this bent arm was square it would have not gotten you off the trail.

Square arms are nice and we all know the strength vs round debates but when sqaure arms fail they fail bad.

My rear lowers are bent even with a rib on the bottom. Aluminum here I come.

My experience has been a little different. I had a 1.5" square rear lower bent as badly as the link in Ryan's pic and wheeled on it for quite some time with no further issues. probably unwise, but my resources were limited at the time.

Sounds like you used too small of an OD for your links. stare at the MOI tables long enough and it'll be obvious that the real strength gains come from using larger diameter material. but of course 7075 is legit too.

[OverkillZJ]

Be thankful these weren't square stock. You would still be on the trail.

Then again, if they were 1/4" wall 2x2" square stock like many of us have been running for a long time, they wouldn't have bent more than 1/8"

[rstrucks]

How bout I slap on some junkyard doors and mirrors and we call it even? I only have 1/10 of a liter on you

I'll probably be the one needing the junk yard doors! I think making you drop down to 35's might even things out.


As for the links, I obvioulsy hit them fairly hard but I didn't even feel the hit. They are .250 tube that is going to get reinforced the way it is and I'll bend the other side in a press to make it match. Or I'll straighten it out and brace it. Even with them bent I would still have drive shaft protection so I'll probably go that route. Although I would like to rework the rear suspension anyway to go with a triangulated 4 link. Hmmmm......... we'll see.

[rstrucks]

I ran across this and it caught my eye.

Last year on 35's I barely got by the tree, this year on 37's, I barely hit it.





I did try the same line as in the first pic, I just got pushed to the side.

[leeanderthal]

That sucks every time. Very cool build.

[SirFuego]

There was a tree there?!? Amazing what you don't see when sheetmetal is missing

I'm actually being serious. I had no idea that was there...

[rstrucks]

Some pics from Crozet a couple of weeks ago. After watching Conti and Adam make it through "Body Shop" I thought I'd give it a try. Luckily for my sheet metal I made it without falling into the middle. My brother was shooting some video most of the day and these are the only pics he got. I am going to try to get the video edited down so I can post it up. There is some good video of Conti and Adam (1988YJ??) that I'll post up too.

[MoonWorks]

Hahaha...nice! Thats either a make it or completely fail obsticle.

[rstrucks]

Hahaha...nice! Thats either a make it or completely fail obsticle.

Yeah, it's a place you need to trust your spotter too. That was the last thing we did for the day and I had told myself not to do it as the possibility of major damage wasn't worth it. I still wouldn't/couldn't do it forwards like those guys did.

I've been meaning to give you a shout, been busy.

[MoonWorks]

Yeah...your front bumper may hang you up going the other way. Unless you try going at a hard angle and cut into it. It's a big ass verticle ledge to step up on, on your passenger side.

Yeah man...give me a call sometime. I've got a couple things I'd like to talk with you about anyway. You hitting up bigdogs? Atleast make it to GSE!