What did you do WITH your Gladiator today?

[BlueScapegoat]

Let’s go hit the Rubicon!!!! Well in a year or 2 once I’ve got my Jeep built. Pretty sure that trail would eat me up at the moment.

I don't know what your build is at the moment but I used my Artec engine skid, both RockHard rock rails to the point of bending the left one, bashed the Artec comp cut high rear bumper multiple times, drug down the extent of both sides of the frame, both diff covers, smacked the tie rod, sheered a valve stem.

It's a gnarly trail. I'm about 4" of lift with 40s. Never had to pull a winch line but did shove some rocks under the tires once when I turtled.

All in all I only really reversed to reposition myself and take another shot at an obstacle less than 10 times. But there was a lot of rubbing and barely scrambling through.

37s on a JL, fine. The JT is just a schoolbus. I think my TJ on 35s would walk the trail in comparison.

Sponsored

 

[Cattywumpuss]

Took a day trip to Hope and then drove 1500 ft up some mountains up the Palmer Creek Road trail.

This was the view for lunch:

 

[Mud Pie]

Spent Wednesday through Saturday on Galveston Island. My wife had a rough 2 weeks at work and wanted to relax, so we checked into Moody Gardens resort. Nice joint.

Of course on the day we headed out, Tropical Storm Arthur decided HE wanted to spend time on the island, also. It had already rained the entire week, Galveston is known for flooding. I decided to give it a go, my wife needed the break.

We get to the island, several roads have high water. Nothing too extreme, maybe 8" or so. Passenger cars said, "nay-nay" and U-turned, my Jeep said, "Ain't nothing but a thang.". Barely kicked up a wake driving through it.

The wind was kicking at 40mph or so, not pleasant. The threats on the news proved false, the storm kicked further east. We had wind, a little rain every now and then, nothing to be concerned about.

Thursday, very overcast, rain every now and then. The idea of popping the top and dropping the doors were squashed.

While sitting at the hotel bar, my wife asked how was I going to take the doors off ? Walk them through the lobby ? That "was trashy". I showed her the EZ 4x4 door cart. She goes, "Order it so we don't have to carry doors around next time.". Don't have to tell ME twice !! Ordered.

Friday, it was partly cloudy but HOT. We popped the top and hopped on the car ferry over to Bolivar Peninsula. There are sections of the beach were cars are allowed. Cars. Yes, it's pretty hard packed. If you keep going, it eventually gets soft, 4 wheel drive needed. As we are driving, there are several gullies trenched in the sand. The high water making it's way back to the Gulf. Maybe 5' wide, 3-4' deep with water flowing like a fast creek. Water depth, maybe a foot. Golf carts and cars making U-turns. I plow through, still in two wheel drive. No issue. A guy behind me, with more money than sense, tries to take his lifted, VERY expensive golf cart through. Plunk. Nose down. Stuck like Chuck. I stop and look. He and his drunk friends are already pushing it back up where they were. Idiots in action.

We drove through maybe 4 more of them gullies. Fun.

When we got to the end of the beach, we got back on the road to get lunch. When we parked I noticed my side steps and rear bed guards were thickly coated in beach sand. Apparently I was dragging them in sand going up/down them gullies. No worries, the incoming heavy rain will take care of that.

Today on our way home, driving in heavy rain for 1.5 hours, washed all that sand off.

Still gonna drag it through the car wash tomorrow, make sure all that salt is gone.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

@Mud Pie Sounds like a good time out with the Wife. Glad to hear it!

Sponsored