new, basalt/aspen/gws/boulder/denver/monument

[fjcruzer]

Howdy neighbors! Been wheelin in CO for 15+ years. Started in Boulder/Left Hand Canyon, been all around the front range, but have been in the Aspen/Basalt/GWS area for the last 9 years and played all over the central rockies.

Started way back with an 87 4Runner and evolved through a 93 4Runner, 96 4Runner and 03 4Runner. Got an FJC in June, have been building on it and played a bit in the fall and lookin forward to MUCH more in spring. Hope to hear about some plans already in the works?? Seen a boatload of FJC's in the RF valley and hoep to see them on the trail soon!

[Rainer]

Welcome. IM lookign for an 85 toyota or earlier. If you have seen any let me know. Im in the Arvada area outside of Denver.

Mark

[RedRunnertc]

Welcome! Guapotaco lives in Aspen and wheels A LOT - get in touch with him to see what may be open/runnable this time of year.

[fjcruzer]

Cool, thanks for the reference in Aspen and Mark, I saw your thread about the '85 and I'll keep my eyes open. If you haven't already, check Independent Motors in Boulder... They've usually got some good deals on their bulletin board and have been servicing Toys for 20+ years.

[Rainer]

All right I will check there. Thanks

Mark

[Guapotaco]

you dont want to go on the trails i've been going on with that fancy new cruiser,haha, welcome, get in touch sometime, you will see my taco around the valley, big, bluish taco with lots of tubes and 36 iroks, shouldnt be able to miss it
now this guys already got his avatar and i cant get one to work, anyone wanna help my hillbilly ass? because you know i need to have a cool pic to impress all you guys and gals,yea right

[Lysmachia]

Guap I'll help your hillbilly arse.... email me the pic so i can size it right for you. Then I'll tell ya how to load it!

[fjcruzer]

Too late! The new FJ's already been over Taylor Pass a couple of times, Italian Creek 1A, Cement Creek, Montezuma, Red Rock Rim several times and Lincoln Creek. Happy (?) to say there's undercarriage shavings left on some of the rocks along the way :D

I'll keep an eye out for you and if you do decide to hit the trails I outfitted with chains all around after getting bogged down at the top of Cement Creek after the first snow.

[Guapotaco]

dont need no stinking chains,i've got iroks and they go like mad in the snow at 9psi, i've been up little annie, and out richmond ridge twice now with no problems,i actually go better than my buddy with chains but he weights 6500lbs
hahaha, those trails dont have much potential for carnage or body damage unless you just drive right into something on purpose,you might scratch your skid plate though, but thats great your getting out and wheeling that thing, were your other rigs slightly built like your fj, or more extreme? get ahold of me and lets go do something, most of the trails are snowed in, and even gj has snow right now,i was just out by billings last weekend, should be drying out soon though, the days are getting longer, you'd like bangs canyon area in gj, it would suit your rig well, where as 21, and billings could destroy that thing, where in basalt do you live? i lived there for about 4 years and still have lots of friends who live there, and i'll look for your rig when i'm down that way
i'm talking trails like billings canyon, 21 rd, pritchett,behind the rocks etc... been stepping it up quite a bit lately and the body damage is getting worse,
time to bob and cage it in, yea ha, i tend to be on the harder core side of wheeling, but love getting out anywhere to play

[fjcruzer]

hehe, Already got the scratches taken care of! Previous rigs were pretty light, but outside of hard core rock crawling, haven't been many places I wasn't happy to be scramblin'. I live a ways up Fryingpan Rd and out of sight, but you might catch me out and about on the weekends. I gotta keep the rig highway ready for frequent trips to DIA, so got studded snows on right now, but come spring (and a fat paycheck of some kind...) I'm looking for some new treads. January's lookin' booked, but Feb 3-4 might be god if you're in the mood. I'll check out the routes you quoted.

[hawkonthewing]

Eric,

I got your email. Nice work tracking me down. I think I may have mentioned (when we met at Alpine) that I hooked up with some TTORA folks last month for a run to Moab. RedRunnertc and Lysmachia were there and have already posted in this thread. I had a great time. They're great folks and great wheelers. You can get me at Myers Steel in Basalt during the day if you want to hook up for lunch sometime. Welcome to the board.

[hawkonthewing]

Oh yea, I heard Guapo was going to go on the Dec Moab trip; but when he found out an FJ was going, he mysteriously had something else to do.:bump:

[fjcruzer]

Good to hear from ya Hawk! I'm sure Guapo will come around. I'll keep that lunch in mind. I'm in Aspen most weekdays, but work sometimes sends me to Basalt.

[Guapotaco]

hahahahahahahaha, thats funny,now thats the kind of responses we need here, we have got to get this club back up and running, people having fun, flaming each other and knowing it's all in good fun, i had to fix some stuff that weekend, did billings and 21 rd the week before, and had to fix my bent tie rod, sorta glad i wasn't there though after the fact,super unfortunate, but...
i'll be out with you guys some this year for sure, and if you work at myers steel(hawk), i need to get to know you, not that way, you know what i mean, haha
might even be looking for a job with them someday
feb 3 will not work for me, i am going to breckenridge to see spearhead and blackalicious,weekend after that going to vail for a show,we should wait til march to get out, it's still really snowy everywhere, and looks like after today will be awhile longer before it dries out even in Gj etc...I also want to get up to rangley, they have a new designated rock crawling area with quite alot of trails, maybe now that there's a few more members over this way, we can do some western slope specific runs, battlement mesa is one i still need to check out, oh and coal canyon, and on, and on...i've been trying to get the front range peeps over here for years, and not one of them has made it(mols drove thru here at like 120 mph in that bmw and didnt stop to say hi),not that i made it over with them either, but i've had some serious problems to line out with my rig, and it's now worthy of going that far, and i'll be over that way this year as well,hopefully with a new tow rig, sometime soon i'm cutting my bed off and bobbing the rear end of the taco, and i need to get that done asap so i can get my exo cage built before spring, so some of my weekends will be taken up doing that so stay in touch, and if nothing else get together and have a beer and swap stories, and make some future plans

[fjcruzer]

So Guapo, where's the freakin' avatar already???:D

[hawkonthewing]

sorta glad i wasn't there though after the fact,super unfortunate, but...
I dig. Of course, that might be about enough of that talk to get this thread shut down:rolleyes:
i'll be out with you guys some this year for sure, and if you work at myers steel(hawk), i need to get to know you, not that way, you know what i mean, haha might even be looking for a job with them someday
I'll PM my contact shit.
feb 3 will not work for me, i am going to breckenridge to see spearhead and blackalicious,weekend after that going to vail for a show,we should wait til march to get out, it's still really snowy everywhere, and looks like after today will be awhile longer before it dries out even in Gj etc...I also want to get up to rangley, they have a new designated rock crawling area with quite alot of trails, maybe now that there's a few more members over this way, we can do some western slope specific runs, battlement mesa is one i still need to check out, oh and coal canyon, and on, and on...i've been trying to get the front range peeps over here for years
Are you talking about Steamboat? Yea, the weather over the Pacific right now is saying more snow for a while. Then I figure we'll get a brake for a few weeks. I'll bet we could get Troy and Molly to run some stuff with us. You know, the President has to be diplomatic and go see his minions. But March sounds about right.
sometime soon i'm cutting my bed off and bobbing the rear end of the taco, and i need to get that done asap so i can get my exo cage built before spring, so some of my weekends will be taken up doing that so stay in touch, and if nothing else get together and have a beer and swap stories, and make some future plans
Yea, Cruzer and I can come over, drink your beer, and watch you work. Sounds perfect:rofl:You just have to keep that torch away from those FJs, please.

I wish you could get some pictures up here of the GuapoTaco.

[RedRunnertc]

Guapo - we are DEFINITELY making it out there this year to do at least 21 Road!

[hawkonthewing]

Cruzer,
Check your PM box (you got it)

[hawkonthewing]

Guapo - we are DEFINITELY making it out there this year to do at least 21 Road!
Oh, you must me talking about the Book Cliffs at Fruita? Or are you talking on the Monument side of the valley?

[RedRunnertc]

No - 21Road, Grand Junction.

http://www.4x4trails.net/db_view_trail.php?trailNum=170

[hawkonthewing]

No - 21Road, Grand Junction.

Thanks. That's a great link. It answered my question. 21 Road, which is between GJ and Fruita, theoretically goes north and south from the Book Cliffs to the Colorado Monument. This trail goes up the Little Salt Wash on the Book Cliff end of the road. The gas service road they refer to goes over the ridge to the Big Salt Wash road that takes you down to 16 Road. For a summer while in high school I was a ranch hand on the cattle ranch at the top of Big Salt Wash. The ranch owner and I did some pretty serious wheeling at times in his Dodge Power Wagon, sometimes with cattle or horses in the back. Brings back some memories. I’ve never been on this road in Little Salt before though - probably for good reason.

[fjcruzer]

Cool! So when do we go? :D

Speaking of new treads... Any word on max tire size for an FJ with the OME 2.5" lift without trimming? I've been running 265/70R17. It seems that 33" is the tire size of choice.

[RedRunnertc]

OFRD_GRL from Ohio is running 33x12.50 on a 2.5-3" Skyjacker lift

[fjcruzer]

OFRD_GRL from Ohio is running 33x12.50 on a 2.5-3" Skyjacker lift
Thanks for the referral RedRunner

[Guapotaco]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/guapotaco/newguapo.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/guapotaco/guapo9.jpg
a couple of ol guap, I now have 2 new axles and 36's
and i cant wait to see you guys take those fj's thru 21 rd :shiner:

[fjcruzer]

Sweet ride! It's all about finesse... But I'll be getting some more armor just the same :D

[hawkonthewing]

Dude,
You gotta read this white paper. I'm getting that 33s are no problem if you don't go too wide. Tall and narrow is right. Check it out.

http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html

[RedRunnertc]

That's why I run 33x10.50 ... no matter who you ask, they have to admit that the traction diffrence between a 10.50 and a 12.50 is pretty small, and the difference in fitment issues is HUGE.

[fjcruzer]

Very cool paper! Reinforces my experience and philosophy, but cool to have some documented basis. Looks like I'll stick with the 265/70R17's I've had before, although they only diameter out to 31.9. Hmmm, I just came across some 255/85R16's, but wonder of the sidewall height of 8.5" on a 33" tire is too much for the <10" width. Any thoughts?

[tacotoy]

That's why I run 33x10.50 ... no matter who you ask, they have to admit that the traction diffrence between a 10.50 and a 12.50 is pretty small, and the difference in fitment issues is HUGE.


but they look cool. i do have to say that with the right rim setup 12.50's are nice to have with a little wider stance. i notice the difference when wheeling between the two. but i also notice when my front hubs are locked while driving...

[RedRunnertc]

Hmmm, I just came across some 255/85R16's, but wonder of the sidewall height of 8.5" on a 33" tire is too much for the <10" width. Any thoughts?

That's a 33x10.50 ... great size tire for our trucks - quite a few people are running them on their Tacos. A bit more selection in tires than a 33x10.50-15 too. (notably the Trxus M/T is available in that size)

[fjcruzer]

I think that's what I'm looking for, but it's kinda driving me batshit that I set up with a second set of steel wheels for OR, but they're 17's and now it looks like I should have invested in 16's instead. :mad:

[RedRunnertc]

Aren't the stock steelies 16"? There's gotta be someone around who wants to trade them for some blingin' 17's! LOL

[fjcruzer]

Yeah I wish, but the options I got came with stock 17" alloys and even the base is 17" steel, so I bought five 17" steels to fit some AT tires I had left over from the '03 4Runner... Too many options!!!

[Lysmachia]

Ok to answer some question. 21 road towards the book-cliffs. it used to be called a trail called T-rex. (Troy did not realize 21 road was a country road first and then named a trail second :D )

Guapo, why you gotta b e like that wit' me? I was up in Aspen with Darrick and it wasn;t like you were gonna come sit on my lap in the BMR ya fool... or were you? *grin*

Ok for realsies. Troy and I really do want to get over there and wheel - ASAP. So Guapo lets figure out when we can pull a run off in Junction because that is the only place that will be snow free. A run in Kremling would be cool too at some point (That place is relatively snow free)

Werd! The coloraod club is coming back YO!

[Guapotaco]

it's pretty snowy down there right now, i might be back down there this weekend and i'll give another report, some people ran billings a few weeks ago, and they said it was knarl, so 21 rd wouldn't be much different,and you know i'd sit on your lap anytime,i am getting ready to bob my bed, and thats gonna happen in the next month i hope, and then i'll be ready,stay in touch and we'll get something rolling asap

[fjcruzer]

NOAA forecast for GJ next few days

This
Afternoon
Mostly Cloudy
Mostly
Cloudy
Hi 44°F Tonight

Chance Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 30%
Chance
Snow
Lo 31°F Friday

Chance Rain. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 40%
Chance
Rain
Hi 43°F Friday
Night
Chance Rain/Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 50%
Chance
Rain/Snow
Lo 28°F Saturday

Chance Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 50%
Chance
Snow
Hi 32°F Saturday
Night
Chance Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 30%
Chance
Snow
Lo 9°F Sunday

Partly Cloudy
Partly
Cloudy
Hi 24°F Sunday
Night
Slight Chance Snow
Slight Chc
Snow
Lo 5°F M.L.King
Day
Partly Cloudy
Partly
Cloudy
Hi 24°F

[RedRunnertc]

Wow - that's downright balmy compared to the single digit highs they're forecasting for the front range this weekend!

[fjcruzer]

Yeah, it's killin me that it's 45 in Aspen now, but down to -2 by Saturday... calm before the storm.

[Guapotaco]

it's not the temps that will twart you,i have been climbing down there twice this last month,but snow on some of these trails makes them alot harder,i was out on bangs canyon wheeling 2 weekends ago and it's slick,i tried some obstacles around the play ground, and slide around quite abit, and that gj bentonite clay is hell if it's even a little bit wet,can you say slick and icy?, and it has not been 45 here(aspen) this week that i know of, i ride my bike everyday, and it's been cold
i do have a good story about getting majorly stuck out by bangs canyon, like the worst i've ever been stuck, and not intentional at all
we we're driving out in the B.C. area and were coming out for the day when i came across a flat spot covered in snow, i just thought it was flat dirt coated in about 3-4 inches of snow, so on we go, and half way across the flat spot we break through 8 inches of ice and the guap is 3-4 ft in icy, snowy water,the front end luckily didnt go all the way thru and i got the winch out after trying to get out fully locked to no avail, so 1st try was a single line pull, nothing moved, got the snatch block out and doubled the line, got in the truck started driving and finally got it out along with 3-4 foot pieces of ice 8 inches thick, i got so lucky that i didnt break off my brake fittings and everyother line i have running on top of my axle, it could have been real bad, and if i didnt have all my recovery gear, we would have been walking miles and miles to get out of this place,used up 1 free get out of jail card for sure, i now know i need another snatch block,a 2nd longer tree saver, and a winch extention of some kind(100 ft synthetic with just timbles on both ends)a couple more shackles in addition to my 2 shackles, a snatch block,a tree saver, and a snatch strap that i have currently, if the pull needed to be longer i would have been screwed, my buddies got some pics of this on his phone, but haven't gotten them yet

[fjcruzer]

Yeah, but you loved it!!!!!

[Guapotaco]

actually it kind of sucked because it was about 30 minutes til dark and we we're way out there, and it was about 10 degrees that night, and my truck would have been frozen into the earth for some time if i didnt extract it right then, but yes it was good otherwise, my buddies who we're with me dont wheel or know much about it, so they got a good idea of what it's about,well what a recovery is about anyways, and were super impressed with how we extracted it, so that was cool to turn them onto something new and different, and not just scare the hell out of them, or get stranded for that matter
i'm coming down friday to meet hawk maybe, we should get together soon

[Lysmachia]

Daaaamn Guap. That is outright insane. Yeah I'd want your ass with me on the trail anytime I got stuck! :D

[fjcruzer]

actually it kind of sucked because it was about 30 minutes til dark and we we're way out there, and it was about 10 degrees that night, and my truck would have been frozen into the earth for some time if i didnt extract it right then, but yes it was good otherwise, my buddies who we're with me dont wheel or know much about it, so they got a good idea of what it's about,well what a recovery is about anyways, and were super impressed with how we extracted it, so that was cool to turn them onto something new and different, and not just scare the hell out of them, or get stranded for that matter
i'm coming down friday to meet hawk maybe, we should get together soon

Let me know what you guys come up with for Friday. I'm working in Aspen 10am-8pm, but might be able to swing lunch in Basalt. Hawk has my cell, so let me know.

[hawkonthewing]

Hey, I know that didn't happen. What's next?

[Lysmachia]

Jeeze Hawk, do you have to rub my roll in by using "Molly's Hot Tub" as your avatar pic? :D

[Guapotaco]

maybe this friday,if thats what you meant?

[fjcruzer]

Hey, I know that didn't happen. What's next?

I'm working Friday night for the X-games, so my schedule for Friday during the day is relatively free. Do lunch? Hawk, Guap, whomever??