what kind of rig for NW wheeling (coming from AZ)

dirk · Jan 1, 2011

If you really want to keep the elements out, then you should hook up with Longfield & take a look at his rig...

Bobby & Tina stay pretty comfortable when they wheel in the nasty NW weather...some highlights of what he has done:

Custom cut chunk of windshield glass mounted to the front of the cage
Hand crank windshield wipers
Roof skin wraps over the front of the windshield to keep water out
The back half of the cage has a piece of plexiglass to cover behind the passenger seats...I assume it keeps the back end from filling up with snow or water from whipping around from behind at speed

IMHO plexiglass sucks...I tried it on my rig & actually prefer to run without it. A good pair of goggles does just fine for me.

:beer:

JOOP · Jan 1, 2011

So when are you due up here? You're pretty close to where I live. We'll have to hook up and I'll show your around to a few places.

johny5 · Jan 1, 2011

that rig will work fine up here but a full on tube buggy will work even better up here.

boardbysled · Jan 1, 2011

Throw some skins on it and a windshield of somekind, get a working heater, and run it!

KarlVP · Jan 1, 2011

I've been wheeling the PNW with the 4 banger for 5 years now.

I'd wheel your rig up here in a heartbeat.

There are A LOT of 22re 4cyl toyotas out here that are geared to the moon and do just fine.

You will need protection from the elements. Either a custom top or find some cheap tops on craigslist/ebay/local swapmeet that fit. If you get into the wheeling up here it is tight twisty fun "between the trees" wheeling that has a tendency to grab and tear a top or two.

You will do just fine up here.

IMHO, bring the rig up here and wheel it. If it isn't what you want or aren't having fun, there are plenty of folks that will buy it from you and you can go another direction.

Also, get a FULL year of seasonal wheeling in at a few places. Us West side of the Cascade mountains "wet siders" see lots of rain and have fun in the wet conditions year round.

If you go on the east side of the mountains, during the summer it is VERY dry and dusty. Nice dry rock wheeling or dusty trail wheeling. Hot conditions and lots of fun. During the winter very deep snow and still dry and lots of fun.

Either way, if you trailer your rig you aren't more than a few hours from lots of different types of wheeling. Even the desert/dunes stuff out towards Moses Lake.

It's all here. :awesomework:

ShmUDE · Jan 3, 2011

thanks for the ideas. I do still have a windshield frame (no glass, busted it) and might see if i can make it work. I have plans for door bars (would like to finish the dash/interior first) so skinning the sides and back shouldn't be a problem. Not sure what i want to do with the top. I'll see if i can find a picture of it but it has a curve down in the front that might be a PITA to bend around and make it look nice. I dont think a canvas top would last very long so im going to try and stay away from that.

Im due up there in April. Still looking for a place to rent with a big garage to store all this junk but it will be in the gig harbor, Port Orchard, Wauna area. I grew up in Wauna and went to HS in belfair so i know the area.

first thing i need to do is my flat skid...i ripped off my skidplate this weekend down here.:eeek:

ShmUDE · Jan 11, 2011

i'll just put this here as kinda my "getting prepped to leave thread"

Working on enclosing the back i bent up some new cage pices this past weekend. Going to wheel it like this for a big run this weekend and then chop/redo the rear shock mounts and enclose the whole back/top and add some hip/door bars.

and i built my flat skid and got it mounted.

ShmUDE · Sep 1, 2011

just an update to my "build for wa" thread

I blew the motor last run in az (cracked a piston). So i found a TJ 2.5 with harness and installed that. Lots of little issues with getting a TJ motor hooked up with a YJ trans. I finally figured it all out and she is currently running again! Ive got one little issue to work out with a high idle and the IAC sensor being stuck open and then i can shake it down. All the wiring is done except for tunes because i dont know what i want to run for speakers yet.

here are some pictures from the cell

new dash

back of the dash getting some more wires

mounted battery, computer, fusebox and some wiring tucked out of the way.

getting the exhaust put back in. I had no idea a 4banger could be so loud!

Mark m. · Sep 1, 2011

Sell it and buy a toyota:beer:

ShmUDE · Sep 1, 2011

Mark m. said:
Sell it and buy a toyota:beer:

in case you didn't notice, its got toyota parts in it.... Only thing still original and untuched on this rig is the hood, grill and transmission.

ShmUDE · Sep 16, 2011

worked on the rig this afternoon. finished up the steering and put diff guards on the front and back. Super Samurai stopped by to chat it up too. Nice meeting ya!

super samurai · Sep 16, 2011

Yup, this rig should do well around here.

Land Pirates Off Road · Sep 19, 2011

Until it blows up in a fire ball while rolling down one of our cliffs, it will work great. Just have to trailer it to the trails... done the rain gear... and have a really good heater. Cover the top in 6061, it is quieter than steel and will not rust. Make the doors that way too!

Your in our area... (Bremerton) We do have some rocks, a lot of gravel trails that turn into dust bolls in the summer, hill climbs, and there is mud if you want it.
Check out the Tahuya State Forest 4x4 trails... They have done a lot of work out there over the last few years and it has some fun stuff. Close to Gig Harbor too...

We stay out of the mud...

Big_MARK · Sep 19, 2011

ShmUDE said:
in case you didn't notice, its got toyota parts in it.... Only thing still original and untuched on this rig is the hood, grill and transmission.

Get rid of the Toyota parts (replace with 60's), install V8, add a roof, get the heater working (at least so it blows on your feet) feck the windshield.

Buy the Helly-Hanson wetsuit (poly Bibs and Jacket) and learn how to wear layers under it.

60's and V8 are really helpful around here (or they were..) when it get's muddy and slick horsepower and tire speed are a must (controlled bursts..) at times. Them Yota parts tend to **** themselves.

Other than that you can really just run what-cha got until you figure out I am not talking out of my ass.

TrikeKid · Sep 19, 2011

Big_MARK said:
Get rid of the Toyota parts (replace with 60's), install V8, add a roof, get the heater working (at least so it blows on your feet) feck the windshield.

Buy the Helly-Hanson wetsuit (poly Bibs and Jacket) and learn how to wear layers under it.

60's and V8 are really helpful around here (or they were..) when it get's muddy and slick horsepower and tire speed are a must (controlled bursts..) at times. Them Yota parts tend to **** themselves.

Other than that you can really just run what-cha got until you figure out I am not talking out of my ass.

All a matter of how ya drive... Well built toy running gear will be just fine, if it wasn't, there wouldn't be hundreds of them in this area.

BUILTnotBOT · Sep 19, 2011

gear'd fj80 frt and T100 rr with 37s you should be more than fine around here.....

MYSELF has never been a huge fan of the yota drivetrain but the weight, width and cost is vurry nice:redneck:. decent thirdmember'd axle and the endless flock of followers definitley speaks for itself.... THEY ARE F**KING EVERYWHERE!!!! enjoying the build, keep the updates coming and looking forward to see this rig on the trails!:awesomework: