Duke's Spring Cleaning Make Up Date

[alkat]

see ya @ 6 todd

[todd watkins]

what time were u thinking about? Frazer

[TSEJEEPERS]

Sorry guys I will not be able to make it.
Have some things I need to get done around the house This may be the only weekend I will be able to do it.
Take lots of pictures!

[greenzj]

I think as wet as it as been. We are going to go to the Cliffs instead of going down to dukes and tearing up his trails. Hope you guys have fun. If anyone else is up for the Cliffs let us know. Have a good weekend either way.
Kelly and family

[Duke Winch]

Well the rain has past and it's suppose to nice the remainder of the weekend so the trip is a go!

[vlucdog]

COOL, see ya in the morning.



bill

[todd watkins]

Joe and i are meeting at the gas station 7:00 am in Tremont.

[todd watkins]

Hey Duke,had a real good time. Thanks. Always enjoy wheelin there.

[Duke Winch]

It was such a pleasure to have everyone join me for weekend of wheeling, eating and winching. Special thanks to Becky for all her help in the kitchen, (we missed ya Sally but no one starved).

Well instead of the Jeeps tearing up the trails, the trails tore up the Jeeps. In fact one nameless gully got pinned "Carnage Canyon". It took out one front wheel hub (Al), one front U joint (Jim & Becky), one upper control arm (Fraser). One engine, sounds like a rod, (Jim & Becky again). On the upside, at least there isn't going to be any shortage of Golden Shaft Award nominees.

In an attempt to bury my passanger, (Becky), with mud by powering up hill I found a flaw in my radius arm front suspension design and bent a rod end. I also thought my transfer case was trashed as it wouldn't release out of 4 wheel drive. Turned out the case was just bound up due to the offending rod end and seems to be okay. This sucker is good for something like 44,000 lbs radial load but not so good when side loaded and I bent it like a pretzel.

Radius Arm.JPG (48.75 KiB) Viewed 10224 times

[Duke Winch]

OOh! Forgot one thing ....

Introducing Duke's Off Road Ranch's newest Thrill Ride! The Widow Maker Slip and Slide! A high speed uncontrolled decent down a 150 foot long 40 degree embankment! Forget your steering! Forget your engine compression! Forget your brakes! They’re all useless as you slide helplessly out of control, missing trees by mere inches, all the while barreling towards an imposing tree lined bank, certain to fulfill the name sake of the hill. The look of horror in the rider’s faces all slowly turning into huge smiles as they finally regain control with just a few feet to spare!

You can tell how sick this club has become as each, even after seeing the terrifying show just before them, follows like lemmings over the crest. Even the following day everyone asks "Can we do it again!”

[todd watkins]

Your right Duke. You would of thought that after seeing you bobsled down the hill that everyone would of chickened out.We must be sick in the head.

[alkat]

thanks to Duke for once again having us out to tear through his property like the wild hoard we are, sure was fun & we're looking forwad to the next time. On the damage report, good news is the only thing broke was the hub assembly, bad news is cost for new hub is $199.00, really good news is the broken hub was still under warranty. I've got new parts in hand & should be ready for memorial day weekend. pictures of broken hub are in the tech. section.

[Race47]

Thanks Duke for the great time. Vicky is still talking bout the trip/
Duke's Off Road Ranch's newest Thrill Ride! The Widow Maker Slip and Slide!

[todd watkins]

Yea,it's to bad Will couldn't of joined us. See what fun u missed

[W_A_Watson_II]

Yea, I was un-loading the daughters truck from the trailer and getting a tire on my trailer replaced and getting the M de-graveled and ready for this coming weekends trip to Indiana for a Power Wagon event.

It sure looks like the FlatNasty trip sure took a toll on trailer tires. I developed a vibration that kept getting worse, and lat week when I had to retrieve the daughters truck from a dropped drive shaft, I had a bad vibration. Lots of tread left, and Load Range E, but 5 years old, and breaking belts. This is the second one that has let loose on me, the first after I overloaded it hauling a grain bin.

Last time I picked up a Firestone, this time I got a Made in the USA private label Cooper Tire.

Sure would have loved to have been there looks like you had a lot of fun and some carnage. It looks like a lot of winching! I'm looking forward to a days work at Memorial Day weekend, but have to prep and pack for another (non-truck) related trip.

Later,
Will