I would love to join ya'll for some wheelin. Just moved to The Willamette Valley.
I would love to join ya'll for some wheelin. Just moved to The Willamette Valley.
Welcome! Watch this thread for future trips: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/southern-oregon-wheeling.81876/
I've been absolutely swamped with work and family lately and haven't gotten out in a little bit, but if anyone's ever going to be in the area I'm always down to run up the mountain! I live at the base.
https://www.mtashland.com/mountain-report/ to check snow levels
I have the unique (for me) opportunity to actually comment on this thread, but seeing how I trust most Florida drivers about as far as I can throw them (even with excellent road conditions), here goes...
Finally made it out for a little drive after far too long! Been swamped with projects and laid out with the flu. I'm just now crawling back into the land of the living. It was great to roll again!
There hasn't been any new snow in a while and it's been sunny and warm during the day so I didn't expect to find much. On the way up there were some super slick ice spots from people driving but once I got passed the traffic I found the grippiest snow ever. This was the slickrock of snow!
Stuck empty pickup on the way up. No one was around. Passes the tow truck on the way down.
Super clear view of Mount McLoughlin over Emigrant lake
There hasn't been any new snow in a while and it's been sunny and warm during the day so I didn't expect to find much. On the way up there were some super slick ice spots from people driving but once I got passed the traffic I found the grippiest snow ever. This was the slickrock of snow!
Stuck empty pickup on the way up. No one was around. Passes the tow truck on the way down.
Super clear view of Mount McLoughlin over Emigrant lake
Finally got a chance to get up in some snow yesterday. Trails weren't bad but some areas with 8-12" along edges or untraveled spots. With the kids I have to wait until we get it close by in the hills. Unfortunately the snow underneath head thawed and refrozen leading to a pretty bumpy ride in a lot of places. Still fun to just get out
Yesterday was sunny and warm. The snow is melting fast. I drove up a ways and some cross country skiing.
I think the tires did well. Started at 8 psi, things got a little too slick, and I dropped to 5 and kept going. It helped a lot but I feel like going lower would be even better.
I did sink in enough to drag the diff housing but rarely got stopped. The tires would dig but not a quickly as I feared, and I backed out just fine.
Emigrant Lake is looking pretty full for this time of year. Mount McLoughlin behind it.
Someone's ready to get back in the jeep...
Curb flex.
I think the tires did well. Started at 8 psi, things got a little too slick, and I dropped to 5 and kept going. It helped a lot but I feel like going lower would be even better.
I did sink in enough to drag the diff housing but rarely got stopped. The tires would dig but not a quickly as I feared, and I backed out just fine.
Emigrant Lake is looking pretty full for this time of year. Mount McLoughlin behind it.
Someone's ready to get back in the jeep...
Curb flex.
Are you getting any more flex out of the sidewalls yet? If you're at 5 psi in the log flex picture then I'd guess no..
Went out for an easy cruise and break in the sidewalls, so I dropped them to 3. Didn't want to push it as these tires will come off with quite a bit less force (at 10psi bead broke at the same force as 6 psi on the patagonias), AND the bead came completely off and didn't want to go back on easily. So I didn't want to deal with that on the trail
But it was going so nicely that I did push it a little. Sitting on a 4' drift here.
But it was going so nicely that I did push it a little. Sitting on a 4' drift here.
Solo snow adventure today! With a little more excitement than expected!
Fresh powder made for beautiful scenery and pretty smooth driving.
Can't really see how deep the snow is here, so i got the shovel and dug down until I hit the road. Deeper than the shovel!
Here I am stepping into the hole. Yes I'm standing up. I never saw neck-deep snow growing up in Arkansas!
Kept going until I ran into some tougher snow.
Drifted off track backing up and got stuck. Didn't see too bad, so I thought I'd try airing down a little more and digging the wheels a little. Didn't budge at all, feels high centered. OK, time to pull rope.
Get the line all hooked up, climb in and turn the key, and... nothing. Huh. Fiddle, no progress.
The battery shouldn't die that quick, but OK I have a jump pack. Hook that up and try again, and nothing. No crank, gauge lights dim.
Shit. OK, looks like I might be hiking out. Text local jeep buddy about my situation.
Decided to try the "tap starter and solenoid with a wrench" -thing. It's never worked for me before, but at this point it's worth a shot!
Success! Started right up!
Left the back open while messing around and collected some snow
Winched out and headed home!
Turn around here!
The magic hammer that saved the day!
Time to shop for a starter I suppose...
Fresh powder made for beautiful scenery and pretty smooth driving.
Can't really see how deep the snow is here, so i got the shovel and dug down until I hit the road. Deeper than the shovel!
Here I am stepping into the hole. Yes I'm standing up. I never saw neck-deep snow growing up in Arkansas!
Drifted off track backing up and got stuck. Didn't see too bad, so I thought I'd try airing down a little more and digging the wheels a little. Didn't budge at all, feels high centered. OK, time to pull rope.
Get the line all hooked up, climb in and turn the key, and... nothing. Huh. Fiddle, no progress.
The battery shouldn't die that quick, but OK I have a jump pack. Hook that up and try again, and nothing. No crank, gauge lights dim.
Shit. OK, looks like I might be hiking out. Text local jeep buddy about my situation.
Decided to try the "tap starter and solenoid with a wrench" -thing. It's never worked for me before, but at this point it's worth a shot!
Success! Started right up!
Left the back open while messing around and collected some snow
Winched out and headed home!
Turn around here!
The magic hammer that saved the day!
Time to shop for a starter I suppose...
How'd the tires do this time around? I was always surprised at how well the TSL's did in the snow where I figured they'd just dig holes.
The old TAP the starter thing has worked for me on more than one occasion...
They did great until I got stuck
! Can't really blame the tires it was a very tough spot and took several back-and-forth attempts before finally sinking enough to rest on the skid plate.Yeah they'll dig but surprisingly slowly. They don't seem to dig in any more quickly than the old milestars did. I think the extra size and flotation offsets the super aggressive lugs.
Really need another group run with similar TJs to compare!
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This was the first time I had any trouble with the starter. Doesn't seem like a coincidence that it happened while buried in snow...
What do you recommend for a starter?
What do you recommend for a starter?
Bosch,mitsubishi,denso,Hitachi.Oem japanese manufacturers from a reliable source so it isn't a knock off.
My autozone starter does some funny stuff trying to turn over my high compression stroker. I better get a good one soon!
You talk about trying to reseat a bead... I wasn't as smart back then and had bought some steel rims for the Boggers that came on my TJ when I'd bought it.
This was my first trip out with these new rims and everyone had told me Boggers did good in the snow...
Trying to clean the mud out of the wheels so reseat the bead was a PITA....
I sold the tires & wheels not too long after that...
You could pull it and take it apart and see if it just needs a little cleaning?
This was my first trip out with these new rims and everyone had told me Boggers did good in the snow...
Trying to clean the mud out of the wheels so reseat the bead was a PITA....
I sold the tires & wheels not too long after that...
You could pull it and take it apart and see if it just needs a little cleaning?
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