Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Damn, bet you didn't plan on that whole adventure.

Very cool though. Everything I've seen posted about Fordyce always mentions the intense challenge of that trail (your pics back that up). Very gutsy of you three to go after it in basically stock Hummers. Good on ya!

Keep your heads up something good should be coming for the H3 front diff soon. ;)

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Unless they are giving me a new CI without having to pay a dime.....I'm not excited :crying:

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Usually I don't say too much about these issues, but as far as Hummer goes, they either want these vehicles to be capable at offroading, or they don't. If they want to pander to Hollywood street queens, fine. Just don't market any offroading capability. If they want it to go anywhere besides the dang grocery store, they need to pony up and fix these trucks so people aren't breaking things out in the middle of nowhere. They already sell Escalades and Yukons for people that don't do this type of wheeling. Shouldn't the Hummer stand up to the name and the image? Wasn't the H3 the answer to peoples concerns about an affordable, narrower, off road vehicle? I'm beginning to wonder...

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

I agree with you all on this point. I'm not going to defend that front diff at all, too small, too weak. I believe it was a mistake to make that housing of aluminum, period.

GM is selling a lot of H3's. Many (most) are mall queens. What percentage of H3's do you think actually wheel? Of all those that do wheel, what percentage do you think wheel like Sewie and Bebe? (Moab, Rubicon, Fordyce, etc) I bet it's a damn small percentage of all H3's.

Not defending that diff at all. Just saying those trails are among the ones that break serious off road rigs. Hard-core trail by almost every-one's standards.

If the H3 got a bigger cast iron axle, that was lockable.....might even be able to put a lift on that wouldn't wreck the CV's. Now that would be getting somewhere.

If I was just getting back from that trip, I'm positive I would be hating on that front diff myself! :D Still, those pics are outstanding, and there are not many H2's and 3's out there that can say they have run Fordyce.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

I run with built rigs all the time, the issue with built rigs is just that. They are built by folks in thier garages. I know guys in well bilt rigs who have run those trails without any breakage.

Really, with built rigs you break stuff cause you are either driving like an idiot, taking all the hard lines, or because you screwed up in the fabrication.

Fordyce wasn't that tough. The obstacles were tough, but the trail iself was fairly moderate.

Hell I led all the way to the second water crossing. It can't be tough.:clapping:

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

IMHO, If I can run Fordyce in a mostly stock truck, like Rocks and Sewie, there really isn't much to improve on except that Damm Front Diff.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

:perfect10s: :perfect10s: :perfect10s:

WOW! What a beautiful trail. Getting away, camping, offroading, and having that kind of scenery, all in the same trip, is what its all about.

Sorry to hear about the breakage.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Sewie.. You ready with some pictures yet?

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

It really is a beautiful trail. It's not that long to the point where we exited. I'll try to make it back sometime when snow is NOT in the forecast.:D The river crossings are freaky!

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Camera in truck. Truck at dealership. :o

I've been meaning to grab some stills from the vid but I've been super busy all week.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

That captures Sewie to a T.

Attitude and everything :jump:

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Vid? Where? ;)

I read the busy comment.......so what Sewie, post it up man. :D

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Great pics! I never thought I would see a Hummer of any kind past water crossing #1. The last time I ran it I saw about 15 army H1s that were part of some off road training exercise. I bet you could have got the H3s past the squeeze.

I love running that trail. Didn't get a chance to run it this year, they closed it the weekend I had a run planned for. Wish I could have joined you.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Great picture.:beerchug:

So how did you like Winch hills #1 and #2?

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

We did the bypasses on both, by the time we got to WH#2, both the hill and the bypass were covered in snow. WH#2 bypass was pretty easy, Rox walked it in the H2, but it was really sloppy by the time I tried it.

I can't wait to go back and try it again.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Still coming up with excuses? Give it up. Get the H2 already!:D:D:D

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

I can't now.....for awhile anyway.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

You say that like it's a bad thing?

Anyway, I would love to see you H3's try to run the whole trail. I am almost positive you could make the squeeze after the 3rd water crossing. If I'm there with you I will be sure to block the bypasses to winch hills 1 and 2 so we can see what your rig is all about. I think you could do it. :beerchug:

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

WH2 I agree, WH1??? It would take 30 minutes just get to it LOL

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Nice pic's:beerchug:

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

OK. :jump:

Fordyce Video

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Very cool video :cool:

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

:perfect10s: :perfect10s: Great Video!!!

The night snow river crossing brought it all back....:notallthere: ;) :D

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

LOL and that is where I stayed until morning:fdance:

Great video Sewie!!!!

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Not so sure about an H3, but spiining one wheel and having it suddenly grab claims a lot of diffs.

No locker available? It's gotta be a Dana somthingoranother carrier, doesn't it?

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Spinning is one way. But in this case (and others) it was stuffing a wheel and trying to climb. Too much torque + weak gears/housing = kablooie. :crying:

GM doesn't use Dana axles anymore AFAIK. The H3 front is an AAM 760.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Stuffing a wheel?


Lodged in an undercut?

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

No, wheel stuffed into the fenderwell.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Oh. For some reason that stresses the housing, or is it just more indicative of the load on the drivetrain?

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Great pics. Looks like lots of fun. :jump:

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

:jump: nice pixzzzzzzzz

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Great pics and video!

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

I was re-reading this thread and realized I never posted any pics. :o


Memories of the Bling-Mobile :(

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

Beebs

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

..

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

:cool:

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

..

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

.

Re: Fordyce Creek, California (Renamed: Hell's Halfacre)
 

:D