Hockeyman90's Build thread

Just to give you the back story on EJS...the amount of people used to be really low (back when I was in elementary school). We could go and wheel whatever with who ever at whatever time.

The Red Rock Jeep club, if I recall correctly, charges you per trail you want to run (to cover various costs) which include a "trail guide". We never did want to pay the fees because we didn't need a trail guide and didn't want to get stuck with the group of Jeeps.

Over time more people did the same thing and then somehow the club managed to be able to "close" (public land mind you) the trails to anyone who hadn't paid, with a stipulation of "it will open back at noon for anyone else and to allow the paying group to get ahead". Of course the first year it was on an honor system, and of course we aren't going to sit and wait. Then the next year they just put up a little piece of tape, didn't work, and of course if the park rangers stopped you everyone played dumb. Now they post up people to watch the entrance.

And now it's also a regular occurrence for people to be chased away from potato salad hill with police helicopters and closing it due to the crowd getting too wild. It kind of went a little downhill when all the college kids discovered it as a "spring break" place. Used to be all family.

But don't let that detour you, just giving you the down low. Still lots of fun watching people destroy stuff.

 

Is Taco Takeover just as bad? Or is it smaller than EJS?

 

Not quite.... If I remember correctly, there was between 70-80 trucks and the Taco gathering last year. I can only imagine what Moab is like during EJS




As far as kickouts, I love mine. They do a good job at pushing the back end of the truck away from certain obstacles. There are some people, however, that will say they hang you up more.

 

No lol EJS is in the thousands. No other event comes close.

They have a big vender show that's pretty cool but mostly keep stuff. One year we went a vendor was actually letting people borrow wheels and tires to try out for fun. Mostly 5 lug wheels though.

 

Looks like there will be a true test to my suspension and my tires coming up. Our club set up a New Year's Day snow bashing trip. Got a GoPro Hero 3 Black edition for Christmas. Thanks Mom maybe i'll have some videos up from the trip.

 

Just got extended braided stainless steel brake lines fom OCTaco's group buy. Definitely amazing quality. Just have to find time to put them on.

 

Where's the snow bashing videos? And when are you guys going next?

 

I got a couple. Only had a small 8GB card so only like 30 minutes of video for a 6 hour day But it'll just serve as a learning experience. I also have some pictures I just haven't had time to upload them. I figure we will go sometime soon. I'll have to ask around and see if anything is planned or if not this weekend but next we can set up a meet

 

What are everybody's opinions on making your own skids? I'm trying to decide if I should build or buy. Input would be appreciated

 

If you have the means build your own! But buying has the upside of knowing that someone figured it out for ya, and a proven design.

 

There's some good info in here if you haven't already read though it:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/off-roading-trails/262726-homemade-skid-plates.html


If I had any metal fabrication knowledge, I think skids plates would be about the first things to make. If you have access to all the tools, and know how to weld, I'd say go for it. Bud builts and Skid Rows are expensive, I don't know the cost of steel, but I bet you could screw up a couple time and still be cheaper than buying them.

My all-pro skids are off right now if you wanted to take a look at them, just don't know how much it will help being they only fit an all-pro bumper.

 

The hardest thing it seems to me is to get all the angles and measurements right and then finding ways to attach certain points of the skids so they are strong enough to take hits.

 

Make some awesome cardboard templates first

 

That's what I was thinking. Just need a whole lotta cardboard first

 

Just ordered some G.E.A.R seat covers and some 3m paint defender spray on vinyl. Gonna be interesting with the seat covers with my 60/40 bucket seats but probably not too bad a fit. Also ordered a toyota flag and an American flag to combat all the nimrods with the confederate flags in my town. Little import love lol

 

I read up on your thread. Your pickup looks cool. We are running almost the exact kind of set-up. Here are before and after pics of my lift installation.

 

Thanks. Your truck looks good as well. We're almost like 1st gen twins

 

Yeah it looks like it. I like the gold color of our pickups. Here's a pic of one of my snow runs.

 

Nice. Yeah I like the gold hides dirt pretty well I've got some snow wheeling picks somewhere but I've been slacking and haven't updated the build in a while

 

That was my first thought when I bought it.