Enthusiast III
We have a 14 year old daughter. She's really into camping, hiking, fishing.... and learning to drive dads 4x4...lol
The Tri-Cities Clubhouse
- Thread starter PNW EXPLR
- Start date
We have a 14 year old daughter. She's really into camping, hiking, fishing.... and learning to drive dads 4x4...lol
Member III
- 1,240
- First Name
- Lou
- Last Name
- Smith
- Member #
16231
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7ORV
- Service Branch
- US Navy
Nice, Mine is 16. She was driving mine on the forest roads at 14. Shhh
Enthusiast III
I have been letting mine roll around out at hover park to get a feel for the rig. She has decided that she needs a rig like dads.... I may have created a monster....lol
Member III
- 1,240
- First Name
- Lou
- Last Name
- Smith
- Member #
16231
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7ORV
- Service Branch
- US Navy
Yep, I had a 2 door JK when she was 14. Now she has a Subaru Crosstrek, but has no desire to go camping. 
Teenagers....
Teenagers....
Enthusiast III
Yep, I had a 2 door JK when she was 14. Now she has a Subaru Crosstrek, but has no desire to go camping.
I got lucky I think. She's always asking to hook up the pop up and go camping somewhere. I figure I better enjoy this time while I can.
Member III
Bumper is getting closer to finished. Spent Thursday night putting my tube bender together and building a stand, for a super cheap set up it makes pretty nice bends. Last night I trimmed more unneeded sheet metal from the wheel wells and beat the pinch welds in with a BFH. Made a couple practice bends to hold up to the front of the WJ for ideas, think I have a plan for what I want to do. And my winch showed up yesterday afternoon!! Smittybilt 10k w/synthetic line, I'm really excited to get it mounted. Hope to have the bumper ready for paint by the end of the day.
Member III
- 1,240
- First Name
- Lou
- Last Name
- Smith
- Member #
16231
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7ORV
- Service Branch
- US Navy
Nice, I had a smitty built on my last jeep. It worked good for me. The metal work so far is awesome.
Enthusiast III
Explorer I
- 4,285
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Denniston
- Member #
3030
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KJ7LYZ
Explorer I
- 4,285
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Denniston
- Member #
3030
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KJ7LYZ
Hey everyone. I hope you all are well. Wanted to drop a line, I have been a little off-grid.
I finished up my contract in Michigan on April 21st.
I ended up hanging out a bit to make some repairs to my toyhaulers suspension. Never seen this before...
I hit the road headed north on May 1st. Even though the state of Michigan was still in a pretty strict lockdown, I decided to visit the Upper Peninsula.
Was a long day but saw some neat things...
Crossing the Mackinac Bridge,
Looking out over Lake Michigan,
I ended that day at a cool campground (Secret because he was not supposed to be letting people camp due to Covid restrictions) that felt more primitive then not. A funny story to go with my stay there; I asked the owner (78 yr old man) if there was a place nearby to get some firewood. He kind of looked around a few seconds then went to his suv, pulled out a chainsaw and dropped a dead jack pine like 20’ from my spot. He limbed it, bucked it up, made his adult son haul off the limbs, and said, “Lemme know if ya need more, eh”! ....
I ended up spending a few days here while I explored.
Stay tuned........
I finished up my contract in Michigan on April 21st.
I ended up hanging out a bit to make some repairs to my toyhaulers suspension. Never seen this before...
I hit the road headed north on May 1st. Even though the state of Michigan was still in a pretty strict lockdown, I decided to visit the Upper Peninsula.
Was a long day but saw some neat things...
Crossing the Mackinac Bridge,
Looking out over Lake Michigan,
I ended that day at a cool campground (Secret because he was not supposed to be letting people camp due to Covid restrictions) that felt more primitive then not. A funny story to go with my stay there; I asked the owner (78 yr old man) if there was a place nearby to get some firewood. He kind of looked around a few seconds then went to his suv, pulled out a chainsaw and dropped a dead jack pine like 20’ from my spot. He limbed it, bucked it up, made his adult son haul off the limbs, and said, “Lemme know if ya need more, eh”! ....
I ended up spending a few days here while I explored.
Stay tuned........
Explorer I
- 4,285
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Denniston
- Member #
3030
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KJ7LYZ
Over the next few days I would travel around and see some sights. It was really a great time cause there were no crowds.
Pictured Rocks was really amazing. The pictures don’t due them much justice. And I have a feeling that the view from a boat would be even more amazing,
I saw some pretty amazing water falls and beaches too,
Pictured Rocks was really amazing. The pictures don’t due them much justice. And I have a feeling that the view from a boat would be even more amazing,
I saw some pretty amazing water falls and beaches too,
Member III
I need a critique and some constructive criticism cuz honestly I'm on the fence if I like my bumper... not fishing for complements just need your eyes to tell me where I can improve. I really want to like it since I spent a bunch of time on it but idk. I don't totally like the bottom tube not sure if I should only bring it to the corner or ideas? Also where the top tube attaches to the center section bothers me but I don't have much else for options. Also bull bar or no? Maybe it's fine and I've just spent too much time looking at it today it's been 14 hrs and I went through 30' of tube.... there has been many versions
Enthusiast III
So personally, I think it looks great, I think your right about just looking at it to much for the day, I have some projects to do to my rig as well, just haven’t had the time to get to them, custom rear bumper, custom luggage rack, spare tire carrier, probably also going to have to be custom or receiver hitch mount, Haven’t decided that part yet
Member III
- 1,240
- First Name
- Lou
- Last Name
- Smith
- Member #
16231
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7ORV
- Service Branch
- US Navy
I think it looks great like that, I would finish the ends of the tubes and put a place to mount fog lights in between the upper and lower tubes. I am thinking no bull bar, but would set the winch in there first to decide.
Member III
- 1,240
- First Name
- Lou
- Last Name
- Smith
- Member #
16231
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7ORV
- Service Branch
- US Navy
Thanks for the pics! I am jealous that you are getting to see all those places. Not jealous that you have been away from the family for so long.
“Lemme know if ya need more, eh”! ..... Classic
Member III
Member III
Ya, I need to cap the end of the tubes to tie them together and probably put a filler plate of some kind between the tubes. I was think about flush mount lights in the filler plates but that would have them pointed down and out like a ditch light.
Explorer I
- 4,285
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Denniston
- Member #
3030
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KJ7LYZ
I agree with Lou. Need to finish the ends, and definitely need some space for a couple lights between the tubes. Not a big fan of bull bars unless they serve a true purpose. It looks good, the bends are uniform, and the lines compliment the body.
Member III
- 1,240
- First Name
- Lou
- Last Name
- Smith
- Member #
16231
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7ORV
- Service Branch
- US Navy
Member III
- 1,240
- First Name
- Lou
- Last Name
- Smith
- Member #
16231
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7ORV
- Service Branch
- US Navy
