[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Nice job on the FJ.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

How close to the wall did you get? I love that one trail where your ear is almost touching the ground. Your rig is looking great. I like those rims. I have a rental right now. My Atrac and Rear locker stopped yesterday right before I was going to rip up blowsand. I was bummed. I'll get it back soon I hope. I love Toyota of El Cajon. They didn't read me the riot act for any of my modifications and provided me a rental car FOC.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

:worried: I wimped on it. I have body carnage from the last time I tried it. The strange thing about that obstacle is that sometimes you make it and sometimes you don't. An H-2 (wide sucker) made it through without a scratch as did Highbeams. A 4-Runner had damage from the front bumper along the side to the rear bumper. I've made it several times without damage but didn't take that bypass this time. And if you call me a tame cat for not doing it this time, my only excuse is that you are what you eat.:thefinger:

I did take that nasty bypass (the second one) and not many others went that way with me.:banana_hitit:

That one is a pucker route for sure. I wouldn't dream of ever telling a driver that they wimped out. I've done it (wimped out if you will). It shows that you are aware of your comfort level and you're a more experienced wheeler. I chose not to go up a trail in Big Bear for the same reason. I just didn't feel comfortable and I felt my rig was underprepared (no tranny skid) for the rock garden.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Sweet! rock buggies are the bleep! Awesome.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Damn you guys have lots of mods. I just had chance to browse your thread Larry and your rig is truely unique. Great job. I need to put up a thread for my rig. Great job documenting everything.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

That is a great story Larry.

I would ask is obsession we have the FJ her self or where the FJ takes us and the story's she tells us on those journeys. And are the mods just gifts of thanks to her for what she has done.

Crap Jeshua that is the deepest thing I've ever heard you say man, I'm in tears :clap:

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Ok if we put Uphill and FU-Ollie on a trail ride, ANY problem that comes along WON'T be a problem anymore! Very thorough kit sir.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Great pictures Larry. That looks like a really sweet journey. Ratburgers? Oh my gaud! A joke right? Yuck. But hey I guess if you were starving then eat up.

The rear end the went out, what's the build date? was he just motoring along or spinning wheels and then they caught traction and Boom?

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

They're clean, they're bush meat. This is what FJCRUSR had to say about the rat meat (add a French Canadian accent):





TCAO and I have some insight on that. Toyota changed the rear differential manufacture in FEBRUARY 07. So a build after that date will have the new, softer gears that will give and take better. The earlier gears are harder and are better suited to pavement. They usually break when you "hop" the rear end. THIRDMEMBER was taking a much harder line than we took up over a ledge (climbing) and in order to get the back end over he gave it the gas and the rear end "hopped" over. When it came down, 9 teeth snapped off the rear diff.

Note to self, don't spin hop and drop and lock in my FJ, or possible BOOM may result. Thanks Larry. I still can't believe you really made bushburgers that's killer.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Next time we make an overnighter where HIGHBEAMS is present, I'll set some snares and we'll see what we can trap and kill for his dinner. I don't know but...:worried: he may not be able to save the cactus THIS TIME.:grim:

That's awesome I'd really like to learn the fine art of setting snares myself.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

It does sound like an incredible trip.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

As far as sway bar links go, it seems that the problem with broken links has more to do with the coil-overs and their rubbing on the sway bar, etc. Donahoe, King, etc don't have any problems with bent links. Walker Evans coils (larger than Donahoe) tend to rub and at compression, bend/break the links. All Pro sells WE under their label. Make of that what you will. I run OEM links and I'm happy.

FYI I'm running the WEs and the ultimate links. NO rubbing! Its the sway bar man. Get a hold of the shifty sway bar and you've got a hold of the bent/broken link problem. You're right the WE is larger at the bottom but if the sway bar is centered properly and prevented from moving with a good collar (not the stock one) you won't have any problems bending/breaking links. Stock or after market links.

Some of us obviously drive way out of the limits of the FJ and thus you are going to break everything.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

That's a sweet shot Larry.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Light it up! That's looking mighty bright. I need to try to take some night shots of my lights. Thanks for the idea Larry. :wave:

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Maybe it's time for me to consider a modified Avatar(?)... naaaah.

Ok that avatar is the chit! Love it.

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

30,000+ views on this thread! Everyone is drinking the grape juice :grinbiginvert: . Have you eclipsed Air2air yet?

 

[frogeye]

Re: Meet the Scorpion (Uphill's Build-Up)

Purity of the desert. You aren't kidding. I took off Sunday Night for Anza Borrego, Sheep Canyon. I went up Coyote Canyon alone at night. I felt like a pioneer. Just my ride, my dog, and nature. It was a full moon that night and I ended up meeting 3 friends up at Sheep Canyon. Spent the evening around the campfire under the full brilliance of the full moon. We woke up in the morning to a sunrise that created huge rainbows that were very close to our campground. Packed up and left it they way we found it. Pure.

It's flattering that some people care about what I've done but my rig isn't in the class of Amanda's or Sol's SFA rockFJ's, AIR2AIR's starship, DRAGON's or SHADOW-WARRIOR's works of rolling wicked metal, or any of a number of other completely trick FJC's. It's not as well thought out as TCAO's or as custom as COWBOY 4X4's or as scratched up as MIR207's and I could go on.

At the same time, I do enjoy driving it. At the risk of sounding very trite, just driving it is a pure pleasure to me.

There is a purity to the desert, especially at night. Driving beyond the city lights, beyond the human stain and turning off the engine and the power and the accessories and sitting there in the crisp chill of dry desert night with the stars as bright as a carpet overhead, I forget who I am and where I am for a moment and find myself at peace.

Maybe some of that fulfillment I find is passed on through this build-up site. At least I hope so. Because it's really not about the modifications or customizations to me. I enjoyed the stock FJ every bit as much as I enjoy it now that it's flashy as a rat with a gold tooth. It's all about the joy of spending time with people who have common interests, going someplace remote and for a brief transcendental moment, being able to see what's on the other side of the horizon.

That's how I felt when I took it out for the first time and it's how I feel about the FJ today.

 

[frogeye]

Since we are all talking about Larry's lovely daughter Emilie, I just thought I'd add what a pleasure it was to finally meet her at the meet and greet.

Poor Larry, he's got some very beautiful daughters on his hands. If they all look like Emilie, Larry must be having a hell of a time with boys. :bigthumb:.

 

[frogeye]

Great info. I'm running a TRD drop in that requires pre oiling. I've always been very careful not to over oil for this reason. If you haven't already posted a pic of that sensor could you please! I'm at work and can't get pictures here so thanks if you did.:bigthumb:

 

[frogeye]

Thank you Jim. So, you just unbolt it and lift it out to clean then? Awesome. I'll do it this weekend.:bigthumb:

Really easy to find. When looking at the engine the inlet is to your left and on the top of the inlet tube you'll see the harness plugged into the sensor which is held down with two screws.

Bottom view

I think that this is the correct side view