AZ BS Thread 4.2⁰

Finally getting around to posting pics from the Rubicon. It was such an awesome trip.
Sorry for the photo dump.





One of two pups that got to ride along during the trip.



And the trail begins.


The gate keeper gets you started through a boulder field and tight turns to make sure you know what you are getting into.


A couple of fun little climbs.







Top of the Granite Slabs.


Bad Ass Samurai that was basically a full Yota underneath (22re, trans, transfercase, axles...)



Taking Toyota Hill out of Little Sluice.


And the first trail breakage on what was supposed to be the best built Jeep in the group. Everything on this thing is built super well except the front trac bar bracket which they moved on the frame and apparently used a crappy welder to relocate. This would be the major failure on our trip.

Someone with Crawl Magazine loaned us a trail welder since they were going to be spending a few days at Rubicon Springs so we could return it whenever we got there. Too bad none of us had ever used one and could not get a good weld for the fix. multiple passes and we decided to keep moving.



Lots of water on the trail from snow melt.



Buddy was brave in taking his brand new (less than 6 months old) JLU on the trip with us. A 2" lift and new 37" tires and it did damn well actually. Biggest thing was his fear of body damage which is totally understandable.



After a long day one, 8.5hrs on the trail thanks to our trac bar breakage, me getting hung up a time or two, and mostly traffic (probably cost us 2hrs) we made it to Buck Island Lake late on day one and called it a night. Since we had had such a long day we decided to wait for everyone else to leave so we could steal a good camp spot and just relax there for the day. It was amazing and absolutely beautiful.

Water was about 45* and air temp in the mid 80's. Didn't stop us from some crude baths to clean up and hanging out playing catch in the freezing water. Sorry for all the whiteness.



Day three and we left camp and headed down Big Sluice towards Rubicon Springs which would be our final camp spot before finishing the trail.

Apparently we did a lot of this and not just on this obstacle, but the whole trail. Everyone waiving their arms and telling the group what their line would be and how their vehicle would handle it.




End of day three and we made it to Rubicon Springs shortly after the first trac bar fix failed. We had already given back the trail welder and had to resort to batteries and stick welding. We couldn't get it going but our neighbors had a "professional" pipe welder that was accustomed to using a stick welder and came to help us out. He had issues as well.

Notice the sweet welding glasses composed of 4 taped together pairs of cheap sunglasses.



Wrench for extra gusseting. Not my welds, we knew they were terrible, but figured it could get us off the trail and to a real shop in town.



And about 3/4 the way up Cadillac Hill the weld failed ripping the bracket off and snapping that wrench in half. Didn't bother trying to fix it again and just threw some ratchet straps in place to try and hold things together. It worked and the guy that all the Jeeps were storing their doors and tops at was luckily home when we finished the trail and was able to clean it up good and put some actual good welds on it to hold for the drive home. Pretty sure he ordered a 1/4" bracket during the drive home to replace the crappy stock one that caused so many issues.


And Success as we got to the top of Cadillac Hill and to Observation Point signaling the end of the trail (lies, there was still like 8 miles of wheeling far tougher than say Broken Arrow in Sedona).

 

This was my first time meeting this guy so I certainly wouldn’t have been confident trying to weld with either of these setups on his rig. Mine I would have given it a go.

I try to stack dimes or whatever they say. Here’s @Coot83 tail lights that I’m working on for him got one done, painted, and wired just waiting on night time to see how bright these suckers are

 

Damn that tail light setup is awesome!!! are you going to paint that black and leave it without a reflector over it? I'm sure those are way brighter than stock

 

Awesome pic's thanks!

 

Yes, painted black and wasn’t planning on covering them, but they are for @Coot83 and we are texting right now about possibly trying to refit the oem ones. We’ll see how that goes. But I did fire them up in the daylight and they are bright as f^*k!!! I’ll get a night shot tonight.



If we can and choose to fit the lens then I’ll fit some plates to the top and bottoms so the unit is sealed and repaint.

 

I'm sure I'll get attacked from a few select individuals, but I should just put this out there! A thought came to mind that I should post this in this group when I came across this on my fb feed a few minutes ago. Some food for thought and even for myself included!

 

Didn't you literally just the other day call another member a "DICK" and try to mock them for how they decided to spend their own money?

 

Think that is why he is reflecting.

 

Thank you for making all the logos the same orientation. That was making me crazy in the first pic you posted.

 

Too lazy to cook had a $10 off $15 or more through grubhub. Put 16 bucks worth of food in the cart. Go to check out and order total is $19 with the coupon applied. Lol fuck that.

 

Lol yes I do have some attention to details like that. It’s hard to see, but engraved after the logo is “KC highlights” otherwise I would’ve put the “KC” up top and centered.

And some night shots.

 

@Taylor@KC HiLiTES you should offer package deals for people doing stuff like this.

 

Do not look directly into the lights!!!!

 

Well the lights retail for $30 a piece, so 8 lights you’re at $240, plus the rest of the materials. So for a full diy person I’d say plan on close to $300 to build yourself a set. That said, LT guys break the crappy plastic mounting tabs off once or twice a year. So for an aftermarket “oem replacement” set costing anywhere from $120-150, this is about double, but should last for the long run.

 

Sorry I've been such a stranger since the mod day. Man that little truck was filthy. I'm still cleaning up stuff out there. Last thing today is to wipe down my toolbox and replace the MDF that is the oil soaked bench top of my little work bench. I'm so glad I cleaned that thing up before we started working on it buy damn I missed a lot.

 

A full week of cleaning up after a mod day sounds like a pretty successful party!

Nothing was broken and no one went to jail!

 

Hell yeah. I'm not missing any tools or anything!! I do have some things here that were left. I found your magnetic tray, someone's sunglasses, @Nitori s tape measure, and @mechanicjon s 14 mm socket.

 

Oh snap, I wasn’t even missing the tray yet!

Let me know when I can swing by and get it out of your hair.

I am at Eggstacy right now having date breakfast with the boss.

 

My sunglasses

 

Whenever is good for you. I'm typically here with the kiddo.