My question is: what trails do you think I should attempt and be able to flat-tow my rig home.



My JV Cherry is still in place. Ill be arriving on Monday the 5th unless we find something to do in Vegas :D. I'm signed up as a volunteer on raceday and maybe some more.

Upon searching, some of the 2009-2010 threads mention Fissure Mountain as the easiest but its also followed by the following statement: "DANGER! these trails are always changing!" :shaking:

I've been told by a few previous KOH attendees in the puget sound area "I shouldn't run any of them :eek:. Just drive around the desert or stay in camp and drink."

The stock d30 shafts are my weak points and I have lots of spares. I'm not experienced on rocks and have mainly wheeled in the pacific northwest. I have a 5-speed which I can drive well, but no crawl gears.

Late model Cherokee with: hybrid cage,4.88 gears and full case detroits, Dana 30 (stock shafts with 5-760x joints), Ford 8.8 (yukon shafts), Currie steering and the full tnt y-link kit.

-- Silver---
you can wheel any trail you want ----

but---------- with out some 'crawler' gearing you will have problems !
BUT- that being said, you didn't say if you are hydro trans---- if you are --- several trails are do-able---- BODY damage is more than likely but NOT ALWAYS happens. my toyota is running STOCK axles and birfields--- and i haven't broken any yet-- my daughter is running a 'stock' cherokee that has been convertable-ized and caged---totally stock and she did Fissure mt. last year with minor problems are she drives it home----
i flat tow my rig and all it has to do is roll and i'm good to go !

you can try ANY trail you want to--- if it gets beyond what you want to do--- just turn around !!!!

if you see me --- say hello !!

Thanks Krusty, that helps and I will most certainly say hello if I see you. I have a manual trans.

-Rich

theres a little trail we call tack hammer where we take the first timers

bob

theres a little trail we call tack hammer where we take the first timers

bob

Ok thanks. Tack Hammer and Fissure Mountain in that order will be my plan after I find a group headed that way respectively.

Ok thanks. Tack Hammer and Fissure Mountain in that order will be my plan after I find a group headed that way respectively.

No lockers ? i would advise at least 1 and rocker protection .

No lockers ? i would advise at least 1 and rocker protection .

According to post 1 he has detroits f&r.

I have 1/4" square tube rockers too, forgot to mention that. Ther doors are already slightly bashed in spite of the rockers.

Hey, another Lynnwoodian :)

To be honest, I think you may end up pissing off a fair amount of people if you attempt anything but the easiest of trails. You may also piss yourself off for bringing that vehicle into anything but the easiest of trails.

There's going to be a lot of people down there and many have driven/towed their rigs along way to run the famed JV trails. If you become a 'trail plug' prepared to put on your 'thick-skin' suit as you're likely to get some remarks. Don't become a trail plug!

Now if you insist on pushing your luck and really want a good time, drive 'Back Door' after the sun has gone down. There will be a lot of very friendly people on the sides of the trail walls ready to give you advice and helpful hints. You'll have to give 'er but it'll give you a new outlook on the JV trails. :D

Hey, another Lynnwoodian :)

To be honest, I think you may end up pissing off a fair amount of people if you attempt anything but the easiest of trails. You may also piss yourself off for bringing that vehicle into anything but the easiest of trails.

There's going to be a lot of people down there and many have driven/towed their rigs along way to run the famed JV trails. If you become a 'trail plug' prepared to put on your 'thick-skin' suit as you're likely to get some remarks. Don't become a trail plug!

Now if you insist on pushing your luck and really want a good time, drive 'Back Door' after the sun has gone down. There will be a lot of very friendly people on the sides of the trail walls ready to give you advice and helpful hints. You'll have to give 'er but it'll give you a new outlook on the JV trails. :D

Fuck that. Wheel what you want. Public land and all.

Add Clawhammer to your to do list.

You can add lower Johnson to your list you should be fine there and you can either take the bail out or turn around and come back down it. It has alot of bonus lines if you want to try them or you can stay on the jeep trail.... :flipoff2:

Main thing is have fun and enjoy our public land.....

Meet up with some of the NAXJA guys that will be down there... They will know where to go... :homer:

You could always go about 20 min west down hwy 247 to Cougar Buttes. There's a few trails marked out that are easier than the Hammers but still fun.

Follow most any of the Tin Benders, they wheel easy stuff...

you did not mention tire size but Fissure mountain is easy for anything with 33" or bigger tires and has some amazing views. As suggested, lower Big Johnson is not too bad and neither is Boulderdash (next canyon to the left of big johnson)

I'm also in the "no trails are a good idea" boat. I've done the exact same thing as you. Wheeled a stock (front axle) Cherokee and was flat towing. My thought was "How bad could I fuck up that it won't even roll home?" I even had a complete spare front axle. I ran the "easy trails" that have already been suggested. Easy is a very relative term when describing JV. Granted I took a couple optional lines that maybe should have been avoided. I blew a U joint and tore a control arm mount off the front axle. Not only are your stock axles your weak link, so is your bracketry. Our Cherokees are made of tinfoil essentially and until you beef the shit out of them, they should be treated as such... Luckily my neigbor was there and he trailered his Wrangler. He took my Jeep home and a friend of mine drove his Wrangler.

Trust me, I've been there, done that. Jus sayin. You will still have a good time watching and cruising around.


Carnage:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj137/chiko1269/LinkThread/096.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj137/chiko1269/LinkThread/097.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj137/chiko1269/LinkThread/094.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj137/chiko1269/LinkThread/092.jpg

Carnage:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj137/chiko1269/LinkThread/096.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj137/chiko1269/LinkThread/097.jpg



I did that on jackhammer. Still drove home that night. Learn to weld.

I thought poly goats were hard core.

:flipoff2:

Don't associate me with that group of hooligans :flipoff2:

Yes, anything can be fixed. We even had a guy in a buggy come by and help us out with an on board welder, but it wasn't working for some reason. The point is it isn't going to be fun or easy and flat towing is nerve racking enough already without having to worry about your front axle falling off. Build the Jeep, get a trailer, then go bash it. Don't do it backwards like me :laughing:

I have spent the night on trails and on the lakebed waiting for parts. It sucks but is doable. Bring a sleeping bag.

Thanks for the input guys. My bracketry has been slightly beefed up, thanks for the example though a failure there is not something I've considered. I've tried to thoroughly address all the weak links on my XJ other than the front shafts previously mentioned.

That being said, I will stick to the easier trails suggested and go from there. I may turn out to be a pussy on the rocks and just want to drink in camp. Sitting in camp without blackberry reception and drinking sounds like heaven too.

Based on your input Ill try to get some spare main-leaves before the trip just to be safe. Anything which locates the axles and ensures a successful flat-tow, I will try to get spares for. Ill have tools and many spares but no welder because my motorhome wont support my 220 machine. I will have beer to trade for welding time:D if the jinx fairy shows up.

No welder, bring extra beer (desert cash)

Seeing as you are from up here in the great NW, unless you wheel Funny Rocks and/or Moon Rocks, the terrain in JV is quite a bit different.

Traction is really quite good but the consequences for mistakes or pushing the envelope can be more costly.

I imagine that you'll see the obstacles in the various trails you venture to and quickly realize your next step - proceed or move on. Just make sure you are with others and have some (at least) basic equipment and you should be okay.

You'll have a blast for sure. This event is easily worth every mile you will drive to get there.

Terry

Seeing as you are from up here in the great NW, unless you wheel Funny Rocks and/or Moon Rocks, the terrain in JV is quite a bit different.

Traction is really quite good but the consequences for mistakes or pushing the envelope can be more costly.

I imagine that you'll see the obstacles in the various trails you venture to and quickly realize your next step - proceed or move on. Just make sure you are with others and have some (at least) basic equipment and you should be okay.

You'll have a blast for sure. This event is easily worth every mile you will drive to get there.

Terry

Great, I've done a lot of lines at funny/moon rocks. Obviously not the harder stuff but thanks for the local comparison.

-Rich

Seriously tho... The NAXJA guys Miiight know something about your Jeep and JV

there will be tons of welders in 'town'---- you and you only know the rig and your capabilities---- (the proper term is "trail tampon"--)

don't worry too much and have fun--- just DON"T wheel alone !!!!!!!!!

there are thousands there that would assist in a recovery if you are 'broke' on the trail-----as long as we know about it !!!!


be lookin for you !!!!! enjoy !!!!:D

Seriously tho... The NAXJA guys Miiight know something about your Jeep and JV


:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Don't let them scare you...you'll be fine!

j/k

Hey Rich,
Keep an eye out for me and my buddy. You can't miss the Blue XJuggy. I have the exo'd Black Cherokee. We'd be happy to run Claw or something with you. We'll be there Monday-Saturday, probably running trails Wed and Thurs

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj137/chiko1269/JeepWheeling/JV8.jpg

So... What trails did you do?