The Family Went Wheelin on Bald Mountain Trail

The Family Went Wheelin on Bald Mountain Trail

As hoped for, the family has been able to go camping a little more than last year. This trip was two days on Bald Mountain.

I am continuely amazed at how well the cruiser can take the abuse of towing a loaded 6x12 box trailer on 37s & 4:10 gears. I just put it in 2nd gear & it pulls all the way up the 6% grade hill to Shaver Lake then beat it on the trail all weekend then pack it up & drive it 2.5 hrs. all the way home just cruising the whole way. Then drive it to work the next day dirty on empty, fill her up with gas & a bath at the car wash the next day. Simply amazing! These 80s are the best family rigs ever...

Enjoy the vid... wish there was more. I need to remember to take more pics on trips.

My Birthday Wheelin Trip to Dillonwood

My Birthday Wheelin Trip to Dillonwood

I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to go wheelin... a good friend suggested a new trail on his side of the valley called Dillonwood Grove. It was a fun shady overgrown type of trail. It was a get out of Dodge kind of day. Don brought his two boys & a new friend Win came in his silver 80 series.

https://youtu.be/Sq_ZB3Ewndo

https://youtu.be/gtuFazL0kq4

https://youtu.be/VVN4faNwgD8

The waterfalls was worth the 4 hour trail ride to get there.

Flares back on, broken birfield CV joint & Hume Lake trip

Flares back on, broken birfield CV joint & Hume Lake trip

I was in the creek flexing out front end to trim the fender flares to clear the new 37" tires. Then while twisting it up I over stressed CV joint & it gave way.
Funny thing was three days later we had a family camping trip planned.
I was blessed enough to get some free used parts from a good friend Donald. As I got it apart I realized that a complete rebuild was very nessisary due to the bearing damage or burnt. I had to go to Fresno to pick up new rebuild kit consisting of bearings & seals. After two days I got it back together then left next day for Hume Lake in the Sequoia National Forest. We met up with my friend Don, his family & friends. It was a great time to be together breathing fresh mountain air.

Got the flares back on & trimmed then broke a birfield... gee I wonder how.

Here is the damage.

I found that a bearing was damage & the spindle bearings looked & smelt a bit burnt.

I had to drive to Fresno to pick up a rebuild kit from Marlin Crawler with the high quality Koyo bearings, seals, wipers & gaskets.

Cleaning took way longer than estimated, but worth the time. Packing the bearings & birf.

Now putting it back together

Got it back together & on all four tires by 10 pm the day we were to leave for Hume Lake. We decided to just go the next which was a God thing because we got into the Sequoia National Forest for free because a national hiking day.

Here is some random other pics.

Daddy Went Wheelin at Hollister Hills SVRA

Daddy Went Wheelin at Hollister Hills SVRA

Daddy went wheelin with his girls last weekend.

I took vacation days off months ago for this trip & last week it seemed like it wasn't going to happen, but at the last minute it all lined up for us to go.

We went on a day trip 2.5 hours North to Holister Hills SVRA the event was the Molina Ghost Run. We arrived late but caught up with some work buddies mid day.

If you go to Holister Hills in an 80 series Never,  NEVER  follow a bunch of guys in full width SAS exo cage 4Runners... as @jacar has warned before not to do the Jungle trail at Holister in an 80... well it looked OK at the begining & it was not marked. I didn't know it was the Jungle Trail, but once your in the trench you can't get out. So as the trail progressed it got narrow & more rutted. My girls were scared stiff & wanted out, so was I.

Long story short the Lx made it through thanks to 4 friends standing on my sliders but not without some battle wounds due to the trench warfare it went through. The damage should of been way worse than it is , I'm very fortunate.

All together it was a great day & I was very impressed with how well my 80 wheels. The 80 series is a truly a great family haulin machine. It runs for hours smoothly down the freeway to get you there then takes a beating & gets you all the way back home with no complaints.

Here is more pics & a video.

https://youtu.be/toXKJ-Tl2Js

I took out the 1.5" front bump stop pucks again after cutting front fenders

I took out the 1.5" bump stop pucks out after cutting the front fenders & got back 3" of uptravel. Then flexed it out on the same old stump to compair. It's definitely stuffed in there. Cutting was worth the effort. Sway bar is disco'd.

I didn't quite make it to a flat hood like the 35"s but close.

Cutting the front fenders.

The latest project has been to remove the 1.5" bump stop pucks that I recently had to install after putting on the 37"s. I trimmed 2" up from the bottom & cut some relief sits on the inner fender to open up it up wider.

Day Run to Pismo/Oceano dunes.

Last Sunday I just had to "Get out of Dodge" as some would say... I took my girls to Pismo/Oceano dunes it's a great place to go & drive on the sand.

My 9 year old shot a video for me, I just have to laugh from a father's heart... its definitely an narrative from her veiw point. At least it made me laugh.

BEWARE IT'S SHAKY

Enjoy.

Oh yeah I also got stuck... then I twisted that dial on the dash & back right out. Elockers are the best thing ever.

Here is long version.

2" Rear Bump Stops a installed.

I made some 2" rear bump stops out of some square tube. It was to big of a jump up in size. Meaning going from 1.25" bumps to 2" was to much. After getting them on & making measurements it lowered the tire by 1.5" wild Eh? Here is some pics to show. Just .75" difference did this. I also found just drink around town through dips & speed bumps, it was hitting the rear bump quiet offten.

Just to show how close these 37"s are to everthing. Here is more pics.