I got my super slider rails from Rocky Road Outfitters. 45lbs each and made of welded hitch steel. http://www.rocky-road.com/rock-sliders.html
I had some issues getting them in because the loops under the rocker panels were all bent out of alignment from the previous owner beating it up and using the seams to jack it up. That cracked the paint and let the rust rot in so it was now or never before those panels finish rotting out. I spent an hour on each side fudging the flanges and loops into position so the bolts would all go through. The frame mounting was also troublesome since I didn't have any steel cutting bits to drill the pilot holes with and the power drill was too long to drill a hole straight in the frame and the compact cordless that did fit was pretty gutless. I tried staging the holes with progressively larger bits and I blew through two cheaper bits on the first three holes and then carefully finished the last ones with my one good remaining 5/16" bit and lot's of 3-in-1 oil. I also had to cut some of the ZR2 exclusive plastic flair away in order to fit the rails. While I was in there I trimmed away some more foofoo that was getting chafed in the front wheel well due to the wider tires and 1" wheel spacers making the arc wider and all. I had to use 1" wheel spacers because the inner side lug treads were licking the frame when the wheels got to full turning angle, the spacers took care of that but the gremlin just moved to the front side in the opposite direction which is fine since you can cut plastic out of the way but not the frame. I think where I have everything right now is feeling pretty happy. I went for a shakedown run through the tailings and a few jeep trails on Mt Sicker & had no issues whatsoever so all the bugs seem to be fully worked out now. It doesn't really look like it but there's actually 11" of clearance from level ground to the bottom of the 2" hitch rail which is the lowest point. It hangs almost perfectly level with the ladder frame.
I always make sure to leave any functional gate in the same state I found it in as well, unless there is an obvious problem of course. I don't think anyone should have to feel like a criminal simply for wanting to explore undeveloped wilderness areas though. Before those crooked land deals when it was still all crown land, the logging companies and miners and other industries all had to get along and share the land with the public and recreational users and public funding went in to building and maintaining roads in the first place so everyone was happy and there were a lot more mills running than there are today. So called "privatizing" of the TFL's, grouping them with other crown lands benefited the timber companies but shafted everyone else down the line and ended up screwing islanders right out of going in to their own back yards. I don't want to go off on another rant again but you literally can not even get to the San Juan Ridge Ecological Reserve by land without technically trespassing and there's something really wrong with that IMO.
Nice. I got turned on to the Trackers/Sidekicks back in the 90's. They are always lots of fun to drive in the bush. I was having issues popping front swaybar links and was bummed when I realized I couldn't just disconnect it because there still isn't enough ground clearance to swing the bar back and fasten it out of the way. Instead, I went with Moog links which are a bit longer and beefier. I just don't tighten them all the way down and add a cinch nut on top to keep it from loosening off on it's own and so far I am noticing a bit more flex on the front end and not popping the links anymore. I'm going back up island again today but when I get back I'll post a pic of the rail install. I went with the Rocky Road Super Sliders, expensive but tough and well designed.
If I had an experience like that I would have asked the guy for his ID or see some paperwork before listening to a word he said. Sounds like someone was up to no good up there and just didn't want anyone else around at the time. If the gate is open and it's not actively being worked there's no need to post a guy at the gate to turn people away. Chances are you were better off steering clear of whatever TF was going on there anyway by the sound of it. God knows what some people are up to out there...
Legally, going through a closed gate on "private" forest land is the same thing as going through a locked gate if you don't have official business or permission to be there. The same way that walking through a closed door in to someone's home is still breaking and entering or at the very least trespassing. Just because it's not locked doesn't mean it's not illegal to go in. Now, with that being said, if I am on the trail exploring and there is a closed gate ahead, I ALWAYS check to see if it's locked. ;-)
I got my super slider rails from Rocky Road Outfitters. 45lbs each and made of welded hitch steel.
http://www.rocky-road.com/rock-sliders.html
I had some issues getting them in because the loops under the rocker panels were all bent out of alignment from the previous owner beating it up and using the seams to jack it up. That cracked the paint and let the rust rot in so it was now or never before those panels finish rotting out. I spent an hour on each side fudging the flanges and loops into position so the bolts would all go through. The frame mounting was also troublesome since I didn't have any steel cutting bits to drill the pilot holes with and the power drill was too long to drill a hole straight in the frame and the compact cordless that did fit was pretty gutless. I tried staging the holes with progressively larger bits and I blew through two cheaper bits on the first three holes and then carefully finished the last ones with my one good remaining 5/16" bit and lot's of 3-in-1 oil. I also had to cut some of the ZR2 exclusive plastic flair away in order to fit the rails. While I was in there I trimmed away some more foofoo that was getting chafed in the front wheel well due to the wider tires and 1" wheel spacers making the arc wider and all. I had to use 1" wheel spacers because the inner side lug treads were licking the frame when the wheels got to full turning angle, the spacers took care of that but the gremlin just moved to the front side in the opposite direction which is fine since you can cut plastic out of the way but not the frame. I think where I have everything right now is feeling pretty happy. I went for a shakedown run through the tailings and a few jeep trails on Mt Sicker & had no issues whatsoever so all the bugs seem to be fully worked out now. It doesn't really look like it but there's actually 11" of clearance from level ground to the bottom of the 2" hitch rail which is the lowest point. It hangs almost perfectly level with the ladder frame.
I always make sure to leave any functional gate in the same state I found it in as well, unless there is an obvious problem of course. I don't think anyone should have to feel like a criminal simply for wanting to explore undeveloped wilderness areas though. Before those crooked land deals when it was still all crown land, the logging companies and miners and other industries all had to get along and share the land with the public and recreational users and public funding went in to building and maintaining roads in the first place so everyone was happy and there were a lot more mills running than there are today. So called "privatizing" of the TFL's, grouping them with other crown lands benefited the timber companies but shafted everyone else down the line and ended up screwing islanders right out of going in to their own back yards. I don't want to go off on another rant again but you literally can not even get to the San Juan Ridge Ecological Reserve by land without technically trespassing and there's something really wrong with that IMO.
Nice. I got turned on to the Trackers/Sidekicks back in the 90's. They are always lots of fun to drive in the bush. I was having issues popping front swaybar links and was bummed when I realized I couldn't just disconnect it because there still isn't enough ground clearance to swing the bar back and fasten it out of the way. Instead, I went with Moog links which are a bit longer and beefier. I just don't tighten them all the way down and add a cinch nut on top to keep it from loosening off on it's own and so far I am noticing a bit more flex on the front end and not popping the links anymore. I'm going back up island again today but when I get back I'll post a pic of the rail install. I went with the Rocky Road Super Sliders, expensive but tough and well designed.
If I had an experience like that I would have asked the guy for his ID or see some paperwork before listening to a word he said. Sounds like someone was up to no good up there and just didn't want anyone else around at the time. If the gate is open and it's not actively being worked there's no need to post a guy at the gate to turn people away. Chances are you were better off steering clear of whatever TF was going on there anyway by the sound of it. God knows what some people are up to out there...
Legally, going through a closed gate on "private" forest land is the same thing as going through a locked gate if you don't have official business or permission to be there. The same way that walking through a closed door in to someone's home is still breaking and entering or at the very least trespassing. Just because it's not locked doesn't mean it's not illegal to go in. Now, with that being said, if I am on the trail exploring and there is a closed gate ahead, I ALWAYS check to see if it's locked. ;-)