Project T100: "Baja Explorer Ver. 2"
- Thread starter G100
- Start date
G100
Adventurer
Baja Trip
Here's a couple shots from my recent trip to the tip of Baja and back with the new bumper.
The Way Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bahia Concepcion
The Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nueve Palmas
The Step
The Test
The Roads
The Reason
Here's a couple shots from my recent trip to the tip of Baja and back with the new bumper.
The Way Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bahia Concepcion
The Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nueve Palmas
The Step
The Test
The Roads
The Reason
AlwaysExplr87
Member
Thanks for throwing in a pick of beautiful, glassy waves. It makes dealing with the east coast summer duldrums that much easier (in the most sarcastic tone the intrawebz can convey).
taco chaser
Supporting Sponsor
Baja looks so nice. How's the temp this time of year ? ... cool trip and photos.
Overland Hadley
on a journey
The Step
Nice bumper!
G100
Adventurer
The temp varied a lot, the pacific side was perfect air temp when it wasn't cloudy, but the water was cold almost all the way down, the sea of cortez side up by Mulege was down right HOT, I don't think it dropped below 85 ever, made for a miserable night in the back of the truck, luckly only one. Futher down on the east cape it was fairly hot during the day,nice in the shade, but the temp would drop to a very comfortable level at night, and the water temp was about as perfect as you could ask for.
G100
Adventurer
Upgraded Suspension
Well at the end of the Baja trip I noticed a sound coming from my front drivers side shock. Can't imagine why, maybe it was the 250 miles of washboard dirt roads and for those of you who know Baja, I think the nail in the coffin was the north road out of Scorpian bay on the way back. The way back is always the worst cause you stop taking it easy and you're just trying to get to the border as fast a possible.
So after taking a look at it I realized my top bushing that holds the shock's piston rod was completely gone, so it was just moving around freely, probably making the hole larger everytime I hit a bump. While I was checking this out I noticed my sway arm end link bushing looked about as dry as a saltine cracker.
So about $180 later:
Bilsteins and Energy Suspension End-Links
When I pulled off my old ranchos (came with the car, who knows how old) I was expecting a little fight with some resistance . . . nope. I unscrewed the bolts, compressed them no problem and they stayed compressed, no return, now I'm no expert but sounds like they're shot to me. Not the case with the new ones, those Billys put up a fight, once compressed they're returning whether you like it or not. They actually raised my truck over a 1/2 inch.
Before & Afters
I'm loving the ride, the truck just feels tougher, well worth the $$.
Well at the end of the Baja trip I noticed a sound coming from my front drivers side shock. Can't imagine why, maybe it was the 250 miles of washboard dirt roads and for those of you who know Baja, I think the nail in the coffin was the north road out of Scorpian bay on the way back. The way back is always the worst cause you stop taking it easy and you're just trying to get to the border as fast a possible.
So after taking a look at it I realized my top bushing that holds the shock's piston rod was completely gone, so it was just moving around freely, probably making the hole larger everytime I hit a bump. While I was checking this out I noticed my sway arm end link bushing looked about as dry as a saltine cracker.
So about $180 later:
Bilsteins and Energy Suspension End-Links
When I pulled off my old ranchos (came with the car, who knows how old) I was expecting a little fight with some resistance . . . nope. I unscrewed the bolts, compressed them no problem and they stayed compressed, no return, now I'm no expert but sounds like they're shot to me. Not the case with the new ones, those Billys put up a fight, once compressed they're returning whether you like it or not. They actually raised my truck over a 1/2 inch.
Before & Afters
I'm loving the ride, the truck just feels tougher, well worth the $$.
Regcabguy
Oil eater.
Driving out of 'Scorp on the northern route is indeed a nail biter at times. We hugged the marshes one trip and went maybe 20-30 miles over a thin layer of seawater. You couldn't see the actual road! The locals had placed sticks every 200 ft or so to mark the way. I'm awaiting the return of some neighbors who dragged a trailer from hell in there via the south route of course. They bought a couple of lots in the north side of town. I spoke to a guy yesterday at the beach who drove a 2wd F-150 loaded with bodies and beer in there via the north road at night no less. Stock air pressure and at night made it especially harrowing. After getting lost a million times,they somehow made it. Somebody was looking out for them. The surf was going off with the usual mob out,but they scored. Needless to say,they drove home via the south road.
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
I dragged the Yanmar diesel generator trailer that is now at Rice & Beans in San Ig. (or so I've been told) out over the north road. We came through the silt beds rather than the coast road. Trailer broke an axle spring at the big 'Y' out there near the bay. All that we could manage was 5 mph heading towards San Ig. Finally the owner came back for it with a bigger trailer and got it to R&B. I'm told that R&B bought it for emergency power.
G100
Adventurer
I am pretty positive that it is stock, I would definitely like to know if it isn't. What looks different to you?
red87
Adventurer
My pickup doesn't have the extra bit of metal over it and I thought the two had identical front suspension. It wouldn't be the first time I was wrong though
