Windrock July 24-25.

#1
I was coming back from West Tennessee to see some family and decided to go by Windrock on my way back. I got there around 5 on Friday and was on the trails at 6 PM. I road trail 22 with a family in side-by-side and their son road a few rockier climbs with me. When they went back to camp I headed up on trail 2. Took trail 2 up to 16 and did not take the bypass. Turned onto trail 17 and took it all the way to G1. There were some big crawlers watching a guy climb Trail 47 ("Rattle Rock") so I stopped and watched until he got out and started heading back down the mountain for the night. Two JKs passed us while we were going down, so I turned around and caught up with them right before they hit trail 4 and joined up with them. We road trail 4 back to trail 20 and that took us about 2 hours. They were some really cool guys from Kingsport, TN. One JK on 37s with a sleeved Dana 30 up front xD and the other was a rubi on 35s. Some pretty deep water on my trail (Deepest was about 3 ft.) Ended up off the trails around 1:30 AM.

Got up Saturday morning and attempted Trail 15. Got up the first set of ledges, but I had to back down at that point to meet some people from the Wayalife forum who I was going to ride with. After they got aired down and ready to go, we set out to the west part of the park and road trail 22 up to G5 where we caught trail 83 and 82. Then we took 41/41b down to 26 and then caught 35 out of the park. We were on the trail from about 1:30 to 8.

Within the last hour of riding my steering got messed up and I had to turn the wheel about 50 degrees to the left to go straight, and I'm pretty sure I bent my front track bar because my axle is shifted about an inch to the left. Decided to drive home that night and had a nice traffic-less night ride home. All in all had a great time and met some really awesome people. My goal is to climb trail 38 next time. Can't wait to get back out there!

Pics:
The previous night with the two JKs


"It'd be cool if we could take an aerial shot; we're in a diamond shape." Did the best I could with an extended tripod lol.


Just took this pic. Thought it was cool. It's at the intersection of 21 and 22.


Overlook


Stuffing that tire on the top of 38.


Look at that flex haha


Just thought this was a pretty mountain shot. Sorry there's no vehicle in it.


Everyone talking after the trails. Had a blast with these guys, can't wait to do it again!
 
Last edited:
#3
I have only wheeled Windrock at night one time and it was by accident, I bet that was a hell of an adventure coming off the trails at 1:30am.
 
#4
I have never made it up there. I hear it's awesome. I just have a real hard time towing that far for that price when Harlan is about the same distance.
 
#7
Sounds like you got a bunch of riding done. What was the outcome of your track bar?
It just so happened that a friend in the Clemson offroad club was selling a brand new rock krawler track bar yesterday, so I'm getting it tonight and putting it in tomorrow!
 
#11
Ya, it's stock. I can't see the bend in it, haven't taken it out. I'm picking up the new one tonight. I think the bend might be in the curve that clears the diff. I measured it, and it is about an inch shorter than it's supposed to be I think.

Edit: It's a good inch shorter than the new one. Definitely bent somewhere.
 
Last edited:
#16
Looks like fun! How would you compare it to Harlan for the intermediate stuff? I'm working in Knoxville next week and might have time to take an evening trip up there.
 
#18
So, I ended up not being able to use my friend's trackbar from the club, so I ordered the RE1600 along with some new discos. Drilling out the frame mount was the hardest part; took me about 2 days and 3 drill bits. Also put in new bumpstops so I don't snap the new trackbar (and I can bend my fenders back down to their original shape). Probably took a total of 12 hours of work to get it done. I've learned a ton these past few weeks just doing all of this.

New trackbar and Discos


Getting ready to start the install. Comparing the trackbars (OEM tb still on the jeep)


Drilling out the tb frame mount


Finally got it installed. Looking good!




Taking it off to install the new bumpstops


Definitely the most difficult project yet. Did get it done though.




 
Last edited:
#20
I'll do that. After I get it aligned again (6 month alignment warranty voided if I change any steering or suspension parts) I plan on upgrading pretty much all of the steering components.
 
Top