High-centered the Miata

Kinja'd!!! "AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion)
08/05/2018 at 22:24 • Filed to: None

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Again. Sigh

Went for a spur-of-the-moment drive earlier today, exploring new places up in t he mountains. I was planning on finding a cool hike or something, but then I saw a new Forest Service Road..... You all know I can’t say no to that.

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Spotted on the way home. It’s for rent...

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Ironically, after hours of making those dirt roads my b*tch—pegging the needle and punishing the tires— I got stuck heading back, about 20 feet from the road I turned onto the FSR from. 

I’m tired of getting stuck. I keep thinking in terms of approach angle (which is really good) and not breakover angle (which is really... Not good). So... Stuck. High-centered. Ugh. I gotta change my mindset. I don’t want the Miata to be an offroader. I’m not trying to scout a path through the rocks and potholes while crawling at 3mph in 1st gear. I want to be flying through the trees at 80, sliding through corners, laughing each time a fist-sized rock puts a dent in my exhaust, giving zero fucks towards the endless branches scratching hellos into my car as it passes by... 

If I had just “sent it” instead of t rying to carefully pick a good path through the rocks I definitely wouldn’t have gotten stuck. I know this because after freeing the yata, I went over the same spot at 60mph instead of my prior 5mph. Sure, there was some scraping. But no real damage, no getting stuck, and 100% more fun!

Still don’t have any real recovery tools, but at least this time I had a bottle jack and a few 2x4 sections.

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M ade it out after... Oh, twenty minutes of work? Not awful.


DISCUSSION (37)


Kinja'd!!! d15b > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 22:30

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Dude, build a vehicle for each situation. Done deal!


Kinja'd!!! I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 22:32

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You’re insane and I love it.


Kinja'd!!! MM54 > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 22:32

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Whoops!

You guys out west have all the, well, everything for driving on. Service roads, twistys, etc. Keep it up!


Kinja'd!!! Just Jeepin' > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 22:33

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So, uh, you don’t think a forest road at 60 mph puts others at danger?


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > d15b
08/05/2018 at 22:33

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Space! Money! Time!

Pick one, then cut it in half. That’s how I feel living in Seattle.

More vehicles are in the works. I should have a bike and a Volvo this year so I'll be able to go full-crazy with the Miata build. 


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 22:34

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Nice! I need to fix a few things so I can go hit the fire roads with the Rabbit. Namely that the timing cover was left off by the previous, previous owner after he changed the timing belt. I’m 100% scared of getting a rock stuck in my timing belt 


Kinja'd!!! d15b > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 22:35

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Maybe an adventure bike is the way to go?


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > Just Jeepin'
08/05/2018 at 22:36

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I always do drivethroughs to check for other drivers, and will block off large sections that I'm on. That said it's rarely an issue. There are so many thousands of miles of trails out here that it's exceedingly rare to spot anyone. And more often than not, if you do find someone else.... It's one of the guys from Dirtfish Rally school getting in some practice at speeds that make your 60 look like 25!


Kinja'd!!! Just Jeepin' > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 22:37

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“Tread Lightly” clearly isn’t a thing there.


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > d15b
08/05/2018 at 22:38

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I'm looking at Monsters. Test drove one (bad idea) and despite what my head says, my heart says BUY IT. 


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
08/05/2018 at 22:40

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I... Uh. May have possibly done this run without an undertray. I’ve got my aluminum undertray and skid plate ready to go on at home, but I really didn’t feel like cutting out slots to fit my larger sway bars. ..... So my radiator was completely exposed today. 


Kinja'd!!! d15b > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 22:41

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Looks good. 


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > MM54
08/05/2018 at 22:42

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You're always welcome to join! I just drove around with Google Maps open, and tried to find FSR’s or cool rivers and lakes that I could get to. Ended up finding some incredible places... This might just be my new way to go on adventures.


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
08/05/2018 at 22:43

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The Miata gets sad slumming it as a daily driver. If I don’t hammer on it at least once a month I’m liable to start seeing fluids leaking onto my parking space!


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > Just Jeepin'
08/05/2018 at 22:47

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Regardless of speed, my sub 2000 pound roadster is tredding quite a bit lighter than the kitted out F-150's, Land Cruisers, etc. That so rarely use these trails


Kinja'd!!! Dusty Ventures > Just Jeepin'
08/05/2018 at 22:53

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I’ve done a few rally tests on fire roads in Washington (including when we filmed the Jalopnik TV show). All we had to do to satisfy the powers that be was make sure we blocked off the section we were using with parked cars at each end.


Kinja'd!!! LOREM IPSUM > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 22:55

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I never thought I’d say this, but your M iata needs a lift kit.


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > LOREM IPSUM
08/05/2018 at 22:58

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There is a 3" lift kit sitting in a box in my living room. The plan is to install it in a few months— along with some tall Hakkapeliittas— and take winter on at full-speed. 


Kinja'd!!! Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 23:01

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Time for a Toyota prerunner. It would be perfect for this type of shenanigans.


Kinja'd!!! LOREM IPSUM > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 23:03

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Ooh, o rder another an d stack em. 6 inch lift and some mudders. Vanity plate: Broata


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > LOREM IPSUM
08/05/2018 at 23:05

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But.... But... What about 2jdm4u?!? I need it... 


Kinja'd!!! vicali > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 23:05

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Until you pop an oil pan..

I think it’s fun for you to be out bom bing around in the miata, just keep in mind things can get tricky very quickly off road.

Shovel/phone/boots- and tell someone roughly where you are.

Please; (big brothers of Oppo worry about you)


Kinja'd!!! LOREM IPSUM > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 23:09

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Maybe, but only if  the diesel you eventually swap in is JDM.


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > vicali
08/05/2018 at 23:17

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My recovery gear needs a major upgrade. I really wasn’t planning on taking the Miata off the pavement today, but a new road talked me into it...


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > LOREM IPSUM
08/05/2018 at 23:17

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So much for my duramax dreams


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/05/2018 at 23:19

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I'm not finding the drop-top option... 


Kinja'd!!! Nom De Plume > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 23:20

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If I had just “sent it” instead of trying to carefully pick a good path through the rocks I definitely wouldn’t have gotten stuck. I know this because after freeing the yata, I went over the same spot at 60mph instead of my prior 5mph

 

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Kinja'd!!! Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 23:26

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http://www.2040-cars.com/Toyota/Tacoma/2000-toyota-tacoma-pre-runner-convertible-by-rod-millen-244131/

Challenge accepted.


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/05/2018 at 23:30

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Oh god. On second thought, forget about the convertible roof. 


Kinja'd!!! AestheticsInMotion > Nom De Plume
08/05/2018 at 23:35

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Kinja'd!!! Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AestheticsInMotion
08/05/2018 at 23:36

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It’s bad ass no?


Kinja'd!!! DipodomysDeserti > AestheticsInMotion
08/06/2018 at 03:35

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As someone who’s almost had head on collisions with side by sides  on forest roads going half your speed, slow the fuck down. Insurance ain’t going to pay out when a goo d old boy dumps your body in ravine when you die trying to play St. McRae in your Miata.


Kinja'd!!! DipodomysDeserti > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/06/2018 at 03:39

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As someone who frequents fireroads with my family, I’d rather my winch hit the forehead of some asshole driving a Miata than the front of a Toyota.


Kinja'd!!! bhtooefr > AestheticsInMotion
08/06/2018 at 07:30

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You just have to go bigger, then you can be JDM tyte yo *AND* have a Duramax.

And also have six in a row, built to tow.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_6H_Engine


Kinja'd!!! NKato > AestheticsInMotion
08/06/2018 at 08:31

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C rown Victoria, give it off-road tires, a little lift, done. A good dirt roader for less than $5000.


Kinja'd!!! Nauraushaun > AestheticsInMotion
08/06/2018 at 10:21

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AestheticsInStationary


Kinja'd!!! MM54 > AestheticsInMotion
08/06/2018 at 13:49

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Some day I’ll end up out that way.

My preferred going out for a drive is also just to have a map open and keep an eye out for anything interesting, but it helps for there to actually be anything interesting.