2012 JKU Rubicon Build/Adventure Thread

[Septu]

Well Dodge says the temps are normal. But the smell is almost certainly my tranny line. Will use the jeep (and go up Britannia) but won't be pulling the trailer until Dodge looks at it on Tuesday.

Rear bumper and rocker guard skins go on tomorrow. Planning on Britannia for Monday.

 

[Septu]

I also mounted the 'new' rear bumper. Will post some pics later (including better ones of the trailer). Finally got the trailer hooked up and am on the road. First night in it will be tonight. It's a crappy picture... but its the best I have for now.

 

[Septu]

Well am back in Vancouver... several days sooner than I wanted to be. Went to Seattle on Wednesday (camped just outside of Seattle), then up to Bellingham on Friday. Spent Saturday wheeling with friends out by Harrison Hot Springs then had a BBQ and watched the end of the hockey game. I left the trailer at a friends place. Only damage was a crushed valve stem on the rear drivers side tire. No worries... run the spare. Oh and discovered that my overheating issue isn't my engine, but my transmission. I can play all day in 4lo with zero issues (up to about 35km - then it heats up again), but some hills or time spent in 4hi and it gets real hot very fast. Temp doesn't move more than a degree or so at idle.

I left that evening around 8pm for Sloquet... 80km down a FSR... with no signs and tons of off shoots... and no map or directions or a clue where the **** I was going (yeah I'm smart that way). However with some lucky *** guesses (theres several off shoots that are just as well worn as the 'main' road) I made it. Only turned around once (after I made the turn for the hot springs). Arrived at 130am. The place was packed, but a couple guys invited me to park/camp with them. Tent went up in minutes, and slept all night.

Brent and his buddy (can't remember his name) were on motor bikes... so I offered cold beer that night, and hot coffee in the morning. They were very happy. Hot springs were great. Sunday was gorgeous. Did little other than sit in the sun and read my book, chop wood for that evening and sit in the hot springs with my book and a beer. Now that's what I was looking forward to.

Unfortunately that nice weather wouldn't last... started raining Sunday evening. I quickly put up some tarps and continued to enjoy my spiked hot chocolate by the fire with my book. A side note... I need new lums (I think thats what they're called - the bulb for a propane lantern). The normal ones only seem to last one time before they get too brittle and break - I'm sure the very very bumpy road doesn't help. Anyone have suggestions?

Decided that I wasn't sticking around in the rain - I would have needed a bigger tarp and more rope. So decided to head to Lillooet. Another 80km of FSR - all of which was very bumpy. Made it to the highway... however decided that with how my tranny was acting up that I was going to have to spend 1 maybe 2 days in the shop as I wasn't comfortable going up into the hills around Lillooet, so I booked an apt in Vancouver with the dealer, and headed for Vancouver. 3km down the road (highway, however a 60km zone) I'm feeling vibrations from the drivers side rear tire... So I stop and check things out... everything looks okay (not flat or anything). So I head down the road again... however after a minute or so the vibrations are worse (I only noticed them at about 40km +). So I stop again to see what the heck is going on... well it turns out that all the lug nuts came loose and I had sheered one off. I tightened the remaining 4 and trucked on. Good news is I'm running a wheel spacer, so I can yank the spacer until I get a new one. I don't need a spacer on the rear other than for looks. But am pissed with myself. I had tightened them around 55-60km (after swapping the spare), but didn't check them again. And was going faster, and over a bumpier road than I was previously.

So am now back in Vancouver, and have a couple days to kill. Jeep goes into the shop on Wednesday (dealer says they need 1 maybe 1.5/2 days with it) and then on Friday I head north to Quesnel for my cousins wedding. But in general am frustrated - somewhat with myself for not checking the lug nuts again, and with the jeep in general. There were several places I wanted to check out that it doesn't look like I'll have time to now. Depending on when I get the jeep back (and assuming what they're planning on doing to the tranny will solve the issue) then I might have time, but it would be a very quick look see.

Now that said... trailer preformed great. I can't wait to get it home to get the extra wheels and whatnot out of it (there's currently 2 full size brand new spare stock m101 wheels and tires - not sure what I'll do with those - if anyone is in Van and wants them, make me an offer and they're yours), and my 3 16" Moab wheels plus all my camping crap. I thought there was tons of space now... I won't know what to do with it all next time I go out!! But am very very happy with the purchase. I took a couple pics (not many) but they're on the camera so I'll try to upload them later.

 

[redthies]

Which dealership is your Jeep at? Some are far better than others at getting things done.

 

[Dan Grec]

Hot springs were great. Sunday was gorgeous. Did little other than sit in the sun and read my book, chop wood for that evening and sit in the hot springs with my book and a beer. Now that's what I was looking forward to.

Awesome toe hear you enjoyed Sloquet I love that place, and a few others on that road.

Good luck with the repairs.

-Dan

 

[Septu]

Which dealership is your Jeep at? Some are far better than others at getting things done.

Carter in Burnaby.

 

[Septu]

V Rock - on the way to Sunrise Lake

On the FSR to Sloquet Hot Springs

 

[redthies]

Carter is better than a lot of them. The service manager who just left there last fall is a member on here, but is now in Whiterock. Hope all goes well!

 

[Septu]

Carter is better than a lot of them. The service manager who just left there last fall is a member on here, but is now in Whiterock. Hope all goes well!

I've been impressed with them. Am also loving the fact that every time I've called they've gotten me in within 2 days. Up north it would be at least 3-4 days.

 

[Septu]

Well am finally back home. Jeep ended up going to Northland in Prince George for the temp issue... they said they fixed it (was charged $300), only to find that they didn't do squat. The dealer in Whitehorse will deal with it all under warranty. Meanwhile I'll spend some time crafting my email to the guys in PG expressing my displeasure.

That said, the trip was good - well other than perhaps the 2 replace your window rock chips I received on the drive home. Total time gone was 3.5 weeks, and 7101 km (4438 miles).

Slept in the jeep once (on the way down... uncomfortable as hell - couldn't recline my seat). Slept at my parents place 9 nights and a friends place once (and was wickedly hungover after that - but had a great time). There were several extra nights spent at my parents due to shop appointments for the jeep. Otherwise I had planned on maybe spending 4 days there total.

Camped 5 nights in one stretch before heading back to Van to get work done on the jeep. Then spent 4 more nights tenting it over the rest of the trip. I would have spent another couple nights in the trailer, however my cousins had a free bed at their place, so I slept inside. I'm pretty sure my tent would have been more comfortable... however the bugs were atrocious.

Will have to remember to park the trailer in the shade... When I rolled into Liard Hot Springs at 530am (left PG at 3:30pm) I had to park in the parking lot... and there was no shade available... The tent (even with the flaps open) was too hot by 1030am to get any more sleep. One thing I've come to dislike about the tent is that unlike every ground tent I've owned... the door flaps are two completely separate parts. The solid cover only roles up to the top... meaning if you're still sleeping and want a breeze, without everyone seeing right into your tent... you have to leave the door parts down. I'm not sure if the answer is a fan of sorts, or some Velcro along the bottom to put in my own cover of sorts. So that I can leave the mesh up, and roll up the outer cover, while still having some privacy in the tent, yet still have the openings for the breeze. I'll figure something out. I also wonder how much of an issue it really is... I mean I live in the Yukon.

Now I just have to clean out the jeep and the trailer... but am pretty sure I'm taking it to Altin this weekend...

 

[Dan Grec]

Now I just have to clean out the jeep and the trailer... but am pretty sure I'm taking it to Altin this weekend...

Awesome to hear you had a great trip.
I'll see you at Atlin.

-Dan

 

[Septu]

Another trip up Montana Mountain (just outside of Carcross YT), with some pictures. I actually forgot my camera (doh!) so these are ones my buddy too. I would have posed the jeep more.

48.9km, 4:51 hours, gained 1754m, max altitude 1913m (6276ft - we walked probably another 100' or so up), min grade, -18.15%, max grade 16.45% (no clue how those are different... we covered the same routes in and out).





Pictures never do it justice... this was damn steep, and lots of loose shale. I want to go back... but want another jeep with lockers to come with me. We parked the 2nd jeep as it didn't have lockers, and we weren't completely comfortable that it could get up there.




One of the wider spots

 

[Dan Grec]

Another trip up Montana Mountain (just outside of Carcross YT),

Nice !

Where you up there Saturday or Sunday? I rode my bike up that same rode Sunday, then went down the Mountain Hero trail.
It's hard to see on your map if you made it that far around on the Nares side... did you go past that old rock building?.. I dropped down just a hundred meters past there.

Heather and I were saying the whole time we need a buddy to go Jeeping with up there, and I was wondering if you'd been right up.

If you ever have a spare seat, I'd love to come out for a day with you. I'll bring the refreshments

-Dan

 

[Septu]

Nice !

Where you up there Saturday or Sunday? I rode my bike up that same rode Sunday, then went down the Mountain Hero trail.
It's hard to see on your map if you made it that far around on the Nares side... did you go past that old rock building?.. I dropped down just a hundred meters past there.

Heather and I were saying the whole time we need a buddy to go Jeeping with up there, and I was wondering if you'd been right up.

If you ever have a spare seat, I'd love to come out for a day with you. I'll bring the refreshments

-Dan

Saturday. We went just past the old tram line before turning around. It was late in the afternoon, and knew it would take 80/90 minutes to get back to the bottom. Knowing how little snow there is up there, I'll go back. Either with a buddy, or alone (with a buddy on call to come rescue me lol). I was happy to see that the snow bank I got stuck in last time I was up there (early Sept last year) was mostly melted (by the old tram line), and one can easily get past it. In fact my board that I used to get out is still there in the middle of the trail.

And if I'd thought about it, I would have invited you. Added you to the local group. I usually post up before heading out...

 

[Dan Grec]

In fact my board that I used to get out is still there in the middle of the trail.

And if I'd thought about it, I would have invited you. Added you to the local group. I usually post up before heading out...

Thanks, that's awesome.
I'd love to see how the Rubi handles that loose shale.

I know exactly the board you are talking about. We dropped down the biking trail about 200m past there.
I heard that another ~1 km further is an amazing bowl with a split-level lake that is well worth checking out.

-Dan