The Long Limp Down

T.Low · Post by **T.Low** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:27 pm

Who can tell what's wrong with this picture?

astrozam · Post by **astrozam** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 5:51 am

Hmmmm, looks like the passenger wheel is looking a little more to the left than the drivers wheel #-o

You only have 1 front shackle...lol

Smiliesafari · Post by **Smiliesafari** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 6:22 am

I'm not there with you.

astrozam · Post by **astrozam** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 6:32 am

Smiliesafari wrote:I'm not there with you.

Ooops ...I meant right not left...lol, I was thinking my left...sorry

Slicky · Post by **Slicky** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 6:44 am

Ya looks like a steering failure. Which component failed TLow?

Herbie · Post by **Herbie** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:59 am

D'oh!

Since you're online, I'm assuming you didn't get eaten by bears...

T.Low · Post by **T.Low** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:27 am

Like most good stories about bad times, one...questionable call lead to another...

It's been determined that bad motor mounts were causing the long linkage bar to rub on the main engine pulley. My guy told me he'd get me in on " Monday", after he reached a certain point on this '37 , to do the motor mounts, de-cladding, and skid plate.

Monday turned into Tuesday, then Wednesday...on the one hand, I know this is how things can go when you're working with a custom car guy instead of a regular mechanic shop: Custom guys are working on things that are inherently much more difficult to predict, so appointments can be a bit "soft".

Then, my best friend says he's got three days until he's gone for the month of July and would really like to get his new fjcruiser up Fortune Creek trail. He's never been off road and is really anxious to go to my favorite spot.

Fortune Creek is scenic and fun, but not a place where I have to worry about my front end rubbing, and I have never said no to a Fortune Creek invite, so we take off Wednesday evening July 2 and run up the first part of the trail at night and camp on a gravel bar between the creek itself and a few tributaries to the creek.

T.Low · Post by **T.Low** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:28 am

Herbie wrote:D'oh!

Since you're online, I'm assuming you didn't get eaten by bears...

I'm north of Seattle, where even the bears are online. #-o

SilverBullet1997 · Post by **SilverBullet1997** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:29 am

T.Low wrote:
Herbie wrote:D'oh!

Since you're online, I'm assuming you didn't get eaten by bears...

I'm north of Seattle, where even the bears are online. #-o

I'm not that hairy!!!!!!

T.Low · Post by **T.Low** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:36 am

SilverBullet1997 wrote:
T.Low wrote:
Herbie wrote:D'oh!

Since you're online, I'm assuming you didn't get eaten by bears...

I'm north of Seattle, where even the bears are online. #-o
I'm not that hairy!!!!!!

Was just categorizing you by your omnivore behavior.

T.Low · Post by **T.Low** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:40 am

Donuts and coffee for breakfast, then just sit and take in "morning in the mountains" for a longtime before heading up the trail.

SilverBullet1997 · Post by **SilverBullet1997** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:47 am

T.Low wrote:

Donuts and coffee for breakfast, then just sit and take in "morning in the mountains" for a longtime before heading up the trail.

Sure looks like a beautiful trail!!

T.Low · Post by **T.Low** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:51 am

We hit snow as we thought we might. Too much to deal with so we head down to explore some FS roads. As SilverBullet Kevin can attest too, there's so much to see in that area. It's one of my favorite areas anywhere.

On a the way down I make eye contact with a little hill climb that looks challenging but doable. It calls to me and the van, so we climb it without issue and continue up the trail it's lead us to.

SilverBullet1997 · Post by **SilverBullet1997** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:55 am

T.Low wrote:We hit snow as we thought we might. Too much to deal with so we head down to explore some FS roads. As SilverBullet Kevin can attest too, there's so much to see in that area. It's one of my favorite areas anywhere.

On a the way down I make eye contact with a little hill climb that looks challenging but doable. It calls to me and the van, so we climb it without issue and continue up the trail it's lead us to.

The Northwest really is Natures Playground. I love it so much, I don't think I could stand to live anywhere else, and this year has just been such a beautiful spring and summer.

T.Low · Post by **T.Low** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:57 am

I realize we're on the infamous Van Epps trail. I've been warned by my Land Rover buds that it's quite a bit more difficult than Fortune Creek, and they've broken axles etc on this trail.

Van Epps, is a tighter trail than Fortune Creek, rated slightly higher on the difficulty scale (but still "easy" on the Jeep scale), and actually forces one to pick lines and suffer consequences of not executing one's moves properly in a few places. Well, consequences for an Astro on 30" tires and a showroom stock FJC, anyway. :-)

Well, it looks nice enough: Let's take it until we see something we don't like, then turn around.

We took 30 seconds to scout and build a rock bridge over one rocker panel-eating boulder. We took 3 minutes to figure out an alternative to the main line on another corner with rock obstacle, just for the fun of it. We scouted a Boulder Fall for about 5 minutes and it paid off with clean no touch runs for us both on both the up-run and later on the down-run. All in all, I really like that trail.

Then the rubbing. (SpeakersOFF! Ear Muffs!)

http://youtu.be/H72bROC5A0I

Ok, if it rubs again, I'm turning around...

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