First time going to the Con'

[MRHilux87]

Finally am pulling the trigger on a rubicon trip.  My serious wheeler is still in pieces in the garage but I picked up an SAS 93 Runner on 35s.  Welded rear and locked front.  Always wanted to make a rubicon trip with the wife and dog.  3 Nights camping there.  one day of driving both ways.  Ive been doing my homework as much as possible.  I Live 8 hrs away from the con, and will be driving there and back.  Any advice would be very helpful. 
Extra parts I haven't already thought of?
Best place to start.
Best places to camp. 
Things I wouldn't thnk to bring...

Any tips would be awsome.  Or a link to similar threads.   I searched but failed. 
Thanks.

[Rocksurfer]

Rule #1. Don't go alone!

[David]

x2 on the don't go alone. Two friends and I did in the early 70's in a brand new Toyota Wolverine, biggest mistake we ever made! A nearly tragic and a very costly story but suffice it to say, we never again went without other rigs.

[Nation]

I second that

[Rocksurfer]

With that said most of the major obstacles are by-passable except for the Big Sluice and Cadillac though there are good challenges all along the trail even with the ability to go around the worst parts, and Big Sluice and Cadillac are enough on their own to send some off with their tail between their legs.

[MRHilux87]

I figured memorial day weekend there will be a ton of groups going through all weekend.  Am I right?  I have a winch.  Mountable front and rear. 
Valid points about going alone...

[Rocksurfer]

Yeah there will be lots of vultures...... I mean people there to watch you destroy your rig, then they all walk away since they don't have a rig badass enough to even get to the Little Sluice. FYI you can end up busted out of the gate, twice I've had to abort the trail once just after the dam and once on the slabs, broke a front axle just after the dam and a steering box/frame carnage just at the slabs. I had to be towed back (lucky my Willys had a towbar) back to camp but was able to drive back on the broken axle. I have a nice big list of broken parts my club has suffered along that devil trail from steering rag-joints to almost having the rear axles exiting the housing to broken frames. It is not a trail to take lightly even with a well set up rig. That devil will sneak up on you.

[OOPS]

Devil trail, I do not think so! It is hard especally if you are new to wheeling and the trail, but not that hard since they have paved it. I ran it all the way through in 98 in a lifted IFS rig and did not break a thing.

Good luck going in on memorial day weekend, if it were me I would find another weekend or go through durning the week.

X2 on going with someone else, the wife and I have gone in alone but I know a lot of people on the trail and can always tag along with them.

[Rocksurfer]

We also have done the trail in IFS rigs and had no issues at all. We even did the Old Sluice in them on that trip too. So I'm not saying it is that horrible but is some instances have had issues so that's why I call it the devil trail since you never know if the Grim Reaper is going to show up or when.

[MRHilux87]

Thanks for all the advise.  Better to go in expecting problems than the other way around. Ill have an extra birf and some shafts...  Not my first rodeo, but I realize that doesn't mean I cant end up screwed with a broken yota.  Ive watched vids of the con and it doesn't look too dangerous but I realize that means almost nothing, thats why I asked. Thanks again. 
Camping spot advise?  I was gonna arive at the trailhead around lunch.  Can I make a good camp spot around dinner with carefull driving and some luck?

[Rocksurfer]

Since the camping restrictions just stay away from camping on the lakes themselves plus you have to stay close to the road, (it is a county road) the rest is pretty much closed to access. Double check at the Ranger Station but I believe it's 25ft from the edge.

[Rocksurfer]

This may help you....

http://www.rubicon-trail.com/50-ft-trail-easement.html

[superyota]

Still lots of water on the trail. Don't plan in passing the springs on memorial day weekend on 35s unless you like swimming. It's been its been raining the last couple if days up there so the water will be there to stay for a few more weeks.

Besides that, you'll be good. Take extra birfields, maybe a hub, and a spare driveshaft if you have one. I always carry a couple of pairs if jumper cables and some welding rod just in case.

We have a group going in next weekend, but were not planning on passing the springs. 

Always go with a group, and preferably at least 1 person that's been on the trail before so you guys know where your at.

Eddie

[superyota]

Here is good link with current trail conditions...

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/rubicon-trail/1112315-trail-conditions-2013-go-first-post-current-conditions.html

[Wainiha]

Maybe someday I'll see the Rubicon.

[Dingman.]

First year i went my buddy broke his high pressure power steering line backing off the trailer, nobody has that as spares.   Got one off another buddys truck getting towed out broken.
Same trip/same truck factory alternator wiring broke and grounded out which popped the main 80A fuse, nobody had that either.

Second year buddy broke his 4.7 gearset on his single cased truck the first day in on big sluice?  Marlin let us pull his rear case and swap it in so we could wheel at mcr and then drive home.

Third year everything was mostly good buddy almost lost a drain plug though so i keep a couple spares now.



Plenty of things could go wrong expecially if you are alone,  or it could be the best time ever.  Id prefer not risking it.

[Snowtoy]

If you do decide to go, with the distance you are traveling, the time you have allotted, running it alone, and being Memorial Day Weekend, I think you would have a more enjoyable time coming in from HWY 50 and just running the trail to Spider Lakes, and a day trip to Buck Island.  On holiday weekends or large event weekends, you can spend more time sitting still then moving, one Round-up weekend it took us over 8hrs to go from the Springs to Tahoe, due to broken rigs and rollovers.

If you and your wife wheel for the scenery and relaxation of the back country as well, I would suggest setting aside a good 4 days to run the entire trail.  Arrive at Loon Lake the night before, Day 1 run the trail to Spider, Day 2 Spider to Buck Island or maybe the Springs if everything goes smoothly, Day 3-4 at the Springs before heading to Tahoe.

[MRHilux87]

Thanks for the suggestions.  We might just do that.  Im still planning on wheeling some moderate stuff, but won't be pushing it too hard...  Not much skinny pedal. 
I think I'll stick to that last schedule as long as there is some good wheeling as well as scenery and stuff.

[Snowtoy]

Yes, there is plenty to see between Loon and Buck Island, as well as enough sections to get you into trouble.  Buck Island is a destination point for a lot of people who don't want to run the entire trail.  Also, be aware that it is a county road, i.e. you can/will be ticketed for not wearing a seat belt, open container, etc.

As mentioned take along the usual trail spares and set of tools, you will often find people are more willing to help you out when you come prepared.

[MRHilux87]

Ran the whole thing... got there thursday afternoon and made it to elis.  Couldn't believe there was no one there Thursday night.  Then starting Friday morning at 430am people started rolling in.  Wheeled with an awsome group of guys from davez off road.  Made it through little sluice!  Just a few dents on the gas tank and some scratches.  Must have gotten lucky.  Camped at buck Saturday night.  Pirates and several groups there... some crazy stuff/breakage went on.  Ive never seen hubs welded on like that.  haha.  Sunday morning I realized I broke two high steer studs on my pass anger side.  Some really cool guys with air tools helped me drill it out and had marlin studs for me to put in.  Worked awesome.  If you helped with that you are awesome. 
Came up cadilac by ourselves on sunday.  Couple tough spots and one clean broken 1st gen at the bottom of cadilac.  Looked like he broke his high steer too. 
Overall cant say enough about the place and the guys who were there.  The yota guys were obviously alot nicer than most of the Jeep guys. 
Cant wait to go back. 

[Saved-wheeler]

Maybe someday I'll see the Rubicon.

Right there with ya

[OOPS]

Maybe someday I'll see the Rubicon.

Right there with ya

Wished I could give you guys 1-2 of the 10-12 trips I take a year!!!!

[Wainiha]

Shoot.  Thanks.  I'll  be in San Diego in December.  That is the closest I'll get to the Rubicon.  Gotta visit grandma.

OOPS are you the same user name on Pirate?  If so, why copper antiseize on the spark plugs vs. some other base?

[Saved-wheeler]

Wished I could give you guys 1-2 of the 10-12 trips I take a year!!!!

I gotta get a rig capable of the con first ha, unless your up to giving me your rig 

Ifs does not take too kindly to serious wheeling  .... Just kinda makes me want to

[Saved-wheeler]

Hopefully a 79-85 pickup is in my near (within a year or two) future!!!

[Snowtoy]

I gotta get a rig capable of the con first ha, unless your up to giving me your rig 

Ifs does not take too kindly to serious wheeling  .... Just kinda makes me want to

The IFS will do a lot better than most think, it just has more moving parts which wear faster/break easier than its straight axle counterparts, and it takes a lot more skill and patience to wheel one to avoid its negatives..  A buddy of mine took his IFS '96 Runner through the Rubicon on nothing more than 35's, lockers, and of course 16yrs of trail experience.  My '91 IFS truck did fine on the trail as well, but it is set-up with dual cases, dual lockers, and I have been wheeling since 1990.

[OOPS]

I gotta get a rig capable of the con first ha, unless your up to giving me your rig 

Ifs does not take too kindly to serious wheeling  .... Just kinda makes me want to

Ran the whole trail in a IFS rig in 98 and did not have any problems except that the NWOR rear springs went flat before we even reached the trail. Zip-tied pieces of log under the shackles to keep them off the frame and went for it, had a blast!!!!

[OOPS]

OOPS are you the same user name on Pirate?  If so, why copper antiseize on the spark plugs vs. some other base?

When I bought my Classic Triumph MC in 1978 (which I still have) that is what the owner of the shop told me to use. When I asked him why, he said it makes a better electrical connection then the others. He also told me he had one customer that used some other type and the bike would not fire, bad grounding on the plugs.

[Saved-wheeler]

That's encouraging, I have done many a trail/lines my friend in a Tj with 33's and 4 inch lift could not, all with ifs, I want to wheel with some people with experience to test my skills but my only friends that offload either sold or are selling their heeps I mean jeeps... I am proud to say I am very new to the hobby though, been wheeling for about a year maybe 2... Having a blast learning though and I want to do a fair share of the work on a future pickup/4runner whenever I get one.