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I must say, that I can think of no better way ta meet a fellow Bronco list member........than spending the day playing in the woods! I think fun was had by all.....and we would have covered a bit more ground I am sure, if my friend Johns Jeep hadn't to decide to shed a rear axle shaft halfway down a nasty hill! ( he says Sorry for the hold up BTW ) The mud hole we played in was fun for sure....and after two attempts.......Mike Masse I believe, is forming a slight dislike for that particular hole......And I bet, a resolve to conquer it next spring in style! And Mike.....I will get ya out again I promise :-)
I have to say I was glad Eric Long and Brett made the trip up (minus their trucks) and spent the day riding with us and helping spot the "little" Broncos.....would have been a much longer day without their help.....Bring the trucks next time dudes :-)
Rick Columbo and his wife joined us on the pipeline also......and I think Rick had some fun playing around and watching us mess around....LOL
So.....the carnage started with the jeep axle....after inspection it looks like the shaft and axle housing are both Junk....Along with possibly a side gear in the Lock-Right! This happened about two hours into the trail ride!
The second " Problem" was Mike Masses first attempt at the mud hole Mike is so fond of! Seems a bit of mud and water got where it shouldn't have been and caused a dead "no start" Bronco.....This makes pulling them out a bit more difficult....after a valiant effort by Ricks upright Warn to extract Mike...... I snatched him out with Dahorse......Then, after some "attention" from a specially designed tool I use on Dahorse on occasion, it fired right up....After watching myself and Andy go through the hole...... Mike decided another attempt was in order....And he darn near made it this time.....:-) After pulling him out again....We went to watch the others in the group attack the "rock hill" in the stock Broncos....This was when I noticed problem three! Seems the Horse didn't wanna back up at all...it would go backwards about three feet and then bind up and stop....After borrowing a floor jack (thanks Andy) it was determined we had at least, a Broken Detroit...( turned out to be a bit more)
So because Mikes Bronco was severely overheating at this point we opted to leave the group and limp the two broken Broncos towards camp......After a pause, I towed Mike back to camp.....with the rest of the group following and our day on the trail was over!
After a bit, I was pondering how it was, that out of three trucks that arrived on a trailer.......two were gonna have to have the trailers to get home! Funny how that works isn't it?
So after hosing mikes Radiator of mud, and pausing for a group photo, we headed back towards home...after 10 miles it was obvious that Mikes truck didn't appreciate the mud cuz it was steaming again........so after another flushing of the radiator, we again headed home....about 15 miles down the road, Mike again was "way hot" and we had a problem....looked like a possible water pump problem! With two trailers and three Broken trucks.....and 200 miles to travel........it was looking like a long night to say the least!
After a bit of thinking we decided to pull Dahorse off it's trailer and see if we could limp it to Brett's parents place 40 miles from where we were (again thanks for the offer Brett)......So after loading Mike on the trailer we headed home again....Arriving at the next city with a restaurant......we stopped for a badly needed supper.....At that point I decided to see if the Horse would make it home.....Or at least some place closer! So after saying goodbye to Erik and Brett we headed off.....And we made it home!
I think that as a group it was a great example as to how friends stick together and make things work! Thanks all for a enjoyable trip!
Carnage on Dahorse is as follows! Rear Detroit broke at the case! (Ring gear was holding it together) One very twisted rear axle shaft!......Cracked third member......three teeth missing from the ring gear (probably why it didn't wanna back up) twisted and bent rear drive shaft.....and a rear out put shaft on the transfer case that somehow got almost a half turn in the splines! But it made it home! Go figure, but that darn thing drove over 200 miles in that condition! ( I really hate 9inchers)
I babied and pampered that truck all day.....and still managed to have some carnage! but no mistake....I enjoyed it and would do it again as soon as i could put it together! :-)
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