The Tri-Cities Clubhouse

[MrWilsonWJ]

I failed yet again! Went out camping and playing in the snow and didn't take a single picture to show you guys. Friday we headed up to the Malheur NF about 30 miles south of John Day. Forest road was actually plowed up to the turn off for the campground, but that left a 3-4 foot berm we had to get through to get into camp. Once we knocked the berm down I broke trail into camp. Snow was 12-14" so not too bad getting in and only need a pull back twice. Saturday we went looking for trails to run but everything off the main road had the same ice berm to deal with if we wanted to run it. We only found one open road and ran it up a ways until we found a spot to turn around. I managed to back into a snow filled ditch and had to winch myself out. Mondays trip out from the campground to main road was fun to say the least. We had an F350 long box with us, he got in just fine Friday but couldn't make it more than 20 yards without getting stuck while leaving. So after the first three pulls we just left the strap hooked up and I drug him the last half mile or so out, used a lot of skinny pedal on that pull. All in all a successful trip, we didn't break any rigs and no one got frostbite!

 

[M Rose]

Let’s Welcome @Ian W7OLI to the clubhouse.

 

[Ceg]

Let’s Welcome @Ian W7OLI to the clubhouse.

Welcome @Ian W7OLI !

 

[G.Goodwin]

Let’s Welcome @Ian W7OLI to the clubhouse.

Welcome @Ian W7OLI hope to see you at some meet and greets or out on the trail. Care to share a little bit about you?

 

[Ian W7OLI]

Sure. I’m 16 years old, I got a job at the local grocery store in Boardman. And I just got my drivers license last week. I don’t do very much riding but I like hearing stories

 

[M Rose]

@Ian W7OLI yell us about your ride, The back story and your plans to fix it up. These guys here are a huge wealth of knowledge and can help lend a helping hand in the time of need… all are a great bunch of guys.

 

[Ian W7OLI]

It’s an 04 Chevy Suburban and it leaks oil really bad. And my dad and I are going to fix it in the near future probably. It drives great, comfortable seats.

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Welcome to the group. We have a seed farm down in Boardman just south of the Love's truck stop so I'm down there a bit. I've always had a thing for suburbans and have had 2. 1999 3/4 ton with a 454 and an 1984 with small lift, 33's and a 6.5L diesel. Should have never sold the '84, with the market on square bodies now I'll never have a chance to get one as clean is it for the price. But I felt good about selling it when I did because it was to an 18 year old and it was his dream rig, turned down 2 offers on it while I gave him time to sell his rig and get the cash together.

Is your 'burb 1/2 ton? Outside of the oil leaks do you have any plans or ideas of mods you're wanting to do to it?

 

[Ian W7OLI]

I don’t know.

 

[M Rose]

@Ian W7OLI I think you need to take a look at @MrWilsonWJ jeep and @PNW EXPLR Ram along with a few other guys rigs to get an idea of what you would like to do with yours.

 

[PNW EXPLR]

It’s an 04 Chevy Suburban and it leaks oil really bad. And my dad and I are going to fix it in the near future probably. It drives great, comfortable seats.

Welcome to the crew! Your gunna have a great time wrenching on the Burb. My “new to me” international also has the constant oil change feature and loves marking its territory.
Get that thing road reliable and then we will work on helping you build it into yours and @MrWilsonWJ dream rig!

 

[Ian W7OLI]

lol

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Just another WJ

I didn't plan on doing a build thread for my WJ so there isn't much for pictures of work done so far. Now that I've joined OB I thought I might as well, hopefully I will get some good insight and tips from other members that might be helpful along the way and at the same time if there is...

www.overlandbound.com

Here's a link to my build if you're interested in checking it out.

 

[Ceg]

Sure. I’m 16 years old, I got a job at the local grocery store in Boardman. And I just got my drivers license last week. I don’t do very much riding but I like hearing stories

My three youngest are Charlie 18, Doc 16, and Odo 15 years old. They all are really into offroad trips and camping out of the rigs. They all have their own rigs and have built &/or repaired them. The Charlie and Doc take their rigs with us on our adventures. Odo will do his first driving alone 4x4 trip at the end of July like Doc did last year. I hope you can come out sometime and meet them. We will be at Juniper Dunes near Pasco on April 8-10th.

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Does Odo get to do the Gallagher head trip this year? I had fun on that one last year and would go again if you're doing it.

 

[Ceg]

Does Odo get to do the Gallagher head trip this year? I had fun on that one last year and would go again if you're doing it.

Yes that will be his first trip without a parent. This time we are going around China Hill.
This is a Thursday & Friday trip; EWE Wenas to Gallagher Head Lake Overland 4x4 Trip - 7/28-29/22

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Yes that will be his first trip without a parent. This time we are going around China Hill.
This is a Thursday & Friday trip; EWE Wenas to Gallagher Head Lake Overland 4x4 Trip - 7/28-29/22

I don't know what you're talking about China Hill was fun! Except maybe that time you almost rolled your Jeep down it...

 

[Ceg]

I don't know what you're talking about China Hill was fun! Except maybe that time you almost rolled your Jeep down it...

Yeah that was a wild ride. The time I really needed the sway bar disconnected it malfunctions. The has not reconnect by it's self since. Now it stopped connecting all together. I am better off without it.

 

[PNW EXPLR]

Sure. I’m 16 years old, I got a job at the local grocery store in Boardman. And I just got my drivers license last week. I don’t do very much riding but I like hearing stories

My three youngest are Charlie 18, Doc 16, and Odo 15 years old. They all are really into offroad trips and camping out of the rigs. They all have their own rigs and have built &/or repaired them. The Charlie and Doc take their rigs with us on our adventures. Odo will do his first driving alone 4x4 trip at the end of July like Doc did last year. I hope you can come out sometime and meet them. We will be at Juniper Dunes near Pasco on April 8-10th.

I love that your youngsters have been exposed to the outdoors and have rigs to call there own.
I have tried to follow a similar path with my kids. I bought my youngest a 92 4Runner as a project when he was 13ish. We have wrenched on it since. Now it has been handed over to him and his new wife. I hope they will use it to explore the wild places.

 

[Ceg]

I love that your youngsters have been exposed to the outdoors and have rigs to call there own.
I have tried to follow a similar path with my kids. I bought my youngest a 92 4Runner as a project when he was 13ish. We have wrenched on it since. Now it has been handed over to him and his new wife. I hope they will use it to explore the wild places.

Thanks. That is cool that he still has the rig you guys worked on together. I love hearing these stories. I wish my Dad would have taken the time with me.

I have 5 kids and I did that with the oldest boy, Hank. He is married and has two boys now. Hank has built many rigs since the first one. The three youngest boys go to him when I have no idea how to fix something. Hank has learned way more than I know.

Hank and my 3 child, Charlie built Charlie's ZJ when he was 16. Charlie is still building on it. In two years the rig really has changed.

The two youngest bought their first rigs not running. Doc (16) has already fixed and sold 3 pickups. He used the money to buy and build his YJ and now bought a XJ to build for overlanding. He work for a guy I sold our old family XJ to get it back for parts to build his XJ. He plans to make his XJ look like what the family XJ once looked like. Odo (15) bought and fixed up a ZJ. It had more issues so he sold it. Odo just bought a non-running Ford Ranger to fix and sell. He want to make enough money to by a TJ before his 16th birthday.