(Word and Photos by Fabtech) Now that the dust has settled from an amazing week in Moab, Utah for the 50th anniversary Moab Easter Jeep Safari, it is time to reflect on the adventures. Every year, thousands of Jeepers from around the world congregate in what some call the mecca of the Jeep lifestyle. On every trail, on every road and around every turn were more Jeeps. Just about every Jeep was represented. Restored and modified Jeeps of every model year, Jeepsters, Cherokees and Wranglers were abundant.
The Fabtech team is proud to have taken part in the biggest Easter Jeep Safari to date. On the road to Moab, the Fabtech group split into two groups. One group headed straight to Moab and the other group met up with the Jp Magazine staff in Las Vegas, Nevada for the inaugural Jp Dirt N’ Drive.
Trail Report – Fabtech One
The leading group went directly to Moab for offroad trail action. They set out in a 2015 Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (JKUR) dubbed “Fabtech One”, sporting Fabtech’s 5-inch Crawler Coilover II system, Dynatrac ProRock differentials, 39-inch BFGoodrich red-label Krawlers, Ultra WheelBeadlocks, Poison Spyder body armor, RockHard 4×4 skid plates,Rigid Industries lights, Warn Industries winch and Bestop Twill soft top.
- Day one was straight to the good stuff with Hell’s Revenge. Rated at a 6, if you choose to use the bypasses, Hell’s Revenge is a beautiful trail. Of course, though, Fabtech did not use the bypasses. Hell’s Gate, the Hot Tubs and the Escalator, rated an 8, significantly up the difficulty rating.
- Day two was more fun in the rocks on Steel bender with Dynatrac and Falken Tires. Steel bender is rated a 6, though there are bypasses stock 4-wheel drive vehicles can use around the larger obstacles. Fabtech does not use bypasses. This trail features multiple step ledges and hangovers that will stress your vehicle’s equipment.
- Day three rounded out the wheeling portion of the week with the 4 Wheel Parts Vendor Run on Behind the Rocks trail. Rated a 7, Behind the Rocks offers a ton of fun for capable rigs. A few of the obstacles, Nose Dive, Up Chuck and White Knuckle will test your resolve and your Jeep’s components.
Fabtech One handled each trail and each obstacle just as it should. Components and driver skill were tested and confirmed.
Trail Report – Fabtech Two
The second group joined up with the Jp Magazine staff and about 70 other Jeeps at Sam’s town Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Jp crew were approached by Fabtech friend Jim Chick at Bestop with an epic idea. The thought was to create an annual pilgrimage to Moab, spending plenty of time in the dirt along the way. Jp Magazine made it a reality.
“Fabtech Two”, a 2014 JKUR was more than equipped to handle the stress of 600 plus miles in the dirt over a 2-day span. The 3-inch Crawler Coilover suspension kit provided an excellent ride over rough terrain. The majority of the trip was made up of mellow trails that allowed for high speed travel, though there were plenty of technical spots throughout the trip. The addition of components such as the Dynatrac ProRock differentials, 37-inch BFGoodrich Krawler T/As, Ultra Wheel Beadlocks, Poison Spyder body armor, Warn Industries winch, RockHard 4×4 skidplates, Rigid Industries lights helped make this Jeep over qualified for the trail runs. It is better to be over built, than under built.
The path laid out by Rick Pewe and the Jp staff had an official route and optional routes. A large portion of the official route was on pavement and extremely scenic. The crew chugging along in Fabtech Two opted to spend more time in the dirt and used the majority of the optional routes. The trails snaked through from southern Nevada, through northern Arizona on up into Utah, ultimately ending near Moab. The terrain varied widely through the entire trek and the landscapes were beautiful. See more on the Jp Dirt N’ Drive at www.jpmagazine.com.
For the first full day in Moab, Fabtech Two and her crew joined up with Warn for their annual trail run. This year, Warn selected Porcupine Rim. This trail is an extremely scenic 5-rated trail that travels from around 1,500 feet above sea level to nearly 6,800 feet. The terrain varies throughout the experience and does offer many obstacles that would challenge all but competent and well-rounded rigs. Luckily, Fabtech Two is extremely proficient.
The Show
Nearing the end of the week, it was back to business for the Fabtech group. The Vendor Showcase put on by the Red Rock 4 Wheelers is made up of hundreds of vendors filling row upon row of booths with Jeeps and products to drool over. Fabtech had their rig set up, their Jeeps twisted up on pedestals and friendly faces to talk to. Thousands of attendees came through the show. Folks from all over the world stopped by the Fabtech booth to get info on the best components your money can buy.
Fabtech is dedicated to the Jeep lifestyle and is excited for more adventures into the wild. While in Moab, Fabtech debuted a new 55-page catalog with 60+ new JK suspension systems, many of which feature the new 5 Ton™ joint with a lifetime warranty.
Be sure to browse the Fabtech Facebook page for more pictures and video as well as check out the Fabtech Live Blog posts that were posted during the Moab event.
