Rained all day,  Trails were sloppy and nearly impassable with out a winch.  Just too slick.







See the jeep in teh top right,  that is how steep it really is, That is where I broke.  We are driving up the face of the mountain.

I snapped a rear axle shaft less then 1 hr into the ride.

HERE:   







I always thought I break a 22 spline front shaft or aluminium chunk before a rear shaft.

No spare, so game over.    I know I will have spares next time.

So how are the bigger guys doing it with 33's and locked?

I see I can go Cal Mini HD shafts for just under $300.  Or i can carry spares and change them out more frequently. 

I was gathering to build a Kick buggy, but after this weekends trail ride I am considering another Toyota'd sammy.   My Kick was way out of it's league.  To tall & top heavy for the side hills.  Not enough under belly for the clift drops and steps.   

I don't know,   Gotta do some rethinking. 

2dr kick buggy with the Rockstar format build would do much better, but how much?




Yes the TJ Rubi (Not yet over) backed up and drove thru the notch called "The Body Shop" with no damage.  Guys wife teaches grade K.    Now class, what do you do this summer...

Rest of Pics are here:

http://photobucket.com/albums/a53/whitfimb/

Cool pics.  Sorry to hear about the breakage but don't give up on the kick so quickly.  Push comes to shove, you could toss the Yota axles under the Kick and save time on finding a new vehicle.

 

I hear and feel your pain.

And, it's for your exact reasons we went SAS.

As a matter of fact, it was this:



and


That happened here


WITH 33's AND a Lockrite, ON the stock sidekick rear axle.

So I guess not only the reason that we went SAS, BUT, the reason we redid our SAS with the FZJ80 axles. Strength.

 

Very cool looking trail ... looks like what we get here in the PNW. It's dry this time of year, but winter time cuts the dust and gets those nice slicky rocky climbs 

Thanks,  For the coments...   ANd Yes as the Galvins posted....  I see, definatly need to make some decisions.

Crozet is a nice place,  it is extreem, and with in 100 miles of Home. 

I've got rear axles...  Disk brake D-44 (Isuzu)
                                 Toyota's  (IFS P/U, 4-Runner, Mini Truck)
                                 12-Bolt 

And I've got platforms...  (2) 2dr kicks, (2) 4-dr Kicks, (6) sammy's

Just a matter of what to do.   Still need to sell some more stuff off and regroup.

The Ideal tire their for the Black trails was a q-78???  Swamper TSL  35.5" tall.   

I've got a set of 36" SX's  Just a matter of fitting them under the ideal vehicle. 

IFS rear under the Sammy with Sky's widened front and IFS Hubs will give me extra width for side hills.   I may extend the wheel base and loose the tank.   Gearing would easily be covered too with the sammy. 

My 4-dr is still a good truck just not ideial for this place.
At Corzet you will get body damage (Not 4dr friendly)
+  Extreem drops, rocks, and side hills.

If I build a Kick Buggy this place will be the acid test... 

They run all leves of comps thier on site. 
The buggys actually run up this ledge. 
I watched them do it last fall.

Looks like a lot of fun! I need to add some more rock protection before I try that place, though!

When I started snapping rear axles on a regular basis, I found a Currie Ford 9" and put it in the Kick. I have not had any troubles out of it since

Zig