Cynicalriders "J0hnny5 is ALIVE!" 01 build thread.

The only logical solution I see here are some deep dish beadlocks like mine that really protect the valve stem. It's the most economical choice.

 

C'mon out!

While true, even a lot of the parks are huge. Example being it could take a few hours to get to obstacles on the other side of windrock park in TN or Harlan KY. Watch some YouTube videos from both those parks for examples. Trail 16 at windrock took us 5hrs to run it with capable trucks and a small group for example, mostly because it's so long.

Since moving down here I'm learning there are a lot of long point to point trails in the mountains that the locals won't tell you about, similar to out west type stuff. Legal trails, you just never would find them unless you knew exactly where to go.

 

You can swap in some ATV valve stems. They are a lot shorter. That's what I just did on my new tires

 

Basically what @slander is saying below but no where near NJ/PA like where you used to be or I am. The trails I found that are legal and not offroad parks are MA and above (MA/VT/NH) is what I have explored so far and VA and below. I have only explored Pott's in VA along with some national forest stuff.

Rausch is similar up here, can take 5-6 hours to do one trail. The problem is the paying a bunch of money to beat the piss out of your truck and not have some good views to go with it. Kinda over Rausch and AOAA for that reason. I already learned mine and my trucks limits, paying someone a ton of money to beat on it for fun isn't that appealing anymore unless I just have the itch. Lately I have been wanting to explore other places, free legal spots I can offroad at that I can turn into a multi day trip or even trying out other offroad parks I am not familiar with like Windrock, Big Dogs, AOP, etc.

Def heard aftermarket wheels protect the valve stems way more, and not beadlocks. I am not sure I am ready to deal with the hassle of beadlocks yet. This is the second one I have ripped in two years, but thankfully Colby valves got me up and running in less than a half hour.

Same diameter though? Good to know, might use that for the replacement.

 

AOP is pretty small and fun but not a place to go if you want to see views on the trails. Basically ledges and boulders on some steep hills in a forest. You def need to check out Harlan and windrock. Lots of good wheeling and views from the trails and beautiful drives to and from them. I have also been looking at forest service roads in NC/TN to go get lost on and checkout some views as not evrey trip needs to be hardcore crawling. It is funny talking with the solid axle swapped/buggy guys who live down here, they HATE the long drives of Harlan and windrock to the obstacles, I love it personally!

As for beadlocks don't be scared!! There really is no Hassel to them, mine don't leak, discount tire balanced them and they require almost no additional maintenance. Plus running your tires at 2psi on the trail is awesome!! The only issue I had with beadlocks was my old trail readys shearing bolts but that was because I didn't have the correct spacer for my super thick Toyos, after I got that it was all good. My pro comps have zero issues and no vibrations or anything.

 

Yeah I have had Windrock on my list for years now. At this point it's all about going on new adventures and seeing new places. I really hope our move down there takes place in the very near future. I can't wait to get the fuck out of Jersey.

I always heard horror stories on the maintenance of beadlocks, someone I knew regularly had his go flat and the whole torquing down a hundred bolts for a couple hours sounds awful. If it really is set it and forget it though I think I can get on board.

Finished editing some pics from the last trip, here are some of my favorites.

IMG_5488 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5534 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5541 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5584 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5679 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5551 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5666 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5685 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5698 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5711 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5722 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5779 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5764 by Michael Halat, on Flickr

And breaking out for some solow exploration/camping lead to an awesome campsite/opportunity to do some long exposure stuff:

IMG_5806 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5802 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5814 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5865 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5849 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5845 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5799 by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Milky way maybe?

IMG_5862 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5861 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5866 by Michael Halat, on Flickr
IMG_5869 by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Full trip report to follow eventually.

Full album here:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX7MDKw

 

Awesome pics!

It really is set it and forget it, at least with mine. The horror stories are mostly from people using those cheap DIY weld on kits or lore from the old days. I find myself dicking with leaky early 2000s crap Toyota factory alloys on my DD avalon more than my beadlocks. Torqing the bolts down does kind of suck, but it's worth it to not have to worry about blowing beads on the trail and running stupid low air pressures.

So you guys moving to NC then?

 

Yeah, it's really not bad. The initial torquing is a little bit tedious, but the upkeep is fairly nonexistent. Every few trips I check torque again but that takes like 20 minutes. Lift the front end up with the floor jack, let all the air out of the front tires, hit it with a torque wrench and then refill. Same for the rear. Added benefit is I know my tire pressure is where I want it before a trip which I check anyways before a lot of highway miles.

 

It’s still a hope just need more time to find the right area. Still won’t be for a couple years we think. We def want to before he starts going to real school though.

yeah I always check pressures too so adding checking torque wouldn’t be bad. Def something I am considering for the future but at the same time blowing beads hasn’t been much of a concern yet so we’ll see. I’d love a real deep snow run to see how low I can go without beadlocks.


Just finished this mini project for the bike:

https://youtu.be/HsmBojOu_-w

came home from the gym the other day and a new project reared it’s ugly head.

https://youtu.be/wnTkKz3zlDE
https://youtu.be/o0NfFBgayvc

I might hold out until the marlin crawler clutch kit is back in stock. I have been super happy with that clutch.

 

oooof, that tranny sounds a little rough. Any idea what it is?

 

likely the throw out bearing. But anytime you go in there you might as well replace the pilot, throw out, clutch and check the input bearing. I might do the rear main seal since it’s never been done too.

 

Pilot bearing should only make noise when the clutch is disengaged (foot to the floor). If it sounds like a supercharger in evrey gear but 4th it's the Tacoma noisy countershaft bearing that is no big deal. My rebuilt marlin trans whines just as bad as my 100k+ factory trans did.

Don't know if any of that helped.

 

I think I am going to check the fluid in the trans just for my own mental well being but otherwise going to ignore it until the clutch starts giving me issues too.

Had a busy week or so.

Did my last wash of the season to prep the trucks frame for it's yearly fluid filming.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Always stoked to see how clean this 5 year old frame is still. Hope to make it always look this clean.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Pig cleaned up nicely:

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

I over engineered my dartboard mount to take advantage of the outside studs:

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

And got my first bullseye. Missed playing darts in my buddies basement in high school.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

After replacing both capacitors in my compressor I replaced the thermal overload switch. It kept tripping after the motor would run for 15 seconds or so for no reason. So far it seems like that did the trick.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Found some new trails with @MattiveAmerican and he scooped up a combo belt/disc sander for me at Eastwood that was only at a special price in the store.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

It's been on my radar for forever and I have a solid place to store it already too.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Lastly I spent 8+ hours fixing my brother in laws rusty rear diff on his Tundra. Cut the old cover off and welded a new one on.

Was kinda a bitch but super happy with my welds. .035 is such a forgiving wire thickness for really nice welds.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

 

If it makes you feel better my zero time rebuilt marlin trans started whining a few thousand miles after break in.

I would change the fluid and if no chunks come out keep running it.

 

it actually does lol. Always caught off guard by new noises.

Easily found the best cost to space saving ratio garage mod.

 

What you don't like kicking and tripping over those?

 

lol I always had them in a specific relatively out of the way space that would basically open up during a big project (when the stands would be used) so they never were tooooo bad. Now I need an efficient spot to store the floor jack too

 

Actually I haven't tripped on them much, but their pyramid design really makes them inconvenient to store - nice idea!

 

Nice, Mike!

 

keep it at a neighbors house until you need it