Texas Texas Jeepers!

[TJ Hunnicutt]

Here's the white JL Rubicon (sorry, I forget who drove it) making the climb. He was the first to attempt it and discovered that the two parallel cracks were exactly the same distance apart as his track and that, when stuck between a big rock and wheel-eating cracks, you just gotta push harder.
Sorry about all the wind noise. I tried to edit it down a bit but I really just need to see if I can figure out a clip-on deadcat for my phone.

 

[Tob]

Here's the white JL Rubicon (sorry, I forget who drove it) making the climb. He was the first to attempt it and discovered that the two parallel cracks were exactly the same distance apart as his track and that, when stuck between a big rock and wheel-eating cracks, you just gotta push harder.
Sorry about all the wind noise. I tried to edit it down a bit but I really just need to see if I can figure out a clip-on deadcat for my phone.

I don't know if it's just the camera but it looks like it would've been much less trouble to just hit it straight on. Did he bend his tie rod?

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

I don't know if it's just the camera but it looks like it would've been much less trouble to just hit it straight on. Did he bend his tie rod?

If you mean just trying to climb straight out of the cracks at the top, they were too deep. He slammed his tie-rod when he tried it. It didn't look like he bent it but he sure "left a mark".

The ideal way to hit it was to stay on the ridge between the cracks with your passenger wheels, straddling the crack on the right (from camera's point-of-view). That's what everyone else managed (sometimes, just barely managed) to do.

I'm going to upload b0xcar's climb now and he pretty much nailed it with some excellent spotting by Bob.

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

@b0xcar takes a crack at the double-crack climb

The wind just kept getting stronger and it would have taken me a week to try to manually stifle the noises, so I just adjusted the EQ and slapped on a limiter so that it's just annoying instead of really loud and annoying.

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

@Bob in Texas takes on the double-crack in his nicely built LJ. Gotta love where he put the Wolfe Caves use tag (front bumper)...looks like a toe tag! Fortunately, that was not prophetic and both he and his LJ survived the outing mostly unscathed.
Note the full-length rock sliders...we will be seeing those in action in a later video.

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

@Tldelaney blasts up the climb in his nearly stock, nearly pristine Sahara. Stay the hell out of this man's way! I can only imagine what he's like behind the wheel of his LJ Rubi

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

Gotta call it for now and get some Zs. I should get Wade's and my runs posted up tomorrow.

 

[JMT]

Those are some great vids guys. Great run. I love and miss Wolf Caves. Someone be tearing up a JLUR. Nice work. @b0xcar doin a little three wheelin, made it look easy. Calm and poised. Guy in the Sahara has balls. @Bob in Texas had a great line. Looked perfect Bob! It really teaches you to drive out there. I speak for the manual guys! There’s always some touch up under the rig after WC, if not fixin something broke! Those are tough days on the trail. Bless you all!

 

[JMT]

Jmt and I went to katemcy rocks one day and they had a xra event going on. This is what climbs up those purple sections. It’s like watching a spider crawl up a wall. Absolutely insane

View attachment 202136

That rig was insane. Like a spider is the only way to describe it.

Over at Wolf Caves I saw a rig do the widow maker for the first time. That rig was insane too, but the driving was even better. I’ve attached a few pics of it, along with some others, good times.

 

[Tldelaney]

Those are some great vids guys. Great run. I love and miss Wolf Caves. Someone be tearing up a JLUR. Nice work. @b0xcar doin a little three wheelin, made it look easy. Calm and poised. Guy in the Sahara has balls. @Bob in Texas had a great line. Looked perfect Bob! It really teaches you to drive out there. I speak for the manual guys! There’s always some touch up under the rig after WC, if not fixin something broke! Those are tough days on the trail. Bless you all!

This was my first outing and it was very interesting how manual 4l and the clutch worked along with anxiety lol. You could ride the clutcj with the brake but would get that huge lerch backwards if u lost momentim. On the otherhand you can take your foot completely off the clutch and let 4l do its thing with small inputs to keep it from stalling on steeper terrain but you had to trust the vehicle by completely removing yourself from the equation and let it do its thing.

 

[JMT]

This was my first outing and it was very interesting how manual 4l and the clutch worked along with anxiety lol. You could ride the clutcj with the brake but would get that huge lerch backwards if u lost momentim. On the otherhand you can take your foot completely off the clutch and let 4l do its thing with small inputs to keep it from stalling on steeper terrain but you had to trust the vehicle by completely removing yourself from the equation and let it do its thing.

Exactly, you learn things go better just letting the rig do it's own thing, staying off the clutch as much as possible, driving relaxed, and, of course, picking good lines. Good times!

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

Exactly, you learn things go better just letting the rig do it's own thing, staying off the clutch as much as possible, driving relaxed, and, of course, picking good lines. Good times!

That is precisely what I learned! I still have plenty to learn about finessing the TJ through certain situations but learning the "golden rule" of keeping your foot off the clutch unless you have too and trusting your low range to do the crawling was a huge revelation!
The whole trip was just awesome...I'd go back any time!

On a side note, I'm 100% sure that I had the absolute worst choice for wheels of any vehicle out there. The JK Moabs look great but, because of the fact they they are nearly flat, they are very prone to damage from rocks. Wheels with deeper dish structure (more negative offset) protect the wheel (except the outer rim) by "hiding" it back from the tire and are much better for rocky off-roading. For OEM, the Canyons like @Tldelaney has on his TJ and the Ravines, which have essentially the same profile, would be good choices. You'll notice that @JMT's sexy Dick Cepek DC-2 wheels follow the same pattern. Along with a tire that has a good amount of tread protruding out from the rim will really help keep those fancy wheels looking nice, despite rubbing shoulders with Mother Nature's gruff exterior.
EDIT: The JK Moabs are also 17" wheels which means less tire and more wheel...to get trashed by the rocks.

 

[Tob]

On a side note, I'm 100% sure that I had the absolute worst choice for wheels of any vehicle out there. The JK Moabs look great but, because of the fact they they are nearly flat, they are very prone to damage from rocks. Wheels with deeper dish structure (more negative offset) protect the wheel (except the outer rim) by "hiding" it back from the tire and are much better for rocky off-roading. For OEM, the Canyons like @Tldelaney has on his TJ and the Ravines, which have essentially the same profile, would be good choices. You'll notice that @JMT's sexy Dick Cepek DC-2 wheels follow the same pattern. Along with a tire that has a good amount of tread protruding out from the rim will really help keep those fancy wheels looking nice, despite rubbing shoulders with Mother Nature's gruff exterior.
EDIT: The JK Moabs are also 17" wheels which means less tire and more wheel...to get trashed by the rocks.

I put a good bit of rock rash on my TJ Moabs at Hidden Falls, which sucks because I was planning to sell them anyways when I go to 15x8's and 33's, but now I'll have to drop the price a bit. But the wheels I'm planning on getting share that recessed design you're talking about.

 

[JMT]

That is precisely what I learned! I still have plenty to learn about finessing the TJ through certain situations but learning the "golden rule" of keeping your foot off the clutch unless you have too and trusting your low range to do the crawling was a huge revelation!
The whole trip was just awesome...I'd go back any time!

On a side note, I'm 100% sure that I had the absolute worst choice for wheels of any vehicle out there. The JK Moabs look great but, because of the fact they they are nearly flat, they are very prone to damage from rocks. Wheels with deeper dish structure (more negative offset) protect the wheel (except the outer rim) by "hiding" it back from the tire and are much better for rocky off-roading. For OEM, the Canyons like @Tldelaney has on his TJ and the Ravines, which have essentially the same profile, would be good choices. You'll notice that @JMT's sexy Dick Cepek DC-2 wheels follow the same pattern. Along with a tire that has a good amount of tread protruding out from the rim will really help keep those fancy wheels looking nice, despite rubbing shoulders with Mother Nature's gruff exterior.
EDIT: The JK Moabs are also 17" wheels which means less tire and more wheel...to get trashed by the rocks.

Sexy wheels!

I enjoyed your videos immensely. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Tob]

@Tldelaney blasts up the climb in his nearly stock, nearly pristine Sahara. Stay the hell out of this man's way! I can only imagine what he's like behind the wheel of his LJ Rubi

Wow, @Tldelaney, you made the guy in the JL rubicon look like a complete buffoon

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

...and then it was my turn! Pretty sure I still have half the enamel on my teeth
Thanks again to @b0xcar for the excellent spotting!

And thanks to Wade for the footage!

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

@Wade H brings up the rear and brings it on! Lockers, shmockers...who needs 'em?

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

Wow, @Tldelaney, you made the guy in the JL rubicon look like a complete buffoon

Yeah, he had a time of it but, in his defense, he was the first to jump in and take on the hill and once he fell into the cracks, it was gonna be a battle! One misstep can cause many minutes of forthing and backing...but he, Bob and b0xcar kept at it 'till he was up that hill...with no winching!

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

Sexy wheels!

I enjoyed your videos immensely. Thanks for sharing!

Glad you enjoyed 'em!

Was really depressed that I missed wheeling with you several times before you ran off to Wahhh...uh...Earth. But, we'll get a chance to run the red rock with the gang in Moab next year. Man, I so can't wait!

 

[JMT]

Glad you enjoyed 'em!

Was really depressed that I missed wheeling with you several times before you ran off to Wahhh...uh...Earth. But, we'll get a chance to run the red rock with the gang in Moab next year. Man, I so can't wait!

Yeah, I left Waaahh...for Earth.

I really miss wheelin there and would have loved wheelin with you.

I WILL SEE YOU IN MOAB!!!