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Took my '96 D1 and my friend's '06 Liberty (both with slight modifications) out to the local rock trail. Just dusting the cobwebs off the suspension, really.
We had to find a few detours for the Liberty, but I thought it did fairly well for an IFS on street tires. All videos were shot with tires at street pressure, I was more concerned about ground clearance than traction on this particular trail. Basalt is pretty grippy, especially when dry.
Videos in the next post.
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'96 Discovery, "Mountain Goat", 121k Miles, 60k service complete, rod knock but can't seem to kill it. Purchased 2010. OME Heavy Duty Springs, 235/85-R16 BFG KM2s, Custom Steering Damper Brackets, Custom Winch Bumper
'92 Ford Ranger Custom 2WD, "Kermit", 125k Miles, 4.0 V6 & 5-speed goodness. Purchased 2011.
'89 Nissan Sentra, "The Red Flame", 190k miles, new timing chain and clutch, purchased 2002. Currently being restored
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'96 Discovery, "Mountain Goat", 121k Miles, 60k service complete, rod knock but can't seem to kill it. Purchased 2010. OME Heavy Duty Springs, 235/85-R16 BFG KM2s, Custom Steering Damper Brackets, Custom Winch Bumper
'92 Ford Ranger Custom 2WD, "Kermit", 125k Miles, 4.0 V6 & 5-speed goodness. Purchased 2011.
'89 Nissan Sentra, "The Red Flame", 190k miles, new timing chain and clutch, purchased 2002. Currently being restored
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'96 Discovery, "Mountain Goat", 121k Miles, 60k service complete, rod knock but can't seem to kill it. Purchased 2010. OME Heavy Duty Springs, 235/85-R16 BFG KM2s, Custom Steering Damper Brackets, Custom Winch Bumper
'92 Ford Ranger Custom 2WD, "Kermit", 125k Miles, 4.0 V6 & 5-speed goodness. Purchased 2011.
'89 Nissan Sentra, "The Red Flame", 190k miles, new timing chain and clutch, purchased 2002. Currently being restored
Thanks, I thought it was a nice little outing with just the right amount of technical driving, but still open enough that I managed to cover quite a bit of ground. Sorry about the wind noise in all the videos, that's the norm around here.
Roverrocks, I saw you have a similar Disco that you took through Black Dragon Canyon in the San Rafael Swell. I actually went through that same trail on a mountain bike with my Boy Scout troop several years ago. I remember it being murder on my wrists and forearms! I also remember repeatedly having to dismount the bike to climb down over large rocks/dropoffs, and the trail was only easily passable in one direction (downhill) for bikers. How was the ride in a Rover? Did you go up or down the canyon?
I'd love to go back to the San Rafael Swell some time with my D1, I had all but forgotten the place until I saw your album. Funny how it doesn't really even show up on maps! At least it used to not.
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'96 Discovery, "Mountain Goat", 121k Miles, 60k service complete, rod knock but can't seem to kill it. Purchased 2010. OME Heavy Duty Springs, 235/85-R16 BFG KM2s, Custom Steering Damper Brackets, Custom Winch Bumper
'92 Ford Ranger Custom 2WD, "Kermit", 125k Miles, 4.0 V6 & 5-speed goodness. Purchased 2011.
'89 Nissan Sentra, "The Red Flame", 190k miles, new timing chain and clutch, purchased 2002. Currently being restored
My D1 looks a lot like yours except I have an ARB roof rack. Most of Black Dragon would be very good for bikes both up and down I think. Some ledges and washouts. Sure would be pretty on a bike. I think the sandy areas would be more troublesome going up than the ledges but I am not a mtn biking person. Only road bike some. I've only been up all the way in the canyon in my rover never down except back to I-70 from where the main pictographs are several times. Except for a couple of spots was pretty easy but it changes every year with flash floods. This year up and down in a rover would be pretty easy most spots. One spot has a hard V-shaped washout but there was a bypass. The Swell and the Reef have so many great spots. I've explored quite a few of them but lots more to see. There is an excellent National Geographic Trails Illustrated map of the Swell/Reef available that's well worth having. One could spend an entire vacation in the Swell and Reef. So much from north to south. I-70 going right thru it is extremely scenic in and of itself. Hope you get there again. Hundreds of miles of pretty easy roads. Great hikes everywhere too including slot canyons, arches, and incredible sandstone spires. Interesting mining and cowboy history too. Many of the deep canyons running thru the reef have pictographs too. I wish I could get there more often.
I think the flash floods may explain it, because when I was there, it seemed some of the ledges were big enough to challenge all but the most hard-core rock crawlers. I was scared I'd endo if I actually rode my bike off them. That was probably 10-15 years ago.
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'96 Discovery, "Mountain Goat", 121k Miles, 60k service complete, rod knock but can't seem to kill it. Purchased 2010. OME Heavy Duty Springs, 235/85-R16 BFG KM2s, Custom Steering Damper Brackets, Custom Winch Bumper
'92 Ford Ranger Custom 2WD, "Kermit", 125k Miles, 4.0 V6 & 5-speed goodness. Purchased 2011.
'89 Nissan Sentra, "The Red Flame", 190k miles, new timing chain and clutch, purchased 2002. Currently being restored
Sweet footage. What classifies "Slight" modifications? Haha
Thank you! Okay, slight modifications. You should note both vehicles are running open front and rear differentials, the Jeep has factory installed traction control which seemed to adequately compensate for the street tires on this terrain. Neither vehicle has had extensive modifications to suspension geometry, or axle swaps, or anything like that.
Current modifications on the Rover:
Old Man Emu heavy duty coil springs (about 1.5-2" of lift)
Pro Comp (ick!) shocks and steering damper
265/75-R16 (32") Big-O brand mud terrains, no body trimming
Improved rear bumper end-cap mounts (haha)
Front air dam/spoiler/fog lamps removed
Aftermarket exhaust and intake
Planned modifications on the Rover:
BF Goodrich 235/85-R16 KM2s with full-sized spare (still 32" but better tires overall)
Home-made steering damper relocation brackets
Home-made skid plates & dislocation cones
Stainless steel mesh extended brake lines
Possibly home-made rear shock relocation brackets (if needed)
Rear sway bar quick-disconnects
Better shocks when I can afford them
I'll do other stuff in the future (bumper, winch, lockers) but there's no need to get too ambitious at this stage. I'm taking the build as slowly as I can and doing lots of fabrication myself to make sure I don't break the bank.
Current modifications on the Jeep:
Rusty's Offroad 2.5" lift coils
Rusty's Offroad shocks
Home-made rear brake line extension bracket
Rear sway bar deleted completely
29" street tires (don't remember exact size)
Planned modifications on the Jeep:
30 or 31" all-terrain tires
Possibly better recovery points...
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'96 Discovery, "Mountain Goat", 121k Miles, 60k service complete, rod knock but can't seem to kill it. Purchased 2010. OME Heavy Duty Springs, 235/85-R16 BFG KM2s, Custom Steering Damper Brackets, Custom Winch Bumper
'92 Ford Ranger Custom 2WD, "Kermit", 125k Miles, 4.0 V6 & 5-speed goodness. Purchased 2011.
'89 Nissan Sentra, "The Red Flame", 190k miles, new timing chain and clutch, purchased 2002. Currently being restored
Weekend at the Rexburg Rock Trail (videos)
