Canadian Disco 2 Build

[R_Lefebvre]

Uh huh. I think it will be impossible to distinguish been any damage caused my more pedestrian causes such as leaky sunroofs, leaky windshield seal, leaky AC condensate, and attack from road salt.

I'd like to hear the explanation about exactly how driving in 3 feet of water is worse than driving in a rain storm on the highway. Water gets everywhere, particularly if you are in the spray thrown up from a transport truck. And, at least there is no salt in those ponds.

My floor and frame had rust when I bought it, and it had never been off-road. At least now the carpets get dried when needed, and I won't drive it in the winter anymore, so it should in fact be doing better.

 

[ShearPin]

Ontario Canada

I live in Ontario, Canada also and have run a few of the trails Rob has posted pictures of. I've learned in this part of the country - if you want to get into the woods - driving through muddy water is a requirement. Otherwise you stay on dirt roads with no camping opportunities.

I lived in the desert southwest when I started doing weekend and longer trips. For 10 some odd years I was happy with 265/75/16's on my Series III with open axles for the - through the desert, over the mountain, through the woods - type of trails I liked to do.

When I set about building my 110 - back in Ontario, Canada - I noticed I was using the winch more. Deep mud and water on nearly every trail got me thinking about lifts, lockers, and larger tires.

I guess my point is - had I stayed in the desert southwest my 110 would look like a very different vehicle. In the desert I'd come home from a trip and wash the truck in the driveway - brush the sand off my gear. In Ontario I need 10 bucks at the self serve car wash, diff fluid change, bug bite lotion, and if it rained three good hours of sun with all my gear on the lawn - drying. I know the trips are harder on my vehicle and component longevity but I still love getting out to the more remote lakes to camp with my wife and kid....

Henry
www.4x4freedom.com

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Yep, that's exactly what I've been saying. It's not that I go looking for water. It's just... it's how it is up here. You either accept that you have to get the truck wet, or stay home. Simple as that. Everybody who wheels, does this to their truck, because there is no choice.

Even my motorcycle. I've had it in water up to the seat on numerous occaisions. No choice. Every enduro I've done, a large number of people suck in water at least once during the event, and we're all well practiced in how to dewater a bike. Frankly, it's more common than tire punctures.

 

[AlexJet]

I live in Ontario, Canada also and have run a few of the trails Rob has posted pictures of. I've learned in this part of the country - if you want to get into the woods - driving through muddy water is a requirement. Otherwise you stay on dirt roads with no camping opportunities.

I lived in the desert southwest when I started doing weekend and longer trips. For 10 some odd years I was happy with 265/75/16's on my Series III with open axles for the - through the desert, over the mountain, through the woods - type of trails I liked to do.

When I set about building my 110 - back in Ontario, Canada - I noticed I was using the winch more. Deep mud and water on nearly every trail got me thinking about lifts, lockers, and larger tires.

I guess my point is - had I stayed in the desert southwest my 110 would look like a very different vehicle. In the desert I'd come home from a trip and wash the truck in the driveway - brush the sand off my gear. In Ontario I need 10 bucks at the self serve car wash, diff fluid change, bug bite lotion, and if it rained three good hours of sun with all my gear on the lawn - drying. I know the trips are harder on my vehicle and component longevity but I still love getting out to the more remote lakes to camp with my wife and kid....

Henry
www.4x4freedom.com

Yep, that's exactly what I've been saying. It's not that I go looking for water. It's just... it's how it is up here. You either accept that you have to get the truck wet, or stay home. Simple as that. Everybody who wheels, does this to their truck, because there is no choice.

Even my motorcycle. I've had it in water up to the seat on numerous occaisions. No choice. Every enduro I've done, a large number of people suck in water at least once during the event, and we're all well practiced in how to dewater a bike. Frankly, it's more common than tire punctures.

This is our harsh Canadian reality. we have completly different enviroment then South in States. I'm rustproofing my truck every Fall and repainting the underside every Spring. It takes up to 2 days each season. Cleaning up from expeditions like CampNL takes 5 hours for me doing outside and my wife working inside the truck at the same time (total of 10 man hours!). And I can say we still love this sport. My truck has TC Long-Travel and 5" lift with 35" tires, and it still difficult to pass some places here. Mud, Clay, Water, deep Snow, flat slicky Rock faces is a reality here and we have to get prepare our equipment for it. I'm having many friends mainly on the West coast who drives same 4Runners with less lift and they are fine. I'm thinking me driving there my truck will be overkill for some trails. It's like driving Arctic truck in Savanah, yes it can there, but not necessary equipment. All I want to say is that each of us has truck made to the condition he or she drives around and everyone has its own priorities. I like what some of you guys does in States, but it wouldn't be that practical here, may besomeone does an oposite looking at our machines...

 

[muskyman]

I have no problem understanding the amount of water near you, having grown up in wisconsin and driven on hunting trips all over NW ontario I know all about water crossing and mud.

What I think people are more talking about is the choice of truck for those conditions. Bottom line a NAS DII is a poor choice for those conditions and the amount of electrical items in it will end up being the problem.

Its not about if things can be taken apart and dried out and such, it is about do you really want to spend all your time doing it. The D1's have much less to worry about but even they have a bunch. I often think about turning mine into a super basic truck just for that reason but once I start going through everything in my head or on paper I quickly decide I may as well start from scratch and use a RRC LWB chassis under a old 109 body and go all mechanical diesel engine with a simple manual drivetrain. In the end you have a much easier truck to keep happy under those conditions.

As much as you want to justify the water crossing it is going to damage the 04 DII in the end and you will never convince me otherwise. I have just seen to many trucks ruined in dirty muddy water crossings over the years. window regulators, electric seats, blower motors, relay after relay, the list goes on and on and there is just no easy way to clean and dry out all of it everytime the truck gets stuck and flooded.

 

[Alaska Mike]

I'm completely with Rob in this regard- if the choice is wheeling in the water and not wheeling, I'm wheeling in the water and dealing with the added maintenance. Southcentral Alaskan trails are pretty much exactly as he pictured. If you don't want to cross water, you stay on maintained roads.

That said, my Jeep has aged much more rapidly up here in the wet country. I've replaced/rebuilt/upgraded just about every major system over the years I've owned it- more so since I've moved to Alaska. The water, mud, and glacial silt certainly showed me where the weak points were. The Jeep is about as un-techie as a gas-fired vehicle can get- it doesn't even have a radio.

My Rover will likely hit similar trails to the ones pictured one day, because that's what is around here. I'd prefer a dry, rocky, desert trail, but we don't have any of those around here.

The more places I wheel, the more I find that nobody is an expert on all terrain. What is completely inappropriate in one style of wheeling is required in another. Price of admission, I guess.

 

[michaels]

i don't know if you ever check pirate, but alex a.k.a. "darkstar" pretty much wheened his wiring harness down to the most basic wires to run the truck. if you still want climate controls and a clock, then leave those but there are so many redundant wires and unnecessary systems it's ridiculous.

I have no problem understanding the amount of water near you, having grown up in wisconsin and driven on hunting trips all over NW ontario I know all about water crossing and mud.

What I think people are more talking about is the choice of truck for those conditions. Bottom line a NAS DII is a poor choice for those conditions and the amount of electrical items in it will end up being the problem.

Its not about if things can be taken apart and dried out and such, it is about do you really want to spend all your time doing it. The D1's have much less to worry about but even they have a bunch. I often think about turning mine into a super basic truck just for that reason but once I start going through everything in my head or on paper I quickly decide I may as well start from scratch and use a RRC LWB chassis under a old 109 body and go all mechanical diesel engine with a simple manual drivetrain. In the end you have a much easier truck to keep happy under those conditions.

As much as you want to justify the water crossing it is going to damage the 04 DII in the end and you will never convince me otherwise. I have just seen to many trucks ruined in dirty muddy water crossings over the years. window regulators, electric seats, blower motors, relay after relay, the list goes on and on and there is just no easy way to clean and dry out all of it everytime the truck gets stuck and flooded.

 

[muskyman]

i don't know if you ever check pirate, but alex a.k.a. "darkstar" pretty much wheened his wiring harness down to the most basic wires to run the truck. if you still want climate controls and a clock, then leave those but there are so many redundant wires and unnecessary systems it's ridiculous.

I know Alex and have stood in his garage as he culled wires out of the truggy

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I have no problem understanding the amount of water near you, having grown up in wisconsin and driven on hunting trips all over NW ontario I know all about water crossing and mud.

What I think people are more talking about is the choice of truck for those conditions. Bottom line a NAS DII is a poor choice for those conditions and the amount of electrical items in it will end up being the problem.

Its not about if things can be taken apart and dried out and such, it is about do you really want to spend all your time doing it. The D1's have much less to worry about but even they have a bunch. I often think about turning mine into a super basic truck just for that reason but once I start going through everything in my head or on paper I quickly decide I may as well start from scratch and use a RRC LWB chassis under a old 109 body and go all mechanical diesel engine with a simple manual drivetrain. In the end you have a much easier truck to keep happy under those conditions.

As much as you want to justify the water crossing it is going to damage the 04 DII in the end and you will never convince me otherwise. I have just seen to many trucks ruined in dirty muddy water crossings over the years. window regulators, electric seats, blower motors, relay after relay, the list goes on and on and there is just no easy way to clean and dry out all of it everytime the truck gets stuck and flooded.

I bought the D2 for many reasons, not because I thought it was the ultimate off-road machine. I won't be changing anytime soon. I certainly won't be buying a D1.

I guess we can just keep rehashing this over and over again, but I really don't see the point.

i don't know if you ever check pirate, but alex a.k.a. "darkstar" pretty much wheened his wiring harness down to the most basic wires to run the truck. if you still want climate controls and a clock, then leave those but there are so many redundant wires and unnecessary systems it's ridiculous.

I have thought of that type of process myself. But it would probably accompany a TD5 swap. Maybe after a few more years.

 

[muskyman]

I bought the D2 for many reasons, not because I thought it was the ultimate off-road machine. I won't be changing anytime soon. I certainly won't be buying a D1.

I guess we can just keep rehashing this over and over again, but I really don't see the point.



.

Rob I am starting to think you have reading comprehension problems, I never told you to get a D1 or that is was superior. In fact I said they have a bunch of issues as well.

 

[SeaRubi]

I too am a fan of the WD40 :victory:

 

[michaelgroves]

Wow... the RRC is just a fantastic vehicle, isn't it? Incredible how modern it still looks, considering it was designed in 1969. And IMO, it still sets the standard for the way stock suspension should work off-road...

 

[michaels]

classics certainly are beautiful. it's a wonderful platform to modify. hell, i'd drive one stock.

 

[SeaRubi]

aww schucks ... thanks fellas After owning two jeeps I'm greatly looking forward to getting back into a classic. My first and true love - I think the RRC is the best 4x4 ever made.

that particular truck is a 1991 model, somewhat infamously known as Gatsby.

 

[muskyman]

classics certainly are beautiful. it's a wonderful platform to modify. hell, i'd drive one stock.

they are great trucks to drive stock and for certain tasks hard to beat

this is my wife's DD doing musky boat duty