Scrambler project test run in Moab

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
I've enjoyed wheeling so much in my Commando with 4 links that I decided to link up the Scrambler this winter. I decided to go try it out in Moab this weekend. We knew that it was the car show weekend but I have never seen so many people on every trail. The trails were packed with UTVs, ATVs, dirt bikes, mountain bikers and Jeeps. Most all of the primitive camp sites were taken and people were just camping wherever they could pull off. Some were even camping in the ravines and I imagine some got washed out on Saturday. We ran Poison Spider, 7 Mile Rim, Metal Masher (in the rain) and Cliff Hanger. The exit from Cliff hanger has gotten really chewed up and is giving some folks trouble. When we were there it was a traffic jam from all the rigs trying to get out. My nephew's Rubicon had a tire catch his left front brake line and rip it in half coming out on the final climb and we had to winch him out. After pinching off the brake line with vice grips one of the jeepers who was stuck with a broken front axle shaft loaned us some brake fluid. After topping it off with brake fluid we went into town and fixed it up. We discovered the next day on Metal Masher that he also damaged one of his lower control arm axle mounts possibly at the same time he caught his brake line. The Scrambler performed great and only had some minor issues pop up. The brand new wiper blades kept blowing off in the wind and rain which made for an interesting ride during the storms. I ended up stealing the passenger wiper off the Commando and using that one on my drivers side so I could see coming home in the rain. The brand new mirrors wouldn't stay in place in the wind and my tilt column mounting bolts decided to work loose on Metal Masher. I didn't have a steering wheel puller in my tool kit so I busted off the plastic housing on the column so that I could try and tighten the bolts. I was able to get it tight enough for the trip home but now I have a messy repair job. We had a great time even with the repairs, here are a few shots.
 

Attachments

  • IMGP5011.jpg
    IMGP5011.jpg
    229.8 KB · Views: 40
  • IMGP5016.jpg
    IMGP5016.jpg
    203 KB · Views: 42
  • IMGP5024.jpg
    IMGP5024.jpg
    238.2 KB · Views: 41
  • IMGP5049.jpg
    IMGP5049.jpg
    198.1 KB · Views: 38
  • IMGP5054.jpg
    IMGP5054.jpg
    168.3 KB · Views: 39
  • IMGP5059.jpg
    IMGP5059.jpg
    199.5 KB · Views: 39
  • IMGP5068.jpg
    IMGP5068.jpg
    166.2 KB · Views: 38
  • IMGP5073.jpg
    IMGP5073.jpg
    186 KB · Views: 37
  • IMGP5082.jpg
    IMGP5082.jpg
    173.5 KB · Views: 37
  • IMGP5085.jpg
    IMGP5085.jpg
    238 KB · Views: 34

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
A couple from Metal Masher in the rain. We didn't get out to take many pictures because it was pouring. Mirror gulch was fun with a stream coming down the rocks.
 

Attachments

  • IMGP5100.jpg
    IMGP5100.jpg
    138.3 KB · Views: 32
  • IMGP5101.jpg
    IMGP5101.jpg
    121.2 KB · Views: 28
Last edited:

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
So are you as happy with your Scrambler's new suspension as you were hoping?

Yes it worked great, rides much smoother and doesn't lift wheels like it used to. I can get much more rear axle movement. The spring under lift springs that I had would shove the axle back into the fenders when they were articulating so I had to limit the up travel. The only issue that I may address a bit is that my short wife has trouble getting up into it since I added a couple of inches of lift.
 
Last edited:
Top