My trip to The Badlands, Attica IN 5/15/10...LONG READ, 56K, GTFO

[Kyle M.]

Well, as some of you may know, Me and a few friends made a trip to The Badlands in Attica IN. We camped right there at Attica family camp ground, pretty sweet set up they have. It is around a 6 hour drive to get there from my house, so we set off at 5 am Friday morning with hope of setting up camp and get some wheeling done. So we rolled in at about 11, right on schedule, the weather was great, set up camp and went into the park. Never being there we weren't sure where to go so I just picked a direction and went which lead me to a muddy area. So I lead in slowly following the trail and it lead me to a very deep and nasty hole, in which I promptly got stuck...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dPZJ2x_fe0

No big deal right?? Well, now I am not only stuck, my clutch has now quit working and I have lost all pressure in my pedal. And my 4wd brain got wet cus I flooded my cab, so that is on the Fritz too. So we try to jerk me out....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XguLguF1mNw

Not working, lets get the high lift out....

Works like a charm! Good ol' Jeep to the rescue to pull me back to the camp sight after my long 10 min of wheeling. Better spray it off so I can work on it.

After getting back to the camp ground I check my clutch fluid and it is empty, so I fill it back up and bleed it out. I start getting pressure again then notice that brake fluid is pouring out....F! So at this point it is about 2:00 and now we run to town and find the Napa. I picked up a new slave and other odds and ends, and some tools I will need to pull a tranny for a total of about $120, yay. Went back to camp and pulled the tranny, and clutch to find a pressure plate stuffed with mud not releasing and a over extended slave that is stuck open. I put on the new parts and by 7 I am back up and running, minus my shift motor which is fine, I will just lock it in 4low and be good.

Day 2,

good day, just pictures and videos

me and my buddy Pete looking like we are bad asses, but we aren't

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVcwLbokFB0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N7TIvwV6_E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy49mSStA2Y

Broke a front driver shaft on here....I'm not too good at "crawling" yet...I will learn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qB8pMb7rnU

went back to camp and fixed that, then we went and watch the race that they have. Met up with BrayD, cool dude. His Buddy's left him so we took him in for the night. The next day (Sunday) we went out with Bray leading the way, hit some bad ass trails, and promptly destroyed my rear drive shaft! No pictures of that yet, but got some videos of Bray doing some crawling.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRzEwfvf0hk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sIShcV_164
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QaAD66cYWU


So we head back to camp and pull my rear shaft, and lock my transfer case in 4 high for the trip home....did I mention I drove my truck there?? Well, balls, here we go again, it wont lock in 4 hi, just skips right in to 2wd or 4 low.....now what. Clamp the vice grips on it and now it stays. So we hit the road and make it about 90miles out of 290 miles and my front end starts howling. My passenger side shaft is rubbing on the spindle and wore the shaft down, so I put on my other spare shaft in a rest area parking lot and in about 30 min we were back up and running.

Made the rest of the trip, everything held up for the most part. Lesson learned, next time, bring a trailer for myself!

All in all I had a great weekend, the Badlands is awesome and I got to wheel with some cool guys. Thanks for reading!

 

[metalmacguyver]

Haha, awesome weekend. Very similar to mine.... wheel, break, fix, repeat.

 

[Ranger Kip]

Sweet! looks like you had fun! =D

 

[nate09]

looks like a ton of fun! cant wait to get out and play in the mud myself.

 

[Bray D]

Good writeup, and one hell of a story!

Thanks for taking me in, I had a great time hangin out with you guys Sat night. You guys wheel hard and know how to have a good time.

 

[Kyle M.]

Yeah, it was a great time, glad we got to meet you Bray...we have to do it again!

Here are some pictures of the broke parts

Gonna send the shaft out today to get it re tubed

 

[bcost882]

nice demolition job i like it. anyways looks like you had a good time and no one got hurt so not bad haha

 

[Kyle M.]

Well, droped the shaft off to get fixed, should be right around $100. It should be back by thursday. Next on the to do list is change all my fluids, repack wheel bearings, and replace rear axle seal I somehow wiped out.....I have some work to do!

 

[CheapThrillB2]

Cool stuff......we need to get a big group of us Michigan guys down there and invade the park lol.

 

[Bray D]

If that ever happens let me know and I'll be there!

 

[Kyle M.]

Cool stuff......we need to get a big group of us Michigan guys down there and invade the park lol.

I'm down, pick a date!

 

[lepp1892]

I'm down, pick a date!

I'd like to make it down there sometime too... it would be a good time with a whole bunch of rangers. haha

 

[railman]

maybe short notice....but Jim Oaks is goin on the 5th of June....

also, i would love to drive up ....so when you pick a date post it in the Events Forum

l8r, John

 

[89PBR96]

Dam I missed out on another good time I need to get my priorities straight Dam family lol

 

[bobbywalter]

bustin shafts is easy to do with moderate power. i have actually drove up that exact spot in 2wd before years ago.....there was bogger smoke and hot rubber everywhere......


i have also driven home on the front axle and two gears as well....1st and 3rd.....and in the back of a u haul a few times...and...and....and...


fun aint it!!!

right now i can really wheel my rig....needs tlc on the frame and some leafs that are softer....along with a million other things...rrorc chubfest is late in the summer....should be a few rbv's around then.