The Rubicon with Old friends

[mbryson]

I got a flare and it's all together now. Thanks for the offer though

 

[RogueJeepr]

Cool trip.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Looks like you guys had a blast!

 

[Bart]

Great report with a capable group of guys. Thanks for sharing. So cool to see MBryson's wife Marnie out on a trail. If there weren't pics I wouldn't have believed it. How did the trailer pull Carl?

 

[I Lean]

How did the trailer pull Carl?

It pulled great. Only a couple times it held me up--the one Greg mentioned that I had to winch myself straight, and one other where 3 guys picked the trailer up and shoved it sideways. Other than those, it was a non-issue. And it made it possible for me to take 4 people camping in a TJ, without having compact backpacking-type equipment.

 

[Cody]

Very awesome and I'm very bummed I didn't make it. I also don't think my taco would have been particularly happy with that trail though.

 

[Hickey]

It would have been nasty in your Tacoma.

 

[Tonkaman]

So what would it take to get my 3rd gen Tacoma through there? Is it even possible with independent suspension?

 

[mbryson]

So what would it take to get my 3rd gen Tacoma through there? Is it even possible with independent suspension?

Enough lift to run 35" tires and some good skids. I'm assuming your wheelbase is longer like a JKU (116"). Greg and I used our skids a LOT. The trail seemed more challenging a few weeks ago (in a great way) than it did to me in 2013. I was driving my trail Jeep vs my street Jeep.

 

[Tonkaman]

Enough lift to run 35" tires and some good skids. I'm assuming your wheelbase is longer like a JKU (116"). Greg and I used our skids a LOT. The trail seemed more challenging a few weeks ago (in a great way) than it did to me in 2013. I was driving my trail Jeep vs my street Jeep.

I'm actually much longer at 127.5". I've heard that all I needed was 35" tires and skids but you guys made me think that might not be accurate

 

[Greg]

So what would it take to get my 3rd gen Tacoma through there? Is it even possible with independent suspension?

I'm actually much longer at 127.5". I've heard that all I needed was 35" tires and skids but you guys made me think that might not be accurate

I wouldn't do it, if I were in your shoes. I beat up my Jeep more than I wanted and your (NEW!!) Tacoma is probably sitting lower than my Jeep. While you *could* do it, I wouldn't recommend it. With your long wheelbase, I'd suggest 37's, lockers F & R, spare CV's and steering parts, beefy rock sliders and beefy F & R bumpers would be the bare minimum. And the outlook that you really don't care for sheetmetal damage!

Marc hit a very valid point though, it seem like the condition & challenge of the trail changes depending on the time of year and what groups have gone thru it recently. I've heard that the Jeep Jamboree stacks the crap out of the trail, practically paving the way. When we hit it (not long after the trail opened), I don't think much stacking had been done.

 

[Tonkaman]

Ok sounds like it's not a good idea I guess. That's the trail I've always set as my goal for how built my truck needed to be. It will never see 37" tires so maybe it's just out of my reach

 

[Greg]

Ok sounds like it's not a good idea I guess. That's the trail I've always set as my goal for how built my truck needed to be. It will never see 37" tires so maybe it's just out of my reach

I'm sure it could be done with smaller tires, but it would just beat up that truck way too much... IMO.

 

[DAA]

FWIW... When we did it two years ago, my buddy Steve was in his basically stock JK Rubi (2 door). He had to beat the crap out of that Jeep and getting him through slowed us way down too - it took from early in the morning until dark to do Loon Lake to Rubicon Springs. He lost a rear flare, destroyed a steering stabilizer, bent tie rod, dented in both bumpers, stock skids all beat and bent to crap, I can't remember what all else.

- DAA

- - - Updated - - -

Oh yeah, peeled a diff cover and broke a tail light too.

- DAA

 

[Hickey]

FWIW... When we did it two years ago, my buddy Steve was in his basically stock JK Rubi (2 door). He had to beat the crap out of that Jeep and getting him through slowed us way down too - it took from early in the morning until dark to do Loon Lake to Rubicon Springs. He lost a rear flare, destroyed a steering stabilizer, bent tie rod, dented in both bumpers, stock skids all beat and bent to crap, I can't remember what all else.

- DAA

- - - Updated - - -

Oh yeah, peeled a diff cover and broke a tail light too.

- DAA

That's a great summation of the damage to all of the JKs/JKU's on the trip. We all damaged our stabilizers and tie rods (though my tie rod was only scratched, cuz Carl-tuff) I brought my old tie rod on the trip, and gave it to Todd after the trail.

We all used our bumpers, rock sliders, and skids heavily. Our rear control arm/shock mounts are all mashed up.

I spent a lot of money and time armoring up for this trip, and every bit of it was well used. My only necessary repairs are the control arm/shock brackets.

 

[Gravy]

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the pictures! I'd love to do this with my wife and kids when they are a little older!

 

[Rock Taco]

That's a great summation of the damage to all of the JKs/JKU's on the trip. We all damaged our stabilizers and tie rods (though my tie rod was only scratched, cuz Carl-tuff) I brought my old tie rod on the trip, and gave it to Todd after the trail.

We all used our bumpers, rock sliders, and skids heavily. Our rear control arm/shock mounts are all mashed up.

I spent a lot of money and time armoring up for this trip, and every bit of it was well used. My only necessary repairs are the control arm/shock brackets.

And mobile muffler repair.

 

[Hickey]

And mobile muffler repair.

No repair, just re-attach.

 

[Greg]

Bump for the 1 year anniversary of this trip! It may be time to start talking about a Return to the Rubicon.

 

[I Lean]

Bump for the 1 year anniversary of this trip! It may be time to start talking about a Return to the Rubicon.

In!