I finally got to sit down and watch the DVD. All I can say is WOW!

My roommates were all impressed that this was not made by some shop, but rather a labor of love from Mike.

A couple of things came to mind after watching most of the footage.

First, Steve, I am still sorry about that bad spot. My roommates were all like, that dude looks pissed, I thought you said that guy was cool. I hope that you don't think my truck on to it's side in January.

Second, I apologize for all the useless drivel that add because my voice carries so well. I felt like Howard Cozell on the first disc.

Steve's break looks really cool on the DVD, good to have that in reviewable form. I really like how there is a lot of standing and looking before we make any move on what to do to the truck.

Getting to see the trucks work was cool. I know that the rear must be flexing and stuffing, but I can't see it from the driver's seat.

I got no end of entertainment watching the Wheeler Lake footage when Steve was spotting. The conversations went a lot like this:
Driver: "What should I do?"
Steve: "SLOW DOWN!" "MY GOD SLOW DOWN!"
Repeat as needed for 3 to 5 minutes per driver.

Great DVD, Great Trip, Great People. I look forward to doing it again folks and hope that Moab is a go for October.

Thanks Mike for capturing such a great trip so that I can remember things at the touch of a button.

 

Poooor Schaefer, upset because he got stuck. :cry:

Actually, he just needed a couple more rocks, and he would have cleared it. I think what really capped the DVD was hearing Schaefer spewing about how the trail really started to suck...several times. I was laughing pretty hard on that one. Flygtenstein, you did a fine job of spotting.

I really liked that axle break. Seeing the dust fly off the tires was really cool. Next year, I'll make it.

 

For more opinions on the DVD, also see this thread: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...495&perpage=25

Ditto. It's always difficult hearing or seeing oneself on tape. Being the one holding the camera, my comments of course came through loud and clear. (There's nothing like having it driven home that you're a geek. Afterall, the tape doesn't lie!)
...due to a little editing trickery. I meant it as a light-hearted poke. Steve's a good guy. If you listen closely, there's a place shortly before that where you can hear Steve ask me what line I took -- because I was one of the first people who went over it (had to be pulled across) -- and Steve addresses me as "Lockerless Wonder." I was thinking, "Steve, it's more difficult than you think." I don't think he thought he'd have a hard time on it.

My favorite segment of the Rubberneck Replays is Steve Caskey's footage. The punch line came from Schaefer's mouth, and it's hillarious. Everyone I've shown it to has laughed out loud.

By the way, Adrian, how did you like the "ROCKWARE commercial"?

 

Even my clueless roommates understood that part. They were like, "Hey, I get it now, the bumper is Rockware because you use it on the rocks."

Some of my roommates were really funny. One asked if his Liberty could have done this. I said not really. One asked if I had all wheel drive, I said, you know those two switches that say ARB, they give me all wheel drive.

The repeating part where Steve says it is a drag and we need to get out was pretty funny too. As was the For Sale part.

 

You weenies are just jealous that I walked through French Creek like it was nothing.




Actually that part was the most like Arizona so I think I did the best there. Wheeler was fine as well.

FIrst time I ever had to deal with anything like the mud, etc. on Chinaman.

 

Steve is right. The crawler really did shine on French Creek. Everyone else struggled on that, but Steve made it the first try with no stops. (Of course, this "weenie" didn't even attempt it. )

The stuff Steve had trouble on, everyone (who tried it) had trouble on. There's only so much you can do about gravity and mud. Nevertheless, it was a lot of fun seeing Steve get the wind taken out of his sails... just because we love him.

 

I am really impressed with how the DVD turned out. It was a blast to watch, and listen to (even your "useless drivel" Adrian j/k).

It was a learning experience for me to see you all on the harder trails on day 1 and 3. Seeing how different drivers tackled the obstacle and what the end result was. I wish I rode shotgun with one of you for one of those days.

I heard the stories in camp about SteveO's break but I can honestly say they didn't do it justice. Maybe it was just the volume on my TV but it seemed like it was a pretty violent event. Hearing all the exclamations after it happened had me laughing.

The best part of the whole DVD experience was watching it with my wife. As I was explaining to her some of what you guys were doing at Chinaman's and French Creek (day 1?), she made a comment that really surprised me...

"You need lockers and a winch."

$20 well spent in my opinion...

And I just want to echo Adrian's comment: "Great DVD, Great Trip, Great People. I look forward to doing it again folks and hope that Moab is a go for October."

 

I watched a little again tonight, yes that makes 4 nights in a row.

I was still ticked at the spot on Chinamen's where I took so darn long to get my tail up. You know, the spot that Steve spanked with his singing? Still have no idea how that happened.

Regarding SteveO's break, I am still disappointed that we didn't get one more rock under that. He could have made that. I thought if he made it, I would try, but my balls shrunk when he broke that shaft. Not sure that you can see that on the DVD, but he had passenger rear off, driver's rear mostly off, driver's front off some of the time. All of that 3.4 went right into the passenger front.

Hard lockers are where it's at. I have been wondering if adding a rear locker to the new trucks, you are post 2000, right? I have been thinking that if the rear is locked, the front may fool itself and exercise better control saving you some major dime on the front ARB. I wheeled quite a bit with Mike this summer and I was pretty impressed with that TRAC system.

I like it when Steve says, "Brown, your turn, do it" when we were on Yoder Rock. That was pretty much the worst line to chose, but everyone ended all right.

 

Got the DVD today, have already watched some of it with the
wife. I enjoyed the expressions on her face. Then the questions started.

"Are you going to do that?" Me: "Yes dear."

"Well okay as long as you do not try it in my 4Runner." Me: "Yes Dear."

"What do they have on their 4Runners that you don't?"
Me: "Lift, Sliders, Bumpers, Lockers, Tires, Wheels, etc."

"Well if you are going to do that you better get it ready."
Me: "Yes Dear."




Now the mods begin!!!

It is a great DVD and I send my thanks to all who had a part in getting it together.

 

Watch it. We might need to check you into the Betty Ford clinic.
I think the line you were attempting was slightly different (...and you'll notice, Steve didn't make it on his first attempt).Not sure we really wanted to. Some things are better left unseen. If I read you right, your point is that a rear locker and TRAC might be a good combination. For me, that'll probably be what I'll try first. In most situations, I'm perfectly satisfied with the TRAC thing. I suspect the addition of a rear locker would be adequate to get me though most places where TRAC has failed me (like at The Crack in Moab). And since I don't plan to ever attempt something as difficult as Steve Hunt's line on Whale Rock, a front locker may not be necessary. What I really need is frame protection! But this has been off topic. Sorry...

 

By the way, it's very gratifying to hear people are enjoying it. I was really looking forward to this day. For a while, I was imagining people were thinking I was a flake. What they didn't know was that I had been working non-stop on the DVD since the Jamboree. It was a total frickin' pain! Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. I probably should have quit after the first month, but I kept feeling like I couldn't give up because "I had invested so much time already," and I was "soooooo close to having it wrapped up." Three months later... finally some satisfaction. Thank you for the "thank you's"! They make it all worth it.

 

Wow, I looked back at what you quoted that thought that I could never have written that. Turns out, the Not sure you can see that on the DVD part is refering to the way SteveO's tires were, not what I was discussing in the previous sentence.

What I mean with the Trac is that I think with only one end to worry about, it may work better, you will be going slower because of the rear locker, and perhaps it will work better on the front. Seeing you wheel that this summer, I came to appreciate it as a lot better than open diffs. After seeing where it struggled, it is also clear that it is not a complete substitute for lockers.

Frame protection, eh? I suppose that would help.

Again, thanks for seeing this project through to the end. I have really enjoyed it, just watched a little more at lunch, and all the people I have shown it to have also loved it.

 

TRAC sucks.

 

No doubt!


It's a lot better than open, and it gets me through almost anything, but, I know... it sucks.

I hope to get a locker someday. Maybe this Spring.
I was just having a little fun with you. But that's the way I originally read it, and I was thinking, "What the heck is he writing?"
Yoder, you hear that? Get your order in now! :xmas3:

 

See the stuff you won't try !!!

 

That was the other thing that did not make it on tape.

Someone kept saying how you need a front locker to wheel in Colorado, I'll be darned if I could remember who it was though...

I am sort of afraid to show my folks the DVD over Thanksgiving. My dad has an idea of what happens on the trails and knows about my lockers and stuff, but I have this feeling that my Mom is going to look poorly upon any future associations with you fine folks. I am hoping for the, "So that is what you need..." response.

When Martin is talking with that tree, there is some sort of muffled sound in the background, sounds like a lot of people, but I can't quite make it out.....

 

I said and still say that a front locker is a must have for Colorado. Just like a crawler box is a must have for Arizona.

In AZ you can do quite well with just a rear locker since we don't get much rain, hence the place being a Desert.

Mark G. did point out to me that you did spot me on Yoder rock where I told you to. Caskey just had a keener eye and a keener line.

 

What can I say, I take direction well. I think that my direction giving is a little suspect at this point... That was a tough obstacle, you went through 3 spotters on it!

I hear the new must have mod for Arizona is 35's, what do you say?

You will dig Moab with the crawler and better spotting. A lot like Arizona, only much better traction most of the time. Bad thing is that when you don't have traction, it is because there is rock dust so it is like driving with a thin layer of sugar on the rocks, lots of fun.

 

I don't think the steering rack will handle 35's.

Pretty much it's going to stay as is for a long time.

I want to get the boys a Suzuki QuadSport 50 and you know I'll need an ATV as well.

 

Time for the solid axle

I don't think I'll have the solid axle by next jambo, but I know I'll have better clearance on all sides. I'm going to build new high clearance bumpers and rock skis. Then I'll be able to make the Whale rock.