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Advice for Off Roading in Colorado

4K views 43 replies 21 participants last post by  beardown 
#1 ·
The new woman is starting a thread for all those new to Colorado Jeeping. I think this is important for a few reasons. Off Roading here seems to be a bit different than most places - more rocks, less mud - plus higher altitude. There are a lot of hard core off roaders here and often talk way above my head things. I thought maybe we could gather the general advice in one spot for the newbies.

@Sinister6 - Gives great advice such as Learn to drive first. Drive some easier trails, take a seat on the harder trails, and then figure out what you want to Mod. (See I'm paying attention.)

Anyway…I'll start with next post & ask for an explanation or how-to.

This thread may die a slow death but thought at least I would try.

Thanks,
Beth
 
#2 ·
My first few adaptations are going to be swaybar disconnects, air compressor, and tire deflator. Again - Sinister6 - I saw on another thread you said don't get a wimpy air compressor because of the altitude and get some differential armour because of the rocks here. More details please.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Hi Beth. :wavey: Disconnecting the sway bars give better articulation and helps keep all 4 tires on the ground. Your choices: 1) quick disconnects, fairly reasonably priced and relatively quick. 2) ANTIROCK, nothing to disconnect, but you lose some road stability and some articulation on the trail. It's kinda the middle ground between completely disconnected and connected. Pricey compared to quick disconnects. 3) SwayLOC by Off Road Only. True dual rate anti sway bar. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHF5dzcoF08&sns=em AIR UP Options 1) small compressor- Really a PITA at our elevation. 2) Large compressor- ARB TWIN, large air flow, w/ tank will work very well. Capable of running tools etc. 3) YORK- THE ultimate air source. Unlimited, engine driven. Look for the F210 York Compressor. I bought mine for $40 off CL. Plenty of write ups online.
ARMOR- Cheaper than repairs.
DIFFERENTIAL - clearance w/ TB is your main concern. MC, TF, Currie and RK make great products.
ENGINE- primarily the oil pan
TRANNY- TJ stock if pretty beefy, if you're gonna replace it do a belly up.
STEERING- skid for your gear box This where you should start looking...
 
#5 ·
Thank You. Swaybar disconnects, air compressor...check, understand

Totally lost me on the armor. Get the point but don't understand what I'm looking for or what to tell the person I'm paying to put on. I am not a mechanic but want to understand so I don't pay for useless or unnecessary stuff. Is that 3 different pieces?

Yes I do ask a lot of questions. Sorry 90% of mechanics are good but that 10% will try to :censored: you over. Had one that told me I needed entirely new something (dont even remember) which was going to cost $1200. Left, went somewhere else & I needed a ONE new tire. I digress....Initial question at Sinister b/c saw his post but anyone's welcome to chime in & dumb it down for me.
 
#6 ·
I completely agree with sway bar disconnects as one of the most important mods along with airing down your tires a bit. Both will improve traction but will improve the comfort of riding in your rig while off-road even more. When I started 4 wheeling I would only air down to around 18-20 psi. That pressure might have helped with traction a bit, but it really softened up the ride a lot.
Since I wasn't running extreme trails, I had plenty of traction for the conditions. I used an inexpensive MV-50 portable 12 volt compressor to air the tires back up to 30 psi and with my 31 inch tires it was acceptable.
You will find that your stock Jeep is capable of running about 90% of the trails out here and is likely more capable to drive over stuff than you are initially willing to try.
As your experience grows, it becomes easier to decide on what mods you need and want and you'll see other rigs like yours that work and look good.
Decide what mods are important for you and how you want to use your rig and create a build plan so you aren't spending money to redo stuff.

Go on runs with others so you can observe what lines work and what doesn't . Have people you trust spot you over the difficult stuff and always keep your tires on the high spots and you'll have a lot of fun as you learn to be an expert off road.
 
#7 ·
Thank you Great advice. Sway bar is priority for me. Think I lost some ink off my back on that first ride. I go off pavement at least weekly. May not be trails but I put dirt under the tires. Speaking of... Time for a Sunday drive.
 
#8 ·
Hey Beth!

John and Dave have great advice. :)
All of the above is true. I am lucky enough to have my best buddy with me on most runs so I don't really worry too much. Only thing I would add is Chad uses a CO2 tank instead of a compressor.

Chad does a lot of work on our jeeps, but we take ours to Chris at The Edge Automotive http://www.theedgeautomotive.com/.
He's honest and reasonable and has great reviews. Tell him Corrie and Chad sent you ;)

I think if you run some trails this season, you will know exactly how you want to build your jeep come upgrade season. The trails you like really dictate your upgrades.
 
#9 ·
I had a cheap compressor to start and then the wife said no more waiting 45 minutes to Air up at the end of the day when the kids have had it with sitting for 6 hours. I bought a nice one from 4 wheel parts and it worked way better, and I now have co2 on the Toyota. I have the big air compressor on the jeep until I buy co2. My first mods was differential covers from teraflex. Its just 2, one front and one back. I then bought a full set of rock hard skid plates for the rock you didn't see. I also got a cb so I could talk to people. Next for me will be beefing up the front axel and getting a front bumper with a winch, but that's probably going to wait until next year.
 
#10 ·
Looks like you opened up a good can of worms. You have been reading our posts and that is great. You will notice that we pick on each other but you will also notice that we always help each other. I agree on sway bar discos. Great way to start. In my opinion armor is next. Things like rock sliders and stronger bumpers. This will protect your body from some damage.

Ask us the questions you want to know the answers to. Do realize that we all have different opinions.

Join different trips. Come see what works. Try to do your modifications only once. This will save you money. I will tell you this, none of the Jeeps you will see are the same. But usually this is what works for us. Some are daily drivers and some are trailer queens. Some of the things I have seen a daily driver do will amaze you.

Now this next part is for us giving the advice. This thread was started to help our new Jeepers. Let's us less initials and more of the real words. Not everyone knows all of our lingo.

Now the only dumb question is the one that is not asked.

Let's make this a place without arguing amongst our selves and help out our newcomers.
 
#11 ·
Thanks everyone for the great responses. Wealth of information already and hope it continues to grow. Prior to this, I hadn't even thought about diff covers or CO2 vs 12v or skid plates which seem to be necessary items for trails here. I had already forgotten about the CB which is one of my top priorities. It's great for me (& any other newb) because now I can go back to the general forum or build forums to search for more specific info. I understand everyone builds differently which leads to different opinions so no worries there. At the end of the day, it's my jeep and my responsibility to build as I see fit so if I ever don't take someone's advice, don't take it personally.

I personally want to be a responsible driver and not be "that Jeep driver" that no one wants to wheel with because there Jeep is always breaking on the trail or has to borrow something every time we go out.

I don't mind the teasing between all of you. Makes you all seem a little less intimidating. ;)
 
#12 ·
Thanks everyone for the great responses. Wealth of information already and hope it continues to grow. Prior to this, I hadn't even thought about diff covers or CO2 vs 12v or skid plates which seem to be necessary items for trails here. I had already forgotten about the CB which is one of my top priorities. It's great for me (& any other newb) because now I can go back to the general forum or build forums to search for more specific info. I understand everyone builds differently which leads to different opinions so no worries there. At the end of the day, it's my jeep and my responsibility to build as I see fit so if I ever don't take someone's advice, don't take it personally.

I personally want to be a responsible driver and not be "that Jeep driver" that no one wants to wheel with because there Jeep is always breaking on the trail or has to borrow something every time we go out.

I don't mind the teasing between all of you. Makes you all seem a little less intimidating. ;)
Great thread, I had these same questions and Sinister6 jumped to the rescue,lol, Im now looking at swaybar discos, CO2 air system, and bunches of armor. And anything else will come after i get a good amount of trail time in and thumb a ride from the rock veterans..
 
#13 ·
Also if your new to wheeling in Colorado please take a few minutes to read through the information in the following link. There's some good stuff on where to go, trail etiquette etcetera. It's super, super, and did I say super, important that we behave properly when out there doing what we love to do. http://staythetrail.org
 
#15 ·
Also if your new to wheeling in Colorado please take a few minutes to read through the information in the following link. There's some good stuff on where to go, trail etiquette etcetera. It's super, super, and did I say super, important that we behave properly when out there doing what we love to do. Stay The Trail Colorado - Stay The Trail
Super, super, and did I say SUPER +1!
 
#14 ·
I'm a TJ owner (Wrangler 1997-2006), so take my advice with a grain of salt since it appears you have a JK. I'm a big fan of the belt-driven compressors for on-board air (OBA). I converted my stock a/c compressor to OBA; it uses the Sanden compressor. Similar setup to the York mentioned above, though not quite as powerful (still extremely powerful).

With air deflators, there are a lot of options. Once of the quickest and easiest systems to use is the ARB E-Z Deflator: http://www.amazon.com/ARB-ARB505-E-Z-Deflator/dp/B004LQCDOA. This is the one I use and temporarily pulls your valve core into the housing to allow air to escape. Then easily tightens it back down. Its fast and relatively inexpensive.

I like your approach to wheeling with the questions and setting priorities. Too many people expect they climb on the side of the mountain just because they have 4-wheel drive. You can never ask too many questions, or be too prepared. I look forward to wheeling with you.
 
#16 ·
I completely agree with Chad and Mike. Trail etiquette is very important. Over the last year or so I have seen a marked increase in drivers showing a complete disregard of even the most basic, common sense behavior. It's getting to the point where I don't even want to go out on weekends or do popular trails. Dealing with people who behave like idiots really takes a lot of the fun out of it. It also gets trails closed.
 
#17 ·
I could throw my .02 cents in, but it does seem to be fairly well covered.
Armor out here is important, possibly über important depending on your rig.
TJ and LJ need a steering gear skid/crash plate, not something you want bouncing off rocks. Been on a trail with someone who didn't have it and broke their sector shaft.. DOA, you go nowhere. Then rocker protection/differential/oil pan protection.
JKs are kinda stout in the armor department. Main problem is the JK frowny face.. Your tie rod will take a beating on the easiest trails. Upgrade that to something you could beat superman with. Also diff and rocker protection. 3.8L could use oil pan protection 3.6L is tucked up pretty high.

Bumpers, winch, quick disconnects, air.. Apply to any off-road vehicle.

Driver mod is the single best thing you can have, only costs some scratches, fuel, and paying attention to experienced spotters and drivers.

Stay the trail, don't be a tool bag, wave, smile and enjoy the ride!
 
#20 ·
More excellent advice. Thank You.

Armor, Armor, and more Armor...added to my list. I'd like to add a joke about the cost but well I think I might have some sticker shock from my research today.

That link is a great place for trail etiquette & much appreciated. Yes, it was super :) Just in case any others come along & read this thread. Another link you all have passed along is traildamage.com which I have found extremely helpful and have a few trips in mind with my camping buddies who enjoy easier trails.

I was a bit confused on one topic - picking a line but got some good advice from others on a thread and will share. One statement was starting point and a couple of comments on top.

You want to pick the line that affords you the easiest passage (avoiding damage) and continues your progress to your destinantion. "the "Line" in off-roading is clearing the obstacle successfully with no damage".

Taking the "easy" way just to get through the obstacle would never fly around here.
There are always friendly challenges and some times a poke in the ribs to give something a try that you normally would by-pass.
This is where "Picking the Good Line" really comes into play.
So, I will agree, picking the hardest line and clearing the obstacle without damage around here is the norm.

A good wheeler is one whose driver limitations are equivalent to their rig limitations. I know I am still the weak link in the equation lol. But everyone has their groove. Not everyone needs to crawl the biggest baddest obstacle to have a good time.

---

Thanks again everyone for helping me (and hopefully others) to keep it in perspective.
 
#23 ·
ELBB
You might want to pick up a couple of FunTreks guide books. There are two for Colorado.
North and South. I find them real helpful.
:wavey: Done...in my Amazon basket. Thanks. Along with more friggin' stickers *hangs head in shame*


Second Job...maybe I need to just pick up a part time job as a mechanic. Bahahaha...yeah...NO. I think I already have a brain bleed from reading the 1001 posts on lifts & tires that exist, the sticky post which never ends, and the 10 new ones that pop up daily. I've only been on here a month and already go.... seriously, another post on lifts/tires. But the popcorn event is always the oil change posts. Those get interesting quickly.

OCD is high gear....or should that be low gear for this forum.
 
#24 ·
Very good stuff! I would agree with the armor suggestions, protection is paramount with the rocks here in CO. Also x2 on upgrading the JK tie rod, pretzeled mine on one of my first trips on an 'easier' trail. Also jk specific is the weak steering gear box when running larger tires, mine was shot at 50k miles. I just recently traded the jk and went to a tj so at the moment learning some of the differences between the two.
Charles Wells has some pretty good books on Colorado trails and used them a lot our first couple seasons wheeling.
Buy good parts the first time.
So many things to learn haha I've forgotten what it was like opening a jeep parts catalogue the first time and going "What is all this stuff?!"
Enjoy your new obsession.
 
#25 ·
- tie rods, steering box, & Charles Wells - check & on my list.

parts catalog - don't have any yet thankfully. Trying to get the bleeding under control.

Obsession...understatement :)

Thank You!
 
#27 ·
Someday I hope to wheel in CO cause y'all are so cool! General stupid question time...do you always disconnect the sway bars when you go off-road? I'm new at driving the scary stuff and haven't joined a club (yes...on my to do list), so I just don't know what to do and when. I want to run Broken Arrow in Sedona tomorrow and I don't know if I would disconnect for that. Greatly appreciate the help for a desert dweller. :D
 
#31 ·
Not really, if you are running stock components, it will only be a benefit in offroad situations. It basically allows unrestricted travel of your front suspension.
Now, if you went to longer travel shocks and springs say, you could run into intrrference issues with your driveshafts overstressing, binding from stock trackbar, control arms etc. Not saying not too disconnect after a lift, you would just have to address other issues in a modified suspension.
After I installed my longer travel fox shocks, I was spitting grease from both driveshafts, wearing through stock control arm bushings etc.
Sorry for the long post haha.
Basically, you should be fine if stockish. I'm on a phone and can't see what mods you have :)
 
#32 ·
Hey...thanks! I'm stock right now. I'm new to real 4x4 trails, so I don't know very much. This forum is great! Everyone is so helpful! Thank you!
 
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