Where did you WHEEL your Gladiator today?

[USMC_1Wire6337]

Wheeled it to the garage. I attempted. Till my dad started worrying excessively. Didnt even hav it in 4L yet. Then it wouldnt go into 4L. And transfer was shifting very hard. So turned around. Didnt want to continue with potential problems. Then this weird hollow metallic clunk started with no pattern to it. In anger and depression we left. A trail I have been wanting to take for over 10 years.

went home and examined the rig trying to find the issues. I did see where I scraped the fuel tank skid and the cross bar right behind the oil pan. This was not a difficult section. So finding skid plates and a lift is a urgent need.

then found this little $#!+. I cannot believe it. In all my years I have never seen anything like it. No wonder I couldnt go to 4L. And probably the source of the noise. So if you have troubles shifting the transfer, look above the front drive shaft near the shift linkage

at least there was one decent photo captured

Ouch. That sucks...

Still looks like it was a beautiful day besides having to cut it short.

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[azmojave]

Wheeled it to the garage. I attempted. Till my dad started worrying excessively. Didnt even hav it in 4L yet. Then it wouldnt go into 4L. And transfer was shifting very hard. So turned around. Didnt want to continue with potential problems. Then this weird hollow metallic clunk started with no pattern to it. In anger and depression we left. A trail I have been wanting to take for over 10 years.

went home and examined the rig trying to find the issues. I did see where I scraped the fuel tank skid and the cross bar right behind the oil pan. This was not a difficult section. So finding skid plates and a lift is a urgent need.

then found this little $#!+. I cannot believe it. In all my years I have never seen anything like it. No wonder I couldnt go to 4L. And probably the source of the noise. So if you have troubles shifting the transfer, look above the front drive shaft near the shift linkage

at least there was one decent photo captured

Did you get the rock out? Thanks for the heads up!

 

[rharr]

You just need to drive faster to shake all the rocks out ....

 

[Rusty PW]

Wheeled it to the garage. I attempted. Till my dad started worrying excessively. Didnt even hav it in 4L yet. Then it wouldnt go into 4L. And transfer was shifting very hard. So turned around. Didnt want to continue with potential problems. Then this weird hollow metallic clunk started with no pattern to it. In anger and depression we left. A trail I have been wanting to take for over 10 years.

went home and examined the rig trying to find the issues. I did see where I scraped the fuel tank skid and the cross bar right behind the oil pan. This was not a difficult section. So finding skid plates and a lift is a urgent need.

then found this little $#!+. I cannot believe it. In all my years I have never seen anything like it. No wonder I couldnt go to 4L. And probably the source of the noise. So if you have troubles shifting the transfer, look above the front drive shaft near the shift linkage

at least there was one decent photo captured

All the places for a rock to land at.

 

[chorky]

Did you get the rock out? Thanks for the heads up!

All the places for a rock to land at.

yeah rock came out easy enough. Wanted to post it just to let others know it’s possible and makes it impossible to get onto 4L and can make clanking sounds. Hopefully nobody else has to experience it

 

[Chargingstar]

Red cone - in the second photo you can the the TFL youtube Bronco and the EV Hummer they were loaned from GM behind our group. The Hummer weighed around 10k pounds and spent 45 minutes trying to clear gatekeeper.

 

[Narpet]

My sister is moving to Wisconsin and she's never gone wheeling with us. So, my wife and I took her and her boyfriend to the Oregon Dunes (Florence). We had an absolute blast.

Along with my wife's constant mantra of "oh honey, oh honey" (her catchphrase when we're hitting exciting areas), They laughed and screamed the whole time. Cracked me up.

And, we got to recover a forester that was buried deep in the sand (about a half-mile from the pavement... I have no idea why they went this far out in that car). That's our third recovery in a row at the dunes.

Great weekend... here are some highlights. Before my re-gear we were never able to make it up the big hill challenge. Scale is hard to see here, but it's pretty steep and the sand is fluffy. I was only able to make it about 3/4 of the way up in the past. The new gears made it easy.

Here's a video of us taking the easy line... then one of us taking the hardest line. And finally, a couple pics of the recovery.

.

 

[RichDSport]

Red cone - in the second photo you can the the TFL youtube Bronco and the EV Hummer they were loaned from GM behind our group. The Hummer weighed around 10k pounds and spent 45 minutes trying to clear gatekeeper.

Nice. I did Webster in my stock XJ. I assume a stock Rubi should have no issues on Red Cone? Just did China Wall OHV. The “box canyon” was about 9/10 for my vehicle, but I made it!

 

[Chargingstar]

Yes Sir there there were stock Rubicon JLs in our group and they were all fine in the gatekeeper and boulder garden sections. That gatekeeper rock seems to wreck Tacomas but I’ve never seen a Jeep with a competent driver have issues with it.

Normally I run lockers on the gatekeeper but this time I didn’t - there were still zero issues clearing it though it was definitely not as smooth.

Nice. I did Webster in my stock XJ. I assume a stock Rubi should have no issues on Red Cone? Just did China Wall OHV. The “box canyon” was about 9/10 for my vehicle, but I made it!

 

[Bpine]

I went to Corral Hallow and Sourgrass near Arnold CA.

 

[chorky]

Red cone - in the second photo you can the the TFL youtube Bronco and the EV Hummer they were loaned from GM behind our group. The Hummer weighed around 10k pounds and spent 45 minutes trying to clear gatekeeper.

Just finished watching a TrailsOffRoad review of this trail. Way cool! How did you like the downhill section? Supposedly its steep, loose, and kinda sketch

 

[chorky]

Well I had to redeem myself from that 4L fiasco that prevented me taking a long desired trail the other day. This time went to another location that had easier trails just in case something bad happened.... But, nothing really did. The Table Mountain management area has some really neat trails. Although most of them give reminders of an old forest fire it still provides some great views and places to explore. Plenty of easy and tougher trails. I think a stock Glad can easily do any of them. Maybe not so for other models though.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5317431.pdf

So I took 4W316 or Ragan Trail. It was a short section. Then up to Lion's Rock, and headed north out threw Blewett pass. It still took a good many hours, mostly due to stopping and enjoying the view. But also just by being careful of paint scratches and not being in a rush.

The trail was quite tight. No pinstriping here; however, I would not think a full-size could make it. I have taken my OBS 7.3 on plenty of tight roads but this one had a few spots that required some back and forth simply due to the longer wheelbase of the Glad. My TJ wouldn't even blink. Plenty of blowdown, and it was already cut out, but just maybe 3-6" wider than stock wheel width. This would be really pretty with the spring flowers!

Sadly, I did get my first real trail damage. There are some scrapes on the undercarriage from that other trail I couldn't go on due to the 4L problem, but this was just negligence. I saw the stick poking out, and thought it was barely going to touch, and also thought it was old and brittle enough to break or move. Well...wrong. I guess at least I won't be so upset about other scratches and grocery store door dings that are inevitable... Still frustrating though.

All in all it was a fun day and I feel redeemed despite it being a super easy trail.

 

[USMC_1Wire6337]

Well I had to redeem myself from that 4L fiasco that prevented me taking a long desired trail the other day. This time went to another location that had easier trails just in case something bad happened.... But, nothing really did. The Table Mountain management area has some really neat trails. Although most of them give reminders of an old forest fire it still provides some great views and places to explore. Plenty of easy and tougher trails. I think a stock Glad can easily do any of them. Maybe not so for other models though.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5317431.pdf

So I took 4W316 or Ragan Trail. It was a short section. Then up to Lion's Rock, and headed north out threw Blewett pass. It still took a good many hours, mostly due to stopping and enjoying the view. But also just by being careful of paint scratches and not being in a rush.

The trail was quite tight. No pinstriping here; however, I would not think a full-size could make it. I have taken my OBS 7.3 on plenty of tight roads but this one had a few spots that required some back and forth simply due to the longer wheelbase of the Glad. My TJ wouldn't even blink. Plenty of blowdown, and it was already cut out, but just maybe 3-6" wider than stock wheel width. This would be really pretty with the spring flowers!

Sadly, I did get my first real trail damage. There are some scrapes on the undercarriage from that other trail I couldn't go on due to the 4L problem, but this was just negligence. I saw the stick poking out, and thought it was barely going to touch, and also thought it was old and brittle enough to break or move. Well...wrong. I guess at least I won't be so upset about other scratches and grocery store door dings that are inevitable... Still frustrating though.

All in all it was a fun day and I feel redeemed despite it being a super easy trail.

Hey, it just gives you an excuse to do the fender gut mod.

 

[Chargingstar]

It is steep (hit 27 degrees down angle) and loose but with a controlled slow speed descent I've never slid coming down towards Webster pass. Lots of room on either side so sketch depends on your passengers' fear of heights and if someone doesn't leave enough room coming down behind you.

Leaves were changing on this trip and the views are beautiful year round.

Just finished watching a TrailsOffRoad review of this trail. Way cool! How did you like the downhill section? Supposedly its steep, loose, and kinda sketch

 

[gunsnrods]

I live in Meridian, Idaho. Just East of here is a ski/recreation area, Bogus Basin. It’s a beautiful drive, accent from 2500 to 6200 feet. Lots of fires out here, photo from 5800’, we are above the smoke and haze in our valley

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