Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

I didn't drive on them enough to tell you about rubbing. For normal street driving no, they didn't rub. Also, your 883s should have the same amout of lift as my 882s.

I'll also add this: I added the wheel spacers to avoid rubbing the frame with my 265/75s. I doubt the 255/85s would rub the frame without whell spacers being they are narrower. Running without wheel spacers will definetly help with rubbing the pinch weld area. I rub a little when wheeling, but I'm hoping my alignment will take care most of that.




Also, as requested:





Spindle goes completely through the main rectangular structure of the bumper, and is welded on both sides.




And lastly,

Have an alignment scheduled for Tuesday morning of next week. Will be getting a new full size spare at the same time. And then planning on camping at the Kokopelli trailhead that night. Going to be cutting it close


This weekend I need to replace my gas tank, and install my steering rack. Going to get a head start by installing a new Denso fuel pump in the new (to me) gas tank this week. Already have the poly bushing installed in the rack.

 

Tuned my CB. Haven't done that since last year before Moab. Was at like 2.5 on chanel 40 and 1.0 on Chanel 1. Turned in the antenna a little bit and sitting a 1.2 on 1 and 1.3 on 40. Good enough for me.

 

The home depot comment through me off for sure....




But yeah, hopefully everything goes smootly this weekend. Only those two major jobs, then the alignment, and then it's just little stuff and packing.

I'll try to make sure to get plently of pictures and such. I'm usually terrible at taking pictures, and always regret not getting more. Also have a GoPro I've never used so I might try and get some video.

 

Pulled the tank, and.....

Well Shit!!


The tank off the older model taco that Yoda Jim gave me has a few differences. It may work, but at this point I'm uncomfortable putting it back in.

Here's the old sending unit.





So, looks like I'm going to try and bent it back, and see how much of the dent I can pop out of the tank.

And for good measure another

 

Managed to get quite a bit of the dent out of the old tank, straightened out the fuel pump mount, and reinstalled everything. Everything seems good except now the fuel gauge is stuck just below a quarter tank. At least now I know how easy it is to drop the tank, only problem is I filled it up completely. Will be dropping in on Monday probably and see what it's hitting. Actually there's only one thing it could be hitting, and that's the plastic baffle thing, so it really should be an easy fix. I do know for sure that the fuel pump is now straight down and right at the bottom of the tank.

Did burn some gas today though doing a real test of the new rear suspension. Pretty easy forrest service road, but my chainsaw sure got a workout. Some snow bashing, a few little rocks, and tons of deadfall. Got tired of cutting about a dozen trees in and turned around, but not before I got some more poser shots:

 

See that big tree in the second picture on the last post? It was bigger than I wanted to cut, and it was in the way, so I moved it



And here's me cutting some deadfall, this is what a lot of the trail looked like:

 

That's exactly how we move big trees at our deer lease

 

Finally got the steering rack installed:




Why is it that these jobs always take way longer than I guess? Took me like 45 minutes at most to remove my skids and all the steering rack hardware. And then another 45 to get the damn steering shaft off. The write up I read said "just pull the rack down and if should pull off" or something like that. Well, that didn't work for me. Lots of swearing, PB Blaster, a bernzomatic, a hammer, a bigger hammer, and finally an air chisel to get it off.

After that was when I realized I didn't have lock nuts for the OTREs. The new rack didn't come with them, nor did the OTRE. I found one in with my trail spare ITRE which I stole, then proceeded to pull one off my old rack. Only problem with that is how stuck everything was. Took a ton of torque to break the nut free, and then was never able to loosen the OTRE from the ITRE. I have no clue how they aligned it last time... Ended up cutting the old OTRE to get the nut off.


Alignment was close enough to drive it around. I think I got everything I need for Moab, heading out tomorrow evening to camp at the Kokopelli trailhead.

 

Just noticed this post. Thanks! That's helpful information.

 

I'll keep an eye on them.

Glad to help



Got my alignment and full size spare this morning. Didn't look too closely yet, but I'm pretty sure my alignment cams are more or less maxed. Now I just gotta put the skids back on, finish packing, then I'm Moab bound.

 

Had an awesome time in Moab the last few days. Managed to run all of the Kokopelli Wednesday and Thursday with the addition of Top of the World, Gold Bar Rim to part of Golden Spike Friday, and part of Cliffhanger yesterday. Some of the toughest wheeling I've done yet. Truck did really well except my clutch hates me, and Friday my fuel line coming from the pump decided it no longer wanted to be attached, and 5 minutes after fixing it my Optima Red Top took an absoultley instant shit.

Pictures should be rolling in of Friday's and Saturday's run here soon, but here's a few I took of the Kokopelli:

 

You planning on doing it the way I did and going from Colorado to Moab? If so, you'll be fine, but your stock skids will never look the same. Honestly Rose Garden Hill is pretty tough, but I think that rating is overkill. Trail damange ratings are never very consistent. Gold Bar Rim and Cliffhanger I thought were both quite a bit more difficult. Of course, going up Rose Garden hill would make it much more difficult, but doable none the less.

Here's a video of us going down:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZr6RpimOCY

Also, make sure to keep me updated if you are going to do it. Navigating the bypasses to the single track sections were both fairly tricky navigation wise.

Yep, part number is 33403-39585. Driving home from Moab following Teamhypoxia we were checking it against his GPS and I has dead on.


Make sure you either don't give them your Vin or tell them not to switch it out. I orded that online first and they sent me the 30 tooth because it was the 'correct' one for my car. When I called them to ask them why the hell I got a 30 tooth, the guy told me it was unsafe to change it and they can't be responsible. So clearly the best decision was to not notify me I ordered the 'wrong' part and change out my order. I told the guy with my modifications I was trying to be safe and have a correct speedometer, and it was unsafe to not notify me of the change and send me the wrong gear. Needless to say I didn't get anywhere.


While I'm at it Timmy, you want to trade your Expos for some Wheelers 6 packs?

 

A few pics I stole from teamhypoxia from Cliffhanger:

Very first obstacle






Put the skinniest guy up on the slider

 

I've got wheelers 5 packs plus there AAL, thus Wheeler's 6 packs.

But yeah, they've flattened out since the shackles and bumper. But I do have some awesome down travel. Waiting on pictures from James of me crossing the golden crack. I don't even know that expo's are the best option at this point. Also would like to get some shorter shackles. I hit my shackles and leafs more than my rear bumper.

And I wouldn't give up hope on the Kokopelli, that is probably the single hardest section, and really wasn't that bad. Lots of big ledges and rocks, but nothing tippy or challenging, at least going down hill. If it wasn't late June and like a million degrees out there, you could talk me in to doing it again.

 

Forgot to post this one of our camping spot in Cottonwood Canyon. This little section of road was quite interesting with a few bigger obstacles:




And rig inspection:

Hit my new bumper pretty good:



These are little dents in the slider:



Hit my front bumper:



And got this slider good:

 

Really like your build, looks real nice. What length 5125's did you end up with? Might go this route myself...

 

Also did you notice an increase in flex with the new shocks? I feel like I should be getting more than I am with the ome shocks - especially since I have probably an 1.5" to 2" more height between the shackles and aal than they were intended for...

 

Thanks Man! My 5125s are 10"

It hard to say. I kinda think my old 5100s were limiting my flex with just the Wheeler's 6 packs. But I put the 2" lift shackles and shocks on at the same time. Before I put on the shackles on, I went to put the 10" 5125s in place and they were nearly fully compressed to fit.


As of now with the shackles and 10" shocks, I've got a shit ton more flex. Very happy with my flex, just a bit concerened about my flat leafs. I've just got too much weight between the topper, toolbox, and now the bumper. Waiting for picutres from James (WishboneRunner) of me crossing the Golden Crack. Should look pretty awesome.

 

Hey you cant say you put them on because it was me who did. But after they were on they only had like 1/2" of travel down before they bottomed out.

 

x2
looks like a great time!