Subarudude54
Member
- Location
- Sandy, UT
Found a link to forum at Moab Friends for Wheelin, have sporadic experience over the years, but have made this my hobby recently. Don't have a lot of $$, so my rides consist of ZJ's that I have bought wrecked and put back on their feet. Have three. My most built one is a 94 with a 4.0, 231 TC, 4" lift Rough Country long arm suspension, Ford 8.8 rear with Yukon Grizzley locker with 4.88, front with E-locker, 35' tires, Rough Country winch mount. The investment in the rear axle is more than everything else combined.
Since my off road experience is so limited, I thought I'd list it here so at least I can remember it. 1976 rode through pritchett canyon and white rim in a scout leaders CJ-5.
Sometime between 1992 and 94 I drove a company YJ across the Rubicon. Was a Engineer with Chrysler at the time, doing preliminary design work on the 97 TJ.
A year or two later, we built a prototype with an IFS front suspension (it had 12" of vertical travel, typical travel on an IFS drive axle was 5"-7" max. at the time) comparable travel to the solid axles on a ZJ at the time with 9' of travel and when articulated 12.5" of travel. We took this to Moab sometime in the late spring for testing. First day Ber Knight took up Moab Rim, scared the other engineers to death and they didn't leave their motel the rest of the trip. Being sorta local, I had a blast. I recall one evening on a dinner trail with Navajo tacos with Dan Mick. Don't remember any other trails we did specifically, but having since been on Poison Spyder, I do recall the V-notch. Left and went back to Michigan, using all my authority, made Styling Department move the front fenders up 15mm to accomodate 31" tires on the TJ. Then the Styling Chief, Trevor Creed, was ticked at me, and after yelling at my supervisor on a ridiculous design study for the 99 WJ, it ended my career at Chrysler. Came back to Utah and have struggled to make a living ever since. Satisfied my thirst for adventure by snowmobiling.
Few years back, my body due to age starts to hurt a lot more, and snowmobiling isn't as fun anymore. But I still love adventure. So back in 2017 I picked up a wrecked XJ I named T-bone. Had a mild lift with some skyjacker parts, put some 31 tires I bought used making my total investment about $400. Took it to Moab in May and ran a couple of trails, Hidden Canyon and Chicken Corners. The ride was really rough. This last spring I sold T-bone for $800. Was surprised someone would give me that much for it.
Then I came upon a 98 ZJ that had been hit in the right front, but had a 3" lift with some JK wheels and tires on it. I replaced the bent front axle and it has a silver fender with the original white on the rest of the vehicle, so I named it Two-tone. In October 2017 we took it on Seven Mile Rim and Tower Arch trail inside Arches.
Feb. of 2018 went on the RR4W TOM on Fins and Things. When I struggled on one obstacle, the leader asked me what tire pressure I had aired down to. I thought 25 psi was aired down. (LOL) Gave me a disgusted look and had me take the bypass.
Early May of 2018, took my wife and daughter and did 7 mile rim and got lost looking for Hey Joe Canyon.
Earlier in 2018, I bought a wrecked 95 ZJ that had a Rubicon Express 4.5" lift on it with a rear OX locker and 32" KM2 tires. Made repairs to it and replaced a door that was the wrong color, so it became Two-tone-two. It's first trail was the RR4W TOM on May 26, Poison Spyder. It did well, never used the locker.
I believe in July I went to go on the TOM again (jax trax), but a short ways in blew out the PS return line and turned back shortly into the trail. In town I get some hose clamps and PS fluid at O'reilly's and fixed it. Since I was there, I went and ran Fins and Things before going home. Did the second half with another ZJ that had 35 inch tires. Made me thing you could put 35s on a ZJ.
October I went on the TOM again, it was a tip-toe Behind the Rocks. I enjoyed it. Though my Tahoe which pulls my trailer that carries my Jeep had the water pump go out. Plenty of parts for a Tahoe in Moab.
December I bought a worn out ZJ that had a Rough Country 4'' Long arm kit on it with 35 inch tires. I was planning to upgrade TT2 with this before Safari, but ran out of time.
For Safari I had signed up for Moab Rim (hearkening back to my test trip in the 90s) and Steel Bender. I bolted the 35 inch tires on TT2 without doing the long arm upgrade, I also added a front e-locker. Bent metal hoping to make clearance for the tires. But going up the rim, they clanged all over, after getting up the Devil's crack, the rear end was making strange noises, after going up the first half of the Z-turn, I decided to go no further and after everyone had passed I went down and my first Safari adventure ended in the first ¼ mile. Just a note about the spotting on the Z-turn: the leader (I was near the front) had us get our front tires on top of the crack and have us spin till we had turned 90 degrees and then bump the vehicle to get up, which worked for everyone, but also think blew my rear end. The second group's spotter had the vehicles on a gentler line at about 45 degrees and all seemed to climb the crack with less effort. Getting down I pulled the rear diff cover and found all sorts of broken metal pieces, further inspection proved the OX locker had disinigrated. This was a Dana 35 with OX locker and 30 spline axles. Can't handle 35” tires.
I ordered a Ford 8.8 axle from East Coast Gear Supply. Looking at all the rust underneath TT2, I decided to scrap it and add all my parts to an old ZJ my wife had been driving for several years. The one described above. I put it together in early July 2019. It's kept it's old name, The green Jeep.
In early May, took my wife and daughter in Two-tone to Moab and did Day Canyon Point and finally found Hey Joe canyon and went to the end.
The Green Jeep went on it's maiden trail July 20 on Jax trax. Had no problems.
In august went on Poison Spyder with MFFW.
Then Trail Hero in early October, Sliplock Gultch on the first day, my confidence level was still low, so I took many bypasses. Plan B on the second day, not many available bypasses, so built my confidence.
November 23 did Kane Creek with MFFW. 2nd time with MFFW. Rory Irish with Trail Mater was along on both the MFFW runs, maybe I'm paranoid, but they may call him when they see the Green Jeep, and think there's some business for Rory. But so far I've not required his services.
Winter 4X4 Jamboree. Did Wayne's World, Faultline, and Double Sammy. My total off-road experience till now.
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