April Big Bear Run

[Ken Cooke]

Hey Guys,

Ken Cooke, I think your group pased us down the road a bit when we had stopped for lunch, after the water crossing. It was snowing good and I saw a whole lot of Jeeps go by. I was in the green camofloge jacket waving. Was that your group ?

Martyr

Martyr,

Yep, I saw you and the crew you were with. I was the Tomb Raider in the very back of the group pulling sweep duty. There were 17 of us - one of which was pulling a trailer! We had a great time - good thing I had the boulder bars bolted underneath...I used them a few times on the rocks...

-Ken

 

[Jefe]

All my pics are up now:
Big Bear pics

And to recap the weekend:

Good

Bad :thumbdwn:

 

[Stic-o]

Saw big bear pics!

 

[410Fortune]

Carnage
That rock would laugh at my truck if I tried that Of course the back tires would just about be to the rock at that point


Did you get one with both tires pointed all the way out??
You could then do an animated .gif and your truck could do the mackereana

 

[Jefe]

I noticed Jefe did not post the picture I sent him of his weld job.

Just for you Brian (the one 'good' looking weld )

 

[Jefe]

Carnage
That rock would laugh at my truck if I tried that Of course the back tires would just about be to the rock at that point

Did you get one with both tires pointed all the way out??
You could then do an animated .gif and your truck could do the mackereana

I didn't. . .I was too busy trying to get it go go straight down the trail and cursing at my front end. I don't think I'd want to 'teach' my truck the mackareana though

 

[BKennedy]

On my truck, one of the four bushings on the Superlift steering system is shot. I ran out of bearing grease and did not grease them up prior to this trip. I have to do it otherwise, pop goes the bushing. And...if I have to force the wheel with the front locker engaged, it blows a bushing, usually the top one. I had to force the wheel when I was pulling the Jefe's broken Explorer and half expected to see a blown bushing. I have spares so its no big deal.

The big deal was when I was doing the post trip cleanup and undercarraige inspection. I found that the cross member where my double shocks are mounted is cracked more than half way through right to the left of the shock mounts. Good thing it didn't crack all the way, driving home with no rear shocks would have been a bummer, especially pulling the trailer.

 

[Jefe]

I had to force the wheel when I was pulling the Jefe's broken Explorer and half expected to see a blown bushing.

Yeah ok, blame it all on me. I seem to remember you also having to force the wheel while getting you up the obstacle I broke on.

I found that the cross member where my double shocks are mounted is cracked more than half way through right to the left of the shock mounts.

This is the stock frame crossmember or have you built a separate crossmember for your shocks?

 

[BKennedy]

Its the stock one. Not for long.

 

[Stic-o]

Its the stock one. Not for long.

Ok thats scary! You cracked the stock one!

 

[jobunn]

Well my coworker/buddy that has a cabin in Big Bear invited me up last Sunday for a reprieve from the hot weather and to run some of the trails. The weather was incredible, sunny and cool, and the trails were fairly empty. Nothing too eventful happened, just lots of fun. I put a few new dings in the body and changed the way my exhaust sounds via a large rock. Here are some pics, all from the John Bull.

 

[jobunn]

2

 

[Ken Cooke]

John Bull

Holcomb Creek (in the snow!)

Joe - here are a few pics of our trip nearly 1 month ago. These trails are great fun aren't they!?!

Maybe I'll see you out there sometime...

-Ken

 

[BKennedy]

Well Joe, at least you were not denied this time. You actually ran a trail in BB!!

 

[Rick]

hehe, I wish. EVERYONE makes beafier D60 knuckles. . but I couldn't find one beefed up D44 knuckle w/o high steer only.

How about those plate steel D-44 knuckles and then weld on an arm where you need it.

 

[Rick]

Thank goodness for the ReadyWelder once again Did you use 2 or 3 batteries to weld the knuckle?

 

[Jefe]

How about those plate steel D-44 knuckles and then weld on an arm where you need it.

I never ran across any in my search, but that soulds like a lot of work anyway. Its ok though, cause the Chevy knuckles I got are much beefier than than the CJ ones I broke, and they work better for my applicatioin. I've got side-by-side pics in my SAS thread.

Thank goodness for the ReadyWelder once again Did you use 2 or 3 batteries to weld the knuckle?

Yes indeed. Though having to take it out for the third time since the SAS was frustrating. Used two batteries. The first time i welded it, it hardly penetrated at all, but the second has held up to all the abuse I could give it with a 5 lbs sledge (therapy ).

 

[Rick]

The D-44 knuckles I mentioned are for sale at Pirate4x4 in the vendor section.

 

[Rick]

Here is a link for Crane inner Cs not what you're looking for, but another component for the "ultimate 44" http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=212480&highlight=knuckle

I tried to find the knuckles at POR, but I couldn't find them They were really basic. 1/2" plate steel welded together to form a "box". The top was drilled for a high steer arm. Another arm could have easily been added.

 

[tdavis]

I tried to find the knuckles at POR, but I couldn't find them They were really basic. 1/2" plate steel welded together to form a "box". The top was drilled for a high steer arm. Another arm could have easily been added.

Welderboy made them - and they wasn't cheap other.