Red River Gorge Trip

[Leafsprung]

For those of you who dont know Im in the process of moving to Oregon from the midwest. This labor day weekend I packed the series one full of camping gear and headed down to the Red River Gorge in KY. Specifically we were headed to the Daniel Boone National Forest for some wheeling and camping. I had heard that it was a great area with great trails and great scenery. I had wanted to go see for myself and this seemed like the last opportunity for quite awhile. We had planned to meet up with some rover group from KY; camp sat evening and do some wheeling/sight-seeing on sunday. Things just didnt go my way. Got a speeding ticket on the way down there (a novelty for me in a lifetime of series ownership). Met up with the Louisville crew which turned out to be all stock vehicles mostly new including a 2004 RR. Got to the National Forest and headed for the campsite. These trucks moved at a glacial pace taking about 3.5 hours to travel about a mile stopping at every lump or puddle for a spot. Finally got the campsite around 2am to find it taken; infested with a toyota club. Made camp just off the trail instead, ate dinner and hit the hay around 3am. Up at 7am put the front driveshaft in my truck (removed for highway driving) and ditch the group to find some good trails.

Drive around for a couple hours looking for trails and simultaniously cursing the poor topo ability of my GPS and myself for not buying a 15 dollar topo map at the gas station because I had GPS . . . See some natural formations, wildlife etc and realize my brakes have gone to the floor.

Get out and crawl under the truck and notice a brand new braided stainless brake hose has inexplicably sprung a leak. Ask some local yokels on the trail if theres a speed shop or decent autoparts nearby. Im told I should head to beattyville 10 miles up the main road and theres a "parts shop thats got ev'rthin" and they happen to be open sundays till three. So I head to Beattyville . . .

Which happens to have the geographic distintion of being right between Hickville and Bumfuck. There I find Marshalls Auto Parts (just past Phill's Exchange which, according to their sign, specializes in horses, mules, and used cars) which also happens to carry remaindered housepaint. So I ask them if they have brake hoses and fittings. Cooter behind the counter replies "sure we gots anythin you need, folla me bud" So Cooter and I go into the storeroom to the brake section which consists of exactly 5 flex hoses (the longest of which is 6 inches). Not Good. So I ask if they have any fittings, Maybe I can adapt to one of these hoses or a hard line. So I follow Cooter over to the "fittings department" No metric fittings whatsoever. I buy the last metric to standard adaptor and a brass plug and some brake fluid. Plug the line but still essentially no brakes ( I couldnt stop from 5mph on the 5th pump). Hell they werent that great to begin with. So I head to the local gas station to fuel up before going back to Indiana. Pick up some Ale-8-1 and moonpies to complete my steeping in redneck culture.

Coincidently they also sold rebel flag bellybutton rings if any of you are looking for gifts for your lady-friends.

Drove 4 hours home with no brakes having yet to engage 4wd.

[Bertha the Cruiser]

Hahaha!!

Great story!!!

Sometimes those are the best trips, you know?

RJ

[WBDISCO]

Man sounds like home to me! Are you telling me they didn't sell Toyota LR parts at the store?? Nice pics of the park though

Brad

[glfredrick]

Welcome to Kentucky...

Not all of us wheel stock vehicles - and the Red River area is one of our favorites... Try it in the mud some time - it gets really fun.

And, about the parts counter dude - count your blessings - I moved to KY from Wisconsin and one of the first times I went in, the bling-hole at the counter just said, "yo'll ain't from aroun' hare, are ya - ya'll prolly too stooopid to know how a fixin' a truck anyhow..."

And that from a dude with the few teeth he had left so yellow that they would serve as fog lamps...

Ah, the fun of the Commonwealth of Tobacco...

[HandBuilt]

What about the old nail in the brakeline trick? Use a common nail, cut the pinty end off about 1/4" from the head, and put it inline at the flexline between the steel line and the rubber line. Bleed brakes on other circuits at at this fitting. Brakes. Presto.

Drove this setup 500 miles once.

Hey, I want pics of the brakes on that thing if it's possible. The front, specifically... Can you snap a few digis of the setup? I want pics of the mountings for the calipers, and the steering arms.

How fast was the speeding ticket? I got 75 mph on a 2.25L 109... No overdrive.

[Leafsprung]

Essentially thats what I did, cept I used a coupler and a plug instead of a nail (I didnt have a nail either). With no rear brakes and marginal fronts to begin with (I think the master is not well matched to the calipers) they were still worse than bad. Ran down to the aeroquip dealer and set it straight in about 10 minutes this morning, now running a 30 inch flex hose to the rear axle as 24 was too short Need to upgrade these brakes before adding the bigger tires . . . Have been meaning to ask you about your hydraulic parking brake setup and if you have had a chance to use it yet.
-Ike

ticket was for 85 mph. I can snap you a pic, as I mentioned something needs to be done with the brakes, so I may be changing it soon. Its gotta stop well with 40s and a trailer.