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Crown King + 2wd open = strapage??

Tbars4

Moderator Emeritus
Elite In Memoriam
Joined
March 4, 2007
Messages
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City, State
anaheim hills,california
Year, Model & Trim Level
95 ranger 4x4/ 91 X 4x4
...My 4wd doesn't work and I don't know why..:p:

...I broke the Ranger early on Crown King and run the whole trail in 2wd...:D

...A really big :biggthump to Dannyboy for wanting to continue the whole trail and dragging me up the obstacles I couldn't make on my own...And to Dustin for spotting, filming, and making the hookups in some nasty areas...

...There is no Arizona section so mod's, move it where you think it belongs...:salute:....This will be updated in the next few days with pics, video's, and carnage report....

...Quick Links I found with Crown King info..:dunno:
http://www.4x4trails.net/db_view_trail.php?trailNum=271
...Includes some pics...
http://members.cox.net/bajasinaction/xck.htm


...From the trail book:

"If you were to ask a cross-section of four-wheel drivers in Arizona to name their favorite trail, or the best-known trail in the state, there is a very good chance that the Crown King Backroad would come out on top. It seems that everyone has heard of the trail and its rough and rugged reputation, not to mention its length. The time we give is the estimate for one or two vehicles to travel the full length of the trail—larger groups normally allow a full day. Special Attractions: Sears-Kay Ruin; Access to many backcountry trails; Seven Springs Recreation Site. This trail is for experienced four-wheel drivers only. It is potentially dangerous, with large rocks, ruts, or terraces that may need to be negotiated. It may also have stream crossings at least 18 inches deep, involve rapid currents, unstable stream bottoms, or difficult access; steep slopes, loose surfaces, and narrow clearances; or very narrow sections of shelf road with steep drop-offs and potentially challenging road surfaces."

Attendees:

Dannyboy
Rolled Ranger= Dustin
Tbars
and the 3 Divas...

...The Boys...
crownking027sm3.jpg


...and the 3 Divas...
crownking033kz0.jpg


...Trail Report

...Round trip was about 150 miles...Trail was approx. 30 miles long...Time on trail was about 5 hours and gas was $3.27....We started the trail fromthe back side...
 
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Some of you may ask why the hell is Tbars4 in Arizona... Well, after seeing photos of him popping up in the Colorado trip I realized Ted can't say no to a good trail ride, I lured him over here because I was ready to do a small renovation in my kitchen. The conversation went down like this "Ted, I want you to come wheelin in AZ and you can make a few bucks by working on my house" I sent some photos of my kitchen and he called back saying they would be here in 2 days!

5 years ago just before my SAS I wheeled my old truck to Crown King and lost a pump seal on the tranny very early on the trail. I had to turn back and disappointed I didn't try again for 3 years. Next time I ran this on my dirt bike and made it to the top.

Bad news of the day, something let loose in Ted's front diff very early on the trail.

Good news, I was video taping an he was bucking the truck pretty good.


He broke the rule of "if a more built truck backs off an obstacle then you shouldn't try it." :D

None the less, he wheeled the hell out of that ranger in 2 low with an open diff, there were several spots I was sure I was going to be hooking up the strap and overall we only had to strap him probably 8-10 times on 20 miles of trail.

I promised my passengers there would be no "hot doggin" as my girl calls it. My goal was to drive home, park the truck and bring it to Truckhaven in a few weeks. I had no carnage! I did manage to have a front tire go flat on the dirt road coming out of Crown King but a quick change any my "space saver" spare was in place. I also pulled my first 3-wheel motion through an intersection on the way to the trail. That was probably from the addition of my coil spacers and the limited down travel.

We hit the old saloon where they rustled up some grub for us and hung out in town for a while. Definitely a fun destination trail in Arizona, not the toughest but there is plenty of obstacles that present a challenge if you wanted to.
 






Sorry to hear about the breakage:( Sounds like it was still a good time though.

I had a productive day in the garage yesterday. I finished the leaf spring relocation on the drivers side of the Dart. One down, one to go...

I can actually see some light at the end of the tunnel... It's just a glimmer, but I'm feeling like I might just actually get this thing completed one day:confused:
 






Looking for anymore side jobs before you go back to CA?? Char has a few in mind;)
 






And where are those pictures-
I've been waiting like 12 hours now--

:D
 






He broke the rule of "if a more built truck backs off an obstacle then you shouldn't try it." :D


Ted, ted ted....:nono:

Some people just need to learn the hard way...:(

12287dsc00531s.jpg
 






I can actually see some light at the end of the tunnel... It's just a glimmer, but I'm feeling like I might just actually get this thing completed one day:confused:

Rick, are you sure that light isn't a train?:)


You guys didn't give me enough notice.. I was already planning on workin on the X all weekend.. I finished the rear springs right before dark on saturday and I still had more work to do.. Maybe next time..

I like crown king.. You an make the lower section as hard as you want... The upper section has been getting harder over the years.. At one place (at least last year) the bypass has become inpassable (big ravine) and some other places (like that climb with a sharp left at the top by the old wall of the hotel) have gotten interesting..

~Mark
 






And where are those pictures-
I've been waiting like 12 hours now--

:D

Ted's working so Ted won't post pics until the whistle blows.


And Mark, sorry about that, last week was crazy for me with work and then my COX internet service went down from home so I was going in a million directions and never had time to catch up. The kitchen project might have been finished on Friday for a Saturday trail ride but we did a few necessary additions that is keeping Ted here for 2 extra days.



As for the trail, it is getting harder than I recall near the top. And the big left, yup, it's sure a challenge, we had to double back on the strap to try to shorten it to get Ted around it and that still wasn't enough. We had two options, 1) pivot Ted around a pillar via trashing his door or 2) I drove straight up the hill and buried my truck completely into the trees. Somehow I was the one who took the risk of damage LOL.
 






Sounds like you guys had fun, I've always wanted to get over to Az and run some trails. I think it's time to get a run organized there sometime this season:D
 












Ted's got trail pics, I only have video.

Kitchen renovation pics to come in the "home improvement" sub forum

Ted was trying to hide because apparently I diverted him on his way to Nor Cal.
 












LOL...I just finished re-installing all the programs on my laptop this morning, I dropped it and had to get a new hard drive from Dell last week.

I'll see what I can whip up tonight if Ted doesn't put me to work LOL.
 






Ted, ted ted....:nono:

Some people just need to learn the hard way...:(

12287dsc00531s.jpg

...I refuse to grow up...:p:

...Some people say why, I say why not...

You know I was sitting there watching Danny struggle with that hill a few times before he took the medium hill...I just new my Ranger could do it (and it would have ;)), but when I had the front searching it felt like pismo beach all over again..:(

...For those who read this in the future my Ranger is a 2.3L, 5 spd., Hybrid Dana 35, with 7.5 rear with 4.10's w/32" tires...I thought it could do what my X could do but it is my Daily Driver...:rolleyes:...A rear locker would have been great on this trip...

...Maniak, I think we did it all and most of the whole trail is rocks...:biggthump..The places I had trouble was the loose dirt and gravel areas on a steep slope or the steps that were as large as my tires...It was like pulling up to a block wall in one wheel drive..These are the areas you take for granted in 4wd but I was reminded of this for the next 25 miles...We did make the whole trail in about 30 minutes of what Danny predicted the run to take...:D

...This is a must do run for a E.F. group event...:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
...as always, the pics were few do to the driving conditions and Dannys video will show the fun and the struggle I had on a few spots...
 
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...And on to the pics...

...This is one of my brand new front tires I bought for CCR '08...They came back from Colorado with the normal rounded leading edge...Considering I had no use of the front end at the beginning of the run, these tires tell the story of the fun we had..:D
crownking041eh7.jpg


...and yes I got a new zorro badge on this trip...I guess the dents on the passenger side from Big Bear and CCR '08 wasn't enough...(bumper dent is old)
crownking011fh4.jpg


...and my bumper got a scratch...:rolleyes:
crownking021fd0.jpg


...Airing down...
crownking003sq3.jpg

...A few pics on the way up, kind of dusty...
crownking004ml0.jpg

crownking006lg2.jpg

crownking007jw8.jpg


crownking009on6.jpg
 






...Maniak, I think we did it all and most of the whole trail is rocks...:biggthump..The places I had trouble was the loose dirt and gravel areas on a steep slope or the steps that were as large as my tires...It was like pulling up to a block wall in one wheel drive..These are the areas you take for granted in 4wd but I was reminded of this for the next 25 miles...We did make the whole trail in about 30 minutes of what Danny predicted the run to take...:D

Ted,
Is this the spot you didn't do? This is the spot I pulled the front spring from (The X is top of the hill with only 3 springs in this pic).

ck_010.sized.jpg


This looks like the spot where you took a pic of Dannyboy.. The loose dirt can make it interesting..
ck_004.sized.jpg


and YES, we need a EF run there.. Its been years since we had one.. (Old timers may remember Alec did it in a locked 2 wheel drive 2nd gen with a supercharger)...

~Mark
 






...Actually, the first pic I believe I made in 2wd..:scratch:..enough rocks to wheel on but a few of those I didn't...Dannyboy would know...I made a lot of those climbs which everyone else thought I would need a strap...Danny has one part of the trail on video where he struggled a little bit and I just drove thru in 2wd...Then we would roll up to something like this and it was a block wall..:(
crownking015fn5.jpg

crownking016zc1.jpg

crownking017jn6.jpg


...The jeep is high centered and in the second pic, the guys are squatting on the pumpkin buster with the whole behind it...


The bottom pic you posted is definately like the area's I got strapped later on..The pic of yours looks like the same spot but if you look at the pic I posted, it now has more rock ledges on the right side and a deep rut on the left...:dunno:

...The Rangers gearing is to high for 2wd and in 2wd lo I couldn't get a run at it...
 






...I forgot to mention...When I lost the front pumpkin I also bent my cross member so now the front driveshaft rubs when it's spinning...I also, while in 2wd, noticed my motor hit the hood while in the rocks...

...And probably about 2/3's thru the trail my tranny purged some fluid...:dunno:...:D
crownking013rn2.jpg


...This is a pic of Danny's truck with the branches of the trees planted in his hood from snatching me out of the afore mentioned nasty left turn climb when he took the tree route...
crownking018sl4.jpg


...And a couple pics of him changing his tire to....
crownking036ih9.jpg


...His space saver tire...
crownking038ov3.jpg
 






...This trail reminded me of 2n17x about 1/3 of the way thru and the rough spots of Big Bear at the top..I don't have a better pic of all the rocks on the road but if you look at the pic of where my tranny spewed, that is what most of the road looked like...

....If you took the worst of Cleghorn, 2n17x and Big Bear, added all kinds of rock obstacles in the middle of the the road, you would have an idea of Crown King...:biggthump
 



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...I forgot to mention...When I lost the front pumpkin I also bent my cross member so now the front driveshaft rubs when it's spinning...I also, while in 2wd, noticed my motor hit the hood while in the rocks...

...And probably about 2/3's thru the trail my tranny purged some fluid...:dunno:...:D
Ted you're trying really hard to kill your truck arent you? :)
 






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