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Dreamr's Solo Run (locker try out)

dreamr

Explorer Addict
Joined
October 5, 2003
Messages
3,636
Reaction score
13
City, State
Lynnwood WA
Year, Model & Trim Level
99 XL / 4x4 / 4.0 ohv
Before I even get started.
I know I should avoid playing alone, but I am always alone so shhhh.....

My daughter and I found ourselves very bored on a Saturday morning and couldn't think of anything entertaining to do around the house. When I asked her what she wanted to do she goes..." ohhhhhhhhhh...I wish we could go offroading....."

:D :thumbsup: That's my girl!
She knows that we have no 4 low right now because I keep griping about it, and she is also well aware of what dials and buttons need pushing or turning before we can "play". In short she has been sad for my truck, cause she can't take her the places Zaira likes to play...

Well I haven't had a chance to test the locker out yet, and I figure locked in 4-hi is likely more capable than I was in 4-low with open difs, so off we go.

I found a small little road last season that connects two of my favorite lake trailheads. It is a bit nasty with a few moderate obstacles and access to a couple challenging hill climbs. To sum up my description, it was the perfect road to stretch the truck out on and test the locker a bit. What made it perfect, was the fact that I knew that short of major breakage we would see the end. After all it was an easy if slightly technical road, and we were within a mile as the crow flies of the main FS roads.

We started out taking pictures but once I got involved in driving there were no more photo ops :D She performed like she always does which made me smile. A couple observations though.

I have been concerned about my higher center of gravity, but we took a couple lines to feel it out and I was very surprised that overall she really isn't that much more tippy when seriously off camber :D
My second observation I have stated before, but I am continually astounded by the ease with which these M/t's grip the terrain. In places where I previously had to have a bit of momentum I am able to crawl through with just a little tire slippin.

And lastly the locker. There is a hill that I have tested my truck on ever since I got her. I was too focused and distracted to take any pics, but.................
On my 30"A/T's with 1.5" of lift I was able to make it maybe a car length up before I was hung up on the frame and spinning away.
With 33" M/t's and 5" of lift I made it about 2 car length's up before the holes, open difs, and loose dirt stopped me cold.

Today I pulled up to it and there were a couple kids one in a blazer and one in a full size dodge. Both were on 35's and trying like hell to make it up. I was grinning and my daughter being her typical self was making fun of them. See they were not even making it up 2 full car lengths. The younger of the two was kinda rude and made fun of our ford a couple times. My little one is usually shy but she looks at him and says ," My daddy's truck can climb everything, and yours can't. :rolleyes:

He glares at me, so what can I do. I joked around saying I would be lucky to make it as far as they did, believing that I really would only do a little better. I haver no 4-low right now, so I put it in High and pushed the secret orange button. I started to climb slow and steady. They were laughing telling me I would never make it without some speed. I realized a long time ago that speed breaks stuff and throws you off line.

I was utterly shocked as she just kept climbing with only a couple occasional slips of the tires. Soon enough I sat at the top. I carefully eased back down and enjoyed the shocked looks on their faces. Of course they had to try a couple more times and never made it. :D :D
This thing ROCKS! there were a couple other places I just had to try with it, and again and again it amazed me! If you have yet to lock the rear. DO IT

Below are a few pics. Most of them of course are pretty tame, cause of course I was busy driving in the rough spots. But my cute little munchkin is in there, so enjoy.

Now to get that 4-low fixed ;)

201223-5-05_Zaira_spring_in_the_hills_017.jpg


201223-5-05_Zaira_spring_in_the_hills_018.jpg


201223-5-05_Zaira_spring_in_the_hills_019.jpg


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201223-5-05_Zaira_spring_in_the_hills_023.jpg


201223-5-05_Zaira_spring_in_the_hills_026.jpg


201223-5-05_Zaira_spring_in_the_hills_028.jpg


201223-5-05_Zaira_spring_in_the_hills_030.jpg
 



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Thats sweet. I was gonna ask how old your daughter was but then I seen the pics. The truck, your adventure and your daughter its awesome. I have two kids about the same age.
 






You sure are a great story teller :D Sounds like fun. Too bad you didn't get a pic of what the kids faces looked like after you climbed that hill :D

I wish there were places like that in GA that weren't so far away :rolleyes:
 






Redrig
Thanks for the compliments. Zaira just turned five at winter solstice (12-20)
She's a sweety, but is starting to get that sassy attitude most kids have around 6-9. Most of the time it's amusing, but kinda embarrasing today :p

bmxking5
I had that thought when I got out of the truck. I think I may have got hit though. They really didn't take that to well. I played it cool and didn't gloat, but they wouldn't even talk to me really. Zaira pokes her head out the window after we were back on level ground and yells "SEE" :rolleyes:
 






thats cute
 






That's a great day! My little girl is two & a half & she loves to ride to the ocean and drive along the beach. I'm glad the locker worked out, I can't wait to get mine installed. I remember Jefe & his brother slowly climbing over stuff at TruckHaven that I could only go over if I had a lot of speed & Kitt’s turbo boost!

I've been waiting for an AussieLocker to put in the front, but that guy has been saying "they'll be on the plane at the end of the month" for 5 months now :rolleyes: So, i think I’m going to go with the powertrax for now.

I didn't follow, when you where installing all the stuff, if you did gears as well??? If so, how big a difference did they make?

Happy Wheeling!
 






jarv
She only thinks she is. Trully she is evil. :D

CG
I am really enjoying the locker :thumbsup: I don't think I will really need one up front untill this becomes a trail rig rather than a daily driver. I can get myself into plenty of trouble as is :D When I do I'll go with another Eaton E-locker. I believe the one for the Dana 35 IFS is out this summer. If I have a D30 by then I'll just toss a auto locker in there since I won't be using the all wheel drive setting.

I did do the gears at the same time. Changing ratio's frrom 3.73 to 4.56. Honestly going from 30's and 3.73's to 33's and 4.56 it performes almost identically. The gears and tires balance out to almost stock ratio. In fact I ran with my speedo uncalibrated today and it was only about 5 mph off at 60.
See bigger tires means your going faster than the speedo says. Lower gears means you are going slower than what the speedo reads. Do both and it balances. With the 33's I ran for about 2 weeks with 3.73 gearing. There was a vast difference with the 4.56.
 






There's a certain little girl who is way overdue for bed sitting here insisting that I show y'all that she found snow to play in. If she'll go to bed NOW I'll go through the hassle of resizing, uploading, and posting a pic. One more ;)
201223-5-05_Zaira_spring_in_the_hills_016.jpg
 






Wow, a 99 XL with no roofracks.....very rare. I Never could see you had no roofracks. Cool pics.
 






Crankcase said:
Wow, a 99 XL with no roofracks.....very rare. I Never could see you had no roofracks. Cool pics.


There are no marks up there either, showing that it never had one.
I was disappointed that it didn't have them at first, but now I am grateful.
It has about 1" of clearance between my garage door and the roof ;)
 






dreamr said:
There are no marks up there either, showing that it never had one.
I was disappointed that it didn't have them at first, but now I am grateful.
It has about 1" of clearance between my garage door and the roof ;)

Yeah, I was kind of dissapointed at first, then I realised I had something that didn't look like 99% of X's driving around...
 






awww... she is sooo cute....... hopefully my duaghter will wnat to go 4 wheeling with me one day :)
 






awwwwwwww such a proud father, I remember when I got my locker too. :) hahaha kids cute too!

Locker = all the difference in the world! Now get another one :)
 












Cool pics :)
 












Yea.. what was I thinking. Those pictures suck! I do love your truck though :p
 






Premier said:
I do love your truck though :p
He just needs to make it look like yours :D

Evans Creek will do that just fine :eek:
 






Albino 94LTD said:
He just needs to make it look like yours :D

Evans Creek will do that just fine :eek:
If he wasn't so busy "keeping it tame", he might have been able to do it there :eek: :D
 



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bmxking5 said:
If he wasn't so busy "keeping it tame", he might have been able to do it there :eek: :D

Tame is unscathed and unbroken for many trips up these fire roads to my camping and recreation spots. The offroad goodies going into this truck facilitate getting back in where most of the folk don't tread. Offroad parks always have lots of people, but are indeed fun. I doubt this truck will see Evans Creek, Elbe Hills, and many unnamed (to my knowledge) trail. Just can't imagine laying a truck over that I still owe 9K on. Now after it gets "old" we'll see, or build a ranger first :confused:

Hence the Toyota project. Like I said earlier in another thread, when we smash the side of a rusted out 15 year old hulk we'll be proud of the scar.
When I crush mine on a tree or rock I'll cry........................................ Then get fiberglass fenders, hood, and fresh paint to make me forget :cool:

Premier:
Ya know the real reason that I have to keep posting pics is to convince you that the Cascades are pretty enough to draw you away from the Salt Lake..........after all there is Katie to think of......................
:D :p :D
 






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