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Gilamonster
Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2013
Location: New Mexico
Vehicle(s): G #1 (mix of a 460, 461 & 463), #2 is a 2000 G500
Posts: 151
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Nonong - 3/14/2016 2:39 AM
Hi Gilamonster,
Is that a blue grease on the spline of the rear and front propeller shaft ? Is that a special grease ? I would appreciate info on that.
Thanks,
Nonong
Hi Nonong. I'm not sure what the blue stuff is. It's not grease. I think it is some protective coating they put on the splines to protect them from rust. The shafts and adapters are made by Woody's Drive shafts. We have a little more travel than stock now and our old shafts couldn't handle the angle when the axle was at full droop.
William |
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AlanMcR
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, CA, Los Altos
Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL
Posts: 3500
| RE: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Is there going to be a boot over the splines? It seems like they are in the direct path of flying gravel off of the front tires.
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Gilamonster
Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2013
Location: New Mexico
Vehicle(s): G #1 (mix of a 460, 461 & 463), #2 is a 2000 G500
Posts: 151
| RE: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Good thought. I'll ask our suspension mod guys - they arranged for the shafts. I'll let you know what they say. |
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burqueDOKA
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Jul 2006
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Vehicle(s): 1550L37Doka, 404 ROCKMOG, '00 G500
Posts: 622
| RE: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
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Edited by burqueDOKA 3/15/2016 12:56 AM
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Gilamonster
Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2013
Location: New Mexico
Vehicle(s): G #1 (mix of a 460, 461 & 463), #2 is a 2000 G500
Posts: 151
| RE: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Here are some pics of the G as of Saturday. We start the drive to Mexico on Friday afternoon. The Rally Raid starts on Monday.
Google Sonora Rally and there is a tracking link at the top of the home page. Burquedoka and I are #55. Its time to have some fun!!!
 (Rally G lift 1.jpg)
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Rally G lift 5.jpg (63KB - 0 downloads)
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Gilamonster
Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2013
Location: New Mexico
Vehicle(s): G #1 (mix of a 460, 461 & 463), #2 is a 2000 G500
Posts: 151
| RE: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Gents,
Here's an update on our experience at the 2016 Sonora Rally.
So we just had time to finish the build and drive it onto the trailer in time to make it to the rally raid in Mexico. James (the driver) hadn't even driven it. Not ideal we know but it was the best we could do - a month of working into the early morning hours and we just made it. Needless to say we were super nervous that we wouldn't get far. We were also exhausted, sleep deprived and generally worn out from our sprint build.
We roll into the start hotel in Mexico and found that we were in the company of seasoned desert racing champions and pros.800 hp trophy trucks, buggy's, highly modified UTV's and 28 of the top moto guys in the US. There were a few other guys like us, nervous as hell but happy and hopeful.
We started the raid and it turns out that the course is long, navigation is tricky and fast, terrain is varied and extremely difficult, brutal, violent and basically it is a world class, Dakar worthy course. We finished Day 1 and were both psyched and astonished that we had made it. Our team immediately rolled the G into our camp at the bivouac, tore into it and an hour and a half later came back and said "there's nothing wrong - its perfect"!
That was the case for the next 4 days. We drove it redlined (deep sand and massive dunes), with extremely high engine oil, water, axle, tranny and transfer case temps, nosed dived it, slammed it way too hard dozens of times, fuel was boiling at times, and basically did stuff to the car that you would never do to something you love. I have to say that this 1988 230ge that we bought from Titus Pullo really likes to run. It took everything in stride and ran as hard as we could push it.
Until the last day, 30km from the finish. We broke the front panhard rod - the mount tore the frame and it dangled - ineffective. It wasn't a factory mount but the beefed up one we made. We did a quick fix and limped in at 10km/hr and crossed the finish line.
We were late to the awards ceremony but when we arrived we got a standing ovation. We were the lowest powered and oldest vehicle there and everybody was psyched we made it. We finished 5th overall and 1st in our class (T2 FIA Rally 4wd)!
I have to say that I have a new found respect for the G. We think they are strong and awesome in so many ways but you have no idea...
Here is a link to and article written by a pro Baja champion and longtime desert racer - its an interesting perspective and you will see our G in some of the photos, as well as my dirty face.
http://www.race-dezert.com/home/sonora-rally-smart-people-race-off-...
We'll be back next year with some more horsepower, experience and hopefully more of the great luck we had this year. And a better panhard rod mount.
William
PS. The name of our G is "Schildkrote" - Tortoise. Here are a couple of pics.
EDIT: Photos removed to be resized.
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NHDave
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Dec 2013
Location: Seacoast NH.
Vehicle(s): 2004 AMG
Posts: 465
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Congratulations Gilamonster on your rapid build and your rally completion! I read much from the link, enjoyed reading all the unforeseen set backs, from the best of the best and how well the tortuous served you guys.
I had no idea how big of an event this was.
I'm happy for you guys.
Carry on Gents |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3006
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Awesome work you two! |
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4x4abc
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
Vehicle(s): 02 G500
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
congratulations! |
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heinz
Veteran
Date registered: Dec 2006
Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Vehicle(s): G500, MY 2000
Posts: 176
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Good job. Congratulation! |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3006
| RE: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
I grabbed a few pics off of the rally web page
 (Awesomeness.jpg)
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 (SonoraRally.jpg)
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Awesomeness.jpg (94KB - 0 downloads)
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
otiswesty - 4/17/2016 12:47 AM
I grabbed a few pics off of the rally web page
Thank you! |
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colsG55
Veteran
Date registered: Aug 2013
Location: Dubai
Vehicle(s): G55 Classic 2000, TD5 110, 200 Series Land Cruiser
Posts: 209
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Great effort, glad to hear it all came together just in time & held together with the minimal shake down time.
Roll on next years event. |
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kashi123
Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: UK, Netherlands
Vehicle(s): Mercedes 300GD OM606A Pickup; Mercedes 300GD
Posts: 168
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Fantastic! Well done |
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bram_r
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2007
Location: the Netherlands
Vehicle(s): 1984 MB 280GE, 1982 MB 300GD, 1986 Subaru XT 4WD
Posts: 1659
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Great news, congrats!
I think most of us dream to do what you did, thanks for sharing.
Couple of small tech-questions:
Why did you make the cut-out to the frame crossmember and modified the transmission rear crossmember? Both for the front driveshaft which makes other angles with your set-up?
What is the big red hose/cable I see running along the frame rails?
On one of the pictures, I see a larger connector above the front bumper, was that designed for connecting to a winch?
All the best,
Bram |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3006
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
The connector on the front bumper is electric (commonly used here) and typically used for a winch power source or 12v jump start quick connect.
Edited by otiswesty 4/17/2016 7:44 PM
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burqueDOKA
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Jul 2006
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Vehicle(s): 1550L37Doka, 404 ROCKMOG, '00 G500
Posts: 622
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
bram_r - 4/17/2016 2:13 PM
Great news, congrats!
I think most of us dream to do what you did, thanks for sharing.
Couple of small tech-questions:
Why did you make the cut-out to the frame crossmember and modified the transmission rear crossmember? Both for the front driveshaft which makes other angles with your set-up?
What is the big red hose/cable I see running along the frame rails?
On one of the pictures, I see a larger connector above the front bumper, was that designed for connecting to a winch?
All the best,
Bram
Hi Bram
Yes the crossmember modification is to allow further drop of the front axle. Both the front and rear driveshafts were replaced with custom shafts that would allow them a lot more angle of drop without binding on themselves. The frame needed to be notched a little to accommodate this.
The red cable is a power cable for a winch, there is one on the front as well. We ended up not having the time and money to get a compact rock crawling competition winch for our PullPall sand anchor. Maybe next year.
Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement! It really means a lot to us.
Edited by burqueDOKA 4/18/2016 12:08 AM
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bram_r
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2007
Location: the Netherlands
Vehicle(s): 1984 MB 280GE, 1982 MB 300GD, 1986 Subaru XT 4WD
Posts: 1659
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement! It really means a lot to us.
Well deserved imho.
Any plans for upcoming events to shine with this G?
What I almost like the most is the use of the 230GE engine and how it holds up.
Too often, this engine is disregarded as too weak, too puny etc, but with the correct gearing it does come a long way and it proves itself to be durable and reliable!
gr. Bram |
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Gilamonster
Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2013
Location: New Mexico
Vehicle(s): G #1 (mix of a 460, 461 & 463), #2 is a 2000 G500
Posts: 151
| RE: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
Here's a link to an in car video on one of the many medium speed runs during the Sonora Rally. Many were faster than this and most were a bit more punishing, but this one was soooo fun. Keep in mind this is just 5 minutes out of the 4 long days. G's Rock!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trjdq7qseKU
William
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Gilamonster
Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2013
Location: New Mexico
Vehicle(s): G #1 (mix of a 460, 461 & 463), #2 is a 2000 G500
Posts: 151
| Re: 230GE Rally Raid campaign
FYI-if anybody ever had any questions about the durability or performance of Titus Pullo Bushings see the video above. We had zero issues. Thanks you Titus!
William and James. |
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