Marlin Crawler round up #7 sept 12-14

[wifesaysimadumbass]

anyone interested in going? i am most likely going possible caravan if someone from so cal is heading that way?

[BruceTS]

I will be going, but don't know when I plan to head up. If I can I'll get up there Wednsday or Thursday. Plan to camp at Buck Island until Friday or Saturday.....

[YotaGirl]

I thought about going...the Yosemite trip is right after the MCR. It would be easy to stay up there and go to both trips. :thumbup:

[wifesaysimadumbass]

i will most likely be leaving thursday afternoon and driving till i get there hey bruce as far as te area goes is there a place for me to park my tow rig and trailer?

[BruceTS]

You should have no problem with parking, there will be ton's of tow rigs joining you..... I plan to go in on the Loon Lake side.....

Thursday afternoon..... that means you'll get there after midnight..... I'll upload my GPS file with a few shortcuts.... You could camp in the staging area and head up Friday morning, most likely tag along with the early morning group. I'm sure there will be plenty doing the same......

[4runnerchevy]

Good site with coordinates
http://www.rubicon-trail.com/guide.html

Topo
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa116/4runnerchevy/rubicon3.jpg

Link to above topo
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa116/4runnerchevy/rubicon3.jpg

[wifesaysimadumbass]

i might have a trip up the dusy that is a possibilty some time this summer earlier if anyone is interested. but i will definately not be doing both... it just kind of depends if i can round up a couple other rigs to do the dusy

[wifesaysimadumbass]

well it looks like i changed up my plans i will definately be going on this run.... and i will most likely be leaving wednesday after work and driveing till i get to the trailhead....i will definately have at least one passenger but no kids... i have a couple of questions since this will be my rookie run....
1 is there anything that is a must have for the con. either camp gear or vehicle equipment( my rig is very well equipped)
2 how long after getting off the trail does it take to get back to your tow rig at the loon lake trailhead?

[RobG]

Man, I'm so jealous. I've ben saying I'm going to do that trip with the Marlin Boys next year for the past 2 or 3 years. Well, maybe next year.

Wishing you the best.

[wifesaysimadumbass]

thanks Rob
i've been wanting to do the con since i first got a 4x about 11 years ago every year it was something came up. this year i was looking at the reg form for this run online lamenting that i probably wasn't going again when my wife walked up and aksed if i was going i said yes but i expected to be told it probably wouldn't work out but she said go for it and everything seem to have finally lined up so i can go

[BruceTS]

well it looks like i changed up my plans i will definately be going on this run.... and i will most likely be leaving wednesday after work and driveing till i get to the trailhead....i will definately have at least one passenger but no kids... i have a couple of questions since this will be my rookie run....
1 is there anything that is a must have for the con. either camp gear or vehicle equipment( my rig is very well equipped)
2 how long after getting off the trail does it take to get back to your tow rig at the loon lake trailhead?


Don't think you'll need to bring much more than you usually pack. Just remember to bring a porta potty, pack everything out that you bring in......

Once you get to the trail head it don't take long to get to your tow rig. The problem is getting there.... Sunday morning everyone is trying to get back at the same time, so it usually takes the better half of the day to get back. Another option is to park at the Lake Tahoe side of the trail, it's a shorter distance to the gathering and then you can set-up a campsite at the springs, but you'll have to pay additional camping fees. Then run the trail back towards Loon Lake, afterwards turn around and have fun on the way to the event... I might just head up wednesday morning and stop at Marlin's shop, maybe I make a day of it in Fresno, then catch you on the road up....

[wifesaysimadumbass]

im definately leaving around 4 or so on wednesday and driving till i pass out or get there whichever comes first how far is buck island from the springs

[blacksheep]

Hey Mikey, still need a partner or open seat?

[wifesaysimadumbass]

hey bruce pm your number so we can meet up sometime on thursday

[wifesaysimadumbass]

well it looks like it's gonna be the Mikey and Bruce show for this run can't wait gotta a lot of crap to do tomorrow so i can have an easy departure on wednesday

[Marc P]

You guys be safe and have fun. Say hello to Marlin for the SD crew!!

Take pics!!! :asshat:

[wifesaysimadumbass]

i'm gonna invite him to superstition next year dont worry pics and vid will be posted

[Tankota]

Man I wish I could go. I'm outa dough and I think I have a popped head gasket!

Have fun though!

[wifesaysimadumbass]

dude you just finished that motor last year what up?

[Tankota]

Yea, I think its been almost three years. I've just rolled 27,000 miles on it the other day.

I think the problem it that I changed thermostats recently and installed a cheap one from autozone. This crappy thermostat allowed the engine to get really hot a couple times. I'm still driving the truck but it looses coolant and the exhaust sometimes smells like ethyl glycol. :tapedshut:

[4runnerchevy]

I'm outa dough and I think I have a popped head gasket!


You smell that ?.................It smells like a motor swap.

[Tankota]

You smell that ?.................It smells like a motor swap.


Well I am looking for an excuse to swap in a 3RZ, 2.7L four cylinder. :smokin:
But I did build that 22r with some balls behind it and its still got tons of life left. If only i could find a California legal propane conversion :headscratch: .

Sorry Mikey, now that I've throughly hijacked your thread :chair:

[BruceTS]

sorry I haven't been online much, but I've been scrambling to get things ready for this trip......

had a coolant leak that I first detected during Moab 2004 and never got around to fixing, but in the pst few months the center plug on the left bank of the engine kept fouling out. Turned out that the head gasket was leaking into the cylinder, so this past weekend I tore down the top end and replaced the head gasket. While apart I went ahead and replaced the water pump and timming belt....So it's running again and I'm getting my stuff organized for the trip. I may wait til later today to head out, but his should be a fun run.......

The leak from moab was caused by the heater tube that goes down the gallery, was leaking at the block. Just had to remove, clean and reseal it. The intake manifold gaskets had a slight leak as well. The water pump was actually doing well, but since it was apart.....

What I didn't get done was build a skid plate for my gas tank, so I'll have to take it easy in a few areas....

[wifesaysimadumbass]

made it back had an awesome time sooooooo tired need rest pics to come soon

[slosurfer]

:thumbup: Can't wait to see pics! :smokin:

[wifesaysimadumbass]

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd81/wifesaysimadumbass/ImportedPhotos00437.jpg?
bruce haeding up the granite bowl
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd81/wifesaysimadumbass/ImportedPhotos00438.jpg?
a little flex out spot
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd81/wifesaysimadumbass/ImportedPhotos00446.jpg?
marlin springs working how they should
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd81/wifesaysimadumbass/ImportedPhotos00454.jpg?
Bruce "I dont really like this angle"
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd81/wifesaysimadumbass/ImportedPhotos00459.jpg?
Spider Lake cliff jump
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd81/wifesaysimadumbass/ImportedPhotos00471.jpg?
This bad boy was a toyota drivetrain with 49 inch Iroks and 1 ton axles AND YES HE HAD THE STOCK 3.0 MOTOR!!!!

[slosurfer]

:thumbup: Nice pics! I can't wait to do that trail.

You bring the suckage at labeling your pics. :laugh: :flipoff:

[wifesaysimadumbass]

i fixed it more coming

[slosurfer]

:laugh:

That thing is sweet! Nice to see someone using the 3.0.


How do you like your Baja Claws? Your rig looks great, by the way.

[wifesaysimadumbass]

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd81/wifesaysimadumbass/ImportedPhotos00525.jpg?
into the springs
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd81/wifesaysimadumbass/ImportedPhotos00527.jpg?
Marlin the man himself and me changing out my leaky rear output seal
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd81/wifesaysimadumbass/ImportedPhotos00531.jpg?
coming out cadillac hill last pic before the camera battery died

This was such a great trip I cant even put it all into words we wheeled through some of the most beautiful scenery i've ever seen. we swam and cliff dived into spider lake, got to watch some serious crazies run the little sluice with some bad ass rigs. the party at the springs was so killer tri tip was awesome great people and great times. marlin fixed my leaky output seal in like ten minutes took me longer to remove the driveshaft. and the end of the trail when it dumps out into lake tahoe has some of the most scenic highway driving back to the trailhead. both Bruce and my rig survived with little carnage. Bruce got it worse than me he bent a rear axle i tore my tranny mount and need to work on the steering a bit more feels like something got real loose in the column
overall great trip hope you all can make it next year

[wifesaysimadumbass]

baja claws were bad ass

[Marc P]

Great pics Mikey...there are a ton more on Marlins site, including pics of the grey truggy in Little Sluice.

Maybe next year I can make it.

[Seanz0rz]

im so going to have to bum a ride next year... this is awesome!

[Marc P]

The best group of photos so far is from Peter Parks the editor of Toyota 4wd Owner mag....

http://www.parksoffroad.com/alloldtrips/MCR08/index.html

There are some good shots of Mikey and Bruce in it.

[Marc P]

Looks like Fish is gonna puke....

http://www.parksoffroad.com/alloldtrips/MCR08/slides/DSC_4049.JPG

Is that you guys camping??

http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=49992.0;attach=102 430;image

[RobG]

Wow, that looks like a good time. Definitely next year, maybe.

Great pics and nice rig!

[chrisyota65]

man i want to go next year

[strykersd]

I hope that one day I'll have a rig capable of making it through the Rubicon. I have a feeling that as long as my stock IFS just isn't going to cut it. I wonder how Bruce's 4runner faired, it appears it was the only non SFA rig there.

[4x4mike]

I wonder how Bruce's 4runner faired, it appears it was the only non SFA rig there.


It's done fine before.

[wifesaysimadumbass]

yeah thats our spot in the lower left.... such a great spot!

[BruceTS]

My rig handled the trail just fine....nothing broke, but I did get a few new dents and bent a rear axle. Got a set of Poly Perfromance axles yesterday and will be putting them in today. I got a bit on edge when I lifted my front wheel, it was at the point where it wanted to flop over on it's side, I ended up winching out of the slot. Will be busy for the next few days, hopefully I'll be able to upload pictures real soon, plus a few videos in Little Sluice.....