Los Coyotes on Labor day

[Diff Whack Daddy]

Well, I went out w/ the skidplate offroad team guys again and I am proud to say that My Green Mistress proved herself. If you are familiar w/ the area, We left camp and came down Creek road as a warm up. We moved on to a very tight winding trail down to Ball bearing hill and then past Bagsby rock and up Tobagon hill. At Bagsby rock, which is a rock that hangs over the trail and eats roofs of rigs that are too high, I tapped my left front fender on a tree and received my first offroad induced boddy dammage. It looks like someone through a 80mph softball at it. It turned out to be about a ten hour run because Tobagon hill is where it took us just under 4 hours to move 100 yards. There was discussion about turning arround and going back the other way, but after discovering that turning one vehicle arround was out of the question due to available space. Backing out to the nearest turn arround point would have just as difficult since a few of the obstacles leading in were nerve racking enough in forward. I ended up whinching up the toughest section which was about a 2 1/2 ft verticle ledge w/ an off camber lead in to it and muddy ruts. I reached the top, did a 400 point turn and proceeded to winch up a J*#p cherokee, wrangler, and then a Grand cherokee. After clearing that just before night fall, we headed back to camp and arrived there about 9:30pm.
In the few hours at this obstacle, I watched my truck come within less than an inch of one vehicle as I went arround him and less than an inch from a rock face, w/ the mirror folded in, as I climbed out of the last part of Tobagon hill after my 400 point turn. WHAT A DAY!!!!

Now, the question I pose to you is, How often do you get to rescue 3 j*#ps, all of different body styles, in one afternoom?!?!?!

 

[tdavis]

hey, good job Mac!

That fender is only $45 to replace.

It's the paint job that costs so much now.

How did the smitty bilt hold up? Did it bend any?

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

The bumper held out very well. It didn't even move. The next step for improved strenght is reinforcing it w/ a custom front hitch to also provide a better front tow point. I say custom because it will be installed w/ minimal ground clearance sacrafice.
As for the fender, I already pounded out the majority of the dent and the rest will be a battle scar(couple of dimples and a little lost paint). The next mod is solid axle. Why pay the money for gears when I can get a new axle for about the same as gears.

 

[kocke01]

Just got back from Los Coyotes today

I just got back today. I didn't get very far. As you, I went down Creek Rd. as a warm-up, then decided to give "El Hill" a go (see picts of Paul's truck in the Los Coyotes write-up I did last year). Anywho, I get to the make it or back down it point (about 2/3 of the way) and BOOM!!!
Left front tire came down and stuck hard. Bye-Bye Warn Manual hub. My front posi was both a help and a hinderance. Probably wouldn't have blown if I was open up front, but once it did blow, I definitely needed the 3 wheel drive to get around the other side and back on the main road.
After seeing the hub in 10 different pieces all over the side of the hill, I'm not sure I'm very impressed with the forged aluminum/pot met looking hub casing. Anyone know what those things are mad of? Sure doesn't look like high quality steel to me. Does Warn have a lifetime warranty??

 

[leebo]

Just for you.....and only you. Warn does offer a lifetime warranty. From what I've heard just send in the old hub with a copy of the recipt and here comes the new one, but I'm not sure. I do know there was a post here awhile back stating how to return the hub. At least it's free though.

 

[JAY]

Kevin,
Warn does have a life time warrenty. You need to call them and they will give you a return auth number. That is what we did and the the new one came befor we even sent the old one out.

I believe it was Paul that blew out one of his also. That is only three known to me, so that is already better than the damn ARB.

Oh, have you been past the house recently? Poor girl isn't feeling too good...

[Edited by JAY on 09-17-2000 at 08:29 PM]

 

[tdavis]

Jay, make that 4. I've blown one to bits, along with the axle.

Kevin - check the u-joint in the axle too. It could be damaged. You don't want this:

and this:

and this:

I had more difficulty dealing with 4Wheel parts in getting this replaced than Warn.. they couldn't believe an Explorer could totally utterly blow a hub.

 

[kocke01]

I have seen the old girl out there. Looks very weird Axel-less in your yard. I had to do a double-take...
I'll call Warn tomorrow. I may buy a set anyway just to have a spare or 2. I was bummed cuz it would have been so easy to fix and get back on the road again.
I had to drive a bit w/ 3 wheel, but I didn't want to keep doing it. The truck was pulling hard, and knocking me off my line.
Thanks for the info. I'll stop by one of my trips home from work.

 

[kocke01]

My hub looks exactly like yours, I mean exactly. The way the 2 largest pieces split. Interesting...
I know what you mean about the U-joints. Those were the next thing I checked. Actually when they looked OK I didn't believe it. I figured there was no way my repair was going to be as easy as a blown hub. I'll have to take a photo of the 2 pieces I have. Looks like it was passenger side for you. I had to deal with passenger side last year. The outer yoke split which in turn grenaded the U-joint. My hub was intact though...

 

[JAY]

Damn Tom, you did all that togeather? I haven't done a hub personally but I had a u-joint looking like yours. I still still have an extra on hand for when the day comes I have to pay Kevin back...