Survived my first trip on the Con

[UKMyers]

I just got home from a 3 day trip to the Con with TTORA. We ran Loon to Tahoe. It was my first time up there and holy crap that trail is gnarly!! We had some pretty heavy carnage in our group. I broke a tie rod end and didn't have a spare nor did anyone else in the group. It sheared right where the tapered part goes through the steering arm. We ended up drilling a hole through where the grease zerk went and using a Tacoma body mount bold and nut to hold it all together. I was shocked it actually worked and got me all the way from just past Buck to the staging area.

Besides the trail repair my rig did awesome. I took a lot of the harder lines besides soup bowl and little sluice. Big sluice is really gnarly right now and Cadillac Hill sucked in the pouring rain.

Here are a few pics.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2240.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2241.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2248.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2238.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2229.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2208.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2206.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2197-1.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2190-1.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2174-1.jpg

[Loki]

looks like you guys had a good trip...lots of trucks. i got your text last night and meant to write back, but got busy and forgot. who's hy-steer are you running?

[UKMyers]

Ya we had about 25 trucks broken into a few groups. My axle had a Marlin Hysteer when I bought it. I just ordered 2 new FJ80 ends from trail gear. I will have one of each side in my parts box from now on. BTW those ends are for a 91-97 FJ80 for anyone running that set up. I spent 30 minutes frantically on the phone with people trying to get a year before the parts stores in South Lake Tahoe closed last night. The idiots at a Kragen can't look up anything without a year. When I told them they were for any FJ80 they still couldn't find em. I ended up getting the end at a Napa for $40 bucks.. ya twice the price... oh well I got my junk safely home and 40 bucks was WAY cheaper than the guy who blew his rear end and then snapped a front axle shaft and the guy who's upper three link mount broke and both his coil overs folded in half when the axle rotated 90 degrees.

[Loki]

so where are the pics of all that carnage...we need to see.

[UKMyers]

The three link episode is under wraps for right now because he had it all professionally done by a company that already has a rocky reputation. He's going to find out of they are going to warranty everything since their welds did not penetrate at all. They might as well have used JB weld. He had some high powered coil overs that were $700 a piece. His front shaft also disengrated when it came apart. If they aren't going to fix their very expensive screw up expect to see very detailed pictures on all the Toy forums along with a full story. Here's a shot of the D44 axle shaft.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2319.jpg

We changed out the shaft and he drove all the way from Tahoe to Auburn in front wheel drive! :thumbs:

[jackrista]

need more pics, glad you made it out of the con. could you see where the fires were up there??

[UKMyers]

No there was no evidence of fire anywhere. It was super dry and super dusty up there though. Thank god for the lakes so you could take a swim at the end of the day to wash the dirt off. Here are a few more pics

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2274.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2205.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_2136.jpg

Here's a couple videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMj2tFN5-rI

The same obstacle in an IFS truck on 33's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JQOAYjQE0E

The only thing I tried and didn't make. This was very early on and I was still learning what I could get away with. I should have tried a little harder but I wasn't feeling real balsy in the first mile of a 3 day wheeling trip. The guy filming should have spotted me from the sounds of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOoxG__ACQ

One more of the final obstacle at Slick Rock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RGe6o9zB6Q

[locktup]

Are you up for another trip. We have a big group going up to the Rubicon next weekend.

Jason

[UKMyers]

I think I'm good for a little while. I need to do some work to the rig to make it better now that I know what it's like up there. Nothing major just little stuff. Five 8 plus hour days straight of wheeling was enough for me for a little while. We did Slick Rock, Deer Valley, Strawberry, and the Con this trip. :thumbs: