JEEP weather is HERE!! Have TAZZ a good wash & detail (Tazz is black I love black cars, look GREAT when clean) Then took the hard top off. WOO HOO drove around neighborhood topless(the jeep not me). Got the soft top on now.
SCMHOCKY- Sorry about the accident, could have been worse
Good to see you still around and enjoying Tazz. I agree that black is a really sharp color on a Wrangler when clean. Mine looks top-notch when it gets a bath. But I still won't buy another one!
It sure is quiet around here this weekend. I gave my Noble Black Steed a bit of a run yesterday - it wasn't true 'wheeling, but was washed out enough that I had to watch my line and worry about the huge drop-offs I couldn't see because of the fog. It's raining now, and there's a possibility of up to 8-12 inches of snow tonight and tomorrow. Should be a great excuse for driving the Wrangler tomorrow!
Great pictures! Remind me not to 'wheel with you without a lift and lockers, though. Was interested to see just how far over you can go without rolling - judging from those photos we weren't anywhere close to going over when we had our accident.
I've had my '03 Sahara for 2 1/2 months now, and I am just itching to find out what it is capable of doing. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to 4wheelin', and have no friends 'uncivilized' enough to want to go off pavement.
I did sign myself up for a jamboree--figured that would be a kind of controlled environment with some guidance, before I go wrecking my 'what used to be my savings' totally on my own. But any other suggestions?
That's great that you want to see what your Jeep is capable of. I see from your profile that you're in L.A. I bet with some searching, you'll be able to find some clubs that make runs to the mountains around your area. I think the Jamboree will be a great ezperience for you and if you think you're "bitten by the bug" now, just wait.
Have fun with the Jeep; you're not going to believe how much fun and competant they are off-road.
Twylie: I was standing outside looking at the nerf bars and thinking "It sure does look like rock rubs".
Mtngal: I was shaky for the rest of that day. I'm definitely more careful driving, even though it wasn't my fault. I look around all the time to see if anyone is driving erratically.
Very glad to hear that you have the "itch" to go wheelin'! That's what Jeeps are made for. You will be totally blown away by the places that even a stock Jeep will go.
Twylie is right. Get yourself some Jeep buddies, whether an official club or just some friends that have experience.
I wish you lived near me, because I would be glad to take you over to Turkey Bay and introduce you to this wonderful thing called "wheelin'."
Please, please, keep us posted on your progress, and post some pics in the gallery. It is very exciting to me to see someone getting into this sport. I can still vividly remember my excitement over my first wheelin' trip.
Good luck. Hope ya find some good buddies that will bring you along at a good, safe pace.
If you would like to do some chatting with Jeepers, go to Gill's site and go to the chat room there. Several of us are in there about every night. http://itsajeep.org
You can get your feet wet on some forest service roads. These allow you to gradually move up as you get more comfortable. Also, you can contact the rangers at the head office and they can let you know which roads would be best.
But, don't tackle anything that scares you if you are on your own. Save those for the Jeep clubs and Jamborees.
Ordered a set of Runck bumpers for my TJ today. The rear one is not in stock so it will be two weeks before they ship and probably another week in transit. Looking forward to getting them on the jeep. They should provide a lot more protection both on and off road, especially Walmart parking lots.
Are you looking at this for "power" or the ability to cut off the fan in water crossings/mud?
My experience has not been great (MG's and a 240Z). Very small HP gains and cooling headaches to sort out on all cars. These were all with decent quality generic puller fans sized for the stock radiator. Maybe if you could get one that was specifically made for the Wrangler radiator and shroud, you'd be in good shape.
I agree that trying a couple of easy forest service roads is a great way of getting your feet wet. There are several books written by Tony Huegel that are on dirt roads in California. They are called Sierra Nevada Byways, California Coastal Byways and Desert Byways. The trails listed are all easy and include some of the most beautiful areas of California. I bought a Wrangler, then the books, then decided I was spending too much time on weekends getting to the mountain trails, so I gave up apartment life and bought a house near some trails! Unfortunately, I still have to commute to West LA, but that isn't a chore when I get to look at a lovely pine covered ridge outside my back window (I think it is still there - it was obscured by snow and clouds tonight).
There are lots of 4x4 clubs in LA. IIRC one of them meets at Don-A-Vee Jeep Dealership. There is also a statewide 4x4 club that has meetings, weekend runs, and so on.
Hungry Valley State OHV area, near Gorman, has some 4x4 trails (along with mostly dirt bike trails). There is a 4x4 driver's course there and I think occasional classes (I haven't looked into taking a course for a couple of years, so I don't know who does it now).
Finally, I've found that the SoCal Auto Club has the best county maps. They include many dirt roads with location of gates (if any) and seem to be quite accurate. The official National Forest maps for the local national forests are OK, and most include 4x4 routes. Don't forget the Adventure Pass if you are heading to any of the SoCal national forests. If you want some more specific info, email me (my email address is in my profile).
I think I have finally decided on a lift kit for my TJ. Im pretty sure im going with 33 Mickey Thompson baja claw radials, american racing atlas wheels, and a black diamond 3in lift kit. Any objections? I also would like to get my fender flares painted to match the body (silver), anyone know where to get info on that? Thanks, Adam
Wow. Thank you all for the various suggestions. I can't wait to try them out. It looks like my work schedule is going to be a bit of a problem....6 days a week, and my day off is usually a weekday. I imagine most of these club outings and events are on the weekends? With prior planning (as I did for the jamboree), I'm sure I can haggle an occasional weekend off.
Tom: I don't have a digital camera, so you won't be seeing any pics from me anytime real soon. I'm the only one in the family without a digital camera (and they aren't close by)--I'm pretty backwards that way. And with the money I'd be spending on a digital camera, I'd rather be getting mods.
Mtngal: It's possible that I may be following in your footsteps... Ever since I bought my jeep, I'd been wondering if I should have taken advantage of that 0% financing so that I'd have money for a down payment on a house with a garage. With the carport in my condo complex, I don't have a place to store my hardtop or to put any additional 'toys'. Well, one step at a time.
Come up and check out home prices around Frazier Park (there are several different communities up there, all with their own personalities). Prices are quite reasonable (though not as good as they were) and you get the added advantage of the endless views of the mountains surrounding you. With the occasional snowfall (like last night) you have ample reason to drive the Jeep!
We had a nice bit of snow overnight. Unfortunately, I am getting out of the house a little later than usual due to the school delay, so our morning sun is sure to melt the roads before I even get my Jeep cranked up. Still, it's nice to look at the mountains and enjoy one last glimpse of winter.
NOO dont take that shiny new jeep in the woods it will get dirty.. cant belive u wanna take a beautiful vehicle in dirty forrest Ewwww SHAME.. Im kidding dude. Enjoy that jeep however u want, thats what makes them FUN.
I haven't heard anything about black diamond lifts. Personally, I had the skyjacker 4" lift with 33's and it was just the right size. 3" will clear everything, but you may rub if you are off road very much. You should be able to get your flares painted at any local body shop. Just stop in and talk to someone about it. One thing you may want to consider is wider flares. If you are going to have 33x12.50 tires, they may stick out 3-4" past the factory flares (depending on your wheel offset) and get a lot of mud or water inside the Jeep, even on road. I had the warn 6" trail flares.
You brought up an interesting point. I always thought that if your tires were wider than your flares you had to have mud flaps to cover the extra width. Is that true or am I mis-informed (I don't know where I got this idea).
You're right about the home prices being reasonable in your area compared to where I'm at. But that's thinking WAY ahead. As I said before, I'll take it one step at a time.
I just received my info packet for the jamboree today. I'm so excited!!! Can't wait.
One of the things they highly recommend that participants bring is a CB radio. Any recommendations as far as which one?? Since I have no experience with this stuff I have no clue. Oh, and do I also need to get antennas and cables?? If it's not kosher to name specifics, please drop me an e-mail (listed under my profile). Thanx.
If your only purpose for the CB is for "wheelin'," you don't need to get too fancy. All you want is to be able to communicate Jeep to Jeep, so you don't need a lot of range.
I got the cheap CB that the Walmarts around here carry. It's a Maxon, and it only cost about $35. You will also need an antenna and some coax.
The whole deal shouldn't cost more than about $65 to $70.
A CB is almost a necessity for wheelin'. You need to be able to communicate with others in the group on the trail.
There are various methods that people use to mount the antenna and the CB itself.
I took off those plastic bumper corners on my Jeep, and I reamed out one of the holes that the screws went through that hold the bumper corner on. This is where I mounted my antenna. I did this on the right side of the rear bumper.
Quite a while ago someone here (was it you, Tom, or someone else - I'm thinking someone else) posted a link to where they put up photos of their CB unit. I thought it was really cool - the unit was small, they put it next to the gear shift so it was hidden, and then only had the mike visible (with a hook on the dash for it). Does anyone remember what I'm talking about?
How about a portable unit. I may be imagining things, but I thought that I had seen one. It looked like a heavy duty walkie-talkie. The advantage is that you can take it with you when you leave the Jeep to hike or bike or could easily lock it up if you had a lock box in the back.
A few years back, a couple of my brothers picked up portable CBs. They were pretty nice handhelds, and were under $80. They also got external antennas and plugs for the cigarette lighter. Once they had them all connected, you couldn't tell the difference between that and a permanent install (reception-wise). They worked great for road trips, but they now use the handheld FRS walkie-talkies. They have enough range to talk back and forth when on the road, and are smaller and easier to use.
I have the portable CB for my JEEP. The Cobra 75 WXST. The cb is in the handset & its very easy to install. There is a perfect place to mount the mic under & right of the steering wheel. And ive mounted the antenna bracket behind the spare tire. I purchased mine from cobra website it was refurbished. It is very easy to remove or to place out of site.
If you get one of the portable CB radios you will still need an external antenna. I bought a nice portable one from Radio shack for around $100. In the mountains of Colorado I found that the reception is lousy when the other vehicles go over a hill. On the flats and open highway the reception was surpisingly good. I am adding an external antenna this spring.
I live in an area that CB's are still frequently used. I have the Cobia classic 29 in the TJ, radio shack CB's in the truck and car and a 75wxst in the wife CJ and they all work well if you have the radio / antenna tuned (SWR). When I am on travel for work I use a hand held cobia 38wxst with the small whip and I have no problem communicating with others. All CB's have the same output power ( 4 watts) some just have more whistles and bells. Have a Great Day Walt
Finally got a wrangler!! Its a 2003 Sport with flame red exterior and the black interior, dual tops, a/c, canyon wheels, and cd player. Picked it up at NW Jeep, thanks to Gred Lund! Amazing car, the car is ten times better than i ever thought it could be!
I picked up the May issue of the Brit car magazine Top Gear today. It has a terrific article about how a modded(3" lift, BFG Mud-Terrains, air lockers, etc.)TJ and a Land Rover Defender 90 traversed 60 miles of swampy peat bogs in the Scottish Highlands. Great pictures and a great story. I also made an Easter gift run to ToysRUs and saw that they still carry several R/C TJs made by Nikko. The scales are from 1/24 to 1/10 and they come in Red and Black with tan interiors. Stick-on decals simulate mud spatters. The little devils are not particularly accurate scale models, but they are pretty neat nonetheless. Prices run from $10-$100. I was tempted to pick a couple of the smaller ones up, but my office already has close to 100 model cars on display and shelf space is getting REALLY tight. At least I have several versions of the Matchbox TJ-and div Jr. has his Power Wheels Jeep Enforcer. I'll keep hunting; I'm sure there are more Wrangler toys and models to be found.
Wow. Thank y'all for the comments/suggestions regarding my CB radio question. Looks like I'll have some thinking to do over the weekend, including a run to Fry's and Radio Shack.
Okay, so here's my next stupid novice question....What is the difference between rock rails v.s. rocker guards v.s. nerf bars? And are these items compatible with side steps? I'm a real shortie, so I do prefer to have something to help hoist myself into the vehicle. I don't mind having to take the steps off when I do go places where I might potentially crack them, but on a day to day basis I do want to keep them.
Sorry to hear that you are "vertically challenged."
You have the right idea. Be careful that whatever you get is something that can be taken off for wheelin' or is designed so that it will not get ripped off on the trail.
I just went with the Sun Performance rocker guards, since I did not need a step of any kind.
I think 4X Doctor makes some rocker guards with a step built into them. Their design is such that the steps will not be a problem on the trails.
Well, I guess it's just me and old Ross Allen for today. I was unable to arrange to meet up with anyone for Turkey Bay today, so I will just drive down there and see if I can find someone to hook up with once I get there.
I'm batting about .500 when I do this. About half the time, I drive 70 miles to get to TB and then find no one to hook up with for the trails. Maybe I'll have good luck today.
When I am by myself, I just pretty much stick to the main trail and the simpler side trails. Don't want to get momma's little fool in trouble with no one there to help. I DO have the winch now, but, still, it's not a good idea to do anything very risky without another Jeep or two along.
Not sure how I am going to make it! It has not even been a week yet and it's already killing me. I ride through just about every jeep dealer I come to, and look at the jeeps every chance I get. Although somehow I think that is making it worse.... I hope it does not take as long as the salesman said he told me 8 to 10 weeks on a Rubicon. Man I hope not. Oh well the price I had to pay to get one exactly the way I wanted.
Welcome to the board! I have a 2003 Sport ordered and my order date was 3/21. It looks like my delivery date is going to be May 8 or 9, so that's about 7 weeks. I have heard that Rubicon orders are taking closer to 10 weeks, but hopefully that is not the case. What color did you order? Mine is light khaki metallic. Keep us updated!!
2001wrangler, I ordered a Silver one. I really like the light khaki metallic as well. I saw a really nice one at the Route 2003 event in Raleigh a couple of weeks ago. Let me know when you get yours, hopefully mine won't be to far behind....
Comments
Have TAZZ a good wash & detail (Tazz is black I love black cars, look GREAT when clean)
Then took the hard top off. WOO HOO drove around neighborhood topless(the jeep not me).
Got the soft top on now.
SCMHOCKY- Sorry about the accident, could have been worse
DEB!! good seeing ya again girl.!!
TOAD..no jeep AHHHH
how can u stand it?
KEEP JEPPIN
BAMA
It sure is quiet around here this weekend. I gave my Noble Black Steed a bit of a run yesterday - it wasn't true 'wheeling, but was washed out enough that I had to watch my line and worry about the huge drop-offs I couldn't see because of the fog. It's raining now, and there's a possibility of up to 8-12 inches of snow tonight and tomorrow. Should be a great excuse for driving the Wrangler tomorrow!
http://itsajeep.org
Just click on "photo gallery" at the top of the home page. I have several albums there.
How are all my Jeep Buds doin'? Hope you are all having as much fun with your Jeeps as I am having with Thelma Jane!
Tom and Ross Allen
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I did sign myself up for a jamboree--figured that would be a kind of controlled environment with some guidance, before I go wrecking my 'what used to be my savings' totally on my own. But any other suggestions?
Thanks
Have fun with the Jeep; you're not going to believe how much fun and competant they are off-road.
-twylie
Twylie: I was standing outside looking at the nerf bars and thinking "It sure does look like rock rubs".
Mtngal: I was shaky for the rest of that day. I'm definitely more careful driving, even though it wasn't my fault. I look around all the time to see if anyone is driving erratically.
Very glad to hear that you have the "itch" to go wheelin'! That's what Jeeps are made for. You will be totally blown away by the places that even a stock Jeep will go.
Twylie is right. Get yourself some Jeep buddies, whether an official club or just some friends that have experience.
I wish you lived near me, because I would be glad to take you over to Turkey Bay and introduce you to this wonderful thing called "wheelin'."
Please, please, keep us posted on your progress, and post some pics in the gallery. It is very exciting to me to see someone getting into this sport. I can still vividly remember my excitement over my first wheelin' trip.
Good luck. Hope ya find some good buddies that will bring you along at a good, safe pace.
If you would like to do some chatting with Jeepers, go to Gill's site and go to the chat room there. Several of us are in there about every night. http://itsajeep.org
C ya!
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
But, don't tackle anything that scares you if you are on your own. Save those for the Jeep clubs and Jamborees.
Larry
-Pete
Thanks in advance...
My experience has not been great (MG's and a 240Z). Very small HP gains and cooling headaches to sort out on all cars. These were all with decent quality generic puller fans sized for the stock radiator. Maybe if you could get one that was specifically made for the Wrangler radiator and shroud, you'd be in good shape.
-twylie
There are lots of 4x4 clubs in LA. IIRC one of them meets at Don-A-Vee Jeep Dealership. There is also a statewide 4x4 club that has meetings, weekend runs, and so on.
Hungry Valley State OHV area, near Gorman, has some 4x4 trails (along with mostly dirt bike trails). There is a 4x4 driver's course there and I think occasional classes (I haven't looked into taking a course for a couple of years, so I don't know who does it now).
Finally, I've found that the SoCal Auto Club has the best county maps. They include many dirt roads with location of gates (if any) and seem to be quite accurate. The official National Forest maps for the local national forests are OK, and most include 4x4 routes. Don't forget the Adventure Pass if you are heading to any of the SoCal national forests. If you want some more specific info, email me (my email address is in my profile).
Have a great time - I sure have!
Thanks, Adam
Tom: I don't have a digital camera, so you won't be seeing any pics from me anytime real soon. I'm the only one in the family without a digital camera (and they aren't close by)--I'm pretty backwards that way. And with the money I'd be spending on a digital camera, I'd rather be getting mods.
Mtngal: It's possible that I may be following in your footsteps... Ever since I bought my jeep, I'd been wondering if I should have taken advantage of that 0% financing so that I'd have money for a down payment on a house with a garage. With the carport in my condo complex, I don't have a place to store my hardtop or to put any additional 'toys'. Well, one step at a time.
Wonder if they will reopen the ski area? Naw.
Still a happy camper.
Oh, BTW, do you have it back from the shop, and is everything OK now?
Tom and Ross Allen
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
cant belive u wanna take a beautiful vehicle in dirty forrest Ewwww SHAME..
Im kidding dude. Enjoy that jeep however u want, thats what makes them FUN.
KEEP JEEPIN
BAMA!!
One of the things they highly recommend that participants bring is a CB radio. Any recommendations as far as which one?? Since I have no experience with this stuff I have no clue. Oh, and do I also need to get antennas and cables?? If it's not kosher to name specifics, please drop me an e-mail (listed under my profile). Thanx.
I got the cheap CB that the Walmarts around here carry. It's a Maxon, and it only cost about $35. You will also need an antenna and some coax.
The whole deal shouldn't cost more than about $65 to $70.
A CB is almost a necessity for wheelin'. You need to be able to communicate with others in the group on the trail.
There are various methods that people use to mount the antenna and the CB itself.
I took off those plastic bumper corners on my Jeep, and I reamed out one of the holes that the screws went through that hold the bumper corner on. This is where I mounted my antenna. I did this on the right side of the rear bumper.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
The rack was about $100, so I have more money invested in the rack than I do in the CB, coax, and antenna together.
The rack is nice, but it is sure not necessary to have one of them.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Jeephead
And ive mounted the antenna bracket behind the spare tire. I purchased mine from cobra website it was refurbished. It is very easy to remove or to place out of site.
KEEP JEEPIN
BAMA
When I am on travel for work I use a hand held cobia 38wxst with the small whip and I have no problem communicating with others. All CB's have the same output power ( 4 watts) some just have more whistles and bells.
Have a Great Day Walt
I also made an Easter gift run to ToysRUs and saw that they still carry several R/C TJs made by Nikko. The scales are from 1/24 to 1/10 and they come in Red and Black with tan interiors. Stick-on decals simulate mud spatters. The little devils are not particularly accurate scale models, but they are pretty neat nonetheless. Prices run from $10-$100. I was tempted to pick a couple of the smaller ones up, but my office already has close to 100 model cars on display and shelf space is getting REALLY tight. At least I have several versions of the Matchbox TJ-and div Jr. has his Power Wheels Jeep Enforcer. I'll keep hunting; I'm sure there are more Wrangler toys and models to be found.
Thanks,
Xair
You have the right idea. Be careful that whatever you get is something that can be taken off for wheelin' or is designed so that it will not get ripped off on the trail.
I just went with the Sun Performance rocker guards, since I did not need a step of any kind.
I think 4X Doctor makes some rocker guards with a step built into them. Their design is such that the steps will not be a problem on the trails.
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Glad you are so thrilled with your new Jeep, Oregon. They truly are amazing!
X, congrats on the Rubicon order! How are you ever gonna survive the wait???
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
I'm batting about .500 when I do this. About half the time, I drive 70 miles to get to TB and then find no one to hook up with for the trails. Maybe I'll have good luck today.
When I am by myself, I just pretty much stick to the main trail and the simpler side trails. Don't want to get momma's little fool in trouble with no one there to help. I DO have the winch now, but, still, it's not a good idea to do anything very risky without another Jeep or two along.
Wish me luck!
Tom and Ross Allen
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Xair
I sort of "invited myself along."
They were really nice folks and let me tag along with them.
Got some pics of today's action in the gallery at Gill's place.
There's a pic of a Jeep on its side (Not Thelma Jane, thank God).
http://itsajeep.org
Tom and Ross Allen
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
A bunch of us regulars here in Wrangler at Edmunds also go to a real nice little non commercial Jeep site owned by a guy in Alabama named Gill.
There's a great chat room there, and some of us are in there about every night. There's also a photo galley there.
Come check it out sometime.
http://itsajeep.org
Tom
Have you hugged your Jeep today?