Well, it looks like my employment will be ending soon due to the oil/gas market downturn and the corresponding layoffs and corporate restructure.  However, I am very optimistic about the future and I am welcoming the change, so everything is  .  Luckily, I am in a very good financial position (house is paid off, several years of living expenses stashed away in non-retirement savings), so I am going to take off a couple of months of my severence to enjoy a real vacation and a break from the rat race.

One of the trips I plan to make in the upcoming weeks is a trip out west to the Rubicon.  It has been on my bucket list for 20+ years, so now is a perfect time to make the trek.  I also plan to see the Grand Canyon and Yosemite etc on my way out there, and hit Moab and Colorado on my way back east.  It will be three weeks of driving my Zuk, hiking, camping, etc, just letting all of the years of work-related stress flow out.

The Samurai I plan on taking out will have the following mods:
1600 16-valve engine
0.865 fifth
6.5:1 Trail Gear T-case
Forest Bucket Cradle
Lockrights front and rear (possibly ARB in the rear diff)
Trussed axle housings
26-spline front shafts
YJ Rears
Trail Tough RUF
Shrockworks Bumpers F/R
Shrockworks sliders and gas tank skid plate
Front Roll Cage
Warn M8000
33" Wrangler MTs

I do not plan on hitting the hardcore obstacles at the Rubicon, and from what I've read over the years, the trail has been reverted back to its "non-hardcore buggy, trailered-rig" past.  However, I have never been out to the Rubicon so I really have no personal experience of what to expect. 

This past weekend, I watched the ZW 2013 Rubicon run on youtube, and it appears that there were many bypasses.  I will likely take many of the bypasses, because I will be driving my Samurai everywhere.  There will not be a trailer rig on my 5,000 mile Ultimate Samurai Adventure.  I would also rather spend my time traveling and seeing things rather than possibly being stranded somewhere, waiting on replacement parts etc.  Sheet metal damage is no concern, but a bent axle housing can be tough to repair on the road.   I plan on taking lots of spare parts (rear axle shafts, driveshafts, t-case mounts, locker pins/springs) and the basics will be covered.  I also plan to take a leisurely cruise out there (60mph or so) so that I am not pushing the mechanical bits too hard.

Does anyone have any tips to share?  Or better yet, does anyone want to meet me somewhere along the way and join me?




 

Wish you a good trip, but can't offer much help.  Sounds like you have a trail and road worthy vehicle, best of luck! 

I wish I could join you on your trip, but right now everything seems to be coming up lemons with the Old People in my family.
I have been to Moab, down through most of the various canyon type National Parks to Grand Canyon, Yosemite (really awesome), but never to Rubicon, or Colorado.  We used the PU & Camper with tracker on trailer.  I was amazed that a lot of those NP's had 4x4 roads that we could drive with the Tracker.  I even started a camp trailer I could pull with the Tracker for such a trip, floor paint and license and it would be cruising.
Keep us posted on your Lemon Run, as I am sure that there are lots more of us that will enjoy seeing what you make of your Lemons.

If you'd like, let me know when you're near my part of the country, and I can show you more of the trails around here! That is if I didn't scare you too bad last time, HAHA.

Hey, I'd like to meet up with you for the western swing of your upcoming adventure. Let's plan!

-Eric

Sorry guys, I have not been on the forum for awhile. I've been enjoying life!   I even purchased another Samurai.   

I didn't take the Rubicon trip, but instead I took my mom up north to the Grand Teton/Yellowstone national parks. It was something she always wanted to do, but at her age she didn't feel comfortable going there alone.  So I was glad I had the opportunity to enjoy that experience with her.

One thing I noticed as I was planning my Rubicon trip is that I will definitely need more time (4 weeks minimum) if I actually want to stop at various places along the way, and explore them.  That is what really caused me to scrap the Rubicon trek idea. I only had a 15-day window to make the Rubicon trek, and then a few days back home before the Yellowstone trip, which we were planning for mid-late Sep.  We were trying to hit Yellowstone before everything closed and the cold winter weather hit.

In addition, a 3,000 mile trip in a Samurai would have been grueling.   I would have been absolutely beat by the time I got home. Therefore, I decided to save my energy for Yellowstone.

I still want to make the Rubicon trek though. I will just have to wait and see how life plays out.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

Not much wheeling up there, but still a great outdoor experience.

I also went on a 1800-mile trek to pickup another Suzuki.

I also went on a 1800-mile trek to pickup another Suzuki.

That's a cool ine. REALLY like the aftermarket wheels.

Eric

Yep, they were the optional wheel and tire package sold by the importer.  From what I've read the wheels were made by Tacoma wheel, and are hence referred to as "Tacomas" by the US LJ 10/20 aficionados.

The tires appear to be the originals too!