Planning for a Uwharrie trip

[vaJLUR]

Hey guys, we're planning a Uwharrie in May and want to ask those that have been what we should prep for.
We'll be going with a stock JLUR with sliders, stock JTR, 3.5" lifted JLUS, and a small lifted JLW. There may be some others that tag along but these are our main rigs we're planning on.
We're wanting to hit a few of the lighter fun trails that seem popular as well as Dickey Bell (BOH). Dickey Bell is where the questions start
For those that have been what do you suggest we have at minimum to make this a successful fun trip for our little group?

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[GATORB8]

I've never run it stock, @Remorseless you did it a couple times last year at stock height, right?

Like most of the SE, it will be easier in the dry in general. Wet rocks and mud will make it a little more challenging for the rigs without traction aids.

As a group, make sure you bring some straps/recovery gear, and a set of radios for communication. Otherwise, get your passes at the Eldorado Outpost and enjoy.

Start easy, and work your way up. The back side of Daniel is easier than the front, and you can probably make it up to watch people running the hill climb on the front side.

 

[Remorseless]

Yep, ran it stock 4 or 5 times last year. Basically, on a dry day, a stock Jeep will do fine. You'll want to watch diff clearance and engine oil pan/trans oil pan clearances. Stock 4 doors will probably spend some time on their bellies, depending on what lines you take. Most everything has an alternate line. Dickey Bell will be harder to avoid turtling with a 4 door, but likely can be done with patience and good driving/spotting.

If it's wet, best bet is probably to stay off the main obstacle on Dickey Bell in a stock Jeep if you've never been before. For context - I've been going to Uwharrie regularly for over a decade and I'm pretty confident with those trails. However, this past year was the first year I've wheeled a stock Jeep there, as I decided to keep this Jeep stock for a while. I've run Dickey Bell dozens of times and usually it's a 2-5 minute climb per Jeep up the main obstacle. With a stock Jeep, in the wet, it took me about half an hour for just my climb (let alone my wheeling buddy's climb), even being very familiar with the obstacle, due to lack of grip and clearance. A driver unfamiliar with the trail and in a stock Jeep would do best to ensure it's dry when they run Dickey Bell.

Every other trail is pretty tame, except for the front side of Daniel. IMO, basically, expect to use your skids, especially if you're pushing the Jeep with the lines you choose. Watch your speed on the trails - speed is the enemy of stock components. Beyond not running Dickey Bell in the wet, if you're on stock size ATs, I'd recommend avoiding wet days altogether. I recommend getting on the trail early and having lunch at the Outpost. Other than that, everything @GATORB8 said I second.

Best trails for a stock Jeep and a driver new to Uwharrie, IMO, are Wolf's Den, Rocky Mtn Loop, Dutch John, and Falls Dam. Dickey Bell is fine for a stock Jeep, but I stick by my caveats above.

 

[vaJLUR]

Thanks guys - the other trails sounds like something we'll do for sure and will play DB by ear. ?

 

[Remorseless]

Thanks guys - the other trails sounds like something we'll do for sure and will play DB by ear. ?

Just caught that one of your crew is in a stock JTR. I've wheeled with a stock JTR at Uwharrie once before, they're going to spend a lot of time hitting their underside. The trails have a lot of water runoff humps for erosion control and the JTR I ran with hit every single one of them even on the easy trails. So that person may want to mentally prepare for the amount of skid scraping they're going to do - it'll be significant, the JTs have a really low breakover.

 

[vaJLUR]

Just caught that one of your crew is in a stock JTR. I've wheeled with a stock JTR at Uwharrie once before, they're going to spend a lot of time hitting their underside. The trails have a lot of water runoff humps for erosion control and the JTR I ran with hit every single one of them even on the easy trails. So that person may want to mentally prepare for the amount of skid scraping they're going to do - it'll be significant, the JTs have a really low breakover.

Interesting, and unfortunate haha.
We'll see how it looks leading up to it - may have to shift parks if that's the case.

 

[Remorseless]

Interesting, and unfortunate haha.
We'll see how it looks leading up to it - may have to shift parks if that's the case.

I do want to be clear - it's just rubbing skid plates, no damage or anything. It's just a grating sound/feeling that I was told is extremely unpleasant to sit through for several hours lol. This is also dependent on how much work the Forest Service has done to maintain the trails during the off season - sometimes they add soil back and make things flatter.

 

[GATORB8]

Interesting, and unfortunate haha.
We'll see how it looks leading up to it - may have to shift parks if that's the case.

I was actually going to ask if you guys had all gotten your initial skid jitters over with, especially the JTR, though.

They are there for a reason, and will take the abuse as long as you're not going all KOH on the trails, but it takes hearing that noise a few times to get over it.

 

[vaJLUR]

Two of us (me in the JLUR and him in the JTR) are experienced off road, with him being much more so. I'm good with scrapes and bangs and picking good lines to avoid *real* damage - he's much more of the send it type so we may be fine. We're however going to have an extremely new person in the lifted JLUS, but with her on 35s the lift i'm not concerned myself but in the end it's up to how they're feeling - solid on the bypasses though, i'm sure we'll be hitting a few of those throughout.

 

[GATORB8]

Two of us (me in the JLUR and him in the JTR) are experienced off road, with him being much more so. I'm good with scrapes and bangs and picking good lines to avoid *real* damage - he's much more of the send it type so we may be fine. We're however going to have an extremely new person in the lifted JLUS, but with her on 35s the lift i'm not concerned myself but in the end it's up to how they're feeling - solid on the bypasses though, i'm sure we'll be hitting a few of those throughout.

Just put the JTR in the lead and she'll be relieved when she clears most the stuff he scrapes on, lol.

 

[MerPinXEss]

Don’t forget The best ~$100 spent is compressor and tire deflators. We went stock and the humps on wolf den scrubbed the skid plates, immediately spent money on lift, went on a few more trails and m/t were next upgrade. But soft tires will get u through a lot if your ok with using your skids and rock rails.

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