Yesterdays Humble Pie

[SHNIPE]

Well i spent most of yesterday playing in the hills out in sycamore. Took my girlfriend Ashley and my girlfriends aunt Candy. Candy moved out here this year from New Jersey and loves to get out to the desert. She recently sold the YJ she had and was fiending for some outdoors. We went in through lower sycamore, (which by the way looks like ****! Count me in on the next 239842 cleanups!) and went up to the sqeeze and all the way around so she could pick up some quartz rocks for her new house. Then it was back to the upper entrance and out. All in all it was a great day. Let Candy drive on some stuff that normally we dont flinch at but she got a rush out of. She lifted a wheel twice which is REALLY freaky when youre in the passenger seat of your own Jeep. (very odd experience to be a passenger for me). Saw a few Jeeps out and seemed to impress a few quad riders that decided I would make a good subject of a short video while going over some large rocks at the top of a mountain. Its funny to see people make the :eek: face. It wasnt a difficult obstacle but the girls screaming in the jeep made it look worse im sure. Theyre such great actresses!!

So my humbling experience of the day wasnt on the trail but later in the parking lot of Que Bueno in Fountain Hills. Having driven all day and not had any issues one tends to feel pretty good about your rig. Yeah its only got a 4in short arm lift with 33's... and yeah the tires need to be replaced...yeah its only a 4cyl but damn I was feeling quite proud. As we left the restaurant i looked outside and saw another black TJ right next to mine with a long arm 5" and 37's :( If ever theres something to make you think " I NEED A SECOND JOB" itll be something like that. Im not one to feel jealous and i rarely worry bout keeping up with the Jones'. But i guess it made me see the potential a little more fully.

I guess i dont get out much but i never realized just how much bigger 37s look. Either way it was a sweet rig and my savings account got a nice little deposit this pay check for more goodies.

[treeofliberty]

Here's the irony Dennis. If you had a second job, you woundn't have seen the 37's, because you would have been working instead of wheelin'.

I have the same size lift and tires. I've thought about stepping up to a larger tire when my current ones are done. 35's are no big deal but 37's open up a whole new can of worms. Steering and brakes need upgraded, and you start trimming things.

I fully intend to get there someday, but 37's are one of those big ticket items. Boy, they sure do look sweet though...

[Antman]

The real story Dennis is look at what you did that day with your Jeep. 37's and long arms dont make up for driving skills. your day will come. Enjoy your jeep in the meantime.:)

[AZG23]

yeah...but HE parked next to YOU...:)

[treeofliberty]

Oh, and you saw him in a parking lot, not on a trail. Sure, he may pound it on a trail, or he may not. You certainly do.

A good driver is worth far more than the extra 2" of clearance.

[jeepsonly]

I seem to remember Joe West commenting on how much fun it was renting a stock Jeep in Hawaii. His TJ was (sold it right?) tricked out with all the options and I think he was running at least 37's. Not saying running 37's isn't fun but a relatively smaller lift and tires means you don't need as extreme a trail to have fun. I think once you've got the Dana 60's, detroits on both ends and 37's on up, you'll find the trails you run today just aren't as fun. But I could be wrong. Never been there myself. :)

At least that's how I justify being content with my 33's/lift :)

Funny, I'm driving around in my YJ with 33's and 5 inches of lift thinking "this thing is huge!" until I park next to someone with 37's. Amazing how relative size is. My Jeep does look big next to a stock Jeep.

[SHNIPE]

Yeah they are definately out of the question. The price definately holds me back for this being my daily. 35's are definately in the works eventually. The jeep was dirty but any muddy puddle could have thrown that up there. It did look like it got worked often.

Agreed on the second job = no wheeling time. Good thing im young and patient... ok well good thing im young and have time! I dont mind what i have. Ive always thought the same. I still have a challenge when i go out. im not to the point where there are only 4 trails in the continent that challenge me. it works for what i do. I havent been on too many runs with well experienced wheelers but almost always im the more cautious of the group. so i think it helps in the lines i choose. One of these days ill get out on a VJC run and prove that i can wheel more than my desk chair! haha

[SHNIPE]

Amazing how relative size is. My Jeep does look big next to a stock Jeep.

haha yeah we have rental jeeps here at the hotel and i parked next to one last week thinkin... wow it does make a big difference! I lived itup for a week :D

[k7mto]

We rented a Jeep while on our honeymoon in Hawaii back in '96. It was a blast getting way back into the depths of Kauai where the tourists never go. Saw lots of wild boar and had fun in the mud (rains alot there). I'm sure the rental company enjoyed cleaning it after we turned it in :)

[T.C.'S TOY]

Ive Seen Your Rig Dennis And It Has The Trail Capabilities,i Have The Long Arm And The 35'' Tires And Will Go To 37's Some Day But It Is A Slow Process For A Workin Man,hang In There It'll Happen For You.By The Way I Hope You Wasn't Out There Wheelin Alone You Know Better........Thom (T.C.'s Toy):)

[SHNIPE]

haha Yeah i know better. My friend in his Isuzu Pooper.. err Trooper is my regular wheeling partner. He makes the trails fun buy always allowing us to bet which obstacles he will make and which will break him. i got for a solid bet of 3 tries for him on most obstacles. Hes a skinny pedal addict so it gets him in a few spots where a bit more patience would benefit him. Hey wait!!! I just realized there IS a benefit to having the 4cyl as my first jeep... ok i lost my thought after lookin at that hemi again... haha

[BobnJeep]

I've never had lockers or anything more than 33's, because I'm a working stiff as well. I have a great time everytime I go out. It keeps me grounded because I don't risk the dangerous stuff. I'm always dreaming of 35's, 6" of lift, and all that stuff, but this is a DD, and it can't be one after all that stuff comes into play. The way I drive now will keep the rubber side down since I'm still making payments.
I will get lockers and better 33" rubber soon since it's just courtesy to the guy behind me pickin gravel out of his teeth on the hill.

Another reason is the highway mileage I get with even just 33's. Compared to the stock tires I think it's 5 MPG difference!