Texans Invade Tellico: The Aftermath

[Randall]

Tellico was great, definately some of the most intense wheeling that I have been a part of. We'll be returning before too much time has passed. In addition to the tire I blew out on the way down Guard Rail, I lost a bead on my other front tire. Some debris got lodged into the bead and it would not hold air. Michael and I ended up having to drive to Atlanta, which was the nearest place I could find that had a 35" tire in stock, and we got the tire with the debris cleaned and reseated. We also came to find out that Michael's power steering pump is blown.
Personally, I feel that Michael and I's rigs are fairly well modified, but we both came away feeling somehow inadequate for the best Tellico has to offer. I left with some serious Swamper envy Anyone that saw Michael's truck perform at Moab knows that it is very capable and had little if any trouble traversing the not-so slickrock of Moab, but the wheeling at Tellico is very different. A 2wd can do a lot at Moab because of the abundance of traction. Tellico is a different story. Traction can not be relied upon. I would definately recommend lockers front and rear.
I ran trails 1, 4, 6, 11, and 12 before tire problems put me out of commission for Sunday's wheeling. Sunday we ran 4 and 6 again, and added trail 8.

I've got more pics at demon4x4.com/runs/tellico/tellico.htm
As soon as Michael sends me his pics I will have his uploaded to the site as well.

I want to thank Gerald for showing us around Tellico and for great spotting (most of the time ). Without Gerald, we would probably have come out a lot more damaged than we did. Believe it or not, but Gerald was the voice of reason, as Josh would put it. Also, thanks for playing 'Peter Webber' and getting some great photos.

Originally posted by Alec
Nah, all you guys needed were some superchargers and some nitrous

It would have been fun to have you out there Alec, though it might have taken a while to pick up all the pieces

 

[taxx]

Is that all its got?! I ain't skared. Actually I am a little intimidated, but I still want to take "money pit" out there and see if I can come up with more things to throw money at. Maybe I will paint it green and put $$ signs on the side?

 

[ok89]

Got Flex?
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That all looks really fun and the scenery looks beautiful. It would be fun to ride along but I have a feeling my little Jeep couldnt even make the easiest trail.

 

[Randall]

Yep, I was impressed by the amount of rear flex I got. I had been expecting the rear to bind because of improper shock placement. They way they are now they are close to binding at rest. It is something that I need to fix. There is a shot of Michael's truck in almost the same spot (in Gerald's first post in this thread), where he is catching quite a bit of air where mine remains in contact with the ground. His shocks are set up in a similar position to mine, but I have a feeling that his shocks may be too short. We need to crawl under there and get the numbers to find out for sure. Mine also has some nice worn out springs along with a rancho add-a-leaf and Warrior shackles, sprung over, so I have about 3 more inches of lift in the rear.

 

[410Fortune]

How are they set up now? I need to -relocate mine and since you are now springover we may be similar........

 

[Josh Adams]

Hey Randall, who is Peter Weber?

 

[Michael]

What a great weekend! Big thanks go out to Gerald for taking the time out to show us around Tellico. I can't even begin to imagine the carnage that would have resulted from letting us go it alone. It was also great to see Randall's solid axle perform well on the trail. If not for the front locker problems and tire limitations, even more amazing things would have resulted. The trails we ran have already been discussed so I won't spend much time there except to say that Tellico is a whole other animal when wet. Some would say it is better others worse, it just depends on how twisted you are .

Rest assured that the Texans will make a reappearance at Tellico soon. This one will for sure be packing swampers, a winch, and sliders. On the trail list for next time are Slickrock, Guardrail, Peckerwood ledge, Helicopter Pad, and the Rock Garden. We may not make them all, but it should be fun to watch .

 

[Randall]

Originally posted by 410Fortune
How are they set up now? I need to -relocate mine and since you are now springover we may be similar........

Here is a pic of my rear setup. You can see how the shocks come down at a slight angle, into mounts in which the bolt for the shock runs parallel to the axle. I want to move the lower mounts out and move the upper mounts up and in, however much is necassary to run 9012's. I also want to go to a post mount for the rear, that would run perpendicular to the axle and thus relieve a lot of the binding.

Peter Weber is a member of this site that tends to take a lot of good photos.

 

[Paul]

Awesome . . .

Great photos and write-up you guys - - Seems like forever sense Gerald and I hit Tellico (and vice-versa) back in February.

Just a short 22 months before I get back to the States. . .

Glad to see that place is getting more exposure - - anyone up for a run during the summer of '04 ??

Paul
'91 Sport

 

[Bionc Marsh.]

Start planning

Paul,

It's never too early to start the planning process!

I'm in!

Rick

 

[410Fortune]

Hey it looks like you need a dab of silicoln on that SVO fill plug!!!

Thanks for the pic, I need to move my rear shock mounts on the axle and the frame, I believe a custom crossmember is in order, alot easier to do on a BII then a X I bet........

 

[FAKRWEE]

Great trip,pictures and writeup guys. Thats what I call off-roading.

I have'nt gone wheeling in 5 mos. and I needed a fix. I can drool over the pictures till I get my rig back

Mudd***** glad to see your rigs working out. All the hours you put in are paying off. Adjustments never end.

Gerald it seems like you were the man of the hour, again. Maybe next year I'll put the Navajo on a trailer and go pay you guy's a visit.

Keepem coming

 

[410Fortune]

Hey Mud*****, I see you cut the "ears" off your U bolt plates when you went spring over. You know the plates from a 8.8 Ranger will work without those thingys sticking out...I have a couple laying around from when I did my 8.8 if you want em they are yours. No more sharp edges, let me know if you are interested.

 

[Randall]

Originally posted by FAKRWEE
Gerald it seems like you were the man of the hour, again. Maybe next year I'll put the Navajo on a trailer and go pay you guy's a visit.

Sounds like a date

Originally posted by 410 Fortune
Hey Mud*****, I see you cut the "ears" off your U bolt plates when you went spring over. You know the plates from a 8.8 Ranger will work without those thingys sticking out...I have a couple laying around from when I did my 8.8 if you want em they are yours. No more sharp edges, let me know if you are interested.

Sure, I was thinking about getting some plates from mountain offraod, just to clean it up a little. and plus, I'll see you at the Slabs in October

 

[GJarrett]

Paul, I may still be here in 2 yrs. I hope you mothballed your Explorer well

Tom, that would be great. You come out anytime you want and we'll make sure there's a run that weekend. :roll:

I wonder what it would take to talk several of the west coasters and others from CO-AZ-UT-CA etc area into coming all the way out here? I was thinking a mid-summer run when it's too hot to wheel out there anyway. This is a long way from there so I doubt it would happen but what great fun if it did.

Josh, do a search for posts by Peter Weber. He is a great guy that has an almost-stock Explorer that has participated in many of our major runs. He is a gifted photographer that goes on many of the non-extreme trails in his own vehicle and then rides along with someone else in their vehicle on the BigDawg runs and takes great photos of the group in action. When I said I was pulling a "Peter Weber" I meant that I had left my vehicle at the hotel for the BigDawg run and rode along with the others to help and take photos. I'd never claim any of my photos to match his skill with a camera, though.

 

[410Fortune]

I'm shooting for the slabs........lots of work to do and testing to be done, but I should be there..........

SLABS SLABS SLABS SLABS.

Oh and Gerrald, TX is about as far as I am driving to go wheeling, maybe if I had that IFS and a SOHC.....hehehehe or a F-250 with A/C and a flatbed!!

 

[Jefe]

Originally posted by GJarrett
. . .I wonder what it would take to talk several of the west coasters and others from CO-AZ-UT-CA etc area into coming all the way out here? I was thinking a mid-summer run when it's too hot to wheel out there anyway. This is a long way from there so I doubt it would happen but what great fun if it did. . .

Answer #1: Who [in their right mind ] would drive cross country just to beat up their rig, with chances of having to limp off a trail, and then figure out how to get back home? . . . oh wait

Answer #2: If there were a few more from here that wanted to go, and we rented a trailer to get our rigs out there I'd love to do it . . . in a few years.

 

[Jefe]

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That doesn't look all that bad Gerald.

 

[GJarrett]

Originally posted by Jefe

That doesn't look all that bad Gerald.

Yeah, and that's what you said about that last woofer of a gal I saw you with....

 

[410Fortune]

HAHAHAHA!!! I have a feeling arguing with Gerald is a lost cause! This guy is just too good.....