Good Day Tater

[hole]

Yesterday I picked up the final piece's of my drivetrain upgrade, a 5-1 first geared T19. So now the summer months will be spent rebuilding the Transmission , going through the Transfer Case and installing the 4-1 LoMax kit that I've had sitting on the shelf for over a year. I also scored a new in the box Aussie locker for my 20 for $100 as well. I had planned on using a better locker for the rear, but for the money I'll run the Aussie until it lets go. Yes, yesterday was a good day Tater

 

[hole]

Anyone need a good T-5

 

[Torxhead]

So just what plans and trails do you have in mind for this major gear swap? Something like the Dusy-Ershim or the Rubicon?

 

[Petescj]

Not sure what the "Tater" implies but yup , thats gonna be a nice crawling drivetrain.

 

[hole]

I suppose those can be added to a long list. Most of the time we are headed into the Mojave desert looking for long ago lost mines and ghost towns. We travel a lot of washed out shelf/mine roads and I'm tired of having to constantly clutch going over rocky sections. These upgrades will still keep me street able but much more crawl capable too.We will be making our first trip to the Panamint valley this fall, broadening our horizons.

 

[hole]

Pete, comedian Ron White. Tater Salad

 

[Torxhead]

I am sure you have done your research that area, I have spent a lot of time in the Panamints. We usually base camp from Ballarat, but have spent a few nights at some of the many miner's cabins there.

 

[hole]

Torx, just started my research a few weeks ago. We generally camp on the move each night, but a base camp at Ballarat might work too. I have already found some amazing info out on the area. Sadly the loop through Pleasant Canyon/ South Canyon is closed, was looking forward to chicken rock.

 

[Torxhead]

I believe you are referring to Chicken corners, where a couple of four wheelers have gone over the edge. This is still accessable from the north side, but the bridge just after that is closed to vehicles weighing somewhere around just under what a CJ is. Coming in from the south side is a great trip also, with the tight squeeze entering South Park to the Briggs cabin, which is a must see and stay. It is just that it is no longer a thru drive. Just to the south is Goler Wash, which goes all the way thru to Death Valley, another must do.

 

[hole]

We figured we'd stay at Briggs cabin for at least the first night. Goler Wash was pushed down on my early list, but your trusted recommendation has pushed it back up. I'm still very early in the research phase, so as I find more info and reviews my list of must see's goes up and down like a toilet seat.

 

[Torxhead]

Good luck with your route planning, the Briggs cabin is the A#1 place to stay if you can find it available, otherwise whoever is staying there will let you see inside. There is also another cabin next door. There are more cabins, some very well kept up on the West side coming out of Mengal Pass from Goler Wash. Hopefully no one has trashed any more of these prized locations, the Panamints are loaded with trails on both sides.

 

[Petescj]

This thread fills me with jealousy. Once your weather changes we need to see some more pics of these areas.

 

[Torxhead]

Yeah Pete, I am trying to talk Hole into going so he can write a run report with pics. The weather there today was 105 degrees, a bit warm for me.

 

[hole]

I'm definitely going guy's, just not until fall. Look for pics sometime in Nov when it cools off some. Not to mention, I've still got to rebuild a Transmission / Transfer Case and put them in

 

[Torxhead]

Getting back to where Hole mentioned seeing Chicken Rock, Chicken Corners, or Chicken Point or whatever it is called there was a major incident where a Cherokee went over the edge. After that the bridge that was once used to haul ore out on was closed by the BLM to vehicles weighing over somewhere around 3000 lbs or so. It is by no means a tough obsticle, just a location where a vehicle went over the side. Here are some pics:
Rollover On Chicken Point in Panamint And Trip Report
After that I did see pics of a TJ that went over at the same location.
Here is a video of a guy driving up that canyon going in from the West side:
chicken corner - YouTube
There are a few cabins up there with one outstanding to see and available free first come first serve:panamint cabins - YouTube

 

[hole]

It does seem to be called something different on every forum, only constant is Chicken Thank you for posting those links, I love desert porn

 

[hole]

Well folks, today should be another banner day since the big brown truck is scheduled to deliver all my parts from Novak to rebuild and mate my T19 up to my girl. Sadly, I cant be here to give the driver the hug he deserves for bringing the best present ever I'm a grunt on a pyro crew and heading out the door for work and wont be home til Sunday. Whomever said "good things come to those that wait", well, I hate that guy

 

[Torxhead]

I gotta ask, your current first gear is around four to one, the T19 first gear is around five to one. So for that much difference you are going to give up an Overdrive ? I would think that adding a four to one Transfer Case would be great by itself.

 

[hole]

At the moment, I have and plan to keep the 2:73's so with 31-32" tires the 5-1 first gear should still be usable on the street and come in real handy in low range. 5th gear is only good for flat highway now, not sure I'll miss it too much

 

[Torxhead]

Oh I see now, I thought that you had stated 3.73 was your diff ratio on a previous post.