Wickenburg Wheelin' photos from 4-2-06

[Rick]

http://www.explorerforum.com/wickenburg_4_06/

The group consisted of Michael, Hammer, Hammer's friend Kevin who drives the orange and black Bronco, Sam from 4 Wheel Parts/Transamerica and Steve from Complete Offroad.

Sorry I didn't get more shots of the Bronco, but I wasn't positioned in the right spot in line to be able to get him in action. The rig has a propane injected 460 with linked axles front and rear. It really performs well. Unfortunately the single 10 gallon propane tank only lasted a few hours and barely got him back to the trailer. He plans on mounting a second tank soon.

As you can see I wiped out both of my new rear tailights on their first outing. I figured that would happen, given the design. I'm going to pull the LED lights from those housings and recess them either into the pocket wear the taillight should be, or in the bottom of the rear hatch so they are out of the way once and for all...

 

[Stic-o]

As you can see I wiped out both of my new rear tailights on their first outing. I figured that would happen, given the design. I'm going to pull the LED lights from those housings and recess them either into the pocket wear the taillight should be, or in the bottom of the rear hatch so they are out of the way once and for all...

You know Rick, the guy I bought my 35's from said on his 4runner he just take the taillights out before they hit the trail He said he got tired of replacing them

 

[Rick]

 

[Hammer]

Good Times!!!
Thanks for the call Rick, I am so full
Outback Steakhouse

 

[Rick]

You know Rick, the guy I bought my 35's from said on his 4runner he just take the taillights out before they hit the trail He said he got tired of replacing them

With my luck I would forget to put them back in before hitting the road and the ticket would be more expensive than the lights

 

[GJarrett]

I'm confused.... what advantage were the new taillights supposed to provide over the old ones? You're 95% offroad now and usually trailer the Pumpkin, so why spend extra $$$ for a fancy LED lighting system you know you're gonna break? Just curious....

 

[FROADER]

Looks like a fun trail.

Rick, I say fill in the original brake light wholes and rig up some of these magnet towing brake lights on the roof.

 

[daddy_ja]

Sweet pics Rick, now i wish i had gone with ya. I probably wouldnt have made it out in one piece though. lol

 

[Rick]

I'm confused.... what advantage were the new taillights supposed to provide over the old ones? You're 95% offroad now and usually trailer the Pumpkin, so why spend extra $$$ for a fancy LED lighting system you know you're gonna break? Just curious....

The metal housings weren't supposed to allow the LED lights to get damaged. Since my body was already tweaked back there they didn't fit flush with the body so when I dragged the side of the truck against rocks the metal housing pulled away from the body. I'm going to take the LED lights out of these housings and recesss them into the tailight pockets. I bought these lights sight unseen and when I had envisioned them I thought they were going to be recessed and not "form fitting".

 

[Rick]

Looks like a fun trail.

Rick, I say fill in the original brake light wholes and rig up some of these magnet towing brake lights on the roof.

That wouldn't meet DOT requirements for brake light height.

 

[GJarrett]

Ah..... I didn't realize they were metal housings..... it does sound good in theory. I know what you mean about getting them pulled out when you scrape the side of the body.... I've got "taillight guards" but more than once I've had to stop my forward motion because they caught a tree or cliffrock on the side of my Explorer and if I had continued forward they would have wrapped around and busted out the taillight they are supposed to guard. I know this because I did it once and busted out a tailight so I keep cautious now when I start leaning against an obstacle back on my rear quarterpanels.

 

[FROADER]

That wouldn't meet DOT requirements for brake light height.

Stick them on the sides for driving around town and then put them on the roof or inside the truck while off road.

 

[Rick]

This is my fix... The panel can crush in and the light "should" deflect out of the way. The aluminum panel is only solidly mounted to one side, yet it is in there very snug. I also added steel bracing behind the taillight to help keep the panel from being crushed in the first place.

I'd rather replace lights than drive around town with those dorky trailer lights

 

[FROADER]

I like it a lot!

 

[Michael]

That turned out nice. I need to do something like that since both of mine are broken now .

 

[Rick]

Here's photos of the finished job.

 

[410Fortune]

hehehe looks good Rick, trail worthy!

are those drywall screws?
I am racking my brain trying to figure out what you can do with that new found space under each LED though....something funky? reverse lights?

 

[Jefe]

I am racking my brain trying to figure out what you can do with that new found space under each LED though....something funky? reverse lights?

He can buy another set of lights like his old reverse lights (PIAA?). . .looks like they'd fit great.