Rubithon Carnage Pics

[Red_Chili]

Dave, how did the Chili-infused sliders do? Inquiring minds want to know...

 

[woooody]

Need some 'splanations with the pictures - what happened to the Pig?

That was Bill Stayner (BK Crusr)-- We did the trail backwards on Monday/Tuesday -- We ran across a broken J##P on the back side of Buck Island clogging the trail, so we fixed him, he turned around to follow us, broke again on the slabs around big sluice, so Bill agreed to tow him... on the bypass for "million dollar hill" the tow strap went slack, then tightened as bill was "side hilling" and gravity took over. He did 1 3/4 roll, ending on the driver side.

He rolled again after that picture on the entrance to Old Sluice.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Dave, how did the Chili-infused sliders do? Inquiring minds want to know...

The sliders did their thing. Sure people probably snickered at the width of my outriggers, but man I used them to full advantage. Rather than trying to avoid them, they worked awesome for pivots. Drive past an obstacle, turn until a touch of the slider and the rear tire would either bite and go over or kick around. Having the wheelbase of a battleship really required it. I do think when the truck gets cleaned up I'll find they have a noticeable tilt up from back to front. I did a full weight, two-slider drop of about 3 feet onto them and got hung up pretty badly. Had they been tucked up higher, I would have crushed my underside badly, but as it is I only put big dents (yes dents, the pinch seams were self clearanced to the max slider deflection impulse) in the pinch seams under each of the legs. No other damage from that screw up. Yes, Bill, the sliders held up to the Rubicon and definitely I owe you beer for that. ;-)

Another truck saving piece of armor was the Holben Arts Middle Skid under my carrier bearing. That sucker has a whole bunch of scrapes and dents in it. Without it I would have almost 100% have crushed my carrier bearing or torn apart my driveshaft. As it is, not even my gas tank skid has any new dents and even still have all the Zerk fittings on the u-joints and slip yoke. Best dang frame width, 6" wide, 1/4" thick ghetto engineered skid ever.

Really, the only piece of armor that let me down was something else. Bud's IFS skid and cross member both worked great (both 3/16" plate), but the belly plate dented into my front driveshaft twice on day one. We had to use the Hi Lift handle to bend it out enough to get to Buck Island, where I removed it and violently jumped on it and beat the living snot out of it to get back into shape. Should have known better than to think 0.120" plate would be thick enough. Gotta call Bud tomorrow and talk things over... As it sits right now it looks like it was put into a 100 ton stamping press and made to be a contoured plate, since the dents and bends closely follow the shape of the cross member, transmission, IFS truss, etc. with only a fist's clearance here and there. It's ugly.

While on the subject of armor, I might add the Marlin rear bumper... AWESOME! Makes sense, designed with Rubicon in mind not doubt. Even drove through with my spare still under the bed, no problem. No quarter panel issues, no hanging up on the rear bumper. Just simply worked.

 

[DaveInDenver]

looks like Dave did something that involved his rear wheel and Wildernest

Look closely at the picture of the rear wheels. I mean, stare at the picture and see if something strikes you as odd.

The WilderNest took the worst of the body damage. Not exactly unexpected, but I was hoping beyond all hope that would not be the case. Top of Big Sluice, odd angle, lack of enough concentration on holding a line and the truck tipped into an exposed tree. On the up side, the side of a WilderNest I can now say with certainty WILL hold up 6,000 lbs of Hilux without totally collapsing. But on the down side it will not hold it up without some damage. The reinforcement inside the top of the lower part of the shell either broke or bent (I originally thought it was a piece of wood, but the more I look at it I think it's a piece of steel inside the fiberglass right there). The top won't latch down anymore (thus the blue tie-down) and there's a finger sized gap between the lid and side, so the camper is not water tight in the rain anymore. I will know more when I can bribe a couple of burly dudes into coming over and helping me get the 'Nest off the truck for repairs. The shell is not destroyed, but it's been damaged to the point that it's not useable. Rats.

BTW, anyone have a 6' mini truck topper laying around they don't need for a while? While the WilderNest is down for repairs I can't have the Engel getting wet or stolen on trips...

Other than the 'Nest, a couple of new dents and scratches, nothing Earth shaking. Just add to the patina of greasy hand prints and chalky paint.

Oh, that reminds me. Turns out the Engel Slide Lock (the plastic deal) is also NOT Rubicon capable in the bed of a Hilux. Too much bouncing or maybe one too many Marlin bumper drags and that little plastic tab breaks off, letting one's $700 Engel slide off the mount and into the tailgate. Not good. But, a 1" wide ratchet strap around the base works as a very effective temporary lock. Good.

 

[ginericLC]

Boy you guys did a lot of damage at Rubithon. Last year, I came out pretty clean, one scratch on one of my flares and that was it. I was stupid and bragged about how little damage I did. Two weeks later I'm driving down a forest service road in Montana, at the Divide Ride, that you could drive a Camry down and a rogue log took out my DS front fender and door. So bad I couldn't open it. Then a month later on Holy Cross out by you guys I put a big gouge in the PS door. I had already beefed up the swaybar mounts on my 80 prior to Rubithon as I tore them off and took out my brakelines on a local trail. Now, I bet you understand why all the local wagons are flareless.

 

[Romer]

Here is a picture of the spot a lot of us received damage on Cadillac hill. Mudrak spotted the people behind me and all in front recived damage there. The original spotter did not know how to use hand signals well or to spot 80's

He put me in a position that Mudrak yelled stop and came down and attempted to spot me out of it and couldn't. Mudrak is outstanding and if he had spotted me there all along I would not have hit. Mudrak even apologized to me.

In the picture you can see Mudraks arm trying to figure out how to get me out of that spot while the guy who spotted me is facing him

 

[Red_Chili]

The sliders did their thing. Sure people probably snickered at the width of my outriggers, but man I used them to full advantage. Rather than trying to avoid them, they worked awesome for pivots. Drive past an obstacle, turn until a touch of the slider and the rear tire would either bite and go over or kick around. Having the wheelbase of a battleship really required it. I do think when the truck gets cleaned up I'll find they have a noticeable tilt up from back to front. I did a full weight, two-slider drop of about 3 feet onto them and got hung up pretty badly. Had they been tucked up higher, I would have crushed my underside badly, but as it is I only put big dents (yes dents, the pinch seams were self clearanced to the max slider deflection impulse) in the pinch seams under each of the legs. No other damage from that screw up. Yes, Bill, the sliders held up to the Rubicon and definitely I owe you beer for that. ;-)

Sounds like a full length 1/8" square tube under the pinch weld will be the only enhancement you will need. Lemme know. 3' drop, eh? Wow.

I guess my welding holds.

FWIW, I also bent my slider - with a 3/4 roll off a ledge, where the weight of the truck landed on the slider. And broke the front wheel. About 5 minutes to straighten it, and it looks like new. Pretty much the same hardware as what you've got.

Mothership Wit. With lemon.

FWIW, I stared at the rear wheel and still can't tell what's wrong in the picture.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Boy you guys did a lot of damage at Rubithon. Last year, I came out pretty clean, one scratch on one of my flares and that was it. I was stupid and bragged about how little damage I did. Two weeks later I'm driving down a forest service road in Montana, at the Divide Ride, that you could drive a Camry down and a rogue log took out my DS front fender and door. So bad I couldn't open it. Then a month later on Holy Cross out by you guys I put a big gouge in the PS door. I had already beefed up the swaybar mounts on my 80 prior to Rubithon as I tore them off and took out my brakelines on a local trail. Now, I bet you understand why all the local wagons are flareless.

We were told by several folks that the whole trail was nastier this year than they had ever seen it. I actually heard one guy tell me something that made perfect sense I had not thought of.....the buggies taking really tough lines on the edges roll the big rocks down onto the trail.

 

[powderpig]

The Heavy wagon line is up on the rock, not down in the wedge in the last pic. Much more stable and less chance for damage. Gary was at this point later in the day, much better spotter. Anyhow some of the spotters did not have varity in there spotting techniques. Anyhow all in all not too much major problems. Yes buggies are creating more problems then they help with for the common guy. You RS guys did well and will be remembered for a long time to come. I wish I could of spent more time around you guys. More trails to run this coming summer, looking forward to hanging on the local trails this summer.

 

[DaveInDenver]

FWIW, I stared at the rear wheel and still can't tell what's wrong in the picture.

Took Treeroot's picture and added places to look for what's not there. I have a third gen pickup and don't run coilover springs. Had to take the spring pack off for repairs. Three of the four main leaves in my pack broke. Came into Rubicon Springs on only the second spring, the one with the military wrap. Had to assemble a frankenspring to get home. Suffice to say, Yotaman Larry, Phil, Marlin and in particular one of Marlin's mates James were HUGE HUGE helps in that effort. Not to mention Loren, Crash, Jack and 60Wag for hauling my sorry broken butt all over creation and adding a bit of muscle when I needed a hand. Details to come, but I have to get back outside and get the WilderNest cleaned out and battened back down so that I can get to work this morning. Found a couple of <$200 toppers on Craigslist, so I also need to get the 'Nest removed ASAP.

 

[Red_Chili]

Oh, whoops. I was looking at the wrong picture.

Wow. Stock Toyota springs?

I have taken to carrying a couple spring clamps after breaking a main leaf in the rollover.

 

[ginericLC]

We were told by several folks that the whole trail was nastier this year than they had ever seen it. I actually heard one guy tell me something that made perfect sense I had not thought of.....the buggies taking really tough lines on the edges roll the big rocks down onto the trail.

That is what they said last year too. I think the main section of the trail is more stable. The part I noticed from pictures that is getting nastier and nastier is Cadillac Hill. I had heard tails of folks driving near stock 100s into the Springs from the Cadillac side. To me, that was the hardest part of the trail. There was not a single obstacle on that trail that really stuck out to me as being difficult, it was the constant driving through obstacles most of the trail that was difficult. That and I only had about 4 hours of sleep the night before we started. We pulled into S. Lake Tahoe at 2AM and left promptly at 8AM from Loon Lake. I'm very jealous of your trip. Maybe next year? 2008 is a big ZERO for me for wheeling.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Oh, whoops. I was looking at the wrong picture.

Wow. Stock Toyota springs?

I have taken to carrying a couple spring clamps after breaking a main leaf in the rollover.

Lift springs, 2" Stage-2 NWOR. The main leaf and two shorter leaves at the bottom broke, all just forward of the spring perch. They were about 6 years old. The driver's side pack was also starting to go into recurve but did not break, so they are/were fatigued and overloaded. Must have been the massive torque of the 22R-E and Marlin 4.7 gears, too much spring wrap. ;-) Or maybe the 1,500 lbs of junk I had.

 

[Caribou Sandstorm]

pictures from Rubithon

Hi guys,

Lots of pics for you to review:

Woody has a bunch, not sure which you all are in.. But there are a fare number other then FJCs

Here is the site location not sure if it will post as a link:

http://gallery.ih8mud.com/thumbnails.php?album=67

Also I have a few of you guys at the trail head, at:

ChrisSandstormFJ.smugmug.com

And our post in the FJCF has a ton of pics and some of you all as well. Thought you might be interested to see how the FJCs did and see Robbie, Woody and the rest of the TTTs guys hard at work, helping us through.

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/foru...-gps-coordinates/63742-rubithon-2008-wow.html

I think our trucks did great and made good time. The only day that was a slight bummer was Thursday, as we waited a really long time mid route for the dbl locker group to finally catch us and pass us, only to have an 80 series and FJC of their group get stuck, where we all made it through.

Robbie, Woody, Jason Demello, and Barry McCoin were excellent spotters and really are the heros of our run for saving our paint on nearly every feature. I keep thinking of a magazine add I had seen some time ago of a Landrover with four guys pushing it from the side to save it from a boulder or tree scrape. That was what these guys did for us, they were simply awesome..

Maybe next year we will get to do our FJC run in two days like most of the other groups.

Thats right, I am planning on going back (permitted I acquire the Hall Pass from the wife), so hold onto that pool money you had on my potential carnage. Or did the window count as pay out?

See you guys soon!

 

[Romer]

Did a little body work last night

I glued the clips back on like I said I bought all new fasteners for $18 and put the door molding back on and it looks like it never came off. I had some matching color spray paint for the cladding so I just painted where it was scratched. Total cost of body work repair $18. I see no reason not to make modest attempts to keep my truck in good shape.

You can still see scrapes up close and it doesn't look perfect by any means. It's good enough for me, badge of honor my ass

 

[Hulk]

I had some matching color spray paint for the cladding so I just painted where it was scratched.

You have matching paint in a spray can? Where can you get this?

Matt

 

[Romer]

Oleg ordered it for me a couple of years ago. Since he paints these things he just takes the same code and ordered it in a spray can form. Has been handy like when you take black paint to the armor.

bet you could find it online if you had the paint code

I did also have a bottle of touch-up paint for the sheet metal that I used to cover the exposed area so it wouldn't rust.

 

[Hulk]

OK, thanks.

Matt

 

[Three Wheel Ben]

You have matching paint in a spray can? Where can you get this?

Matt

There is a paint store over on Santa Fe & Hampden (just south and west) can't remember the name. You have to be traveling south on Santa Fe and turn right the first street after Hampden to get there. They will mix it up for you based on your color code. Works good for trail carnage.

 

[subzali]

There is a paint store over on Santa Fe & Hampden (just south and west) can't remember the name. You have to be traveling south on Santa Fe and turn right the first street after Hampden to get there. They will mix it up for you based on your color code. Works good for trail carnage.

Painter's Supply

That's where I got all my paint for my fiberglass top job