OK, here's a summary:

On 9pm Friday night, 3 miles east of Madera on Hwy 120, Matt's JGC gets a check-engine light, then immediately overheats. The PS pump pulley had cracked and fell off the pump, and since the JGC uses a single serpentine belt, he had to get towed back home. (He drove his other car up the next morning to join us, though.)

On Saturday afternoon, I drove my Pathy through a stream crossing a little too fast, causing several fan blades on my newly-installed electric fan to break off.

While I attempted to perform emergency repairs back at camp, the rest of the group went 'wheeling, and Josh bent a tie-rod adjuster, then later slashed a sidewall. The volcanic rocks in that region are sharp!

This trip resulted in the most carnage (# of incidents) we've ever had on an Xcursion. (Let's hope it stays that way!)

Dean is spot on, except it was 10pm.

About 4 miles outside of Manteca I heard a short "buzz", 5 seconds later my temperature shot up, lost power steering, and then the engine died. When I pulled over and popped the hood we found out that the pully on the power steering pump had failed, taking out the single belt which also drives the alternator, a/c, fan, and water pump. When the belt broke the cooling system stopped working, the temperature shot up, and the ECU shut down the engine to prevent damage.

Dean towed me the 4 miles back into town with his tow strap and then I called AAA. After a interesting tow truck ride Bandit and I made it back home at about 1:00am and then set out in my Subaru the next day.

I installed a nice new PS pump and pully last wekeend and am good to go.

What fun! Thanks again to Dean, Connie, and Huy for helping out and waiting for the truck to arrive.

- Matt

And I replaced the fan blades in my electric fan. In the future, I will definitely be turning them off during any kind of water crossing!

Sorry, I've bean a little backed up with work.
Dean did indeed sum it up well. It was a great trip, with some interesting carnage. Thanks to everyone for the help replacing (and supplying) my bent tie rod adjuster, and then the tire. As for my X, LesSwabb replaced the tire, no questions asked for free and I got it realigned. Not that I had to, the teck said it was still dead on. Good job guys.
Note to anyone who has the stock steering on a lifted X: Although I have run the stock system for a while without problem, when it bent I was not doing anything that extreem. I would suggest that you replace it as soon as you can afford it. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the invite guys. It was a great trip and a nice little vacation for me. Great to meet those of you I hadn't before, and see those of you I know. I look forward to the next run, I may even have my new SS by then, but you can be sure I will have a few Tie rod adjusters. :p


Casper

Breaking belts must be contagious. After the sourgrass trip I've been looking into new belts for mine.

Plus everything happens in 3s...who's next?

I think I've got that covered already. (I broke 2 belts on the Sourgrass weekend, and Matt's was #3.)

better late then never right?

Didn't get many pics, but there are some of the dam and tree.

It was good seeing you guys again and meeting those I hadn't bumped into before. I am looking forward to a trip to BRT.

By the way, I acquisitioned a new trail rig. It's a 2000 4Runner with a 5-speed manual and factory e-locker. The black truck has been sold.



I am looking forward to starting over with a new platform. Shorter wheelbase =

Ken

Very clean 4Runner...

So, where do you start? Solid front axle?

The A-arms are being cut off as we speak. (not really)

Immediate plans include a 2.5" lift (4 OME coils & shocks), 32 or 33" tires and rock sliders in place of the existing running boards. Thank goodness it already has the locker; I am too lazy to do another e-locker retrofit.

A set-up like this wouldn't bother me a bit:


Eventually I would like lower transfer case gears, bumpers F&R and of course the TRD supercharger

Let's meet up again soon...

Nice Ken, So join us here!

Hi Guys,
Well, I'm here in Oklahoma. It was a long trip, but we didn't have any problems with the X pulling the Olds. It ended up the dolly did not have brakes, but that was OK. It did get dicey in Oklahoma city where the trafic suddenly stopped ahead of us. My wife was driving, and after locking up the brakes without slowing down much, she realized we weren't going to stop so she quickly took the offramp. Crisis avoided thankfully.

Soooo, who want's to come over and go wheeling with me? C'mon... anybody?

Have fun wheeling in CA.

Your wife is a cool chick! Good reflexes and knits too...Glad you made it out there OK
We'll miss you here and there could even be a time we'll be passing through your way and stop by!
Enjoy your new life out there!