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Year in Review

cgalpha08

"Like Nothing Else"
Messages
3,584
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Hmmm....graduated from college, got a job, moved out and far away from my parents, bought some car parts that have yet to be installed. I guess you could say I became a real adult this year haha. Anyway I'd say it was a pretty good year!!
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
thats awesome cgalpha! I am hoping to be about a year behind you. Congrats!!

This year was an ok year personally, good year for squeaky.

Lets see, I got my winch replaced under warranty
did a SAS
got 37s
got a front locker
blew another stock diff
installed some led lights front and rear
made a custom skid
installed new leaf springs in the back
regeared it to 5.13s
made a custom crossmember so I can have longer control arms
racked up the mileage to 135k
did some trunk organization with ammo cans
restarted my spare parts list (wheel bearing, tie rod ends, fluids, etc.)
Thorparts bumper
Thorparts driveshaft adapter

Wheeling
Local trails all the time
rowher flats 2 times
Gold mtn 2 times
John Bull 1 time
last chance canyon 2 times, once at night
gorman 2 times
Johnson valley for the first time (beat the snot outta squeaky)

I think I went out a few more times but I am forgetting gotta go back through photobucket. I didnt wheel as much as I usually do. This semester killed all wheeling. Between work and a hectic school schedule and my grandma being sick on and off and then passing away I didnt get to do as much and the SAS drained gas funds for wheeling and then building and testing the SAS. Hopefully 2015 will get me some more time on the trails, graduate college, really dial in the suspension, push squeaky harder.

I wanna start looking into armor and a roll cage (not sure if that will get done in 2015) I still gotta get new rock lights and rewire all aftermarket electronics, PCM tune

Either way I made with through 2014 and am ready to see what the future brings! Woohoo!
 
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Zach

Mall Crawler
Messages
4,812
Location
So Cal
My year, think I wheeled twice. Snow run was a disaster almost slid backwards off a hill with my daughter and dogs in the truck. I made her get out. Caught **** for that later. Uh, my dogs. Also ran LCC after that the pig was wounded. Lost my grandma shortly after 06 H3. Brought a tighter bond there, if you only knew the beginning. [emoji15]. Looking for to getting the group out again for 2015.
 

SuperBuickGuy

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,403
Location
Woodinville, WA
My year... the highlight and low light are all in one word... Oso. I did all sorts of things there: from running for body bags, to picking up test vials, to pulling out a few Air Force F350s of a very muddy LZ. I also have a couple friends who lived very close and got the opportunity to help them and the Oso fire department as well... to me, actually, that's the highlight of my year - getting the opportunity to help with tools I have.
I blew the front end in my truck (not wheeling, dang it), but in despair comes opportunity so I put an e-locker in the front, then rewired everything so the computer doesn't get to tell me whether or not my lockers stay engaged. Not cheap, but effective - and interesting/coincidentally, the repair was tested at Oso - the first day I was driving my truck because the gears were getting set up in my H3, but then all the LZ stuff was in the H3.
Went wheeling a few times, and got a new set of fun-things-to-do when I attended my 1st overland rally and had a blast learning to ride by CR500af.
I took on a new project with the FJ40, and have made progress on the Land Rover, but both are in the "waiting for parts mode" again - hopefully this year they both will be done and I can get back to my long-term project
 

3Hummers

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
10,398
Location
Central Texas
I shot over 12,000 rounds of .223/5.56 in my AR. Just under 1000 of .300 win mag in my bolt gun & 2000 .45 ACP out of my H&K UMP. All that training has really paid off, and the results have shown it.

I lost count of how many shotgun rounds. Don't keep a log book on my shotguns.


"Ex Umbris Venimus"

I hope someone else is paying for your ammo. :)
 

Best4x4

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,042
Location
Vidor, TX
My Year In Review:

Traded in my remaining Jeep's for my wife's 07 H3 Adventure Victory Red with Red/Black Cloth in April (after my trade-in's I just paid $87.00)
Did some minor repairs (after buying it) and upgrades to my wife's 07 H3 (new battery & AirDoc Intake).
Almost fried my 5.3L in my Alpha due to a crappy overpriced E-Fan Kit during the early summer (OEM setup is working perfectly vs the E-Fan).
Just did some regular vehicle maintenance this year vs replacing all sorts of parts (common Jeep thing).

Got to see my little girl grow up a lot this year and learn all kinds of new stuff.
Grandpa passed away after almost a year of fighting a broken leg, back surgery, and infections.
Went on a Cruise to Mexico and had a total blast with my lovely wife & wanna do another cruise soon.
Got an awesome Christmas Bonus and was able to completely pay off the Cruise and get a few upgrades for the Alpha.

Volant CAI = returning that piece of junk
Jet Performance Throttle Body = will be installed Tuesday
ThorParts Front Skid Plate = shipped
Cobra 75 CB = ordered
AirDoc = order coming soon once the refund for the Volant goes thru

Did some minor off roading this year, but I'd love a trip to Big Bend, or Hidden Falls next year for sure! Overall I had a fantastic year, and I am looking forwards to 2015.
 

derian06

Red Rockett
Messages
1,866
Location
Madison, AL
Started off wonderful with an amazing girl (I thought) and a great new car I would have to work on for the next 6 months until I could actually drive. Started without knowing absolutely anything about auto mechanics and slowly learned alot of different things.

Went through an addiction to plasti-dip only to realize I hate the stuff, put in plasma white oracles, put on some 1.75" wheel spacers, got 315/75/16 bfg km2's, learned how to and installed my own audio system with 2 12's new tweeters and new speakers. Filled the doors with roofliner to insulate them. Went wheeling where ever I could, got a 50" light bar up top. Added led floor lights, got H.I.D's, cut off the muffler, then finally I hydrolocked the engine. Ouch.

Then insurance covered it all and gave my dad an extra 3-4,000$ I found a 2008 victory red H3 Alpha with the adventure package, bought it in full and started some serious mods. I scavenged everything I could off of the old H3 which helped a good bit. First thing I did was cut off the muffler and throw on some 315/75/16 bfg km2's along with the 50" up top. I also took the new odyssey battery and put it into the new 3. Luckily it already came with an airdoc intake. Next was the rancho lift, and all the painting that had to be done with it. Following that was raptor lining the fenders and the hood. Next came some 37x12.5r17 goodyear mtr's with kevlar and some 1.75" spacers. Then I retrofitted projectors into the heads and fogs with led concepts colormorph halos and HID's. After that I installed a 1" body lift to get rid of the rubbing. I've wheeled this beast through things I would have never tried with my old 3, with the help of a great offroad group. Finally after a year and four months of dating found out my ex cheated on me (highschool huh). Now i'm happier than ever back in the gym making gains and i'm planning on building rocksliders before my winter break is done with.
 

cbetts

NERD!!!
Messages
3,182
Location
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
This was a CRAZY year for me. I only got to go wheeling twice, both times at Last Chance Canyon. My job got in the way this year, forcing me to not only cancel the annual Bishop trip but also also a personal vacation.

Bessie got a lot of work done this year. She had the rear end all fixed after a collision on the freeway so I decided it was time to fix the front. Got all ball joints, wheel bearings and shocks. Also received a set of Alpha torsion bars from CHris (06 H3) which makes it ready for a winch! Ellen gave me a 12,000 lb winch and permission to order a Thor front bumper!

Seems like many of the SoCal crew hit hard times this year. I will be making a better effort to get the gang out this next year. ALso planning on some easier runs to attract new members.
 

LagunaH1

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,703
Location
Lake Forest, CA
2014 was a year of a lot of change for us. We moved and I changed jobs twice. The truck has been running pretty good for a while, but unfortunately I haven't had time to get out on the trails much.

I didn't really do much in the way of mods, except get the roof painted and some minor rust repaired. I finally, with the roof newly painted, got my HAM radio antennas installed permanently in the roof rack.

Here's to 2015: Hoping for job stability and good times on the trails
 

Cyouincourt007

Pavement Prince
Messages
542
Location
Miami,Fl
2014,... Well still in denial here....ahhh 2014, a year of infamy and a year of things to be celebrated....only more time will tell. 2014...some wonderful I climbed Everest type moments and some dam I'm stuck in the mud with no winch and no one around to help with no cell reception type moments.
Not much mods except cleaning and modding them dastardly sunroof drain plugs, and a new tag and fan clutch.
for 2015 should have a Gobi stealth with ladder soon, picked up some plasti dip last night...and plan on doing light bar and some other cool stuff.
2014 was literally a box of chocolates, some so sweet you want another and some so sour you want to spit it out and wish you never tasted it....that's life in a nut shell the ups and the downs, long as we're still here to experience them is what it's all about...keep moving forward and trucking on is the only choice.
glad 2014 is gone and looking forward to some mods in 2015 and some fishing, off-roading in loop road or maybe even the humps and heck might even decide to get the ol lady prego and become a father lol who knows lets see. Keep moving forward :woot:
 

Neo

Badfish
Messages
1,658
Location
Brookings, OR
2014 was the year of growth for me and the business. not much wheelin this year but i was able to get my production facility up and running out at Dave's in Spanish Valley, and also improve on our packaging operations here at the Outpost. I was lucky enough to add 6 more 7-11 stores to my client base from Mexican Hat to Thomson springs and should be adding Dead Horse Point in the spring once they have their approval and firepits are installed throughout their campground. i have also supplied Maverick when their corporate supplier was unable to keep up.
2015 will see a bigger and badder Rocky Mountain Firewood. we'll be going from 2 part time wrappers to probably 4 part-timers or 1 full timer with a part time helper, still need to get the manpower figured out for keeping about a 2,000 bundle inventory wrapped up and ready to go while delivering 500 to a 1,000 bundles a week when the busy season starts. these pix will kind of show you the process and how much wood i have to keep on hand now, my stash hasn't dropped below a hundred cords in over 6 month now, staying ahead of the game takes so much more planning now, never dreamed it would get this big back when i only had Slickrock and Canyonlands. Thanks to all of you that have encouraged me to keep going.



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LagunaH1

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,703
Location
Lake Forest, CA
2014 was the year of growth for me and the business. not much wheelin this year but i was able to get my production facility up and running out at Dave's in Spanish Valley, and also improve on our packaging operations here at the Outpost. I was lucky enough to add 6 more 7-11 stores to my client base from Mexican Hat to Thomson springs and should be adding Dead Horse Point in the spring once they have their approval and firepits are installed throughout their campground. i have also supplied Maverick when their corporate supplier was unable to keep up.
2015 will see a bigger and badder Rocky Mountain Firewood. we'll be going from 2 part time wrappers to probably 4 part-timers or 1 full timer with a part time helper, still need to get the manpower figured out for keeping about a 2,000 bundle inventory wrapped up and ready to go while delivering 500 to a 1,000 bundles a week when the busy season starts. these pix will kind of show you the process and how much wood i have to keep on hand now, my stash hasn't dropped below a hundred cords in over 6 month now, staying ahead of the game takes so much more planning now, never dreamed it would get this big back when i only had Slickrock and Canyonlands. Thanks to all of you that have encouraged me to keep going.



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Dude!!

That's fantastic, congratulations on the amazing success!! Glad to hear that those pesky union reps who's been bugging you werent' able to cause problems for you ;-)
 

deserth3

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,069
Location
Conroe, TX
Neo
I'm happy to hear things are going great for you. I remember when you had to unload everything by hand. And Hans would try to catch it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 

Neo

Badfish
Messages
1,658
Location
Brookings, OR
Neo
I'm happy to hear things are going great for you. I remember when you had to unload everything by hand. And Hans would try to catch it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk


i remember too. find it, then cut it, and haul it down the mountain :wink:

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ReconH3

Guardian Angel
Messages
2,288
Location
Raleigh, NC
I hope someone else is paying for your ammo. :)

I only have to fund my 300 win mag. Mainly because nobody makes ammo that's supersonic passed 2km, so I custom make it myself. The rest is courtesy of some very well funded organizations. :D


"Ex Umbris Venimus"
 

cbetts

NERD!!!
Messages
3,182
Location
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
It has been a pretty rough year for me and Ellen this year. I did manage to get a THORparts bumper and a 12k winch installed on Bessie. I was able to test it out on Serge's HMB when he flopped it in the V notch in LCC. I am bummed that this was my only run this year.

Even with all the drama, we bought a new home in Lomita and are in the process of moving.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 

cgalpha08

"Like Nothing Else"
Messages
3,584
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Hmm let's see. Replaced the front diff once, rebuilt the second one. Regeared both ends to 4.56 (many thanks to CJ for the help). Installed a new front driveshaft from tattons. Threw on some 35's. It's basically set up where I want from a driveline perspective. Many cosmetic changes coming this spring though.
 
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