Anybody familiar with the Pilot Mountain area? After running Cleghorn (see trip reports for a little further on that)I swung up there and checked it out. I don't think I made it all the way up to Pilot Mt. proper. I got distracted by another road on the way in. Turned out to be 2N17X, comes out on hwy 173. It tempted me with an immediate long steep downhill followed by an equally challenging uphill. Then it just continues the theme till the end. Probably doable for a stock rig, but might be a little intimidating for a new 4-wheeler. My own pucker factor got a little high and I contributed a little plastic along the way. Fun stuff. Thanks and cudos to Victor Valley 4wd Club for it's sponsorship of this trail. Kev

I have run 2N17X several times from the other direction, ending up where you started...then going left at the top of that hill to Pilot Rock, where we have usually had lunch. Love that trail, but never ran it from the top down. Especially fun is that narrow off-camber section that feels like you will touch your roof, and when you come up, you have to climb over that big rock shelf.

I just did that Pilot Rock trail yesterday in the P-38 RR. It was challenging for me in the stock rig but do-able. I messed up once and dented my front diff...not going out again til I get diff guards. Don't think i did any internal damage b/c I don't feel or hear anything while driving...but when I have the diff guards installed I will ask the mechanic to check it out to be sure. Lots of rocky and steep sections where you really get to test out your articulation!

We started the trail at 9, had a long lunch at a creek, and were back to 173 at the Rock Camp Fire Station by 1. I think this would be a fun SCLR 1/2 day trip.

Brad-

Great job in your stock P-38.

Funny- I would bet that the majority of diff guards go on previously/recently dented diffs.
That's exactly what I did with my Range Rover Classic- put a good dent in it then covered up the dent with a diff guard. It's amazing to me that the most exposed piece on the axle has the thinnest metal protecting it. Way to go, Land Rover engineers!

You'll discover that diffs for the P-38 can be a challenge. They're impossible to put on and keep the anti-sway bar. And then all the ones I tried couldn't just be "bolted" on- I eventually took my sway bar off and had mine welded on. I may put the sway bar back on, but I have to make some mods to make it fit properly.

Yeah, that area is still fairly close by and lots of fun. Perhaps we should set something up?

Going over that shelf to get down is fun, too!