Comanche Chief

[jbain08]

Hey MoparManiac.... I noticed you were the events guy for the NAC..... In southern WV they have just opened up a park called IVY Branch. Our Off Road club goes to Harlan every year..... but since IVY opened last spring we haven't been back. I just wanted everyone in the chapter to know the place existed and to try and promote the area as much as possible. It's part of the Hatfield and McCoy's trail system and the future is to open up more.

Here's a link to some pics http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/snider14/library/?view=recent&page=1

Also you can check out our club site for alot of other photo's ...... http://www.highcountryoffroad.org

 

[87manche]

good headsup on the ivy bridge. I was unaware tat the hatfield system had been opened up to full sized vehicles.

I'm gonna make it down there this summer for sure, I've got family that lives down that way that wheels.

 

[jbain08]

Right on.... let me know and we'll set it up..... where are you in Ohio?

 

[87manche]

the intersection of 250 and 71. I can be in charleston in about 5 hours.
250 to 77.

 

[Comanchedude]

Nice. good job

 

[jbain08]

Thanks Comanchedude.....

I went ahead and lengthened my Limit Straps 3.5 inches today by using 3 links of chain. This made a huge difference in my Droop. I also took the strap off an old paintball mask and made some flexible straps to hold my limit straps against my springs. Before I added the extension I took it to the hill I use as my RTI ramp and my Clinometer said 23 degrees when I started to teeter. After the extension I pulled up to the mark I made and I was only at 17 degrees…. So the extension helped a lot. Here are a couple pics.

After the last trip to IVY I had to borrow my brothers taillights from his race MJ because I had broken both of mine…. So I made a couple covers out of sheet metal. As soon as my LED’s arrive I’ll pull them back off and hang them but this should work for next weekend’s trip.

Then I decided to take one of the ratchet straps I got for Christmas and make a “Jerry” “Rigged” suck down strap. I plan to add a 2500 pound Harbor Freight in the future but for now I just wanted a way to keep the nose down when climbing. My trackbar has a bar the runs from frame rail to frame rail just below the oil pan. So I modified the strap a little and this is how it turned out. With very little effort I was able to pull the front down 2 inches. Then I drove it for a few miles on rough road and put it on an incline. I’ve been on this bank a few times and it feels pretty steep… but with the strap on it felt much better…. From the pic you can see how much the front is down…..

 

[Luke95]

That is a awesome mj! I like the limiting straps

 

[SkinnyRidgeMJ]

Someone needs to step up and make cheap aftermarket tail lights for us MJ guys... Used ones going for $180ea on Ebay!

 

[chedisme]

Someone needs to step up and make cheap aftermarket tail lights for us MJ guys... Used ones going for $180ea on Ebay!

you missed out I just sold a set for 55$

 

[SkinnyRidgeMJ]

I think you missed out. Could have got $360 for them. Haha. Its good some people are still honest.

 

[chedisme]

yea I sold them on here for that. if I had put them on ebay I would have asked for 100 atleast.

 

[autoboy454]

Any more pictures of the cross-brace on the trackbar? I've been looking at doing a front suck-down exactly like that on mine.

 

[jbain08]

No sorry those were the only 2 I took.... all it does is hook into the fairlead.... run throught the hole in the plate under the radiator.... then straight back to the trackbar brace.... then down and around the axle tube...... I was amazed on how much better it felt to be on an incline without the front unloading..... well worth the effort.

 

[jbain08]

Spent Friday and Saturday in IVY wheeling and had a great time, the weather was excellent ...... On friday I came down hard on a rock ledge and took out the rear drive shaft..... after making a new one Friday night I was back for more on Saturday. However on the last trail of the day I broke a long side u-joint but I keep unit bearing/axle replacements so I had it back and running in about 15 minutes. Here are a few pics.....

 

[jbain08]

A couple more.....

 

[chedisme]

I can't wait to get down there. It looks awesome

 

[jbain08]

A couple video's of a trail called Butchers Block...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpR9HBI61aQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0FZZxHaBwQ

 

[87manche]

where is IVY?

looks like a good time. I assume there's some non hardcore trails for stockish rigs?

 

[jbain08]

Ivy is in Southern West Virginia about 20 miles south of Charleston.... Pleanty of stockish trails to enjoy, another club was also in IVY over the weekend.... check out their link for some less hardcore trail pics and video's ...

http://www.jeepinwv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=31817&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

 

[87manche]

gonna have to make it down there sometime this summer.