Just got back from Moab.... and this trip was well... the hardest wheeling trip I've had yet.
On Friday I met up with [MENTION=67615]Dirtco[/MENTION] and we wheeled Top of the World.
It was awesome.
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The truck was doing great! The new tires hook up awesome. The Long travel was flexing great and I had almost no rub. I was pointing it at everything and it just ate it up.
Until I got careless.... I flattened an alignment cam tab putting the passenger side tire into a wall. This allowed the lower control arm and therefore tire position (camber) to change dramatically back and forth. So much so it was hardly driveable.
What happened next is a story I'm just going to Copy and paste from my facebook. It was truly an amazing experience and really helped to salvage my trip and turn it into a story of human kindness instead of tow and repair bills.
Long story ahead....
Our 4 day trip to Moab was supposed to be full of wheeling crazy trails and exploring.
Unfortunately.... on the first day out I made a mistake that broke the 4Runner rendering it hardly driveable.
We were able to limp it off the trail and back to camp but it was bad.... That night we went to bed dreading the repair and/or tow bills that it would take to get it home.
This was the first time I had managed to break the truck so we tried to be optimistic. "This is Moab....Stuff like this happens all the time" keep that thought.
So next morning we limped it into to town with my hazards flashing....and once I had cell service in town called everyone we could find listed. No shops were open during the weekend and those open were unable to deal with it.
So we parked it and Lindsey and I went for a walk to get some lunch. Feeling a bit desperate we walked by a ATV rental shop and I went in to ask the lady working there if she knew any shops open or somewhere I could rent tools and a welder.....desperate sounding stuff.
To my surprise she says she might "know a guy" and calls her husband to ask "Is grandpa still fixing cars?"
She hangs up and gives me a sticky note with a number for "Danny Grimes". "He goes by grandpa" she tells me...he has tools and a shop.
So I call Grandpa...tell him where I got his number and ask if he is open and how much it costs to rent his shop and tools. He tells me "Its a place not a business" and proceeds to give me his address....
We roll up to a nice looking Moab neighborhood home. A man outside waves us around back and into a gorgeous shop. We get out of the truck and he introduced himself as "Grandpa" with a big smile on his face while puffing away on a cigarette.
Danny hung out with Lindsey and I the entire afternoon. Telling us story after story about life, love, his hobbies, everything. He was an incredible person to talk with. I was barely working on my truck because we were so engaged in conversation.
Then he tells us. "My girlfriend and I are going to lunch in about an hour" so Lindsey and I look at each other worried and I respond "Ok I'll hurry up".
His response.....
"Ohhh no no no I didn't mean it like that.... I just ask you turn the welder off when you guys leave. Stay as long as you like. There is a bathroom and shower in the shop and you can camp in the yard if you need." "If shit catches on fire...It's insured."
Apparently Grandpa uses his shop as a community garage and hosts 4wheeling events..... He described himself as "Non-Denominational" about Toyota/Jeep/Buggy etc. Just a man who loves it all and loves helping others.
In the end I handed him some cash and told him thank you. Honestly I was floored by the hospitality probably the most sincere/on the verge of tears thanks I've ever given. His response....."Are you sure? Honestly it just tickles me I'm able to do this" "Tell your friends they are welcome here and post about it wherever.. This is all word of mouth and I'm just too old for that internet shit."
So thankful to know there are people like this out in the world. Both Lindsey and I have been talking about it in such a way we were almost glad we broke the truck.
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Here is Danny's shop and my truck after an eyeball alignment and welding the alignment cams in place.
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After I was fixed.... I went out to meet the group for some more wheeling....
And proceeded to suddenly blow up the rear driveshaft u-joint into 3 pieces and dropped the shaft on the ground. Trying to romp some crazy lines everyone was struggling with...had to show off. hahaha.
I pulled the rear driveshaft on the trail and threw it in my Trasharoo.....Then drove it back to camp in front wheel drive..... got a u joint at the parts store and swapped it out on the camp picnic table.
After all this I didn't really trust the parts store u-joint to hold up better then the OEM one I had just obliterated so my wife and I took it easy and went and ran Dome Plateau trail alone which was still super fun.
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Annnnnddddd..... although It was a rough one for me this time around....
I didn't experience the most carnage out of the guys in our group. But that's another story I won't be telling.
