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TRENDING IN THE DUST - FOX's MARKING PROVING GROUNDS

The project began with John Marking three years ago. He had a vision of building a test facility in the desert where FOX could develop products with the necessary resources. Working out of a compound located in the dirt is vital to pushing product advancement.

Bobby Smith, Director of Motorsports and protégé of John Marking, says, “Our premier technology that we’re investing a lot of time and effort into is Live Valve, which is a semi-active system. Being able to have a facility out here where we can come out, fly around the desert in the trucks, and then come back to the garage to go over data and really analyze what the system is doing is a huge, huge benefit.”

Racing applications and advanced suspension technology require a lot of fine-tuning. The MPG compound allows FOX engineers to test products efficiently by investing more time in the dirt and less time on the road. Every technology tested in the desert ultimately makes its way into a consumer-level product.

“It’s going to help with continually improving the Live Valve shock technology that FOX has been doing,” racer Rob MacCachren says. “Kudos to FOX and all the development the engineers have worked so hard on. This is badass. It’s bringing the technology and the speed of unlimited desert racing to another level again.”

“We showed everyone what these trucks are capable of doing,” FOX sponsored driver Justin Lofton says. “I’m excited to see what we can learn with this new facility right here in our backyard.”

“It’s really the tip of the spear for all of our technology,” says Tom Fletcher, President of FOX Powered Vehicle Group. “This place is intended to be where engineering and racing come together. We have the terrain where we can get feedback from drivers, such as Justin Lofton, and input that information directly into our product to make us better.”

Marking Proving Grounds gives FOX engineers an advantage while developing new technology, like Live Valve for racing applications and collaborating with OE partnerships such as Ford and Polaris. The building’s location brings the most demanding off-road terrain directly into the lab.

Chief Executive Officer, Mike Dennison, proudly stated, “We’ve been in desert racing and innovating for the life of the company. And to finally have a facility here that not only embodies the legacy of who FOX is, people like John Marking specifically, but brings that race heritage and innovation together is so important

From Battlefield to Backcountry: Why Many Are Converting Military Vehicles for Off-Roading Adventure RVs

Having a well equipped RV can take your camping or off-roading experience to the next level. If you are considering overlanding, adventure exploring, or simply want a bad ass weekend recreational vehicle that can haul your off-road toys off-road, you just might be looking into a BIG rig. If that’s true, you aren’t alone.

Off-roading adventure RVs are becoming more popular than ever. People are seeking out unique and versatile ways to explore the great outdoors, and many are turning to the rugged and reliable vehicles that were originally created for military use. DIY’ers and expedition vehicle manufacturers are leading this wave of adventure seekers.

Conversions are not new to the market. The well-known Acela Truck Company is known for refurbishing former tactical trucks to provide a vehicle with war-zone capability to navigate rough terrain. Hunter RMV specializes in repurposing ex-military LMTVs, Acela, Ford, and International vehicles into “Go Anywhere” Expedition Trucks and off-road RVs. Adrenaline Industries is known for creating a few show stoppers as well.

The acronym LMTV stands for Light Medium Tactical Vehicle, and the acronym FMTV stands for Family of Medium

Tactical Vehicles. Both were originally designed for military use, but many have since been adapted for commercial use, off-roading and other recreational uses.

The DIY crowd seem to favor Stewart and Stevenson’s Family of 4x4 and 6x6 tactical trucks with 2.5-ton, 5-ton,

9-ton, and 10-ton payload vehicles. It’s most likely because they are readily available from Government Auctions and a few private resellers. If a person has the patience to go through the auction process, you can snag a capable vehicle for a fair price. Stewart & Stevenson offer a variety of different models; one of the more popular models for camper conversions is the M1079 LMTV 4X4. Equipped with CAT engines and Allison transmissions make it easy to find parts or be serviced anywhere in the world. Automatic tire inflation (CTIS) is a standard feature, controlled from the cab, and allows you to increase and decrease tire inflation depending on the terrain, making it a no-brainer for off-roading adventures.

The M1087 FMTV 6x6 is gaining popularity, albeit a tough one to get your hands on because they are still in service. The M1087 was originally created as a mobile office to be used in the field. The van’s sides pull out from the main body to form the office complex, offering interior space larger than most expedition vehicles. Currently, there are only a handful of 1087s in civilian possession and only one has been fully converted to an expedition vehicle.

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