Playing with the big boys at Wheeler Lake trail Colorado

Use that 4x4 switch on your Path and go get dirty!

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IcedTeasley
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Playing with the big boys at Wheeler Lake trail Colorado

Postby IcedTeasley » Thu Aug 02, 2012 11:45 pm

All I can say is wow! This is by far the hardest trail I've ever tackled. I decided to put my lift and skid plates to a serious test. I ran the trail with my neighbor who drives a lifted, skidded, rock railed and totally killer Jeep XJ (the green one). He took all the difficult lines while I took the easy routes through all the major obstacles. We both took some body damage in the process. He lost a fender flare and I did a number on both my rocker panels (sorry - no footage). Some rock sliders would have been a life saver. It rained a lot that morning so the trail was wet almost the entire way. It made for some slick conditions.

Some might call it abuse. I call it fun.

Here's a trail summary by Trail Damage
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=40

I didn't take any photos along the way.

Videos...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU3QDGSi ... e=youtu.be

I swear I couln't hear my spotter half the time on this one...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bpoV5Kz ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Agqo6et ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSsZ0HrV ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS16SdjV ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWEKSh9- ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEnrdC9- ... e=youtu.be

Photos from the lake at the end of the trail (12,200 feet)...

Some cool Jeeps and a Nissan

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Wheeler Lake

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The way down from the top

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leadpig
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Postby leadpig » Fri Aug 03, 2012 8:07 am

Wow, pretty impressive. Especially number 2.

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volvite
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Postby volvite » Fri Aug 03, 2012 9:38 am

Nice. I like it.

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rragpaoa
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Postby rragpaoa » Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:38 am

Hey IceT

Some great videos and shots. It's good to see others out there really making use of what a 4x4 is intended for.

Questions:
1. Did you disconnect your swaybars? It's a 5 minute job, and you just tuck it up and hold it with some bungies and you're good to go. With your extended Radflos front and rear, you should get 8" up front and 10" in the rear with the sways disconnected. I should know since I worked with Radflo to build the shocks for our R51s.

2. Did you air down those Duratracs? For that terrrain, I find about 18psi to be a good pressure to 'claw' up those rocks.

Also, get some sliders and a rear ARB locker, and you will go a long way. This will allow you to climb nice and slow up those rocks without having to rely on the ABLS and momentum to get you up. If not the locker, get at least rock sliders.

Now that I am inspired again, I will see if I can find some old video I shot back on 2009/2010 on some black diamond trails that I ran with some Jeep Rubis. Went everywhere they went without a hitch.

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volvite
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Postby volvite » Tue Aug 21, 2012 1:53 pm

rragpaoa,

Do you know does anyone make discos for our Pathfinder? Or did you just unbolt the sway bar? Any worry about the rear springs coming out with the rear disco'd?

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IcedTeasley
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Postby IcedTeasley » Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:26 pm

For rragpaoa:

Thanks man. It's always been a goal of mine to push my Pathfinder's boundaries. Living in Colorado gives me plenty of opportunity.

Answers:
1. My sway bars were connected! I had some issues with a seized bolt at the trailhead. I freed the bolt since then and did a 'sway bar disconnect dry run' in my garage. It's totally easy. Everyone who off-roads with aftermarket shocks/struts should try it.

2. I was rolling along at 20 PSI. My neighbor in the Jeep was down to 15 PSI.

Sliders were a must for this trail and I didn't have any. Now that I have rocker panel damage it's on my must do/make/buy list. My skid plates were priceless.

I agree that a locker is way, way better for this terrain. As the videos show, I smoke my tires and have to carry too much speed through the technical uphill sections. Our ABLS requires higher engine RPMs (and therefore higher vehicle speed) so there is enough torque to distribute to as few as one wheel. ARB makes a front air-locker that fits US Pathfinders. I prefer a rear locker but it's never been done on a US V6 R51. I don't have the time, local resources or budget for a custom job. I may settle for the front locker. My neighbors Jeep runs an Air-locker in the front and a mechanical LSD (Positraction) in the rear. His Jeep climbs like a Billygoat.

I'd love to see some of your videos from past trail runs.

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rragpaoa
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Postby rragpaoa » Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:31 pm

volvite wrote:rragpaoa,

Do you know does anyone make discos for our Pathfinder? Or did you just unbolt the sway bar? Any worry about the rear springs coming out with the rear disco'd?
No one makes any discos for the 05+ Pathy. However, all you need is a 17mm box wrench and you can remove the links in about 6 minutes total for both axles. Use a single bungie to hold the front ones up. The rears are tight enough to push up out of the way without anything to hold it. I've done it numerous times without the sways ever getting in the way.

As for the rear springs, the shocks limit the down travel and the springs are no where near falling off at full extension. Remember, I am running the OME medium springs, which are a bit longer than stock. As a matter of fact, we could have extended out another 1" more travel in the rear for a total of 11" travel but we wanted to play it safe. I beat my truck up pretty good without any issues in the suspension.

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IcedTeasley
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Postby IcedTeasley » Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:47 pm

I 2nd rragpaoa. I've searched for some quick disco's for our PF for a while. I can say that the un-bolt and tuck method (as dirty as that sounds) is the best way to deal with your sway bars.

I'll also attest to the durability of Nissan/Radflo suspension. I've taken my truck where it shouldn't go and it still rides like a champ. Thank you PRG!

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rragpaoa
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Postby rragpaoa » Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:23 am

IcedTeasley wrote:
I agree that a locker is way, way better for this terrain. As the videos show, I smoke my tires and have to carry too much speed through the technical uphill sections. Our ABLS requires higher engine RPMs (and therefore higher vehicle speed) so there is enough torque to distribute to as few as one wheel. ARB makes a front air-locker that fits US Pathfinders. I prefer a rear locker but it's never been done on a US V6 R51. I don't have the time, local resources or budget for a custom job. I may settle for the front locker. My neighbors Jeep runs an Air-locker in the front and a mechanical LSD (Positraction) in the rear. His Jeep climbs like a Billygoat.

I'd love to see some of your videos from past trail runs.
I should be able to post the video in the next few days. Took a while just to find them.

In terms of a rear locker, your other option is to get a used Armada 3.57 rear end. Should be able to get them pretty cheap. It's a 230mm gear compared to the 200mm you have now. That's a 9" gear, bigger than a Dana 44. Bolts right up. ARB makes a rear locker for that pumpkin and will fit the 3.57 gears with some slight modifications. You get a beefier, rear-locked solution. Later, you can add the front locker to your R180 when resources allow.

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rragpaoa
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Postby rragpaoa » Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:34 am

IcedTeasley wrote:I 2nd rragpaoa. I've searched for some quick disco's for our PF for a while. I can say that the un-bolt and tuck method (as dirty as that sounds) is the best way to deal with your sway bars.
Cheap (free, except for the bungie cord) and rather quick. The best quick disconnects yet!
Also, keep spraying some graphite spray (dry lube) every couple of months to keep the bolts from freezing to make the removal easier.

FPF
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Postby FPF » Fri Sep 28, 2012 3:42 pm

"its a good thing he got some skid plates on that thing finally" lol. Im impressed.

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Oly 22
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Re: Playing with the big boys at Wheeler Lake trail Colorado

Postby Oly 22 » Fri Sep 28, 2012 4:55 pm

Some rock sliders would have been a life saver
Sorry to jack the thread but we are trying to get a bulk buy on Rocky-Road Super Sliders. Please see "Body Interior and Exterior" Bulk Buy thread. If you are interested in the sliders for next time. Shameless, I know.
:)


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