Hollister Hills State Vehicle Recreation Area
Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 13:14:52 -0700
From: Scott Wilson
Subject: Air Horns/Cross Drilled Rotors & MUD!!!
To: Toy4x4
Well it looks like everyone who came on the Hollister Hills trip learned
something. My girlfriend (who missed the picture of Nick's near roll
over because she had not advanced the film past the leader) learned that
no matter how many pictures you take, if there is no film in the camera,
no one will ever see them. It was an ~extremely~ bad day for pictures
for us.
Now, lets get to what I learned...
I learned that you should not use your air horns after splashing around
in the mud, because the compressor will suck the mud right off the out
side of it's case and shoot it all the way up into your horns. (are you
laughing yet?) Yes, those wonderfully annoying Hella air horns I had
are now DEAD. Even after washing out the horns and rebuilding the
compressor...they will never toot again.
My advice for those of you with air horns...
Before you get in the mud, take a plastic bag and wrap your compressor,
then use a rubber band or a twist tie to keep it on. Then I'd probably
disconnect the relay to the horns to prevent it from working, even if
you loose your mind and hit the horn button. For the horns themselves,
when I get the new ones installed, :) I plan to put some of moms old
nylons over the bell. The should be sufficient to keep debris out,
while letting your horns sound at full volume.
More of what I learned...
I learned that you should NEVER take you truck (if you have cross
drilled rotors) through thick mud. (or, just never get stuck). I got
REALLY stuck in the pit at Hollister. I was almost up to my body mounts
in mud. A FJ40 with 33" mud terrains tried it after I did, but from the
other end. (I think I made it in farther) It was an impossible day to
cross the mud pit. Too bad I had to be the one to figure that out. ;)
After threatening to let the Chevy pull me out, the group finally let
another FJ40 (who wasn't part of our group) pull me out. He ended up
having winch me out. I was so suck, it was too much even for his brand
new 350.
All seemed OK with my brakes after they dried out, until about 24 hrs
later. Last night about 15 miles from home, all of a sudden my brakes
suddenly screamed out in pain, and when I went to stop they ground like
there was rocks in 'em. I had my sister drive my tools out to me and I
took it all apart in a parking lot last night. (Thank goodness for that
awesome 12V light I made).
I removed the calipers and knocked all the dried mud out of 'em. (Side
note: I also noticed my Axis 'Metal Master' pad are wearing REALLY well,
I guess they're worth the extra $$) Then I had to clean out the rotors,
hole by hole, slot by slot with a long screw driver. I couldn't believe
all the mud packed into those rotors. Put it all back together and
everything seems great again. I'll be checking the rear drums this
evening, but it's not likely I'll find much mud in them.
My advice for those with cross drilled rotors...
Don't waist your time in the thick mud, unless you're prepared to clean
them right then and there on the trail (or maybe on the way home
somewhere. I think it's amazing I drove as far as I did w/o problems.)
I think you'll be OK in the thin splashy stuff (very watery).
For those of you concidering cross drilled rotors, don't let this deter
you. I still think they are the most awesome brakes I have had on any
vehicle, and would buy them again in a heart beat.
I hope this advice saves someone from the huge hassle and waist of time
that I went through.
As someone else said before me..."Keep the rubber side down."
(especially you Nick) :)
Scott
- --
Scott A. Wilson __o __o __o __o
Santa Clara, CA _'\<,_ _'\<,_ _'\<,_ _'\<,_
swilson@pacbell.net (_)' (_) (_)' (_) (_)' (_) (_)' (_)
http://users.uniserve.com/~rcomber/scottw/scottw.htm
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 May 1997 23:08:36 -0700
From: nickkrest@batnet.com (Nick Krest)
Subject: An apology
To: toy4x4@tlca.org
I have to apologize and admit a moment of stupidity on my part.
On Saturday, I was wheelin' with Scott Wilson, Barney McNamara, Leo
Divinigracia, and a whole bunch of others at Hollister SVRA. The day was
over, we all had a lot of fun, and we were just heading down a black
diamond trail called Chaparral.
I was bringing up the rear when I asked my co-driver Scott (not Wilson) if
I should short-course down a 40% slope directly down to the campground
where everyone else had already stopped. The trail proper did kind of a
switchback down the hill and back, probably a 15% - 20% slope, but there
was a shortcut that went directly down the hill. I asked Scott, "Should I
go down that way?" He immediately replied, "No," and he was serious. He
meant no. "NO?" I said, as I made the hard right turn down the hill.
My right front wheel dropped into a deep rain rut, and the wheels on my
side picked up off the ground. I had been flirting with my side rollover
angle all day, just to see what the limit was. I have been in rollovers on
nine separate occasions, but never in my Toyota.
The truck was going to go over on the passenger's side. I hit the brake,
and we teetered there on two wheels. We were about to go over when I did
something stupid.
My truck(about to roll)
------------------\ ++
\-----||---\
++ \----\
| \--\
\\ \--\ regular trail
| \---\
\ \--\
\ \---\
steep shortcut
\ /--
\ /---/
\\ /---/
\\ /--/
\ /--/
\ /-/
\\ /---/
|--/
+--+
+--+ +--+ +--+
+--+ +--+
+--+
+--+ +--+
+--+
lots of people and trucks at the bottom
Down at the bottom of the hill were about 8 people, already stopped and out
of their trucks. They were sitting there watching all this. So I calmly
said (not yelled or pleaded or screamed) "Help." What I was thinking was
that I could get a person or two to hang on the driver's side to help bring
the wheels down.
There were a couple of problems with this so-called solution I had come up
with. First was the assumption that people wearing tennis shoes would be
able to climb a sixty-foot high, 40% slope of loose dirt, in time to catch
the truck before I went over.
The second was the reason for which I am most pissed at myself for. Here I
am, in a situation of my own doing, safely strapped in a 4-point harness,
full roll cage in the truck. If the truck rolls, there's a 95% chance I
won't be hurt seriously. The worst thing that could happen would be that
the truck would go over and slide down the hill, maybe end-over-end
(doubtful), maybe hit somebody's truck at the bottom (somewhat likely). On
the other hand, if someone does come up here and hangs on the truck, now
what? They're outside the cab, hanging onto the truck, totally exposed. The
likelihood that they will be injured or killed is very great.
So I come to my senses, crank a full turn to the right on the steering
wheel, and let off the brake a tiny bit. The truck comes down on all four
wheels. The whole scenario lasted less than ten seconds. I get it squared
away and get down the hill. To their credit, I believe Scott and somebody
else were already heading up the hill.
So in a moment of unthinking panic and/or stupidity, I was willing to risk
somebody's life to save a damned piece of machinery. Once I came to my
senses, I realized the potentially dangerous consequences, and took the
appropriate action on my own to solve the problem.
So I must apologize to those I was with on Saturday for not thinking before
I spoke. What I should have said was, "Get the heck out of the way!" And I
would remind all of you that nothing is worth getting killed over.
I sure wish Scott Wilson's girlfriend would have gotten that picture, though...
- Nick
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 May 97 09:30:36 -0700
From: Mark Hansen
Subject: An apology
To: "Toyota 4x4 list"
Hi all,
I was the other person running up the hill with Scott on Saturday. I
have to say, the image of Nick's truck teetering on the edge is still
vivid in my mind though I didn't really feel in danger. Scott and I did
what we were asked, help a fellow driver when he needed it.
Nick did the right thing, got the wheels turning again and safely made it
down the hill. One thing I learned though is not to park near the end of
a very steep trail head...
Mark
BTW Nick, I believe that Jenn got the picture...
*** I'll be on vacation May 16 through June 1, contact Regis Kitchen
(kitchen.r@apple.com) for any REA issues during my absence. ***
------------------------------
Date: 12 May 1997 09:42:21 -0700
From: "Jay Kopycinski"
Subject: An apology
To: "Toyota 4x4 List"
Subject: Time: 9:31 AM
OFFICE MEMO An apology Date: 5/12/97
nickkrest@batnet.com (Nick Krest) wrote:
snip long story about near rollover......
>I sure wish Scott Wilson's girlfriend would have gotten that picture,
though...
I read this story expecting to find your truck rolled at the end.. Fortunately,
all was well, truck and wheelers. Fourwheeling can be dangeraous and I'm
sometimes surprised more people don't get hurt. You corrected your situation
and kept a cool head to pull out of it. I appreciate you sharing the story, results
and possible consequences, with the list. I've been on the edge a few times
and reading your story made me more aware of what I may ask others to
do to help me in a similar situation. I'd be bummed if I rolled my truck, but
it would never be worth getting someone hurt just to save it from going
over.
Thanks Nick.......glad all came out ok.
P.S. I always wondered when my spotter says "No problem.......you're just
gonna roll over a rock......." Roll over what .......how?
Jay Kopycinski
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 09 Jan 1999 21:09:59 -0800
From: Scott Wilson
Subject: Hollister Hills (long)
What an awesome day in HH....warm enough leave the jacket in the truck,
and clear skies. (Sorry all you guys going through that nightmare in
other parts of the country).
We played around in (what I call) the sand pit awhile, then hooked up
with Kevin Carey and Bruce. We were already talking about running Tank
Trap, so we headed to the obstacle course to get a look at it. As soon
as we got the obstacle course Kevin jumped right into the Mini Rubicon,
and breezed right through.
We walked Tank Trap, and it was gnarly as ever. After the hike we
grabbed a frosty beverage out of the cooler and stood around debating on
whether we'd give it a go today. This is when we hooked up with Eric
Stegall. We were very much considering jumping in, when we got word
that Bruce had found a wrecked Jeep and could not find the owners, so we
all ran off in search of this person who had just rolled their Jeep to
help. Turns out we while we were searching for the owners, they
returned to the Jeep.
Turns out they had rolled it the night before, though with all the
fluids still dripping from it, it looked like it had just been rolled.
Amazingly enough the driver didn't get a scratch. He had leaned back
under the roll bar, and reached up and braced himself under it. The
Jeep rolled over and stopped when the front axle (left tire) caught a
tree on the way down. Weird site. You don't see CJs in trees everday.
We spent A LOT OF TIME helping them out. Bruce used his Warn X9000i to
help free the CJ from the tree. The owner was the nicest guy, and was
really not upset about rolling the Jeep. He was thankful to be alive,
and realized the Jeep was a hunk of steel that could be replaced.
AFter that we had a good ol' time running trails that us 'regulars' the
park had never even been on before. You get stuck in such a rut of
taking the same paths to the next big obstacle, since you know you won't
get lost. It was nice to see a new part of the park. Tim's parents,
and Rey Nicolas both followed all the other locked vehicles, in the
4Runners with open diffs. I was TRULY impressed. Nice driving.
We then climbed the nasty section of Fremontia going up to Hector
Heights. It was MUCH MUCH worse than when we ran that trail 6 weeks ago
on the Day After Turkey Day Run. Even with two lockers there was hardly
any traction to be found. The loose rock gets under your tires and you
just sit there and spin. Myself, Jack Geiger, Kevin Carey, and Bruce
all completed that section. Though I would say anyone did it with ease.
After getting to the top, it was already nearing sunset, but I still
hadn't given the Mini Rubicon a go, so we all headed for the rocks. We
got there and I jumped right in. Kevin was nice enough to spot me
through it. I crawled right through it. Gave the drivers side nerf one
BIG WHACK as I was finishing, but other than that it was a smooth run.
The low end torque from Downey headers REALLY helped out...I wish I had
done headers sooner!
Jack Geiger couldn't resist giving it a go before we left, so he jumped
in. Piece of cake. He gave his bumper one nice whack soon after
entering...and then just crawled right through. Next Bruce had to give
it a go. AFTER ALL, the guys with 33s made it through fine, and he had
35s on his rig. :-) He went right through, and Kevin came through
again also (in record time I might add :-) That was the end to our
day...from there we got our In & Out Burgers and headed home.
Scott
------------------------------
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