Off-Road Worthy 5x8 Conversion

[KTM_Guy]

Nice, where did you get those mounts for the ax and shovel, those look nice. And the mount is going anywhere.

Todd

[Iconfabul8]

Looks good, I love big overbuilt iron stuff!

[jmanscotch]

Nice, where did you get those mounts for the ax and shovel, those look nice. And the mount is going anywhere.

Todd

The mounts are Quick Fist clamps, they come in many different diameter ranges for a good snug fit, here’s a link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CQPANY/re ... NBb8A6FCE0

I debated getting some lighter weight metal for the entire mount, but ultimately it’s probably not a bad weight balance for the propane and awning that are mounted street side.

I’ll plan to mount the batteries on the curb side too, in the rear, and that should give me a close-enough side-to-side balance.


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[jmanscotch]

The time has come to rebuild the rear door. The factory door is pretty flimsy, adding to that, I screwed it up when cutting it down after I shortened the trailer. It hasn't fit quite right, doesn't seal well and isn't much of a use outside being a simple door...so this weekend I dove into designing and building a replacement.

Here's what we started with, flimsy pressed wood frame with aluminum sheet.



The door opening is out of square about 1/4 inch so instead of making a square door, I built it to match the opening. I started by trimming down and framing up some 1.5x1.5 inch angle iron. The angle iron will give me a good surface to mount a weather seal on too.



Next, I wanted to make the door more than just a boring door, so I made up a couple cross brace's out of 1.5x1.5 square tube and came up with a drop down cooking table that'll house the propane stove.



The table is offset to the outside of the door (when open) to give good clearance/access to the galley selves. I also installed new heavy duty hinges to support the new door. I currently went with some sheet metal as a door skin, but I'm rethinking that as the door now weights roughly 60 lbs. I might try recycling some of the aluminum skin from the old 2 doors and see if I can come up with something that looks half decent.

Here's the door installed, with the shelf up in it's stored position:



Here's the self down in it's usable position. I have some butcher block like slabs of wood and I'm planning to finish the shelf with some of it inside the angle iron base.




I had to think up a latch system to keep the table in the stored position as well as something to keep the table from opening beyond 90 degrees/level. I went through many ideas in my head and ultimately came up with this simple fix. A few sections of angle iron welded on to create a hole to place a pin to keep each side up, and the tab will also be the 'stopper' that keeps the table level when down.

In the stored position (pins not installed)



Deployed table, resting on the tabs



I'm going to play around with trying to skin the door with aluminum this week and see how it goes. Should have a finished update this week.

Jake

[hankaye]

jman, Howdy;

Impressive ...

hank

[jmanscotch]

Finally pulled some pictures off the camera and figured I'd just dump a few here:






Jake

[KTM_Guy]

I like the first shot. Where about were you?

[jmanscotch]

I like the first shot. Where about were you?

Near Turquoise Lake outside Leadville, CO. Here's some GPS and details for you if you're looking for a destination to plan sometime.

You can take County Road 4, West out of Leadville, turn left to keep on CR 4 near west end of Turquoise Lake (CR 9 will continue straight). Probably 3/4 mile down CR 4 after the turn, make a left hairpin turn onto 105A and drive up until you're near the power lines and take a right onto the step uphill rocky side road. Looking at the picture below, we were actually about 750 feet south of that marked location, right above tree line (can be viewed better on google maps).

[KTM_Guy]

Cool thanks, I’ve been in that area a few times. We did Hagerman Pass road from Ruedi Reservoir a few times. Jeep and Moto. Fun drive.

Are you going to get out to see the fall colors?

Thanks again.

[jmanscotch]

Cool thanks, I’ve been in that area a few times. We did Hagerman Pass road from Ruedi Reservoir a few times. Jeep and Moto. Fun drive.

Are you going to get out to see the fall colors?

Thanks again.

Definitely a nice area.

Yeah we went last weekend near Breckenridge, drove Bereas Pass from Como to Breck, almost camped there but she wanted to go into Breck for food so we ended up just south of Breck, by Montgomery Resevoir right on the contetenential divide (the other three pictures posted). Those weren’t great pictures of the area, I didn’t bother to take many, but it did have great views. Some patches of aspens around.

Jake

[KTM_Guy]

Those are great views. I haven't been the the Cosmo area. My daughter was looking in Breckenridge for a job a few years ago and I told her she would most likely have to live in Alma to afford housing. She didn't want to drive a pass everyday to get to work. So she ended up in Winterpark for a few years. She is back with us in AZ now. It's just to expensive to live in a resort town.

This summer my brother wants me to spend some time near Westcliffe. He wants to buy some land in that area, and wants me to check it out. I'm telling him to look in the wester part of the state because it is a lot closer drive for me.

Todd

[jmanscotch]

Those are great views. I haven't been the the Cosmo area. My daughter was looking in Breckenridge for a job a few years ago and I told her she would most likely have to live in Alma to afford housing. She didn't want to drive a pass everyday to get to work. So she ended up in Winterpark for a few years. She is back with us in AZ now. It's just to expensive to live in a resort town.

This summer my brother wants me to spend some time near Westcliffe. He wants to buy some land in that area, and wants me to check it out. I'm telling him to look in the wester part of the state because it is a lot closer drive for me.

Todd

Why Westcliffe? Seems a bit random, I've been through that area and there isn't much there...maybe that's the point though! We've done Medano Pass just South of there, a nice ~20 mile primitive trail that ends at the Great Sand Dunes.

We've got plans to get down more in the Silverton area next summer, maybe try Black Bear Pass and explore some of the old mining areas down that way; Ouray/Telluride area.

[KTM_Guy]

Those are great views. I haven't been the the Cosmo area. My daughter was looking in Breckenridge for a job a few years ago and I told her she would most likely have to live in Alma to afford housing. She didn't want to drive a pass everyday to get to work. So she ended up in Winterpark for a few years. She is back with us in AZ now. It's just to expensive to live in a resort town.

This summer my brother wants me to spend some time near Westcliffe. He wants to buy some land in that area, and wants me to check it out. I'm telling him to look in the wester part of the state because it is a lot closer drive for me.

Todd

Why Westcliffe? Seems a bit random, I've been through that area and there isn't much there...maybe that's the point though! We've done Medano Pass just South of there, a nice ~20 mile primitive trail that ends at the Great Sand Dunes.

We've got plans to get down more in the Silverton area next summer, maybe try Black Bear Pass and explore some of the old mining areas down that way; Ouray/Telluride area.

Yeah, I'm not sure about why Wesrcliffe. I not sure if we'll be going to going to Colorado this year we are thinking of spending time in Utah this coming year. So much to see there and we have only been there once.

Medano Pass is on the bucket list ever since years ago we stayed a few nights at the sand dunes. We had a great trip and planned to go back. I know it's sandy but would it be a trailer friendly trail?

I've done Black bear on a motorcycle, haven't with the Jeep yet. I say it's because I own to much on the Jeep still. But also my wife has heard stories and is terrified of it. I didn't think the steps were that bad but that first righthand switchback looks like a killer to me. I'm sure at some time we'll do it.

Years ago we we rented a Jeep and did Imogene to Ophir with lunch in Ouray. That was my wife and kids first time off roading and they loved it. Two tears ago we did the Alpine Loop and a few other trails in the area. We camped real close to Animas Forks for 3 nights. Not sure I would pull the camper on some of those trails. It can get very busy. Two times we had to backup so the on coming vehicle could pass. One time it was almost a mile, the lady was lucky probably if she could back out of a parking space. Would hate to have that happen while pulling a camper.

Maybe this time next year we'll go for a long weekend to see the colors. That is something I haven't done yet in Colorado.

Todd

[jmanscotch]

Yeah, I'm not sure about why Wesrcliffe. I not sure if we'll be going to going to Colorado this year we are thinking of spending time in Utah this coming year. So much to see there and we have only been there once.

Medano Pass is on the bucket list ever since years ago we stayed a few nights at the sand dunes. We had a great trip and planned to go back. I know it's sandy but would it be a trailer friendly trail?

I've done Black bear on a motorcycle, haven't with the Jeep yet. I say it's because I own to much on the Jeep still. But also my wife has heard stories and is terrified of it. I didn't think the steps were that bad but that first righthand switchback looks like a killer to me. I'm sure at some time we'll do it.

Years ago we we rented a Jeep and did Imogene to Ophir with lunch in Ouray. That was my wife and kids first time off roading and they loved it. Two tears ago we did the Alpine Loop and a few other trails in the area. We camped real close to Animas Forks for 3 nights. Not sure I would pull the camper on some of those trails. It can get very busy. Two times we had to backup so the on coming vehicle could pass. One time it was almost a mile, the lady was lucky probably if she could back out of a parking space. Would hate to have that happen while pulling a camper.

Maybe this time next year we'll go for a long weekend to see the colors. That is something I haven't done yet in Colorado.

Todd

We want to get out to Utah some, but I imagine it'll be a few years, we've got a lot of other life plans to get underway (wedding, kids, etc).

Medano pass would be fine for a small trailer with some clearance. I wouldn't try to haul an actual RV down it, sheer size and some switchbacks would stop you. The biggest issue we faced is the creek crossing at the very top of the pass (so the first or last crossing you get to, depending on the travel direction). It was about 4 feet deep and 35 feet across, if we didn't have to travel 4 hours to go around it I wouldn't have gone through it. I had bad flashbacks to the time I hydrolocked my Jeep XJ in a creek crossing a few years back and put a nice sight window in cylinder 2



If it isn't the rainy season, that crossing shouldn't be so bad. You cross the creek a dozen times on the pass, but the others are rather mild (sub 1 foot).

I'm pretty split on Black Bear. Several friends have done it, I've see video and while I'm not typically one who's afraid of heights, I think that might be a big puckering. The fiance definitely doesn't like the idea so it might be a boys trip one day and I would plan on taking the trailer

[Tigris99]

I decided to watch some videos on black bear. I need to do more research on it but I'm thinking of adding it to the top 10 trips to make. Trying to find video of sections that make it so sketchy because nothing yet exceeds what my CRV can handle. Not sure if there is multiple options on the pass of routes to take (easy vs hard) or what but right now it just looks bad ass

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