Mini's only run July 11 (and beyond)

[L43dean]

What is the bar hanging below the axle? It looks like a truss, but its not welded and its below the axle?

Dave, hilarious. And true. LOL!

It is a truss. Bolt on. From back in the day, look at an old Con-Fer or Downey or North West Off Road catalogue. That pick-up is part of the historical record, it also has a Buick V-6 conversion. Which was a popular conversion 30 years ago, like a 350 in a 40. It may have had white spoke Jackmans and Ground Hawgs or Desert Dogs too.

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

I'd like to try to join in on this.

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

It is a truss. Bolt on. From back in the day, look at an old Con-Fer or Downey or North West Off Road catalogue. That pick-up is part of the historical record, it also has a Buick V-6 conversion. Which was a popular conversion 30 years ago, like a 350 in a 40. It may have had white spoke Jackmans and Ground Hawgs or Desert Dogs too.

that's pretty cool.
I personally would lose the truss, especially if it's going to see any type of rocks. it'll be an anchor...

sorry just my thoughts.

 

[DaveInDenver]

that's pretty cool.
I personally would lose the truss, especially if it's going to see any type of rocks. it'll be an anchor...

sorry just my thoughts.

Back when Buick V6s and small block swaps were all the rage housings would flex and break axles, so it's a trade-off. With modern t-case doublers and the general improvement in technique (e.g. low-and-slow rather than judicious use of the skinny pedal) it's probably not as much of an issue. Someone will mention that it's that mini truck axles are just weak, which is maybe not an exaggeration since they were designed to handle 108 HP on 225/70R15 tires with a truck weighing 1 ton wet. So 250 HP on 35" Ground Hawgs and 4" lift probably should surprise no one as to taxing the design margin.

 

[HoneyBadger]

Alright, back to to original topic at hand…


I'm really looking forward to this run. I think it's gonna be a lot of fun.

On friday afternoon I went poking around the Saxon Mountain road coming up from Georgetown. This looks like the trail is going to be a blast and a half.

But it looks like there have been a lot of recent rock falls. And, I was just telling Squishy! about this last night, it looks like there are some boulders that are going to need some muscle and pry bars to move out of the way so we can proceed. But most of the trail just seems like it will be passable, but it's gonna be a bumpy ride. I'm super stoked about this run. This is gonna be an adventure. Can't wait.

 

[HoneyBadger]

We drove down Saxton Mountain last June. Ashley and I were in our 80, My dad was in his rubicon unlimited. There was a lot of scary rock slides to go over and at the bottom there was huge off camber rock slide with tracks over it. The last thing you want to see on a shelf. I spend a little over an hour building up the outside edge of the slide. We got both rigs over it. It was an all hands on deck operation. My mom did manage to get one pic of the old man going over it. I wouldn't want to do it again, ever. Ashley will no longer go on Saxton Mountain Road, Or Tomichi Pass.

This slide you're talking about must be the one were I stopped coming up yesterday. Definitely super sketch, but not undoable. I could tell that someone had done some work on it to make it more passable. But like I said in my post just above this, it looks like some large rocks fell this winter and have blocked the trail just a little bit above this slide and one just below it but should be able to be moved. But the slide still looks like it is passable. But it's definitely gonna need some spotting.

 

[AxleIke]

I really want to make this, but will have to see how things go right up to the run. If it happens, I'll be on the Argentine day. Love that area.

 

[DouglasVB]

Being a complete n00b with a bone stock 1st gen 4runner (but decent tires), is this a reasonable run for me to come along on?

 

[AxleIke]

Your truck will be fine, but the roads are a bit exposed. If you had any issues, I'd think it would be that: if you haven't driven shelf roads before, they can be a bit intimidating.

 

[DouglasVB]

Your truck will be fine, but the roads are a bit exposed. If you had any issues, I'd think it would be that: if you haven't driven shelf roads before, they can be a bit intimidating.

Hmmm I guess we'll find out

 

[AxleIke]

Hmmm I guess we'll find out

Some people are fine right out of the gate. I wouldn't worry about it. Wasn't trying to insinuate that you would have issues. I was only pointing out the area that some find challenging, myself included. Apologies.

 

[DouglasVB]

Some people are fine right out of the gate. I wouldn't worry about it. Wasn't trying to insinuate that you would have issues. I was only pointing out the area that some find challenging, myself included. Apologies.

No apologies necessary. I was joking around a bit. I've done a little shelf-lite driving on semi-improved roads (stuff like Phantom Canyon and the Shelf Road here in Colorado, similar stuff out in Oregon) and have been a passenger for some crazy stuff in Albania and Kosovo (barely 1 lane rock road blasted out of the side of a cliff with two way traffic including semis). Drop-offs don't concern me as long as my wheels aren't waaaay out over the edge of the ledge.

I want to make sure though that my little stock 4runner won't be out of place doing this run. It's still a bone stock grocery getter princess

Haha that reminds me... one of my coworkers did mention to me that he managed to get his Rubicon Unlimited stuck a few years back on a shelf road somewhere up toward Argentine Pass when trying to go through a snow drift. The front bits of the car slid off the side of the mountain and I think he said the rig was resting on the frame rails on the edge of the ledge. He had to hike back to civilization to get a tow truck to come rescue him. Pretty sure he hasn't been off pavement since!

 

[DouglasVB]

You need to get out of the mindset that your 4Runner is a grocery getter. It's very capable! Just that you have to put in some effort to learn how to get it places where highly built trucks take less driver skill. But it'll get you there 95% of the time and when (if) you do build it up, you'll be a much better driver for it.

Going out with Dan yesterday really helped to get me out of my comfort zone and show me what the little 4runner can do. I'll get over my anxiety eventually Until then, y'all are going to have to babysit me

Thanks for putting up with me!

 

[Uncle Ben]

With modifications you could......

 

[LXBRADY]

My Lexus Landcruiser picks up groceries all the time.

 

[HoneyBadger]

So long as you have good tires, you should be ok.

 

[DouglasVB]

With modifications you could......

 

[ZIronPig]

Well if everything goes according to plan at the registration office tomorrow, I should be there! At least for the day part of the trip. I just got the keys to an '85 4Runner. Alright!

 

[HoneyBadger]

I just got the keys to an '85 4Runner. Alright!

NICE!

 

[FJCDan]

Now I have to decide between my mini or my runner. Ha Ha decisions, decisions.