Wheelin' @ Big Bear 30 & 31

[Stic-o]

So?

Who's goin and when?

I'll be up Sunday Morning. I just need a time and a place.


Channel 2 got it

 

[BKennedy]

I think we already decided that 0830 hours on both days we meet in Fawnskin across from the only market.

Bill, come on, camp brother!!

The only persons camping are Mark and wife, and my wife, kid and me??

 

[Felix]

My wife has things to do this weekend, yet she cleared me to go and have a good time. So, I will be going and having a good time .

To anyone that needs to contact me, my home phone is dead and that kills my e-mail. I do however have a cell now and the number is 760 819 9252, you can either call or PM me.

 

[Big Bear Bob]

weather

For the last few weeks we've had rain about every other day. Some have been pretty heavy and have changed the offroad conditions (falling rock etc.)
But they say they that by this weekend it should be cleared up.

Good luck,

 

[DB_1]

Channel 2 works for me.

I'm suprised you havent been washed away with all the rain up there Felix...I was outside around 8pm last night
and saw the most amazing lightning ever. The lightning lit up the puffy thunderclouds like fireworks. Looked like bombs were being set off in them. Strange thing was, it wasn't the occasional flash here and there but a constant flash just in different areas of the thunder cell.

Stic-o, here's all who is going as of today (thurs):

Sat/30

BKennedy
RangerX
Felix
me (DB_1) and a freind w/ jeep

Sun/31

Same as above except for RangerX....unless BKennedy convinces him to camp out

 

[BKennedy]

I'm Back

Well, made it back home in one piece. Did not even have to break out a tool box this trip. My rig performed very well, except for the front locker's compressor not working. And the time I almost rolled on John Bull trail (thanks for saving my a%$ again Bill). Having the tallest truck of a group, then taking a totally wrong line has its drawbacks. Just as I feel the rig tipping to the point of no return, Bill is chatting on the CB about how I am in the exact same spot where a friend of his rolled his rig. Great timing!

DB1 rolled again, tipped onto a rock this time with minor damage to the only straight part of his cab leftover from Thanksgiving Truckhaven run.

Stick-O is a total sport. He took the minor damage very well (just some scratches to his rocker and plastic bumper cover, and a bent gas tank). Get a skid plate for the gas tank and come on back out Steve.

Tim (friend of DB1's and J%$p owner is a very good driver. Took the right line nearly every time and was very smooth in the rocks.

And the Marines (arrrooooohhhhhggggggghhhh!!!!). Enough said.

Good time, good company.

 

[Ken Cooke]

Too bad for DB-1. That guy has had his share of mishaps on the trail. Hopefully he can make it out on the next batch of desert runs this winter... As for me, I picked up a new rig at the dealership Friday night, and I was up on Gold Mountain testing out the equipment today. Although I didn't see anyone from the board, I got to play around with the transfer case that already needs service (after 170 miles on the odo) and figure out how I am going to 'wheel on 29 1/2" tires! LOL Well, at least I didn't have to drive down the hill in 3rd gear this evening!
-Ken

 

[DB_1]

Come on Brian, it was a NEAR rollover...lol

First off, sorry for the late start Sat morning. I was still getting my stuff together in the morning before I left.
I had a great time out on the trails despite the carnage to my truck. We had a good group this run which made it very interesting. So the near rollover that happened to me was about 2/3 up John Bull trail. It's tight steep and twisty on that section and I came upon a big rock which you could go left or right, I took the left line which was the high side...bad choice. It felt like Truckhaven all over again. So I braced myself and expcted the worst but I stopped I could'nt figure out what was keeping me from rolling. I didnt dare move, my foot was on the brake still as well as having the E-brake on. Being the Leader up John Bull, I was farther ahead of everyone else than I thought, because no one came up behind me so I got on the CB and called...ok I yelled...lol...for help. Soon after help arrived and righted my truck, thanks guys. I should thank that nice big rock too which kept me from rolling on my side. It made a sizeable dent on the lower section of the supercab just missing the door which by the way was replaced last spring from my rollover at Truckhaven.
Next bit of carnage was a nearly hydrolocking the engine at a waterhole at the end of John Bull. We all made several passes through it and I decided it would be cool to go through it even faster...another bad choice. Engine stalled just before exiting the water hole so up the hood went. A little water in the intake and wet electrical was the problem, I just let everything dry out and all was fine. Another jeep in our group had the same problem as me except he had a paper filter and it was wasted so we all decided to head the the K-mart in town so he could get a new filter. We were all in the K-mart parking lot deciding if we wanted to squeeze in one last run, RangerX decided to head home and shortly after he left I noticed my truck leaning to one side, I thought it was because of the low tire pressure but it was leaning to far for that so I looked under the rear driver side leaf spring and found the culprit...I had broken a spring hanger in half at the bolt. So now my truck was being supported by the shackle laying flat on the underside on the bed. I think that was the clincher to call it a day...lol. I limped my truck to Motel 6 where we were staying and rode in my friend Tim's jeep. As Brian said, Tim is a great driver...he piloted his little jeep everywhere the built rigs went with very little problems.
Considering he only has 31" BFG A/T's and a 2" coil spacer lift and limited slip in the rear. All in all it was a good time, now to get my rig back in order for the next trip

Pics to come....I have quite a few to upload.

 

[Felix]

This was the best run I have been on yet. Also, it was the first real run I have done with the lift. The only problem I had with my truck is on the way home. I broke the passenger side lower shock bolt. After my first run I carry spares of those. So I fixed that and shufled on home.

The only real thing I have to add to this thread from here is a few pics of the rock garden on Gold Mtn. This was a nice warm up for the things to come later that day on John Bull.

and now for the broken shackle hanger

I should be getting more pics from my friends that meet up with us at John Bull. Will post them when I get them.

 

[DB_1]

Pics...

I have some pics but I havent figured out how to make the photo file size smaller to post them or even put them in my elite photo gallery for that matter.
Anyways, I've uploaded them to my yahoo photos, here's the addy:

http://photos.yahoo.com/splitimageone

Click on bigbear_03

 

[RangerX]

Dave, that picture of you on two wheels is fantastic! You look like a stunt driver, you can't really see the rock.

I see that Liberty peeking into the picture of your truck up above, right before he attempted the rocks!

While we were waiting in Fawnskin for everyone, two Explorers zipped right by us without saying hi. They were 1st gen, somewhat built, and covered in mud. Who were you guys???

 

[Ken Cooke]

That sure looked like a great time on John Bull. Did DB-1's mishap cause the spring hanger to let go? I notice a fair amount of flexing going on that may have caused this to occur...
-Ken

 

[Char]

Looks like you guys had a blast. I sure wish I could have joined you. Well I finally got my Ex out of the shop Friday so at least I can wheel now.

Dave, did the near flop happen because of the spring hanger? It looks like the spring is twisted under in the shot from the rear.

Rick

 

[XplorerKid]

Originally posted by Char
Looks ...............


Rick

hmmm

was it rick or char ?? =)

 

[Stic-o]

Thanks!

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for letting me come along. I knew I was almost stock and didn't wanna keep you guys from have fun. In the begining when I saw the other trucks & terrain was a little intimidating. But I thought hey if that stock jeep can do it so can I! ( and i got off the rock pile under my own power instead of being towed! ) After we got done I felt I could take on the world! (another day maybe) I really had a blast! and it really proved what a almost base ex can do!

Thanks guys !


.......any one got skid plates for sale?

 

[DB_1]

Its a very good chance it was overstressed from the near rollover but i'm not sure because I didnt notice it until later in the day.

There were some real yahoos out there over the weekend. first there was the guy in his Liberty on Sat then Sun morning on the Holcomb trail there was a guy in a full size chevy ext cab long bed trying to negotiate the trail. He had a probably a 6 in lift with 33's or 35's I didnt really look but he turned his tortion bars into rock sliders real quick. And late afternoon on the White mtn trail there was a Nissan Exterra which was doing ok until he decided to follow us up a steep rutted and rocky trail he had no business going up. He had maybe 31's at best, open diffs amd probably the best thing on his rig, and ARB front bumper...shoulda spent that money on a locker dude...lol.

Stic-o, glad you made it out with us. I know how you must have felt to take a prestine Explorer out in the terrain we were in but you seemed to take it all in stride.
You did real good out there and made most of it look easy which is the sign of good driving skills. We'll probably see you next time with some rock sliders and more lift huh

 

[DB_1]

Rick...is your name in the shop too? Why are you posting under Char's name?? LOL

 

[BKennedy]

That was a great time. Lets do it again soon with maybe Rick and Char coming along???? I bet it is no farther to Big Bear than Truckhaven for R and C.

Still haven't figured out why my front locker isn't working. All the wiring looks fine.

Those rollover pics look awsome!!

Are those last two shots from White Mountain? Never been up there. What is the trail's official forestry number?

I have still not gotten used to how tippy my truck is since the new lift went in. This is the second trip in it since the modifications, the first being the Rubicon. Add 4-5 more inches in overall height and its a whole different truck, even the old placement is out the window cause the right side is not in the same place off the hood as it used to be. Need more off road adventures to get back in touch with the X, lets go.

 

[DB_1]

Those last couple of shots were taken from the fire lookout tower...it should be on any good map of big bear but i'll find out from Tim which road it was. The elevation is around 8300 ft and it was worth the drive and hike up to the tower.

 

[colpepper]

That was an excellent trip. It is always great to hit the trails with people who know what they are doing and love the sport.
Brian the White Mountain Trail is 3N17, the good stuff starts east of it meets with 3N11. It is short but the hill climbs are fun.
Let me know next time you guys go out.
Tim