St. Louis, MO

[jpfeffer]

Hey, I had planned on waiting to post here until I had attended some sort of offroad meeting, even a small one, but for as much as I've been lurking around, I figured I should post a simple intro. I have a Red '02 LTZ, 3.73s with a G80, and lots of parts on the way. I've had countless PM conversations with Kyle (hardtrailz Kyle) and Mike (Barton) regarding parts, suspension, opinion, etc. because I've owned other 4x4s and built them for wheeling, but never got to actually use the lifts and winches for anything but looks. With this truck I've decided to take a more conservative approach to the build and planning on upgrading as its needed, something that Mike has helped a lot with unknowingly, . It's still my DD for school and work, so the body lifts and all aren't practical... yet. That being said, I have a Barton bumper waiting for me in Indy with wings and a receiver hitch, along with the "wife proof" running boards, and the radiator skid. I'm driving up there to pick it all up in April, which I'm really excited for. I'm running stock height Cooper Discoverer ATRs, and debating right now on my suspension set up. I plan on keeping stock height tires for now given my nearly 100 mile daily round trip, along with Bilstein HDs, but I'm in a place now where I'm struggling with finalizing my plans for a build including some combination of 87s and shims/spacers (possibly Z71 rears for the towing that I generally do?) to keep it all level with the extra weight up front without looking too strange with stock height tires. That's where I am now and I'm amazed when I log on to this site at the sheer intelligence of the members here. Trying to make sense of the original flipped UCA thread, for example, blows my mind. But anyways, just wanted to say hey since I've been here more than I've been on the OS lately. Hope to meet everyone on the trails before too long, $$ and time willing.

[high-voltage]

Welcome to the dark side Josh!
Sound like your on your way in the right direction!

[jpfeffer]

Thanks Jeff!

So, I just spent the last half hour or so reading the "Stupid Posts on the OS" thread, seeing if I had said anything dumb enough to warrant a post. Nothing yet... I'm in the clear for now I guess. But seriously, after reading some of the posts that end up over there, I think that if I can maintain the knowledge of how to drive an automatic, then I'm smart enough to stay out of the OS Flaming thread... Hopefully! Just tonight I've learned A) don't use the reasoning of 'we all used to be new', ever. Nothing ever entitles you to compare yourself to people with 10x your post count. And B) You had better have read EVERY POST of EVERY THREAD concerning your topic before you even THINK of starting a new thread. And with this new information, I'm off to do more reading.

By the way Jeff, I shot you an email this morning. Ready to throw more $$ your way!

[Trail X]

I think I like this guy.

[fishsticks]

Yep, this guy wins an internet.

[high-voltage]

By the way Jeff, I shot you an email this morning. Ready to throw more $$ your way!


I got it just haven't had time to reply. Hopefuly tomorrow night.

Josh is a great guy! He likes to be well informed before he makes choices.

[djthumper]

Welcome!

[Mooseknuckle]

sounds great Welcome and good luck!

[HARDTRAILZ]

Figured you would pop in here. Welcome.

[jpfeffer]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the welcomes. It feels so quiet on this side of the TB world. It's nice though being in a place where I have absolutely nothing to add to any conversation and I can just sit back and learn. Besides the fact that I have a feeling I should hide my wallet while browsing ORTB.
Buy Buy Buy

[fishsticks]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the welcomes. It feels so quiet on this side of the TB world. It's nice though being in a place where I have absolutely nothing to add to any conversation and I can just sit back and learn. Besides the fact that I have a feeling I should hide my wallet while browsing ORTB.
Buy Buy Buy

I think this site has probably saved people (myself included) more money than it's cost them.

Can you imagine having to do ALL the research/trial and error contained here by yourself?

[jpfeffer]

Oh no. I was just kidding! I've been getting lost in threads all evening and reading, then rereading everything. I guess more where I was coming from is I'm ready to be more than mall rated, and besides taking off stock running boards, it takes some cash to get going. But spending for the purpose of being equipped isn't a bad thing, just a very attractive thing to me that has me wanting to buy it all! The passion here rubs off for sure. I'm excited to make it out now, more than ever.

[fishsticks]

Oh no. I was just kidding! I've been getting lost in threads all evening and reading, then rereading everything. I guess more where I was coming from is I'm ready to be more than mall rated, and besides taking off stock running boards, it takes some cash to get going. But spending for the purpose of being equipped isn't a bad thing, just a very attractive thing to me that has me wanting to buy it all! The passion here rubs off for sure. I'm excited to make it out now, more than ever.

My love of the hobby overpowered my financial responsibility long ago. I have a couple mods that ended up on credit cards.

Don't be like me.

[BSalty]

Don't be like me.

Please take that advice.

I have learned more about this vehicle platform in the past 5 months here then the previous year I spent lurking on the OS. I ask stupid questions after researching and not finding it all the time. Just have a thick skin and accept the backhands you receive and you will be ok.

[fishsticks]

Please take that advice.

Indeed. FWIW they had to do with an unexpected rear axle explosion and are paid off now... but I felt icky at the time.

[djthumper]

Please take that advice.

Indeed. FWIW they had to do with an unexpected rear axle explosion and are paid off now... but I felt icky at the time.

Don't most fish feel kid of "icky"?

[fishsticks]

Hence the beauty of fishsticks. Crunchy outside, yummy inside. Great with ketchup.

No unwanted ickiness.

[janesy86]

Welcome by the way!

[rjpoog1989]

Welcome!

I just bought some Cooper Discoverer ATRs... How long have you had yours and do you like them? I like them so far, but I'm only 1000 miles in. 12 of which were offroad...

[jpfeffer]

There's more fishstick discussion here than the Deadliest Catch forums. Amazing. Now I want fishsticks... the food.

I actually just got the ATRs put on this past Thursday, so I've only put around 200 miles on them. I've been driving my dad's new Camaro since it's been nice. (I'm not a spoiled kid, I promise. I'm paying for my TB and everything else in my life. My dad just doesn't have time to drive it much and let's me take it if I want). But so far, they're great. I'm keeping a close eye on them though. I've heard great things about them from a few people, namely two local post office employees that have them on their mail vehicles since there's a lot of gravel and dirt roads around here and they couldn't rave about them enough. But I have read a couple bad reviews that said they wore out FAST, so I'll be sure to keep them rotated and checked, but so far I love them and they're very smooth and very quiet, which I didn't expect. Plus, I got all 4 with mounting, balancing, road hazard, an alignment, lifetime rotations, etc etc for 715.xx out the door since I know the manager at my local Dobb's so I couldn't pass them up! I hope to get a chance to try them out off road though and see how they actually do in real world situations.

I do like them so much though on my DD that I'm considering the possibility of getting a set of TreadWrights on a spare set of 16s for off roading and keeping the ATRs "safe", but I haven't made up my mind just yet. Keep me updated though on what you think of yours!