WATAGANS SF Sunday 29 Septemeber 2013

[SteveC]

As Mani's trip is filled up I'll run a trip on Sunday to the Watagans

Good for newbies and others who want to tackle some challenges, though there are only a few REAL hard ones that I know of, One which I heard need BIG tyres to accomplish!

It's close to Sydney and we have the option to do Ourimbah on the way back if interest AND time, that offers more challenging tracks

Where -- Watagans State State Forest. (Just over 1 hour north of Hornsby)

When -- Sunday 29 September 2013

Time -- Meet at 7.30am, depart about 8am

Meet Place -- McDonalds - Thornleigh

Grade - C+ . All vehicles welcome. Plenty of options for Stock Vehicles and newbies, with harder lines for others

Requirements -- Recovery points Front/Rear, recovery gear, radio, food/drink of choice, camera.

No limit on numbers

Further info contact --- Steve Cassano -0411853859

Attending:
1. Steve C
2. Dobbo
3. Paul-jk
4. Richard
5. Cobus
6. Guest with Colarado 7
7.
8.
9.
10.
.
.


Steve Cassano

[Dieselcon]

:(... ive always wanted to do Watagans SF .... but waiting on some bits for jeep.. put me as a maybe...if all goes well might even stay in sydney after Mani's trip ready for yours :).
Gotta make the most of it as I'll be heavily restricted from playing from November for a few months :(.

[dobbo56]

Yes please Steve, put me down, I liked the last trip up there. Doggy Dave..

[Paul-JK]

Hey Steve!

Mind if I tag along? It's ages since I've been up to the Watagans.

[richhenning]

Please put me down Steve. I am hoping the day will be similar to the previous watagans trip you led a few weeks ago, where we drove the main track through the forest and tried off shoots here and there, picking and choosing what we were comfortable with.
rich

[DanD]

Have you got swaybar disconnects yet? They make trips more funer :D


Please put me down Steve. I am hoping the day will be similar to the previous watagans trip you led a few weeks ago, where we drove the main track through the forest and tried off shoots here and there, picking and choosing what we were comfortable with.
rich

[richhenning]

Not yet Dan, on the list after fixing current possible DW issues. Still going out though as last time at watagans was fine.
Actually the list is quite long!
r

[Dieselcon]

bugger Im out...

[SteveC]

Well - where are all you Jeepers? Should be a great day out and the weather looks fine.

Hope to see more on the day
Steve

[Cobus]

Hi, Is there still place for one more? If so count me in.

[SteveC]

Sure cobus

[SteveC]

Having a friend with a brand new Holden Colarado 7, who wants to test it out too.

See you and any one else tomorrow morning.
Steve

[dobbo56]

Twill be good to go wheeling with another make. Doggy Dave....:excitement:

[glend]

I'll be driving down to Sydney on Sunday morning so I will keep an eye out for the SJC convoy to give you a wave Steve.

[Cobus]

Thanks Steve. Great day. Cheers.

[Paul-JK]

Thanks Steve for leading another great trip.
It was a nice relaxing run around the Watagans with a few interesting side tracks thrown in and a beautiful day for it.
Now just need to go and clean out my air filter as I'm sure I'll have brought half the Watagans back with me in there.

[richhenning]

Thanks Steve and friends for a great day out today. Enjoyed exploring the Watagans again, and that rutted up and steep down part just past the fallen tree is my nemesis that will be conquered some day!

Here are my pics from the day on Dropbox. Thanks again for a really nice day out.

https://www.dropbox.com/l/x4c4gPXjEFiQsq03NrCgQc

rich.

[dobbo56]

Trip Report, Watagans, 29-09-13. A perfect Spring day for a run to the Watagan State Forrest, with Steve C. leading this trip and me as TEC with Paul JK, Rich Henning, Cobus and lovely wife, and Steve's cousin and his son in a new Colorado 7 along for the ride, we set off at around 8 and aired down at a 9 ish , we had a pleasant day ambling around the forest, dodging pesky dirt bike's who seemed to be springing out of the bush at each turn, the DUST, so thick you couldn't see two car lengths in front, and silly Steve had his roof open , Some nice testing trails where driven, a little track clearing done and a nice lunch break had. a bit more exploring after lunch saw us airing up at around 3.30, thanks to Paul for the use or your compressor as mine shit it self yet again, time for a new "good" one. thanks to Steve for organizing the trip and another pleasant day out with the guys, and thanks Richard H for the great photos. Cheers Doggy Dave .

[SteveC]

Yes, thanks Richard for photos. really good ones there too. and thanks Dave for report
plus thanks to others for their friendly and easy going natures. Enjoyed the Day
There were other areas that we could explore with hundreds of tracks. some go nowhere while others offer some potential challenges

Now time to de-dust and clean her up. Gee she's a good 4wd in the dirt and only 31" tyres.....
Steve

[dobbo56]

Did anyone else have dust on the inlet side of there air box, engine side of the filter, mine was coated with a very fine layer of dust. Pulled the whole air box out and cleaned it. Im wondering if my after market air filter is doing a good enough job with our fine dust?? Merrily Cleaning, Doggy Dave..2529253025312532

[Nixolus]

Are those scratches?

[SteveC]

Dave
That's the beauty of white it does not show ANY scratches. hmmm all shinny now....

As for the air filter. I shopped around and found them for about $77 shipped for two and they are Mopar. but you are right, I see a very very very fine layer at times... even with snorkel.

BTW the 3.8 is the same as the 3.6

also the drain holes suck in from below too
steve

[Paul-JK]

Haven't looked at the air filter yet but just washed it. Now I'll go and have a look and see how many scratches were in the dust and how many weren't. I've got the sides covered with vinyl so paint scratches shouldn't be an issue (famous last words) but the plastic wheel flares look a bit second hand now.....and took a fair amount of stick (pun intended!) yesterday on some of the tighter tracks.

As Steve mentioned the air boxes have holes in the bottom. Even though there's not direct line of sight from the bottom of the air box to the wheels, or the ground, or at least there isn't on mine, it amazed me how I would find that mud had managed to get up through the engine bay and into those small holes. If the mud can then I'd assume the dust can even easier. I just blocked mine up as I didn't see the point of having a snorkel to keep water out of the engine if the water could by-pass the snorkel and take a quicker route to the engine.

[Paul-JK]

Are those scratches?

I can remember the first time I ever went off road. I had a black X-Trail (the car I had before the JK). It was only a few months old and it was the first new car I'd ever owned (first car I'd owned full stop actually as I'd always had motorbikes before that) and I was still a bit precious. I nearly s#%t myself when I got out and saw all of the "scratches" in the dust.

[dobbo56]

Are those scratches?
Only dust scratches, they look worse on a dark car, most of them wash out and Kitten No 2 will take care of the rest. Doggy Dave.

[Nixolus]

Sorry, what's a dust scratch? it looks like someone keyed the bejesus out of you.

[Cpage66]

Sorry, what's a dust scratch? it looks like someone keyed the bejesus out of you.

Basically just streaks of dirt, but when you first encounter them, you'll swear that it's a deep scratch in the clear coat....

[dobbo56]

Sorry, what's a dust scratch? it looks like someone keyed the bejesus out of you.

dust scratches occur when you drive through undergrowth that's grown over the trail, as it rubs along the sides of the car it leaves scratches in the dust that's covering the car.. before, :hororr: .2533 and 25342535 Now.:highly_amused: and I haven't polished it yet, the secret is lots of wax.... Doggy Dave..

[redrubi]

Me thinks the secret is OCDs!!! LOL

[redrubi]

Doggy,

Charl want to know? Wax on the Jeep or yourself?????

[dobbo56]

YES on both, :topsy_turvy: rub rub rub- rub rub rub.