4by4tech Magazine 1-8 by 4by4tech Magazine

Snow Wheeling tips and tricks

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Truck and trail tech magazine to keep your ride in top shape!

ALWA YS FR EE!

Inside: Cummins Engine Tour Currie JK axle bracket swap kits Clayton Off Road JK skid plate system 40 of the best new products of SEMA 2017 Area BFE - Green Day trail ride with Bestop

CJK8

Cage building - Teraflex LCG JK long arm AAM 14 bolt axle build with Yukon Gear - Drake locking hood latches

Yup its that time of year again. I’m still knee deep in my new project but I’ve got my 44-inch Pitbull Rockers ready when I get the new rig done because I love snow wheeling! Check out our tips and tricks article.

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Maximum Articulation It was a great year here at 4by4tech! Teraflex Elite LCG long arm suspension for the CJK8 SEMA 2017 – let the new product showcase roll! Swapping a AAM 14-bolt into the CJK8 (JK style) So you Wanna go snow wheeling EH? Cage building for the CJK8 – nothing is more important.

Contact us! albert@4by4tech.com 2017 marked time for a new tow rig. I have a hard time justifying a diesel truck anymore so I slid into a GMC Sierra with the 6.2L V8 and 8-speed transmission. It was a bit of a journey to get to this truck read away and reviews after 3 months behind the wheel.

Check out our on-going projects on social media!

During Easter Jeep Safari we join the Bestop trail ride at AREA BFE and it was the first time running the Green Day trail end to end. The group was big and came from all over the place like the two JKS rigs that drove out from Michigan, us from Canada, and vendors and customers from all across the USA.

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Clayton Off-road JK skid plates – keeping your belly protected! Time for a new tow rig – 3 month update on our new GMC More CJK8 protection Drake Off-Road hood latches. We joined Bestop at EJS for their annual trial run Greenday at AREA BFE. PG 58 - Any great axle swap needs good brackets – Currie Enterprises JK axle brackets for the AAM 14-bolt and the Ford Dana 60. PG 64 - For you Diesel guys – A tour of Cummins in Columbus Indiana BACK ISSUES CAN BE FOUND ON 4BY4TECH.COM - CHECK THEM OUT AND READ THEM ALL!

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MAXIMUM ARTICULATION By: Albert Vandervelde

Year in review 2017 was a busy one that’s for sure. And one that started out with the loss of a family pet right after we introduced a new puppy into the house, their time together was short but eventful. Then the snow started – and didn’t stop until destroying the hedge around my house. 7 loads of trees on my car trailer later and I now have a great view of all my neighbors’ houses – but my yard feels bigger. Then we painted the entire house ands re-trimmed the outside. With domestic chores out of the way I starting on year 2 of the CJK8 project blowing through so many set completion dates my own head is spinning but it’s been a big project between a whole lot of other projects to fill the pages of the magazine. It finally got hauled up to Aqualu early in the year to get the rest of the bodywork done. Then another twist in the changing of my day job to Cummins and my wife changing jobs as well, combined with Aqualu getting really busy reducing the R&D time needed to complete the box and fenders.

This put a little kybosh on the CJK8 completion and it didn’t make its way back to the house till June. In the mean time, knowing I was not going to have it done for Moab – Toyota generously lent me the Tacoma TRD Pro to take to the Easter Jeep Safari and we sure had a blast with it! Thanks again Toyota!

The CJK8 is starting to look like something. This has turned into my most ambitious and longest build yet but I’m pretty happy about the results. I’ve gone through so many deadlines I pretty much gave up on setting a completion date but its seriously starting to look close. Last week I picked up the rear flares, sent in the cut file for the dash, and gathered a bunch more parts.

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With the CJK8 back in the garage the work started again after that “little” 5 month break and I’m finally getting to the final stages – getting the seats in, Console made, brake lines done. Wiring and the rest of the hoses and lines are next and not far away – the turning of the key and getting paint on all that nice aluminum. This was one of those WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

projects that once I went past the first two deadlines it was coming out so good, I decided it gets done when it gets done – and I see Moab Easter Jeep Safari clearly in my headlights now! This little side project when combined with social media posts at anything @4by4tech doubled views to 680,000!!! I only have all of you to thank for putting up with my ramblings and picture posts. I would be amiss not to mention what an awesome year it looks like 2018 is going to be with a completed project – and that new Jeep model that finally got unveiled today (Nov 29) at the LA auto show. I still wish they did a little more with the new JL it just looks like a warmed over JK to me – but the aftermarket will be pouring its heart into the new model faster than they will be hitting the showroom floors and that means all sorts of new stuff and new ideas coming out which is always a blast. One post on @dynatrac said they had two on order and just recently hired the designer of the JL away from Jeep corporate to design components for Dynatrac – that’s shows the ambition that comes out when a new Jeep model is introduced. So that’s about it for me and about the only new years resolution I have is getting the CJK8 done with more than 2 days to go before Easter Jeep next spring – wish me luck!!!

CURRENT ISSUE FREE! Its pretty straight forward really, The current issue is always free till the next issue is released, no page view limit till you hit a “pay for more” button, just read, enjoy, click around and follow the links and if you feel like send us your feedback, your rigs in action, letters and questions I will add them all in. Feel like you need to let your inner writer out and want to do a feature story?

By hitting the subscribe button you will get an e-mail sent to you each time there is a new issue released, no other commitment & take your name off any time, I won’t sell your info or use it for any other reason – I like my privacy too! But I also encourage you to share the magazine links with your friends on your Facebook and Twitter feeds pass them around forums and in general spread the word! Follow along on Facebook (4by4tech) I will update everything we have going on weekly and lots of other cool stuff I find on my travels and that’s free too! We all like free!

Couple sections this issue covering projects for the CJK that can be easy to transfer to almost any rig. Everyone wants 1-ton axles under their JK right? Check out the Currie axle bracket article. Everyone needs a roll cage and securing your engine and vehicle is never anything to leave to chance. Below the CJK8 roll cage using 1 3/4 .120 DOM tubing, locking hood latches and the Grant vehicle security system.

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By: Albert Vandervelde

CJK8 Teraflex Elite LCG long arm suspension

The CJK8 is coming along nicely. With any real off-road rig, suspension can make or break a good build and depending on what you want it to do, there are a lot of choices. Teraflex has been around a long time and know Jeeps and with all the mods that went into this rig it was the best-suited system. The suspension is the 4-inch Elite LCG (Low Centre of Gravity) long arm flex arm lift kit. This same lift comes in 2.5, 3, 4, and 6-inch heights. I packaged it with the Teraflex trail rated torsion bar sway bars front and rear and Fox JK bypass shocks and Fox bump stops.

Teraflex makes beefy parts. All the lower arms are thick tubing with factory style bushings at the frame end to reduce road vibration and a flex joint on the other to allow the suspension free movement. All the links – uppers and lowers are adjustable to fine-tune pinion angles and castor. The lowers are also bent to gain valuable ground clearance.

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When I was planning the build for my CJK8 custom Jeep I knew a few things that were going to take place. I was going to use a 4-door Jeep Unlimited frame, I wanted to use as many quality aftermarket parts as I could – the JK has been out for years there was no reason to reinvent the wheel and I was going to install a V8. I wanted it as low as possible; a long arm design for the suspension but I wanted big tires 40s+. There were other things but these steps truly dictated what I was going to do with the suspension and if you’re into Jeep JKs you know there are tons of options on the market.

Quite a few kits on the market supply a new cross member under the engine to hang the long arms from. This does make the kit more bolton friendly than this system but with a V8 and many other changes we needed the suspension to be bolted to the frame – not be in the way of moving the factory cross member. Volume 1 Issue 8

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CJK8 Teraflex Elite LCG long arm suspension

The Teraflex long arm system is not what you would call bolt on – all of the control arm brackets need to be welded to the frame. If I had a suggestion to Teraflex it would be to send these brackets out raw and not power coat them you have to grind all the coating off anyway anywhere your welding. The front brackets bolt up to the cross member bracket for positioning and clamped in place for welding.

Once the front and rear brackets are welded in place everything else is bolt on. I painted the entire frame and brackets with Hammered finish paint. While not shown here, I wanted to push the front axle ahead a couple inches for better tire clearance in the back of the wheel opening. This would not normally take place on a standard JK install and resulted in a lot of extra work but for the 44-inch tires I planned on run it was needed. I did want to mention though that it is possible.

In the rear, a spacer plate gets welded on first to fill in a gap where the frame starts to turn, if this install is taking place with an entire vehicle not like our bare frame, extra care needs to be taken to protect the plastic fuel tank on the passenger side. Above top – the main part of the rear bracket is then welded in place over the spacer plate. The V8 install limited a lot of the choices as I was going to move the engine cross members around and a lot of JK long arm suspensions use a new engine cross member to hang the lower long arm links from. A great choice, but just not a good one for me. I wanted to use a company that covered a lot of bases and had a great Jeep track record. It didn’t take long and Teraflex came right into my radar. They have been building suspensions, sway bars, shocks, axles and way more stuff for Jeeps back to

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the invention of the TJ in 1998. I also like companies you can grow with and expand on parts you have already bought. Teraflex offered a long arm kit that takes a little more work to install, as the control arm brackets are all weld in – but it allowed me to change a bunch of things. Now keep in mind this kit goes straight into a JK with the typical removal of stock control arm brackets and some welding – I on the other hand took a few things to the next level in this build. I extended the wheelbase slightly in the front as I could just slide the new Teraflex brackets ahead a bit up front and weld them in place (a little more took place here as well but you get the idea why we made this move). This change became apparent after I noWWW.4BY4TECH.COM

CJK8 Teraflex Elite LCG long arm suspension In the rear the upper arm is quite a bit shorter than the upper in the front but its also curved to give good tire clearance. The lower link also has a kink in it to provide better ground clearance. The frame ends are poly flex bushings while the rear are articulating joints.

I complicated the install a little more by installing a set of 1-ton axles under the JK frame but now was the time to get it done. This is a Currie axle bracket set. I liked the Currie brackets as they have multiple positions for everything including lifting the shocks up on the bottom â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Teraflex does sell a bracket kit as well.

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The Teraflex LCG lift is one of the most complete I have seen. Many lifts reuse as many stock parts as they can. The Teraflex system came with new isolator pads for all four corners to reduce coil slap on the steel frame. The rear isolators clip into the frame.

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CJK8 Teraflex Elite LCG long arm suspension Track bars are also some of the best I have seen. Thick one-piece forgings for the main bars – no bent hollow tubing here. Factory bushings to give factory alignment and suspension control – no death wobble here and large adjustable clamps for precise suspension alignment.

Teraflex uses a single rate coil in their systems. I like this as its predictable throughout the entire coil movement and no coil slap like is evident in some coils with different windings. The only real dual rate coil set up anyway is a coil over with two different coils with different wire diameters providing different spring rates. These are 4-inch coils but this suspension can also come with 2.5, 3-inch 4-inch and 6-inch coils. I have a set of 6-inch coils as well just in case I needed them for the 44-inch tall tires - but we did enough to the custom body that I should be able to run the 44s with these 4-inch coils!!!

We are installing some bling Fox triple bypass shocks and don’t want the suspension hanging from the shock shafts. Extension straps are the way to go and our LCG kit came with a nice stout set and all new braided brakes lines, which we won’t be using - but nice they come with the lift.

Like the rear, new isolator pads come with the lift for the coils. In this case the coils keep them in place when the load is on the vehicle and the extension straps hold the coil with light pressure at full extension. You can also see the JK Fox bump stops that get installed into the front bump cans after cutting the bottom off.

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Bump extensions are used at all 4 corners to stop bottoming out the shocks and having the coil spring bind when compressed. Our Currie brackets came pre drilled for the bolt, on a stock axle the center of the coil mount will need to be drilled and taped.

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CJK8 Teraflex Elite LCG long arm suspension To set the strap position, each corner was drooped to the end of the shock then lifted slightly and a hole drilled in the frame. The Fox internal bypass shocks have a smooth body to them so they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look like a race shock and everything takes place inside the twin tube body more of a classic look this way. The shocks feature compression and rebound damping on the remote res bottles.

I used two styles of bump stops rather than the Teraflex ones, both Fox. These IPF JK specific bumps are pretty cool. The body is threaded so you can adjust the bump up and down inside the factory bump can inside the coil spring. They also feature an internal spring rather than just oil and nitrogen to reduce harsh hits.

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CJK8 Teraflex Elite LCG long arm suspension

At left: the finished front suspension. Top: I used a more traditional style hydraulic bump stop from Fox in the rear of the CJK8 as they fit a little better than the larger IPF bumps I used in the front. They go inside a steel tube style bump can with bolt clamps. Below: I have had great luck with Currie Antirock sway bars in past builds. Teraflex has their own version but also offers them in three styles so suit your driving needs. As I needed as much clearance for tires as possible I used their simple trail bars front and rear. They are a single rate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; softer than a stock sway bar but still provided good roll control. The arms are cast just like the track bars and come with brackets to install them into a JK.

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CJK8 Teraflex Elite LCG long arm suspension

2 1/4 .120 wall tubing works perfect for a 2 inch OD bump stop once the tubing has a cut. The bolt tubes were welded on in one piece for alignment then cut in the middle afterwards.

The rear hydraulic bump stops feature a 4-inch stroke. I made my own custom bump cans splitting the tubing and welded bolt clamps to them. To get the bumps in the right position I had to cut the frame and French the bump cans in. You can also see my replacements for the stock track bar frame brackets. I cut off the stock ones and made new ones from 1/4-inch steel. Pretty amazing what all takes place in the rear of the suspension when everything is bolted in place. With the long arms, bypass shocks, hydraulic bump stops and sway bars I expect a pretty good riding Jeep with good sand dune jump control!

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CJK8 Teraflex Elite LCG long arm suspension

The rear Fox bypass shocks have the reservoir bottles mounted to them with no hoses the adjusters are on the ends facing down for easy access. I managed to raise the shocks on the bottom 2-inches and unlike stock they are now no lower than the control arms with still plenty of up travel – I might be able to move them one position higher still on the adjustable Currie axle brackets. There is also plenty of room behind the tires for the sway bar links and the track bar is in the highest position with plenty of clearance for the shaved 14-bolt. Not bad flex for posing with the forklift with everything still brand new. Keep in mind we raised everything on the body as high as we could so it looks a lot taller than it really is. With inflated 39-inch tires I could easily get the Jeep inside a regular height garage door. I expect the up travel will be better in real trail conditions as it’s at the end of the extension straps on the passenger side.

ticed in Moab last year (Todd and I walked around town with a note book and a tape measure) anyone with 40s on a JK were rubbing the frame – I did not want to rub the frame. With Teraflex I could build my cross members where ever I needed, as the suspension was all frame mounted. This also allows for the cross members to be removed without taking any of the suspension apart. I also like suspensions that use a rubber bushing on one end of the control arms. Teraflex use their flex joints on one end and a bushing on the other. The bushing makes the suspension quieter and keeps the control arms properly aligned. Teraflex also makes excellent forged track bars, several coil spring heights for the same lift configuration, and array of sway bar options and even now their all new Falcon shocks – though I used Fox bypass shocks and Fox air bumps. This build received 1-ton axles so I turned to Currie for axle bracket kits, as they allowed more “tweaking” than other JK axle bracket kits on the market. When the build was done with the custom body from Aqualu in place I had piles of room with the 4-inch lift coils for the 39-inch tall tires and probably the 44-inch tall tires I plan to run in the snow look like they will fit as well – if not I ordered a set of 6-inch coils just in case I need a little more room. Everything was very beefy and I’m excited to get the rig on the road this winter and getting its flex on with Teraflex!

4by4 Suppliers Teraflex www.teraflex.com Fox Shocks www.ridefox.com Currie Enterprises www.currieenterprises.com

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Jeep Wrangler JK V6-3.6L Twisted Steel Down-Pipes W/2” loop relocation pipe and converters. aFe Power give the Jeep JK’s a power boost with 2” mandrel bent, Twisted Steel Down-Pipes for lift clearance and 400 CPSI converters for optimum flow delivering power increases of +10 HP and +11 lbs. x ft. Torque. aFe Power 844-846-9929 www.afepower.com

B&M Racing & Performance Precision Sport Manual Shifter for 07-17 Jeep JK features a CNC Billet aluminum case with blue anodized housing internal components made from super tough 4140 chromoly. The shift throw has been reduced by 35%, along with increased detent pressure eliminating the problem of the shifter popping out of gear. Flowmaster, B&M & Hurst 707-544-4761 www.bmracing.com

The BOLT® Off-Vehicle Coupler Lock provides a visible theft deterrent for unattended trailers, in one convenient system using your vehicle ignition key, providing one key, convenient security. Designed to fit a wide range of couplers. BOLT Locks www.BOLTLock.com

1973-87 Chevy Truck Direct-Fit Instrument Cluster. The “Square Body” cluster is completely electric and designed for a seamless, direct installation into the stock dash of 1973-87 Chevy/GMC trucks, Suburbans, and Blazers. For ease of installation the package includes a single-connection wire harness, replacement lens, and all necessary sending units. Classic Instruments www.classicinstruments.com

BILSTEIN B8 6112 Series suspension kits optimize on- and off-road capabilities with a large 60mm digressive piston for increased damping control for the 2015+ Ford F-150. Kit includes 2 shocks, matched springs, and billet spring perches. Thyssenkrupp Bilstein of America 858-386-5900

https://us.bilstein.com/en/

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FROM THE GARAGE - SEMA 2017

EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE 4” Tactical Kevlar Infused Lift Kit for 2015 - 2018 Colorado Easiest and lowest cost way to Lift the GM Colorado 4” with out effecting Stability Control or Accident Avoidance. Using SEMA Data and testing facility this lift kit is compatible with all models and engine packages. This kits allows the use of stock wheels and stock track width or aftermarket wheels. 100% Made in the USA. Daystar Products 800-595-7659 www. daystarweb.com

FAST® XDi Street HEI Distributor

The FAST XDi Street HEI distributor includes industry-first gear technology and upgraded module and coil that ensure clean ignition firing up to 8500 RPM. For Small and Big Block Chevys, it has a friction-reducing plasma nitrided gear compatible with popular camshaft materials, including cast iron, austempered iron, 5160 steel and 8620 steel. COMP Performance Group 877-334-8355 www.fuelairspark.com

2018 Jeep JL Leveling kit The New 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL is not on the lots yet but Daystar has the leveling kit in stock and ready to ship the minute it comes out. Being first is more than just having the product it is being able to test the product in the 3D world for stability control, ABS, and accident avoidance. Daystars engineering team has exceeded the testing. Daystar Products 800-595-7659 www. daystarweb.com

HDX Instrument System 1966-77 Ford Bronco and 1962-84 Toyota FJ fit HDX application for 1966-77 Ford Broncos and 1962-84 Toyota FJ’s. 30 user programmable lighting colors, TFT message center, capacitive-touch buttons, spun aluminum needle hugs, hidden dash indicators, warning lights, and turn signal reminder tone. Bluetooth app for smart phones and tables makes setup a breeze! Dakota Digital 800-852-3228 www.dakotadigital.com

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The D Ring Washer Locker is the popular washer with the Patent Pending unique locking ring. The ring attaches though the D Ring bolt and keeps it from spinning. This keeps the D Ring from falling off due to vibrations. Its is made for UV resistant Polyurethane and comes in many colors to match your vehicles color. Made in the USA. Daystar Products www.daystarweb.com

Dynatrac introduce the Free-Spin™ hub conversion kit for 2015-18 Ford Super Duty 4x4s. This Free-Spin™ system replaces the factory unit bearings with fixed spindles for superior durability, and smooth performance. this kit is equipped with 1550 u-joint outer shafts for outstanding strength.

The Hard Core Plus ProRock XD60/XD60 Axle Set™ is for Jeep Wrangler JK owners who want more than just “one-ton” axles. This axle set delivers Dynatrac ProRock XD60® exclusive technology in front and rear axles that are ready to bolt into the Jeep Wrangler.

Dynatrac introduces HD Balljoints™ for 2014-2018 RAM 2500/3500 4x4 trucks. Dynatrac HD BallJoints™ are the strongest, most durable and highest quality available anywhere Dynatrac Inc. www.dynatrac.com

The Deegan 38 is now available in three NEW high flotation sizes! The new 35X12.50R15LT in load range C, the 35X12.50R17LT and 35X12.50R18LT in load range D are perfect for light duty applications.They provide O.E. load carrying capability, strength,and flexibility without the overly stiff ride of their heavier load rated metric counterparts. Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels www.mickeythompsontires.com WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

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FROM THE GARAGE - SEMA 2017

EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE The Extreme Country is now available in 4 new high flotation sizes for an improved ride and more sidewall flex under low inflation off-roading. The 35-inch sizes are available in load range D and with the taller 37-inch sizes, the lineup now includes tires for all of today’s popular applications. Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels www.mickeythompsontires.com

FAST® Engine Transplant Kits For Ford Coyote Engines FAST offers an engine control package for Ford Coyote engines swapped into a classic muscle car or street rod. The kit includes a fully-tunable XFI Sportsman™ ECU, XIM™ ignition module, Valve Timing Control module, complete wiring harness and a Coyote-specific Big Mouth® LT 87mm throttle body. COMP Performance Group www.fuelairspark.com

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The new Firestone Destination MT2 tire is built to go where the trail takes you, whether your truck or SUV is treading through dry, wet, or snowy conditions and with features like mud and stone rejectors, it keeps your tread cleared out. The advanced construction helps resist chips & tears to maximize your tire life. See it in person at our booth! FIRESTONE RIDE-RITE www.firestonetire.com

BRONCO DIRECT TILT KIT Flaming River has designed a Direct Tilt Steering Column to fit the 1966-77 Bronco with mounts on the column for easy installation. Sold as a kit with a slip shaft and universal joint, floor mount and wiring connector to ease installation. custom machined dress up kit (extended length turn signal, tilt and hazard) is included with this column. Flaming River Industries Inc. www.flamingriver.com

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Stainless steel LS swap hedder for installing a LS series engine into a 1967-87 Chevy 1/2 Ton-1 Ton pick-up truck 2WD, 100% 304 stainless steel construction, 16 gauge 1-3/4” tubing, 3/8” 304 stainless laser cut flanges, Available in raw, HTC silver, HTC black MAXX MADE IN THE USA Hedman Performance Group 562-921-0404 www.hedman.com

FOX Performance Series 2.0 Reservoir iQS for Jeep Wrangler JK. The FOX Performance Series iQS offers true on-the-fly shock compression adjustability from the driver’s seat. Effortless change the tune of your ride at any time, even while driving, from firm to soft with the easy to use iQS switch. Kit includes 4 remote reservoir electronically adjustable shocks, 3-position switch, controller and wiring harness. FOX / BDS / Zone Offroad / JKS Mfg / RT Pro UTV 619-768-1800 www.ridefox.com

The G2 CORE BBK gives your lifted Jeep JK, with oversized tires, the braking power it needs to safely stop and be in control in mild and emergency braking conditions. The over-sized rotors with larger caliper brackets, extend your OE calipers further from the center line of the wheel and creates more leverage to increase the stopping power. ProComp / Rubicon Express / Poison Spyder / G2 Axle 310-900-2687 www.g2axle.com WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

The GRABBER ATX is a next-generation, aggressive allterrain tire that provides you exceptional off-road capability and durability. This tire also gives you balance with impressive on-road performance. Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake and studdability deliver confident driving for you in all weather conditions to make anywhere possible! Continental Tire Extreme Experience 704-583-3900 www.generaltire.com

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FROM THE GARAGE - SEMA 2017

EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE 2007+ Toyota Tundra Rear Hydraulic Bumpstop System The bump stop’s vehicle specific tuning provides smooth engagement and the best ride quality. Quiet operation with replaceable noise reducing striker. 2007+ Toyota Tundra RXT Shock Absorber are available in several configurations including a 2.5 remote reservoir shock, a 2.5 Series CDC Valve shock, and a two-tube Omega bypass that provide unique levels of performance to the rear end of the Tundra. ICON Vehicle Dynamics www.iconvehicledynamics.com

Jeep Wrangler JK Rear Corner Armor JCR’s rear aluminum quarter panel armor is designed to add much-needed protection to the rear of your Jeep JK or JKU. They are available in a flare version that works with factory fender flares, a flare delete version, and a 3” or 6” axle stretch version. The tail light boxes are designed to accept grommet mount or surface mount LED Taillights. JcrOffroad www.jcroffroad.com

XHD JK Rear Corner Guards Each guard is treated to a heavy-duty textured black powder coat that resists rock chips, rust and corrosion. The XHD Corner Guards fully surround your Jeeps tail lights, shielding from direct impacts that crush lesser corner armor. Omix-ADA / Rugged Ridge www.ruggedridge.com

2017 Ford Raptor 3.0 performance series kit 3.0 IBP front coilovers. 3.0 4 tube rear bypass shocks. Kings patented IBP internal bypass technology Pure Race external finned reservoirs. Front 3.0 swivel compression adjusters. 4 tube bypass rear shocks with compression and rebound adjustments. Fully rebuildable. King Shocks www.kingshocks.com

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2007 + Toyota Tundra / Land Cruiser 200 3.0 Performance Series Kit

3.0 Front Coilovers. 3.0 3 Tube Rear Bypass Shocks. External Finned Reservoirs Compression Adjusters.New lower coil adjustment for easier ride height adjustments.Large 3/4” lower bearings and new steel rod end Race proven 3 Tube Bypass Rear Shocks with compression and rebound adjustments.Fully rebuildable, serviceable.100% bolt on installation King Shocks 714-530-8701 www.kingshocks.com

2007-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK LS Engine Swap 1 7/8”x3” Stainless Steel Mid Length Headers 2007-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK LS Engine Swap 1 7/8”x3” Stainless Steel Long Tube Headers. Connects to Kooks YPipe in Non-Catted, High Performance Catted, or Ultra High Performance GREEN Catted Options. Includes Stage 8 Locking Fasteners. Kooks Headers & Exhaust 866-586-5665 www.kooksheaders.com

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2017 Jeep JK (2 door & 4 door) 3.5” Lift Kit This 3.5” Jeep lift kit is 100% bolt-on with no cutting & no welding required during installation. The kit is engineered to maintain factory components all while giving the Jeep the desired look! Every piece needed to lift the vehicle is included as well as full color instructions and all necessary hardware! Be prepared to be impressed! McGaughy’s Suspension www.mcgaughys.com

The MechMan 240 amp high output alternator for 20122017 Jeep Wrangler JK offers improved power capability at all engine RPMs. This unit will maintain better voltage throughout the vehicle when operating aftermarket electrical accessories, such as off road lighting, winches, and power inverters. MechMan Alternators www.mechman.com Volume 1 Issue 8

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FROM THE GARAGE - SEMA 2017

EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE EMA SEMA SEMA SEMA SE 1410 SERIES HIGH-ANGLE CV HEAD ASSEMBLY Neapco’s exclusive solution for the 1410 series driveline. The N924141HAG Double Cardan CV Assembly provides driveline fabricators and 4x4 specialists a solution for a high-angle 1410 series driveshaft. Neapco Components www.neapcocomponents.com

ProCharger High Output Intercooled Supercharger System for the Grand Cherokee SRT 6.4 & 5.7L The Ultimate Power Adder™ the HO Intercooled System with, optional ProCharger P1-X upgrade, for the 2011-2017 WK2 SRT Jeep Grand Cherokee is a 100% bolt-on and delivers 700+ horsepower to an otherwise stock SRT 6.4 for 0-60 in 3.5-3.8 seconds. That’s Hellcat and TrackHawk territory for a fraction of the coin. ProCharger Supercharger www.Procharger.com

Newly designed Toyota complete coil over suspension. These are designed from the ground up to provide all the elements needed in a properly function coil over lifted application. Will clear existing factory components. Has Nitrogen charge set for optimum ride, and has coil rate designed for optimum ride, and load capacity. Revtek Suspension www.revtek.com RANCHO RS62100 HIGH-STEER KNUCKLES

The New Rancho knuckles for Jeep Dana 30 & Dana 44 adds an additional 1.5-inches of clearance within the tight space, helping to protect critical steering components. Rancho design also helps lift the steering linkage out of range from direct impact from off-road obstacles. Rancho/DynoMax 734-243-8000 www.gorancho.com

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Volume 1 Issue 8

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2007-18 Jeep JK Wrangler FORGED CONTROL ARMS All new forged aluminum upper and lower control arms provide the style you want with the strength and weight savings you demand on your JK Wrangler. The 2024-TF forged aluminum arms provide an amazing 20% weight reduction and 20% increase in strength over traditional aftermarket DOM arms. Incorporated UHMW skid pads on contact surfaces included. ProComp / Rubicon Express / Poison Spyder / G2 Axle 866-533-7706 www.rubiconexpress.com

The Titan Trail Trekker transfer tanks have a 12 gallon useable capacity. The tank is securely mounted and also grounded for safety and security.The tank mounts to the stock rear spare tire carrier on vehicles like Jeep, Toyota, Nissan, Land Rover, Range Rover, Isuzu, Ford, Hummer, GM, etc. The tank also fits most aftermarket rear spare tire carriers. TITAN Fuel Tanks www.titanfueltanks.com

Inline Cutting Brake Kit

CUTTING BRAKE, inline dual cylinder push pull type turning brake features a billet easy to grip handle. Turns sharper and take advantage of front dig on specialty transfer cases.

Spartacus HD tire carrier system for 97-06 JK delivers the perfect balance of strength & stability for carrying up to a 35â&#x20AC;? spare. Brutally strong aluminum hinge casting and forged steel hinges with hardened steel pins provide smooth tailgate operation. Omix-ADA / Rugged Ridge www.ruggedridge.com

Wilwood Disc Brakes 805-388-1188

www.wilwood.com

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SUPERWINCH-EXP18S-12V SYNTHETIC ROPE WINCH Designed for large vehicles demanding a premium winching experience, the EXP 18 features fast line speeds, futuristic electronics, advanced sealing, auto-engage clutch. Certified Dyneema synthetic rope, a brake outside the drum with reinforced wall thickness. Superwinch 800-323-2031 www.superwinch.com

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Volume 1 Issue 8

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FROM THE GARAGE - SEMA 2017

GM AAM 14 bolt building

By: Albert Vandervelde

When it comes to hard-core wheeling and durable axles stepping up to 1-ton truck axles is probably on your radar. Nothing adds beef and unsprung weight to your rig like a big pair of diffs under your rig. There are a lot of ways to get to the same ends - and there are some great aftermarket companies out there that can supply you with great bolt in axles loaded with all the best parts, but at times you need to build within your budget as time allows and picking up a set of junk yard axles which can come with posi carriers and the right gear choices at times and most have nice beefy big axle shafts to start. You can then upgrade as you have time. This issue I take a look at a $400.00 GM AAM 14-bolt from a 2004 GM truck.

My AAM 14bolt axle is the next generation to the classic 14-bolt rear end used for many years by GM. The new version uses the same internals when bought in a 10.5 ring gear size, 1.5 inch 30 spline axles factory disk brakes and in this case 4.10 gears. A pretty good starting point – but there are lots of options to upgrade!

When I started to work on the axle package for the CJK8 I knew I wanted a King Pin 60 in the front but I also was trying to get a Dana 70 for the rear as Eaton had a new Dana 70 E-locker for the 70 HD housing. I learned a lot about the Dana 70 axle and none of it was very good. From the Dodge Dana 70U axles that have no gear choices and small bearings to a Van version that had a huge center section, others were strange widths – I decided a good old trusty 14-bolt was the way to go. Well a modern take on one anyway. Wrecking yards are chock full of 2000 year GM trucks and finding a AAM 14-bolt all nicely loaded with disk brakes already was a breeze and I laid down $400.00 for a complete axle and headed for home. Nice thing about the AAM axle the rear axle is within an inch of width to the Ford Dana 60 I have up front.

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Both the Dana 60 in the front of our CJK8 and the AAM rear end are loaded with an array of Hardcore Yukon Axle products. For the rear axle this included 5.38 Yukon gears, a Yukon Grizzly locker and a set of Cromoly axle shafts. Taking an already stout axle and adding some serious beef and trail gearing. Like any custom build, the axle was just the base. I would need JK axle brackets, all new brakes and rotors, a locker and gears and also the TMR shave kit so the 14-bolt wasn’t such a rock anchor on the trail.

cover comes along with it. TMR has two versions one adds a little more clearance but requires the outside edge of the ring gear to be machines down – I didn’t go that route so the install was pretty easy.

The build started with the TMR shave kit, I featured this in a previous issue so I’ll just add a link here for that one – but basically the shave kit takes close to 2 inches off the bottom of the diff, you weld in a steel plate and a custom diff

Next up was the gear choice. I went with Super 60 gears in the front from Dana and only had two ratio choices for the larger 10.1 gear set so I matched the 5.38 ratio in the back with a set of Yukon Gears. The axle I got also had a limited slip so I needed an

Volume 1 Issue 8

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GM AAM 14 bolt building

The axle project started out by sourcing a 10.5-inch ring gear AAM 14-bolt axle from a wrecking yard for $400.00. There is also an 11.5 version typically found in the Duramax diesel trucks. This gas truck axle is under most 2500 and 3500 GM and Chevy trucks. It was in need of a full brake refit, had a GM Gov lock posi and 4.10 gears. All the brackets are ground off the tubes here already.

Like the early 14-bolt axles, the AAM version has a 5-bolt pinion drop out. The main visual difference is all the ribbing over the new gen axle.

I also did a yoke conversion to a more typical 1350 style U-joint as I had a pair of 1350 driveshaftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s from my last project I had lengthened for the CJK8.

The infamous crush sleeve is used to set bearing preload in many axles. In the case of the AAM its a thick one and I was not able to do the pinion set up with my shop air gun, Thankfully a short trip to my local diff builder Gears & Rears had me on my way.

At left is the new 5.38 ratio Yukon Gear pinion and at right the 4.10 gears that came out of the diff. Check out that bearing... Its toast. If you had bought this axle to run there would have been a bearing failure. The only time I buy pieces like this from the wrecker is when they are getting gutted.

This Yukon Grizzly locker is a 4-pinion design and will not fit inside a Posi axle carrier. The Fully Mechanical locker drops inside a stock open case. If you have ever bought a Detroit locker or other Grizzle lockers with a full case this is whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inside. 4 plates, springs and big locking teeth. WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

Volume 1 Issue 8

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GM AAM 14 bolt building

We used a Quality Gear install kit, which features Timken bearings and dropped into Gears & Rears in Surrey, BC to get their gear guy Rod to set up the pinion. The bearing needs a press to install and the crush sleeve needs a good powerful air gun to get it crushed to set the preload on the pinion bearing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something I could not do on my own. Nothing gets the pinion bearing on the pinion like a big press - something I do not own. All Quality Gear bearing kits feature

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By: Albert Vandervelde

The 14-bolt axle features a third bearing on the pinion for added support and to reduce gear deflection under load. When setting pinion depth the shims go under the third member flange where it meetings the axle housing.

Timken tapered roller bearings. Most come with shims when needed, pattern grease and at times new ring gear bolts. Always use good quality new bearings in a diff rebuild. New Spicer 1350 yoke as well.

Volume 1 Issue 8

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GM AAM 14 bolt building

Once the pinion is taken care of, a 14-bolt axle is pretty easy to set up. As mentioned shims for the pinion go under the pinion drop out and inside on each side there are threaded carrier adjuster rings.

The extra pinion bearing gets pressed into the axle housing before dropping the pinion into the case. Below the bearing caps feature a bolt on clip, which stops the side adjusters from turning once installed and final gear pattern is set.

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With the carrier in, the side adjusters just screw in and out to set ring gear depth and preload on the bearings.

I cut off the bottom of the diff and installed a TMR shave kit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no mods were needed to the ring gear. The Yukon Gear Cromoly rear full float axles come extra long covering several diff widths â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we measured the stock axles and zip cut them to length.

Volume 1 Issue 8

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GM AAM 14 bolt building

New case or old case its takes little to spend a few minutes making sure the gear mounting surface is filed flat.

The Grizzly locker for a 14-bolt installs inside a stock open carrier. My axle came with a Posi rear end so I had to source an open diff case. Gears & Rears helped me here too. A posi case has a 3-pinion case – a 4-pinion case is needed. The locker drops right into the case, the two case halves go together and the ring gear bolts through the two case sections and holds everything together. Leave the piece of rod in the case till everything is bolted together.

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Volume 1 Issue 8

Once the ring gear is bolted on and the bolts are lock tite’d in place you can reach in and remove the piece of rod and the wing nuts. Our axle got treated to a full set of new brakes – calipers, rotors, e brake pads, etc... Full float axles have several advantages -– the axle housing, not the end of the axle shaft supports the weight of the vehicle and if you need to work on the rear axle there is no need for a jack or removing the tires.

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GM AAM 14 bolt building

Everything nice and clean – for now... There is little else we could do to this axle to make it any stronger than we have. Set up and ready to run! If there is a downside to the 14-bolt is that it hangs really low. The TMR shave kit added almost 2-inches of ground clearance under the center of the diff and includes a 1/4-inch thick differential cover to stiffen the center and add rock protection for all the expensive parts inside. Total cost with used axle and JK axle brackets about $2600.00 bucks (no labour) for one very strong axle set up.

You may need to turn each adjuster ring slightly before doing final torque on the bearing caps to get the clips lined up and bolted in place. Below you can see a nice centered gear pattern on the 5.38 Yukon Gears

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open case to load the Grizzly locker into. While not a selectable they are tough as nails are near fool proof – plus I have an Atlas and can use front wheel drive with my steering brakes to make extra tight turns. Axle brackets came form Currie to get the JK suspension attached to the axle and while the stock axles are tough – I added a set of Yukon Gear Cromoly full float axles to the back as well. With 4-inch back space rims I’m 84 inches outside of tire to outside of tire – right at the same width I was at in my TJ with Pro Rock Dana 60s so I’m happy I did not have to narrow anything and I can keep the stock axles as emergency spares. The build was finished off with all new brake rotors ebrakes (inside the rotors) and brake calipers. One down side is that the Ford Dana 60 uses imperial thread nuts and the AAM 14-bolt uses metric wheel nuts but I found both

versions in the same style nut so nothing looks different front to rear (both axles are 8 on 6 ½ bolt pattern). Grizzly locker + open case ($509.00 locker $100.00 case) Currie Axle brackets $400.00 kit 5.38 gear set $430.00 Cromoly axles $500.00 All new brakes $300.00 Axle $400.00 Total $2639.00 (prices Approx. in US bucks no labour)

Volume 1 Issue 8

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4by4 Suppliers Yukon Axle & Gear www.yukongear.com Gears & Rears www.gearsnrears.com

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snow WHEELINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 4 4TECH BY

For many winter is that dreaded time on our roads. Highway closures, snow and ice make for challenging driving conditions but for some crazy few they peer at the sky waiting for that white stuff to come drifting down. I’m not talking about skiers or snowmobilers, but some crazy guys with giant balloon tires on their trucks, Jeeps and Land Cruisers and massively huge engines to power the big tires, and many more who have embraced winter and still get there 4x4s out for fun in the white stuff. We have to embrace winter in Canada, and many friends to the south are embracing it too; swapping out there summer 4x4 trail tires for fatter larger rubber they can deflate to single digit PSI to float on the ever deepening white stuff. I’ve had a wide range of 4x4’s over the years, from dedicated trail rigs to all out big tire snow machines and its winter that gets me going still to get out on the big tires and four wheeling in the snow. Winter can take a mild mannered forest services road and turn it into a giant playground when the snow reach 1-2-3 over even 4 feet deep for those with the big tires. I hear drivers who can’t stand getting out in the white stuff; they end up getting stuck, digging holes and generally making it nowhere. There is a technique that once you master it – makes snow play a real blast even on regular trail tires. Embrace winter get out, have fun, its not the time of year to put away your Jeep till spring – the fun season has just begun! Tricks for snow (re ice is a different beast) Don’t spin, don’t spin, and don’t spin!!!… Spinning your tires generally does nothing. I’ve drilled this into the heads of many wheelers when it comes to snow; they generally get it after many a furled brow looking at me saying how? Its throttle control and managing your power and rolling on the gas not stabbing it, and keeping momentum when you need it, and knowing when to stop, and learning how to rock in your holes once you dig them to get back on top and moving again. Once it clicks in – it changes everything. Spinning makes ice, ice is pain, Spinning also digs holes, and holes are a pain too. Avoid spinning your tires!!! BY 31 WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

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I’ve gone through quite a few sets of tires on my TJ this was a set of Pitbulls I was running in a 39.5 but were about 38 inches tall. The advantage was the 16.5 footprint and they works pretty awesome in the snow for their size when grooved up. Snow wheeling can mean a lot of downed branches and trees, packing a chainsaw is a really good idea. On this day we did get turned around but we aired down several times, as the snow got deep

This rig has changed a lot over the years but at this point it was running a 632 under the hood and 46-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claws.

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Volume 1 Issue 8

Tire pressure. Here is where I find wheels that bolt your tires onto them ala Beadlock wheels, really earn their keep. The lower the tire pressure the fatter your tire gets on the bottom, the fatter your tire gets on the bottom the more displacement you have, the more displacement you have all the better to stay on top of the snow – and not spin make ice and dig holes… You don’t have to have beadlock wheels, you can get pretty low on a conventional wheel – you just need to be more careful. Air – don’t go out without air. OK yes air is all around us; I’m talking the compressed kind that fills tires. Also take some time in your garage and learn how to get a tire on your rims if one falls off. When your very low in tire pressure, tires do fall off rims – even on rims with beadlocks on the outside. Buy a good air compressor; learn how to manage your tires… Flat tires work better in the snow – period. Flat tires don’t make ice and don’t dig holes… Tires – get big ones…groove them up Here is one of those areas where bigger is better. Remember we are not talking ice here – we are talking snow. You can’t get far when you’re trying to push 2-3 feet of snow with your headlights – you have to get on top. I had a Jeep with a 46-inch tall tire the tires were 2 feet wide. The jeep weighted 5800lbs… big trucks weigh lots. I did an interesting test once. I measures my snow boots ground area and my weight (I’ll keep that to myself), I weighed my snow mobile and measure my track area, I weighed my Jeep – dropped the tire pressure to 2 PSI which was my snow wheeling tire pressure and measured those. It was very interesting. In my boots I was 2.2lbs per square inch, but I have to pick a

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Every year the Kelowna toy run gets bigger and bigger. These vintage pictures are from a few years back. This past year saw 392 registered trucks, almost $4000.00 in cash donations to the Salvation Army and 312 donated toys! Plus everyone had a great time in vehicles of all shapes and sizes!

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Volume 1 Issue 8

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foot up to move. That double to 4.4lbs per square inch. My sled was 1.6lbs per square inch. My Jeep on 2 psi in the tires was 2.4lbs per square inch – but it didn’t have to pick a tire up to move… that’s how you stay on top of the snow. And stop the spinning and stop digging holes…. Most are pretty hesitant to take a brand new set of tires and groove them to pieces. I have dedicated snow-wheeling tires – I groove everything. Currently they are 44 inch tall 2 feet wide. It takes a lot of modifications to get tires this big on anything. Getting the fattest largest tires you can onto your rig and not rubbing them round on rocky trails (square edges are your friend) – then getting at them and cutting extra grooves into them to bite into the snow will make you 1000% more successful in the snow. Oh and not spinning and not digging holes… Tire chains are for ice. Argue with me all you like, there are people I just can’t convince. Tire chains are for ice not for snow, tire chains are designed to dig through stuff to find traction. Chains dig holes in the snow – see #1 and you don’t need chains. Sometimes though depending where you live, ice on trails to get to the snow is a fact of life, it sucks. Move to somewhere with no ice… or get chains and stay out of the deep snow. I have no other answer for you. Dress for success! Its winter, no one likes a whiner, buy good snow boots, wear long johns, pack extra cloths, boot liners, couple pair of gloves etc… Its way more fun if you’re not freezing to death. I camped for a week in -20C snow. Had a great time we built a big fire for evenings, I had a down sleeping bag – and no don’t sleep on an air matrass its -20 out – how cold do you think the air is in WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

Trent from Truck Works in Kelowna rolls on 54-inch Boggers and Unimog axles. Under the hood is a Ram Jet 502.

This fully independent suspension Land Cruiser is now in new hands but its unique suspension allows it to raise and lower 18 inches – traverse side hills with the body flat. The 540cu supercharged Cadillac engine can be a thirsty girl though.

Volume 1 Issue 8

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Doesn’t mater how big or small your 4x4 - watch out for those tree wells and hidden ditches and creeks - lots can hide under the snow. Also remember just because there is snow on a lake does not mean the ice is solid enough for you to drive on. Click below for a ton more pictures!

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Volume 1 Issue 8

your air matrass??? The snow is warmer! Bring a foam roll, and extra pillowcases we are 90% water you will freeze your pillow by breathing on it all night once your warm head is off it. Oh and at -20 beer freezes (burry it in the snow to keep it ahem… warmer) or drink Scotch. Scotch solves everything – and toques. Learn how to get your buddies unstuck (and yourself). Your having fun in the snow, you forgot #1 and dug holes you can’t get out of. Your in a snow field and no where close to a tree to winch too. Now what? Remember no one likes a whiner. Buy and learn how to properly use a tug strap – keep it handy your going to use it lots. A tug strap is not a tow strap. Tug straps stretch and retain energy – and use that energy to bounce you out of holes. Rarely if ever when out with the big boys of snow wheelers do we winch. Actually most don’t even have a winch as it adds weight in the wrong spot. However all know how to A: tug someone out, and B: how to react when someone is tugging you out. Oh and bring stuff to dig with, there will be times you will need to dig yourself out. Also your tug strap WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

seconds as a base for your jack, bundle it up in a pile place jack on pile, its just like your flat tires, the larger area disperses weight allowing you to jack on an otherwise – un-jackable surface. Oh and a ratchet strap to ratchet your axle to the frame so you don’t have to jack so high if you need to fix a tire on our flexible trail rigs, which leads into… Bring extra stuff and a buddy You should do this any time you go off road, I off road a lot on my own – but rarely in the snow. Tools, jackets, food, drinks, tire repair kit, recovery gear, air compressor, fuel (you will go through 2X the amount of fuel in the snow that you think you will). Let people know where your going, be prepared to stay the night and stay warm. A note on ice. I like to break ice out of the snow-wheeling category. Ice is something we tend to deal with on our winter roads or busy Forest Service roads where lots of people are driving and spinning… When a lot of cars are driving, snowplows are working this compacts the snow and ice is a different animal. Big fat tires increase your footprint and reduce your weight per square inch. I’ve slid backwards down an icy road on my big tires where a pickup on proper winter ice tires looked at me like I was an idiot. I was I had the wrong tires… I moved over into the snowy ditch and stayed off the ice and crawled right up. Make sure you have the right tires for the job. Ice and snow are far more about the right tires then how big and bad and flexible your 4x4 is. Oh and not spinning, which makes more ice – and sometimes holes…

Getting Groovy for snow

A tire groover is an inexpensive tool that can add serious gripping edges to an otherwise open tread mud tire typical to large four wheeling tires.

Three different tires here, three different results – all work better in deeper snow. The Pitbull above and below gets lots of slightly wider cuts than the Mickey Thompson at right. The BFG Krawler top left gets fewer grooves just wider and a couple strips down the middle for rain and rocks.

The Ideal hand groover isn’t the most powerful groover on the market but at around 120 bucks with two dozen blades it’s a very useful tool. Mine has grooved dozens of tires and plugs into a regular wall socket.

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Volume 1 Issue 8

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CJK8 roll cage

By: Albert Vandervelde I have a couple high priority installs and parts that I pretty much will not go wheeling without and in a vehicle like a Jeep a roll cage is right up there with buying a winch. The CJK8 project is an extended cab Jeep truck. The body designed by Aqualu makes certain provisions in the design to make sure installing a roll cage is as easy as possible. Up front the dash ends short enough from the door to allow for a 1 ¾ inch roll cage tube to go right to the floor. In designing this cage I was able to incorporate two full over head rear hoops along with door hoops from the rear twin section forward to the floor with a cross bar set back from the window to allow for the JK freedom top panel catches to be easy to use and space for sun visors to flip up to the roof.

There are a couple of things I won’t go wheeling without and a roll cage is one of them. In many cases there are companies out there that sell bolt in roll cage kits and those are a great option – but for a totally custom rig a custom bent cage is the only way to go. The CJK8 is one of those rigs. This bender started as a JD Square hand tubing bender. I used it a few years ago to hand bend my roll cage for the Kanadian Krawler project. It now resides at Aqualu and is fully hydraulic with an array of bending dies and micro switches to control it. Don’t get cheap $300.00 pipe benders confused with tubing benders, the materials are a different size. Tubing is what you want to use for a roll cage. In this case 1 3/4 .120 wall DOM with a tensile strength of 80,000PSI, Sched 40 pipe... 48,000psi at a thicker wall and much more weight.

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Volume 1 Issue 8

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CJK8 roll cage A few of the details that went into this cage. The front cross bar was pulled back a bit from the window so the JK freedom top panel catches were accessible and the sun visors could flip up out of the way. This required bent door bars rather than a front hoop like in the back. If you plan on building a complicated cage – do yourself a favor, get a tubing notcher. I built my first roll cage without one - and just used a drill press. I went through a lot of blades and cursed a lot. With a tubing notcher in a vise like this we did the entire cage with a lot of end cuts with a single used blade with ease. I’m a decent welder but when it came to building this cage I wanted the help of an expert and Todd and I from Aqualu spent a Saturday cutting and fitting the cage to the CJK8, I did all the cuts and notches and the cage was my design – Todd did all the critical welding. The cage was tacked together in the Jeep then removed for final welding so it could be rotated around on the floor. Another bar will be added under the dash once the cage is in.

In the rear there are twin hoops with short connector pieces. This kept the cage hidden from the view out the side windows and added extra strength over the passenger’s heads. The seats and cage were positioned so the Mastercraft seats can fully recline. The seats are also mounted to storage boxes so the seats can flip forward and then back to access the storage space without having to hold the seats up. The storage boxes are attached firmly to the floor and all the harnesses and seat belts to the cage and also the floor. Twin tubes run the length of the middle and are wide enough to contain a CB or Ham radio along with an interior light. There still needs to be some tabs made and welded to the cage for seat belts, a radio panel up top and tabs for some accessories.

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Volume 1 Issue 8

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CJK8 roll cage

Once the cage was together it was a lot easier to lift back into the cab with a forklift. We used a couple ratchet straps to pull the corners in so it was easier to lower back in.

A little trick I did on my last full cage was to drill every connection between the tubes and turn the cage into an air tank for the onboard air. Each doorframe has an air fitting and one that goes under the floor to the compressor. We checked every welded seam with soap and water for air leaks and had to do a couple weld touch ups but it held 200 PSI after we were done. A Few more pictures here.

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In the center we ran twin bars straight to the most rearward bar far enough apart to allow for CB and Ham radios to be mounted overhead. The forward rear hoop is in the right position to allow factory shoulder seats belts to be installed welding an attachment point to the tubing while the rear bar that crossed the back of the Jeep is at a good height to attach the Mastercraft 4-point harness to it – straight back and slightly below shoulder height. The seats are also in just enough to clear the cage so they can be reclined of flipped back to access the under seat storage bins.

Other CJK8 Suppliers

A little trick I did to a past Jeep was to drill every tube connection and create an air tank from the entire roll cage. We installed a fitting in one of the rear lower legs that goes through the floor to attach to the engine driven compressor while at each door opening a fitting was welded in to allow access to attach air lines to each side of the Jeep.

www.bfgoodrichtires.com

I still have a few tabs to weld on for things like the seat harnesses, radios and a couple more cross bars to install including one under the dash to hold the steering column but this piece gives you an idea of what you can do with a JD tubing bender and good 1 ¾ DOM tubing to keep you safe on the toughest trails you might like to challenge of just a proper piece of mind cause accidents will and do happen.

Aqualu Industries www.aqualu.com

Advance Adapters www.advanceadapters.com

Maradyne www.maradynehp.com

Teraflex https://teraflex.com/

Novak Adapters www.novak-adapt.com

Warn Industries www.warn.com

Omix Ada www.omix-ada.com

Holley www.holley.com

BFGoodrich Pat’s Driveline www.patsdriveline.com

Ididit www.ididitinc.com

Dakota Digital www.dakotadigital.com

Painless Performance www.painlessperformance.com

PSC Motorsports www.pscmotorsports.com

Mastercraft Seats

www.mastercraftsafety.com

GR8tops http://gr8tops.com

Borgeson Universal www.borgeson.com

GoatBuilt http://goatbuilt.com

TMR Customs www.tmrcustoms.ca

CNC Cutting Brakes http://www.cncbrakes.com/

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Volume 1 Issue 8

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Clayton Off-Road ultimate JK protection

By: Albert Vandervelde

Never off road – only driven by a little old lady – yeah right... All this damage under this otherwise stock Rubicon was done by the original owners but they said they just do a little mud wheeling – well the stock skids plates just don’t cut it... period. Enter Clayton Off-Road and their modular skid plate system that covers all the critical areas under your ride for the ultimate in drivetrain protection.

So you have been wheeling your JK, it’s stock – or lightly modified and really haven’t thought much about under it (the hard core guys tend to think a little differently). There is a gas tank skid plate right? And you got the optional transfer case skid plate. You have gotten stuck a couple times been tugged or winched out – no big deal… Ever have a good look under your JK?

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Up front your oil pan is probably aluminum or relatively thin steel, then comes the cross member with the exhaust pipe cross over sitting right in front of it waiting to get hit sometimes with a little factory “skid plate” to protect the aluminum transfer case. Moving a little further back is that steel skid plate you know about covering your plastic gas tank – which may already be bent up pushing up on your fuel sending unit reducing the amount of fuel you can put in your tank.

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Think your mileage is down on your JK? Distance to empty has gone down? Maybe your fuel pump is only pulling 80% of the gas out of your tank… then an Evap canister that’s part of your emissions system dangling nicely around the middle of your Jeep above the driveshaft waiting to get hit… Nope buying a skid plate system is not your Sexiest purchase, nothing like that 52-inch light bar you may never use above your window. WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

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Clayton Off-Road ultimate JK protection

The Clayton skid kit comes unpainted. UPS had a field day with shipping stickers, which was a bit of a pain to remove. My go to, easy to touch up paint is Rustoleum Hammertone. Its a textured finish and stands up pretty good to rust and lets face it, the skids are going to get scratched up – that’s what they are for so touching them up to keep rust at bay needs to be easy.

Two cans did the job and the three main sections come with brackets to tie everything together and a removable window to reach the oil drain plug. If I had a suggestion its to make sure you step up and order the Clayton cross member. If you plan on eventually adding a long arm kit to your Jeep, get the long arm compatible cross member. The stock cross member was bashed pretty good, which is common on these Jeeps. It took some effort to get it flat enough to install the nutcerts to attach the skids. We did manage it though and once the skids are in place you won’t have to worry about rocks every bending the stock cross member again.

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Clayton Off-Road ultimate JK protection The Nutcert tool cost about $130.00 and makes quick work of installing the threaded inserts into almost anything. The larger the nutcert the more difficult it is to crush. This hand tool maxes out at the 3/8 nutcerts we were using. A suggestion to Clayton is they should offer package of nutcerts for those not ordering the cross member as they can be hard to find.

This process took a bit of time. The skids were bolted to the frame then the cross member marked for the inserts, drill and nutcerts installed then the engine oil pan skid lined up and more holes drilled – the finished skid system though is flat all across the bottom of the Jeep right down to the end of the fuel tank.

With a proper skid system under your rig like the one here by Clayton Off-road, your JK will wheel better as there will be a nice big flat surface to skid on with nothing left for rocks and logs to clutch and grab under your rig – but you will be protecting the really important stuff that keeps your Jeep actually moving down the road and trail. This Clayton skid system comes as two versions for both 3.8L and 3.6L equipped JKs two door and 4 door versions. The ¼ inch thick steel adds serious beef under your Jeep and the fit between the three sections of the skid system is tight leaving no edges from under the oil pan all the way back to the end of the gas tank for anything on the trail to get hung up on. Have a bend ad destroyed stock cross member? You can add a nice new beefy one from Clayton as well which makes the install even easier as you can see in the pictures we had to do some pounding to our Jeeps stock cross member to get nutcerts into it to attach the skid system. Take my work for it – have a look under your Jeep sometime if you’re a wheeler – it may surprise you all the possible contact points under there. The nice thing about the Clayton system is you can order in sections as your budget allows. Each piece can be installed on its own allowing you to add sections as you go.

4by4 Suppliers At left is the removable window to get at your oil pan drain plug – it removes easy. Several other brackets tie the plates together and extend up to the engine mounts to hold the front end of the engine skid. Tough to get pictures under the Jeep but I can assure you everything is now nice and safe. WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

Clayton Off-road www.claytonoffroad.com Use coupon code 4by4 for added savings!

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This past summer it was time to swap out my 2012 Ram 1500 Hemi for a new truck. Being an auto journalist I have a bit of an advantage in that I get to take and borrow vehicles from most of the car manufacturers. Rather than you r typical around the block test drive most car buyers are subjected to, since 1998 I’ve been able to take a range of vehicles for 1 week and at times longer getting a chance to get to know them, sit in the seat for longer than 30 minutes, drive them in an array of conditions tow, etc... I’ll start out saying there are some pretty good cars and trucks out there, with fuel economy that seems to leap and jump every few years, one doesn’t always fit every single situation or use but I wanted a different interior look and the new Rams look just like the inside of my 5 year old truck.

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While the Ram was good to me, I wanted to move back to a large displacement gas engine, that left Ford out cold as all they have a turbo small engines and the 5.0L – so GM it was for me. We have a mid sized SUV we also bought in 2017 and it does all those things for us that a full size truck can’t, like easily fit into a city parking garage, and fit in the ever shrinking parking lot spaces without bashing doors with your neighbor. That said I need a truck and one with good pulling ability to drag my Jeep around several times a year, I’m also a home owner and that seems to mean a utility trailer or truck to do those yard clean ups and other home-ownery things. My truck is also my office; I pack double what the average person does for miles in a year so I need to WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

be comfortable and not wedged in. I am also in and out a lot – a Corvette while cool would suck if you were stopping and getting in and out 20 times a day. I also plug in a lot of things. I pack two phones and a laptop with me that seem to gobble power and space. My new truck purchasing trip this summer was kinda exciting. Despite getting to drive pretty much everything, It was the first time I’ve sat at a dealer and custom ordered a truck. The new Silverado’s are build in Mexico. I started this process in June. Couple weeks in I was told my truck was going to be a 2018. Great, however they could not confirm that the price for the 2017 they quoted me would apply to the 2018. So weeks rolled by I kept my Ram clean and waited till it got closer to put it up for sale. I had a good clean truck so it sold soon after my new truck arrived at the dealer – but I now had no wheels I needed to drive a truck home. Then I got a reality check. As it turns out there were lots of 2017s left, my 2018 1500 was the first in BC. There it was all shiny

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with the full tow max package and big mirrors, 6.2L with the 3.42 gears, in blue with chrome bumpers, 6.5 bed and extended cab… But it was not to be. The 2017s were still heavily incentive loaded and no programs were in place for the truck I ordered. To get it I’d have to pay the sticker price – and no financing incentives so I’d also have to pay market rate for the loan. Ouch… The staff then said what do you REALLY need in a truck, so back to picking from inventory. Keep in mind what I ordered is not what dealers typically put on the dealer lot – they pick by market trends, easy to package add-ons like side steps, rarely order on the lot with tow mirrors and the average buyer never asks about diff gears or the tow max package… So virtually all of those options were not available. And not in a Silverado – only in a Sierra… Yes a bubble buster for sure.

So far I’m pretty happy with the 2017 GMS Sierra All Terrain edition. The 6.2L and 8 speed transmission is getting better than expected fuel economy and the fit and finish and interior road noise control is excellent. With the new version of the Silverado and Sierra coming out with a new direction in the styling, these big square trucks will retain a distinctive appearance. The steps in the corners of the back bumper are not just a novelty item - I use them all the time. I did swap to a better set of All Terrain tires with the BFGoodrich KO2’s. I had a set of these on my Dodge Ram and they were at 80,000kms and still had decent tire life left and did very well in winter driving conditions.

Now with all that – I am happy with the truck I bought. The biggest things I am missing are the tow mirrors. I’m not unhappy with the crew cab or the 5.7 box. I would have liked the added piece of mind with

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the tow max packages heavier leaf springs and larger rear differential and those 3.42 gears rather than the 3.21 gears I have. That said when cruising on flat highways with the 8speed auto and those taller gears and fuel economy is pretty impressive for a full size truck, a full 30% better than my Ram with the 5.7 and 3.92 gears. Getting to 10L per 100K or almost 30 MPG is fully possible without driving like a granny even with that 425HP 6.2L under the hood. At one point my distance to empty was close to The truck is pretty much loaded with options and the remote 980kms for an 85L tank, unheard of in my Ram on start and heated steering wheel are items not on my wish list any level ground and would have been lower with the but am glad they are both here in this truck. The interior has taller 3.42 gears I had ordered. This truck is the All distinctive All Terrain trim features in the dash stitching and Terrain package and comes with Rancho shocks all seat material. If using this for a work truck there is a 120 volt around, special all terrain interior features and is plug in and a pair of USB ports and a centre console large enough to swallow your laptop. Stereo controls are on the back pretty loaded for options. It rides really well – but has the typical Chevy hop over speed bumps where the of the steering wheel and adaptive hill decent is part of the Ram sucked those up like nothing with the quad coil cruise control. suspension, however come towing I know I’ll favour the rear leaf springs. In short order I pulled the stock tires and swapped to a more winter friendly BFG All Terrain. I had the same tires on my Ram and I had 80,000kms on that set and they were still more than usable. Like the Ram, I lost a little fuel economy moving to the AT tires but it wasn’t near the impact. Also like the Ram I have an air bag kit for the rear for towing which will compensate somewhat for loosing that Tow Max package. I also have a leveling kit for this truck which will go in soon. Lifting the nose may also cost me a little in fuel economy but will help with curb rubbing and the big pot holes and dips on gravel roads I may run into when out wheeling for recovery or towing the trailer into tight spots as the nose is pretty low. While I did not get the truck I ordered I’m finding this new GMC to be a pretty comfortable ride for my daily work, its quiet and going with the 6.2L over the 5.3L was well worth the dollars and not a huge impact on fuel consumption – plus will give me that added jam I need when hitting a mountain pass with 8000lbs behind me. I think this will be a pretty solid ride for the next few years, maybe I can justify a cost of a Duramax again next time around – I do love my diesels but just not the sticker price shock these days. 4 4TECH BY

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Drake Off-Road locking hood latches

By: Albert Vandervelde

Got floppy hood syndrome? Of just a lot of expensive stuff under the hood you would like to keep? Jeeps are pretty easy to get into under the hood but here are a couple options to keep unwanted eyes from under your precious hood. First up is the Drake Off road, lockable – adjustable hood latches. These will completely stop the dreaded JK hood lift in its tracks. The center buckle also adjusts to make sure your hood is down tight. Better yet is the keyed center cylinder that also keeps all but the most ambitions thief’s from used your hood. Designed to fit right in place of a JK hood latch. I had to do a little more work on my cut and trimmed CJ hood but these latches will work on any jeep and really can act as a lock on toolboxes or any other lid you want to keep secure. Another great solution for your JK is the Hood Lock from Bolt Lock. The Bolt Lock installs over your center latch on your JK hood while the key sits in between the slots of your grill. The first turn of your ignition key in the cylinder codes to your existing Jeep key so you don’t have to carry any extra keys with you. I’ll feature Bolt Locks next.

Got a case of JK hood lift or just want to secure all your under hood goodies? Check out these adjustable, lockable hood latches from Drake Off-road. These are guaranteed to stop those bouncy hoods. Designed to fit directly to a JK hood latch as a full replaceThe complete kit included the adjustable links, locking ment. it didn’t take much work to install onto the CJ hood of the pins mounts, anti scratch pads and of course, keys. CJK8.

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Drake Off-Road locking hood latches This is pretty straightforward stuff but everything is very nicely made and they look great on the hood and give an old school hotrod look to your Jeep with the cables.

When you insert and turn the key the center of the pin pops out, when closing and securing your hood just slide the pin back in and push the button back into the pin.

The cable secures to the hood and the center link is adjustable so you can get a nice snug fit and if anything gets loose or moves around its easy to dial them back in again. I wanted to add some security to the CJK8 and the Drake hood latches are just one of the extra measure I took on this project. The other main security measure is the Grant steering wheel security system, which allows the removal of the steering wheel and installs a very secure locking cap over your steering column so no one can try to damage your column trying to steal the rig. WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m taking securing a little more serious on the my new build, Jeeps are just easy to tamper with but with a few products like these, along with the Grant steering wheel security system â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that allows me to lock and cover my steering column while removing the steering wheel, sure creates piece of mind for not a lot of dollars when your traveling or at home with securing your Jeep.

4by4 Suppliers Drake Off-Road www.drakeoffroad.com

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GREEN DAY Area BFE Moab Utah

Bestop trailride by: Albert V

The crowd gathers for the annual Bestop trail ride at Area BFE. Almost 50 rigs turned out for a great trail ride.

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Area BFE in Moab started life as a single trail â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Upper Helldorado. When the group at BFE films big and purchased the area it soon became a wheeling meca with off road races and trail events taking place on an expanded trail system crawling all over the hills on the property. Still enter by donation the area offers some great trails. For Moab Easter Jeep Safari 2017, I was invited to join in the Bestop trail ride taking on the trail names Green Day. Even though I have been ion and around area BFE for many years I have not driven many of the trails. I typically head into Upper Helldorado as it hold a special place for me as one of the first really tough trails I even drove in Moab. Green Day is a loop that covers the hill side above Upper Helldorado and snakes through a series of rock washes with a wide array of tough routes over giant rock slabs but also offers bypasses which works great for a varied group like we had on the Bestop trail ride. We met in the lower parking lot and it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take long for over 50 vehicles of all shapes and sizes to show up. I jumped in with Eric Kuhlman from Bestop as I had the Toyota TRD Pro for my WWW.4BY4TECH.COM

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Moab trip and it just wasn’t enough truck for this trail. We snaked to the bottom of the wash and past the entrance to the Helldorado trail and took one of the Canyons up the hill now named Green Day. Really my plan was to jump in and out for the day anyway grabbing a seat where ever I could so I could get some great shots of all the cool Jeeps. After walking the line of rigs checking out all the tough spots I ended up loosing Eric somewhere on the trail, no mater it was down hill the whole way if I had to walk back and after hiking uphill almost all day I abandoned the group and headed for a nice downhill walk. I noticed another trail group taking on one of the other trails as an organized trail ride and heard someone shout my name with a laugh, up the hill came Rick Pewe form JP magazine. I’ve known rick for a long time and we do tend to run into each other from time to time – but score! A ride back to my truck and a chance to chat as while we keep in touch we rarely have time to do much else that a few hellos. Rick was “breaking in” a new freelance photographer on this day so he was hanging back and letting her do the climbing all over the rocks and hills. Back at the BFE staging area a good BBQ feast was going in the parking lot and I caught back up with Eric to thank him for a great day. Lot s of companies sponsor a wide array of trail rides all week in Moab for the Easter Jeep Safari, along with your regular Safari trails watch for invites form your favorite parts brand – they typically have some goodies to throw at you and a good lunch of dinner to cap it off. Just another reason to head to Moab for the Easter Jeep Safari each year – see you in 2018! Volume 1 Issue 8

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Currie JK axle brackets

Currie makes several bracket kits for axle swaps both for TJ suspensions and JK suspensions. The JK kits come in both 3-inch and 3 ?-inch tube diameter brackets. This is the rear kit for a JK with 3 1/2-inch tubes to match our AAM 14-bolt swap. The main reason I liked the Currie bracket kit over others were all the adjustable points including a row of holes to raise the shocks up out of harms way.

By: Albert Vandervelde When doing an axle swap into any rig the most difficult part is getting all the brackets and suspension in the right place. TJs and JKs are ripe with 1-ton axle swaps all both of those rigs are coil sprung with lots of complicated brackets. Thankfully there are a few companies that make swap kits for various axles and axle tube dimensions. For the CJK8 build I was using a Teraflex long arm suspension and while the lift came with all the frame brackets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they presume you are using JK axles with factory positioned brackets in place. As I mentioned there are several companies making bracket kits all for around the 400.00 mark for one end. I went with Currie as their brackets checked the most boxes for me. I wanted multiple bolt holes for control arms, nice

I started by taking a bunch of pictures and measurements off a new JK from a car lot. This gave me base measurements to position brackets. The Teraflex suspension helped as the arms have a fixed bushing on the frame end, which naturally positioned the arms to the axle. Plumb bob, angle finder and measuring tape were a staple of this swap. With the axle centered and the pinion angle set we could get to work positioning brackets.

There are lots of bracket kit choices and several axle bracket kits are designed to set all the brackets in the correct positions - Artec was one. However I liked a few features of the Currie brackets. After staring at the back end of many JKs, I am constantly drawn to the vulnerable position of the shocks. On my TJ I had them mounted on top of the axle up into the wheel wells. At least with these brackets I can slide them up higher than the lower control arms.

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Currie JK axle brackets

The upper and lower rear control arm brackets have a lot of adjustment to play with control arm position. Three positions at top two at the bottom along with multiple positions for the shocks. Once I knew what hole I was using on the bottom bracket I cut off a lot of the lower portion of the bracket gaining quite a bit of clearance while still giving me the option to add a small skid to the bottom part of the bracket to protect the lower control arm. As I raised the top of the shock two inches, I cut off the lower two holes on the axle bracket.

in place I installed the rear arms while positioning the Currie axle bracket set. This helped me position the axle and as the Tera arms have a fixed bushing at the frame end the arms naturally found their position on the axle so I could set the brackets without any unnecessary binding of the suspension. Despite using full width truck axles with factory disk brakes, the arms are pretty close to the brake backing plates. Goes to show you how close JK axles are to the width of full size truck axles.

With the Teraflex frame brackets welded

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Currie JK axle brackets

Like the control arms brackets, the track bar bracket has several positions you can use. The bracket also stands far enough off the axle tube that the track bar a JK forged unit from Teraflex, has plenty of diff cover clearance. The tabs for the sway bar links and the contact pads for the bump stops are also welded onto the axle.

The front coil spring axle mounts have an indent to index the coil into the bracket. Holes are predrilled and tapped into the center of the mounts for bump stop extensions. Below you can see we cut off the bottom of the frame mounted bump stop and installed Fox JK hydraulic bumps in their place. I used the bump stops as our “plumb bob” in the front for coil spring alignment

The rear bracket kit and the front kit is bent from 3/16 plate - almost twice as thick as the stock JK brackets. The front features Johnny Joints on the upper mounts for more upper control arm flex - and was a feature I liked with the Currie bracket set. One thing we needed to do was work a truss onto the axle in the front to give us a proper spot to weld the drivers side upper mount to. Welding to cast for this part isn’t the best choice.

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Currie JK axle brackets Our Teraflex lift came with a front track bar relocation bracket and the Currie bracket was too low – one of the things you can run into when mixing and matching lifts and parts – something I try not to do. In this case I built my own raised track bar mount and welded it in place of the lower Currie mount. I also had to notch the truss to make room for the air line to reach the Yukon ZIP locker fitting.

thick brackets, adjustable positions for the rear shocks and they featured their Johnny Joints for the upper front brackets. A coupe trips to the local Jeep dealer to take some picture of factory brackets and as Teraflex uses a rubber bushing on the frame end the links just naturally hung in the right places so I lifted the bottoms up as much as I could and swung the plumb bob off the frame to square the axles up, and let the links decide where the brackets should be with no binding. A few mods still took place, but going this route enabled me to forgo the track bar repositioning brackets that came with the Teraflex kit as well. Besides Currie there are a few choices that may better suit you. Here are a few I found.

The best part of the Currie axle bracket kit are the upper control arm mounts featuring Johnny Joints. The Johnny Joint brackets were welded to the axle tube and to the truss I built over the pumpkin then the joints were assembled and pressed into the brackets. Its quite surprising how much we had to compress the bushings to get the retaining clips in place, you can see my C-clamp is pretty flexed. However I’ve seen many of the other “copied” versions of these joints loose and sloppy which is a formula for bushing wear and death wobble.

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4by4 Suppliers Currie Enterprises www.currieenterprises.com Other bracket kit suppliers Artec www.artecindustries.com Clayton Off-road www.claytonoffroad.com Synergy www.synergymfg.com Iron Rock Off-road www.ironrockoffroad.com TMR Customs www.tmrcustoms.com Under Cover Fab www.undercoverfab.com Rubicon Express www.rubiconexpress.com

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CUMMINS

PLANT TOURS COLUMBUS INDIANA

By: Albert Vandervelde Once in a while something cool comes along that you didn’t expect to happen. That for me recently turned into a whirlwind trip through several USA states visiting an array of companies owned or associate with Cummins engine. OK I’ll fess up – this magazine project of mine is a fun hobby but I do have a day job – and recently that changed to Cummins Western Canada. Our tour was so get all of us sales guys better equipped to answer questions from customers and to understand the processes that Cummins goes through to build rebuild and market engines – a job they have been

doing for well since 1919 – closing in on 100 years! So being the gear head that I am – I pretty much listened to the presentations but totally soaked in the visuals with Engine production lines (can’t show you those) and getting to see the 98L 4000hp Hedgehog engine up close being assembled. Our week started in Indianapolis, Indiana home to the Distribution Business Unit (DBU in Cummins speak they like their acronyms). It’s a new green facility with a very progressive work environment and a striking look. This short stop was the start of a trip

Ram #1 started life as a 2WD 318 V8 truck Cummins purchased off the lot to present to Dodge as a factory diesel option. It was built along side a GM and a Ford. Only Dodge was interested... The rest is history. This truck was restored by Cummins employees and resides in the Cummins head office.

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that would first take us to Columbus, Indiana – home of Cummins Inc. This might have well been my first time in what I would consider a company town. Everywhere you turn this cute efficient small town breathed Cummins. If the person you walked past didn’t work for Cummins – they probably ran or worked for a store in town that stayed alive due to Cummins employees. A tour of the head office brought us face to face with several landmark vehicles including Dodge Ram #1. This truck started life as a production 2WD

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318 V8 truck Cummins stuffed the first 5.9L engine into to try and sell their new engine to the manufacturers. Keep in mind this was not the only truck, a GM and a Ford were also built – only Dodge took the bait – the rest on that topic engine is history!

A pair of strange bedfellows in the special projects building. Cummins truck #2 a 4x4 came off the production line (unlike #1 which was an experimental build) it was used as a test mule for many years around the Cummins plants and the Original Auburn diesel powered car. Obviously the Dodge is in unrestored condition. Truck #6 is also here in the building.

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Trucks though were not the first marketing vehicles Clessie Cummins build, they were Indianapolis race cars and most of the racers that were build to promote Cummins engines are still in the hands of Cummins Inc. While In Columbus we stopped and had a look at the manufacturing line for the 5.0L V8 that Nissan is currently using for the Titan. Within this large plant use to be Clessie Cummins house. He built the plant all around his own house and lived in the middle! Now that’s

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a garage mechanic who loves his work. The house was in such poor condition it had to be torn down – a difficult thing I’m sure for a company that does such a good job preserving its history. After this stop we went to a small nondescript warehouse down a side street. Here you did not find waving Cummins Flags or piles of engines all around – really nothing to hint as to what was inside. Here a small group of dedicated employees donate their time to love of Cummins painstakingly taking care of those vintage racecars. Clessie’s own vehicles and a wide array of vintage engines right back to the first open crank case models. Also tucked in here was dodge 32 and Dodge #6. I did my best not to drool on the vintage mechanical parts that filled every corner – but the race cars – two being Duesen-

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What may well be the car that saved Cummins. Cummins cofounder Clessie Cummins drove this Cummins-powered Auburn from New York to San Francisco in 1935 on $7.62 worth of fuel. What is considered the first diesel powered car ever built. Cummins fielded racecars at the Indianapolis speedway in 1931, 1934, 1950 and 1952.The green #6 racecar is a 1950 Kurtis-Craft powered by a 401cu in Cummins truck engine boosted by a supercharger. This car broke 6 international speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats achieving 165.2MPH. Needless to say these cars in the Cummins collection are priceless and all one of kind cars and trucks.

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berg chassis, another in the trailer was a Kurtis Craft and the other that was in the office showroom.

There were a pair of experimental V8 Cummins engines on pallets - this one is a V6 the other is a V8 both 2003 Vintage. The special projects building was filled with unique and specialty Cummins engines dating back to the first years of Cummins right to today. Below is Clessie Cummins personal Auburn car. It sports an all aluminum straight six under the hood - the only all aluminum Cummins engine ever built. This car along with several vintage racecars are all taken care of by Cummins employee volunteers.

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Our tour didn’t end here. We were back on the Road for an excellent day at Valvoline headquarters (yup their building is shaped like a V) and more cool cars including a Baja race truck that was build by Valvoline powered by a Cummins engine, a X games winning bike and a oil lab that was great to see (think CSI for oil). After our day At Valvoline we were back in our cars and headed for Nashville (oh darn EH?) Here we did a tour of the Fleetguard filter planet where everything that goes into the filters are made on site – including some cool machines making the filter media – think cotton candy machine on Steroids, and the filter assembly line. Our final stop on our grand tour was a little trip to Memphis (told you we were all over the place) to visit the Turbo remanufacturing plant (800 turbo chargers being rebuilt a day) and what may

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A pair of Dusenburg racecars dating to 1934 are lovingly cared for. The blue one was stretched to accommodate a larger engine while the white one remains stock length. Both were supercharged with the supercharger running off the front of the crankshaft. For you 4x4 guys check out the twin torsion bar sway bars up front â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there was a single at each side in the rear.

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This warehouse is tucked away in a back street in Columbus Indiana not far from the Cummins head office. Its staffed by volunteer Cummins employees and its packed with vintage and historical Cummins engines, cars and trucks. In the Cummins head office front display area there are an array of historical engines. The engine below left was designed to stack cylinder sections for different displacements this is of course is a 4 cylinder. At left is the Lathe from Clessie Cummins personal workshop. I wonder what amazing Cummins parts were first thought up on this machine! And below the Sears Robuck Catalog with an array of Cummins engines for sale with a range of Cummins engines from 1 1/2 to 3 horsepower starting at $79.95

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well have been the largest warehouse I have ever been in – filled of course will Cummins parts. The immensity of the facilities we went through, the technology we were exposed to the passionate people we met at every turn that breath Cummins completely explains that almost 100 years later, Clessie’s engines and company are going strong and I am certain that they are ready for the next 100 years. This special Baja truck was built by Valvoline - two were actually built and raced. Valvoline is a close partner of Cummins and we had a tour of their offices, lab and grounds while we were there. It felt strange having this race truck parked randomly between the employee’s cars in the parking lot. More Cummins tour pictures click the picture below!

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Volume 1 Issue 8

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