Paul
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- August 18, 1999
- Messages
- 1,424
- Reaction score
- 935
- City, State
- Grit City, Washington
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '94 “Sport”
- Callsign
- KK7CSO
Return from Moab!
Taken a while to get back to this thread after returning from Moab last week. A few work, home and other projects jumped up just as I got back - - and as stated in the Moab thread, haven't even washed the rig yet!
Trails Run:
Tuesday 5/11 – Hell’s Revenge, including Hell’s Gate obstacle
Wednesday 5/12 – Moab Rim
Thursday 5/13 – Kane Creek Canyon
Friday 5/14 – (off day)
Saturday 5/15 – Top of the World
Sunday 5/16 – Hurrah Pass / Jackson Hole
Background:
After having my ’91 Sport wrecked by a commuting idiot in 2017, I wasn’t sure I was going to build-up another Explorer. After the wreck, I purchased a later model Ranger, and made some slight modifications (torsion key upgrade, Explorer leaf springs, 285 tires), so it was prepped as an “Overlanding Rig” and was okay (FX4 package with LS and 4.10 gears). But in the end, there was “too much good stuff” on the carcass of the wrecked ’91: Atlas, ARBs, ¾ doors, drawer system, almost new 33” Wrangler Mud-Terrains, etc. to sell off or give away.
Started looking for another Sport in early 2020 and lucked out and found the current rig. This thread details the build of that vehicle, so no intent to re-hash that effort, but worth noting a few upgrades from the old “B-3” to this Sport. First, it’s geared, better - - my old rig ran 33” tires with 4.10 gearing, by using Phil’s (Albino94ltd) running gear, I bumped the ratio to a more competent 4.56 gear ratio. Secondly, I used Phil’s F-250 front shock towers and extended shocks and that has made a huge improvement to front articulation. I used to “3 wheel” the old Sport a lot, this trip I think I only lifted a front tire once or twice - - a dramatic improvement in articulation. Third, I tried to trim some of the “excess” stuff from the new Sport, and by that, I mean to reduce the overall weight the rig carried to increase its agility and maneuverability, as well as reduce stress to the drivetrain or other systems. An example for this was the decision to leave off the Conn-Ferr roof rack. On the other Sport it held LED lights (front and rear), my Hi-Lift Jack, and two spare 2.5 gallon fuel cans. I stowed the Hi-Lift inside the vehicle, and mounted Phil’s old roto-pax fuel cell in the spare tire area on the new rig and did without all the extra lighting. Reduced weight and lowered the center of gravity and didn’t need all the extra lighting - - even when finishing up Kane Creek in the dark (or near dark…). Another reduction of gear was leaving out the “slider” part of the drawer system I had in the back of the old Sport - - in order to gain access into my ARB 37L fridge, you’d have to slide out the fridge to lift the lid. So the ARB stayed home and I used a 25 year old cooler, which although not nearly as cool (get it[?]) as the ARB, was perfectly adequate for day trips in Moab.
Wait, what? A free ride to Moab? You bet!
Tale of two Bearings:
I've been to Moab probably a dozen times since 1999, and I've never trailered a vehicle there. In fact, I was always a bit proud of my ability to drive the Sport to Moab, wheel the harder trails, and then drive the 1,100 miles back to Tacoma - - even if that meant driving back with the rear locker engaged the whole trip (2010). This year the opportunity presented itself to trailer the Sport and haul down spares and tools in a F-350, so jumped at that chance. Fortuitous to say the least, as I had a rear wheel bearing and seal fail while on the Moab Rim trail, and had I driven the Sport down, I’m certain it would have failed on the way. The culprit was a piece of the copper airline that failed after the initial ARB install - - it made its way through the axle housing and when it contacted the bearing, was enough to shred it, and shortly thereafter, destroy the seal. So not long after starting the return trip from the turn-around point on Moab Rim, the seal started leaking. . . Short story, we got it back to camp, where we had the tools and spares to make the replacement but had “grooved” the axle shaft by driving it off the trail with the failed bearing which required a replacement of the axle shaft - - luckily had the correct (passenger) spare on the F-350 parts truck.
Had a squeal on vehicle start-up that I really should have trouble-shot before the trip but purchased a spare idler pulley and belt tensioner/pulley before departing just to have on-hand - - then promptly left these parts at the camp when heading off to the trails. Well, the bearing in the idler pulley failed on the way to Kane Creek, and if not for assistance from Kevin, Gregg, and Brian (who had the spare idler pulley), it would have made for short and frustrating day. So obviously had to reinforce an already known point to carry the spares you might need on the trail - - on the trail ! !
Anyway, here’s some pictures from the trip, some repeats from the Moab thread if you were following along on that one.
Poser shot on Hell's Revenge. . .
Pic from Dwight (PNW Jeep guy) on the way up Moab Rim (Kevin in foreground, me farther up the trail).
Only "stuck" of the week, and sole use of the winch. . .
Cresting the top of the hill on Moab Rim. . .
More to follow. . .
Paul
Taken a while to get back to this thread after returning from Moab last week. A few work, home and other projects jumped up just as I got back - - and as stated in the Moab thread, haven't even washed the rig yet!
Trails Run:
Tuesday 5/11 – Hell’s Revenge, including Hell’s Gate obstacle
Wednesday 5/12 – Moab Rim
Thursday 5/13 – Kane Creek Canyon
Friday 5/14 – (off day)
Saturday 5/15 – Top of the World
Sunday 5/16 – Hurrah Pass / Jackson Hole
Background:
After having my ’91 Sport wrecked by a commuting idiot in 2017, I wasn’t sure I was going to build-up another Explorer. After the wreck, I purchased a later model Ranger, and made some slight modifications (torsion key upgrade, Explorer leaf springs, 285 tires), so it was prepped as an “Overlanding Rig” and was okay (FX4 package with LS and 4.10 gears). But in the end, there was “too much good stuff” on the carcass of the wrecked ’91: Atlas, ARBs, ¾ doors, drawer system, almost new 33” Wrangler Mud-Terrains, etc. to sell off or give away.
Started looking for another Sport in early 2020 and lucked out and found the current rig. This thread details the build of that vehicle, so no intent to re-hash that effort, but worth noting a few upgrades from the old “B-3” to this Sport. First, it’s geared, better - - my old rig ran 33” tires with 4.10 gearing, by using Phil’s (Albino94ltd) running gear, I bumped the ratio to a more competent 4.56 gear ratio. Secondly, I used Phil’s F-250 front shock towers and extended shocks and that has made a huge improvement to front articulation. I used to “3 wheel” the old Sport a lot, this trip I think I only lifted a front tire once or twice - - a dramatic improvement in articulation. Third, I tried to trim some of the “excess” stuff from the new Sport, and by that, I mean to reduce the overall weight the rig carried to increase its agility and maneuverability, as well as reduce stress to the drivetrain or other systems. An example for this was the decision to leave off the Conn-Ferr roof rack. On the other Sport it held LED lights (front and rear), my Hi-Lift Jack, and two spare 2.5 gallon fuel cans. I stowed the Hi-Lift inside the vehicle, and mounted Phil’s old roto-pax fuel cell in the spare tire area on the new rig and did without all the extra lighting. Reduced weight and lowered the center of gravity and didn’t need all the extra lighting - - even when finishing up Kane Creek in the dark (or near dark…). Another reduction of gear was leaving out the “slider” part of the drawer system I had in the back of the old Sport - - in order to gain access into my ARB 37L fridge, you’d have to slide out the fridge to lift the lid. So the ARB stayed home and I used a 25 year old cooler, which although not nearly as cool (get it[?]) as the ARB, was perfectly adequate for day trips in Moab.
Wait, what? A free ride to Moab? You bet!
Tale of two Bearings:
I've been to Moab probably a dozen times since 1999, and I've never trailered a vehicle there. In fact, I was always a bit proud of my ability to drive the Sport to Moab, wheel the harder trails, and then drive the 1,100 miles back to Tacoma - - even if that meant driving back with the rear locker engaged the whole trip (2010). This year the opportunity presented itself to trailer the Sport and haul down spares and tools in a F-350, so jumped at that chance. Fortuitous to say the least, as I had a rear wheel bearing and seal fail while on the Moab Rim trail, and had I driven the Sport down, I’m certain it would have failed on the way. The culprit was a piece of the copper airline that failed after the initial ARB install - - it made its way through the axle housing and when it contacted the bearing, was enough to shred it, and shortly thereafter, destroy the seal. So not long after starting the return trip from the turn-around point on Moab Rim, the seal started leaking. . . Short story, we got it back to camp, where we had the tools and spares to make the replacement but had “grooved” the axle shaft by driving it off the trail with the failed bearing which required a replacement of the axle shaft - - luckily had the correct (passenger) spare on the F-350 parts truck.
Had a squeal on vehicle start-up that I really should have trouble-shot before the trip but purchased a spare idler pulley and belt tensioner/pulley before departing just to have on-hand - - then promptly left these parts at the camp when heading off to the trails. Well, the bearing in the idler pulley failed on the way to Kane Creek, and if not for assistance from Kevin, Gregg, and Brian (who had the spare idler pulley), it would have made for short and frustrating day. So obviously had to reinforce an already known point to carry the spares you might need on the trail - - on the trail ! !
Anyway, here’s some pictures from the trip, some repeats from the Moab thread if you were following along on that one.
Poser shot on Hell's Revenge. . .
Pic from Dwight (PNW Jeep guy) on the way up Moab Rim (Kevin in foreground, me farther up the trail).
Only "stuck" of the week, and sole use of the winch. . .
Cresting the top of the hill on Moab Rim. . .
More to follow. . .
Paul
