We gathered on the acquainted spot simply off of the Table Mesa Road Exit. I pulled in shortly after Brent arrived. Up from Tucson, he was visiting his mom through the Christmas holidays and wished to run a path or two with us. We had met on the JU discussion board (www.jeepsunlimited.com) a while again and when he stated he was going to be on the town, we made certain to get him instructions to Table Mesa Road.
Larry was current in his TJ, Dion and Paula of their YJ, YJ John in his YJ (duh), Trisha in her Sammy (woops….how did that get in there)….anyway, she rode shotgun with YJ John so let’s simply say she confirmed up on the spot in her…..ahhhhhh…….ummmmmm….automobile, yeah, automobile, that’s it!. Brent in his effectively constructed TJ, and myself with Lady (my TJ). I had finished some radio membership work with my good good friend Bob simply a few days in the past, and I used to be capable of get him to journey shotgun (lastly) on as we speak’s run.
I had by no means ran Pipeline earlier than, let alongside lead it. On the best way to Table Mesa, Bob and I ended by Roger’s home (one other native Jeeper) and I downloaded his Garmin II+ monitor log into my laptop computer (you do carry a laptop computer whenever you go wheelin’, proper?). Roger had ran the path a number of occasions earlier than and it simply so occurred that he ran it Friday. He was variety sufficient to document a monitor log of the path. Once in my laptop computer, I uploaded it to my Garmin III+ and we had been able to go….I had Roger’s “bread crumbs” proper there for me to make use of. What a deal!
We hopped again on the freeway and headed north to Black Canyon City. We exited the freeway and headed to the path head to air down. Once all had been prepared, we headed south down the Pipeline path, following the digital bread crumbs on the Garmin. If all went effectively, we might be again at Table Mesa highway in just a few hours and able to present Raw Deal to Brent.
We had been about 10 minutes down the path when YJ John referred to as for us to carry up (he was operating tail gunner). The mud protect on his bell housing (or one thing like that) was rubbing so he climbed underneath the automobile to take a handful of bolts out and take away it. OK….again on the path and able to go.
About 5 minutes later, YJ John provides one other name on the radio. We maintain up and Dion goes again to examine issues out. The quick model is a small bolt is required to carry one thing in. Larry hits pay grime within the backside of his software bag and saves the day (or not less than John’s). OK….again on the path and able to go.
We arrived at our first enjoyable spot on the path…..a really steep down hill with uncovered mattress rock. Bob (my buddy driving shotgun) dug his fingers into my roll bar padding and down we went (keep in mind, it was his first off-road journey in a Jeep constructed up for these items). After we bought to the underside of the hill, I thanked Bob for leaving many of the padding in place.
I scrambled again up the hill to catch a few the blokes. I managed to snap this image of Brent as he eased himself down over the off-camber bedrock. Brent’s MT/Rs held the rock fairly good and there was solely a little bit of tire skidding as he labored his TJ down the hill.
After all made it down, some determined it will be enjoyable to climb the hill (naturally). The first up was YJ John. He labored his manner up, retaining to the proper the place the rock was not fairly so slick, working exhausting to get traction.
It was a battle with only a little bit of ahead momentum being made in small steps. Just concerning the time we although he was going to make the highest, we heard that sickening POP that any critical Jeeper has heard earlier than….a u-joint had gone. Sure sufficient, a fast look underneath the rear finish and we may see the u-joint on the pinion yoke at failed. John was going nowhere actually quick!
It was determined {that a} restore on this spot was not attainable. Although the Jeep was steady, the footing was fairly unhealthy and it wouldn’t take a lot to begin sliding down the hill, now that 4WD was not working. John determined to make use of my winch to get him up excessive. I took the bypass as much as the highest to place my TJ whereas Dion bought round John’s YJ on the path (don’t ask me, I used to be over on the bypass path getting arrange).
We thought it may be simpler to strap John as much as the highest, assuming traction may very well be gotten by the tow Jeep. I grabbed the yellow tow strap from underneath the seat (I’ve realized to maintain it in a spot that may be rapidly gotten to while not having to unpack the Jeep.) We hooked it round John’s hooks and onto Dion’s receiver D-ring. A few makes an attempt and Dion bought John up and onto extra appropriate floor for a u-joint swap.
John grabbed his favourite blanket and a few wrenches and set to work on the u-joint. Larry once more was the person of the hour when he produced an appropriate substitute u-joint. John had one however one thing was mistaken with it. In the photograph above, John is eradicating the u-bolts from the pinion yoke. The finish caps had cracked and prompted the failure. John is getting fairly unhealthy axle wrap and it’s placing some unhealthy angles on this u-joint when plenty of torque is utilized.
This is the spot the place I get to brag about my new u-joint press. I picked one up from Harbor Freight (on sale for $29.99) after seeing one used on the Charouleau Gap journey I made throughout Thanksgiving week. If you ever used the tried and true methodology of two acceptable sized sockets, an enormous hammer, and an appropriate rock to sit down every part on whereas to aim to beat the top caps out of the yoke, you’ll admire a u-joint press. It took about 30 seconds to press the blown u-joint out of the yoke and the identical period of time to place it again in. I feel it’s secure to say that everybody was fairly pleased with the outcomes. I do know I used to be..
Pipeline & Raw Deal Trails
With the u-joint restore behind us (and most of my ham & cheese sandwich), we headed down the hill one final time and on to Table Mesa Road.
Now one factor that grew to become readily obvious was that our beginning location was on the east aspect of the freeway whereas the spot on Table Mesa Road the place we had been suppose to complete at was on the alternative aspect of the freeway.
Not to fret….there was a quite massive (about 10’x10′) cement culvert that ran underneath the lanes of the north sure freeway site visitors. We cautiously entered the large darkish tunnel, seeing gentle on the reverse finish and listening to the rumbling of site visitors overhead.
I used to be first into the tunnel and so I hopped out to see what we had been up in opposition to when I bought close to the top. We had a 3 foot drop to the bottom to deal with adopted by a little bit boulder subject simply to make it attention-grabbing. Someone(s) earlier than us had stacked just a few rocks underneath the ledge which made it attainable to get down with out ripping off the rear bumper, tire service, and so on.
U-joint John exits the tunnel (oh….did you discover that we not name him YJ John? Yep, after the u-joint failure on Appetizer, and as we speak’s espisode, it was determined that he was way more suited to this title.)
Larry finally ends up a line out of the pile of rocks that litter the path the place you exit the tunnel. There are fairly a lot of methods to choose your manner by means of the assorted rubble.
Once Larry, Brent, and myself had been by means of, Dion determined to discover a tougher route (doesn’t he all the time?). He discovered that a few of these rocks, although they’re fairly massive, would roll round after getting a tire on high of them. This added to the problem and supplied extra enjoyable for the spectators, spotters, and basic recommendation givers (all of us traded these jobs on a moments discover, a lot to Dion’s dismay).
Brent manages to flex up his TJ fairly good as he climbs out of the tunnel and heads throughout the rocks. His 35″ MT/Rs, 4.5″ RE elevate, and belly-up skid plate supplied him with nice clearance and he made it by means of with no issues in any respect.
Pipeline & Raw Deal Trails
Shortly after the tunnel, I picked up some buddies of U-Joint John on the CB. They had been operating late and had referred to as earlier on the mobile phone for instructions to the path head. We held up the group for a couple of minutes whereas Michael, driving a constructed up Cherokee, and his good friend driving a Toyota pickup, caught up with us.
We managed to sneak underneath the south sure freeway site visitors by stepping into broad wash that simply occurred to have a small bridge constructed over it. We opened the vary grazing gate and bought everybody by means of, together with Michael and the Toyota. With a decent left hand up hill flip, we once more headed due south, following the Pipeline markers to Table Mesa. Within 10 minutes of journey, we may see acquainted land marks as we closed the hole.
U-joint John referred to as for a halt on the path head for Raw Deal. His proper entrance hub didn’t appear to be partaking in 4WD. After everybody looked for an Allen wrench so the hub may very well be disassembled and checked, U-joint discovered one behind his YJ….apparently the software field had dumped its contents alongside the best way. Maybe now we’ll should name him Hubless John……no….doesn’t have nearly as good of a hoop to it as U-joint John.
Raw Deal was fairly the a lot the identical because the previous trips by means of it, except for a few notable occasions. This was Brent’s first time by means of (open entrance diff and Trac-loc within the rear) and Michael together with his Cherokee deliberate on taking the exhausting strains with us.
Here is Brent getting arrange for getting into the good divide. He had a little bit drawback proper in right here in that he bought all snarled and his open entrance simply wasn’t serving to the LSD rear in doing its job. Dion bought him on a brand new line only a bit to the proper of the place I had him and he climbed proper out. (good clearance on that stomach up skid)
Michael decides to return all the way down to the place Brent simply was by way of a barely completely different route. He and Dion each took this line coming down “from the excessive floor”. U-joint John noticed each of the blokes by means of this part with no carnage (but).
Brent did a brilliant job over the Great Divide, as we name it. The shadows don’t reveal simply how unhealthy you may get going by means of (truly over) this impediment, however belief me, you may get your self in such a manner as to want a tow strap to get out (proper U-joint?). Larry watches to verify Brent’s left rear tire catches a slender ledge (when you miss it, you’ll peal sheet metallic off or maybe the pores and skin off of a Cherokee’s rear bumper….Michael?) whereas U-joint John directs the recognizing motion from the entrance.
I went by means of the air-hole and as common, bought fairly good air….nearly too good! I didn’t suppose it was ever going to return again down. Michael appeared to suppose it was a fairly good concept so I noticed him by means of it. At the height of his climb out of the opening, he stopped the Cherokee and leaned down and out of the door to examine the undercarriage of his rig. (Actually, I feel he was utilizing himself as an outrigger to forestall himself from going over to the proper.) Yes sir, he bought nice air for a LWB automobile.
While the entire above with Michael was occurring on the air-hole, U-joint John decides to run the Great Divide in a non-standard style. (I simply don’t find out about these folks! Without grownup supervision, look what sort of mess they get themselves into!) I bought again to seek out U-joint on this predicament. He was caught massive time. A number of rocks weren’t going to get him out of this one, no matter how a lot these massive fats tires of his wished to seize for traction. Michael backed up his rig and Larry bought a strap out of his TJ. The manner I see issues including up, U-joint John owes Larry BIG time for all the help he bought on this journey…..let’s see, there was the bolt manner again initially to carry one thing or the opposite collectively, a substitute u-joint on the failed hill climb try, and now this good massive yellow strap! What do you suppose?
We completed up this part of the path and went and performed on the large rock ledge. With time operating out and a number of other with an hours drive again to residence, we determined to air up and name it a day. All in all, it was a fairly good journey. We once more proved the GPS does have its place on the path, taking us from begin to end although I had no concept the place we had been going! We all had been capable of hone our path repairs abilities with the assistance of a little bit OJT (On the Job Training), courtesy of U-joint John.
I hope your path runs are as nice as this one was. Enjoy the outside and keep in mind to TREAD Lightly!