Where do the buggys wheel?

[fj401ton]

I think we have a HUGE case of home/rock sickness.

This is where one is so in love/fond of rocks with massive traction and technical choices that here in the northwest the wheeling has then turned them into "rock snobs" and they have yet to let the enjoyment of the NW SOAK in.


Elbe will be full of fun in about a month.


Just cuz ya cant order the kinda pizza ya want dont mean ya have to go hungry. :beer:



AND ps, the Canads are gonna have fun with a leaf srung blazer that is "Looking for buggy trails".

:beer::beer:

please dont bring a blazer on 44's up here (canada) unless you go to stave mud flats.

If you try to go into the "trails" with a leaf sprung full body rig,, then expect to break and have severe body damage :awesomework:. lots of guys have tried with fully built rigs only to **** their **** up good. I also would hope you have a winch as well,, it will be needed :redneck:

 

[kayjef]

ha ha, this thread is becomming funny.

Although I run a blazer on 44's my vehicle is not a big gay mud truck, my rig is actually very balanced, and is lower than the naysayers think. Infact I stuffed rockwells under there with only 6" of lift, and still flexes. I have a 203/205 doubler with quality 1350 joints all around. For a leaf sprung vehicle this thing flexes great, but still has great stability and with my careful selection of springs the axle wrap is minimal. My full size rig with a v8, doubler, rockwells, and 44's weighs less than 6k lbs. It's not a competition crawler, and I never built it to be, but does very well on pretty much any trail.

Anyone who says I should stay away from any trail with my rig can :kissmybutt: because I will hit anything.

Chop shop, I am not a rock snob. Again, I don't hate the mud, but I prever a good technical trail. I understand I am in washington and will be spending a good chunk of my time wheeling on a muddy tight trail. Just trying to figure out all that's out there.

As far as my winch I have one that I can put at 3 different spots on my rig. Including one where I can flip myself back over.

And yes I actually want to buy a big chunk of land and make my own off-road park so I am no longer dependent on dnr or any other state or federal agency for my wheeling to stay open.

Enough about my rig and back to the question of where the hardcore wheeling is in the state. If you got good pics, or can point me to picks that would be awesome.

thanks for the replies

 

[srgould41]

Anywhere you wheel in the Northwest is going to be mud for at least 9 months of the year

Even the rocks will be covered in mud :haha:

 

[japerry]

ha ha, this thread is becomming funny.

Although I run a blazer on 44's my vehicle is not a big gay mud truck, my rig is actually very balanced, and is lower than the naysayers think. Infact I stuffed rockwells under there with only 6" of lift, and still flexes. I have a 203/205 doubler with quality 1350 joints all around. For a leaf sprung vehicle this thing flexes great, but still has great stability and with my careful selection of springs the axle wrap is minimal. My full size rig with a v8, doubler, rockwells, and 44's weighs less than 6k lbs. It's not a competition crawler, and I never built it to be, but does very well on pretty much any trail.

thanks for the replies

There is a guy up in Whatcom County who has a rig almost built just like yours (even has 44 boggers!), its a '76/82' Chev 2500 thats bobbed to be as short as a blazer, and built with a 14bolt rear, dana 60 front (w/CTMs). The problem you'll run into up here is size. Most of the buggies are tiny and the trails reflect that. The guy up north has to basically wedge himself through trees to keep up, and some don't like that amount of trail widening. He likes to run the small NW trails but has no interest in doing canada, his rig can barely go up a sidehill when its wet.

39.5" Stickys are pretty much the tire of choice, and the rocks people are climbing around are a bit different than Arizona, which is a bit more forgiving to boggers.

And like others have said, full size rigs are relatively rare here in the 'hardcore wheeling scene'. We have so many trees that we like bouncing around them, and full size rigs tend to widen the trails and make them not as fun anymore. I think that, more than anything, will be your problem.

 

[PORTER]

Please go to Tahuya, its plenty wide there.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

Width is NOT the issue.

We welcome ALL kinds of rigs here, big or small. :awesomework:


Its the 2000lbs in axle/tires that are gonna piss off those leafs that I wonder about. Ask Odie how his 47s on LEAFS like the throttle?

The throttle is needed here a bit to get up log and root covered hills.

How does your truck handle when say, held to the floor? Is it possible for the axles to violently remove themselves from the truck?


Im not baggin on anything, but I dont think you have gave the NW a fair shake yet.



Anyone remember Kelly's dodge?

 

[zukkev]

Anyone remember Kelly's dodge?

O ya...Killer trail rig...HUGE, but fun to watch wiggle thru the tight stuff! It is/was also a narrowed cab/body...something like 18" IIRC...

 

[zukkev]

There is a guy up in Whatcom County who has a rig almost built just like yours (even has 44 boggers!), its a '76/82' Chev 2500 thats bobbed to be as short as a blazer, and built with a 14bolt rear, dana 60 front (w/CTMs). The problem you'll run into up here is size. Most of the buggies are tiny and the trails reflect that. The guy up north has to basically wedge himself through trees to keep up, and some don't like that amount of trail widening. He likes to run the small NW trails but has no interest in doing canada, his rig can barely go up a sidehill when its wet.

I have wheeled with this dude MANY times, and can also vouch that although he does get thru it all ok, the rig no longer really resembles a full size! :haha: AND Japerry's right, he can't sidehill fer crap due to the slickness that the PNW has due to boggers, especially when wet...:awesomework:

 

[TreeClimber]

There is a guy up in Whatcom County who has a rig almost built just like yours (even has 44 boggers!), its a '76/82' Chev 2500 thats bobbed to be as short as a blazer, and built with a 14bolt rear, dana 60 front (w/CTMs). The problem you'll run into up here is size. Most of the buggies are tiny and the trails reflect that. The guy up north has to basically wedge himself through trees to keep up, and some don't like that amount of trail widening. He likes to run the small NW trails but has no interest in doing canada, his rig can barely go up a sidehill when its wet.

39.5" Stickys are pretty much the tire of choice, and the rocks people are climbing around are a bit different than Arizona, which is a bit more forgiving to boggers.

And like others have said, full size rigs are relatively rare here in the 'hardcore wheeling scene'. We have so many trees that we like bouncing around them, and full size rigs tend to widen the trails and make them not as fun anymore. I think that, more than anything, will be your problem.

 

[mark]

What everyone it trying to say, and being reletivly polight about it, is that full-size rigs ARE the rarity around here... for a reason. Its not that they can't be capable, its that the trails and terrain around are arn't condusive to them without damage to the rigs, or what it really the issue is damage to the trails. Too many trails have been lost do to trees being cut or knocked over, or just being damaged by dragging by them. It isn't always the full-size trucks that do it, but often it is (the disrespctfull ones).

There is a reason the Toyota, Jeep, and Suzuki is so popular around here, and why there is a fair amount of full buggies and truggies concidering our "lack" of hard-core rock trails. The narrower body rigs just plain fit better.

And also like Chop said, its the matter of keeping a rig together. Sounds like you've built a nice rig for your old stomping grounds, time will tell if it a good rig for the PNW. I'm sure there are alot of places it will be just fine. Other than some ocational tight spots you'll need some careful driving, Naches will probably be a great play area. But threading a big rig around might get old as well.

Heck, Evan's has an 80" width restriction... not even sure if your body will fit through that (or is it Elbe, been a long time since I've been to either).

 

[kayjef]

wow, this thread has officially been hijacked as to why I shouldn't run a full size here in washington.

Been told that since my first k5 blazer when I was 16. I don't care for jeeps, toyota's or samurai's but I can see why people like running them. I appreciate a well built buggy (emphasize WELL built). In fact recently I have been wheeling with a guy who rocks a Trent fab ultra4 buggy he competes and we are just looking for different places to wheel. I have put on local offroad contests, and judged we rock competitions. I love offroading in pretty much all of its various forms. I just love a well built full size crawler the most. And that's not going to change.

So damn, give the fact I run a full size a rest and lets get back on topic :redneck:

 

[mark]

Well, first "we'll" appreciate your experience putting on off-road competitions, as comps in WA are lacking for multiple reasons, even though (promoted correctly) there is a fairly decent crowd out there willing, able and wanting to beat on their rigs. I hope you can get involved with some of the already established events and help expand and/or improve them.

That being said, back to the topic of your thread, there is really TWO questions you're asking:

1) Where are all the "good" buggy trails.

2) Where are the good trails that would be APPROPRIATE for *my* rig in its current state that would not lead to increased trail closures or bad image or press for our sport

Yes, that last part IS important as WA trails are under fire and tight scrutiny, we are barely holding on to what we still have and loosing ground WAY faster than we will ever get it back. And even though actual "damage" may be minimal, 'perceived damage' is what the opposition is tuned into and harder to fight.

There are very few "legal" places to wheel in Washington State, and even less "Hard Core" trails, trail systems or areas. There are lots of "fun" places to wheel, that each have their own challenges. And they pretty much have already been talked about in this thread. The 'secret squirrel' wheeling places are NOT going to be talked about in an open forum. We've learned our lesson on those, which is part of the reason many of our old favorite areas are long gone.

 

[kayjef]

Well, first "we'll" appreciate your experience putting on off-road competitions, as comps in WA are lacking for multiple reasons, even though (promoted correctly) there is a fairly decent crowd out there willing, able and wanting to beat on their rigs. I hope you can get involved with some of the already established events and help expand and/or improve them.

That being said, back to the topic of your thread, there is really TWO questions you're asking:




Yes, that last part IS important as WA trails are under fire and tight scrutiny, we are barely holding on to what we still have and loosing ground WAY faster than we will ever get it back. And even though actual "damage" may be minimal, 'perceived damage' is what the opposition is tuned into and harder to fight.

There are very few "legal" places to wheel in Washington State, and even less "Hard Core" trails, trail systems or areas. There are lots of "fun" places to wheel, that each have their own challenges. And they pretty much have already been talked about in this thread. The 'secret squirrel' wheeling places are NOT going to be talked about in an open forum. We've learned our lesson on those, which is part of the reason many of our old favorite areas are long gone.

Thanks for your response. I would love to help get involved with events. I definitely will keep an eye out and volunteer at any that pop up. Infact one of my events in Arizona got into Peterson's 4 wheel and offroad a few years back. It was a lot of fun.

I above all know what it's like to have wheeling spots disappear. I am from Colorado where they close things at the drop of a hat. We are blessed that dnr even works with us. Regardless of how much they have screwed wheelers here, at least they are willing to work with us.

I don't feel that my full size is causing any damage to the trail (perceived or real). I am 85" wide at the tires. 78" wide at the body (or what's left of the body). I ran busywild at elbe no problem, fit everything just fine. The damage is caused by the guys with incompetent rigs trying anything to get around spots they shouldn't even be. (Just my humble opinion)

I am not asking anyone to divulge secret spots, I just want to know where the best sanctioned trails are. And now I know a few more so thanks to those who were helpful.

I guess I just don't understand how if we can build the trails up out at elbe how nobody had turned 1 of those into a really nasty technical trail with 3 or 4 BIG obstacles. Then maybe the buggy guys don't have to leave their rigs on jackstands.

 

[Corey Y]

Heck, Evan's has an 80" width restriction... not even sure if your body will fit through that (or is it Elbe, been a long time since I've been to either).

I took a fullsize Chev through Evans and had no problem in "tight" sections. I was following a Toyota 4runner that smashed in both side of his tub and destroyed his windshield frame.

 

[gas is on the right]

I don't feel that my full size is causing any damage to the trail (perceived or real). I am 85" wide at the tires. 78" wide at the body (or what's left of the body). .

ha...my yj is 80" at the tire bulge ...

post up some pictures of your rig

 

[NOISYBOY]

ha...my yj is 80" at the tire bulge ...

post up some pictures of your rig

X2 ics:

 

[TreeClimber]

You cannot host pics here, unless you are a 'star' member.

 

[JAWS]

hey 44's can still crawl. :flipoff:

I definitely like elbe. I think its a cool fun place, but since the trails are basically made and maintained by a lot of guys on here I am just surprised that one trail hasn't been turned into the toughest trail in the state. It seams like the manpower is there (work parties) and the resources (rocks) are already there, but everything that has been built I would only rate as a 6/10.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AeyECDIa2ZE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Well since you haven't showed up and helped at a Elbe work party I guess you wouldn't have a clue what you are talking about. But thanks for letting us know that all of our long days of work and improvments aren't good enough for you... Personaly im glad your going to wheel else where...

 

[srgould41]

He should be able to link to externally hosted pics, though.

You cannot host pics here, unless you are a 'star' member.

 

[Corey Y]

I guess I just don't understand how if we can build the trails up out at elbe how nobody had turned 1 of those into a really nasty technical trail with 3 or 4 BIG obstacles. Then maybe the buggy guys don't ckstands.

In your opinion, what can be done at Elbe to make a better trail? The DNR will only allow natural materials like rock and logs, no coulverts or concrete.