Truck Haven for Thanksgiving '07

[mounty71]

You guys have fun out there. Im gonna button up the explorer this weekend hopefully. Then it probably goes up for sale. Ive been eyeing a wrx STI for awhile now and i think its time to get back to road racing like i used to do. Who knows though, never can tell from one day to the next whats gonna happen lol.

:thumbdwn: Boooo!!:thumbdwn:

 

[Maniak]

on my way

I got a later start than I wanted. 100 miles down.. just under 300 to go.

 

[DB_1]

Well, i'm out for this trip. I've decided to work on the truck all weekend so I can have it ready for the next run.

Tbars, the freeze warnings are probably for the high deserts...it should be in the lower 40's for T-haven.

Have fun out there guys

 

[Exploderpilot]

putting the radiator in the blazer today, be out there tonight or in the am....

 

[BKennedy]

Kevin, Rob - Char and I are super bummed we can't make it out there with you guys

DITTO!!!

No way we are going to make this trip, even for one day. I figure it costs almost as much to come out for a day, then to tow the Explorer with the RV and stay the weekend. I'm going to wait until I can take a few days and stay over. Besides, I just cut the tire carrier and gas can racks off my rear bumper. I am getting around to doing the mods to the rear bumper I have been thinking about for a few years.
While at Death Valley last week, after about twenty miles down a washboard road that was shaking the crap out the rig (I need to get up to at least 40mph before the shakes go away on those roads, while the people I was with had stock rigs and were going slow), my spare 35" tire mount broke off at a joint. The tire rolled down the trail, since of course it was on a hill, and towards my Dad's friend's new Jeep Wrangler (I mean brand new with dealer plates). He started to try and avoid it, then thought better of that plan and let the bumper take the hit. I am glad because it was turning towards his Jeep and would have hit the side of the body if he kept trying to get out of the way. Turns out, the new Wrangler has a thick plastic bumper cover. That big old 35" tire hit the bumper right where it juts out in front of the frame rails and there is a large gap between the metal bumper and the plastic cover. Caved in the plastic cover pretty good. Got back to camp, welded up the tire mount, took off the plastic bumper cover and popped the plastic back out...almost good as new. The dude was very cool about and refused my offer to buy him a new bumper cover. Those Wrangler designers must have their heads way up their rears to think a plastic bumper cover would last on a vehicle designed to be off-roaded. The metal under the cover ends at about the frame rails on both sides, leaving this plastic cover sticking out about six inches unsupported. If that tire had hit the bumper at the end, it would have torn the end of the bumper off and creamed the fender. Could have been a lot worse. If it had come off on the highway while I was towing it out there, I would not even have noticed until I got pulled over, saw a bunch of cars crashing behind me, or got to camp (would have been a great phone call to the CHP; "ahhhhh, hey you guys looking for me, I seem to be missing a spare tire?")
The guy that welded the tire mount must have not got a very good ground because the weld hardly penetrated. Made me suspicious of the entire weld job so I used that as my excuse to cut all the stuff off the bumper. Of course, the rest of the welds appear to be fine because it was a real pain cutting them off.

 

[Maniak]

We are at the base of the bluffs. Turn right on the last road before you get to the road cloasedd froad.

there is green street sign where you want to turn..

we are brhind the bluff

~Mark

 

[R.J.]

:thumbdwn: Boooo!!:thumbdwn:

carlover

i don't have a problem with sti's, i would love to have one i gave a sad face cause that means your leaving the offroad world

 

[90ranajo]

Just got back about an hour ago. Will post the pics in a bit.

 

[cybergasm]

Return thread is located here.....




http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1787822#post1787822

 

[carlover]

carlover

i don't have a problem with sti's, i would love to have one i gave a sad face cause that means your leaving the offroad world

Yeah im still not sure whats going on. The whole 2wd thing is getting old already, maybe ill find a used awd mounty and convert it to manual 4wd. Whatever i do i will be getting a nice fast car to race on road, and maybe something for offroad too.

 

[mounty71]

I admit i used to want an STI more than anything, but when i got into offroading it didn't cut it for me anymore. They still are nice cars i think and i'm sure you'd be happy with it, its just too bad you are finishing up a really nice suspension on the explorer and getting rid of it right away.

 

[carlover]

I admit i used to want an STI more than anything, but when i got into offroading it didn't cut it for me anymore. They still are nice cars i think and i'm sure you'd be happy with it, its just too bad you are finishing up a really nice suspension on the explorer and getting rid of it right away.

Actually the explorer is just getting a brand new stock front suspension. Im just not sure what my next plan of action will be for it. The mileage is getting kinda high at this point. I might try to find an awd mounty and build up on that. Really not sure at this point....