GSW 2010 Recap

[mn4wheeler]

looks like a great event. the pictures are awesome.

[Z]

Dave (or anyone who was on Hell's on Friday) - do you remember how this WK did on Tip Over Challenge? This WK has QTII, which is a brake-based traction control system as opposed to QDII (which is pretty much an automatic full locker), I'm curious to know how bad or how good QTII is.

[BigDaveZJ]

They took the bypass around Tip Over.

[Cody]

This really should be removed. Tread lightly rules not neccessarly being followed.

What is Tread Lightly's position on urinating in areas that do not require you to pack out human waste?

[Kauzi Zj]

They took the bypass around Tip Over.

Yeah actually they bypassed just about every obstacle they could...



I think just about everyone got a shot of the polar Bear watering the bush...

[SB406]

Some nice pictures. I have one question though-
How come none of you guys run your front winch as a suck down for climbs? It's amazing what it does to help prevent the front from unloading and transfer the weight forward.

[Cody]

Some nice pictures. I have one question though-
How come none of you guys run your front winch as a suck down for climbs? It's amazing what it does to help prevent the front from unloading and transfer the weight forward.

I use a front center limiting strap with about 1" of slack. It absolutely makes a big difference on climbs. Winch works too, maybe even better, but I don't have a good way to route the winch to make that work.

[ajmorell]

Sweet pics guys. Makes me really want to come out west for some wheeling now

[SB406]

I use a front center limiting strap with about 1" of slack. It absolutely makes a big difference on climbs. Winch works too, maybe even better, but I don't have a good way to route the winch to make that work.

My buggy is leaf spring, but if/ when I do a linked buggy, a front suckdown point for the winch will be a must. Buddies I wheel with will be on a climb spinning, struggling. They stop, bump the front winch in a little, and walk right up without even backing up. Get turtled on the belly, let that thang out and let 'em dig.

[ATL ZJ]

My buggy is leaf spring, but if/ when I do a linked buggy, a front suckdown point for the winch will be a must. Buddies I wheel with will be on a climb spinning, struggling. They stop, bump the front winch in a little, and walk right up without even backing up. Get turtled on the belly, let that thang out and let 'em dig.

well for one that changes the antisquat completely...

I agree though that the winch is better if you can route it because of its adjustability. Cody, how rough is the yank of that strap over rough stuff at speed?

[SirFuego]

Great pics, guys!

Some nice pictures. I have one question though-
How come none of you guys run your front winch as a suck down for climbs? It's amazing what it does to help prevent the front from unloading and transfer the weight forward.

Mike, a lot has to do with the design of ZJs and WJs. Short of running a separate ATV winch (chadjans) or totally overhauling the front rad/crossmember setup (ATL ZJ), there really isn't a good way to effectively route a suck down winch because of how low and far forward the radiator is. For even my bumper (which pushes the winch as far back as Eric was able to figure out without re-doing everything), the winch would be mostly trying to pull my axle forward, not upwards, and I'm not sure how much it would actually be able to "suck" up the axle. I'm all ears though if you can come up with something that will work on the robot though without much fabwork

Because of the the bottom of the radiator being higher on XJ's, you can tuck away a front winch enough to use it as a suck down winch (like how Eric has his setup). I recall some frustration on Eric's part when he did my bumper since he was hoping to be able to tuck the winch away a bit better that would allow me to use it as a suckdown and improve my approach angle.

If my Jeep is ready for WP, you can take a look at it to see what I mean.

[Cody]

well for one that changes the antisquat completely...

I agree though that the winch is better if you can route it because of its adjustability. Cody, how rough is the yank of that strap over rough stuff at speed?

I can't say I've ever noticed it...but I've not gone without a center limiting strap on any of my rigs for 9 years so maybe I'm just used to it? Years ago on Rock Pile I was having a hard time getting up it (and it usually was pretty easy) and started getting really frustrated. Turns out my center limiting strap had broken (tab came off the axle) and I had to give it three degrees of hell to get up that day. Fixed it that night, next day went right up without any problems. 100% sold after that.

It's definitely not new science, so I always wonder why so many long armed rigs are still out there without one. Such a simple mod.

[AgitatedPancake]

I think I'm going to land in the winch suckdown category, I would want to keep all the downtravel I can get when I'm going fast. I agree they really help though, and people said radius arm front suspensions like to unload more than 3-links and such, so a center limit should be even more important to all of us running claytons, TnT, IRO, all of em.

[CrawlerReady]

I use my winch all the time for a suck down...best thing I've ever done.

[ATL ZJ]

I can't say I've ever noticed it...but I've not gone without a center limiting strap on any of my rigs for 9 years so maybe I'm just used to it? Years ago on Rock Pile I was having a hard time getting up it (and it usually was pretty easy) and started getting really frustrated. Turns out my center limiting strap had broken (tab came off the axle) and I had to give it three degrees of hell to get up that day. Fixed it that night, next day went right up without any problems. 100% sold after that.

It's definitely not new science, so I always wonder why so many long armed rigs are still out there without one. Such a simple mod.

I'm surprised your kidneys are still intact. Must be the fact you used straps. I ran a center limit chain with a similar amount of slack for a couple years and the backside of every small waterbar would almost knock your fillings out. At the time I thought it was OK but now I realize it was a horrendous setup.

I think the reason you don't see them on moderately built rigs is that the "kits" people buy don't include them, and the vehicle owners just don't know any better.

I think I'm going to land in the winch suckdown category, I would want to keep all the downtravel I can get when I'm going fast. I agree they really help though, and people said radius arm front suspensions like to unload more than 3-links and such, so a center limit should be even more important to all of us running claytons, TnT, IRO, all of em.

Almost any suspension will unload to a degree. As weight transfers to the rear, the front springs support less weight, and spring rate can't change on the fly (unless you have dual rate coilovers set up to ride on the dual rate stop at level ride height)...

[go4x4it]

I have limiting straps to throw on my rig once I get it back. Its the only way to go..

[Cody]

I'm surprised your kidneys are still intact. Must be the fact you used straps. I ran a center limit chain with a similar amount of slack for a couple years and the backside of every small waterbar would almost knock your fillings out. At the time I thought it was OK but now I realize it was a horrendous setup.

Well, that could certainly be the case. I only have 2-3" of uptravel by design, so any pounding that I take at high speeds I typically associate with that On slow trails the strap is transparent to me.

I like to go fast, but I'm realistic with how fast I can go before I start toeing the line between fun-fast and potentially-break-stuff-fast. Last thing I need is to break something at speed 75 miles from pavement and 150 miles from any semblance of civilization.

[Matt]

Man, sounds like an eventful GSW!

Thanks for sharing the pics, lots of nice Grands there (love the WK's). Sucks about the carnage though.

GSW = Goodtimes

[Z]

Man, sounds like an eventful GSW!

Thanks for sharing the pics, lots of nice Grands there (love the WK's). Sucks about the carnage though.

GSW = Goodtimes

So when are you going to buy another Grand and join the party?

[Cody]

I have limiting straps to throw on my rig once I get it back. Its the only way to go..

To be sure, we're talking CENTER limiting straps, not the kind that limit individual wheel travel.

[Matt]

Z, After seeing some of those WK pics, hopefully sooner than later.

I did go to Moab in May, but didn't wheel. So I'm still getting my SE UT kicks.

[zj95maxx]

I use my winch all the time for a suck down...best thing I've ever done.

I can be a witness to this.

[SCAMPER ZJ]

I use my winch all the time for a suck down...best thing I've ever done.

It's a mod on my list to be done before next GSW. The ratchet strap takes too much time.

Anyway thanks for trail leading Tyler. I only saw you get unnerved twice - once after the WJ rolled on Rim, and that time when the giant lizard started eyeing your ZJ when we were eating lunch in that cave on Behind the Rocks. You did great, and I had a lot of fun wheeling with you!

[zj95maxx]

HAHA! that is awesome. + rep

[Z]

Hey - I never heard how BTR turned out. Any drama?