Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
That was a fairly annoying area to drive! very slow, lots of low gear, and lots of brakes! haha
1973 Wagoneer - Full Size Camping Goodness
- Thread starter Dr. Marneaus
- Start date
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
I've put over 1000 miles on the jeep this past month. Not really any wheeling, but had a 460 mile road trip in the beast over Labor day weekend. Rolled the beast out to June Lake, CA on that Friday. Made it out there fine. On Saturday we rolled up to Virginia Lakes for some fishing, up to nearly 10,000'.
Sunday found us putting around Mammoth Lakes, up to the summit overlook again well over 9000'.
On Monday on our way home we stopped in Bodie to walk around the ghost town for a while.
It was a great trip, jeep ran flawlessly over all the passes and up all the mountains. Sadly, I have realized how badly I need new tires and really dont want to do much more highway driving until I can throw a new set on the truck, which wont be for a while.
Anyway, nearly 500 trouble free miles starting at about 4000' elevation and going up as high as 10,000'. I'd say shes runnin' pretty well.
the town of june lake:
Minaret Summit in Mammoth Lakes...it was SUPER smokey from all the fires. Getting my jeep to Mammoth Lakes has been a goal ever since i owned it. I never thought it would happen because we lived in Vegas and would have to cross over a number of pretty high and twisty passes. I was so psyched to achieve the goal of getting it there with my wife.
One of the lakes outside the town of Mammoth
Few random pics:
Sadly, this is what my tires are looking like all around. and this particular one is wearing oddly because of a balance issue.
Sunday found us putting around Mammoth Lakes, up to the summit overlook again well over 9000'.
On Monday on our way home we stopped in Bodie to walk around the ghost town for a while.
It was a great trip, jeep ran flawlessly over all the passes and up all the mountains. Sadly, I have realized how badly I need new tires and really dont want to do much more highway driving until I can throw a new set on the truck, which wont be for a while.
Anyway, nearly 500 trouble free miles starting at about 4000' elevation and going up as high as 10,000'. I'd say shes runnin' pretty well.
the town of june lake:
Minaret Summit in Mammoth Lakes...it was SUPER smokey from all the fires. Getting my jeep to Mammoth Lakes has been a goal ever since i owned it. I never thought it would happen because we lived in Vegas and would have to cross over a number of pretty high and twisty passes. I was so psyched to achieve the goal of getting it there with my wife.
One of the lakes outside the town of Mammoth
Few random pics:
Sadly, this is what my tires are looking like all around. and this particular one is wearing oddly because of a balance issue.
Shapeshifter
Restless Adventurer
She needs new shoes!
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
She sure does. 6 years of desert sun have taken their toll. 6 years is a long time for ANY climate. Will throw away the 1 worn tire, keep one for a spare, and maybe keep the other 2 or sell them as spares.
Anybody wanna lend me $700 bucks for a set of BFG AT's? lol.
Shapeshifter
Restless Adventurer
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
You could wait until next Earth Day and burn them as a tribute?
Only if I can cross the border into CA to do it (no offence to you....)
But then again enough of CA is on fire at the moment.
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Uh. About 87,000 on the truck when I bought it, about 03,000 on it now. That makes 23,000 miles, plus whatever (1000-2000?) the previous owner put on them in the few months he owned them. Multiply that all by my CONSERVATIVELY incorrect speedo reading of 8% (used to be way more than that). Lets say 18,000-20,000?
I have rotated them ONCE in that time (i know, my bad). 3 of the tires have pretty normal wear and about 40-50% tread left. Bad part is that one tire is worn all crazy weird and the fact that they are 6 years old and showing dry rot issues.
And yes, going to go with KO2's. My only choices in 33x10.50 are General grabber whatever whatevers with the douchy red letters (sorry to those who own them) and they are a little more aggressive than what I want, BFG KM2's which I have and dont enjoy how mud's wear and have been sick of the road noise and ride for 3 of the last 5 years, and then BFG KO2's which is what I'm gonna run.
Was hoping my interior would be next on my list, but i really need new shoes.
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Thanks!
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
I've heard good things. However, if i cant afford tires, i certainly cant afford new wheels.
Stuck with 33x10.50's for now, which I have no problem with, just dont have the cash to drop on new rubber so I think my road trips are over for the season.
Stuck with 33x10.50's for now, which I have no problem with, just dont have the cash to drop on new rubber so I think my road trips are over for the season.
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Nothing to do with the wag, but this work has taken place of work that would have been done to it.
My little Daily Driver (read: occasional weekend driver when im not driving the wag or the company car....so....i guess, my would be daily driver?) has needed new shoes since I got it, and while the wag's tires were in worse condition, it made sense to reshoe my "real" vehicle that will be driven during the winter months more so than the challenger or nova or jeep.
Threw on a oversized set of 265/75r16 Kumho's that are sort of a mild all terrain (Roadventure AT51's). The price was pretty awesome after the rebate. Because the tires are bigger I cranked the front end up almost an inch using the stock torsion bar setup. This leveled out nice seeing as i had put a set of coilover shocks in the back to give it a little boost and keep it from sagging at all with the camper on there. I also plasti-dipped the wheels black since the alloy was scuffed and starting to blister in places. Then I went ahead and plasti dipped the chrome grille, and while I dont have a pic, I did the hood emblem solid black too. Looks a lot more clean and beefy now. I know it doesnt look a ton different than stock but holy crap it feels different. speedo is off 10% now and i'm a few hundred RPM lower at highway speeds. It just plain FEELS higher too riding around in it. the tires ride really nice on the highway though. They are ALMOST a 32" tire. A decent amount bigger than the stock 29's
What this means though is I absolutely cannot get new tires for the wag until this winter or spring. Oh wellz. priorities. I'm hoping to actually use the pickup for some light wheeling in addition to camping trips this fall/winter.
Before:
Now:
My little Daily Driver (read: occasional weekend driver when im not driving the wag or the company car....so....i guess, my would be daily driver?) has needed new shoes since I got it, and while the wag's tires were in worse condition, it made sense to reshoe my "real" vehicle that will be driven during the winter months more so than the challenger or nova or jeep.
Threw on a oversized set of 265/75r16 Kumho's that are sort of a mild all terrain (Roadventure AT51's). The price was pretty awesome after the rebate. Because the tires are bigger I cranked the front end up almost an inch using the stock torsion bar setup. This leveled out nice seeing as i had put a set of coilover shocks in the back to give it a little boost and keep it from sagging at all with the camper on there. I also plasti-dipped the wheels black since the alloy was scuffed and starting to blister in places. Then I went ahead and plasti dipped the chrome grille, and while I dont have a pic, I did the hood emblem solid black too. Looks a lot more clean and beefy now. I know it doesnt look a ton different than stock but holy crap it feels different. speedo is off 10% now and i'm a few hundred RPM lower at highway speeds. It just plain FEELS higher too riding around in it. the tires ride really nice on the highway though. They are ALMOST a 32" tire. A decent amount bigger than the stock 29's
What this means though is I absolutely cannot get new tires for the wag until this winter or spring. Oh wellz. priorities. I'm hoping to actually use the pickup for some light wheeling in addition to camping trips this fall/winter.
Before:
Now:
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