My First Moab: May 2025

[Brian]

RECHARGE REQUIRED

My truck, in what is essentially the best condition of its life, spends most of its days tucked away in the garage. I keep it hooked up to a NOCO Genius 1 trickle charger so the battery doesn’t die every couple of weeks. Not that I even need to drive it that often these days, but it beats needing to use the booster pack both ways.

This state of automotive affairs has finally come to a head.
I am going wheeling in Moab in May.
But also Phoenix in March.

Photo by Samantha Sheppard on Unsplash.

THE FRIEND JAR

Look. It’s been almost three years since we left Phoenix. The midwest is not without its charms, but it is without much in the way of what I would consider real adventure. For that, you need vast, unfathomable swaths of Public land.

Unfortunately, I now live in one of the most manufactured landscapes in the country, where they’re actively working to make it illegal for private land owners to sell their land to anyone for conservation or recreational purposes. Fortunately, I have a friend willing to [ ahem—repeatedly ] extend me an invitation to his semi-annual adventure.

THE PLAN (HERE’S WHERE SHIT GETS WILD)

I’m also driving the dogs out to Phoenix in March so we can do an extended Spring Break back home. Figure I can drive out a week early with the dogs, do some after-work wheeling, etc., and then pick up the girls when they land on the 14th or 15th. That’s right. Fezzik’s spent so much time sitting in the garage that I don’t know how close I am to next oil change and that I should probably check the intake for mice again. But, oh-ho, you better believe we’ll be ready to wheel in < checks calendar > seven weeks.

TO DO LIST

Quite a bit, really, and yet, not really anything I’d consider required. More, things I should have installed and ready to test in Arizona—where all the Montero homies are located—so I can be ready to rock and roll in Moab in May.

• (4) sets of aux lights, installed, wired, just need switches & switched power
• (4) years since I bought the rear bushings I still haven’t installed yet.
• (I mean, I got the panhard bar same time and should install it, too.)
• A subwoofer would be nice for the long drive. And I have one.

I ALREADY FEEL MORE ALIVE.

Well, getting there anyway. Recharge is starting. I’m still shuffling pieces around the board, planning-wise, but it’s getting there. I’ll be back with more details soon, methinks. I want to make sure I don’t bite off more than I can chew and stress myself the fuggout or otherwise put the trip at risk.

#excited

[PajEvo]

Yes. Hell to the YESSSS!

[Brian]

YEAP. Buying TWO plane tickets to Phoenix today. Because I’m driving.

[Brian]

Actually, uh…

Does every public school in the country has the same spring break dates this year? I made the above comment, went to the American Airlines site, and found my usually $450-$500 nonstop flights to Phoenix were now running $700-$800. Went back later that night to look at other days and they were pushing $1000, with less than five seats left at those prices.

So we all driving out the week before now.

V is excited, but said she threw up in her mouth a little bit when I told her we’re taking the Montero. I’m sorry, but three people and two dogs, plus two weeks worth of our bullshit need more cabin space than our beloved Chuck can comfortably handle.

59 DAYS TO SHAKEDOWN RUN

(129 DAYS TO MOAB DEPARTURE)

We’re leaving Saturday, March 8th.

I’ve had a heater going in the garage for the last hour or so. Headed out there next to get my bearings and review my to-do list. It’s time to get back in the saddle.

[PajEvo]

I couldn’t like this more!! Go get em tiger! Minimize weight, then cut more stuff. Worry about the important stuff. Rubber hits the road is a good starter. Tires?

[PajEvo]

129 days is not a lot of days. Yikes. I won’t tell you what I’m mulling over before the trip. But it starts with G.

[Brian]

Yeah Buddy.

I definitely want to get the truck trail-ready so I can do a proper shakedown in Phoenix, but I also need to make sure the girls (and dogs) are comfortable for a couple 3-day drives.

PHX Shakedown Prep Priorities

1. COMFORT - Everyone enjoys the drive & arrives fresh.
2. CAPABILITY - Fezzik is ready for both big miles & big rocks.
3. CONFIDENCE - I can do all this without worrying about my truck.

Comfort - Even before V expressed disappointment about taking old truck over new car, I was planning for the most amazing road trip experience I’ve ever known for my family.

• 2nd/3rd row fold-down bed readiness at any point during the trip for naps, back aches
• plenty of power and places for everyone’s devices (so they’re easy to use/enjoy)
• “checked bags” up in the roof box for maximum cabin space & dog cuddles

Capability - This is my first chance to do serious wheeling in three years. I’ve had maintenance/upgrade parts collecting dust in my garage for at least that long. These items also tie to confidence, but consider the difference between real, actual mechanical readiness and perception of same.

• replace 27-year old trailing arm bushings with new Siberians (on-hand)
• replace failing, 4-yrear old rear sway bar end links with new Moog units (inbound)
• replace OE panhard bar with new ADD adjustable unit (on-hand, any advice?)
• complete wiring of all exterior aux lighting (ideally tied to high beam switch, in progress)
• replace dodgy skid plate mounting hardware with stainless & riv-nuts (on-hand)
• install wheel well splash shields and mud flaps (on-hand)
• make sure roof box doesn’t bounce (it’s annoying)

Confidence - As much as I know my machine is more capable and reliable than I am–even having sat on a trickle charger with the deer mice for the last six weeks–I’m tired of worrying about every random noise or vibration. The last thing I need three hours into an 8-hour drive is some stupid little thing worrying me and making me an irritable bastard.

• brake check - bleed, maybe adjust the booster rod for earlier pedal engagement
• coolant check - been 3 years, couldn’t hurt to flush and fill
• charging check - packing (2) jumper packs, might buy a new battery anyway
• seafoam treatment - fuel & oil change
• Tires are good. 33" BFG AT2s. About four years old, but still plenty of life left in them.

Ultimately, it all comes down to this: I want to hit the road and trail with total confidence that Fezzik will get us there and back without any drama beyond a spilled drink or doggy accident between stops.

@PajEvo

[Something] starts with G.

Gelandewagen?

[PajEvo]

In a g-word, yes. Okay, that’s a Y word. More to come on that. We’ll see…

Otherwise… I’d be hesitant to go too far into susp upgrade mods if they aren’t actual problems before a big trip. These roads will literally shake the hell out of everything. Corrugations the size of firewood.

If something is failing, then by all means fix, but otherwise, just be conservative, in my opinion. I’ve had things that worked on the road for months, and rattled loose within an hour of banging around on a trail.|

Sway bars - worn links means more flex. So I’d leave those for last in case you don’t get to them until post trips. Again, unless they’re broken.

Adjustable panhard… ? If you have time to log some miles after install, then sure! Hhow much lift are you running to warrant the adjustability?

My goal is to concentrate on anything I’ve added, modded, or “fixed”. Those are the things that seem to be failure points before anything else.

We also got reminded on the last trip that walk arounds at the end of every day of logging miles always helps. that enabled us to find a trashed wheel bearing and fix it on a buddy’s truck before it completely gave up the ghost. It was close, but a walkaround with touching rotating bits (hub was hot hot) revealed the issue.

I am with you on rattles. They drive me crazy.

[PajEvo]

Oh yeah. Cooling system check? Possibly the number one item on my list Every damn time.

[CrankshaftCulture]

This 100%. When I had my '92 Pajero in Moab in '23, my radiator ended up clogged and I couldn’t get up the hill back to the highway without the temp going up, up, up! I replaced the thermostat in the Best Western parking lot (that was a mess), and it didn’t matter because the radiator was full of rust and crud. Thankfully, I was still working at Warn, and was able to put the Pajero on their trailer to get it home and I drove a work Jeep back.

Amazingly, we also had brake issues. And by “issues” I mean I didn’t bother to check my brake pads before leaving, and almost all the friction material on the pads was kaput.

I’d love to get our '91 Pajero out to Moab at some time. We’ll see.

[Brian]

YO! Whatup, Andy!

Hehe. Look at us Mitsubishi guys all religious about cooling system checks before road trips these days. Funny enough, the last time I ran a trail with Phil, I was one of, what—a dozen?—Monteros creeping up the hill in 4L with our hoods wide open. I’ll check it again and again and again. Haha.

Thanks for stopping by, dude!

I feel you on the mods, Phil. And I’ve had a taste of those kinds of trails. Before I did the Parashant with Josh, Colin, and Sean back in 2022, I crawled under the truck and used an oil paint marker to inspect every nut and bolt I could reach. The roads were so rough they shook my 7-inch LightForce spots right out of the ADD bumper. The rest of my chassis, however, still bears the mark of proper torque application.

The only item I’d really consider a mod would be the panhard, and unless you tell me that running OME coils, shocks, and torsion bars on 33s is enough of a lift that I should be adjusting such things. (Should I?) Otherwise, my interest is mostly in the additional insurance against lack of skill.

Hadn’t thought about the end link bushing benefits. They just rattle around back there right now is all and I don’t wanna hear it. (Noises make me fussy.)

I’ve already replaced all the front end bushings. T’was a 3-full-day nightmare in a rally service garage back in the spring of 2022—but it completely transformed the drive and is easily All-Time Top 3 Favorite Mods Ever. So I’m kind of eager to experience the back half of the truck back-to-new, ya know?

Besides, that’s another perk of the Phoenix Shakedown Run! I’ve already let Josh know I’m coming to town and want to at least run one trail with him while I’m there. I’m also going to try and camp with my brother. Phoenix is a good place to be if something on your Montero starts acting up on your first real 4WD trail in 3 years.

Man, I’m stoked. It’s just so freaking cold out right now. Gonna get things done this weekend.

[Brian]

[ And then we all got some kind of virus and slept for three days. ]

[ChazzLayne]

Let me know if you wanna sneak up the hill for a pint in March, I’m coincidentally taking off from the 8th to the 24th for religious purposes (an Irishman walks into a pub on St. Pat’s).

[Brian]

You know I will, brother. We’ll see if we end up wearing the same uniform again.

Will keep you in the loop on any local camping activities too. Just in case.