I had the pleasure this weekend to watch some wicked action up at the Tellico OHV park in Tellico Plains, TN/Murphy, NC.

I watched Jeeps that had thousands of dollars pumped into them, Rail Buggies with chain reduction drives on thier axles, Cherokees, 'Zukis, and some Hybrids. All of them were very good competitive rigs capable of doing some crazy terrain with minimal problems. I did however see this one '83 Toyota Pickup 4x4, stock with 34 x 10.50 SS LTB's on it PUT TO SHAME ALL OF THE OTHER 4 WHEELING VEHICLES IN THE ENTIRE PARK. It had the standard 22R engine. Stock axles, stock drive train. NO LIFT. The owner had bought the truck off of someone that had rolled it over destroying the body. All of the other components on the truck worked, and worked well. After the owner purchased the vehicle, he brought it home, stripped the entire body except for the bottom half of the cab, built a roll cage and then bobbed the frame in the rear. He put those 34" tires on there and this was the trucks maiden voyage. I cannot tell you how surprised everyone in that park was at the capabilities of this truck. I was continuously shouting all over the place, "Oh, what a feeling! TOYOTA!!!" I know that some of the Jeep crowd was pissed off, but I kept on yelling it. I love it when a beatup old '83 Toyota will spank all of the other $60k vehicles. It makes me proud to own a Toyota 4x4 myself.

I thought I'd share my experience with you fellow Toyota lovers. If you have a good story to share that brightens the day of 'Yota lovers around the world and darken those of other "brands" of 4wheel drives, feel free to bring it to the table and let the world know that Toyota rules the offroad world, not
Just
Empty
Every
Pocket owners.

Peace out,

Tyler

 

I can't believe that there isn't any comments on this...I figured I'd post a story about our beloved Toyota's on a Toyota board and NO ONE found it interesting. Jeez. Tough crowd.

 

Thank you. More stories welcome here!!!!! Bring 'em on!

 

This ones good, Took my wifes Tacoma (stock) up to a place called Greens Peak near us. Saw a Cherokee and a Rover stuck. Stopped to help and one of the guys actually told me my "cheap, stock rig wasn't capable" So I threw her in low and climbed around them up the hill as they watched in amazement . When I hit the top I yelled down to them that " I have tow straps in my cheap stock rig"! The fat guy flipped me off, so I laughed and left. When we went back a couple of hours later guess what we saw??? Yep they were still there The fat guy had popped a tire off his wheel.... sounds cheap to me Happy?

 

heres one too. So all of my friends have american trucks with big engines and all so my friend with his Z71 is sitting there rite infront of this mud puddle telling me that i shouldnt go in it because my little japanese suv with a small engine wont make it threw. So i sat there and took his crap and some more crap and then we finally started goin and i went first and made it through this puddle with ease and then my friend follows me and gets stuck instantly. I hop out of my rig and say "guess this little japanese suv is going to have to pull you out. Since then he hasnt said one thing about my rig.

 

Great stories. I was just at Engineer pass in colorado this past weekend after a storm came through and dropped some snow. My buddy and I (he had a 2000 discovery) where ready to head up the trail when a jeep wrangler came down and warned us that a the trail is pretty "hairy" in a few spots and some trucks got stuck. The jeep couldn't make it - challenged issued. We made it no problem...

here is a picture but it doesn't show the difficulty:



Here is what he missed out on:

 

Tyler,

Where do you live? I live in Maryville, TN just outside of Knoxville. Let's go wheeling sometime soon. I'm thinking about hitting some trails at Windrock this Saturday, and I'm planning to go to the Dixie Run on Oct. 3-5 at Tellico.

Let me know,

Chris

P.S. What do you drive?

 

I've seriously got to make the move to Colorado. I love the terrain and scenery out there. Great Pics!

Chris

 

As of right now my DD is my Toyota 4x4. I have to be nice to it since it's my transportation to and from work. I am working on getting my '87 F150 up and running (go figure, it's a ford!). When I put a D60 in the rearend I'll be ready to go out and play again. As of now all I get to play with are 4 wheelers. I still trailer them up to the OHV park in Tellico though. I was there last weekend (duh...of course ) Anyway, I'd love to get together sometime and wheel. I've always enjoyed going to Royal Blue in my Ford. It's a lil too big to ride up in Tellico with. If you're still interested, I'm hoping to get a D60 in by the end of the month. Then we can see if the 'ol Ford will run more than 3 feet without breaking!!!!!

 

Cool man! That would be awesome! So are you close to Maryville, TN, because there's a lot of other trails around here too.

Chris

 

Im down in K-town. So Yeah, reallllllllly close to you!

 

Sweet! ARe you game for some Windrock action tomorrow?

Chris

 

man, how i'd love to, but my wife has plans with me

 

Oh well, maybe sometime soon! Keep in touch!

Chris

 

will do bud! I really wanna go this weekend though...hell, i wanna go every damned day!

 

I know the feeling and I wish my wife was as pumped about going as I am. That would be ideal, because then I could all the time. Oh well,

Chris

 

How many times have you been up to Tellico OHV? I've been up that way about 20 times now. I've only taken my 4wheelers up there, but I still have fun helping people get up Slick Rock, Helicopter pad and Guardrail. I'm an awesome spotter, that's for sure. I've been the one guy in the back of the crowd that watches all 10 spotters around a vehicle until I can't take it anymore and have to step in and tell the driver what to really do to get over the obstacles. At first it's fun to watch and see how people do it, then the anger in me takes over and I have to do something about it.

 

I've probably been up there about 5-10 times over the course of the last 8 years. I wish I could make it more often, and I usally was dirtbiking when I was there. I've never had one of my trucks there, but I've been with a buddy that had a 94 toyota pickup that was slightly modified, and couldn't really do a lot of the trails down there. There's a lot of really tough stuff in Tellico, that I won't do, because it's my daily driver too. I can't afford to be without a vehicle for any extended period of time like most.

I like to push the limits every trip and progressively see what I can do with my truck, and man does it really help to have a good spotter. I wish I had one, but my buddy that usually goes is very inexperienced and doesn't relaly help much. It can make the trip go a lot better and lot further with a good spotter, that's for sure.

Let's keep in touch: chrisrademacher@fastmail.fm

I'll email ya anytime we are planning to go, and you do the same if you want.

Chris

 

Sounds like an awesome plan. BTW I've got a pretty big group that is going to Dixie Run. We're still unsure about where we're going to camp at. Generally we camp right near the water crossing on Trail 5, but last week it was packed up there and the only spot we could get was on the right on that little hill. We had 15 people packed in there! It was still a blast and I'm glad that things went well. Im going to have another huge group up there for Dixie Run as well. You won't be able to miss our group if you'd like to camp with us. The big tip off is the Green F250 4x4. That's my bro's truck that we trailer everything with. He calls it Booger. Anyway, we should have a Black Rail buggy, a green Jeep sitting on 44's, my green toyota 4x4, and 4 Polaris green 4 wheelers at camp. You are more than welcome - as is anyone else that would like to join in on the fun - to come camp/wheel with us!

 

I actually just got to talking with that association and some of the local clubs around here about the Dixie Run. Are you guys going to meet up anywhere around the Maryville/Knoxville area and caravan down? My buddy wants to go, and possibly another friend. Both of them have 4wheelers and one has a buggy. He'd probably bring both. I'm game, just let me know some details, and I can't really promise anything because I'm in the process of getting a new job, but I shoudl be okay for at least that Saturday.

Chris