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Feature > Events/Trail Rides

October 2005 Issue

March Madness

Dribble This!

story and photos by Jim Allen

If the group had been giving out an “Acrobat of the Day” award, it would probably have gone to Russ Sturgess. Any time you looked, Russ was defying gravity in some way.

When you say, “March Madness,” college basketball fans will get looks of rapture on their faces. Who cares. This is a ‘wheeling magazine! Retail sales outlets also go a little “mad” in March, often having some of their best sales. Again, who cares, but at least here’s a ‘wheeling connection.

Eric Donasky’s “Mudd Toy” 77 CJ-5 does what it likes best in the recently unfrozen mud. This is pretty much what most of the “easy” areas were like.

On a March day like this, some would say it was madness to venture out, but the Cleveland store was packed with ‘wheelers looking for hot deals.

This past March the Cleveland 4 Wheel Parts store had a grand opening “March Madness” sale to celebrate their new 4 Wheel Parts Tire Center. Despite the freezing weather and almost continual snow, ‘wheelers from all around northeast Ohio came to snag bargains. But wait, there’s more!

Axle Alley... the heretofore unknown place in Ohio where Dana 35 axles go to die. This solemn place is marked by three shafts.

Jason Ryan’s ’02 Tacoma heads down Axle Ally after a successful ascent. Looking at this picture, you now know why D35s go there to die.

 

The Krylon had hardly dried on Jeremy Hoffman’s solid front axle conversion and he had the ’92 V6 powered pickup out on the trail. With 36s, this rig pretty much cakewalked the run. The big rock in the creek proved to be a magnet for several rigs. Speculation was that there were strange 4x4 pheromones emanating from it that lures four-wheel drive vehicles into attempting mating.

Mmmm! Just like a melting Slushee. Traction? Don’t need no stinking traction! Well, OK, ‘cause you ain’t got no stinking traction.

The day after the Saturday event, store manager James Brochué invited some of the store’s customers to a day of four-wheeling on a private ‘wheeling spot along the Ohio River a few miles southeast. The day started ominously... cold, windy and snowy. It was one of those days that you look forward to for the gnarly wheeling conditions, but you also dread because it could be a long, cold day with wet socks and snotsicles.

Old S-Series Chevies, like John Jamie’s ’84, with full-sized solid axle conversions are becoming more common as people discover that it’s a cheap and easy conversion that pays off with great trail performance.

Despite going directly from the shop hoist to the trail, Jeremy Hoffman’s ’92 went the distance with only minor shakedown problems. The truck was a good flexer, as demonstrated here. By the way, fix the gas door, wouldya Jeremy?

Jordan Payne’s “Solid Oak” special ’84 Toyota churns its way down the trail.

Then somebody smiled. As the convoy headed south, the snow stopped. The sky turned blue. The wind died down and the warm sun brought the temps up from arctic parka frigid to where the insulated Carharts could be rolled up and stashed behind the seat. The ground conditions didn’t change much... still lots of snow, ice and mud to punish the rigs, but the people didn’t have to suffer quite as much. Hellish wheeling... but comfortable.

The biggest rig on the run was Gary Marx’s ’78 Blazer. As rust and body damage has taken it’s toll, Gary has added diamond plate. The creek was a tight squeeze for the Blazer, but it plowed on through.

Whoops! Spirited driving, greasy mud, ice, and snow led to Russ Sturgess ending up in this compromising position. No damage was done, the Jeep was flipped back on its wheels in short order and was driven off.

‘Nuf said!

The conditions were as tough as expected. The casualty list was long and included an automatic transmission, four drive shafts (one twice!), U-joints, a blown rear diff, two tires and a some serious body damage. Some 14 rigs came out for the run and at least two local clubs were represented, the Mud N’ Militia and the Western Reserve 4-Wheelers. If you’re in the Cleveland area and want a great deal on parts, or a great group of guys and gals to go ‘wheeling with, get in touch with James, Jeremy, Jason, Brent and Chad at the Cleveland 4 Wheel Parts Store. The rest of this tale is best told by the pictures.

John, did somebody blow your doors off? In this kind of goo, with mud flying and your head hangin’ out, a guy might wish he had those doors back. John Jamie’s ’84 S10 is only a shell of it’s former self, with a solid front axle conversion, 14-bolt rear and a 350 V8 under the hood. It’s for trail use only, obviously.

This icy chute is called “Ugly” and it exhibited some serious intimidation. Still, all who tried it, made it, including Jason Ryan in his ’02 “Taco-Charged” (I mean supercharged) Toyota Tacoma.

Tim Cohen’s 2000 Jeep TJ up the creek. The creek was deep, it was cold and it was full of rocks. Nobody caught any fish.

There was very little dry ground. It was either mud, deep mud, snow, ice, water or rocks on this fine Ohio March day. Coming down this
section was a little slip-n-slideish.

4-Wheel Parts Tire Centers?

Well, everybody knows you get the best deals on off-road tires at 4 Wheel Parts and that the retail stores carry lots of tires. The newsy part of this is that the Cleveland store is one of the first in the country to carry a greatly expanded tire and wheel inventory. Beyond carrying all those monster meats, the 4 Wheel Parts Tire Centers will carry the types, sizes and brands to fit all those stockers out there. Hey, even if you drive a stocker, there’s nothing worse than going to a run-of-the-mill tire store that doesn’t know 4x4s and get set up with a set of street tires that gets you stuck in a parking lot. Doesn’t it make sense to go to the place that knows four-wheel drive?

Sources

4 Wheel Parts Cleveland

Find a 4 Wheel Parts Store near you.

There was high Toyota content on this run. Craig Neeld’s ’88 bares little resemblance to the way it rolled off the assembly line. It now has a solid front axle conversion and is modified for eastern ‘wheeling competitions. Craig is shown entering the creek.