Lumpskie's 1989 Grand Wagoneer Build

[lumpskie]

Been looking as well, as I don't want to get a winch, not an absolute replacement but a good start. Max is in pretty tight with the EP crowd, I say go for it. It's hard to swallow 1G after winch and bumper to use just a couple times.

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That's what I'm thinking. I want to keep the stock bumper and appearance of the Wagoneer but I got stuck in snow bad last year. I'm thinking these might help with that.

I used to wonder who in the world would ever buy something like that and then laugh at those I saw with them strapped to their roof racks. I just couldn't imagine a scenario when I'd need them.

Well, last weekend I went off roading with a group and we came across a drop-off in which the left side was really rutted out and if we'd of gone through there, more than one of us would have lost fender flares. I remember thinking that I wish we had one of those things to put down over the part that had been rutted out. So, now I can see how they can be useful.

^We run into that exact situation every year in the snow out here. Being that they don't really make Wagoneer body parts any more, I'm wanting to keep the body straight at all costs!


Here's what happened when I tried to get through some deep wet snow this past spring:

 

[Zeiderman]

Do what my daddy says about boats.

"Son (in my most manly voice), don't buy a boat (winch), just make friends with some one who already has one and be done with it"

Smart man he is, wish we could have had this discussion about my 3 Jeeps some days.

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[trust]

"Son (in my most manly voice), don't buy a boat (winch), just make friends with some one who already has one and be done with it"

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Now I know why I have friends....... I have a winch, and a spare tire, and a.....

 

[lumpskie]

Do what my daddy says about boats.

"Son (in my most manly voice), don't buy a boat (winch), just make friends with some one who already has one and be done with it"

Smart man he is, wish we could have had this discussion about my 3 Jeeps some days.

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Good point! But, where's the fun in that!?

Really... I'd like to take the Wagoneer on some trails near Walden, CO during the last week of December. Wifey and I like to go out there for a winter "Moose Safari". She gets to see moose and I get into the back country. The only thing is that we always go alone. I'm just wondering if these TREDs would be a good traction device to keep in the back of the Waggy, along with the shovel. My googling says that they are a decent product. Maybe not quite as nice as Maxtrax but still pretty good.

Has anyone out there used either of them before? My only exposure was watching the first season of Expedition Overland...

 

[lumpskie]

Here are some pictures from our Christmas tree run. We had a blizzard hit us on the way out of the National Forest. A couple of vehicles had slid down a hill and piled on top of each other and the Sherriff shut down the road to get out. My buddy (in the Tacoma in the picture) told a forest ranger that we had CB radios, recovery equipment and the experience to help... if he wanted. He decorated our rigs with orange tape and we passed all the stuck traffic to get to the hill. By that time, the other vehicles had already been recovered and we were the first rigs off the mountain. The Waggy did great, even without tire chains, even passing a 4wd contractor truck that was spinning tires and sliding on a hill! Moral of the story, always leave home prepared... and offroad club jackets make you look more official.

 

[lumpskie]

And the monster Christmas tree is up! (Even after cutting it shorter, I can't reach the top with my Little Giant ladder!)

 

[mtbxj87]

Did you lift it more? looks like more gap in the wheel wells

 

[Dr. Marneaus]

Awesome story! And there's nothing like the sight of a wag with a tree on top!

 

[lumpskie]

Did you lift it more? looks like more gap in the wheel wells

I think it might be the angle... I'm still on the same lift as before. That being said, I'm still really liking the end height. It has just a touch of the lifted look while maintaining the "classic" stock lines of the vehicle.

Awesome story! And there's nothing like the sight of a wag with a tree on top!

I was so excited to get a tree this year exactly for that reason!

 

[DailyJeep]

Which forest/area did you venture to get your tree?

Seems like the couple snows we've had had been extremely problematic RE: wrecks as it seems like folks have been unprepared. The Thanksgiving snow seemed to have a nice sheet of ice under it due to the rain before the snow. I know in a local XJ group, we've lost 2 XJs this winter already and had another one drive away from a flop after hitting black ice.

Love, love, LOVE your Waggy.

 

[lumpskie]

Which forest/area did you venture to get your tree?

Seems like the couple snows we've had had been extremely problematic RE: wrecks as it seems like folks have been unprepared. The Thanksgiving snow seemed to have a nice sheet of ice under it due to the rain before the snow. I know in a local XJ group, we've lost 2 XJs this winter already and had another one drive away from a flop after hitting black ice.

Love, love, LOVE your Waggy.

Thanks for the compliment, DailyJeep! We went to the Pike and San Isabel National forest area and you're right... it was slick out there! While we were out, there were at least 2 incidents of vehicles loosing traction and crashing. Since last weekend, the NFS has updated their webpage to require 4wd AND chains on the northern roads where we were:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/psicc/about-forest/districts/?cid=fsm9_032551

But, even with all the problems going on around us, the Waggy did great and didn't slide at all! Honestly, I was surprised we didn't have more issues because we were one of the only vehicles without chains that was driving like it was a Sunday drive out there! So, I can definately see how folks could slip and slide... even in a capable vehicle like an XJ. BTW, what part of CO are you in?

 

[DailyJeep]

BTW, what part of CO are you in?

I'm up in Fort Collins. I asked where you got the tree to try to figure out where you might be situated. Most people up here snag theirs in Roosevelt.

 

[lumpskie]

I'm up in Fort Collins. I asked where you got the tree to try to figure out where you might be situated. Most people up here snag theirs in Roosevelt.

I'm down in the Littleton area... but I bought my Jeep in Fort Collins!

 

[lumpskie]

I'm going on a "Winter Moose Photo Safari" this weekend up in State Forest State Park (Walden, CO). This will be a solo trip and I wanted to have a little more than just a shovel, since Walden is getting 8-13" of snow tonight and tomorrow. So, as I was cruising through Costco, I saw these and picked one up.

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Emergency-ES428-Black-Rubber/dp/B00KOAX42C

It's not the highest quality product, I'm sure. But, at $19.99, it's cheap and will probably be better than nothing! Has anyone used these Mr. Emergency traction devices before?

 

[mtbxj87]

I hope you don't ever have to use that. Get what you paid for type of thing. It will probably just get pushed right through the snow and mud, becoming ineffective. Maybe mounting it to 5/8 ply wood could help.