Challenging trails and scenic canyons was our goal. We were headed out to an area known commonly as Florence Junction, an abundant array of 4WD trails that lies just southwest of Superior, Arizona.
Here you'll find desert arroyos and sandy washes strewn with rocky crags and boulders. Lying below the loftier Superstition Mountains slightly north, this area sits at about 3,000 feet in elevation.
Geology here is diverse and scenic. Telltale markings of past inhabitants mark signs of previous peoples who were also drawn to this area. If you scour the rocky walls in the canyons here you can find Native American petroglyphs, graffiti from a bygone era.Abandoned wooden structures and rock tailings signify mining work of those long ago who dug into this rugged terrain.
We spent time on some hot summer days running trails and taking in the views. Our group consisted largely of Toyotas, with some impressive modified Tacomas from the Phoenix area.
We won't bore you with too much story so we can leave more room for rig descriptions and a collage of images from our adventures. Hope you enjoy 'em!
Shane Nierzwicki drives this '81 Toy' he's set up for just this kind of terrain. It's four-linked in the rear with Fox coilovers and rides on 35-inch Thornbirds. He wasn't afraid to wheel it hard and try the tough lines. His exocage helps keep the roof and windshield intact during severe rock contact. | 
Sam Williams tackles one of the ledge obstacles in his Formula Toyota buggy. This propane-powered rig competes when not out running trails. Tires of choice are Mickey Thompsons in a 37-inch size. Sam uses a Marlin Crawler Ultimate T-case to get ultralow gearing and ARBs to selectively lock up the 5.29 geared axles as needed. | 
These tall, narrow Michelins are military tires from troop-transport trucks. Mike Berg tried them out on his built-up '99 Xtracab Tacoma. A Dana 44 with alloy shafts and an OX Locker rides up front while a disc-braked, Detroit-locked, Ford 9-inch brings up the rear. This puts Mike's track width wide, making it quite stable, but a challenge in some of the tighter rock slots. |
Derek Feit runs a highly modified Tacoma. His '02 V6 truck has a Dana 44 front axle with chrome-moly innards and an Eaton locker. Out back, a TRD E-locker complements the front, and 4.88 gears at both ends help turn the 37-inch Irok radials. For slow going, Derek shifts an Inchworm dual T-case with custom shifters and a Warn 9.5 winch serves as backup should he happen to need it. | 
Ever see a 2WD Tacoma do this? Well, what used to be a single-axle Toy' is now a highly modified 4WD Taco' with a coilover-linked Dana 44. Eric Mollencopf built this rig to take him from the highway to the big rocks and back. Thirty-eight-and-a-half-inch Interco TrXus MTs sit under bulging fiberglass front fenders and handle the articulation on this 124-inch-wheelbase crawler exiting the Fire Hole. | 
Carlos Gonzales built up his '91 4Runner to handle some hardcore crawling and transport the family comfortably on camping trips. His shop, Toy Box Auto in Mesa, Arizona, hung a solid axle under the front with All-Pro 3-inch springs controlled with Bilstein 5100s. Trail-Gear hydro-assist helps steer the 37-inch Swamper radials, while ARBs keep the axles locked. Carlos added 63-inch Chevy springs in the rear and a Tacoma axle to the mix. A Marlin dual-case setup slows its speed to a crawl. |
Uriel Varela's 4Runner proved to be a sleeper on the trail. He quietly worked his way through tough obstacles and got the job done with ease. His '85 4Runner sits on 40-inch Wrangler MT/Rs. 5.29 gears and a Marlin T-case setup help get the job done, and full axleshaft upgrades keep breakage to a minimum. | 
The day was not one without carnage. Our crew suffered a couple of broken axle components and a broken spring mount that required some welding. Not to be discouraged, as it's par for the course and something's bound to fail when you're in the rocks | 
The first major waterfall on Axle Alley is steep. Although it's gotten considerably easier over the years, it can still pose a good challenge for short-wheelbase rigs or those with low belly clearance. Mike Berg climbed right up the wall in his 128-inch-wheelbase Tacoma. |