October 2003 - Anaconda

Phoenix, Arizona

Trail Rating - 5 

Photos submitted by Chris Villarreal

This trip was supposed to be a leisurely one.  I spent a little time showing one of my younger sisters how to drive before some of the other guys arrived at the meeting spot.  Michelle did really good although we had to convince her drive the first part of Lower Terminator and Anaconda.

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(Click for larger images)

I took over driving for the big waterfall.  On the way up I kept hearing a popping noise, almost sounded like I had lost a tooth off of one of the front ring and pinion.  I was able to drive it out to the flat area next to the middle exit, at that point the front wheels wouldn't pull anymore.  On closer examination it looked to be a problem in the transfer case.  I pulled off to the side and Pat made his way up the waterfall.

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One of Larry's first trips in his new buggy. 

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This spot managed to roll his old truck nearly every time. Not anymore.   

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Rob coming up the waterfall.  

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If you look close in the first picture above, you can see the drivers side lower link bent more than it should be.  

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Pat and Larry headed up the trail while Rob and I got our rigs up the exit road.  Once at the top we knew we would have to straighten Rob's link out so he could drive back to the parking lot.  We tried winching his rear axle back but the link didn't budge.  Once again the hi-lift jack saves the day.  We managed to get it wedged between one of the link mounts and the rear axle.  With 3 of us tugging at the handle we managed to get the link back into shape.  I took off early to run my truck back home so I could return to get Rob's truck.  it took me about an hour to get back to the parking lot but no one was there.  My first thought, "This can't be good."  About 45 minutes later Pat came around the corner with Larry in tow.  Seems one of Larry's links bent causing all sorts of carnage including disabling his fuel pump.  Pat didn't escaped without carnage either, his front ring and pinion was stripped along with some good sheet metal carnage.   I guess it just wasn't our day.  My breakage ended up being a broken front output shaft.  Thanks to my friend Ron and Rob, the t-case is repaired and ready to go.