Left this morning after breakfast in cool temperatures to motor over to the Moki Dugway using Utah 261 which takes one to the bottom of the cliffs the road was built to scale.
Rode all the way to the top with no issues and then started back down again, this time taking pictures as its easier on the Ural's clutch when pointing downhill rather than uphill for standing starts.
Near the top of the road, I parked Scarlett, walked a short ways to an overlook spot:
One of the best angles on the Moki Dugway Road
Proof that Scarlett made it to the top
I was basically standing, for the above pics, to the right of
the largest rock outcropping in the middle of the top of the ridge
There were signs saying it wasn't recommended for RVs and Large Trailers, but I saw this guy drive his large truck with what looked like a 35 ft trailer down the road, slowly, but he made it!
I got back down with no issues and started going down the dirt road for the 17 mile long ride back to camp within the Valley of the Gods. About a mile in, after I'd passed the seemingly defunct VOTG B&B, Scarlett started making a loud clanking noise! Dammit.
I quickly pulled in the clutch (noise continued) and I hastily pulled over to the side of the road near a trail. The drive shaft had come out of the donut! WTF. I pushed, with a pry bar, the drive shaft back to the donut coupler which links it to the gearbox's output shaft; and further examination revealed a cracked apart swing arm! Dammit.
A good Samaritan couple, Tom and Cindy, stopped to check on me as I was finishing strapping the swing arm together in the hopes of self-recovery.
Just a couple hundred feet of moving revealed that nope, that was not going to happen. Tom and Cindy graciously offered me a ride back to camp as they were also camping within the valley. We rode in their truck, along with their extra-mellow poodle Ellie, making conversation as we drove back to Uma, the URRV. (Ural Recovery RV).
Ellie was probably wondering who was the stranger
sitting in her spot in the pickup truck's cab
Back at my campsite, we said our goodbyes. My thanks again to Tom and Cindy, you saved me a really long walk back to camp to get the RV to recover the broken down sidecar rig!
Here's pictures I took today, Sunday, Oct 6 after I removed the strap I'd used to hold things together enough to get the rig onto the trailer back in the Valley of the Gods.
I'm presently typing this at the Sheep Bridge BLM area near Virgin, UT. Overnighting here to get me within easy driving distance of the Valley of Fire State Park near Las Vegas, NV tomorrow (Monday). I've a line on a company referred to by family friend Donna R. (Thanks Donna!) and I'll be giving them a call tomorrow morning to see how they want me to show up with the broken swing arm.
It'll take me about an hour to dismount the swing arm so I first have to know where they want me to drop it off. Depending on that, will determine if I set up camp first, then drive the part in while leaving the trailer with Scarlett at the campsite or just go straight in and dismantle Scarlett at the welding shop.
Ah, the vicissitudes of being a Ural owner.....I guess I'm too hard on the things. Or, a current working theory is that the shocks have failed and allowed the swing arm to impact the tug's frame causing the break. Not sure about that one, will see once I get the swing arm welded and mounted and see if there's clearance issues.
4 comments:
To maintain alignment, you may need the have the final drive installed on the swingarm with the axle in place. Maybe even the wheel to ensure that there is sufficient clearance.
Hopefully I’ll be able to assemble the swingarm back onto the tug at the welders shop to check alignment.
Didn't want to say anything, but Dom, have you considered going on a diet?.... LOL
Kidding aside, though that is a difficult piece to break.
If the shock failed then the rough road would be hammering the bike's frame. But you would have noticed a rear failed shock, right.
The riding gods smiled on you by sending a nice couple to your rescue.
Hope you can continue the Utah exploring.
Yeah, both RichardM and I are pretty sure it wasn't a failed shock. I then found a thread on soviet steeds where this break had happened in seemingly the same damn spot on other 2014 rigs and 2010 rigs....
Got the rig welded today, keep your fingers crossed.
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