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BernieD

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Posts
5,891
Location
Goodyear, AZ
This has been a frustrating year RVing year for us, bad weather and medical issues canceled Moab and all of our trips since QZ, but we were finally getting close to leaving Wednesday for the summer (2 months late ;)). I have a bad case of hitch itch.

A friend asked me to go on a Jeep overniter with him (and about 15 other tricked out Jeeps) last Sat. nite. Of course I had to take the XTerra and show up all those Jeeps  ;D and get a last good 4X4 ride in before leaving. Well, the black cloud is still there.

The rear end came down hard on some rocks and broke off the actuator mechanism from our drive shaft disconnect and then a while later I cut a tire, while knowing that I had a rear tire that probably had a nail in it. After lots of repositioning to get the truck fairly level we were able to change the tire (luckily the spare had all it's air). We finished the ride without any further incident and drove home. We left for the trip at 7PM and got back home at 6AM. First time I have ever seen my Garmin go from daylight to nite to daylight in one trip  ;D ;D

First thing Monday morning was to show up at Discount Tire where they repaired the nail in the right rear and ordered a new tire to replace the cut one. Then off to the shop that installed my disconnect to have them diagnose what we could do. With the truck on the lift I took a good look at all the scrapes, dents and other damage I did :mad: but everything was workable. The shop only needed a new actuator from REMCO. REMCO was out of stock of my size but they promised to make up a new one and ship it out today overnite. After I got back home, Discount Tire called and I went over there to get my new tire mounted.

Early tomorrow back to the shop for the disconnect repairs and hopefully we're on the road by 1PM, only a couple of hours late. Since we are planning on stopping in Palm Springs to have dinner with friends, we should be in good shape and maybe the black cloud is breaking up ;D
 
Ron said:
Hope all goes well now Bernie.  Have a safe and enjoyable trip.  Looking forward to seeing you and Marlene at Sam's Camp.

We're going to try and make it  :)
 
Well we are finally on the road, but would sure like to cool off.

My new drive shaft disconnect was finally delivered at 11:30 this morning and I was back home by 2PM. By the time we finished loading the refrigerator and closing up the house, it was 4PM. Right out into the high heat of the day, 115. Only made it to QZ and are staying in a CG with 50 amp power, but the A/Cs have been fighting it all day, and nite. AT 8:30PM it is still 103 outside. What is worse, our cold water is 103 degrees also. Don't need a water heater ;D

Hopefully it is a lot cooler in Valencia.
 
Bernie,

Hurry on up to Sam's Camp.  The summer mini rallies will begin this week. ;D  Temps here have been hot a couple days too clear up to the low 90/s.  Outside temp here now is 70F.

 
Ron said:
Bernie,

Hurry on up to Sam's Camp.  The summer mini rallies will begin this week. ;D  Temps here have been hot a couple days too clear up to the low 90/s.  Outside temp here now is 70F.

Ron

Our whole reason for waiting so long to leave was this family affair near LA this weekend. Then Marlene insists on seeing the lower Oregon coast that we missed last year and we still haven't been to Crater Lake and that is on the way. Time and patience ;D  It should be cooler once we leave the deserts.
 
Bernie,

I'm sure it will cool down for you as you get out of the desert country.  But remember the heat there around Phoenix is a dry heat. ;D
Current conditions here are 66.1 F, Humidity 58% wind 0 MPH, Sever clear, Baro 3001 and rising.  Forcast high for today is 82F.

Have a very enjoyable trip and we will see you when you get here.

 
Bernie,

>> It should be cooler once we leave the deserts.<<

But if you go up CA 99 or I-5, you woun't be out of the deserts till you get to the OR coast.  CA 101 is not much better till you are near San Francisco.  :-((

Been there done that!

Even we are in the hot belt with temps over 80 with a 90+ day predicted for tomorrow.

Jim
 
James Godward said:
Bernie,

>> It should be cooler once we leave the deserts.<<

But if you go up CA 99 or I-5, you woun't be out of the deserts till you get to the OR coast.  CA 101 is not much better till you are near San Francisco.  :-((

Been there done that!

Even we are in the hot belt with temps over 80 with a 90+ day predicted for tomorrow.

Jim

Even 90's would be good ;D This morning it was only 70 and a pleasure. I'll take that. we felt baked well done the last couple of days having to spend so much time outside in 115 heat without a lot of A/C :mad:
 
Bernie:

Glad to hear you are on the road again and sorry about the drive disconnect.  Your tale has reminded me not to take my axle lock Taurus anywhere to run with the Jeeps. :)
 
Smoky said:
Bernie:

Glad to hear you are on the road again and sorry about the drive disconnect.  Your tale has reminded me not to take my axle lock Taurus anywhere to run with the Jeeps. :)

Smoky

With all due respects, the Taurus wouldn't have lasted one mile into the trip ;D ;D
 
Bernie:

I am sure you are correct.  But I am also sure the axle lock array would have been fine.  It is very sturdy and has a very low profile.  It boils down to an axle replacement.  I still have the old axle in fact which can always be reinstalled though I cannot think of a reason for doing that.

But there is too much else that could wrong on a Taurus trying to run where 4 wheel drive is required.  The best result would have been simply getting stuck lol!  ;D

Looking forward to catching up with you and Marlene once again.  Likely this will be at Quartzite.
 
Smoky

In all probability, the axle lock would have been fine, it's location is more protected than the disconnect. The XTerra has over 9" of clearance but I still put a dimple in the oil pan, many scratches and gouges on the skid plates and other metal surfaces, bent the wings on the tow bar receiver tubes and tore off the disconnect mechanism which sits right under the drive shaft at the universal joint. The Taurus would have foundered at the first rock and not gotten any further, so significant damage would have been unlikely ;D ;D

I understand that 10 years ago when the county maintained the "road" a Taurus did make it.
 
I agree with you on the early foundering.? I like to think of it as a special protection process.? ?;D ;D

But if truth be known, I secretly lust for?a Liberty Jeep.? ?:'(
 
That Liberty does quite well in the rough from what I have seen.  I'm not sure exactly what the clearance is but I have seen it go over some rough places. 
 
I am no expert on this, but I have heard many good things about the Liberty on rough terrain both in forums and at campgrounds. Certainly would be better than a Taurus heheh.
 
Joe's Liberty took real good care of him when he followed Sam to  dripping springs and out down the wash on his very first off road trip.  But then as Terry Nathan knows that route is a piece of cake. ;D
 
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