Burt, The Old Man With friends Daryl and Donna

In the 33x10.50R17 there is only a few options, and the KO2/KO3 are the only ones in the A/T category now. The closest next step is the Kenda R/T a good tire, but tends to be a little heavy but as do the KO2.

 

Daryl's First Adventure
Day 1/2​

It was finally time for Daryl to go on its first big trip. We had done a couple overnighters locally but nothing too serious. With the additions of the Carli Pintop suspension kit and a 60 gallon fuel tank it was time to go on a serious trip to see what we were in for with this truck.

This would not be my first trip in a full size truck having a done a couple in a past company f250 and Ram 2500. But the first one actually pushing the truck offroad and in our new camper. Curious to see what it has in store I planned a trip through the Northern San Rafael Swell area as its "mostly" fullsize friendly, sticking with lower difficulty trails in the 3-4 range but with a lot of dirt miles to really see how the truck performed and ideal find some really nice campsites.

After the always eventful drive over I70 we landed in Green River we snuck into out first nights camp, one that was our last night of last year and last night we spent in the Ranger and Project M before it was sold to make way for Daryl and the CampOut. A beautiful tucked away spot with some unknown petroglyphs and some later explorers in the early 1900s.



It's a great spot tucked far back along the river in a large sandstone bowl.


In the Morning we were slowly made out way up the trail to visit the far northern corner. Taking a trail that ran along the old railroad grade of the area.

Joining me on this trip is a good friend in his Gladiator, with his first night in his new Project M.
Very little of the old rail line exists anymore, but there are still some structures that remain in the area, while following the trail it is very obvious that its was cut for trails with most washed filled in and hill flattened.

This trail took us most of the way to an area called Hamburger Rocks, while unfortunately is pretty close to a main road and gets the wrong type of tourist visiting it, this ones that don't travel as respectfully as others.

The rock layers where are stacked like a lot of fast food style hamburgers, crushed bun and all.

Its a very interesting area since there really aren't any other major rock formations in the surrounding area.

A few more miles down the road there is another stop, a miniature version of Goblin Valley, a popular formations area down near Hanksville that is know for having the movie Galaxy Quest filmed there.


Off in the background you can see the powerplant of Caste Dale.

Daryl so far had been eating up the trails, the new suspension was worth the push to get it installed the week before. Though it is looking like 37s might be a good move in the future. All the typical washouts the would catch the Ranger out this truck was able to shrug off and hit faster. The only issue was a recurring one that the ABS wire on the front axle would come unplugged under heavy flex, causing the speedometer to read -4mph. Quickly hopping out and plugging it back in fixed the issue. Happening a couple times per day.


We headed south, crossing the San Rafael river at Full Bottom, and headed east towards some badlands near the Little Grand Canyon, eventually setting up camp overlooking the valley and the edge of those badlands.





This was the only windy night of the trip, where we hung out in the campers till it died down around 8 and set up the firepit outside.

Tomorrow would be a good day, even if it meant pushing Daryl FAR harder than we ever planned on doing.

 

Daryl's First Adventure
Day 3​

Waking up overlooking the Badlands was awesome, it was warm, the air was still and the Sun was out. You couldn't ask for a better morning. Today we had plans to follow a wash for 20+ miles down south towards I70.

I picked a trail that was a 3/10 and seemed like a fun cruise down a wash with a couple small obstacles, I have rock sliders in the works for the truck but its a couple more weeks before those are done so I made sure not to pick any harder trails, or so I thought but thats later.
It stars out in a super wide wash.

Slowly Necking down to a little wider than the trucks, even with water in areas.



We found a small cove still full of snow and a nature spring with water coming out of the rocks.



The wash kept getting deeper and with large overhangs surrounding us it was truly a site to see.

It started to twist and turn up and down various rocky climbs jumping from the banks to down into the water ways. Daryl's crazy amount of torque just pushing the truck through everything without drama. Of course 37s on the Jeep meant there's not much that can stop it.

After quick climb up above the wash were we took a quick lunch.

We took a steep trail down back into an even deeper section of Wash.

There isn't much that makes this truck look small.

Each turn was more impressive than the last.

Except this...

With crazy rock formations all around we had to stop and take in the sites.

Being Sandstone, the formations layers allow for vast amount of color variation from one time to the next, all depending on where that sediment originated from.

A very soft gypsum type rock with deep emerald coloring.

With all of us talking about how amazing the canyon has been and how its been the perfect trail. The next turn had one very interesting surprise. One that I would have much prefered to have Burt for.
For perspective, Daryl has a wheel base of 159" and is around 80" wide. Not what one would call narrow or short.
A super sharp S turn between a steep sandy bank, and 3 large rocks was between us and the last mile of this trail. To back track and turn around would have taken the majority of a day, and would have left the Gladiator close to if not completely out of fuel even with the extra fuel he was carrying.
So out came the shovel and Maxtrax to knock down a bit of sand to keep Daryl from leaning too far to the passenger side.


We knocked down the outer edge a good 2' to allow for a wider swing of the truck around the inner rock that was just in love with the 8' bed. Desperate to take a bit or 10 out of the sheetmetal.
Slowly easy the truck into the turn it was obvious this was going to be a fight. Again, all down to truck size, Burt would have walked through this section without worry and it would have even been fun.
*Do to the situation not many pictures were taken, most of these are screen shots.*


Then around the turn.
Here you can see the true scene, with the large bank on the driver side I could only swing so far wide, but having to hook back passenger to avoid the large rock in front, while watching the passenger rear quarter on the large rock. Then squeezing into the pinch at the end.


It's safe to say this took many attempts, over the course of two and a half hours we slowly wiggled the truck back and worth trying to find any way it would fit. Daryl simply wouldn't fit without smashing the bed side. Or getting bellied up on the rock on the drivers front rock that was looking at my new fuel tank also wanting to take a nibble out of it.

In a last ditch attempt I had the Jeep hook a snatch block to the only tree in the canyon, and drag the rear of Daryl over to the side.


Which worked perfectly and gave us 8" to the passenger side rock.
Allowing Daryl to slowly wiggle through the rest of the section.

The Jeep of course being a lot easier to get through but taking a few forward and backs to line up and not catch the bed on the rock as well.
We all breathed a sign of relief but also knew we had to finish the trail no as there was no way to heading back.
It has been an easy 15 miles and a difficult .1 mile.
Around the next turn was a nice steep ledgy exit climb. Something we had walked before pushing through the last section to make sure it was doable. However lining up at the bottom we both had a moment of apprehension.
The Gladiator went first, incase I wasn't able to power through it I could try to winch off it.

A bit of tire spin, both lockers on and some skinny pedal the jeep made the climb and headed up the hill.


Now it was the turn of Daryl, nearly 10,000Lbs, on 35s, open front diff and a LSD in the back.

Lining up it only looked steeper.

I gave it a good Moab Bump and cruised right up no issue at all.


Up the ledges I was over the moon!

We made it out of the wash with a couple more climbs, and headed for a camp I had picked out on satellite view.

Ending a hell of a day, we got in way over what we expected on that trail. Looking back since it was rated by a SxS the 3/10 makes a lot more sense.

 

More to come Tomorrow...

 

Man that turn looks awful!

 

Looks fun!!

 

I wish I grabbed more photos to show how tight it really was. But I'm still shocked we were able to squeeze through it.

 

It was a blast!

 

honestly! if you were by your self that would have been a massive pain

 

If we were solo it wouldn't have been driveable. we would have turned around at that point since we had more than enough fuel range to go back and around. 60ish miles. to get back to where we would be dropped out from this wash.

 

ah ya thats fair. that long range tank sure sounds nice haha

 

Daryl's First Adventure
Day 4​

It was another clear and beautiful night. After many windy trips to Utah is was nice to have good weather.

After the Previous days adventure and having run through a lot more of the route I planned than expected in day 1 and 2 I figured a change of plan was needed. Mixed in with a little desire to wake up on my Birthday at a beach. I changed up the plans to head south to Lake Powell, and camp at Bullfrog.
We loaded up and hit the road south to meet up with 70 and head down towards Hanksville.

We were going to take a bit more dirt on the way down.

We hit the Highway for about 15 miles and jumped off on the Red Canyon loop to take a "shortcut" down to Temple Mountain/Goblin Valley, then more highway into Hanksville.

Running about 25psi in the tires gave a good mix of ride quality but also being able to hold 40-45 mph on smooth sections. I did try 20 earlier in the trip and on rough trails is was great but got squirly on faster sections.

We made a quick stop in at our favorite restaurant in Hanksville, Stans Burger Shack, Home of the biggest milkshakes I have ever seen.
With Food and fuel for the Jeep we headed out to Bullfrog. The Highway from Hanksville to Bullfrog is one of the pretties in the world. If you ask me.

We bought out camping permits, and headed down to the waterline.

Happy dog after playing in the warm water of the bay.


Cooked up some shrimp tacos.

This let me wake up on the beach on my birthday.

 

Looks like a fun trip

 

Daryl's First Adventure
Day 5/6​

Waking up on the beach of Powell is always a treat. The weather was warm, sun was out and it was the first day we could get up without a hoodie or jacket on.

Then I failed to take pictures the entire rest of the day, however we were starting to make our way back home and had one more night on the road before getting back to Colorado.
We left Bullfrog and headed east through Bear Ears, and down into Blanding where we headed north to Moab. We stopped a few times to just take a look at some trails were wanted to do in the future. Had a picnic lunch in Moab enjoying the 80° day.

Exiting Moab we were stuck with a choice we have had many times, Its 2pm we could make it home if we pushed around 8pm. Or we could find somewhere to camp part way there. Its hard not to shoot home and sleep in our bed sometimes, but the weather was so nice we decided to head up 128, and the north into the book cliffs area. I had forgotten a few months earlier I had randomly throw together a route through the area on OnX and we decided to hit the first section of it. Sadly not being able to do the entire 250 mile route, but after the first 30 miles decided it was on the short list to complete.

Around 6:30 we called it and found a nice campsite overlooking the valley below, I70 and glancing at Colorado in the distance.

We took a small hike to see the surrounding area.

It was Pizza Night, it was what I wanted for my Birthday and luckily the lack of wind was going to allow it to happen.



The night wouldn't be complete without the best sunset of the trip.

Overlooking a Gas storage plant going in along I70






Being the first trip out we were unsure how we would like the Fullsize world, and at times I did wish for Burt instead overall it was a very pleasant trip. Daryl was a extremely comfortable truck to travel in and has a lot of advantages over the Ranger. It is going to be a really good travel rig for many years to come.

A couple things did come up on the short list to complete before our next trip. Chiefly Rock Sliders which I have most of the pieces for but need to pick up a few sections of steel before I can get down to welding them together.

We hoped to beat some traffic and get home early afternoon. I also wanted to see the sunrise so much to my wife annoyance I set my alarm for 6:30.
It was so worth it.










And with that we were on our way back home. Giving the truck and gear a good clear. Getting it all ready for the next adventure.

 

Now back to some Burt content!
With all the projects finally completed on Daryl. I was able to turn back Burt and the suspension refresh. The garage is nearly finished but my set up is taken ready to go. I have the 6112's Built and ready to install, I have them preloaded and 11 and 10 just due to the amount of weight I have on the front. By my estimates I have about 80-100lbs more on the front end as a V6 extended cab truck and this setting is for 2.8" of lift for that set up. So I am hoping that equates to around 2.5" of front lift.



I have new Tophat's as well and before install I went ahead and installed long studs, so they would fit through the Eimkeith coilover mount reinforcement kit that is going on when I have everything pulled apart. I got the studs from head strong and I don't know if the nerling on the stud is undersized, and the KYB top hats use oversize nerling, but they were a good fit but not tight enough that they would spin during install and create a issue.
I pulled out the Tig and welded them in place.
Pressed out the old Studs

Installed new ones with the Plate on top for alignment.

Gave each one a nice little zap so they never move again.

Next up was the Lower Control Arm reinforcement kit.
This is made for the 3rd gen 4runner lowers, which are nearly the same but have the sway bar mount in a different spot. I don't run a front sway bar so I doesn't bother me, however you do have to remove the mount as its in the way of the top plate in the kit. Something easier said than done. The first one took around 45 minutes to cut grind and hammer off. Then the second one took about 10 minutes once I knew what worked better.
I originally tried getting it off in one piece, later I cut it as flush to the LCA as possible and and was able to get much better cuts on the welds and hammer it off.

Liberated

Lower Plates tacked in place.

Fully Welded in.

Top Plates Fully Welded in.

Once I ground off the paint, I sprayed all exposed metal with a weld through primer, to reduce the chance of internal rusting, Install of all brackets also got a heavy coat.
I still need to weld on the limit strap tabs and paint the LCAs, but its another thing off the list.

 

Maintenance of Transmission and Transfer Case fluids also were changed. 294,685 Miles.
Skid plate came off, and fluids drained and filled, as simple as it gets. Skid remained off till the Transmission mount is changed.

 

I need to climb under my truck and change some fluids.

 

I had been putting it off, but minus taking the skid plate off its took 15 minutes, the skid took a another 15 to take off. I was at 37,000 miles so I figured it was a little past due.

 

Back on some fabrication for Daryl. Unsurprisingly the aftermarket does make sliders for this truck. There is a lot of door, and a lot of bed that I would rather not smack and dent up. I drew of some plans and took some measurement, I picked up steel on Friday and got to work building the main sliders.
The Main tube is 2x2 .25" wall. The braces between the tube and main rail are 2x2 .188" and the rear is 2x4 .188".

I also grabbed a 4x8 sheet of 1/8" to build a firepit out of for the house.

The 6"x.25 Plate will be for the frame mount. I hate weld on sliders so I will try my best to make these Bolt on if at all possible. 2"x.25" flatbar for bracing.
These are stupid long. 110.5" to be exact.
Each slider is around 80lbs without mounts which is lighter than expected. But probably right at 110lbs each with mounts.
Test Fit
They are 8'' wide to act as a good step.



I am very happy with how these came out so far. and I look forward to getting them on the truck. Once I figure out the mounts which will be easy on the passenger side, but a huge PITA on the driver side.

 

Put a second battery in the camper in prep for Expo West where it will sit for a few days and the Starlink and Fridge will be running overtime.