Moab Trip Photos

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03-14-2012, 10:46 PM
TrialByFire

Moab Trip Photos

I just got back from 5 days in 4-wheel heaven. There were four vehicles from Albuquerque and perfect weather.
On Friday afternoon we had just enough daylight to do the first half of Fins and Things.
On Saturday, I elected to join up with a group from Salt Lake City doing Flat Iron Rim (in the reverse direction--rated 7). The first major obstacle was called "The Intimidator" and with good reason. The trail came very close to the edge of a 400 foot cliff (and I do mean cliff!). We had to squeeze between a large rock and the edge on a turning, off-camber, ledgey section:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...dator_01-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...dator_06-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...dator_02-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...dator_03-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...dator_04-1.jpg

I broke another CV half shaft climbing Easter Egg Hill and had to winch up, but was carrying a spare and in 45 minutes, we were back on the trail again.

One of the last obstacles was called "The Chute" and consisted of a steep 30 ft plunge. The rest of the group winched down, but my buddy Jamie got me to let him drive "Sherman" down unassisted:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...Chute_01-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...Chute_02-1.jpg
03-14-2012, 10:56 PM
TrialByFire

On Sunday, I was without a spare CV so Jamie and I went solo to do just Poison Spider and stay fairly close to civilization, but in a moment of irrationality, decided to do the whole 7-hour "Trifecta" of Poison Spider, Golden Spike, and Gold Bar Rim. Except for a couple of Farabee rentals and some dirt bike, we had the trail to ourselves and made very good time. We finally ran into a large party at the Golden Crack, who had come in from the other side. It was very compforting to have company for the rest of the trail.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...Crack_01-1.jpg

Monday morning, we spent getting a bent tie rod straightened and sleeved. After lunch we joined back up with the Albuquerque group to do Hell's Revenge:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...venge_01-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...venge_02-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...venge_03-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...venge_04-1.jpg

Here is some of the action on Hell's Gate:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...venge_05-1.jpg

...and in the Devil's Hot Tub:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...venge_06-1.jpg
We didn't make it and had to winch out.
03-14-2012, 11:03 PM
TrialByFire

The Coup de Grace was a Tuesday run of Moab Rim (again solo). Moab Rim has real exposure where a wrong move can send one plummeting over another large cliff. The obstacles are intimidating and challenging.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...abRim_01-1.jpg

The Z-Turn:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...abRim_02-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...abRim_03-1.jpg

The Overlook:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...abRim_04-1.jpg

...and the return descent:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...abRim_05-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...abRim_06-1.jpg

This was the best trip to Moab yet (my third) and I am really looking forward to the Ultimate Jeep Summit in May!
03-15-2012, 06:16 AM
07JeepXK

Awsome pics! Someday I will make it out to Moab. What happened to the roof of you XK in the rear?
03-15-2012, 07:20 AM
TrialByFire

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07JeepXK

What happened to the roof of you XK in the rear?

I backed into a tree branch last year :-(
03-15-2012, 07:34 AM
Carn75

Sweet pics! Moab has always been on my bucket list of 4x4in' and mt.biking destination trips. Hopefully I'll get there sooner than later....
03-15-2012, 07:35 AM
ScorpionCrawler

Thanks for sharing.
Love it.
03-15-2012, 07:55 AM
AJeepZJ

You have an amazing XK, and I applaud your 4x4 talents. Amazing. If you walked into a room, I would stand and acknowledge your presence!
03-15-2012, 07:57 AM
Sal-XK

WOW bro that is sweet I've seen all those obstacles in countless videos and mostly JK's on 37-40" tires doing them it was pure delight to see a XK doing those trails just awesome. I'm sure seeing you out there is leaving an impression on the wheeler's as well and changing some perceptions they may have had about the commander.
03-15-2012, 08:10 AM
AJeepZJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sal-XK

WOW bro that is sweet I've seen all those obstacles in countless videos and mostly JK's on 37-40" tires doing them it was pure delight to see a XK doing those trails just awesome. I'm sure seeing you out there is leaving an impression on the wheeler's as well and changing some perceptions they may have had about the commander.

and IFS Jeeps in general.
03-15-2012, 08:24 AM
pjmjr508

Great Pictures & looks like it was a blast. Can't wait until we get there in May
03-15-2012, 08:58 AM
TrialByFire

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJeepZJ

and IFS Jeeps in general.

We definately cleared up some misconceptions. The IFS works very well but is the limiting factor in an XK--both clearance-wise and mechanically. Jamie says that the front CVs are the same size as his old Samurai axles!
The only really scary times were during offset drops of the front where one tire dropped before the other and things got real tippy. A lot more travel would have helped a lot. I have 12" of travel in the back, and mayby 6" in the front.
03-15-2012, 09:13 AM
criket

Awesome pictures man!!! Thanks for sharing.
03-15-2012, 09:32 AM
stites-xk

Nice pics man dig the xk. I'll have to make it out there soon with my xk. i to run the superlift and want to put up to those challenges. Just a couples of questions for you. do you know the part # of your disconnects and do you think you can get me your front and rear measurements? your's looks taller than mine. thanks
03-15-2012, 12:12 PM
07JeepXK

Quote:

Originally Posted by stites-xk

Nice pics man dig the xk. I'll have to make it out there soon with my xk. i to run the superlift and want to put up to those challenges. Just a couples of questions for you. do you know the part # of your disconnects and do you think you can get me your front and rear measurements? your's looks taller than mine. thanks

It might look taller because he has high clearance bumpers front and rear. Unless he has extra spacers on top of the Superlift id imagine that both XKs are the same height.
03-15-2012, 06:27 PM
strokeZ

That is how to run an XK - looks like too much fun! Great pictures...thanks for posting.
03-15-2012, 10:44 PM
Omelet

Man that looks like so much fun! One of these days I will make it out there. That is a sweet XK you have there, way to rep the XK/WK platform! Thanks for sharing.
03-17-2012, 06:32 PM
TrialByFire

Some more shots of Hell's Gate. I was the first one up and picked a wrong line and almost rolled it on its side (twice).
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_0873-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_0878-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_0879-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_0882-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_0884-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_0890-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_0877-1.jpg

I went back a second time and cruised it.
03-17-2012, 06:46 PM
Sal-XK

Holy crap bro that looked awesome!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
03-17-2012, 07:23 PM
stites-xk

That's awesome man
03-17-2012, 09:18 PM
DetroitMarauder

Looks awesome. I'd be puckering as tight as a dolphin's blowhole.
03-17-2012, 11:02 PM
Omelet

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrialByFire

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...IMG_0879-1.jpg

And that's when you shoot your spotter! What an idiot! If you already have a tire in the air why would he tell you to continue going driver when it will clearly cause you to tip backwards? Some people have no bushiness spotting!!! He should have told you passenger to bring the front end down.
03-18-2012, 08:45 AM
TrialByFire

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omelet

And that's when you shoot your spotter! What an idiot! If you already have a tire in the air why would he tell you to continue going driver when it will clearly cause you to tip backwards? Some people have no bushiness spotting!!! He should have told you passenger to bring the front end down.

I don't have the front sway bar disconnected so I lift a front tire all the time. The problem was that the rear passenger tire was too high on the wall. Once I backed down a ways and reset about 1-ft to the drivers side, it went smoothly.
03-18-2012, 10:28 AM
Omelet

Why not disconnect? I have been doing it for a while with great success!
03-18-2012, 01:39 PM
TrialByFire

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omelet

Why not disconnect? I have been doing it for a while with great success!

I've been meaning to experiment with disconnecting the front (I do disconnect in the rear) but I wasn't ready to try it in Moab as you do not want to unload on the off-camber sections up there!
03-18-2012, 02:00 PM
TrialByFire

Quote:

Originally Posted by stites-xk

Nice pics man dig the xk. I'll have to make it out there soon with my xk. i to run the superlift and want to put up to those challenges. Just a couples of questions for you. do you know the part # of your disconnects and do you think you can get me your front and rear measurements? your's looks taller than mine. thanks

The front and rear heights are within 1/2". The bumpers do make it look a lot taller.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._after_1-1.jpg

The disconnects in the rear are the JKS 2001 model.
03-19-2012, 03:06 PM
Adondo

Man, oh man, I can't wait 'til May!!

Although, some of those places, I'll have to be guided thru with a blindfold on - so I don't have to see what's comin' :) Maybe I can duct tape cardboard over the side window so I don't have to look DOWN. :eek:
03-19-2012, 05:12 PM
ped4599

VERY COOL!
I loved wheeling with you and your family last summer in CO! This trip you just had to MOAB looked awesome! It looked like you had fun!
I had fun just looking at the photos since I have seen you in action, LIVE before.
Thanks for the pics!!!
03-19-2012, 07:36 PM
TrialByFire

It was a very good trip! I brough a very experienced wheeler with me to spot and advise. It was a huge confidence-builder.
The one thing folks will need to get used to about Moab is the steepness. The friction on the sandstone allows for some very steep climbs where all you see is sky over the big XK hood. They really aren't hard. If a Crown Victoria can do it, how hard can it be?
03-21-2012, 04:44 AM
stites-xk

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrialByFire

The front and rear heights are within 1/2". The bumpers do make it look a lot taller.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._after_1-1.jpg

The disconnects in the rear are the JKS 2001 model.

Thanks alot!