Fordyce Trail

[Goatman]

Where are we camping on Friday night? I know you Sac guys can stay at home and drive up Sat AM, but the rest of us will be arriving sometime on Friday. I'd gladly stay with one of you, but I'm planning on leaving my tow rig at the staging area near Tahoe.

Also, what are some ideas on what to do to be ready for the water crossings on Fordyce? I'm assuming I need to ditch my stock air box, what else?

[David Taylor]

Is the water level really going to be that high? Call me a puss. the bottom of
my headlight is 40" of the ground. If the water is going to be that deep I might have to miss Fordyce.

[Erik]

Where are we camping on Friday night? I know you Sac guys can stay at home and drive up Sat AM, but the rest of us will be arriving sometime on Friday. I'd gladly stay with one of you, but I'm planning on leaving my tow rig at the staging area near Tahoe.

Also, what are some ideas on what to do to be ready for the water crossings on Fordyce? I'm assuming I need to ditch my stock air box, what else?

Now that I have his address, I was planning on staying at Andy's. Actually I thought all of us are. I hear the breakfast is great! :chef:

[CRASH]

There is a campground right at the beginning of Fordyce, about .5 miles from the exit off of the freeway at Eagle Lakes Road. It is free, and will be our staging area Saturday morning. You actually turn in to the campground to start the trail, it is to your right.

If, for some reason, it is crowded, just drive into the trail a bit, and there are plenty of unofficial campsites on both sides. Usually, the campground is lightly populated.

Richard, you pansy, don't trailer your junk. This trip is SOOOOO much easier without a trailer!

CRASH

[Paul S]

Richard, you pansy, don't trailer your junk. This trip is SOOOOO much easier without a trailer!

CRASH

I'm thinking the same thing. I don't plan on trailering for this one.

Paul

[Goatman]

Richard, you pansy, don't trailer your junk. This trip is SOOOOO much easier without a trailer!

CRASH

Can you believe it.......now I'm taking crap for trailering.

Yeah, it would be easier without the trailer, but I can't run Barrett so when I finish the 'Con I'm gone. I might drive, we'll see. I've been thinking about going to Tuolomne Meadows in Yosemite and over Tioga Pass, which I'd do if I just drove the Jeep.

So, what are you planning at your house on Friday night......worth coming over? :)

[Erik]

There is a campground right at the beginning of Fordyce, about .5 miles from the exit off of the freeway at Eagle Lakes Road.

CRASH
Ummm, gee CA is a really big state, you think that you could narrow that search range down for us a bit? Maybe give us the freeway number? Is it near any "towns"? Or should we all just run a mapquest search on "Silverleaf Dr"? :party1:

[Paul S]

Getting back on topic, can we confirm that Andy will host everyone Friday night, offer-up his famous home made Sushi, & of course have an open bar?
Paul

[basalt51]

Ummm, gee CA is a really big state, you think that you could narrow that search range down for us a bit? Maybe give us the freeway number? Is it near any "towns"? Or should we all just run a mapquest search on "Silverleaf Dr"? :party1:


http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16650

[David Taylor]

Getting back on topic, can we confirm that Andy will host everyone Friday night, offer-up his famous home made Sushi, & of course have an open bar?
Paul

All the box wine we can put down? Are we still doing the wine thing on the trail? Or did I miss the joke? I have a couple nice Spanish reds to bring.

[Big Red]

Ummm, gee CA is a really big state, you think that you could narrow that search range down for us a bit? Maybe give us the freeway number? Is it near any "towns"? Or should we all just run a mapquest search on "Silverleaf Dr"? :party1:

The Eagle Lakes exit is right before the town of Cisco Grove off of I-80 heading east and maybe 12-15 miles east of Truckee. I don't know the exit#, but when your within 15 miles of Truckee, keep your eyes peeled for the exit. :scared: This is a very scenic and fun trail, I just went 2-1/2 hrs into it after getting a late start on it, after I did the Signal Peak trail 1st with an organized group. Signal Peak is very mild and is mostly under shade trees. It is a right at the gravel parking lot/toilets. For the Fordyce trail, you keep going straight past the gravel parking lot/toilets and will see signs from then on.
Troy

[CRASH]

Dave, yes, we are doing the wine thing.

Richard, drive your junk.

Erik, you suck at the internet.

Paul, I just remodeled my house, and don't want unkempt SoCal rufians soiling my place!

Seriously though, if you SoCal boyz need a place to party and hang out, we can BBQ at my place Friday night. I'm sure I'll still be assembling Princess II, so I'll likely need a hand.

CRASH

[Goatman]

Seriously though, if you SoCal boyz need a place to party and hang out, we can BBQ at my place Friday night. I'm sure I'll still be assembling Princess II, so I'll likely need a hand.

CRASH

Last year when we all crashed at a fellow Sierra Chapter members house and finished his rig the night before a Rubicon trip, he didn't quite make it to the trailhead and had to be towed back home..........you're not going to let the same thing happen, are you?

[Erik]

Hey I think I found it! Is that Eagle Lakes exit right around N39 19' 15" W120 33' 55"? There's a Fordyce Cr right there in the area. Thanks for the tip Steinjeep! Do we just in/out the same trail, or do we loop around the lake and Fordyce Summit?

[Erik]

Hey I just noticed that we're past the deadline for sign-ups. Who all put-up? Andy you still coming with us? :party:

[CRASH]

Hey I just noticed that we're past the deadline for sign-ups. Who all put-up? Andy you still coming with us? :party:

Quiet down there Marlboro man, I'll be there.

I'm shooting for July 4th as my test weekend.

CRASH

[Big Red]

Quiet down there Marlboro man, I'll be there.

I'm shooting for July 4th as my test weekend.

CRASH

You want to run the Fordyce trail 4th of July weekend as a test, or the Rubicon. I'd like to plan on joining you as I'll have a 3 day weekend Sat/Sun/Mon off of work and want to get some wheeling in. When are you guys meeting & starting the Fordyce trail in August for your the Fordyce/Rubicon/Barrett Lake circuit run? I could meet up with you guys Saturday morning. I'm wrapping up things on my jeep too like my hood vents, Durabak exterior liner, arb wiring, "1-2 gear mod", lighting, etc. I really want to get a good amount of wheeling in this summer as I have wanted to do these trails for 6 or more years now ever since I got into wheeling and couldn't do much about it in Chicago. I'm very deprived. :D
Troy

[CRASH]

I have no plans for that weekend other than a shakedown cruise, maybe on my top-secret local playground.

Got to get some air under the tires to make sure the suspension cycles properly.

CRASH

[Erik]

You want to run the Fordyce trail 4th of July weekend as a test, or the Rubicon. I'd like to plan on joining you as I'll have a 3 day weekend Sat/Sun/Mon off of work and want to get some wheeling in. When are you guys meeting & starting the Fordyce trail in August for your the Fordyce/Rubicon/Barrett Lake circuit run? I could meet up with you guys Saturday morning. I'm wrapping up things on my jeep too like my hood vents, Durabak exterior liner, arb wiring, "1-2 gear mod", lighting, etc. I really want to get a good amount of wheeling in this summer as I have wanted to do these trails for 6 or more years now ever since I got into wheeling and couldn't do much about it in Chicago. I'm very deprived. :D
Troy

Are you sure that you want to do your hood vents before Fordyce? I've seen a lot of pictures of XJ's with water up over the tops of people's hoods on that trail. Depending on how you build yours, they may just let water in more easily. If you leave your hood intact, it helps create an air pocket under the hood, giving you more time to get your rig across the river before it starts sucking water into the engine. Just a thought, it may not be an issue for you however you plan to do it.

[Goatman]

Ok, so no one actually answered this question. What type of intake do you guys have, those who run Fordyce regularly? With our lift height, is it an issue? I still have the stock air box, and can't see dipping the nose into the water up to the hood. Is the turbo city intake that goes back over the top of the valve cover a good idea, or are the other brands that leave the cone filter in the stock location good enough?

I know to get the diff/trans vents up high.....anything else an XJ needs for water that deep?

[CRASH]

LAst time through, I filled the distributor with water. Had to stop and drain it.

My intake has only been a problem once on that trail, and I only sucked a bit of water.

I have a 9" K&N mounted where the factory airbox is. Actually, i think the factory box is better than most because it takes a while for it to fill up.

The over the top airtube seems to be the best solution, without going full snorkel. It's likely how I will adapt mine so I don't hurt the new bling-bling motor.

CRASH

[Goatman]

What about drilling some holes in the bottom of the factory air box so the water can drain out? Smog shop would never notice them....

Any ideas on sealing the distributor?

[Jes]

What about drilling some holes in the bottom of the factory air box so the water can drain out? Smog shop would never notice them....

Any ideas on sealing the distributor?

I wouldn't worry about it. The water really shouldn't be an issue(I hope :) ). If it's so deep that you're going to have problems it's gonna be half way up my windsheild. :D

Jes

[Goatman]

I wouldn't worry about it. The water really shouldn't be an issue(I hope :) ). If it's so deep that you're going to have problems it's gonna be half way up my windsheild. :D

Jes


Yeah, you're right........you know me, I like to be prepared. :)

[CRASH]

Worst case scenario......we send Matt swimming to the other side and have him pull us across.

You have to be creative when utilizing the Matt-tool.

CRASH

I hope that fawker is coming....no registration from him yet.

[Erik]

Richard, I've heard of people smearing grease all over their distributer, relay box, that computer thingy, etc. I don't think either of us really want to smear grease all over our oh so pretty rigs, but it's an idea. We could just do like the locals, down a 12 pack and hit the skinny pedal :gee: It might not be an issue, up here it's been a dry winter with below average rainfall and a warm spring which has been melting off the snowpack earlier than usual. I'm not sure what it's like down there, wish we knew a state hydrologist or some one like that. Anyway it sound like Jes and Andy are willing to test the water first, let's just follow them!

[Goatman]

I just ordered a CA smog legal intake tube ('88 model) with cone filter from XJ Armor. He said they tested them in water, and it will suck air better than water, so if the bottom of the filter is in water it will suck the air from the top before sucking water through the bottom. Seems to make sense, just don't get the filter too deep for too long.

I'm like Andy, just don't want to mess up a new stroker motor, especially on the first day of a weeks vacation.

[BrettM]

I went up last weekend and at the first crossing the water is only 24 inches if you stay left. There is one other crossing that came to the top of my 35s. A stock airbox should be fine if you've got 7" lift and 35s.

For finding Fordyce and the Eagle Lakes Rd. exit, head east on I-80 about 1 hour (70ish miles) from Sacramento, it's the next exit past the Hwy. 20 exit. If you're planning on going all the way up to Meadow and out Hwy. 89 to Truckee, it get's a little tricky and best to have someone that knows the way.

[Big Red]

I just ordered a CA smog legal intake tube ('88 model) with cone filter from XJ Armor. He said they tested them in water, and it will suck air better than water, so if the bottom of the filter is in water it will suck the air from the top before sucking water through the bottom. Seems to make sense, just don't get the filter too deep for too long.

I'm like Andy, just don't want to mess up a new stroker motor, especially on the first day of a weeks vacation.

Deep water sucks. I hydro locked my 91' Wrangler years ago at the Badlands in Indiana & got some water in my tranny in my 98' grand cherokee recently on the Lost Coast trail run. It sure can do some damage. I have a k&n cone filter and heard that since you oil it, it should be less likely to take in water past it. I hope this is right. I'm sure it does a better job than the stock panel filter and the low air intake up front. I like to mount my cone as high as possible. It sure gets muddy/dirt fast since it is an open element filter. Rusty's off-road has a good deal on the k&n cone and cat back jeep systems.
Troy

[xj4moab]

What I have done in the past is run a bead of silicone around the distributor cap and pull the vent cap from the center of the distributor and run it to a higher location



What about drilling some holes in the bottom of the factory air box so the water can drain out? Smog shop would never notice them....

Any ideas on sealing the distributor?

[crazy4mopar]

Ok, so no one actually answered this question. What type of intake do you guys have, those who run Fordyce regularly? With our lift height, is it an issue? I still have the stock air box, and can't see dipping the nose into the water up to the hood. Is the turbo city intake that goes back over the top of the valve cover a good idea, or are the other brands that leave the cone filter in the stock location good enough?

I know to get the diff/trans vents up high.....anything else an XJ needs for water that deep?Richard I ran it last month on 35's and 6 1/2 lift...I didnt get any water in my stock box.
You need to cross before 5pm because the water start getting really high around that time.... enough for mine to start floating down stream :helpme:

[Jes]

What Fordyce can be like...
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=258565

[Lincoln]

What Fordyce can be like...
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=258565

No problem. :scared:

Fat floats.

[crazy4mopar]

No problem. :scared:

Fat floats.:laugh2:

[ladywolf]

all i can say is DAMMMNNNNNNNNN...............




Kris

[Jes]

:shocked:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=258766
http://www.rps4wd.com/attachments/rolling.JPG
http://www.rps4wd.com/attachments/over.JPG

[Lincoln]

That's a definate OOPS!