Gulches weekend ride - 3/22-23

[kvom]

Took a trip to Gulches this weekend with several friends, including Tripp and his new buggy.  Lots of pics were taken but none by me.   //://

The good news for me was no carnage on the buggy other than a mud coating.  Saturday we did rock garden, shipwreck, heartbreaker, palmetto crossing, and a few other smaller trails whose names I neglected to get.  The trails were quite muddy/sloppy, but the weather was perfect. 

I managed to do shipwreck fairly easily the first time with a bit of "bump", and then Tim Kirk drove it on the same line.  Another in our group with a Chevy V8 Truggy also cruised through.  Sadly Tripp got turned sideways and had to resort to the winch.  On Sunday I gave it another go, got through the rocks OK, but slid sideways on the ramp so had to winch up.  It was even messier today due to a heavy mist in the morning.

Tripp did give a try on 3D, but had some fuel delivery problems (possible vapor lock), and potentially a steering issue with insufficient reservoir size.  I'm sure he'll post up later.

It started to sprinkle Sunday morning, so we packed up by 11:00 and headed home.

The GATR banner is still hanging at the entrance.

[94xjsport94]

I'm going next month with some friends. I'd love to do shipwreck but don't know if I want to without a trailer...

[clark123456]

Yes, two trips out without breaking down.  Thumbs up!

Will, take a trailer.

[94xjsport94]

It depends on a few things. I might just do that.

[kvom]

We saw an "interesting" breakdown on Saturday.  Small Toyota buggy on the entry trail to Shipwreck where the steering arm on the driver side knuckle had sheered off the studs.  So no steering and any attempts to pull him out backwards risked ripping off ther knuckle and breaking the axles.  However, there was no alternative where he was, so he was winched backwards.  Luckily the ground was so soft that the tires just slid rather than breaking further.

The guy had traded a Razr for it and it was his first ride.

Saw them Sunday morning trying to edge it into the box trailer; damage apparently was limited to the sheared studs and the Birfield joint.

If he'd broken down on Shipwreck proper I hesitate to think what the recovery would have taken.

[94xjsport94]

The entry is just that hill that cuts over to the right and down to the bottom of the rocks, isn't it?

[Mortalis5509]

The entry is just that hill that cuts over to the right and down to the bottom of the rocks, isn't it?

Yes

[Mortalis5509]

Issues with steering and fuel but probably due to heat soaking stuff. Steering is off.

Coilovers need some more work. Did some speed passes up to 37 mph. Not bad, little tweak here and there.

Max'd the ramp out they had with more still had more to go. Wide and stable. Width got me a few times, but that's ok because when speed comes into play it will pay off.

Pretty sloppy there.

[Skandalous]

thats a beautiful rig man.  //salute//

[Mortalis5509]

Appreciate it

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Scott F.]

Nice pics! You aren't kidding, that thing looks wide!

[Mortalis5509]

Nice pics! You aren't kidding, that thing looks wide!

It is. I had to put spacers on the rear just to make it match the front. I'm also putting an a rock on the front, to help with the c/o's unloading while turning under speed. I have one on the rear. I'm able to use all of the 16" c/0 in the rear without the tires finding the body due to the width. I'm set up with 50/50 up and down.