Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001
Completed basic maintenance, O2 sensors and an oil change. Runs very smooth now.
No surprises when under the car, nothing broken or obviously detacted.
Took the family on a 4 hour round trip and truck worked as expected :
- Brakes sucked, all pulsy and don't stop well, pads and rotors on order.
- Radio sucks, this is lower down on the list
- A/C still broken, didn't fix itself
- Suspension is pretty floaty but smooth. Youngest got carsick three times, fix will be to order carsick bags
- Precheck found that there is no jack, and no spare, so need to find those
- Drivers side arm rest is missing, looks like it didn't make it back on when the guy did the seat covers. Asked him and he feigned ignorance

All in all, just small things. Brakes will get done first, and Im trolling facebook for some tundra wheels and will make one of the existing ones a spare.
Put the family minivan up for sale as the truck is good enough for what the minivan does. Luckily we don't drive much so extra fuel won't be too much of a cost.

Next on the list:
- Steering wheel cover - existing grungy wheel feels gross in my hands
- Spark plugs, just for piece of mind and I have ordered them already
- Brakes, as above
- Keys, I haven't connected with the mobile locksmith guy yet

- Roof rack - I want to get something like the ARB or similar to both throw bikes on when towing a trailer, and to be able to mount my 12 ft aluminum boat with autoloader.
- Tires - need a spare, and would like to not have the flaky looking stock wheels.

blindjoe fucked around with this message at 17:22 on Jun 21, 2023

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

DJ Commie
Feb 29, 2004

Stupid drivers always breaking car, Gronk fix car...
I had a leather wheel I swore had disintegrated in the sun, but it was really, really dirty. Like gunk layer 1/16" evenly across the whole wheel dirty. I used Chemical Guys Interior Cleaner and then some Griot's leather something or other and it came back to what a quarter million mile leather steering wheel should.

Ferremit
Sep 14, 2007
if I haven't posted about MY LANDCRUISER yet, check my bullbars for kangaroo prints

God sometimes aftermarket parts suck so loving badly...

Fitted Blackhawk upper control arms 50-60K kms ago to correct the wheel alignments for the lift kit. Noticed some shocking clunking the other day and while I was fitting the upgraded turbo had to take the drivers front wheel off- Grabbed it and the entire god drat knuckle moved- and the upper control arms could be moved in and out by about 3/4 of an inch, and forwards and backwards about an inch- the aftermarket bushings in the Blackhawk arms failed completely- inner sleeve tore completely out of the rubber.



Ended up ordering 4x genuine UCA bushings from Partsouq ex Dubai- with freight they were $42 each, plus $60 freight. Toyota Australia wanted $135 EACH for them and a 5 day wait ex Sydney warehouse- I had them in 4 days from Dubai to Adelaide! Replaced the ball joints too as they were under a recall due to a manufacturing defect. One was ok, one was notchy, despite being greased every 10K kms.

The lower control arms bushings are original to the car at 455K kms and are juuuuuuuusssst starting to show cracking, so they're getting replaced whenever I can muster the enthusiasm to rip the ENTIRE front end of my car to pieces, cos I'm gonna drop the diff out, replace the 450K km old bearings and seals in it, fit a solid pinion spacer to it to help protect the diff and locker and then redo all the lower control arm bushings and replace the CV shafts, since one of them has not appreciated the extra torque of the new turbo and retune and now sounds like a skeleton wanking in an oil drum on full lock turns!

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

Ferremit posted:

Partsouq ex Dubai- with freight they were $42 each, plus $60 freight. Toyota Australia wanted $135 EACH for them and a 5 day wait ex Sydney warehouse-

Glad I'm not the only one who realized this is a better method. They've gotten me things I flat out couldn't get in the US at all with any timeframe provided f ro when they would arrive. SIMPLE things like LC200 rear brake slider pins - something the entire northeast US needs on a regular basis for every 200 that is regularly driven (you are at least replacing the bottom ones every time you need pads unless you're some kind of freak that just disassembles/cleans/greases brakes that aren't worn out on a DD).

blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001
Spent a couple of weeks getting it ready for camping, made it to camping with little to no drama.
ill make an effort post about brakes eventually - i had a heck of a time finding actual information on what you need to do other than search forums.
the 100's have gone from Fancy and new -> nice and used -> crap old cars -> and now are at people like me who want to dig out of maintenance debt.

Out Doing Camping things:



But before it made it there, I did some things on the list:

Steering Wheel Cover:

Steering wheel was gross as they cut off the old leather:



So I bought some sew on cover thing from alibaba for about $5
Done!:

Or just test fitting

Pull the steering wheel so it can be done inside.



Stitch it up tight:


Review:

It looks pretty good in person, much better than the usual tweety bird slip on walmart covers.
If you buy them yourself, don't get the perforated ones with the white backing. They are a bit too squishy, and I find the texture is tiring under hand.
Since it was $5, and 20 minutes of work, its not bad. Ill leave it for a while before replacing it.
I had my children help pull the wheel, and in the process I didn't mark the shaft, so the wheel is a few splines out. After pulling it again, its still a spline out.

blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001
I had the locksmith show up at my house, and have now learned a lot about keys, chips, and ECUs.

The immobilizer on the cars reads a chip in the key, and checks a chip in the ECU.
This chip is labeled the IC900 and is a little SOIC8 chip. It used to be if you lost your master key, you needed a new ECU.
Now the locksmith guys can scrape off the coating, clamp on to the chip, and read and write to it.
Its not encrypted or anything.

They can also read your key then write the information back to your chip.
For mine, someone had already been in the ECU (and lost all the screws holding it together) and messed with the chip.
They had loaded in a garbage file, so the Locksmith had to futz with it since his software wouldn't recognize it as valid.

He was able to program the two keys I had as masters, so now I can make changes.
However, the keys blanks I bought are the wrong ones.
There is a short key, 1.5", and a long key 1.85".

Also there is a "4d" chip and a "4c" chip. Seems that the newer ones have shorter keys, and newer chip.
The ebay listing had the same fcc numbers etc on it, but not the right stuff.
I guess this is why the locksmith said he didn't have stock and couldn't get any.

Now I get to figure out how to buy keys, as the dealer wanted $400 for one.



When I was getting the ECU out, I looked at the cabin filters, and they were completely plugged with leaves and dirt.
The bottom one was jammed, and when I got it out, all the junk fell into the hole. I have new ones on order, and I get to figure out how to vacuum the slot enough to get a new filter to sit down there.

e: figured Id put my brake adventure here:

When I have done brakes on other cars, it usually takes less than a day - Calipers off, rotors swap Calipers+pads back on, flush and done.
Not so on these. both front and rear there are extra fun steps you get to take.



I started with the rear, as I knew the fronts involved bearings.



Inside the rear discs, the ebrake drums live.
Of course I didn't buy replacement for the ebrakes, they are usually fine.



Nope, not this time. The passenger side didn't work, so they were fine.
The driver side, the pad material fell off when i hit them with the drum.

So I had to wait a few days to order the shoes and a hardware kit.



The kit (Dorman) was mostly complete, I got one side done before the camping trip. I left the side that didn't work since it didn't work before.




On the fronts, you have to get the 4wd hub off. This 6 bolts is what makes it full time 4wd.
This cap is held on by 6 small bolts that crush in cone washers. the cones jam in there so they can't move.

The service manual says to tap the studs with a brass drift to free the cones. This took me several tries to get.
Turns out you need a lot of violence - the solution was ear plugs because I was holding back since hitting the brass hurt my ears.



Eventually I got it off. If anyone else does this, buy the new bearings and seals since you have to take it all apart anyways.
I ended up getting them off and on, and repacking, but i am going to have to do it all again some time to get the oil seals replaced.



Getting the new rotors on wasn't bad.



And all clean looking.
Of course on the driver side, I lost the snap ring that goes on the axel.
This flew in to space after it slipped off the pliers.
Luckily the dealer could get them in a couple of days, as this was right before the camping trip.
The snap rings come in a bunch of sizes as you need to make sure there isnt any slop. I ordered all the sizes I could. Turns out mine was the 2.4 mm size.

After all that, the brakes are now smooth when stopping. They don't grab hard, but they are sufficient. I am going to put trailer brakes on the trailer so that there is another axel of braking when towing the thing full of camping gear.

blindjoe fucked around with this message at 06:16 on Jul 15, 2023

blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001
.

Ferremit
Sep 14, 2007
if I haven't posted about MY LANDCRUISER yet, check my bullbars for kangaroo prints

Braided lines make a MASSIVE difference to how the brakes bite on a 100, especially an older one with squishy stretchy rubber hoses

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

Ferremit posted:

Braided lines make a MASSIVE difference to how the brakes bite on a 100, especially an older one with squishy stretchy rubber hoses

This is one of those forum things (happens on all model specific DIY wrenching forums) that appear to be nothing but confirmation bias. Basically every instance of this I've seen are completely unsafe decades old lines being replaced with whatever "because racecar" braided ones when factory or quality aftermarket would have provided the exact same improvement in feel. I haven't done this on a 100, but I can't imagine there is anything special about the brake system or line lengths that would make it any different than a land rover/porsche/chevy/dodge/pick your DIY forum.

Braided lines come with a lot of negatives, especially on street vehicles. Even the new externally coated DOT approved ones.

Darchangel
Feb 12, 2009

Tell him about the blower!


blindjoe posted:



On the fronts, you have to get the 4wd hub off. This 6 bolts is what makes it full time 4wd.
This cap is held on by 6 small bolts that crush in cone washers. the cones jam in there so they can't move.

The service manual says to tap the studs with a brass drift to free the cones. This took me several tries to get.
Turns out you need a lot of violence - the solution was ear plugs because I was holding back since hitting the brass hurt my ears.



Eventually I got it off. If anyone else does this, buy the new bearings and seals since you have to take it all apart anyways.
I ended up getting them off and on, and repacking, but i am going to have to do it all again some time to get the oil seals replaced.



Getting the new rotors on wasn't bad.



And all clean looking.
Of course on the driver side, I lost the snap ring that goes on the axel.
This flew in to space after it slipped off the pliers.
Luckily the dealer could get them in a couple of days, as this was right before the camping trip.
The snap rings come in a bunch of sizes as you need to make sure there isnt any slop. I ordered all the sizes I could. Turns out mine was the 2.4 mm size.

After all that, the brakes are now smooth when stopping. They don't grab hard, but they are sufficient. I am going to put trailer brakes on the trailer so that there is another axel of braking when towing the thing full of camping gear.

A pox on any manufacturer that insists on bolting the goddamned rotors to the *back* of the hub. Not exclusive to Toyota, but the last (and first!) time I had to deal with that was my then-girlfriend's '78 Celica. Just loving stupid. Then there's that generation of Honda that does it on a front-wheel drive car, necessitating a complete disassembly of everything up there.


edit: fix that parking brake. It *can't* be difficult. They're cable-operated drum brakes, for Pete's sake.

blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001
The parking brake will be fixed, the biggest issue is the seized bellcrank - which can be fixed by violence and the new pin that is in the kit.

I have been buying random things for it and making my pile of potential work get bigger:
- Replacement Motors for the door lock actuators (so the locks with lock/unlock fast enough to get into remote programming mode)
- Bought both types of motors that might be inside, hopefully one will be right.
- New, longer Keys (which showed up as I was typing and were wrong. Specifically labeled "SHRT" - Still haven't paid the $400 that lexus wants. getting closer - up to $100 in wrong keys)
- Mishimoto Radiator and hoses, as they came in a big kit
- Unfortunately, after all the brouhaha over UPS charging $250 for duty, self-clearing for $80, and then rescheduling pick up , the radiator turned out to be for a G35. So it was sent back and we will try again
- 18" tundra wheels, so I can have a spare (turns out tires are total garbage and Im bad at impulse control)
- Still going to need a jack and a toolkit. Will probably just end up buying a $400 ebay one
- I did go look at used tires and turned them down as they were probably at 25% wear on two of them and not worth mounting. Sometimes I have impulse control.

Rest of the family went on vacation and I figured Id get some work done, but instead got pink eye and no motivation to do anything.
Hopefully nothing shows up at my doorstep while Im away.

DJ Commie
Feb 29, 2004

Stupid drivers always breaking car, Gronk fix car...

Darchangel posted:

A pox on any manufacturer that insists on bolting the goddamned rotors to the *back* of the hub. Not exclusive to Toyota, but the last (and first!) time I had to deal with that was my then-girlfriend's '78 Celica. Just loving stupid. Then there's that generation of Honda that does it on a front-wheel drive car, necessitating a complete disassembly of everything up there.


edit: fix that parking brake. It *can't* be difficult. They're cable-operated drum brakes, for Pete's sake.

Mazda BF chassis (323) is the same. I just do new bearings every time I redid rotors, its around $40 and the rotors even on the GTX last forever.

Ferremit
Sep 14, 2007
if I haven't posted about MY LANDCRUISER yet, check my bullbars for kangaroo prints

Motronic posted:

This is one of those forum things (happens on all model specific DIY wrenching forums) that appear to be nothing but confirmation bias. Basically every instance of this I've seen are completely unsafe decades old lines being replaced with whatever "because racecar" braided ones when factory or quality aftermarket would have provided the exact same improvement in feel. I haven't done this on a 100, but I can't imagine there is anything special about the brake system or line lengths that would make it any different than a land rover/porsche/chevy/dodge/pick your DIY forum.

Braided lines come with a lot of negatives, especially on street vehicles. Even the new externally coated DOT approved ones.

There is something quite different with the 100 series brake system- Its boosted by nitrogen accumulator and runs about 500psi higher pressures than the old vacuum boosted systems in the previous generation 80 series. When I upgraded the lines on mine the factory lines were less than a decade old and the upgrade was the difference between ABS being dead to the world because you COULDN'T make the tyres lock up on dry roads to actually getting the wheels to stop. Testing with pressure gauges showed that with the old lines I wasnt meeting minimum brake pressure at the calipers vs being on the high end of the range toyota specifies with braided lines.

Darchangel posted:

edit: fix that parking brake. It *can't* be difficult. They're cable-operated drum brakes, for Pete's sake.


"Toyota Landcruiser. So Unstoppable, not even the handbrake can do it."

They're famous GLOBALLY for not working properly, even when freshly rebuilt and adjusted. I just replaced every part of mine- Only things I kept were the rotors and the backing plates, and its STILL only just slightly above mediocre in terms of its performance.

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

Ferremit posted:

There is something quite different with the 100 series brake system- Its boosted by nitrogen accumulator and runs about 500psi higher pressures than the old vacuum boosted systems in the previous generation 80 series. When I upgraded the lines on mine the factory lines were less than a decade old and the upgrade was the difference between ABS being dead to the world because you COULDN'T make the tyres lock up on dry roads to actually getting the wheels to stop. Testing with pressure gauges showed that with the old lines I wasnt meeting minimum brake pressure at the calipers vs being on the high end of the range toyota specifies with braided lines.

It's just hydroboost, not some bespoke technology running at different pressures. Factory lines will work fine, yours in particular were bad. If it needed something else it would have come with it from the factory. Braided lines are dangerous on the street.

Ferremit
Sep 14, 2007
if I haven't posted about MY LANDCRUISER yet, check my bullbars for kangaroo prints

Motronic posted:

It's just hydroboost, not some bespoke technology running at different pressures. Factory lines will work fine, yours in particular were bad. If it needed something else it would have come with it from the factory. Braided lines are dangerous on the street.

Want to expand on that? Also I feel there might a disconnect between what we fit as "Braided Lines" here in Aus vs what they are in the US- Here in Aus theres actually a set of standards they have to comply with regarding their manufacture- things like they MUST be a sleeved line- so theres a heavy PVC coating over the stainless braid to keep dirt out of them, they have to use line that meets minimum burst pressure ratings, they must use factory style connectors and they must be crimped, not AN style, connectors. They're a pretty standard upgrade here and you never hear issues with them.

blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001
Truck has been out doing truck things


It rained when we were out camping (for the first time since Ive owned the truck) and I needed the rear wiper. It hasn't worked since I got the truck.
Took things apart to get the motor out





And then took the motor apart



Nothing that seemed like I could fix, it all seemed good in there.
I added some lube to the earwax, and it didn't make anything smoother.
Put it back together, and applied power, and nothing, not even getting hot.

I will need to find a new motor, dealer wants $470, so am now trying to find a used one.
I did order the grommet and a new radiator cap from them, and even that will end up being $80. I can't believe the money that the ih8mud guys must spend on all OEM parts (even if they do use partsouq)


In good news, I finally got my remotes to work! Turns out you need to do the procedure with the door Open - which is different from the first google search.
This link is the one that works.

Out of the two keys that are the right size, only one programmed, so now I need to swap remote guts to make it work. Sigh. The Keys aren't cut, so its not a rush to get that to work now that I know I can get to programming mode.
I did figure out that the unlock button has states where it won't work, (probably so that you can't unlock the car with a coat hanger) so the master switch I replaced is probably not faulty, instead it was just user error.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/programming-lx470-key-fob.1167779/

I also unplugged my antenna relay so that my wife would stop fussing about the grindy noises it makes every time i turn on and off the car, since of course the power antenna is broken.

Somewhat Heroic
Oct 11, 2007

(Insert Mad Max related text)



Many thanks to blindjoe for keeping the thread alive. While I did not have to do brakes repacking the front wheel bearing was infuriating to do with making sure to get the correct preload on the hub nut thing. Your fiberglass trailer is really cool too and you need to post more details and pics about it!

I am now ~3 months behind from my last posting. Summer showed up REALLY late this year and the mountains remained closed off well past Memorial Day weekend which is unusual but it also gave us a chance to get to the desert and try out that scenery again. This would also mark the first camping trip this year and our first time out with the LX 570. A lot of pressure was on. I had since gotten a 6 inch drop hitch and found that while I could still probably go for a little more it would likely work well. The noise seemed bearable so I got on with the only thing that could be done - add more wind noise! In the form of a roof rack. This rack I took off of my old LX because it would also fit my 570. I did need to drill new holes in a couple of spots. Honestly it took a long time because I did not want to screw this up. The foot mounts for the rack also needed to line up and not be fitting over the mounting bolts for the rail so a lot of measuring and looking got me where I needed to go.



roof rack on (all bolts sealed with silicone too)




Objectively worse but universally better.

The push to get the rack on is because I was really wanting to have the awning for the camping trip. Shade is hard to come by in the desert so making your own is the best way to get on. The Desert...We have been once before and went to a rather popular area. This area is really massive with hundreds (thousands) of miles worth of trails and roads to explore. Wanting to get away further from people and into a more remote place was the goal. I had a general idea of a few places that were near slot canyon hiking trails. I had decided Chute Canyon was the destination. It took a while to get there. Once we left pavement on a dirt road we saw state and BLM managed camp grounds. With cell service behind us we pressed forward using offline downloaded maps. After about a hour of dirt roads/sandstone shelf obstacles, slowing down for water diverting culverts cut into the roads we made it.

I can't tell you how cool it is to get to a place that you had planned and prepared for and hoped would be available. Old favorites are always good, but to grow you really need to seek new spots. As I finally decided the spot and got the trailer pointed in the direction I was happy with we got out of the car...and were immediately set upon by thousands of unseen gnats. The kind that just wanted to fly directly into your mouth and nose and ear holes...:barf: This is where the awning truly came in clutch. Remember three years ago when I complained about waiting forever to get the room for my ARB awning? I had never used it before. I had never even unrolled it out of the storage bag or set it up. I always packed it with us but never used it.

My wife and I knew that the only way we were going to survive this trip would be with some sort of respite from the bugs. We hastily pulled it out the bag and set it up...mostly correct. It was only after that I realized we were on 180 degrees backward but it still served the purpose and immediately I was so glad we had it. The room? AWESOME (spoiler - we have used it since and it is just the greatest thing). It is totally sealed off, roof, walls, floor. ARB has the best zippers, full stop. The screen mesh is perfect, the material is nice and durable.

We learned the bugs got super active twice a day - early evening and later in the mornings so the trip was not ruined by the bugs (thankfully).

Too many words - lets have a look at the photos:




An aerial panoramic shot of the area. If you embiggen and zoom in you will see the small dot that is our Bean. The wash that is on the bottom of the photo is the trail that we hiked through.

The views were spectacular.
We hiked through Chute Canyon as far as my kids would muster. We saw two other humans this entire trip once we set down camp and they were just people that went to hike the slot canyon. We had the whole place to ourselves.

It is unusual to see this much green, but as wet and rainy of a spring/early summer as we have had the desert plant life has been in full display.

The walls were several hundred feet high.

Our trip out was good. I had decided to air down on the way out to make for a little quicker travel time and it was well worth it.



The graded parts of the road were nice to traverse on.

The views just go on forever.

The desert is truly a cool place and something I definitely want to explore and see more of. The LX proved its worth and did awesome towing through the various canyons and interstate to get there and home. Travel time was a bit over 4 hours.

Next post: Same spot, different views.

blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001
Having a spot to stay out of the bugs is key.

Last weekend it was all wasps, I need to get some of those bug zapper things and put them in the camper. Even if it doesn't help, it gives you and the kids something to do to make you feel like you are doing something.

blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001
2 month update:

Bought more parts to put in the pile, will eventually start putting them on instead of hoarding. Parts Include:
- new motors for door lock actuators. Rear hatch stops unlocking when its hot, luckily its cold now so i can ignore it.
- Valve Cover Gaskets. Truck is super stinky on short trips as I am guessing oil drips onto exhaust.
- Serpentine belt
- LED bulbs for inside and outside lights
- Stock Roof Rack. Found one from somewhere in the states, paid $50 but $150 in shipping, and still have to go to america and import myself)

I had an alignment done, and they were able to do it, but noted I have some bad bushings in the back and the shocks are crusty.
Guess I need to find someone pulling off their AHC in a southern state and buy their shocks.

Darchangel
Feb 12, 2009

Tell him about the blower!


blindjoe posted:

2 month update:

Bought more parts to put in the pile, will eventually start putting them on instead of hoarding. Parts Include:
- new motors for door lock actuators. Rear hatch stops unlocking when its hot, luckily its cold now so i can ignore it.
- Valve Cover Gaskets. Truck is super stinky on short trips as I am guessing oil drips onto exhaust.
- Serpentine belt
- LED bulbs for inside and outside lights
- Stock Roof Rack. Found one from somewhere in the states, paid $50 but $150 in shipping, and still have to go to america and import myself)

I had an alignment done, and they were able to do it, but noted I have some bad bushings in the back and the shocks are crusty.
Guess I need to find someone pulling off their AHC in a southern state and buy their shocks.

Take the truck, bolt it on, drive back, and no one will ever question it.

blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001

Darchangel posted:

Take the truck, bolt it on, drive back, and no one will ever question it.

Ha, good idea, though I feel I will save the duties on the difference of 12 mpg or my Leaf, especially at $2 a liter/ $5.50/gal we get to pay.

Darchangel
Feb 12, 2009

Tell him about the blower!


blindjoe posted:

Ha, good idea, though I feel I will save the duties on the difference of 12 mpg or my Leaf, especially at $2 a liter/ $5.50/gal we get to pay.

Well, yeah, there's a calculation to be made there. :P

blindjoe
Jan 10, 2001
1 Month Update:

-Alignment done, Pretty sure they didn't listen to me about me putting the wheel on crooked, but it tracks well and the wheel is straight.
During this they noted I should replace my shocks because they look crusty. I should take them up on that deal and see if they would honor a quote (im sure they wouldn't).

Roof Rack:



Roof rack was delivered and unpacked.




Helper working on the bolts in the roof



Started putting it together in pieces before figuring out it all just needed to be assembled on the ground and put up in one go



Mounted and ready to go.




All worked out to get the Christmas Trees from the woods (carried a second one for friends who didn't have a tree).

Hopefully I will complete some of the house work I started this winter, and will start my own thread of goofy projects in the spring, to also hold non-landcruiser stuff.

Somewhat Heroic
Oct 11, 2007

(Insert Mad Max related text)



Your Lexus looks like it is getting some good work put in! My eyes are still drawn to clean 100's every time I pass them on the road.

Somewhat Heroic posted:

Next post: Same spot, different views.

So over Father's Day weekend I used it as the excuse to get to do what I want which was camping. We went to Diamond Fork; the old standby favorite that is not too far of a drive. With record snowpack Utah mountains experienced a crazy amount of runoff and a shortened season. Gates that typically open before Memorial Day were still closed. It was an expected busy weekend thanks to the holiday and every spot was taken. We kept driving and we found spots we had been before already occupied, gated off, or under water from the creek that was running over capacity. So we drove down roads we had not been on and traversed up and over a mountain and found a particularly excellent spot just as the sun was setting.



Didn't deploy the awning or room because it was cold enough the bugs had not shown up at all. We also didn't feel the need for shade because the temp with the sun out was perfect.

We had hiked to the hot springs in this area a couple years before - but what I learned was there is another way to get to them. You can hike from below, or from above. It is almost identical in difficulty and distance. The difference here is apparently nobody knows about the upper route; which was exactly near where we camped. It is about a 2.5 mile one way/5 mile round trip route.


The flow was heavy.

the hot springs were a bit more murky because of all the run off. They still felt great. The stream was really cold though.

Kids were absolute troopers. It is a long way for their little legs.

I have never seen the mountains this green and the grass this tall. It was excellent. We crossed paths with one big fat blow snake. After the hike we got back and made some beef tacos for lunch and played some card games. Great memories, incredible weather.

The next camping trip was a few days up in the Uintas. A place we have explored; but have not camped in. Looking at my post history I apparently did not show this area I took my white LX to.

https://i.imgur.com/Xpx1gXg.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/V3EVlRd.mp4

It is spectacular. We found the most envied spot in all the mountain. I know because some people hauled their big trailers up a pretty treacherous forest road that probably rattled their trailer to pieces only to see us in the spot which they turned around and went another way.


Had some great memories made here. Lots of games played, kids made bracelets for friends, tons of great food and perfect weather.
https://i.imgur.com/GmRCCKC.mp4

On the way out we stopped at the waterfall. Only one of my kids wanted to jump in and join me. The water was freezing which somehow made it better.


That will be the update for the first half of summer. Next post: updates to the Bean, camping with pals, solar eclipses road closures, and leaking coolant.

Slow is Fast
Dec 25, 2006

too dumb to get embedding working

my cruiser experiences have been a bit different lately
https://imgur.com/uzY21v8

Slow is Fast fucked around with this message at 21:09 on Dec 20, 2023

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Somewhat Heroic
Oct 11, 2007

(Insert Mad Max related text)



Slow is Fast posted:

too dumb to get embedding working

my cruiser experiences have been a bit different lately
https://imgur.com/uzY21v8

I believe you choose the ".mp4" link and it will show inline

https://imgur.com/uzY21v8.mp4

Good night sweet prince:rip:

Wild to see how much has changed in the 4+ years of starting this thread.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply