Archives for posts with tag: Trail

Honda will release the CT125 in Japan this year. This light, little off-roader has been updated with front and rear disk brakes, front-wheel ABS, a bash plate, and optional heated grips. The 124 cc engine is mated to a semi-automatic, 4-speed gearbox, a combination which is said to take you 220 miles on a 1.4-gallon tank. That’s about 157 mpg!

Incidentally the Honda 125 Super Cub is the most popular motor vehicle ever with over 100 million sold since it was released in the late 1950s.

Thanks to my friend Nathan from Northwest Resilience for the tip about this!

The Rubicon Trail is one of the toughest in the country. Though some of the most truck-destroying obstacles have reportedly been made less trecherous in recent years, the trail is still a grueling, 12-mile challenge. If you’re interested in tackling it, check out this video review from Terraflex. It’s one of the first I’ve seen that gives a good overview.

This is a 10-out-of-10 difficulty trail. Stock trucks can make it with difficulty but should expect damage. According to the video, 35″ tires, lockers, and 3″ of lift could be considered baseline for making through without undue stress.

If you do go, do your research, and don’t go alone. I’ve included some links below to get you started.

Thanks to Greg from gadmachine for suggesting this video.

Links:
Rubicon Trail Foundation (vehicle and general prep.
)
County of Eldorado (trail conditions)

WCXC: Rookies on the Rubicon (a 7-part series on this site of man’s first time on the trail)

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Read the whole post here.

This is a “Spotted” post but in this case the seller of this beautifully restored FJ45 Troopy spotted me (or the site rather). It’s WCXC’s first seller submission. Here’s the story:

The seller states that this right-hand-drive, 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45 Troopy started its life in Australia where it racked up only 127,000 km (~79, 400 miles). In 2011, it was legally imported into the U.S. and given a ground-up, frame-off restoration during which the frame and body were stripped, chemical dipped, and epoxy sealed. The frame was then painted with POR-15, and the body got a fresh respray. Truck has clocked 600 km (~375 miles) since then.

The seller also reports that the engine, the venerable 4.2-liter 2F, was rebuilt, balanced, and blueprinted. A new H55F, 5-speed manual transmission was fitted and mated to custom drive shafts. The suspension is an Old Man Emu system, fitted with heavy springs, and greasable shackles and spring pins. The addition of custom sway bars are said to virtually eliminate body roll while cornering. The seller further reports that the axles, differentials and transfer case have all been refreshed with new Toyota parts. Six new 33″ BFGs round out the picture — no pun intended.

Up front, the ARB bull bar is ready for your choice of winch. Out back, a dual swing-away bumper, carries two spares and a Hi-Lift jack (not pictured but said to be included). The roof and doors are removable.

Perhaps the biggest change from stock is the conversion to a dual-fuel system, meaning the truck can run on propane or gasoline. The big advantage of propane is significantly reduced vehicle emissions. Cleaner burning fuel also means a cleaner, longer lasting engine. On the downside, propane packs about 25% less power per gallon than gasoline does. It also sells for about 25% less than gasoline, based on national averages. According to Petersen’s 4Wheel & Offroad propane’s relative lack of punch should only result in a 10% drop in mileage. But a 10% mileage loss at a 25% savings means you’ll still come out ahead. With 12 gallons of gasoline, and 15 gallons of propane on board, the range should be an improvement over the stock 22 gallon tank.

The seller goes on to say that throughout the $72,000 restoration, every nut, bolt, seal, and bearing on the truck was replaced — nothing was left untouched. The result is an almost 30-year-old truck that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

The cost of this beige beauty with comfortable seating for eleven? Significantly less than cost of the restoration at $55,000. Given what restored FJ40s have been selling for at auction lately, this Troopy seems like quite a deal.

Click here to email the seller directly. The truck is located in northern Colorado.

Link resources: Photobucket Gallery

Don’t miss all the photos after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »


Photo: Gregory McDonald

Shortly after getting on the road for our second day on the California Backcountry Discovery Trail, a tiny CRV carrying a long, thin, rip-stop-nylon-clad load on its roof, came clamoring up the rocky trail behind us. In front of us a Toyota Tacoma made its way up the mountain, similarly equipped. We were way out in the forest in traffic.

Soon we figured out what all of the congestion was about. Besides the opening of deer season, people were heading up to Hull Mountain for a hang glider “fly in.” Read the rest of this entry »


Photo: Gregory McDonald

I first spotted the California Backcountry Discovery Trail a couple of years ago as a yellow highlighted route on my Mendocino National Forest map. The idea for the CBDT started in the 1960s when 4-wheel-drive enthusiasts had the dream of creating a jeep trail that would traverse the length of the state from Mexico to Oregon.

Today over 600 miles of trails are designated as part of that system. Try to find information on it though and you won’t come up with much. I called the Ranger’s Station in Upper Lake and they faxed me some mid-90s-era brochures. They listed “Discovery Points” along the route, mostly things like campsites, trail heads, and, interestingly, a hang glider port.

Wanting to see what this grand 4×4 trail system was all about, we planned a week-long trip up the CBDT starting at the southern end of the Mendocino National Forest and snaking through the Six Rivers National Forest. Our 235-mile route would end on a 35-mile-long, 5,000-foot-high ridge called Southfork Mountain. We would traverse some of the least visited wilderness in the state, an area more known for its bigfoot sightings than anything else.

This past September Natalie, Greg, and I set off to see what the CBDT had to offer.

Update: I posted a map at the bottom of the post. Read the rest of this entry »