T-day at T-haven short notice run (Photos)

[BKennedy]

It was a good time, even with the bad weather! We experienced about every kind of weather Truckhaven has to offer....sunny warm day, wind, sand storm, rain, partially cloudy calm night with a HUGE fire, then more wind.

As soon as I hit the pavement, my truck started pulling hard to the right. I took it to an alignment shop today and they said the right side shifted 2.5 degrees back from the left and they can't fix it. Don't know what to do, except take it to 4WheelParts to see if they can get it fixed.

Cool Pictures

 

[Rick]

Brian, make sure they check the radius arm bushings and that that plastic piece is still in one piece. I think the Superlift still uses that plastic piece...

 

[Gopher]

glad to hear everyone made it out ok. Ya, the winds are bad. My grandparents have a house on the other side of the sea. Bombay Beach. The wind just comes out of nowhere and as quick as it came it can go away. Crazy.
Brian Where did you have it aligned? For my truck, none of the local shops can work on it. I end up just going back to Fabtech. Which i guess works out since they tighten up all the bolts everywhere.
I'm going back to the doc tomorrow. Eh.
Heres one for the guys that went. I want to go out to thaven before the big run. I couldnt make it the first time...The second time was shot.. So....third time is the charm right? My last day of this semester is Dec. 14. So after that i'm free. Would anyone be up for another run?
good pics Rick. How was the sand? Was it real soft or did it have a little hard layer on top?
Glad to hear everyone made it ok.

 

[rpenner54]

Is this a first?

She told me she didn't understand how to drive it! LOL Something about levers or something.....

 

[Rick]

No she didn't "like" to drive it... She asked if she could so I said no problem. She did very well with some good off camber driving. I got a bit nervous when she pushed in the clutch and didn't have her foot on the brake while decending a steep hill though...

And about those levers... you better ask Paul B. If she knows how to shift an Atlas II

 

[rpenner54]

Originally posted by Rick
No she didn't "like" to drive it...
And about those levers... you better ask Paul B. If she knows how to shift an Atlas II

LOL I know! Thats what shocked me!

Okay what's the story?!? Come awn someone share!

 

[BKennedy]

I thought Char did real good going up that steep slot, except at the bottom when she started out by driving off the right side of the trail......

Jefe, just because someone else actually rolled it there is no excuse. It was pretty cool looking from the rear watching your truck rock back and forth.

All of my gear, clothes, truck, tools, tent, etc.. were filled with very fine silt. I actually had to wash my tent with soap and water. Am leaving the truck dirty till it gets fixed as punishment for it costing me more money.

Rick, I am taking to the place where my friend works as the shop foreman, 4WP tomorrow. Jay used to have an Explorer and should be able to figure it out. I'm thinking its the thrust angle, maybe an alignment pin broke off the rear leaf (very unlikely since I have those custom shock brackets that act as an axle truss and are welded to the leaf spring mount), or the radius arm bushings are shot (don't hear or feel that bumping noise that comes with that though), or the radius arm is bent.

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

Was that Bill with a tow strap jooked up to him. I've only seen that one other time but it was in reverse.

 

[Rick]

I twisted Bill's arm and convinced him to try a boulder field. He got hung up and I hooked my winch cable to him.

 

[RockRanger]

Originally posted by BKennedy
.

Rick, I am taking to the place where my friend works as the shop foreman, 4WP tomorrow. Jay used to have an Explorer and should be able to figure it out.

Was it blue with a 3" body lift 33"s and different lug pattern front and rear. I watched him just about roll it going up bronco hill at Los coyotes a year or so ago. What happened to it. He seemed like a pretty cool guy the few times I talked to him.

Matt

 

[RockRanger]

Originally posted by Rick
I twisted Bill's arm and convinced him to try a boulder field. He got hung up and I hooked my winch cable to him.

Ok where is it? I want to give it a try and see if I can make it. We will have to check it out in January when everyone is out there.

Matt

 

[Rick]

Sounds good Matt. I saved the trail on my GPS so we can get back there.

 

[Paul B.]

Originally posted by Rick: And about those levers... you better ask Paul B. If she knows how to shift an Atlas !!

Lever's? What Lever's LOL

 

[RangerX]

I was doing fine until that loose rock wedged itself against my rear axle and my taillight was up against the wall!

Matt, that's the guy, but he now has a TJ

 

[tdavis]

gee bill, what an excuse.. "I was between a rock and a hard spot!"

 

[BKennedy]

Rock Ranger, thats him but he rolled his x on the freeway a few months ago and now he bought a J#$P. His reasoning was that he could get all kinds of parts and accessories for a J%$p through his shop for cost, instead of paying or having to make custom stuff for another x. Sound logic, except for one thing.....now he is just another J%$per.

Jay just called and told me the damage...$250.00
They could not find anything bent or broken, but he right side has shifted back over 2 degrees. I have the max cams in there now, so thats out. He ordered special cams that go in the bottom of the radius arms where they mount to the I-beams. They have to bore a larger hole in the radius arms and the I-beams. He also said that no matter what, I would never have to worry about it not being able to align again with all that adjustment in the front. And....he says I could go up to 5 1/2 inch coils with my 4 inch drop brackets, which is something I want to do in the near future anyways. The only problem I can see is that if I want to get different radius arms, I have to have them made with the larger diameter holes.

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

I remember that guy. I wheeled with him after the Los Coyote clean up run. I still don't know what he was thinking trying Bronco Hill.

 

[sirhk100]

Brian,

Let me know where you end up getting it aligned. I'm planning on installing a set of Donahoe heimed radius arms that I'm waiting on in the next week or so and will need to get it aligned. I've heard East county alignment out in El Cajon or that area does AWESOME alignments on lifted vehicles and deals with fords all the time including bending the 2WD beams on the prerunners. Anyways let me know where you end up going.

Khris

 

[RockRanger]

I have heard good things about east county alignment as well. I called them once and they said it was a 4 day wait and would be 150 just for an allignment and more for camber bushings if needed. ended up going elsewhere.

Matt

 

[BKennedy]

I am picking up the truck tomorrow as its been at 4WheelParts in San Marcos all day. Jay is a wild man in his 4X4, but also knows more about Explorer's than nearly anyone, so I let him fix it. Turns out when he pulled the radius arm nuts off the front mounts, the holes were rounded out from it being loose, so it slipped back, wasting the alignment. Superlift, of course, would not warranty the radius arms, saying it was not a defect, because it was not tight enough (which is essentially true, but if it was designed better, it would not of happened since I tightned it up before I left for Truckhaven. I have a 1-1/8" wrench just for that).

I went to East County Alignment one time for an alignment. They wanted to do all this other stuff, like turn the rear brake drums, weld all the lift parts onto the frame, for an additional $400.00. I declined and have never gone back. I have been told by other offroaders that they suggest unnecessary repairs. I don't have total faith in them, so I don't go there.

Bee-Line in Pacific Beach also does great work for cheap, but you have to listen to the tech. complain about lifted trucks. If I lived closer, I would go there.