FJ's on Old Chinaman's Gulch

[SCRubicon]

This is for Pathrat. It's not really a trip report, more for peace of mind. I put it here because I don't want to hijack Jamie's OCG thread with all of these pictures. Path, trust me your Yota will make it through the trail.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/IMG1366_1024_768.jpg

Hey look, it's the Rock pile

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/IMG1375_1024_768.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/IMG1376_1024_768.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/IMG1379_1024_768.jpg

And, Whale's Tail

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06086_1024_768.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06081_1024_768.jpg

[SCRubicon]

And The Chutes

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06121_1024_768.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06105_1024_768.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06112_1024_768.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06108_1024_768.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06106_1024_768.jpg


random pic

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06054_1024_768.jpg

[SCRubicon]

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06051_1024_768.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/SteveChabala/Random%20Junk/FJChinamanGulch4-1-06045_1024_768.jpg

See, nothing to worry about. Go enjoy the trail. It's a great one :)

[SCRubicon]

Which run were you on? Those are pics from two different trips. The differential hanger rock in the chutes is only a problem now if you don't keep up high on the right side.

[SCRubicon]

If I remember correctly they were Rising Sun Chapter runs? I was on the fence about the FJ's at that point in time. Almost bought one in 07, but I took the Rubicon out for a test drive and was hooked.

[Jamie]

If I remember correctly they were Rising Sun Chapter runs? I was on the fence about the FJ's at that point in time. Almost bought one in 07, but I took the Rubicon out for a test drive and was hooked.

They are very nice rigs and capable but I'll take the solid axles any day.:thunb:

[Pathrat]

Steve, thanks for posting the pictures for me, I really do appreciate it. Those are some shiny FJCs. I see that there isn't much of a lift on any of them and one has a bashed front bling skid. Another has no skid. Seems that diff hanger or not, the way I have built mine will give me an advantage. I take it that the Chute is the V where the guy is kneeling on the ground, looking under the rig. Plus, we have great spotters and guys who have done this before and know the lines. I am looking forward to this run. :)

[Tye]

See you there Steph...dont be a :princess: that trail has your name all over it.

[Pathrat]

See you there Steph...dont be a

I won't be! :cool:

[Funrover]

Yeah I remember these runs... It was a cool write up, I am gonna look for the full story I used to have it somewhere!

[BLUE THUNDER]

looks like a fun run. those ARB front bumpers on all three FJC in the pictures weight a ton. 140 lb. plus the winch. So Pathrat you should have a good time going over the rocks.

[Brody]

Thanks for the picture post. Nice to see all the FJs out and about...

I think that almost all the bumpers out there are going to weigh a bit and 140 doesn't sound excessive. I would stay away from the ARB, though, as there are better bumpers out there for the same price or cheaper. I cut away most of my ARB on my heap to get where I am now with clearance, etc and was surprised to find out how cheaply it was made, steel and joint wise.

BTW, anyone that wants to use your rig to prototype something, Pathrat, be it bumpers or SAS, better be willing to man up the time, parts and materials....

[Telly]

Every time I see an 80 series loaded down with monstrously heavy expedition "armor" and gear that then has a huge winch, I just think..."well, you're gonna need that winch". And a supercharger. And upgraded axles. And... :D

I have yet to use my winch but the supercharger is used all the time!!!!!!

[SCRubicon]

The Rubi jk is in a class by itself as a factory rig bought as a project base, especially in Unlimited form for the wheelbase extension. If Jeep would just put a damn diesel in that thing and give it an AWD option with a gear driven case it would have no downsides except everybody having one and all of them being red :lol:.

The JK Rubicon is in a class all by itself period. Modded or not. And, not just for what it can do off-road. A diesel would be interesting as an option, but some people would probably ***** about that too. Just like the 3.8, and it being a "minivan" engine. Had more than enough power to pull a dead Grandy up the trail - even with the stock axle ratio and 35's. The red paint comes in handy. When we come across a broken down Toyota on the trail, the airborne search and recovery team can spot the site easier :D

[Funrover]

LMAO!!!!

[Jamie]

The JK Rubicon is in a class all by itself period. Modded or not. And, not just for what it can do off-road. A diesel would be interesting as an option, but some people would probably ***** about that too. Just like the 3.8, and it being a "minivan" engine. Had more than enough power to pull a dead Grandy up the trail - even with the stock axle ratio and 35's. The red paint comes in handy. When we come across a broken down Toyota on the trail, the airborne search and recovery team can spot the site easier :D

That's right!! :thunb:

[4runner freak]

The one of the "chute" is where you get stuck, you can't see it in the pic but there is a diff hanging rock right in the middle.


The diff rock is the red arrow, and the blue arrow it the rock that your wheels slide down and cause you to land on your driveshaft/diff.

You have to keep your wheels from slipping on the side rock.

I had trouble on that spot.
Smacked my pinion and driveshaft a few times.

[SCRubicon]

the 3.8 @ 16 mpg was kind of a parts bin head scratcher for me, but hey, you can't have everything. Sure wouldn't affect my purchasing decision.

16? Where are you getting your numbers from? Before the lift and tires I was pulling 23 mpg.


You must not frequent any Toyota boards. If you did, you would know that the trails are littered with the rusting hulks of late model Jeeps while FJ40's have held up nary a trail ride in the last 30 years or so :lol:

1. There's nothing there that impresses me enough to look. 2. There's a good reason why you don't see any FJ series vehicles out there. Import parts are too expensive to let lay around. They get picked clean off before they become an eyesore. :D

[SCRubicon]

Toyota guys are ape about diesels, they spend like $20K to save $5 on gas by swapping out an awesome inline six for a tooth rattling Cummins - diesel 80 series imports with like 10 million miles still sell for about as much as a new TJ.

That only proves one thing to me. You can have all the money in the world, but you still can't buy brains with it.....

[SCRubicon]

You walk that line with a really good lean, but it is the correct line unless you are Brody running 38's on an 8" axle and have gonzo diff clearance, in which case it isn't an obstacle.

Geez, my JK must have gonzo clearance. Come to think of it, my CJ5 on 33's must have had it too since I used to shoot up the middle... Besides for going out Friday night, there's a real good reason why I'm not coming down to drive OCG again this weekend. There's nothing left to prove. I've already done all of the hard lines.

Let me ask, has anyone ever mentioned your mouth goes like a duck's ass? You just couldn't resist starting up your b.s. on this thread too. Nothing like trying to cause people stress about running a trail, eh? Good job :thunb:

[Brody]

Hell I miss, anyway?? Thought that I bounced into Pirate or colo4x4 for a minute...

FYI both my diffs have 1/4" steel plate under them on top of the factory steel, plus I have another 1/4" of armor on the front side of my front diff and another 1/4" on the back diff, plus skip plates. This let's me get away with some sloppy driving, clearance or not. I have also gotten used to the sounds rocks make when the armor tags the diffs...not too often, but often enough. I did manage to crush my carrier bearing cover (now with 1/4" of steel over it...I just like that stuff..) and put three sweet twists in my rear driveshaft the last time I ran OCG, but that was on the harder obstacles...

BTW..what's with the Toyota vs Jeep stuff, anyway? The only things that I haven't owned, make wise, are Zuki's, Nissans, and Isusuzus(sp??), sticking with run of the mill makes. I have managed to build capable wheelers out of anything that I wanted to throw money, time, blood, sweat and tears at, not necessarily in that order. I also seem to remember spending about equal time under or bent over the hood, on just about every one of 'em, too. There are good points and bad points to everything made. I just happen to be on my 4th or 5th Yota (in the course of 40 years) and sometimes they get a little too familiar. Course if I just drove it on the road, I probably wouldn't be fixing or modifying crap on it, either. Even Poison Spider $70k buggies with all the stuff us pedestrain 4 wheelers dream about on them break stuff. I still think that it is about 60% driver and 40% rig...After all, just about anyone who makes a capable off the rack 4x4 has run the Rubicon with them and that certainly isn't an easy trail.

I really, truly, honestly don't give a set of stinking baboon balls what people drive....

Oh...and the best cars that I have ever owned were: a '68 Chevy Impala, a '74 Ford van, a '68 Dodge van, and a '80 or so Toyota Corolla...none of them 4x4s. These were all cars that you could get in, do a 4500 mile road trip and nothing would go wrong. They always started, required the absolute minimal maintenance, and...well...just ran...Wish that I still any of them right now...

[Pathrat]

The diff rock is the red arrow, and the blue arrow it the rock that your wheels slide down and cause you to land on your driveshaft/diff.

You have to keep your wheels from slipping on the side rock.

I had trouble on that spot.
Smacked my pinion and driveshaft a few times.

Great picture with hints, thanks for posting it! It is nice to have an idea of what to do before you do it. Seeing the carnage in the other thread without understanding why that happened, and my vague recollections of some of the spots I remember on this trail while a passenger, I had my concerns. However, given my FJC at it's current build, my ability to drive it, and having people present who are familiar with this trail, I am not worried about it.

Great first two lines Brody, way to get it back to center. :)

[BLUE THUNDER]

Thanks for the picture post. Nice to see all the FJs out and about...

I think that almost all the bumpers out there are going to weigh a bit and 140 doesn't sound excessive. I would stay away from the ARB, though, as there are better bumpers out there for the same price or cheaper. I cut away most of my ARB on my heap to get where I am now with clearance, etc and was surprised to find out how cheaply it was made, steel and joint wise.

BTW, anyone that wants to use your rig to prototype something, Pathrat, be it bumpers or SAS, better be willing to man up the time, parts and materials....
No, 140lb. doesn't sound excessive. but I can get Demello or all-pro front bumper for around 80lb. and they both have good clearance for the rocks. I might get the all-pro bumper next spring. I like that its a 3 piece front bumper. so if I damage one side I can replace that one piece.

[Pathrat]

No, 140lb. doesn't sound excessive. but I can get Demello or all-pro front bumper for around 80lb. and they both have good clearance for the rocks. I might get the all-pro bumper next spring. I like that its a 3 piece front bumper. so if I damage one side I can replace that one piece.

One of the guys at work has an FJC (one that was a factor in my decision to get one) with the All-Pro bumper. Looks nice, I hear it has the best clearance and is relatively light. To me, lighter is better. I like the All-Pro, but not enough yet to buy one, however I did not know that it came in three pieces, each of which could be replaced. Do they sell the separate components? I do think that lighter is better if you are not compromising the point of having a replacement. Funny, I have not dinged the front stock, decidedly unstrudy bumper I have. I am undecided on the bumper. As I have told Brody, I would be sorely tempted to use the bumper as a bar to push other cars out of the way, or just give them a small hint that they are not pleasing me with their inattention to the road.

Brody, agreed. Guinea Pig= free stuff, that is the trade off

[Funrover]

a '68 Dodge van

NO WAY!!! You had a sweptline era A series Dodge van.. That is awsome, do you have any pics of it? I love the 1961 - 71 era of Dodge

[Brody]

Yep..had a classic JanVan topper on it that you could stand up in, heater, stove, fridge, mini toilet, etc. Had a perfect sweet spot at 65mph where the rig ran like a watch with no noise, squeeks, vibrations. Had a million miles on it when I bought it for $1200. I had it for 1 1/2 years and sold it $1200. Only thing that I didn't like was it had the classic Dodge turning radius of 75'.

[Funrover]

Yeah there had to be a downfall somewhere. Let me know if you want another one, I know where a couple are for sale hahahaha but not for $1200..

[SCRubicon]

I really, truly, honestly don't give a set of stinking baboon balls what people drive....

I couldn't give a damn either, but when people throw out ***** I'm going to fire back.