Rausch Creek Trip - Sunday April 1, 2012

[Matt]

EDIT: Since we're so anxious to go.... the trips been pushed up to April 1st (seriously, no joke)


Who's in for an off-camber, tire-poppin good time?? :)

1.Matt
2.
3.

[EvilJager]

GAME!

[stites-xk]

I would like to see some videos of the trip

[EvilJager]

Im sure we will get something for ya.

[stites-xk]

Awesome thanks

[Matt]

We have to be a bit more organized with our photos & video this time around.... missed out on a lot of good videos from the last trip.

..... being that it'll be over 11 degrees this time, we shouldn't have an issue! Lol

[stites-xk]

That's about what it is here right now.

[EvilJager]

We have to be a bit more organized with our photos & video this time around.... missed out on a lot of good videos from the last trip.

..... being that it'll be over 11 degrees this time, we shouldn't have an issue! Lol
yea if it wasnt so cold i think we'd got more pix. We'll get them in april :D ... i was kinda thinking the origional property this time. More rocks lol what do you think?

[Matt]

Sounds good to me

[07JeepXK]

I might be interested as I missed the last trip. What color trails do you guys run?

[Matt]

We'll tailor it to the people who show up. Probably greens/blues.

I'd like to hit up a few more blues this time too.

[EvilJager]

Same here. Even some easier blacks or blue/black

[Matt]

That sounds good too... pretty sure my friend with the rubi will be up for coming.

[EvilJager]

Sweet. Your friends were cool. Im going to try and get my pops out there but he will prob be working out of town

[Matt]

We had a pretty fun group last time. Definitely gotta keep that tradition going!

[EvilJager]

Looks like its just us matt haha

[Matt]

Lol well ill preemptively put Steve, Tim and Kevin as drivers attending (landcruiser/WK/rubi). Now we don't feel so lonely!

[EvilJager]

Haha okay cool

[EvilJager]

Might have a jk come as well... this guy is very experienced with wheeling and rc its self. He said remind him when it gets closer and he will see if he can make it

[07JeepXK]

We'll tailor it to the people who show up. Probably greens/blues.

I'd like to hit up a few more blues this time too.


Same here. Even some easier blacks or blue/black

Sounds good. I just wanted to make sure you guys were going to venture off on some of the harder trails. Can we make a trip over to Lake Christy? I need to accomplish the hill climb coming out of there where I blew my t-case last time! Plus I can test my new AirFlow snokel i just finished installing today!

[Matt]

Sounds like a plan!!

Does that mean you're "in"??

FYI my wife reminded me that our friends daughters 1st bday party might be that day.... but its OK, she'll never remember I wasn't there. :p

[07JeepXK]

Hopefully yes. As long as that date doesn't interfer with work (Army). I need to buy some JBA UCA's before then and get my front end fixed. My inspection is up on the last day of this month.

[EvilJager]

It would be cool if you could make it again frank! I can definitly say ive met some cool people from these wk/xk foruns... and i love that i only have to get 1 initial inspection until i get a repair order lol

[Matt]

How do you guys feel about moving this up to Sunday April 1st?

Forgot that the 8th is Easter Sunday which means I'm at the inlaws all day on Saturday the @14th.

[EvilJager]

Should be good. But gotta ask the boss if dhe has made plans for me already

[07JeepXK]

Im not sure if I'll have the front end of the XK done by then and my inspection is due on March 31st. I'll have to play it by ear as Im waiting on my bonus which should come anytime in the next few weeks.

[EvilJager]

What are you doing to the front end?

[EvilJager]

Matt im good to go

[AJeepZJ]

Should be good. But gotta ask the boss if dhe has made plans for me already

Go ahead and pencil yourself in, I have made no plans for you - your'e good.

[Matt]

Matt im good to go
Cool.. on a good pace to get there 6 times this year


Im not sure if I'll have the front end of the XK done by then and my inspection is due on March 31st. I'll have to play it by ear as Im waiting on my bonus which should come anytime in the next few weeks.

What needs to be done man? Lets make it happen... gotta see you test out the snorkel!

[Matt]

1.Matt
2.Chris (jager)
3.

;)

[EvilJager]

Wow thats a big list!

[Matt]

Wow thats a big list!

Its all about quality! Lol

[EvilJager]

Thats right

[07JeepXK]

What are you doing to the front end?

I bought my XK brand new 4 1/2 years ago and just hit 100,000 miles. Both my upper and lower ball joints are shot as well as the bushings in the lower control arm and front differential brackets. Im ordering JBA UCA's and new lower control arms from Rock Auto. When I have everthing tore apart I'll also replace those differential bushings that are bad.

[Matt]

That's one helluva list.... its going to feel like a brand new vehicle.

[07JeepXK]

That's one helluva list.... its going to feel like a brand new vehicle.

Once thats all done I'll be getting the front end aligned along with a new set of MT/R's. Im hoping that those JBA UCA's fix my alignment issue so I stop cupping tires.

[Carn75]

I wish I could make this one. I'll be at The Atlantic City Beer Festival on the 1st,and I would of had work on the weekend of the 15th.....:(

I guess it's ok,I don't have my hooks mounted yet anyway.

[Matt]

Once thats all done I'll be getting the front end aligned along with a new set of MT/R's. Im hoping that those JBA UCA's fix my alignment issue so I stop cupping tires.

And what size MTRs would those be?? :)


I wish I could make this one. I'll be at The Atlantic City Beer Festival on the 1st,and I would of had work on the weekend of the 15th.....:(

I guess it's ok,I don't have my hooks mounted yet anyway.

We have all year to wheel... have fun at the beer fest!

[07JeepXK]

And what size MTRs would those be?? :)

I'm thinking 285/70R17's. I havent decided for sure yet. If I dont get the 285's then Id definitely go with the 275/70's. I would still need to do a little more work to the XK get the 285's to fit without rubbing when flexed out.

[CmmdrDan]

I'm gonna put the days in at work..

[EvilJager]

Make sure you put the march 31- april 1... the dates changed if u didnt already see it

[Matt]

Hell yeah I hope you can make it Dan. Wheeling or riding along??

[CmmdrDan]

Matt I am unsure. I may have talked myself into a little promotion. So if I end up making a few bucks more I'll drive. If not I'll ride.

[Matt]

BUMP

Any other definites yet other than Chris & I? (Chris, my buddy Pete is planning on coming again- good ride'along camera man)

[07JeepXK]

I'm not going to be able to make it. The damn Army is playing games with my bonus. Its overdue for payment and still havent received it. I was able to get my XK inspected this past weekend but I still need to order a few parts for the front end.

[Matt]

Is it beyond wheelable or you just don't want to risk breaking anything?

[07JeepXK]

Is it beyond wheelable or you just don't want to risk breaking anything?

My driver's side upper ball joint is shot. I dont mind taking a risk of something breaking, its just I know I'll definitely break it at Rausch Creek. Im honestly surprised its lasted this long. Im hoping to order some UCA's tomorrow, but still dont have tires due to my overdue bonus that hasnt been paid to me.

[Matt]

I have a spare UCA (2 actually) that i can bring to RC!!! C'mon man...

[07JeepXK]

I'm glad I decided not to go. Got a last minute call yesterday for some crazy creek wheeling out in West Valley, NY. Drove out there and while waiting for the other trucks to back track to where I was I was messing around with the XK a little. For some reason when the front end is articulated and loses traction I get a loud awfull noise from underneith. Similar to the noise I was hearing prior to grenading the T-Case at Rausch Creek. I think that my front drive shaft is shot and binding under torque causing the noise. Possibly because my differential bearings are gone causing the front differential to move??? Really not sure. All I know is something isnt right. Im going to get the front diff bushing done in the next week a long with a new front drive shaft and see if that fixes the problem. I remember when I replaced the starter and was taking out the front drive shaft it was making some noise as I was turning it to get to the bolts. I think when i redo the front im going to install some limit straps. Anyone know who has done this and if there is a link somewhere to the install and where they got the limit straps from?

[Matt]

Limiting straps on the front won't make a difference with the OME struts. I took some detailed measurements and the OME struts have the same fully extended length as stock struts. Not to mention, even if they were longer that would effect the half shafts (CV's), not the front driveshaft; you dont change the relationship between the front driveshaft and differential with a spacer/strut lift.

[Matt]

This is coming up... any changes?

Dan, how you looking man?

[CmmdrDan]

I was given the 31st off. Haven't seen the schedule for the 1st yet..but I should have it. Will know for sure Friday.

[EvilJager]

Im still good to go :) didnt realize how close it has gotten

[Matt]

Yeah dude it's coming up quick!!

I need to get my friends SWR meter, i'd like to tune my antenna before going this time... get some better range for guys taking bypasses

[EvilJager]

Yea thats a good idea. I went wheeling. This past Sunday. My 37's did great! Had some rubbing in the back buy other then that no other issues

[Matt]

Next weekend!!!

About this time next week i'll be sitting down to a delicious BBQ dinner on my way home from some fun wheeling... can't wait!

[07JeepXK]

:( wish i could make this trip.

[Matt]

We'll go again very soon!

[07JeepXK]

Awsome. Front driveshaft and differential bushings should be getting done Saturday as long as I receive all the parts by then. Still waiting on ordering my UCA's. Found out that I have to complete a Exception to Policy packet for my bonus because the paperwork got messed up when I reenlisted. Damn Army.

[CmmdrDan]

Not sure I am going to be able to afford this trip. Only gonna have 7 days on a 2 week check..thinking about pulling some savings for it...

[Matt]

Dan, we'll be going more.... don't run yourself short on cash- keep that money in savings

[Matt]

Chris how's your group looking?

My convoy so far is my XK, Tim's WK, friends bronco And another friends expedition (pending tcase repair)

Is it still you and two other WKs?

[EvilJager]

Yea im pretty sure they are still going... at least they havent said their not going now lol. But im so glad its going to be RAINING all weekend there

[Matt]

c'mon dude it's only a 40% chance right now.... and the weather isn't accurate 3 days out regardless

[EvilJager]

Lol when it says 40% it will rain when you dont want it to and wont when it doesn't matter haha... im not to worried about it but just want some good pics / vids

[Matt]

I dont mind a bit of rain/thunder/lightning.... it means we'll have the place to ourselves too ;)

What time you leaving Saturday?

[EvilJager]

Umm ill prob get up there around 8 i guess. Unless you get there earlier i can try and make it a little earlier

[Matt]

Na, same deal as last time... gotta wait for Tim to get off of work so we probably won't leave here until 6-7ish and get there around 9-10.

[EvilJager]

Okay works for me :)

[Matt]

I'm planning on disconnecting front&rear this time too... intersted to see if i notice a difference.

Anyone coming with you familiar with the park?

[EvilJager]

Yea.. im pretty good with the northeast property ( thays why i want to run that one) and another guy whos going always goes there so i think he should know a good amount of the park too

[Matt]

awesome. we'll follow your lead then.

I remember there were a lot of areas with bypasses on the NE property that made it a bit more fun for the "stock" guys... they were able to pull over, hike over and watch us run some of the harder trails. Last trip it seemed like we were a bit more distant when we had to split up.

[EvilJager]

Yea thats another reason i likes that property. The blues have great bypasses. There prob just 1 sticky spot for the stockers on each blue.

[Matt]

I can't wait dude....

[Matt]

See.... less than 12 hours later we're down to 30% chance of showers. Keep those fingers crossed!!

[EvilJager]

Haha so by sunday it should be 10%

[Carn75]

I'm so jealous reading these posts! I was almost gonna give up a beer fest to make this trip,but then I forgot I wasn't able to put my hooks on or order my skids yet...:(
Have fun guys and take alot of pics!

[Matt]

Not even Saturday yet and weather.com has 10% chance of showers!

[Budasac]

Hope you guys have fun. I couldn't go because we were supposed to have opening day for baseball today.(parade, etc.) Got rained out so now I'm free. Ain't that a bitch. Next time I guess.

Are you driving there today and spending the night. Or going both ways tomorrow?

If I went I was going to leave today and get a hotel.


Matt, I wanna make a run through the pines in a few weeks if your interested.

[EvilJager]

Joe. I cant go now. My sitter bailed.
Matt. I not sure of the other guy is going or not either now

[Budasac]

Joe. I cant go now. My sitter bailed.
Matt. I not sure of the other guy is going or not either now


Well then I guess I'm not missing much.:rolleyes: If you guys reschedule hopefully I'll be able to make it.

[EvilJager]

Yea need a new date but not sure when id be able to make it. June most likely

[Budasac]

That's perfect. My birthday is in June. Wife can't say no to me on my birthday.:p

[07JeepXK]

So are you guys not going now and rescheduling? If so Im sure i can make the next trip!

[Matt]

I'm here now...

[Matt]

Breakfast isn't the same without you Chris!

[Matt]

Well then I guess I'm not missing much.:rolleyes: If you guys reschedule hopefully I'll be able to make it.

So you wouldn't want to wheel with just me??? :(

Lol. Yeah we'll make a pines run soon. Want to bring my son out too.

[EvilJager]

Breakfast isn't the same without you Chris!

:( i miss u buddy!

[CmmdrDan]

This is the saddest thread ever!

[Budasac]

So you wouldn't want to wheel with just me??? :(

Lol. Yeah we'll make a pines run soon. Want to bring my son out too.

IDK. It sounded like Chris was afraid to run solo with you so I figured I'd stay on the sidelines. lol

How old is your son? I was thinking about bringing mine as well. Mines 6 yo.

[Matt]

My son is 2 (well, 2.5 this summer).

Some great videos from today... i'll work on getting some uploaded tomorrow, but some of the best videos are on my friends cameras; always a PITA chasing them down!

[EvilJager]

IDK. It sounded like Chris was afraid to run solo with you so I figured I'd stay on the sidelines. lol

How old is your son? I was thinking about bringing mine as well. Mines 6 yo.

I aint scurd! Lol... my weekend sucked btw. Wish i had made it