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First a little back ground.
The first time I went wheeling in Big Bear I got to Dishpan after T-6 and tried to climb up it but failed do to that lack of traction in my stock TJ.
The next time I got to Dishpan I had a front locker and was all set to go but my trail buddy was in a stock Tacoma and there was no way he was even going to try it so we turned around.
The THIRD time I got to Dishpan I got sick with some intestinal bug and had to turn around and go home.
So yesterday (now locked F&R, running 35's and 4.88s) I was headed to Dishpan for the FOURTH time. The plan was to meet at Cedar Springs Dam, head up Pilot Rock (2N17X) and then hit Dishpan. My friends all knew this was my fourth attempt and they were willing to stick with me and show me the line(s).
We hit the trail right at about 08:30.
So we get about a mile from the top of Pilot Rock and Matt notices that he can't turn tot he left very well. He gets out to check and discovers a broken pitman arm. He has a pretty custom TJ with lots of lift so he uses a 6" drop.
We make some calls and cant find one at a local store but another member of the group, Phil, says he has a new 4" in his garage that he JUST took out of his XJ because he was tired of carrying around a spare that was never going to get use. LOL.
So Phil lives about an hour away and decides to go get it and come back.
In the mean time, Matt decides to nurse his broken TJ a bit further to see if he can get it to the top of Pilot Rock at 2N33. That way, if things go really bad, he can call his wife and she can drive the truck and trailer up 2N33 without any problem and he can tow his TJ home.
He did really well for about 1/2 mile until we got a a pretty gnarly down hill. His wheels turned hard right and would not budge. He started sliding a bit and we all got real uncomfortable with him making any further progress.
So, I got into position and winched him ten or so yards back up the hill to a nice flat spot.
While all of this was going on, our rescuer Phil who had left to get the pitman arm got on the radio. He blew out his rear diff about 100 yards from the top of Pilot rock and was stuck.
So once I got Matt onto safe group, we had a quick drivers meeting and split the group into two. Two working rigs would stay with Matt while two working rigs would go help Phil and get the part. By the time I got to Phil he was already strapped up so I was able to pull him onto a flat area. Once there he said the rear end was sounding OK and he wanted to try the last 100 feet to 2N33.
He did not make it. So one again I was on 2N33 and trying to winch Phil up to safe ground. I got him half way up and my winch died. I am pretty sure it just shut down do to thermal overload. So I turned around and hooked up with the strap again and pulled him to the top.
We all tried to drive down 2N33 back to the dam but Phil's XJ was making too much noise so we stopped and he pulled the rear driveshaft. He drove home in 4WD with the front wheels only and I followed. At this point it was clear that the trip was pretty much over so my wingman Justin made a left and took his young son home. I followed Phil for an hour + or so to his house in Hesperia, picked up the pitman arm and then headed back to Pilot Rock.
I got to run PR again and made it back to the group (Now 2:00 PM) and gave them the pitman arm. Of course they already had the old one off and tools ready to go. They got the new one installed and while they were doing that I checked my winch. Still would not work. Hmmmm.
Anyway, they were fixed in a very few minutes and the tools were put away and we head on up to the top and PR and then back down 2N33 to the dam where we all aired up, called it a day and headed down the 15 to TGIF for a nice dinner before going home.
So yeah, I still haven't done dishpan. LOL
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I got home and my winch seems to be working fine. At least under no load.
The first time I went wheeling in Big Bear I got to Dishpan after T-6 and tried to climb up it but failed do to that lack of traction in my stock TJ.
The next time I got to Dishpan I had a front locker and was all set to go but my trail buddy was in a stock Tacoma and there was no way he was even going to try it so we turned around.
The THIRD time I got to Dishpan I got sick with some intestinal bug and had to turn around and go home.
So yesterday (now locked F&R, running 35's and 4.88s) I was headed to Dishpan for the FOURTH time. The plan was to meet at Cedar Springs Dam, head up Pilot Rock (2N17X) and then hit Dishpan. My friends all knew this was my fourth attempt and they were willing to stick with me and show me the line(s).
We hit the trail right at about 08:30.
So we get about a mile from the top of Pilot Rock and Matt notices that he can't turn tot he left very well. He gets out to check and discovers a broken pitman arm. He has a pretty custom TJ with lots of lift so he uses a 6" drop.
We make some calls and cant find one at a local store but another member of the group, Phil, says he has a new 4" in his garage that he JUST took out of his XJ because he was tired of carrying around a spare that was never going to get use. LOL.
So Phil lives about an hour away and decides to go get it and come back.
In the mean time, Matt decides to nurse his broken TJ a bit further to see if he can get it to the top of Pilot Rock at 2N33. That way, if things go really bad, he can call his wife and she can drive the truck and trailer up 2N33 without any problem and he can tow his TJ home.
He did really well for about 1/2 mile until we got a a pretty gnarly down hill. His wheels turned hard right and would not budge. He started sliding a bit and we all got real uncomfortable with him making any further progress.
So, I got into position and winched him ten or so yards back up the hill to a nice flat spot.
While all of this was going on, our rescuer Phil who had left to get the pitman arm got on the radio. He blew out his rear diff about 100 yards from the top of Pilot rock and was stuck.
So once I got Matt onto safe group, we had a quick drivers meeting and split the group into two. Two working rigs would stay with Matt while two working rigs would go help Phil and get the part. By the time I got to Phil he was already strapped up so I was able to pull him onto a flat area. Once there he said the rear end was sounding OK and he wanted to try the last 100 feet to 2N33.
He did not make it. So one again I was on 2N33 and trying to winch Phil up to safe ground. I got him half way up and my winch died. I am pretty sure it just shut down do to thermal overload. So I turned around and hooked up with the strap again and pulled him to the top.
We all tried to drive down 2N33 back to the dam but Phil's XJ was making too much noise so we stopped and he pulled the rear driveshaft. He drove home in 4WD with the front wheels only and I followed. At this point it was clear that the trip was pretty much over so my wingman Justin made a left and took his young son home. I followed Phil for an hour + or so to his house in Hesperia, picked up the pitman arm and then headed back to Pilot Rock.
I got to run PR again and made it back to the group (Now 2:00 PM) and gave them the pitman arm. Of course they already had the old one off and tools ready to go. They got the new one installed and while they were doing that I checked my winch. Still would not work. Hmmmm.
Anyway, they were fixed in a very few minutes and the tools were put away and we head on up to the top and PR and then back down 2N33 to the dam where we all aired up, called it a day and headed down the 15 to TGIF for a nice dinner before going home.
So yeah, I still haven't done dishpan. LOL
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I got home and my winch seems to be working fine. At least under no load.
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