Rubicon in July... Questions. (LONG)

Sierra Chapter folks.. My fiancee and I are getting married in Tahoe on July 11th of this year. We live in Idaho, but I am originally from the Sacramento area and have family in CA, so I am plenty familiar with the area. I used to do the Rubicon on a motorcycle back when I was 18 (thirteen years ago). Anyhow, we did part of the Rubicon last year in our XJ.. just a short day trip from the Tahoe side to Caddillac Hill, but the wife to be wants to run the whole thing after the wedding (now you know why I am marrying this gal!). We were thinking about doing it July 14 & 15th to avoid the weekend crowds. Anyhow, to get to the point of this whole thing.. I am looking for some guys to come with, and I also need some input from some veterans of the trail. I wanna make sure the rig is up to it, so please provide feedback if you can.

Is our rig ready for the Rubicon???
94XJ, 4.0 & 5 sp with D30 front & D35 rear, 3.55 gears (donated by a 96 auto equipped XJ), 5.5" RE lift, 32" MTs, RE SYE, hacked fenders for tire clearance, chopped rear quarters & custom rear bumper, T/C skid, gas tank skid, rock rails, etc. Currently open diffs but will have a Lockrite before then & also have spare shafts. Want a 4 to1 by then too, but probably won't happen. Those weddings are expensive!! Anyhow, been to Moab many times and have done many trails there, all open diffs; Metal Masher, Poison Spider, Hells Revenge, Steel Bender, Lockhart Basin, Fins & Things, Gold Bar Rim, etc and never had trouble. Are we ready for the Con or asking for trouble??? BTW, I am willing to replace an axle shaft on the trail...

Thanks, JP

I'LL be there!!!!!!!!! maybe try and c what i can do!

Just wondering... why are you running a 5.5" lift with cut fenders and 32s? I have the 5.5" kit and I run 35s with not too much trimming.

They chew the fenders like mad with the swaybars disconnected. Off course, it all has to do with wheel offset, bumpstop length, etc. The pic attached is when I was at 4.5" & 31s, but it stuffs just as far now, only it's with the 32s. Rather than give up uptravel, I got out the angle grinder

[img:c47be8e87d]http://www.myweb.cableone.net/jlporter/images/wipeouthill2.jpg[/img:c47be8e87d]

Tried to come up with a better & more recent pic, but my friend's site is down and he was hosting all my pics. Anyhow, "hacked" may be an overstatement (for now anyway). I left the flare there and just cut the metal underneath wherever it rubs and then cut straight across to meet where the top of the bumper is. Still rubs on the back some, so that will be addressed soon.

Just came across another thread on here that had some BLT, Fordyce and Con pics... Great stuff!!! I've met a few of you guys too at Fall Fling... Sean P & the wheeling poodles, Jes, Mil and I am sure some others. Hope to see everyone at Fall Fling again as well, plan on being there for sure. And hope some of you guys can make it for our trip in July.

I know, I know.. you all want to know what to give us for a wedding gift... let's see... an 8.8 with E locker and 4.56 gears, an Atlas, Clayton's long arm setup, Trailready beadlock wheels, 35" MTRs, etc.. :lol: :lol:

[quote:b082f8eee8="JKTXJ"]They chew the fenders like mad with the swaybars disconnected. Off course, it all has to do with wheel offset, bumpstop length, etc. The pic attached is when I was at 4.5" & 31s, but it stuffs just as far now, only it's with the 32s. Rather than give up uptravel, I got out the angle grinder

[img:b082f8eee8]http://www.myweb.cableone.net/jlporter/images/wipeouthill2.jpg[/img:b082f8eee8][/quote:b082f8eee8]

I didn't do anything to my bumpstops and I'm running 4.5" backspacing. I did have to trim the rear to fit the 35's, but I fit 33x9.50 no problem with no trimming in the rear. Actually, I did that with the 4.5" kit.

sorry... Guest = Me

[quote:7956b28b7c="Anonymous"]Just wondering... why are you running a 5.5" lift with cut fenders and 32s? I have the 5.5" kit and I run 35s with not too much trimming.[/quote:7956b28b7c]
:roll: Didn't you learn anything last year?!?
He's got a D35 with 3.55 gears and a manual tranny. You should only run smaller than 33s with a D35 and you can't run bigger than 32s with 3.55 gears.

JP, get some spare D35 shafts, a pan, and some 75/90 gear oil and you should be fine. A rear locker would be a good idea and a 4:1 would be nice but is not neccessary.
I'm sure CRASH and I could give you and the wife to be a good tour of the area. I only ran the Rubicon three times last year so any excuse to run it more this year will be welcome. :lol:

Jes

[quote:f76b6ac1ed="Stoney"]I'LL be there!!!!!!!!! maybe try and c what i can do![/quote:f76b6ac1ed]

I don't think their idea of a good time would be fixing and towing your junk off the trail. :lol:

[quote:3df0a5af61="Jes"][quote:3df0a5af61="Stoney"]I'LL be there!!!!!!!!! maybe try and c what i can do![/quote:3df0a5af61]

I don't think their idea of a good time would be fixing and towing your junk off the trail. :lol:[/quote:3df0a5af61]


HA HA HA JES u r so funny i forgot to laugh! u just wait i will be able to out wheel u this year!!!!!!! my rig will be HARDCORE!! (my skills wil be too :? )

:lol: :lol:

Stoney

Hey I grew up in Garden Valley surely you have been up there right? Hopefully I can fit it in the schedule but with your rig you should be fine particularily with the rear locker. Just be nice to the skinny pedal.

Garden Valley, yep.. I know that place. I love that windy road between there and Lowman.. always fun to drive with the swaybar disconnected :shock: I like heading up to Deadwood Reservoir now and again too.. even found a decent trail back there last year. In all honesty, it's tough to find hard trails around Idaho. They like to grade all the dirt roads and make them passable to 2wd cars... we need a Rubicon trail here!!

As for spare shafts Jes, yep.. I've got some in there cause I know the day will come. And we will for sure have a lunchbox locker in there before the trip as well. We are anxious, can't wait to do it! Have a friend of mine coming out too most likely.. he's got a 2000XJ with Ox front, Powertrax rear, 4.56 gears, 33s, etc... so I'm not too worried about his rig. But, it is awfully pretty still :lol:

[quote:01f30357f0]HA HA HA JES u r so funny i forgot to laugh! u just wait i will be able to out wheel u this year!!!!!!! my rig will be HARDCORE!! (my skills wil be too ) [/quote:01f30357f0]

I'm looking forward to the day that your grammar skills become hardcore. :mrgreen:

CRASH

[quote:e4dce64718="Jes"]
You should only run smaller than 33s with a D35 and you can't run bigger than 32s with 3.55 gears.
[/quote:e4dce64718]

Tell NorCalXJ that! [img:e4dce64718]http://www.extrememopar.com/ot/biggrin.gif[/img:e4dce64718]

[quote:04c5001c49="CRASH"][quote:04c5001c49]HA HA HA JES u r so funny i forgot to laugh! u just wait i will be able to out wheel u this year!!!!!!! my rig will be HARDCORE!! (my skills wil be too ) [/quote:04c5001c49]

I'm looking forward to the day that your grammar skills become hardcore. :mrgreen:

CRASH[/quote:04c5001c49]

Public education OWNS you!!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Crash you stole my words out of my mouth....

[quote:79f28ef979="Stoney"][quote:79f28ef979="Jes"][quote:79f28ef979="Stoney"]I'LL be there!!!!!!!!! maybe try and c what i can do![/quote:79f28ef979]

I don't think their idea of a good time would be fixing and towing your junk off the trail. :lol:[/quote:79f28ef979]


HA HA HA JES u r so funny i forgot to laugh! u just wait i will be able to out wheel u this year!!!!!!! my rig will be HARDCORE!! (my skills wil be too :? )

:lol: :lol:

Stoney[/quote:79f28ef979]

:roll:

I don't think that I will be able to join you guys as your dates are awful close to my wifes due date. One rear locker and spare shafts all the way around, you should be fine.

When you install your lockright, make sure that you notch the outside of the c-lips so you can easily remove them with snap ring or needle nose pliers if (when ) you break an axle.

SeanP