Jeep guys laughing at the LJ.....then we're surprised
Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:07 pm
Well last weekend I organised an outing with some of the local guys from www.nboffroadclub.com and we went out to play. When I got to the meeting point there was a Toyota truck with 33's locked in the rear, three Jeeps with 33's to 35's and me with the Lj with 30's. When I was putting in the 10 litres of gas for the run, the girlfriend noticed the Jeep guys pointing and laughing at the LJ.
I went over to the group and they asked me if I had brought a bongy cord for a tow strap. I told him that I had a vehicle with the smallest tires and I didn't think that anyone else was running 800cc.....and they laughed.
Get to the head of the trail and we came to this obsticle where a machine had tore up the road to make it impassable. Two Jeeps made it through and the Toyota...then it was my turn. Squeezing between the hills was no problem...just ripped off the rear wing and then I looked at the next section....there was an offcamber part that when the Jeeps would go though they would only have one tire in the hole at a time but the LJ was too short and would have had both tires in the hole making it probably tip in the hole.
One of the Jeep guys said that there was a road that could take me to the other side to meet them. I then drove the LJ right into and not around the hole.....I was kinda wedged in the hole and almost gave up....the rag joint on the steering was kinda not giving me total turning power. I gave it one last shot of gas and we sorta flew out of the hole and into the bushes....they were impressed. So was I.
Next area we had some major hills with Gypsum and loose rock and there's only one hill that I didn't attempt and only one Jeep tried and we all watched him almost roll. It was the first time I went up some hills like that and it was fun/scary.
We drove some woods trails and came to a trail called Pecks Creek. When I first drove this trail about 10 years ago with my stock samurai I was told that I'd never make it and it took use about 3 hours to run the 400 feet of obsticles but we made it without winches.
We got to Pecks creek on this run and the trail was worst then ever...three weeks of rain had caused some major changes and everyone was excited. I took to the trail with the LJ and was the 3'd vehicle. There was some rocks to go over and I just drove the LJ around most of them because I fit....size does matter.....we drove the first three washouts and came to the last one that is the worst.....the first Jeep was stuck and couldn't keep going. I decided rather than try this one I'd take the bypass and they told me that the entrance was really bad and I'd have a hard time getting in......one shot and I was in and around the major hole.....I ran into a tree and broke a marker light and dented the front fender.....The Jeeps all tried and two of them made it through...all with some body damage.
The best part was when got to the entrance of the last trail. They had to pull the last two Jeeps up the hill...when I got there they told me that they would tie the strap right away and pull me up......It took about two minutes to get me ligned up to the trail and I just pushed a little on the gas peddle and it was like I was driving on paved road.....right up the hill....the look on their face was priceless......the last guy was coming up with all these excuses on how I was locked front and rear.....I told him that I was stock...800cc open with 30's but I wasn't driving a Jeep either.
It was a fun day and I was impressed with how the LJ performed. I'm going to try to find some pics...there was more than one camera on the trails that day. Here's a link to the local Jeep clubs pics of this year fall run of Pecks creek..... http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictu ... 2100956686 The trail is worst because of the rain.
I went over to the group and they asked me if I had brought a bongy cord for a tow strap. I told him that I had a vehicle with the smallest tires and I didn't think that anyone else was running 800cc.....and they laughed.
Get to the head of the trail and we came to this obsticle where a machine had tore up the road to make it impassable. Two Jeeps made it through and the Toyota...then it was my turn. Squeezing between the hills was no problem...just ripped off the rear wing and then I looked at the next section....there was an offcamber part that when the Jeeps would go though they would only have one tire in the hole at a time but the LJ was too short and would have had both tires in the hole making it probably tip in the hole.
One of the Jeep guys said that there was a road that could take me to the other side to meet them. I then drove the LJ right into and not around the hole.....I was kinda wedged in the hole and almost gave up....the rag joint on the steering was kinda not giving me total turning power. I gave it one last shot of gas and we sorta flew out of the hole and into the bushes....they were impressed. So was I.
Next area we had some major hills with Gypsum and loose rock and there's only one hill that I didn't attempt and only one Jeep tried and we all watched him almost roll. It was the first time I went up some hills like that and it was fun/scary.
We drove some woods trails and came to a trail called Pecks Creek. When I first drove this trail about 10 years ago with my stock samurai I was told that I'd never make it and it took use about 3 hours to run the 400 feet of obsticles but we made it without winches.
We got to Pecks creek on this run and the trail was worst then ever...three weeks of rain had caused some major changes and everyone was excited. I took to the trail with the LJ and was the 3'd vehicle. There was some rocks to go over and I just drove the LJ around most of them because I fit....size does matter.....we drove the first three washouts and came to the last one that is the worst.....the first Jeep was stuck and couldn't keep going. I decided rather than try this one I'd take the bypass and they told me that the entrance was really bad and I'd have a hard time getting in......one shot and I was in and around the major hole.....I ran into a tree and broke a marker light and dented the front fender.....The Jeeps all tried and two of them made it through...all with some body damage.
The best part was when got to the entrance of the last trail. They had to pull the last two Jeeps up the hill...when I got there they told me that they would tie the strap right away and pull me up......It took about two minutes to get me ligned up to the trail and I just pushed a little on the gas peddle and it was like I was driving on paved road.....right up the hill....the look on their face was priceless......the last guy was coming up with all these excuses on how I was locked front and rear.....I told him that I was stock...800cc open with 30's but I wasn't driving a Jeep either.
It was a fun day and I was impressed with how the LJ performed. I'm going to try to find some pics...there was more than one camera on the trails that day. Here's a link to the local Jeep clubs pics of this year fall run of Pecks creek..... http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictu ... 2100956686 The trail is worst because of the rain.
