Advocate I
Due to 3 storms and 2 vehicles with issues during our 2018 Death Valley trip, we had to make adjustments. So in April 2019 we had a make up trip to hit the sights we missed. The trip started by touring Alabama hills and camped just north in a great spot sheltered from the relentless wind, a visit to the Reward Mine, then a visit to Cerro Gordo and according to the caretaker, were only the 3rd group of the year to head down the backside. It is steep! We made our way to Saline Valley and visited Beveridge canyon again, then Steel Pass and Dedekera Canyon to the dunes. The steps were fun and the WJ didn't blink an eye. Deciding not to camp in the starkness of the dune area, made our way back and camped off of 395 before heading home.
In prepping for the trip I installed an adjustable and beefier trackbar, and advice was to extend the bumpstops to keep the larger diameter bar off the oil pan. In the rush I purchased a set of mount extensions from Amazon. Well, I was impatient making my way through Saline Valley and ran it up to 35-40 MPH. At one point I hit an erosion cut right across the road and bottomed out. By the time we were on the Warm Springs cut off, I could hear rattling from underneath. I did bottom out, and completely collapsed the cheap boxed metal bumpstop mount extension. The track bar left a slight deformity in the oil pan and bent the transmission cooler lines. So close to disaster again!
At camp the next day I made the trail repair. An almost petrified 2x4 was found and thankfully I had a saw and another had a 12v power drill. I made and installed a bumpstop spacer from the 2x4 and it worked wonderful. At some point later I made a set of solid aluminum blocks so this will never happen again and I don't have to worry about termites).
Photos more or less in trip order.
In prepping for the trip I installed an adjustable and beefier trackbar, and advice was to extend the bumpstops to keep the larger diameter bar off the oil pan. In the rush I purchased a set of mount extensions from Amazon. Well, I was impatient making my way through Saline Valley and ran it up to 35-40 MPH. At one point I hit an erosion cut right across the road and bottomed out. By the time we were on the Warm Springs cut off, I could hear rattling from underneath. I did bottom out, and completely collapsed the cheap boxed metal bumpstop mount extension. The track bar left a slight deformity in the oil pan and bent the transmission cooler lines. So close to disaster again!
At camp the next day I made the trail repair. An almost petrified 2x4 was found and thankfully I had a saw and another had a 12v power drill. I made and installed a bumpstop spacer from the 2x4 and it worked wonderful. At some point later I made a set of solid aluminum blocks so this will never happen again and I don't have to worry about termites).
Photos more or less in trip order.
