Lefthand Canyon - 27 June 2013 - Trail Damage

[Max]

http://imgur.com/a/Pd01E#0

A friend and I wanted to go wheeling, and he's never been, so we went up Lefthand Canyon. We didn't take many pictures because I wanted him in the Jeep to experience it going up for real.

Ran Big Mother Hill and it was the easiest I've ever went up it. I was surprised it gave me so little trouble. It always feels like you're getting ready to get shot to the moon in a rocket because you're looking at the sky and are pretty vertical.

Unfortunately before we even go part of the way up it, I heard something pop and noticed later my wheel had a big chip in the rim. I'm pretty bummed and it's more of a reason for me to want beadlock wheels.

Up Fireman hill and through the hard obstacle near the top. This one actually was harder than Big Mother. Probably because I wasn't taking the best line. I tried a few times with my inexperienced friend spotting me, then I backed up and tried again with the lockers on and had more luck.

Did the loop, back down the other was towards the chutes, and we checked out the deep vertical mineshaft on one of the spurs that dead ends at someone's property. http://imgur.com/a/kveac FS# 287B (Pics taken 31 March)

All in all, I'm a fan of LHC, there are a lot of fun spots to test your rig, lots of ups and downs. We started the trail at around 4pm and left at around 8. 4 hours with messing around at the top and optional trails.

I disagree on Traildamage's rating of a 6, I think doing all the obstacles is harder than say Miller Rock which is a 7. Anyone agree? http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=6

[Rob]

Bummer about the wheel. Yeah, Miller Rock has only one tough obstacle, and it's only difficult coming back up the trail. Miller Rock's about a four average without that obstacle. LHC is harder when you factor in BMH and Fireman Hill.

[The StRanger]

Yup. Never been a fan of stock wheel...
Yes I know mine has stock wheel...

[Max]

I'm not running stock wheels.

[The StRanger]

Sorry. For some reason I thought those came factory option .

[glacierpaul]

That sucks Max!! I have been eyeballing beadlocks as well...someday.

[xaza]

Thanks for the pics and report. Bummer on the rim. That is where the benefit of a good solid steel rim helps, with as little rim as possible. Tires that have a rim guard help too, my old BFG KM1 had a sweet one that is not on KM2. One of the shows on the powerblock did an episode how to make a beadlock rim.

[glacierpaul]

My MT/R's have the rim guard, I was just thinking that you could fab up a generic beadlock rim that just protects the sidewall and rim, bolts to the wheel. Probably something out there already like what Cliff posted.

[ExplorerTom]

Agree- LHC is a good one. The day I went, a Jeep had tipped on its side on Big Momma and was blocking the trail. He had plenty of help with him so we went a different route (and saw him later by the upper kiosk). Fireman Hill without lockers was a lot of fun- and a lot of spotting.

[Jim]

Max previously posted:

[Max]

Thanks Jim

So, the wheel. Is it safe to run like that? Any chance of it failing or losing air?
I haven't actually aired back up from the trail since I had to drop my buddy off at his car and there wasn't a great place to park there. It's sitting in my parking spot since yesterday at 12psi LOL.

[ExplorerTom]

I swear I've seen a ton of those Jeeps with those wheels.

I probably wouldn't run it. Did the crack just take out that chunk or is there another crack that went into the wheel? Wouldn't want to find out at 65 mph when the wheel explodes (OK- that's probably the worst case scenario and unlikely to happen, but still).

[Jim]

I'd probably move the wheel to be the spare (if you have a matching spare). My concern would be, with each revolution of the flex-unflex of the tire - would the sharp edge of the wheel wear at the rubber and eventually wear a hole?

One safeguard would be to dismount at least that bead and then sand the rim's sharp edge into a smooth(er) edge where it might touch the rubber.

In either case, I'd monitor the rubber at that location for degradation.

[Funrover]

OUCH!!! That's a bummer!

[Rick]

ExplorerTom previously posted:

[Mr6dwg]

Max previously posted:

[ozmonkey]

I found (and revived) this thread looking for argent pintlers. I thought AEV would stand behind their products if you brought this to their attention.

[Max]

Nope. I brought it to their attention on their forum and on the phone with them. AEV did not replace the wheel, and I have not replaced the damaged one yet.