Project XJ

[Jeff]

Well we had our first wheeling outing the past Sunday! Of course I got some pics but I am waiting on some of what I hope will be the best to come in the mail. Another fellow Zach knows from JK forum joined us and he had a sport cam on the whole trip as well as a Rebel. So he took some of the best pics and he said he would just mail me a CD with all the hi-res pics!

Where we went - Its a 10 mile Jeep/ATV trail cut though the National Forest in Fort Valley, VA. Its given name is Peter's Mill Trail but most local people call it "Powell Mountain Trail." Its a popular low level trail that is mostly rocky. Nearly all the water crossings and mud areas have been closed off "for the benefit of the ecology."

How I "did" - I made it out the other side! But no one expected any different. It really is an easy trail. We only took one real excursion off the trail that was a little more interesting but for the most part it was like a bad logging road. I racked my front diff one good time on a rock but no damage. Also my track bar drop bracket came loose and the result is a loud popping noise on turns on the street (no sway bar) so I am going to modify that here today to hopefully prevent this problem in the future. Further I have decided it might be a good idea to get an aftermarket oil pressure gauge because I saw several periods of no oil pressure on my factory gauge. I am pretty sure this is an electrical problem but it is still rather unnerving.

What I learned - Well, I think I need more approach angle. I was surprised at what it could do on our little off trail trip though. The only way to get it up taller is to really jack it up more and I know I don't really want to do that. I look forward to pushing it more on future runs in different places. I think I need a front diff cover, an electric primary cooling can, and maybe some hood vents to help keep engine temps down. I also may need to cut my fenders and raise the flares.

On with the pics! Moar to come when I get the disc.

We went in on the Woodstock side. Here we are airing down tires to around 20psi and I am disconnecting my front swaybar. I found one of my links had a cracked weld but it was not a good weld job to begin with. That has been resolved.


About a quarter of the way in there was a large rock on the side that we decided to use to test flex. By this time I had already popped loose my right front fender flair so I wasn't confident.



Zach drove up on it like it was nothing! Needless to say it was a little more work for "The Minivan."




Stuffed...like Thanksgiving Turkey Needs MOAR lift.

Around the 5 mile mark there is a "pond" that we stopped at to have lunch and directly across the trail from it is an ATV play area and what looks like a clearing for camping. Our friend in the stockish Unlimited parked up for a photo op. He didn't disconnect so he didn't want to push it, he was just out to take a simple ride.


Lunch break!




Then we decided that the hill he parked up on needed to be scaled. I went first, I don't have any pics of me going up but I have one pic of my attempt to come down. This made by butthole pucker a bit, the roof rack is about 3in from the tree in this picture. I was able to back up from this point and I came down the other way...waiting on the pics!


Zach of course needed to "Show me how its done" after I got out and naturally he took Anne with him. For whatever reason she stayed out when I tried it (shes a smart girl!)


It took me like 3 tries...In a wrangler with lockers it took him like 5. After giving him the expected shit such as "If you want I can go up there and we can hook a strap to you." He gave her hell and got up there. But to his credit he came down the way I could not, actually touch the top of his door to the free. It was a cool pic.




That's all I have for now! I really look forward to our next trip, probably Peter's Mill in reverse or down to Flag Pole in Harrisonburg. Here we were at the trails end photo op on the Edinburg side of the trail.