Words of advice from Jeepers Jamboree Mechanic Scot Hansen.

On the Rubicon it is very easy to get fried, frazzled and afraid as Scott points out, you have stay calm so you can figure stuff out. Your emotional component is your greatest tool, make sure you bring it. This goes for everyone not just the newbies. On the Jamboree there is help we will get you through the trail.

Scot Hansen’s first introduction to the Rubicon trail was in 1997. His business neighbor Pete Cocores a member of the Hi Lo Lake Tahoe Jeep club introduced him to the Trail. He started out by working the back door. That is what they refer to as coming into camp backwards down Cadillac Hill into main camp in Rubicon Springs.

Note from the editor; The jamboree is an event you pay to participate in. That is why they have personal posted at the back door. As a paying participant there are many advantages, including the Rock Crawlers who are the folks that are stationed at the most difficult spots on the trail. To get through these spots just listen and follow their instruction on where to place your tires to get through. Arrogance will only result in you getting stuck and breaking stuff.

At the bottom of Cadillac hill is a spot they refer to as the sand bar. That was where Scott was volunteered to. At the time Scot had a Toyota mini truck, what they called a Booming Bouncer. He’d been a mini truck guy since 1982 when as a Marine stationed in Camp Pendleton he built himself a Nissan mini truck, made a custom suspension system and was able to put 35” tires on it. 35’s were a big deal back then. He proudly served two, four year hitches in the marines from 1980 to 1988.

In 1988 during his military career, he hurt his back. In the marines you have to be 100% to reenlist. The injury ended his military career. He didn’t learn the injury he suffered had broken his back until 2013. The core of his body his inner strength kept him functioning. Don’t ever miss with a U.S. Marine, despite his broken back he ran his own business for 35 years fixing and repairing household appliances.

In 1999 Jimmy Martin, the Director in charge of the mechanic yard had heard about Scott’s welding and ingenuity in making trail repairs. He met Scot and suggested he come spend some time with the mechanics at Mechanicsville. Jimmy explained, to become a Red Jacket mechanic on the Rubicon you have to be voted in by the ten mechanics. Although in charge, Jimmy could not make you an official mechanic. For the next two years Scott hung out with the mechanics and became the guy with the metric tools who knew the not Jeep vehicles. They would fly him all over to weld up broken vehicles of all kinds on the trail. In 2001 he became an official red jacket mechanic. There has always been a limit of only ten Red Jackets at any time. It is a true honor to be given one.

I asked Scot what was the most important piece of gear you should have on board your Jeep. His answer was deep. He said your “Wits”, so you can stay calm regardless of the situation. As I have said many times before the Rubicon Trail will test your will. It will exhaust you physically, mechanically and emotionally. When Scott said wits my ears perk up.

Scot explained the first thing he does when he’s sent out to repair a broken down Jeep on the trail is reassure the driver and passenger they will take care of the problem and get them back on the trail, and they will get home! To keep the driver from letting his fear drive off with him. He involves the driver in the process of the fix. Telling him or her what Scott thinks is the best approach and listens to their ideas. This is psychological genius. When exhausted and worried as things have gotten out of your control our minds can drift into total despair.

Scot’s advice is stay calm so you can analyze and innovate a solution with what you have at hand. Hmm, I wonder if this is what he was taught in the marines, improvise. One of the most common breakdowns all the mechanics agree on is the driveline. The U joints, Yokes and Drive Shaft itself. Well, here is Scott’s solution to a bent or twisted drive shaft. Look around what do you have to build one with. What can you scavenge off your jeep? You have a Jig Saw, boom, cut out a section of your roll bar, there’s your tube for a new shaft. Take a battery from two of your buddies jeeps, daisy chain them together with your. Dig up a coat hanger or something similar and you can start welding. You cannot put that together when you lose your wits, as you stop thinking. As Scott says the most important thing to bring with you is your ability to stay calm!

Another situation the mechanic had to deal with was a CJ7 that had broken its engine and transfer case mounts which caused the fan to be shoved into the radiator. They where able to take care of the mounts but the radiator despite trail repairs was not preventing the vehicle from overheating. The mechanics put their heads together and brainstormed a resolution. They put Scott on the helicopter and flew him to the broken vehicle. He removed the radiator put on extended hoses, bolted it to the front bumper. Removed the soft doors and somehow attached them to the sides of the radiator to force air through it as the fan was dead. It worked, hurray. Scot stayed with the vehicle sitting on the hood as they inched toward camp. They stopped at every water crossing and added water to the radiator as needed and got it into Mechanicsville to rebuild.  Working with others constructively as the mechanics did when brainstorming a solution is one of the reason you have to be voted in by all the mechanics.

Tools Scot does suggest you carry: Channel Locks, Hammer, Philipps and flat head screw drivers.

Scott learned a lot about trail ingenuity from Jimmy Martin and Ronnie Brokaw aka Thunder Chicken. These two men are what is referred to as Old School today. What they know about Jeeps and trail fixes could fill a library. Give them some bailing wire, sheet metal tape and Velcro and they will build you a rocket ship to take you to the moon.

Scot being a family man with children back then was considering buying a Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Remember he had been a mini truck guy, so the wheelbase was similar. Jimmy kept on him to buy a CJ5 so he could better maneuver thru the trail with a shorter wheelbase and thinner width. In 1994 he started hunting for an old CJ5, in 1995 he found one. Cj5’s were built from 1955 to 1986, in 1976 they introduced the CJ7 and put a slant on the windshield. The YJ was introduced 1986/87.
Ronnie and Jimmy invited Scot to run the Rubicon trail with them from the start of trail at Loon Lake. Before this Scott had never run the entire trail. He had been flown into all parts of the trail and flown out. They met up at Jimmy’s before heading down highway 50 from Lake Tahoe towards Placerville and turned off at Icehouse Road to Loon Lake.

Before they left and headed to Loon Lake Jimmy insisted Scott put a two stroke gas powered welder he had in the back of his CJ. Jimmy knew what was coming as Scott’s Jeep had not been built up for the Rubicon yet. Sure enough Scott did a lot of welding on his own vehicle on this inaugural trip. Never question the wisdom of the old school team members of the crew.

Scott was having troubles with his ignition system. He’d turn the key and nothing. After much analyzing and agonizing it was figured out that the ignition gear drive rotating lever was not rotating. So they put a small vise grip on it and turned it by hand and bingo she started right up. That’s when Ronnie Brokaw aka Thunder Chicken gave Scott his nickname, “ Sparky”.

I asked Scott what it takes to build a good jeep. He said a spouse, be it a wife or girlfriend who is in the game with you. If your partner is constantly complaining about the money it takes it makes very hard. You maybe able to do the mechanical work yourself but some of the parts you have to buy are pricey.

These days Scott runs a 2015 JKU Rock hard edition Wrangler with 538 ring and pinions and 40” tires. A custom built 4 link rear suspension and a three link front suspension he built. His JK is equipped with undercarriage guards and there is nothing below the Axle tubes.

If you would like advice on how to build your Jeep to be truly Rubicon Ready contact Scott, via messenger. https://www.facebook.com/scot.hansen.984 There is no better advice than what you will learn from the Rubicon mechanics.

The Jeep Famboree is not part of the Jeepers or Jeep Jamboree. We are an independent family of jeep enthusiasts who love the Rubicon. Our membership is made up of the folks who have participated in the Jamboree on the Rubicon Trail. Jeep Famboree was formed by Eric Lichtbach after a fun evening in Puerto Vallarta with many of the mechanics from Mechanicsville in Rubicon Springs. Jeff Arabia in a toast, stated we are family.  One of the women said Famboree and lighting struck. That’s when I decided to created Jeep Famboree. Please click on Follow to stay up to date with this brotherhood of people who love the great outdoors and four wheeling.