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SIX NEW SILVERADO ENGINES EARLY BRONCO WITH CUMMINS

ARAMA PE RO CH IN W C TI HE NT SY TS GH LI GH • L REPAIR HI • TRAIUN AND TRICKS PS TI T IF -L HI CH IN W A UT • HO IT W K UC • GET ST • WHAT TO BRING AND HOW TO PACK

PLUS MORE!

IAN’S 1968 M-715 HEMI POWER, 1-TONS & PATINA FOR DAYS!

RAM 2500 4X4 UPGRADE RUNNING STUNNING RIM BUTTE LIFTING A LATE FJ CRUISER TO FIT 33s

TOYOTIRES.COM/OPENCOUNTRY

CONTENTS 58

OCTOBER 2018 VOL. 41, NO. 10

COVER SECTION

BE PREPARED! WINCH, RECOVERY & PACKING FOR THE TRAIL 14 DERANGE ROVER

PART 3: Recovery for the deep stuff.

18 A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING What and how to pack for the trail.

22 SYNTHETIC WINCH ROPE Get real with synthetic.

26 WARN 16.5TI-S The ultimate in big truck pulling power.

30 SMART & COOL TRAIL FIXES Other people’s rigs are good places to borrow (steal) ideas from.

34 JACK OF ALL TRADES Your Hi-Lift does much more than lift.

44 GET UNSTUCK WITHOUT A WINCH Step one is to assess the situation.

50 REPAIRS IN THE BUSH OR PARKING LOT Easter Jeep Safari had lots of both.

TECHNICAL

62 GIVING AN FJ CRUISER A TOYTEC BOSS LIFT The first step of the budget build was to add 3 inches of lift.

FEATURES

38 RIM BUTTE RUN We only scratched the surface of this Oregon trail system.

54 M-715 IN MOAB A 1968 military off-road rig with patina for days.

58 CUMMINS-POWERED EARLY BRONCO Everyone’s favorite body style combined with everyone’s favorite engine.

38 DEPARTMENTS 4 4XFORWARD

66 NEW PRODUCTS

8 READERS’ RIDES

70 NUTS & BOLTS

10 DRIVELINES

73 MARKETPLACE 74 WHOOPS!

ON THE COVER: Tech Editor Verne Simons hits two cover homeruns in a row by nabbing this great shot of Ian Johnson’s 1968 M-715. Johnson saved the former municipal vehicle from certain scrappage and turned it into the super-capable build you see here.

4XFORWARD

Christian Hazel

CHRISTIAN.HAZEL@4WOR.COM

MILITARY VEHICLES ARE THE PUREST FORM OF 4X4

OT HAVING CREATURE COM-

forts like a heater, padded seats, and power steering can make for an unpleasant weekend on the trail. Overly heavy steel bodies and wide-ratio manual transmissions and underpowered engines make it completely impossible to enjoy driving a vehicle on- or off-road. There’s no way to go night wheeling with only incandescent bulbs fired by a 25-amp engine-driven generator. That’s not even enough juice to recharge your cellphone. Going off-roading without seatbelts or a rollcage isn’t a great idea in terms of safety. Well, OK, that last sentence is actually true. But unless you’re completely tone deaf I’m sure you realized by the second sentence I was being factious. Bare-bones wheeling is where it’s at—in moderation. I don’t think I’d thoroughly enjoy hitting the trail in a completely Spartan 4x4 with zero safety or creature comforts every single weekend, but damn if going back to basics every now and then doesn’t refresh the soul. I’m no equestrian, but I’m betting it’s much the same way horse people feel. (Clarification: by “horse people” I mean horse-riding people, not Centaurs). They love to get out in nature with their animal partners, but they’re not about to commute 50 miles to work every day on them.

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

Military vehicles are often the epitome of bare-bones, no-nonsense transportation. I’ve owned several military 4x4s over the years, but my favorite by far was my 1968 M-715. Aside from a swappedin small-block Chevy engine and some 38-inch TSLs it was completely stock when I took it on a multiday off-road adventure camping expedition with two of my Jp Magazine colleagues, John Cappa and Pete Trasborg, and some other military-vehicle-owning friends. We called it the OD Convoy (or something like that, and I don’t even think the story’s online anymore), and man, did we have fun! First, we arrived in Glamis and tried our hand at sand-dune running. Cappa whanged the Continental diesel in his M35A2 for all it was worth, to no avail, and Pete’s 366-powered M-715 was too heavy and underpowered to do any incline, so my 290hp V-8 was the only one of ours that could make it to the top of Oldsmobile Hill. But forget carving the apex with a manual steering box that was 500 turns lock-to-lock. It made me appreciate the variable-ratio power steering on my built flattie back in my garage. Then we high-tailed it off-road by Plaster City and through the Chocolate Mountains. There’s just something Zen about bombing down a wash all day atop a set of leaf springs designed to hold the weight

of the great Pyramids of Giza. I imagine it’s what getting continually beaten in the kidneys with a baseball bat feels like. It made me appreciate the ride quality of my 1995 YJ sitting back in my garage. After a couple days exploring we arrived at Truckhaven Hills for the start of Tierra Del Sol’s Desert Safari event and went wild in the moguls and steep climbs. As my elbow repeatedly whacked the sharp corner of the battery box and the M-truck precariously balanced side hills, you can be sure with no rollcage or seatbelts I paid damn close attention to every movement I made behind the wheel. I’m no video gamer, but it’s like going for a world record in Donkey Kong on your final life. It made me appreciate the airbags, seatbelts, and full ’cage in my daily driver TJ. So that’s my pitch for devolving your off-roading every now and then. Getting back to basics is a not only a great way to sharpen your driving skills and make you slow down and smell the off-roading flowers, but it also makes you appreciate the small things your modern 4x4 gives you. Before you go complaining that your herbal tea spits out the vent of your titanium tumbler when your JK drives over a rock or that your power steering takes more than one finger to turn your aireddown 40s, think about how good you really have it. 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

Get Trail Tough Gear Here.

UNBEATABLE SERVICE, TECH ADVICE, SATISFACTION, AND SELECTION.

Call by 10 pm EST: In-Stock Parts Shipped That Day! 1.800.230.3030 • Int’l: 1.330.630.0230 SCode: 1810FR • Typographical, description, or photography errors are subject to correction. Some parts are not legal for use in California or other states with similar laws/regulations. Please check your state and/or local laws/regulations. © 2018 AUTOSALES, INC.

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WWW.4WHEELOFFROAD.COM EDITORIAL NETWORK CONTENT DIRECTOR Sean P. Holman EDITOR Christian Hazel, christian.hazel@4wor.

com, facebook.com/christianhazel3, Twitter @ChristianHazel1, Instagram @hbombindustries SR. MANAGING EDITOR Craig Johnson TECHNICAL EDITOR Verne Simons DIRECTOR, SOCIAL MEDIA Brandon Scarpelli

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Buy ONLINE or from your favorite performance store or order at Autozone. OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

SUBMISSIONS: Submissions or contributions from readers shall be subject to and governed by TEN: Publishing Media’s User Content Submission Terms and Conditions, which are posted at www.enthusiastnetwork.com/submissions.

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Combine your choice of these quality UK made EBC pads with our sport rotors which arrive with “thermic black” corrosion resistant coated finish for great looking brakes that COST less and STOP faster.

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READERS’ RIDES

COMPILED BY

Tom Morr

READERSRIDES@4WOR.COM

SUPER DUNEY VEHICLE: 2012 Ford F-250 OWNER: Justin Talley TIRES & WHEELS: 40x15.50-20 Nitto Mud Grappler, 20x12 Fuel Maverick SUSPENSION: Front 12-inch Fabtech lift, rear 10-inch lift, Longhorn ladder bars PERFORMANCE: 6.7L Power Stroke V-8, 4-inch MBRP downpipe-back exhaust, S&B cold air kit, SCT Livewire tuner with custom tuning from Tyrant OTHER MODS: 12-inch JL subwoofer, 1,000watt JL amp, nerf steps

CUMMINS CJ-8 VEHICLE: 1983 Jeep CJ-8 OWNER: Cryparker11 TIRES: 40-inch Pro Comp Xtreme MT2 SUSPENSION: Custom, shackle-reversal DRIVETRAIN: Twin-stick Dana 300 T-case, kingpin Dana 60 front axle, 14-bolt rear axles with disc brakes, Detroit Locker, 4.56 gears PERFORMANCE: Cummins 4BT diesel OTHER MODS: High-steer arms, 1-ton steering, front axle mounted forward three inches

SUBMISSION INFORMATION Send us a picture of your ride if you’ve never done so. We keep a surplus of Readers’ Rides submissions, but only one submission per person, and we love all off-road vehicles so send in your entries whether your rig is stock or not. Make sure each digital image is at least 1,600 by 1,200 pixels (or two megapixels) and saved as a TIFF, EPS, or maximum-quality JPEG file. WRITE TO: Readers’ Rides, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245 EMAIL TO: readersrides@4wor.com > VEHICLE (year, make, model) > OWNER (name, city, state) > TIRES & WHEELS (size, make, model) > SUSPENSION (lift, springs, shocks) > DRIVETRAIN (tranny, transfer case, axles) > PERFORMANCE (engine mods) > OTHER MODS > DOES IT WORK THE WAY YOU WANT? > ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE? > FUNNIEST WHEELING INCIDENT > ANYTHING TO ADD? 8

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

DOVETAIL BRONCO

VEHICLE: 1986 Ford Bronco OWNER: Phil Reap, Flagstaff, AZ TIRES: 38.5-inch Interco Super Swamper TSL-SX SUSPENSION: Custom lift, Deaver coils, shackle flip, rear leaves DRIVETRAIN: Stock 302 V-8, AOD automatic transmission, Dana 60 front axle, Ford Sterling rear axle, welded diffs, 5.38 gears OTHER MODS: Homemade bumpers, sliders, doors, 22 inches of dovetail in the back ARB bull bar, Hella driving lights, Lund visor, roof rack, LED lightbars, Hi-Lift jack, camo vinyl accents DOES IT WORK THE WAY YOU WANT?: I believe in gearing over power on the rocks, so I need a lower T-case. I have a built C6 waiting for the AOD to die and will upgrade to an Atlas II at the same time. FUNNIEST WHEELING INCIDENT: I turned the keys over to a couple from the Midwest who were honeymooning in Sedona. Even on the mild Sedona trails they managed to nearly roll the Bronco. But the pics added variety to their wedding album! ANYTHING TO ADD?: I’m part of a very active Arizona Bronco club 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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DRIVELINES BY

“

Live

Drew Hardin

EDITOR@4WOR.COM

UPGRADES FOR 2019 RAPTOR

ord says it is making the F-150 Raptor, which it calls the “ultimate highperformance off-road pickup,” even better for 2019 with upgrades in a couple of key areas.

Ford worked with Fox Racing Shox to develop new internalbypass dampers with what the companies call Live Valve Technology. Using information from various vehicle sensors and accelerometers, the shocks can “instantaneously adapt to inertial, steering, braking, and acceleration inputs to actively maximize handling, comfort, and bottom-out resistance,” says Fox. “Live Valve technology continuously and intelligently adjusts

RAM REBEL TRX A GO

he rumors we told you last month are true: FCA has greenlit a production version of the Hellcatpowered Ram Rebel TRX concept truck that was unveiled in 2016. The announcement was made as part of a meeting with investors and financial analysts that previewed future products from all of FCA’s brands. No details were released about the production version of the truck, and the launch date was said to be “by 2022.” Autoweek figures a release date of 2020 is more likely, following the debut of a new Ram Heavy Duty in 2019.

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

compression damping in real time to deliver the ideal ride for any terrain or driving situation.” “Not many trucks need sensors to detect when you are midair,” said Hermann Salenbauch, global director, Ford Performance vehicle programs. “Raptor sets the dampers to full stiffness to help smooth shock performance as the truck lands.” Ford has also equipped the truck with Trail Control, what it calls “cruise control for low-speed, rugged terrain” (a feature similar Toyota’s Crawl Control). It automatically adjusts power and braking at each individual wheel so drivers can focus on steering. Trail Control works at speeds from 1 to 20 mph. Raptors also receive new Recaro sport seats with Alcantara inserts and contrast stitching “inspired by Ford GT supercar,” says Ford. The 2019 Raptor goes on sale later this year.

Valve Technology adjusts compression damping in real time

THIS JUST IN

SIX ENGINE AND TRANS COMBOS FOR 2019 SILVERADO

he redesigned 2019 Silverado 1500 will be available with “an engine for every need,” says Chevrolet, including an all-new 2.7L turbocharged fourcylinder, a new 3.0L Duramax turbodiesel, and the familiar 4.3L V-6, 5.3L V-8, and 6.2L V-8. The new 2.7L engine, which “was developed from the outset as a truck engine,” says Chevy, produces 310 hp and 348 lb-ft of torque, with peak torque available from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm. It is joined to an eight-speed automatic transmission. To squeeze the most mileage out of the four-banger, it is equipped with stop/start technology and Chevy’s Active

Fuel Management (AFM) system, which deactivates half of the engine’s cylinders under light engine loads. The 5.3L and 6.2L have what’s called Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM). Rather than just shutting off half the cylinders, DFM has 17 different modes of cylinder deactivation. The DFM controller continuously monitors accelerator pedal movement (up to 80 times per second) to determine how many cylinders are required to meet the driver’s torque needs. Chevrolet reports, “During an industry-standard test schedule, the 2019 Silverado 2WD with the 5.3-liter and DFM operated

TORTURE TESTING THE NEW RANGER

with fewer than eight active cylinders more than 60 percent of the time, 9 percent more than a comparably equipped 2018 model with AFM.” The transmissions behind the V-8s, an eight-speed for the 5.3 and 10-speed for the 6.2, have been revised to improve shift quality and reduce vibrations. The 2.7L four is also backed by the eight-speed automatic. Production of the 2019 Silverado will start in the third quarter of 2018 with crew cab V-8 models. The regular, double-cab, V-6, and turbo-four models start production in the fourth quarter. The Duramax will be available in early 2019.

s we get closer to the introduction of the all-new Ranger, Ford is leaking more info about the midsize pickup. “Ford is torturing its 2019 Ranger,” the company says, to make sure the pickup is up to the company’s “Built Ford Tough” mantra. Some tests, including stints on the Silver Creek track at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds, have impacts “so severe robotic drivers are used so humans don’t get injured,” says Ford. Rangers are being tested all over the world,

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

•

FROM THE SAME FCA MEET-

•

JEEP NEWS WAS

•

JAGUAR LAND ROVER IS

ing that confirmed the Ram Rebel TRX (see “Ram Rebel TRX a Go”) comes word that Ram will also return to the midsize truck market. No timeframe was given, nor did FCA say whether it would reuse the Dakota nameplate. Some industry observers speculate that the new midsize Ram will share a platform with the upcoming Jeep pickup. announced in that meeting, too: There are plans for a new Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer, and a three-row version of the Cherokee. Jeep is going electric in a big way, with four fully electric and 10 plug-in hybrid models coming out by 2022. developing autonomous (selfdriving) off-road SUVs in a project called CORTEX. (Doesn’t that sound like an evil spy organization in a James Bond movie?) JLR calls self-driving vehicles “an inevitability” and wants its autonomous SUVs to be “the most enjoyable, capable, and safe.” The £3.7 million project (about $5 million U.S.) is exploring allweather, all-terrain capability via a “5D” technique that combines “acoustic, video, radar, light detection, and distancesensing (LiDAR) data live in real time,” says JLR.

from Arizona to Australia. As we looked closer at the latest Ranger photos from Ford, we noticed a small “TM” button on the transfer-case dial. That’s to engage the truck’s Terrain Management system, which has four settings: Normal; Grass, Gravel, and Snow; Mud and Ruts; and Sand. The Terrain Management system includes Trail Control, the same kind of off-road cruise control that its big brother Raptor gets this year. “Early 2019” is as exact as Ford will get about the Ranger’s on-sale date. 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

DRIVELINES

EARTH WATCH FROM SEMA COMES A

•

THE HOUSE NATURAL

Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on a separate bill sponsored by Rep. Cook, which would create the Apple Valley OHV Recreation Area. The Desert Community Lands Act (HR 2365) would transfer 4,630 acres of federal land to the town of Apple Valley that will be used for motorized recreation.

•

SEMA ALSO REPORTED

that Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed S.B. 606 into law, establishing the OHV Trail Fund as a special, non-lapsing fund. It also specifies that the purpose of the Fund is to maintain and construct trails for off-highway recreational vehicles on land that is owned or leased by the Department of Natural Resources. Currently, there is no specific fund related to OHV Trails.

JEEP SUBSCRIPTIONS?

n 2019 Jeep will launch a subscription service that, for a monthly fee, will give members access to a number of different Jeep vehicles as well as other vehicles in the FCA lineup. According to reports from Automotive News and other sources, the service will be offered in tiers with several price points to encompass a variety of vehicle and insurance options. The service will fall under the existing Jeep Wave membership program. How does this differ from a lease? For one thing, it allows subscribers to switch between vehicles after shorter periods of time than the traditional three-year lease. It’s structured more like a smartphone plan that allows an upgrade after a year. Jeep will handle insurance costs. Other makers getting into these programs also pay for maintenance and service, “everything but gas,” said a Volvo rep, quoted in Consumer Reports, about its program. No word yet on how the cost of a subscription program will compare to the more traditional ownership models.

CALENDAR

•

AUG. 31–SEPT. 1: World Cham-

pionship Off-Road Races, Crandon International Raceway, Crandon, WI. Info: crandonoffroad.com

•

AUG. 31–SEPT. 2: BFGoodrich

•

AUG. 31–SEPT. 3: High Sierra

Unlimited Off-Road Show, Crandon International Raceway, Crandon, WI. Info: uorshow.com Poker Run by California Four Wheel Drive Association, Swamp Lake Trail near Shaver Lake, CA. Info: 800.4x4.funn, cal4wheel.com

•

SEPT. 8: Adopt-a-Trail work

day, Kansas Rocks Recreation Park, Mapleton, KS. Information: ksrockspark.com

•

SEPT. 13-15: Cullman-Stony Lonesome Jeep Jamboree, Cullman, AL. Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•

SEPT. 13-15: Ouray Jeep Jamboree, Ouray, CO. Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•

SEPT. 15: Getting Started OffRoad Driving Clinic by Badlands Off12

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

GET SOME PHOTO

•

report that the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee passed SEMA-supported legislation to permanently designate six existing OHV areas comprising 300,000 acres in San Bernardino County as “national” OHV areas. Those areas are Johnson Valley (expanded by 11,000 acres), Spangler Hills, El Mirage, Rasor, Dumont Dunes, and Stoddard Valley. The California Off-Road Recreation and Conservation Act (HR 857) is sponsored by Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA). The bill expands wilderness designations in the California desert, although it prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from closing any roads or trails that are currently open for motorized recreational access. The bill now awaits consideration on the floor of the House of Representatives.

START-TO-FINISH BAJA 500 WIN FOR MACCACHREN

he good ones make it look easy. Rob MacCachren’s Rockstar Energy/MacCachren Motorsports F-150 was the first vehicle to start the 50th anniversary BFGoodrich SCORE Baja 500. He maintained his lead over the entire 542.12-mile course (which started and ended in Ensenada), and was declared the winner by elapsed time: 11 hours 21 minutes 15 seconds, for an average speed of 47.75 mph. MacCachren called this “the roughest, toughest, longest, and most spectacular SCORE Baja 500 race course” in the event’s 50 year history. His only problem was knowing “how hard to run” because of the distance he had on the rest of the pack. He credited his crew chief, Jim Blackmore, for “getting us three SCORE Baja 1000 wins in a row, two SCORE San Felipe 250s in a row, and now a SCORE Baja 500 win. That’s good stuff.”

Road Adventures, Gorman, CA. Info: 310.374.8047, 4x4training.com

•

SEPT. 16: Getting Started OffRoad Driving Clinic by Badlands OffRoad Adventures, Mojave, CA. Info: 310.374.8047, 4x4training.com

•

SEPT. 19-22: Oklahoma Classic Bronco Roundup, Hot Springs OffRoad Park, Hot Springs, AR. Information: okclassicbroncos.net

•

SEPT. 19-23: Jeep Jamboree Emigrant Trail Adventure, Reno, NV. Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•

SEPT. 19-23: SCORE Tijuana Desert Challenge, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Info: scoreinternational.com

•

SEPT. 20-22: Catskill Mountains Jeep Jamboree, Monticello, NY. Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•

SEPT. 20-22: Black Hills Jeep Jamboree, Deadwood, SD. Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•

SEPT. 22: Fall Off-Road 101 Course, Kansas Rocks Recreation Park, Mapleton, KS. Information: ksrockspark.com

•

SEPT. 22: Winching Clinic by Badlands Off-Road Adventures, Mojave, CA. Info: 310.374.8047, 4x4training.com

•

SEPT. 27-29: Maine Mountains Jeep Jamboree, Bethel, ME. Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•

SEPT. 27-29: Ozark Mountains Jeep Jamboree, Ozark, AR. Info: jeepjamboreeusa.com

•

SEPT. 29: Fall Colors Run by Iron Range Offroad, Iron Range OHV State Recreation Area, Gilbert, MN. Info: ironrangeoffroad.com

•

NOTE: If you have a 4WD event you want us to publicize, please send the date, location, a description of the event, and contact info—phone numbers and/or email/website address— to Calendar, 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245; fax 818.566.8501; email 4wheeloffroad@enthusiastnetwork.com. Please submit your info at least four months before the event due to our press lead times.

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

WHAT’S ON DEMAND THIS MONTH On August 20 our own Fred Williams returns in the latest Dirt Every Day. Catch DED Extras throughout the month too. Motor Trend is your ticket to premier automotive video content from around the globe.

The Art of Shine.

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HOT ROD Garage, ep. 66 Head 2 Head, ep. 105 DTM Championship, Zandvoort Auto Mundial Motorsport Mundial LIVE! Virgin Australia Supercars, Sydney LIVE! Virgin Australia Supercars, Sydney Roadkill, ep. 74 Put Up or Shut Up, ep. 8 Mobil 1 The Grid, program 13 FIA World Rallycross, Canada Auto Mundial Motorsport Mundial Roadkill Garage, ep. 34 Engine Masters, ep. 39 British Touring Car Champ., Snetterton LIVE! European Le Mans Series, Qualifying; Silverstone, England LIVE! Michelin Le Mans Cup, Race 1; Silverstone, England China GT Championship, TBC, China Auto Mundial Motorsport Mundial LIVE! European Le Mans Series, Race 2; Silverstone, England LIVE! FIA Formula 3 Champ., Silverstone LIVE! VLN Endurance Champ., Round 5; Nürburgring LIVE! Michelin Le Mans Cup, Race 1; Silverstone, England LIVE! FIA Formula 3 Champ., Silverstone Dirt Every Day, ep. 80 Ignition, ep. 195 Mobil 1 The Grid, program 13 Auto Mundial Motorsport Mundial LIVE! DTM Championship, Misano LIVE! FIA Formula 3 Champ., Misano LIVE! Intercontinental GT Chall., practice and qualifying; Suzuka 10 Hours LIVE! TCR Europe Series, Assen, Holland LIVE! Trans Am Series, Road America LIVE! Virgin Australia Supercars, Tailem Bend

Original programming RED Racing BLACK Other BLUE Programming subject to change.

•

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COVER SECTION: TRAIL PACKING, RECOVERY & WINCHING

DERANGE RO

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

OVER I

Verne Simons

Camel Trophy you know that those guys got stuck a lot—like buried in ooey-gooey mud to the door handles, or swamped to the roof line in a river. If you haven’t seen the videos, trust us, they’re worth checking out on YouTube. They are fun and campy, and show these guys and gals getting Range Rovers and Land Rovers buried in the muck and mud all over the world. One thing that was very important to them and still is important to those of us off-roading today is recovery. Like many of the Camel Trophy events were, the Ultimate Adventure is (and always has been) sponsored by Warn Industries. Warn makes winches that are second to none, and you guessed it—we’re bolting a Warn winch to the front of the Derange Rover. We know we can trust the Warn to pull our official

vehicle of UA 2018 up, out of, and over whatever may stop it. Land Rover did a pretty good job of providing tow points to the Range Rover, in that it has them front and rear. But the factory tow points are a bit lightweight for our plans. Our Range Rover isn’t exactly stock, so we will be beefing them up, replacing them, and increasing their ease of use so when a Warn winch is not in use, a VooDoo towrope can be used to lend a tug. Up front, tow points on a retro-cool ARB winch bumper will allow for a VooDoo-based tug. Out back, a Warn receiver shackle bracket will turn the Deranged Rover’s factory rear 2-inch receiver into a very durable trail tow point. With Premier Power Welder as the Official Onboard Welder of UA 2018, we also preview the Derange Rover’s on-board welder so if anything breaks on the trail we will be able to melt metal and fire up power tools to make a repair. Lastly—spoiler alert!—check out the Camel Trophy–inspired paint job on the Derange Rover.

EDITOR@4WOR.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY VERNE SIMONS

PART 3: RECOVERY FOR THE DEEP STUFF

F YOU’VE SEEN THE VIDEOS OF THE

ARB has been making winch bumpers for 4x4s that get used all over the world since before this Range Rover was new. Pairing a Warn XD9000 with an ARB bumper is to combine the parts from two off-road icons to ensure that the Derange Rover will be well suited for self-recovery as well as other UA-related rescues. The XD9000 requires a 3⁄8 -inch spacer kit and places the winch mounting foot forward. To mount the winch, we started with the bumper on the floor and used the top two bolts to hold the winch to the bumper. The roller fairlead has to be modified to fit the modular foot-forward design of the ARB bumper. Pull the pins out of the side two rollers and remove the rollers. The fairlead is held in place with two bolts that also grab the lower feet of the winch. Two large bolts pass through the bumper and fairlead holding the rollers in place.

The whole ARB bumper is very well designed, but the D-ring shackle mounts leave a little to be desired. We made a template and had some 1 ⁄4 -inch plate pieces cut by our buddies at Rob Bonney Fabrication. These plates run from the D-ring shackle back to two of the main anchors for the bumper. We cleaned off the powdercoat and welded them in place. We will also have to trim the bumper’s “wings” just in front of the front tires for tire clearance. Most Range Rovers don’t wear 38-inch Falkens.

We decided to beef up the factory rear bumper and add some tube to help protect the rear quarter-panels of the Derange Rover. Our buddy Mike Lee Austin (sitting down on the job) came over to lend a hand one Saturday, so we set him to the task of boxing the bumper and bending some more 13⁄4-inch tubing. We used 3x1⁄8 -inch plate to box the bumper once the corner tubing was in place.

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

To add rigidity to the tubing that we added to the rear bumper, we made these runners out of 1.75x0.120-wall DOM and a cleverly cut piece of 2x4x0.120 rectangular tubing. We will weld the round tubing in first and then add the gusset made of the rectangular tubing to the top. This will help triangulate this rather long runner off the rectangular frame of the Rover and hopefully keep the added tube out of the rear fenders on sharp drop-offs.

5 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

DERANGE ROVER

This length of 1.5x0.120-wall DOM will help keep the rear corners of the bumper in place, which will hopefully keep the rear corners of the Rover roughly in place. If we need to remove and reinstall the bumper we can cut the tubing and add some brackets to make the whole system bolt back into place. There shouldn’t be any reason to remove the rear bumper—unless it gets mangled on the Ultimate Adventure.

Tow points front and rear are very important on the UA. If you are not getting stuck, you ain’t trying hard enough. The Derange Rover will probably get stuck and will help rescue other adventurers when they try hard enough. For a super-secure rear tow point we added a Warn receiver shackle bracket (PN 29312). This thing is as strong as the receiver and frame it is mounted to. On the Derange Rover that receiver is integrated into, not bolted onto, the frame.

With one of our Warn D-ring shackles attaching a VooDoo rope to the Rover, we are ready to receive or give a big ol’ tug when the going gets tough for any of the UA’s very capable offroad rigs. VooDoo ropes are available in 1⁄2 -, 3⁄4 -,

and 7⁄8 -inch diameters in green or black. These kinetic ropes stretch 28-38 percent, allowing smaller vehicles to snatch larger vehicles from a variety of stuck situations. These ropes are made of 100 percent, 12-strand nylon single braid and are resistant to water, UV light, and abrasion for a long lifetime of use. The ropes are coated in polyurethane for durability and come with either a large loop or an integrated soft shackle on the ends. VooDoo also offers soft shackles (which we love) and winch ropes.

Carrying tools on the trail is a given, but most folks don’t think to bring a welder. As you know if you’ve followed the UA for any number of years, we almost always bring a welder or two. This year Premier Power Welders is the Official Onboard Welder of Ultimate Adventure, and that is a great pairing since nine times out of ten whenever we welded on the trail on events past, it has been with a Premier. To this end, we are outfitting the Derange Rover with a Premier so we can make metalliquefying trail repairs anywhere. Our Premier came with leads for stick welding on the trail, which is just what we need.

The Premier Power control box supplies power to do stick, MIG, and TIG welding when equipped but is also great for charging batteries, and has a 115-volt DC (maximum 2,300 watts/20 amps) power outlet jack for nonfluorescent lighting and brush-type power tools: grinders, drills, saws, blenders, frying pans, blow driers, and more. Finally we can bring our hair dryer on the UA!

Premier sent us a modified alternator to work with the Cummins R2.8L Turbo Diesel. Since this is a relatively new crate engine, we will be beta-testing the alternator and helping Premier ensure that everything works as expected. Installation is straightforward using the supplied instructions. Premier is family owned and operated in the U.S. by off-road enthusiasts—just the kind of company we love to support. Welcome aboard, Premier!

SOURCE AXIS INDUSTRIES USA

317.739.3390 axisindustriesusa.com

ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2018 SPONSORS

CUMMINS REPOWER

FALKEN TIRES

PREMIER POWER WELDER

VOODOO OFFROAD

Official Turbo Diesel 800.286.6467 cumminsengines.com/repower.aspx

Official Tire 800.723.2553 falkentire.com

Official Onboard Welder 800.541.1817 premierpowerwelder.com

Official Recovery Rope 844.866.3661 voodoooffroadropes.com

DANA

OFFROAD DESIGN

RUGGED RADIOS

WARN INDUSTRIES

Official Crate Axle 800.621.8084 spicerparts.com/parts/axle/ automotive-performance/ ultimate-dana-60-front-axlefor-jeep-wrangler-jk

Official Transfer Case 970.945.7777 offroaddesign.com

Official Communications 888.541.7223 ruggedradios.com

Official Winch 800.543.9276 warn.com

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

OFFROAD POWER PRODUCTS

SKYJACKER SUSPENSIONS

Official Retailer 855.463.3762 offroadpowerproducts.com

Official Suspension & Shock Absorber 318.388.0816 skyjacker.com

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

LUCAS MURPHY

COMPETITIVE ROCK CRAWLER & RACER OWNER OF MURPHY’S LAW MOTORSPORTS

LOOK FOR THE SIX-PACK™ DESIGN ON OPTIMA® YELLOWTOP®, REDTOP® AND BLUETOP® BATTERIES AT A RETAILER NEAR YOU. The OPTIMA logo, OPTIMA Batteries, The Ultimate Power Source, Spiralcell Technology, YELLOWTOP, REDTOP, BLUETOP and The Six-Pack Battery Design are trademarks of Johnson Controls, Inc. ©2017

COVER SECTION: TRAIL PACKING, RECOVERY & WINCHING BY

Harry Wagner

EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY HARRY WAGNER

HEY SAY THAT NO PROJECT IS

every truly finished, and our Tracker is no exception. After a year of hard wheeling all over the West Coast, the lightweight, minimalist rockcrawler has proven its worth on the trail. We fear that we might have taken the minimalist theme a bit too far though, as a recent multiday trip to the Rubicon left us looking like the Beverly Hillbillies with

sleeping bags and ice chests piled up on the roof. It became abundantly clear that more elegant storage was required for anything longer than a daytrip. To help solve our dilemma, we returned to Samco Fabrication, who had performed all of the wiring and plumbing on our Tracker (“Down to the Details,” Oct. 2016, and “Track A’Field,” Sept. 2017). Master fabricator Austin Hall came up with a solution that exceeded all of our expectations in terms of functionality, a solution that is loaded with the sort of details that make our Tracker stand out in a sea of Jeeps.

IF IT FITS IT SHIPS

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

Hall TIG-welded together lightweight, thin-walled tubing to create a rack over the rear cargo area that pivots up to permit access to the spare tire and fuel filler. A floor was built from dimple-died aluminum, and the tubes were capped with coins from around the world. The rack is large enough to hold an aluminum Zarges case and a small Dometic freezer-fridge. Under the rack, the spare tire extends behind the body and holds a custom vinyl bag from MasterCraft Safety, which holds all of our recovery gear. If we dismounted the Maxxis Trepador and ran the spare tire without a wheel we could save weight and generate even more storage space, but this would be a gamble because time to change a tire increases significantly when you need to dismount the wheel. Compromises and trade-offs come with the territory when you are trying to cram 10 pounds of gear in a 5-pound vehicle.

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING & EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

We had a tall order when we went to Samco Fabrication. We needed more storage but still needed access to the fuel filler and spare tire. With these parameters, Austin Hall set to work. The solution he crafted from 1-inch-diameter, 0.065-wall chromoly tubing exceeds our expectations and matches the CR Fab sheetmetal panels perfectly.

The rack sits on polyurethane bumpers and is secured by a rattle-proof latch. For daytrips we typically run with the rack empty to save weight and improve rear visibility. It is easy to load up with added gear for longer trips into the backcountry.

When is a Chevy Tracker more than a Tracker? When it had a fabricated frame, link suspension, a custom dash full of Autometer gauges, and aluminum panels. Using coins from our travels as tube caps doesn’t add any function but is another detail that helps set the Tracker apart.

We used simple, inexpensive lashing straps to hold down the Dometic fridge and aluminum Zarges case. We cut the straps to the proper length and then melted them to keep them from fraying. The Dometic fridge obviously holds our food, while the Zarges case holds camping gear like our tent, sleeping bag, and stove. We just leave the gear in the case so it’s always ready to go and we don’t forget anything.

Freezer-fridges typically conjure up images of overlanders wearing pants with enough pockets to fit all of their Instagram followers. While there is no denying that freezer-fridges are useful on long, unsupported expeditions, they are also a valuable accessory for a far larger audience. The compact Dometic CFX 28 we added to our Tracker means that we never have to stop for ice no matter how hot it is or how far we are from home. No ice means no concerns about soggy sandwiches or waterlogged salads. 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

5 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

IF IT FITS IT SHIPS

“

One of our favorite features of the Dometic CFX28 fridge is the cover. Like other fridge covers, it keeps the cooler from getting scratched up and provides an extra layer of insulation to allow the fridge to be more efficient. The difference between Dometic and its competitors is that the zippered design of the cover makes it easy to remove for cleaning yet fits like a glove. No need to affix Velco to your new freezer-fridge!

More elegant storage was required

”

Hall added a hood prop on a small rod end to keep the rack open when we need access to the fuel cell or the gear stored under the rack. We considered adding a remote filler for the cell, but the routing was complicated and filling the tank has proven to be a nonissue with the rack open.

CR Fab built storage compartments into the rear fenders of the Tracker. These hinged boxes are kept closed by Quik-Latch pushbutton latches. One side has fluids such as WD-40, brake fluid, motor oil, and gear oil, while the other side holds a small bottle jack and a jump box as insurance with our tiny Braille battery.

In an effort to maximize all possible storage locations, we had MasterCraft Safety make us a heavy-duty vinyl bag to fit inside our spare tire. It attaches securely to the wheel with straps and holds our Bubba Rope, snatch block, gloves, and Gator-Jaw soft shackles.

We ordered our MasterCraft Safety PWR Sport Seats with map pockets on the back. We don’t have a glovebox, so items that would normally live there are in the map pockets. These include things like an air gauge, wet wipes, goggles, registration and insurance papers, and a multitool.

One revision we made after the original build process was to raise the seats 2 inches in the front and 1 inch in the rear. The goal was better visibility on the trail, but this also created space under the seats for more storage. Each side has a canvas MasterCraft tool bag that is tied securely to the floor with a strap. The bag on the passenger side has assorted handtools, while the bag on the driver side holds items like a multimeter, zip ties, duct tape, and bailing wire.

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

SOURCES CR FAB

775.741.3589 crfabdotcom. wordpress.com DOMETIC

800.366.3842 dometic.com

MASTERCRAFT SAFETY

800.565.4042 mastercraftsafety.com SAMCO FABRICATION

775.856.4100 samcofabrication.com ZARGES CASES

888.357.6285 zargescases.com

11 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

GRABBER™ A/T X

GRABBER™ APT

GRABBER™ X 3

Aggressive All-Terrain

All-Weather All-Purpose-Terrain

Mud, Dirt & Rock Extreme Terrain

W W W.GENER ALTIRE.COM

COVER SECTION: TRAIL PACKING, RECOVERY & WINCHING

THE LATEST IN SYNTHETIC WINCH LINES

GET REAL WITH SYNTHETIC BY

Harry Wagner

EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY HARRY WAGNER

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

SYNTHETIC ROPE

t has been well over a decade since synthetic rope was first used for winching and recovery. Developed for marine applications, synthetic rope’s ease of handling, low weight, and elimination of corrosion make it an ideal winch line. While the Amsteel rope of old is inexpensive and readily available, there is a new crop of synthetic winch cables with innovative features and traits that push them close to perfection. Some people will always prefer steel cable, but the argument for synthetic winch ropes continues to get stronger—just like the rope itself. Here are a few of our favorite brands and the unique features that distinguish them from the competition.

WARN Warn was late to join the synthetic winch line market, but the company wanted to ensure that its Spydura lines matched the quality and reliability that its winches are famous for. The latest Spyduro Pro synthetic winch rope uses heat-treated Spectra 1000 for maximum tensile strength and load bearing capacity and uses a woven loop instead of just a crimp connector to mount to the drum. The compacted diameter prevents sand and dirt from penetrating the fibers and extends the life of the rope. Coated with high-temperature urethane and equipped with a temperature-resistant sleeve on the first layer and a ballistic nylon sliding sleeve, Spydura Pro synthetic winch rope provides extreme protection against heat, wear, and abrasion. INFORMATION: Warn, 800.543.9276, warn.com

TRAIL-GEAR DuraLine ExoShield winch lines have a 3⁄8 -inch Dyneema SK75 core that has a breaking strength of 18,000 pounds and are available in lengths up to 150 feet. The lines are wrapped with black Dyneema SK75 to protect against abrasion from rocks, dirt, and debris. The last 12 feet of winch line is wrapped with red Kevlar to protect from heat generated by the winch drum. This red wrap also lets you know when you are down to the end of the drum. DuraLine ExoShield winch lines includes a heavy-duty gusseted stainless steel thimble and heat shrink installed to protect the splice, and they come with a G80 heavy-duty hook and rope guard at no additional cost. INFORMATION: Trail-Gear, 877.4X4.TOYS, trail-gear.com

BUBBA ROPE

VOODOO OFFROAD

Bubba Rope’s synthetic winch line boasts several unique features to make it safer for winching. The rope is banded every 10 feet so you can easily tell how much line you have out, and the last 20 feet are entirely red so you don’t spool the line out too far. The HMPE plasma rope is coated in Gator-ize vinyl armor to protect against abrasion and UV degradation, and it comes with a 3-foot removable nylon chafe guard and Grabber to attach it to your winch drum. Options include an integrated soft shackle or a nonmetallic eye, and they are available in a variety of colors. Available in 1⁄4-inch or 3⁄8 -inch diameters in lengths up to 100 feet. INFORMATION: Bubba Rope, 877.499.8494, bubbarope.com

VooDoo Offroad’s plasma synthetic winch lines are available with either a traditional hook or a soft shackle integrated into the end of the line. They will not rust, corrode, or develop burrs the way wire rope can. The plasma synthetic winch lines develop no kinks like steel cable and will spool more evenly and pull off the drum easier than steel. They are 86 percent lighter than steel cable, easier to handle, quicker to rig, and safer to use than any steel cable. They are available in 1⁄4x50 inches for UTV applications and 3⁄8x80 inches for fullsize vehicles. INFORMATION: VooDoo Offroad, 844.866-3661, voodoooffroadropes.com

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

GET REAL WITH SYNTHETIC

Technology has “advanced in the last decade ” HARDCORE SOFT SHACKLES

orrowing technology from the marine market, the synthetic fibers used to make lightweight winch lines have been applied to the shackle market. Soft shackles are stronger than traditional d-rings yet so light that they float. They can be stored nearly anywhere without clinking and clanking, and they are perfect for wrapping around the tubes of buggies, roll cages, and bumpers.

BUBBA ROPE Bubba Rope’s Gator-Jaw synthetic shackles are made from HMPE plasma rope, the strongest synthetic rope available. They are available in four sizes, up to the Mega Gator Jaw with its 76,400-pound breaking strength. All sizes use a nine-step manufacturing process, including a super-tight button knot, which can be the weakest point of the shackle if not pretightened. Gator-Jaws have a patent-pending vinyl coating and an integrated abrasion guard to resist cutting when used on recovery points with sharp edges. INFORMATION: Bubba Rope, 877.499.8494, bubbarope.com

VOODOO OFFROAD VooDoo Offroad’s synthetic rope shackles are the most secure way to attach the company’s Kinetic recovery rope (or any tow strap) to a closed-loop anchor point on your vehicle. The one-piece, 1⁄2 -inch plasma rope construction makes the VooDoo synthetic rope shackle flexible enough to wrap around most pulling points yet strong enough to withstand the most demanding situations. INFORMATION: VooDoo Off Road, 844.866-3661, voodoooffroadropes.com

TRAIL-GEAR Duraline’s soft shackles are made from Dyneema SK75 construction in 1⁄4- and 7 ⁄16-inch sizes, with the larger shackles rated for 30,000 pounds breaking strength. The DuraLine soft shackles are dyed red for high visibility. The one-piece construction makes dropped or lost shackle pins a thing of the past. INFORMATION: Trail-Gear, 877.4X4.TOYS, trail-gear.com 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

Available NOW for the Jeep® Wrangler® JL. Spicer® AdvanTEK® Ring and Pinion Gearing. Be First for What’s Next. For information on Spicer products, visit www.SpicerParts.com. For our e-catalog and parts locator, visit www.DanaAftermarket.com. Copyright Dana Limited, 2018. All rights reserved. Dana Limited. The following trademarks are registered trademarks of Dana Limited: Spicer® and AdvanTEK®. Jeep® and Wrangler® are registered trademarks of FCA US LLC.

COVER SECTION: TRAIL PACKING, RECOVERY & WINCHING

STRONG WARNING

THE WARN 16.5TI-S IS THE ULTIMATE IN BIG TRUCK PULLING POWER

Christian Hazel

EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTIAN HAZEL

NCREMENTAL BUILDING CAN BE A SMART THING.

Rather than inviting compromise and throwing a bunch of bargain-priced parts at our 2016 Cummins-powered Ram 2500 Megacab just so we could finish everything at once, we went with higher-quality components and waited until we could complete the whole enchilada. A couple of years ago we equipped our Ram with an American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) 3-inch DualSport Suspension System, AEV Salta HD wheels, AEV bumpers, and Amp Research steps (“Big-Tire Ram Time,” Oct. 2016; bit.ly/2la9GJp). While it felt weird not filling the AEV bumper with a winch, our wallet was empty and compromise wasn’t an option. So with a favorable tax return this year, we yanked out all the stops for the ultimate

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

in big-truck winching power: a Warn 16.5ti-s winch with the optional Spydura synthetic winch cable. Because the winch installation requires the AEV bumper to be removed, the winch installed, and then the whole heavy shebang lifted into place, we relied on the capable crew at Off Road Warehouse in Escondido, California, to cleanly get the job done without bending our fenders or scratching any paint. We’ve had a few big jobs done at Off Road Warehouse, and the techs always take extra care to do a good job and get the install done the right way the first time. Here’s how we added over 8 tons of pulling power in the course of a morning. 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

2018 JL DUAL RATE-LONG TRAVEL systems offer the best of both worlds whether for on-road or off-road use. The 1st spring rate offers an exceptional highway ride & will expand when off-roading during articulation to keep the tires in contact with the ground much longer & the coils remain in the upper coil bucket even at full droop unlike linear rate coils. The 2nd rate, lower coils, only engage after compression past the 1st rate & allows consistent control & stability during body roll & heavy off-road suspension movement. Unique left & right coil spring utilized like OE & long travel front and rear Skyjacker shocks are length fitted to offer the maximum extension allowable for full articulation to complete this system.

3.5-4" Dual Rate Long Travel

OFFICIAL SHOCK & SUSPENSION

WWW.SKYJACKER.COM

STRONG WARNING

The AEV Premium Front Bumper is in our opinion the finest bumper you can hang on the front of your Ram. Engineered to retain all the factory airbag and other sensors, it’s also tailor-made to house Warn’s big M-series of 12,000-, 15,000-, and 16,500-pound winches. The 16.5ti-s is the elephant in the Warn room, with huge pulling power and build quality that will last a lifetime. The 250-pound bumper must be removed to install the winch, so the Off Road Warehouse crew joined in and lifted it off.

The solenoid pack mounts to the body, but it can easily be remote-mounted almost anywhere on the vehicle that is convenient with a longer cable kit. The AEV Premium Front Bumper easily accommodates the solenoid pack in Warn’s intended position, mounted to the driver-side of the winch.

Since our 16.5ti-s included Warn’s Spydura synthetic winch rope instead of steel cable, an aluminum hawse fairlead is included in lieu of the normal steel roller fairlead. The ORW tech bolted it in place and then called a couple buddies over to heft the 354-pound bumper and winch assembly back into place on the Ram’s framerails.

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

The Warn 16.5ti-s bolts to the AEV bumper with six mounting bolts: four in the face and two in the bottom. The bottom bolts must run an AEV spacer kit (PN 10308012AA) for proper indexing, but you could stack washers if you’re cheesy. The spacer kit is only $5, so we say just pop for the machined-steel parts from AEV and do it right. With the bumper hoisted in place, the myriad mounting bolts can be reinstalled in the frame and the winch installation wrapped up. With Warn’s 16.5ti-s, the s stands for synthetic. In this case, 80 feet of 3⁄8 -inch Spydura synthetic winch rope with Warn’s 18,000-pound Epic hook. The synthetic is much safer to operate than steel cable and saves roughly 50 pounds over the heavy steel 7/17inch wire rope that comes on the regular Warn 16.5ti.

The Off Road Warehouse techs did an impressive job cleanly routing the Warn 2-gauge battery leads through the Ram’s crowded Cummins engine compartment, hooking up the winch to the driver-side battery. With the winch hot, the Spydura synthetic winch rope can be installed.

The Spydura winch rope has a thimble loop that mounts to the side of the drum with the supplied retaining bolt. Run it down and then spool in the winch rope just as you would any steel cable, making sure to roll the rope onto the drum under light load and without spaces that can allow the rope to jam up when pulling under load.

With 80 feet of Spydura synthetic rope on its drum, an 18,000-pound Epic hook at the ready, and an incredibly strong 4.6hp series-wound 12-volt motor with a 315:1 gear reduction, the made-in-USA Warn 16.5ti-s winch on this truck is now ready to yank whatever—and we mean whatever—impediment may lie in front of us.

SOURCES AEV

248.926.0256 aev-conversions.com OFF ROAD WAREHOUSE

800.341.7757 offroadwarehouse.com WARN INDUSTRIES

800.543.9276 warn.com

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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Available at:

Opportunities in Lubricants: North American Americ Market Analysis / Volume 1: Commercial Automotive. June, 2015. Kline & Company, Inc.

COVER SECTION: TRAIL PACKING, RECOVERY & WINCHING

ON-THE-TRAIL TECH W ORKING FOR PETERSEN’S 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD,

as you can imagine, has many perks. The tedious and unpleasant aspects that are part of any job are more than made up for when we get to test new off-road vehicles and parts like tires, shocks, and transfer cases. But probably our favorite perk of this job is getting paid to spend time on the trail. We are enthusiasts first and automotive journalists second. We love it, and we occasionally have to remind ourselves that we are at work and remember to take pictures when something cool happens. One thing we almost always do when on the trail or even at the trailhead is spend time checking out other off-road rigs. It’s a great way to borrow (steal) great ideas that other people have come up with. Whether it’s a new way to mount spares, a new tool, or adding storage, we love looking at other people’s rigs when we’re out in the dirt. It’s also a great way to pass time in a traffic jam. Here are some of the good trail tips we’ve stumbled across.

COOL IDEAS WE SAW AT EJS 2018

Verne Simons

BY EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTIAN HAZEL AND VERNE SIMONS 30

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

ON-THE-TRAIL TECH

Ian Johnson’s 1968 M-715 has approximately 100 cool ideas for storing stuff. What first caught our eye was this yoke (that from the other side looked like it was about to fall out of the truck). The yoke is bolted to the floor of the M-715 and the spare driveshaft held in place with a band clamp. You can read more about his M-715 in the feature on page 54.

A spare leaf spring, mounting hardware, and bushings? This might seem like overkill until you need the parts and are far from anywhere. Also, let’s face it, on a truck like this an extra leaf pack isn’t going to add much to the total weight of Johnson’s rig. Maybe that’s why he’s got those spare rear ’shafts.

We haven’t heard of too many folks breaking GM full-floating 14-bolt rear axleshafts, but just in case the 5.7 Hemi and Offroad Design Magnum Box sends too much torque to one wheel, Johnson carries spares held in place with U-bolts. A neat idea would be to use spare driveshaft U-bolts and nuts to hold something in place, assuming they fit around anything.

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

So you might think we’re going to talk about the fire extinguisher. We will say that carrying one is always a must, but we also like his license plate location. Clearly the tag got torn off once (we’re guessing from a bumper). Now mounted on the back of the cab, it is easily visible and very unlikely to get damaged on the trail—but, Ian, where’s your license plate light?

Ammo cans are a great place to store tools, fluids, spare parts, rags, food (we’re not picky eaters), or whatever! These nifty mounts from Swag Off Road help carry your ammo can goodies securely on the trail.

8 of using the bar pin–style lower shock mount, he built eyelet-style mounts on the axle just behind the coil springs.

Check out this innovative idea that not only strengthens the aftermarket fender flares on the Jeep but also adds strength to the rear bumper and body tub. Now Davenport can lean the Jeep on either side’s aftermarket flare with abandon. Of course the passenger side is a bit more open to allow the swinging tailgate to function.

Chase Davenport from Corrola, North Carolina, owns this TJ with a few tricks up its sleeves. The Jeep has onboard air and these nicely mounted air chucks front and rear. The air lines are repurposed from big rig air brake systems and move plenty of air for this Jeep’s needs.

Jeep baskets, or Jeep racks, have been around forever, but this one is nifty. It holds an Engle fridge, an air compressor, and a toolbox. Underneath is more space for more tools, camping gear, spare parts, clothes, a spare tire, whatever. The best part is that unlike a rack mounted to the roof or the top of a spare tire, the weight is relatively low down.

Davenport also figured out a trick way to build a shock mount for the kingpin Dana 60 swapped under the front of his TJ. Instead

Keeping tools you need easily accessible, secure, and organized isn’t always easy on the trail. A great idea for keeping box4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

The new Shape of Shine. 10

11 end wrenches together is a carabineer, Velcro, or a reusable zip tie. Just run the holding device of your choice through the closed end, and keep the wrenches in order of size so they are easy to find. It will also be easier to notice when one is missing. You can attach the whole shooting match to the body or cage of your trail rig to keep it from falling out on the trail.

Lots of folks carry a Hi-Lift jack on the trail, and that’s great, but bottle jacks are sometimes indispensable. Christian Hazel keeps an ancient factory Mitsubishi bottle jack in the UACJ-6D Jeep by securing it to the foot of the B-pillar of the rollcage with a sturdy Beachwood Canvas military-grade strap. The strap runs through footman loops welded to the back of the rollcage and jack body to ensure that the strap doesn’t slip off in a rollover. It’s secure and handy with the passenger seat flipped forward.

The all-new Mothers Pow werCone C 360 Patented performance. Unmatcheed shine. Drill-powe p eered ease. 360-degree coverage. Where simplicity i li i y meets perfection. The new Shape of Shiine. Experience p it with the all-new Mothers ® PowerC rConee® 360 Precisioon Polisher, featuring our Quick Swaap Bitt ™ with integrated wheel guard.

SOURCES HI-LIFT JACK CO.

hi-lift.com

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

SWAG OFF ROAD

541.915.2775 swagoffroad.com

mothers.com · detailguide.com

facebook.com/mothersusa

COVER SECTION: TRAIL PACKING, RECOVERY & WINCHING

YOUR H HI-LIFT DOES MORE THAN LIFT Harry Wagner

BY EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY HARRY WAGNER

I-LIFT JACKS ARE UBIQUITOUS ON TRAIL RIGS, AND

for good reason. They are tall enough to raise vehicles on 40-inch tires and lift from the chassis, allowing you access to the tires, suspension, and axles. Still, there is room for improvement. Did you know that there is an entire cottage industry devoted to making your Hi-Lift more functional, including bases to keep your jack from sinking, straps so you don’t have to lift as high, and attachments to mate the jack’s foot to a variety of different surfaces? Yup. Another segment of the market is dedicated to safely storing your Hi-Lift jack when it’s not in use. These jacks are big and heavy, so they can’t exactly store under the seat like a puny factory bottle jack. The goal is to find a mounting location that is secure and safe, yet provides easy access when you need to use your Hi-Lift. There are mounts to secure the jack to your bumper or rollcage or even the cowl of your Jeep. The best part about all of these products is that they’re all reasonably priced, offering a lot of bang for the buck.

PRODUCTS TO MAKE YOUR JACK MORE FUNCTIONAL

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

The normal base on the HiLift works fine on hard ground, but it can sink in soft sand, snow, or mud. We’ve seen people use everything from plywood to floormats, but Hi-Lift’s molded OffRoad Base is a more elegant solution. The OffRoad Base more than doubles the surface area of the jack while capturing the factory base to ensure that it doesn’t move. INFO: Bloomfield Mfg., 800.233.2051, hi-lift.com

A ratchet strap is a helpful tool to keep your suspension from drooping too much if you need to lift a tire off the ground with your Hi-Lift. Conversely, if you need to replace a coil spring that has popped out of its bucket, use your Hi-Lift without a strap to extend the suspension.

Slee’s Jac-Kof slides over the foot of your HiLift to fit ARB Bull Bars, tube sliders, and recovery points safely and securely. The Jac-Kof also comes with an axle strap and wheel strap to safely lift any vehicle, solving several potential problems with one convenient product. INFO: Slee Off-Road, 888.494.7533, sleeoffroad.com

Hate rattles? Daystar created this polyurethane jack handle isolator to provide convenient, rattle-free storage for the jack handle by sliding over the main bar of the jack and the handle itself. Available in a variety of colors, the Daystar handle isolator is both inexpensive and convenient. INFO: Daystar Mfg., 800.595.7659, daystarweb.com

The Lift-Mate is a genuine Hi-Lift accessory that allows the vehicle to be lifted directly from the wheel, which is perfect for many new vehicles with plastic bumpers. The Lift-Mate greatly reduces the amount of travel up the jack bar needed to lift the wheel to an adequate and safe height. Make sure the Lift-Mate is centered and the brakes are applied so the wheel doesn’t try to rotate when it is lifted. INFO: Bloomfield Mfg., 800.233.2051, hi-lift.com

The Fourtreks billet aluminum Hi-Lift mounts are as stylish as they are functional. Various sizes are available from 3⁄4 - to 21⁄4 -inch tubing, as well as options for many factory roof racks including Toyota FJ Cruisers and Nissan Xterras. The Fourtreks mounts can be installed at any angle and make the Hi-Lift easy to access through the use of wing nuts or optional billet knobs. INFO: Fourtreks, 818.517.6145, fourtreks.com

Bolt Lock’s J-Mount bracket mounting attaches your Hi-Lift securely to the side of your Jeep Wrangler TJ or JK. The one-key technology permanently programs the lock to the Jeep owner’s ignition key, eliminating the need for extra keys. The vertical J-Mount is designed to bolt into the existing window bracket holes on either the driver or passenger side just in front of the side mirrors. INFO: Bolt Lock, 844.972.7547, boltlock.com 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

Rugged Ridge’s Off-Road Jack Mounting Bracket Kit allows you to carry your Hi-Lift on the outside of your vehicle, saving precious cargo space. The kit allows for a fast and easy bolt-on installation and is compatible with stock and most aftermarket rear bumpers, including the Rugged Ridge XHD rear bumper with or without a tire carrier. The bracket is sturdy and secures the jack in two locations to eliminate vibration noise during vehicle operation. INFO: Rugged Ridge, 770.614.6101, ruggedridge.com 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

FEATURE BY

Harry Wagner

EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY HARRY WAGNER

END, OREGON, IS ENJOYING

a resurgence as a tourist destination, and it’s easy to see why. Seemingly endless sunshine (eat your heart out, Portland), snow-covered mountains, and rivers that offer floating and fly fishing are abundant. Things were not always flourishing around central Oregon though. The area enjoyed a boom a century ago as timber from its forest was used to build cities up and down the west coast (and beyond). As interest rates climbed in the 1980s and the economy cooled, the sawmills closed and the boom turned into a bust as the area’s chief source of income was gone. This isn’t Field and Stream— it’s Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road—so you can probably guess what else you can find in central Oregon: wheeling! We recently joined members of the Central Oregon OHV Association (COOHVA) on the Rim Butte Trail. Located in the Deschutes National Forest to the south of Bend, Rim Butte is a shining example of what is possible when that same pioneering spirit that revitalized Bend is applied to OHV use. Graeme Tydeman and members of COOHVA worked with the US Forest Service to create over 18 miles of hardcore rockcrawling trails that weave their way through the pine trees of the Deschutes National Forest. We only scratched the surface of this trail system—but they scratched back! Comprised of sharp, loose volcanic rock, the trails at Rim Butte are brutal and unforgiving. The upside is that a series of small loops ties into the existing road system, making it easy to run as many or as few obstacles as you want. And when you’ve had enough, it’s a quick drive back to the staging areas at Ponderosa and Lodge Pole camps. Originally built as hunting camps, these two locations offer free primitive camping, pit toilets, and plenty of room to park your tow rig and pitch a tent. If there were a parts store at the camp, we might never leave. 38

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

SHE’S A B WE WHEEL RIM BUTTE

Cameron McGillivray’s Toyota pickup looks like an RC car with its huge 42-inch Super Swamper Iroks mounted on 15-inch wheels. The original 22R four-cylinder engine pushes the whole thing down the trail, but dual transfer cases and 1-ton axles have been added to offset the big Swampers.

We brought our lightweight Tracker project up to Oregon, but we barely got into the trail before an undercut ledge claimed one of our axleshafts. The nice thing about the trails at Rim Butte is that there’s an access road parallel to the trails so it’s easy to limp back to camp if you break something.

BUTTE, CLARK

SHE’S A BUTTE, CLARK We wheeled with Alec Koch last summer at Tillamook State Forest when he lived up near Portland, and he has since moved to Bend to be closer to family (and good wheeling). The 22R in his truck has been converted to propane, which allow it to run at any angle. This was the maiden voyage for Chris Bradford’s new Jeep buggy, and he was all smiles. Power comes from a 5.3L V-8 mated to a TH350 and NP205 with a 3:1 LoMax kit from JB Conversions. While it looks like a Jeep, the narrowed YJ tub is placed on a full tube chassis and fitted with a modified JK hood.

This is an “ example of what is possible ”

Cody Reems spent much of the day on the rev limiter, but he didn’t scatter any parts in his Toyota. The factory Toyota components are legendary for their strength, so Cody didn’t have to add much more than some tube and lockers to make it up any climb at Rim Butte.

Shawn Wiles left his leaf sprung “barnyard” buggy at home in favor of his new coilover tube buggy. Unlike the Toyota-based buggy, this one has a full tube frame, a V-8 engine, and an automatic transmission. Both rigs use 1-ton axles and 39-inch BFGoodrich Krawlers. 40

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

Will Bradford recently upgraded the tires on his buggy to 41.5-inch Pit Bull Rockers. The big meats are definitely testing the limits of the Toyota-based Trail-Gear axles, but the ground clearance is amazing. Bradford’s buggy is lightweight and powered by a turbocharged 1.6L engine, which helps keep breakage to a minimum. 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

Cody Reems was taking high lines over obstacles all day long. How do you know where the limits are if you never find them? While he didn’t break anything on the trail, Reems did flop his truck on its side at one point in the day. A quick tug was all that was necessary to get him moving again. Mark Schultz has the formula for a functional Oregon rockcrawler. A turbocharged 22R is mated to a manual transmission and dual transfer cases. From there, air shocks and links locate locked 1-ton axles capped with 40-inch Maxxis Trepadors. With a skilled driver like Schultz behind the wheel this is an incredibly capable combination.

The lava rock at Rim Butte reminded us of the rock you would find in the bottom of a natural gas fireplace or grill. It was sharp, loose, and deadly to tires. The entire area has experienced recent (geologically speaking) volcanic activity and is made up of basalt. Central Oregon has been shaped by numerous and varied volcanic events that began millions of years ago and continue to the present.

Kaitlin Tyde’s well-used Samurai buggy has front- and rear-steering 9-inch axles with Dana 60 knuckles. A turbo 1.6L is lightweight yet makes enough power to spin the sticky 39-inch BFGoodrich Krawlers on Trail-Gear Creeper wheels.

Trever and Bo Jolly had just returned from Costa Rica, and despite jet lag they didn’t want to miss a day on the trail. Their Toyota 4Runner has seen the sheetmetal slowly go away in favor of tube, but it still has enough seats for the entire family. A 22RE and leaf springs provide simplicity, 1-ton axles were added for strength, and 42-inch Pit Bull Rockers deliver the ground clearance. The Rim Butte Trail has numerous legs that cover 18 miles of trail. The trail is marked with flagging ribbon of different colors to denote the difficulty of the given route. Many obstacles are optional and can be bypassed, allowing vehicles and drivers of varying capabilities to spend the day together on the same trail. 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

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COVER SECTION: TRAIL PACKING, RECOVERY & WINCHING BY

Harry Wagner

EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY HARRY WAGNER

HERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

who will not venture off the pavement until they have a GPS loaded with their route, a satellite phone, and every piece of recovery equipment known to man. We do not begrudge these people, but we also don’t want you to think that you cannot enjoy fourwheeling until you have all those luxuries. On the contrary, there’s something exciting about venturing into the unknown with only your wits to rely on. Overcoming adversity is part of the appeal of off-

roading, harkening back to the pioneering spirit of our forefathers who migrated west. They didn’t have electric winches and sand ladders, yet mud, snow, and rocks didn’t stop them, and they shouldn’t stop you either. When trouble occurs, the first step is to assess the situation. If progress has halted or you hear a strange noise, we recommend stopping immediately before you make the situation worse. Find out what the exact issue is. Is one of the diffs stuck on rocks? Are the rear tires digging into the sand? Worse yet, is something broken? You cannot solve the problem until you know what it is. Knowledge is power, and never is it more powerful than when you are attempting to get unstuck.

Step one is to assess the situation. Pouring on more throttle will often just get you further stuck—or worse, broken. Be patient and find out what happened. Are the hubs unlocked? Is the bumper hitting an obstacle? Oftentimes once you know the source of the problem it can be easily overcome.

NAKED & AFRAID GET UNSTUCK WITHOUT A WINCH

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

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NAKED & AFRAID

If you have someone you trust with you, you will be far better off. They can relay information to you from outside the vehicle. Best case scenario is that this person is in a second vehicle, but even if they are riding with you they can still tell you which tires are turning and which are not, what you are hung up on, and which direction you need to go.

Did you break something? Sometimes you will hear a loud bang right before progress stops. If thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the case, stop! Get out and assess the situation before you risk making matters worse. Are the driveshafts turning? If so, the issue is downstream from the transfer case. Are the tires turning? One tire turning suggests that you broke an axleshaft (if you have a locking differential); neither axle turning suggests that you broke the differential (again, if you have a locker) or a locking hub on the front axle (assuming you have an open diff).

You didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go wheeling alone, right? Having someone who can give you a quick tug or tow you back to camp can make all of the difference in the world. We are guilty of breaking

5 46

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

this rule ourselves at times, but wheeling with a friend is not only safer but more fun as well.

Gravity is your friend when you are stuck. If you are digging holes as you try to climb a slope, consider turning downhill or backing up to use gravity to your advantage. Even if you eventually want to get to the top of the ridge, going downhill can allow you to reassess the situation and gather more momentum (if that is what the situation calls for).

We had a situation once when all four tires sank in the soft dirt. We had to jack up each corner of the truck off the ground and fill the hole with sticks and dirt until we were able to back out of the soft spot. A winch or a pull from a friend would have been infinitely faster, but we did eventually get out on our own.

Stacking rocks is frowned upon, and we always recommend leaving the trail in the same condition you found it. That said, sometimes a strategically placed rock will lift up your differential or rock slider enough to allow you to keep moving along. Just remember to unstack the rock afterward.

7 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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Fancy traction mats are all the rage these days, but if you don’t have them you can use your floormats under the tires to provide more traction. This isn’t our first choice because you will likely ruin your floor mats, but if the alternative is a long walk back to civilization, give this trick a try.

We use the More Power Puller with our car trailer to load dead vehicles, but it can also be used as a winch to get you unstuck. While not particularly compact or lightweight, it can easily be transferred between vehicles and can be used in the front or rear depending on which direction you need to pull.

Have a really big hole to fill? Your spare tire can bridge the gap across a hole that you could not otherwise traverse. This isn’t our first choice, but if you are running out of options and need to continue down the trail, keep this trick in the back of your mind.

This shackle started clunking and making noise after it came loose. Recognizing that something was wrong, we stopped and inspected the undercarriage until we found the culprit. Oftentimes the issue will make itself obvious, and if you catch it before things get too bad you can limp off the trail. We lost the shackle nut but put the bolt back through both halves of the shackle and used a ratchet strap to get us home.

Carry a tarp in your rig that you can throw down if you need to get under your vehicle to work on it or even just to look and see if anything is amiss. We actually carry a poncho that serves multiple purposes as a ground cloth for our tent and to keep us dry when it rains. 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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COVER SECTION: TRAIL PACKING, RECOVERY & WINCHING

Verne Simons

EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY VERNE SIMONS

E TRAIL OF BROKEN FIXES BUSH (OR PARKING LOT) REPAIRS AT EJS 2018

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

VERY YEAR WE TRY TO KEEP OUR

eyes peeled for trail damage to just about any 4x4 rig, and then we follow along as trail repairs are made. Why? Seeing what broke on others rigs and how they fixed it is a great way to get an idea of how to fix your rig when things go every which way but as planned. Plus, it’s fun to try to figure out what’s wrong

and what’s the best way to make it right. Sometimes a fix comes with a few parts from the well-stocked parts stores, and sometimes a fix comes with a little help from friends. But either way, for us part of what makes off-roading fun is the fact that parts are going to wear out and fail, leaving you to figure out how to get your 4x4 back together well enough to make it off the trail and get ready for the next run. Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, is always a great place to push the limits of your 4x4. Failures can occur on the first day, the last day, and anytime in between. For us, the closer to the beginning of the event, the more urgent it is to fix the problem so we can keep on having fun for the week. Here’s what we stumbled across this year.

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

FLEX JOINT

ur pal and former editor-in-chief Fred Williams, now host of Dirt Every Day, likes to wheel his Jeep, Tube Sock. So it was no surprise when we bumped into him out on the trail in Moab. Almost everything was perfect, but a new clunk under the Jeep made him take a look under the well-built TJ. At fault was a rebuildable flex joint that had popped apart under load. This happens sometimes. The good news is usually all the parts stay on the vehicle and the joint just needs to be reassembled.

1 1

We caught Fred Williams on his back in the parking lot of a hotel in Moab after he’d already pulled the end of the control arm and took the joint apart. Here are the parts. The big washer presses

on two polyurethane cups that hold a pivot ball. The snap ring sometimes pops out of its groove, and the joint will then be loose and sloppy.

The best way to reassemble a joint like this is in a shop with a lift and a press. We didn’t have any of that, so it was time to improvise. Williams will use this piece of 3⁄8 -inch threaded rod, several washers, nuts, and a socket or two.

Two great big sockets on each side fit over the center pivot. The socket on the outside has to be big enough to clear the center pivot yet small enough to fit the snap ring around the outside. Washers compensate for the 1⁄2 -inchdrive holes on the big sockets.

Then a 3⁄8 -inch nut tightens the whole assembly. The washer compresses the polyurethane cups until the snap ring groove is visible and the snap ring can be reinstalled.

5 6

A big hammer and a pry bar help get things back in place. Generally you can pull one control arm at a time on a four-link. On a three-link you may need a jack to support the pinion from the ground or wedge it between a crossmember to force the pinion down. Just be sure the rig won’t move and the suspension won’t change loading (so don’t let your buddy climb in and out of the rig).

With the snap ring in place, he removed the threaded rod, washers, and sockets.

4 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

TRAIL OF BROKEN FIXES

WIRELESS SPARK PLUG

hen our buddy Trent McGee’s 1983 CJ-7 Jeep wouldn’t start we began running through a couple of diagnostic tests while on the trail. First we checked to make sure there was fuel at the fuel rail (the Jeep has a swapped-in 1995 4.0L). There was fuel, so we started to test for spark and our enthusiasm got the best of us. The idea is to pop off a spark plug wire, insert a screwdriver, hold the screwdriver by the plastic handle, hold the metal part of the screwdriver near the engine block, and watch for an arc. Unfortunately we grabbed and yanked the spark plug without thinking and pulled the wire out of the plug boot and the metal end. Dumb. Luckily we know how to fix it just about anywhere.

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Here’s the victim, and the hand of the dummy who created this problem.

The fix is to trim a little insulation off the wire and open up the metal end of the spark plug wire. We used our handy dandy pocket knife to trim back about half an inch off the wire and a multitool to open up the metal prongs. Then fold the inner wire back over the insulation and crimp the metal end back on the wire.

Here’s the reassembled wire. The boot, which you probably forgot to put on the wire before you trimmed and crimped the wire, can be a bear to get back on the wire. A trick is to reach under your rig to a greasy area and borrow some grease from a tie-rod end or driveshaft. Use a little of that grease to lube up the wire and inside of the boot for reassembly.

So with the wire repaired, the Jeep didn’t have spark. The problem ended up being a bad relay, but not before McGee decided the crank position sensor was bad. To swap it, he showed us a couple of tricks. One was to use every 3⁄8 -inch-drive socket extension anyone within shouting distance had. The other was to hold the screws that secure the crank position sensor in the socket with a little electrical tape.

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FEATURE

Check out that patina! We love the rust color that the old fire department–applied paint has become with time, wear, and weather. Rust and patina make a great mix. Ian had a great idea backing the rusting sheetmetal with bedliner. That should help keep this rig in running order for years to come. Oh man, if these layers of paint could talk! Peeking out in spots on this Jeep is what might be some well-worn OD green from the M-715’s time in the military. Or maybe it is some form of lichen. We’ll take it either way. A Warn 8274-50 is the perfect winch for a Jeep with this much character and the 39x13.50R17 BFG KX Krawlers “red label” sticky-compound tires turn on some 17x9 KMC Slab wheels.

M-715 IN MOAB CAMO

PATINA FOR DAYS A BY

Verne Simons

EDITOR@4WOR.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY VERNE SIMONS

N EXPENSIVE CUSTOM PAINT

job on old 4x4 built for the trail is kind of like putting fancy paint on a hammer. At the end of the day a trail rig is a tool, and tools are meant to be used. Patina, light rust, dirt, moss, lichen, and mold all help hide new dings and dents earned on the trail. That’s one reason why we like all those things more than expensive paint that needs to be rubbed with a microfiber cloth. We also like patina because it helps tell the story that accompanies the vehicle that wears it. Patina is part of the history of any rig old enough to earn it. Sure, nice paint has its place in the automotive world, but to us, we’re not sure it has a place in the off-road world. The annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari is a great place to look for patina and off-road

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

rigs with cool stories to tell. Few have as much patina or as interesting a story as Ian Johnson’s 1968 M-715. If this Ian guy looks familiar to you (he has some funny hair that gets your attention right away), you may recognize him from his new endeavor, Big Tire Garage. He also used to be on TV. We don’t think it was a cooking show because that spikey-hair guy drives a Camaro. Either way, Ian knows his stuff when it comes to cooking up a cool 4x4. He built the M-715 quite well, coming up with lots of the cool modifications, many of which we plan to borrow on our next retro build. So how did this particular vehicle land in Ian’s life? Turns out he has an agreement with his local scrap metal dealer to the tune of, “Anytime a cool vehicle comes across the scales, call me.” When this M-715 came in as scrap after dutifully serving our armed forces and later the Birmingham, Alabama, fire department as a brush truck, Ian’s phone rang. So there it is: killer rig, cool story, plenty of patina, and several well-thought-out modifications done by Ian’s hand.

Ian kept the interior of the M-715 looking pretty close to the way it should be even with the addition of an ORD twin-stick setup for the NP205, a Magnum Shifter, a rollcage, five-point harnesses, and suspension seats. A Rugged Radio helps with communications.

The Jeep is propelled by a 2009 5.7L Hemi from a Chrysler 300C. The Hemi is bolted to a 2007 545RFE transmission from a Ram pickup. The engine stays cool with a Flexa-Lite radiator for a JK Hemi swap. A PSC steering box, ram, reservoir, and pump help steer the big Jeep.

4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

PATINA FOR DAYS

Range selection and torque splitting duties go to an Offroad Design Magnum range box bolted in front of a Ford NP205 transfer case. This allows ratios of 1:1, 1.96:1, 2.72:1, and 5.33:1—plenty of gearing options for just about any terrain. The boxes are toggled by an ORD twin-stick shifters.

The front axle in Ian’s rig is a 2004 Ford Dana 60 with 5.38:1 gears and an ARB Air Locker. Tires keep turning come what may thanks to 35-spline RCV axleshafts. The front suspension uses 6-inch rear leaf springs intended for a K5 Blazer. Fox shocks damp the

bumps, and Daystar bumpstops absorb the heavy hits.

The rear axle in the patina’d old M-715 is a GM full-float 14-bolt axle. This axle also has 5.38:1 gears on an ARB Air Locker. The axle also has chromoly axleshafts and a disc brake conversion. Rear suspension lift is from 4-inch K5 Blazer springs and Fox shocks. A pinion skidplate and an Arctec Modular 14-bolt truss are two nice additions to this bulletproof rear axle. Ian carries several spares, including a spare full pack of leaf spring in the bed. It might not provide the right lift on all four corners, but if a main leaf breaks it will replace any of the four Blazer springs. Sure, the rig may list, but it will get off the trail. Other spares include a driveshaft, an extra yoke, and spare 14-bolt shafts. Those don’t brake too frequently, but it’s nice to know you have spares.

7 4

No, the M-715 isn’t broken down; the hood is only up so we can check everything out. At the same time there’s something we like about a patina’d old truck with the hood up. An old truck in its natural environment. This thing is covered with good ideas to save space and build a reliable self-sustaining trail rig.

TECH SPECS 1968 MILITARY JEEP M-715 DRIVETRAIN

ENGINE: 2009 Chrysler 5.7L Hemi V-8 TRANSMISSION: 2007 Ram truck 545RFE TRANSFER CASE: Offroad Designs Magnum

Box and Ford NP205 FRONT AXLE: 2004 Ford ball-joint Dana 60

with ARB Air Locker, RCV shafts, 5.38:1 gears REAR AXLE: GM full-float Corporate 14-bolt, ARB Air Locker, chromoly shafts, and 5.38:1 gears

SUSPENSION SPRINGS & SUCH: K5 Chevy Blazer lift

springs; 6-inch lift springs in front and 4-inch lift springs in rear, Fox shocks TIRES & WHEELS: 39x13.50R17 BFG KX Krawlers “red label” sticky-compound tires on 17x9 KMC Slab wheels STEERING: PSC ram assist OTHER STUFF: Warn 8274-50 winch, lots of spares in the bed, Hot Wire Auto standalone Hemi engine harness, Flex-a-Lite radiator, Daystar bumpstops, ORD NP205 Twin-Stick shifters, Arctec Axle truss

7 56

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

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FEATURE

4BRONCOTU DIESEL-POWERED EARLY BRONCO

URBO 2

The engine bay is absolutely perfect, from the paint to the hydroboost brakes to the 4BT engine that is clean enough to eat off. The engine came out of a bread truck and has been left stock for reliability. A Speedway Motors aluminum radiator and custom fan shroud keep it cool, while the engine breathes through an airbox from a Duramax, of all things.

Harry Wagner

EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY HARRY WAGNER

Doug built the front bumper out of 1⁄4 -inchthick aluminum and fitted it with a Warn Zeon 10 winch with synthetic cable. The bumper maximizes approach angle and matches the lines of the classic Bronco.

ONESTLY, WE DON’T EVEN

know where to start with Doug Brown’s 1966 Bronco. At first glance it looks like a clean, uncut Early Bronco that spends most of the time in the garage. The paint is perfect, and the skinny BFGoodrich tires and American Racing wheels really complete the look. Then he fires up the engine, and it is immediately obvious that there isn’t a 289 under the hood. Actually, it has a four-cylinder engine: a 4BT Cummins turbodiesel. Doug bought the engine off of eBay with 60,000 miles on it and installed it in his Bronco as part of a four-year restromod that started back in 2009. That’s just the start of things though. The Cummins is backed by an NV3500 manual transmission rowed by a JB Custom Fab shifter. This is a modern five-speed manual with a hydraulic clutch linkage and easy shifting. Doug rows the gears on a regular basis, as this Bronco is his daily driver. “It gets about 24 miles per gallon on my 20-mile drive to work,” he tells us. “I’ve put about 40,000 miles on it since I swapped the engine in.” As if that weren’t enough, the NV3500 is mated to an Advance Adapters Atlas II transfer case with a 3.8:1 low-range ratio. This allows Doug to tip-toe through trails like the Rubicon and Hell’s Revenge in Moab. The Bronco has received a few battle scars along the way, but Doug takes it all in stride. It seems like a small price to pay for a vintage 4x4/daily driver/rockcrawler all in one! 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

4BRONCOTURBO

You can definitely “hear it coming ” It has been through the Rubicon and to Moab. The biggest limitation is that the body sticks out farther than the tires.

Doug built an aluminum skidplate for the 23-gallon BC Broncos fuel tank that feeds the Cummins engine. The 3-inch stainless exhaust routes around the fuel tank and dumps behind the rear axle. Despite the 4BT’s reputation, Doug’s engine doesn’t belch a bunch of black smoke.

TECH SPECS 1966 FORD BRONCO DRIVETRAIN

ENGINE: Cummins 4BT diesel TRANSMISSION: NV3500 5-speed manual TRANSFER CASE: Advance Adapters Atlas II FRONT AXLE: Dana 44 with 3.50 gears and

ARB Air Locker REAR AXLE: Ford 9-inch with 3.50 gears

and ARB Air Locker

The 1966 Bronco originally came with a Dana 30 axle, but it was replaced by a stock-width Dana 44 filled with 3.50 gears and an ARB Air Locker. If the gear ratio seems high to you, consider that the torque peak of the 4BT occurs at 1,600 rpm. Chromoly axleshafts route power out to the MileMarker hubs.

The heavy diesel engine is supported by 21⁄2 inch coil springs from Tom’s Bronco Parts and CAGE extended radius arms. They are assisted by Bilstein 7100 remote-reservoir shocks. A 2-inch body lift wasn’t necessarily required for the 33-inch tall BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain KM2 pizza cutters as much as the tall 4BT engine.

5 60

Despite the perfect paint and uncut rear fenders, this Bronco actually gets wheeled.

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

Doug Brown built the bumpers himself out of 1⁄4 -inch aluminum. The rear bumper has recessed LED backup lights and a trick spare tire carrier. The pivot is from Chassis Unlimited, and the carrier holds not only a spare but also a Hi-Lift jack and a complete spare hub and brake assembly. The rear seat of the Bronco was jettisoned in favor of storage space. Under the factory roll bar, two big 5-pound fire extinguishers flank an ammo can and a small toolbox. Note how both are secured to angle iron with ratchet straps so they don’t go through the windshield.

The rear axle is a 31-spline Ford 9-inch with an ARB Air Locker and 3.50 gears. A Ruff Stuff Specialties pinion guard bolts to the front of the third member and protects the driveline yoke and U-joint. The axle is suspended by leaf springs from Tom’s Bronco Parts and Bilstein 7100 monotube shocks.

SUSPENSION SPRINGS & SUCH: Tom’s Bronco Parts

coil springs and CAGE extended radius arms, Bilstein 7100 shocks (front); Tom’s Bronco Parts leaf springs and Bilstein 7100 shocks (rear) TIRES & WHEELS: 255/85R16 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain KM2s on 16x8 American Racing Ansen Sprint rims STEERING: 76 Bronco power steering box, Flaming River steering column, Extreme Custom Fabrication tie rod and draglink OTHER STUFF: Custom aluminum bumpers, Warn Zeon 10, tire carrier with complete hub and brake rotor, Speedway Motors radiator, BC Broncos 23-gallon fuel tank, Duramax air box, ARB twin air compressor, Vanco hydroboost brakes, Ruff Stuff pinion guard, H4 headlights, aluminum intercooler, JB Custom Fab shifter and boot, Wild Horses Highlander hood, Bestop seats, Dakota Digital gauges, MileMarker hubs 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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TECHNICAL

IFE IS FULL OF HURDLES, BUT

hurdles are far easier to overcome in a lifted 4x4. So, after running a few trails in our 2012 FJ Cruiser Project and quickly finding the ground clearance limits, a lift and larger tires were the first boxes to be checked on our build list. First, a bit about the project. Introduced in 2006, the FJ Crusier was a throwback to the legendary Land Cruiser FJ40 and was a polarizing exercise in style by

Toyota that channels either love or hate for most enthusiasts. Middle ground is scarce. However, underneath its subjective aesthetics, the FJ is packed with some serious, off-the-used-car-lot-capable hardware. An optional rear locker (which ours has), a 2.566:1 low-range, and a tough, coil-sprung solid rear axle are all part of the off-road equation. Add to the mix ATRAC, a wheel-speed-sensor-based traction aid, and Toyotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legendary reliability, and you have a pretty competent

ONWARD & UPWARD

wheeler. Prices for used examples of the breed have held high over the last couple of years but are beginning to taper off enough that a mid-mileage unit can be had for reasonable fare. FJs were sold until 2014 and over their lifespan were offered in two iterations. The year break between those occurred in 2010, and later vehicles got a revamped engine with a slight power and fuel economy bump and a stouter rear axle with a ring gear measuring 8.2 inches and with larger spline counts on the pinion gear. There were a few other differences, but they are subtle and not deal breakers if the price is right. Back to this â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Yota at hand. With nearly 80,000 miles on the clock it was time

GIVING AN FJ CRUISER A TOYTEC BOSS LIFT FOR 33s

Evan Perkins

EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY EVAN PERKINS 62

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

1 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

to elevate its status in life. The plan for the build was to add reasonably priced upgrades, beginning with a 3-inch lift from Toytec ($2,436.86 including SPC control arms) and a set of 285/75R17 Toyo Open Country M/T tires. The ultimate goal was a competent off-roading overlander with enough traction, gearing, and capability to get out of a sticky situation, and the just enough gear for moderate creature comfort. Follow along as we tackle the first part of that goal.

Like bacon and eggs, pancakes and syrup, and various other breakfast-based analogies, a lift kit and bigger tires is a match made in heaven. This Boss Performance kit from Toytec Lifts provides much improved off-road performance and raises the FJ 3 inches. Combined with the (roughly 34x11.50) 285/75R17 Toyo Open Country M/T tires, which are 21⁄2 inches larger than stock, total lift comes in 51⁄2 inches.

Removing the sway-bar endlink makes for much more working room. Detach all of

the 10mm bolts holding the ABS brake cable in place. It’s even better practice to unclip the cable and temporarily tie it somewhere safe. We learned the hard way that it’s a fragile, fickle thing. If disturbed, it will light the dash up like the Griswold house on Christmas Eve.

Unbolt the upper control arms. This is a 12-inch-long bolt that passes all the way through the arm’s pivot points. It slides out toward the battery and, due to its length, is a snug fit to remove.

Disassembly on the front is pretty straightforward. Shortly we found ourselves ready to install the Toytec Boss Performance coilovers. They feature a nitrogen-charged, 21⁄2 -inch body with a floating piston design. A threaded adjuster allows the included 600 lb-in springs to be adjusted for ride height, and spherical hemi joints at both ends permit maximum wheel travel.

The Toytec coilovers install in exactly the same way as the OEM struts, making them a quick install into the chassis.

The top hat of the Toytecs installs in the factory frame cup with the brass fitting facing outward. This is the fill point.

On the bottom side of the coilover, the factory bolt slides through the spherical joint and is reused.

The Toytec lift does require aftermarket control arms, which is not a bad thing given the factory piece’s stamped origins. We used Special Products Company (SPC) units, which are made from much stronger forged steel. They feature xAxis sealed flex joints and greaseable ball joints and offer an improved 80 degrees of articulation.

The SPC arms install directly in place of the factory arms and, in addition to strength, have significantly more camber and caster adjustability built in. The ball joint assembly slides fore and aft and can be clocked to relocate the wheel for alignment and additional tire clearance.

The SPC ball joints come ungreased, so before operation they will need to be filled. We took the opportunity to grease all of the other fittings on the car, including the driveshaft and U-joints.

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

ONWARD & UPWARD

Two steps remain before the front suspension is complete. On 2010 and newer FJs, the radiator core support needs to be dropped, using the supplied spacers. This prevents interference with the sway-bar brackets, which also needs to be lowered (on all model years). Toytec supplies simple yet effective spacers to do that job.

With the front completed, we moved to the rear, supporting the frame on jackstands and using a floor jack to support the axle. Disassembly here is very simple, requiring only that the ABS line (for good measure) and rear shocks are removed allowing the axle to fall so the springs can be removed.

Toytec provides two Superflex coil spring options with the BOSS Performance lift. We opted to go with the Superflex HD springs, which provide 3 inches of lift but are also stiffer to accommodate steel bumpers and the weight of the camping cargo we plan to carry. Note the difference in height between the Toytec spring (right) and factory spring (left).

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

A rubber spring seat/locator inside the original coil springs is reused when the Superflex springs get installed. We ended up unhooking the track bar to get the rear end to drop a smidge more. Installing the springs is an exertion, and our axle certainly made us sweat to get them properly located. In order for the bumpstops to function properly and prevent frame-to-axle collision or over-compression of the shocks, Toytec provides a billet aluminum spacer. This installs where the bumpstop used to reside, and the bumpstop bolts below it.

We opted for Toytec’s Boss 2.0 remotereservoir shocks. These have more oil capacity than a conventional monotube to prevent fading over prolonged travel on rough terrain. They install exactly like an OEM shock with the exception of one mounting hole to support the reservoir. We drilled a small hole on the frame and mounted the reservoir bracket, which was then secured via hose clamps.

The next, and equally important, piece of the puzzle was a set of Toyo Open Country mud-terrain tires. This 285/75/R17 size can be mounted on factory FJ wheels. The overall diameter spec’d in at 34 inches. Their aggressive tread pattern and extremely thick side walls make them ideal for aggressive off-roading. Highway noise is on par with many all-terrain tires. Our Toyo Open Country spare was just a hair too big and rubbed on the bumper after mounting. A simple fix was to redrill the mounting pattern on the tire carrier. Each of the four holes was moved about 3⁄8 inch upwards, which allowed the whole carrier to be remounted with clearance to spare!

SOURCES SPECIALTY PRODUCTS CO. (SPC)

800.525.6505 spcalignment.com

TOYO TIRES

800.442.8696 toyotires.com TOYTEC LIFTS

866.254.0076 toyteclifts.com 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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G O T O WA R N . C O M T O L E A R N M O R E .

NEW PRODUCTS

4WOR staff

EDITOR@4WOR.COM

MORRYDE TRAIL KITCHEN The new Trail Kitchen incorporates a sliding tray and collapsible table that is designed to fit easily in any vehicle with a flat floor. It can be paired with additional accessories, bringing a functioning kitchen to the trail. The Trail Kitchen can include a Dometic 35CT combination refrigeratorfreezer (the tray fits other fridge models also), a countertop with a portable Coleman grill, a storage compartment to hold silverware, a countertop extension with a sink, on-demand water, and a Molle grid with additional storage. INFORMATION: MorRyde, 574.293.1581, morryde.com.

ICON JEEP JL 21⁄2 -INCH LIFT Icon Vehicle Dynamics offers 21⁄2 -inch suspension systems for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL. Aimed at improving on- and off-road ride quality, these systems include dual-rate coil springs, 2.0 Aluminum Series shocks, link arms, front and rear bumpstops, sway bar end links, and all necessary hardware. Claimed benefits are accommodating 35-inch tires (or even 37s when using the optional bumpstop spacer kit) and wheel-travel gains of more than 30 percent. INFORMATION: Icon Vehicle Dynamics, 951.689.4266, iconvehicledynamics.com.

BILSTEIN B8 6112 COILOVERS

YOKOHAMA GEOLANDAR X-MT Yokohama’s new Geolandar is designed for extreme off-road use. The X-MT features tread blocks engineered for superior traction on irregular surfaces and excellent selfcleaning capabilities. Shoulder and sidewall tread offer additional traction, protection, and rugged looks. A high-density triple-polymer tread compound is formulated to provide both long tread life and compliant off-road traction with reduced road noise. Construction is three plies with a full nylon cover and extra sidewall thickness. Ten initial sizes will fit 17- to 20-inch wheel diameters with outside diameters up to 40 inches. INFORMATION: Yokohama Tire, 800.722.9888, yokohamatire.com. 66

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

The new series of Bilstein coilovers is designed with daily driven trucks and SUVs in mind. Features include 60mm (2.65-inch) bodies, allowing greaterthan-stock oil capacity that aids cooling/ combats cavitation and fade, and provides longterm durability. Further, the adjustable spring seats offer up to 23⁄4 inches of lift depending on application. The linear springs are made from cold-wound steel for improved ride and comfort. Valving is vehicle specific. Applications are available for many popular latemodel 1⁄2 -ton applications for Fords, Chevys/ GMCs, Toyotas, and Nissans. INFORMATION: Bilstein, 800.537.1085, bilsteinus.com. 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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84-01 XJ 3” Kit..................$284.95 84-01 XJ 4.5” Kit...............$474.95 87-96 YJ 2.5” Kit...............$474.95 87-96 YJ 4” Kit..................$474.95 97-06 TJ 2.5” Kit...............$379.95 97-06 TJ 4” Kit..................$503.45 07-17 JK 1.75” Kit.............$259.95 07-17 JK 3.5” Kit...............$541.45 2018 JL 2.5” Kit.................$149.95

14-18 1500...........6" Kit.....$999.99 07-13 1500........7.5” Kit......$949.95 01-08 2500 NO HD 6” Kit $1301.45 00-10 2500HD......6” Kit....$1139.95 11-18 2500HD......5" Kit....$1399.95 11-18 3500...........5” Kit....$1399.95

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94-99 1500.............5” Kit.....$807.45 06-08 1500.............6” Kit.....$999.95 Toyota 03-08 2500/3500....4” Kit.....$915.27 95.5-04 TACOMA 4” Kit...$1669.95 03-07 2500/3500....5” Kit.....$854.95 05-15 TACOMA 6” Kit......$949.95 03-13 2500/3500....6” Kit.....$899.95 16-18 TACOMA 6“ Kit......$999.95 09-11 1500.............6” Kit.....$1234.95 07-15 TUNDRA 6” Kit......$999.95 12-17 1500.............6” Kit.....$1329.95 16-18 TUNDRA 6” Kit......$1139.95 14-18 2500.............5" Kit.....$999.99

15-18 F150................6” Kit....$1139.95 2014 F150.................6” Kit.....$949.95 11-13 F150................6” Kit.....$949.95 09-10 F150............... 6” Kit.....$999.95 04-08 F150................6” Kit.....$999.95 17-18 F250................6" Kit....$949.95 11-14 F250................6" Kit.....$835.95 99-04 F250 & F350...2” Kit.....$389.95 00-04 F250 & F350...4” Kit.....$689.95 99-04 F250 & F350...6” Kit.....$789.95 00-04 F250 & F350....8” Kit......$1329.95 05-10 F250 & F350...6” Kit.....$854.95

If you do not see a kit for your truck give us a call!

All Prices Subject To Change - All Prices Subject To Change - All Prices Subject To Change Extreme Country

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$299.99 This is a sample of our inventory. For a complete list of sizes, prices, and specials visit NTWonline.com or call (800)-847-3287. www.NTWonline.com

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For Complete List Of Sizes And Prices Visit www.NTWonline.com Or Call (800)-847-3287

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Thanks to all of our sponsors and participants for their support. Without them, none of this would have been possible! If you missed the action, check out #JPDND18

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Giving back: This event raised $1,000 for United Four Wheel Drive Associations!

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NEW PRODUCTS SUMMIT CLEAR VIEW OIL FILTERS Clear View oil filters from Summit have sight windows that allow visual inspection of the oil’s condition as it is being pumped through the engine. When the engine isn’t running, the Clear View filter can reportedly be emptied without draining any oil or loosening any fittings to inspect the element and any particles. The oil filters feature a clear or black anodized 6061-T6 billet aluminum housing and 1⁄2 -inch-thick clear polycarbonate sight windows. The stainless steel mesh filter elements are available in 60- and 150-micron versions that can be cleaned and reused. The filter assemblies are rated to 150 psi maximum pressure and 200 degrees F maximum temperature. Fourinch-diameter assemblies have two inlet and outlet ports for -12 AN fittings; 6-inch assemblies come with -12 or -16 AN inlet/outlet ports. Accessories include replacement filter elements, sight windows, and housing O-rings, engine adapters, and bracket kits. INFORMATION: Summit Racing Equipment, 800.230.3030, summitracing.com.

DAKOTA CUSTOMS JEEP JL RECALIBRATION MODULE The JL Live Mod calibration tool from Dakota Customs allows new Jeep Wranglers to be reprogrammed to accept aftermarket modifications. User-programmable settings include nonstock tire size, aftermarket axle and transfer-case gearing, TPMS warning pressure adjustments, start/stop and traction control disabling, zero to 60 time capturing, daytime running light settings, and more. The Live Mod plugs into the OBD-II connector. INFORMATION: Dakota Customs, 605.858.0092, dakota-customs.com.

ARB COLORADO SUMMIT BUMPER ARB now offers its latest bumper style for 2015-current Chevrolet Colorado models. The ARB Summit features press-formed cover straps, larger ARB foglight and surrounds, a three-piece split pan grille, and a mount for a Warm winch up to 10,000 pounds with access doors for winch clutch operation and a recessed winch control box mount. Other features include two Hi-Lift jack points, ARB indicator and clearance lights, airbag compatibility, and mounts for auxiliary lights. Finish is textured matte black powdercoat. INFORMATION: ARB, 425.264.1391, arbusa.com. 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

NUTS & BOLTS built a set of custom brackets that allowed the comfy MasterCrafts to take the place of the stock seats. To our knowledge no offthe-shelf mounting brackets exist, so you would need to take your truck to a competent custom fabricator like Randy Ellis Design to have MasterCrafts installed in your Ram. Fred reports that the seats were well worth the effort, even years later.

XTERRA BEEF

Q MASTERCRAFT RAM

How did Fred install the MasterCraft seats in his Ram? I have a 2013 Ram Power Wagon Tradesman that I want to install those seats in, and I cannot find seat brackets for them, nor can I find anything on the forums. MATT G.

Via nuts@4wor.com

Fred did an article on swapping MasterCraft seats into his Project White Truck 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 several years ago. Unfortunately, it appears that the article has been swallowed by an internet vortex. Randy Ellis Design (randyellisdesign.com)

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

My dad just handed me the keys to our family’s old 2003 Nissan Xterra. It’s a tank at 230,000 miles and counting, but obviously, at that age, it needed some work. We put about $1,800 into the engine and suspension to bring it back up to speed, and it’s running stronger than ever. I’m hoping I could get some pointers on the right way to go about a moderate aftermarket suspension lift (about 3 inches) and equipping 36-inch mud tires since I want it to be an overlanding truck. Basically I just want a fresh clean look and then light mods like a Rancho lift and some bigger tires. Would this be feasible on a budget? And if I only wanted to do light resto would an engine swap with a newer V-6 or even an upgrade to a V-8 be viable? I’m aiming to make it sort of a daily driver that I could also take to the trails for camping and light adventuring. MIKE W.

Via nuts@4wor.com

We’ve always had a soft spot for Nissan Xterras and have been a little puzzled by why we don’t see more of them out on the trails. Your Xterra has a lot of miles on it, but as your family already figured out, they last a long time if you take care of them. As for your plans, we’re not sure that 36-inch tires are practical or even necessary for your application. Overland rigs are usually on the milder end of the spectrum, and 36-inch tires are pretty aggressive for overlanding. Plus, larger tires are hard on equipment. Your Xterra is equipped with IFS and was designed to accommodate 265/70R16 tires, which are about 30.5 inches tall. Making enough room to squeeze 36s on the vehicle is going to be difficult, and the stock front axle and suspension components just won’t be up to the task of handling such a large tire and wheel package. The bottom line is that if you want to keep things mild, reliable, and streetable, we’d recommend 33- or 35-inch tires. As for a lift kit, you have a few different options. Rancho (gorancho.com) offers a 3-inch lift for your Xterra that includes new upper control arms for the front and a combination add-a-leaf and extended shackle for the rear. The front suspension uses torsion bars, and the Rancho lift gains front height by essentially cranking up the preload in the torsion bars. The upper control arm helps correct alignment and extension travel with the additional preload. Calmini (calmini.com) also offers a 3-inch system, but it’s a little more extensive. The Calmini kit adds torsion bars, two additional add-a-leaves per side, sway bar links, and upper ball joints. Though it includes more components, the Calmini system carries a bigger price tag to match. Both kits would do the job, especially if you stick with 33-inch tires. Though we wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for a daily driver on a budget, Calmini also offers a pretty extensive solid-axle conversion that enables you to replace the fairly marginal IFS with a solid front axle from a 1980-1985 Jeep Wagoneer. It’s expensive and pretty involved, but the kit is largely bolt-on with only welding to the donor axlehousing required. It might be a bit of overkill for an overland vehicle, but it’s good to know that it’s available should you decide to get more extreme with your vehicle. While anything is possible with enough time and money, we’re probably stick with the stock engine in your Xterra. Engine swap support for Nissan trucks is virtually nonex4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

Trenton McGee NUTS@4WOR.COM

istent, and shoehorning a V-8 under the hood would be a major challenge (not to mention requiring a significant amount of money). Plus, unlike a lot of other vehicles in its class, the stock V-6 engines offer decent power. Even the four-bangers aren’t too bad. We’d strongly recommend just living with that you have, or if you’re dead set on an engine swap, your choices would be either a complete drivetrain swap from a better-supported application (such as a Chevy S-10) or obtaining a complete V-6 donor Nissan truck from a similar year and swapping everything over. Keep in mind that with either scenario, it would probably be better to start with either a V-6 Xtrerra or a completely different platform.

REAR AXLE BEEF

Please explain the differences (both pluses and minuses) of the Dana 80, the Dana 70, and the GM 14-bolt 1-ton rearends. For the sake of discussion, assume that all are full-floating rear axles and have the same gear ratio. Which is stronger and can pull or carry the heaviest load?

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Via nuts@4wor.com

You ask some great questions, but unfortunately the answers aren’t so cutand-dried. As you suggested, we are limiting this discussion to rear axles (there’s such a thing as a Dana 70 front) and full-floating designs. A full-floating axle means that vehicle and cargo weight are carried by the axlehousing, while the axleshafts only transfer torque. Full-floaters have that distinctive, large-diameter center hub that protrudes from the center of the wheel, whereas semifloating axle designs require the axleshafts to both carry vehicle and cargo weight as well as transfer torque. There were semifloating 14-bolt axles that are sometimes confused with their heavy-duty counterparts, but they share little in common with fullfloating 14-bolts other than the name. There are many other differences to take into account when talking about the overall strength of an axle, including pinion shaft diameter and spline count, axle tube diameter and thickness, single or dual wheels, and more. But ring gear diameter and axleshaft thickness are good baseline comparisons when discussing the overall capacity of axle. A Dana 80 has a ring gear diameter of 11.25 inches, the Dana 70 measures 10.50, and the 14-bolt measures 10.25. Why is ring gear diameter important? The larger the ring gear, the greater the contact area or engagement between the ring and the pinion and there4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD OCTOBER 2018

NUTS & BOLTS fore the greater the torque capacity of the axle. Dana 80 axles can be 35- or 37-spline and 1.50 or 1.58 inches, respectively. Most Dana 70s are 35-spline with a diameter of 1.50 inches, while most 14-bolts have 30-spline, 1.50-inch-diameter shafts. The smaller spline count of the 14-bolt is a little misleading because the splines are a different pitch than the Dana axles and are generally considered to be the equivalent of a 35-spline shaft. The most important statistic to compare between the axles is the axle weight rating

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stated by the manufacturer, but this is also where things get really muddy. According to several sources, a Dana 80 can have a Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) of up to 11,000 pounds. A Dana

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70 can have a weight rating of up to 10,000 pounds, but 8,000 pounds is much more common. A 14-bolt can have up to an 8,600-pound GAWR. The greater the loadcarrying capacity of the axle, the greater the strength. So what’s with all of this “up to” nonsense? Well, the weight rating of the axle was technically rated by the vehicle manufacturer as opposed to the axle manufacturer. In reality the vehicle manufacturers often de-rated the axle based on the specific vehicle it was being used under. Several factors are in play here, the biggest of which are gear ratio and tire size/ configuration. It’s common to see a lighter weight rating with 3.55 gears and a heavier rating with 4.10 gears on trucks that are otherwise identical. Single and dual tires make a big difference, as do tire specifications. All three axles can be found under trucks that touch the medium-duty truck category and can sometimes be found spec’d with 19.5-inch-diameter wheels, which in turn enable a whole different weight class of tires from 16- and 17-inch sizes. These, plus a whole bunch of truckrelated factors (engine, transmission, and much more) dictate the final rating of the specific axle. In the end we can speak generally about the capacity of an axle, and people often default to the maximum rating available for each model. While that’s not entirely wrong, technically the rating of the axle is more dependent on the truck it came from than anything else. So, back to your question. By the numbers, the load-carrying and therefore torque capacity of the three axles from weakest to strongest is: 14-bolt, Dana 70, and Dana 80. Even so, reality and experience says 14-bolt axles are more than adequate for all but the most extreme offroad uses. Dana 70s are also good but have comparatively limited ratio and locker availability, while Dana 80s are generally overkill and can hurt ground clearance more than the others. But if you’re strictly wanting to know which one is the strongest and can carry the most weight, it’s the Dana 80. 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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WHOOPS!

SHOULDA 1-TON’D!

was part of a small group having fun near Florence, Arizona, in my 2002 GMC Yukon with 6-inch lift, 35s, and a limited slip in the 10-bolt rear. The others got up a steep rocky incline and I was sure I could make it. Famous last words, right? I got midway up and heard a loud pang and a ton of rattling. I rolled back down the hill into the sandy wash. I crawled under the SUV in the wash and opened up the diff cover to see the driverside axle twisted apart. We called a few people we thought could help and found my good buddy’s brother, but he lived on the west side of Phoenix about 21⁄2 hours from where we were. We found a NAPA that was both open on Sunday and also had all the parts I needed to get back running. So I ordered

SUBMISSION INFORMATION Send us your wheeling foul-ups! Letters must be signed by the vehicle’s owner. Due to the large volume of mail we receive, we regret that not all submissions can be used and none will be returned. Digital photos must measure at least 1,600 by 1,200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file. WRITE TO: Whoops!, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245 FAX TO: 818.566.8501 EMAIL TO: whoops@4wor.com 74

OCTOBER 2018 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

almost $500 in parts over the phone (poor credit card), tore the rear end down, and headed back to camp to relax a little and wait for the parts to arrive. Once the parts got to camp we headed back to the Yukon, and while I was working on the vehicle my buddies played Frisbee and did a little side romping. I had to pound new studs into the new axle, and clean all the shavings and sand out of the axletube and diff housing. Once all that was done, careful installation of all the parts had to be done to ensure that no sand would end up in the assembly. The next morning we packed up camp loaded trailers up and started to head out. I was in the rear and just taking my time out when I noticed a wobble from my front end as well as a clink, clink, clink from my driver-front wheel. I jacked up the front, and as I suspected the front hub bearing

OCTOBER 2018

Christian Hazel WHOOPS@4WOR.COM

was shot. What a wonderful weekend this turned out to be. I pulled the front tire off and removed the brakes and rotor. The bearing literally fell apart once I gave it freedom. I unbolted the hosing, and by this time my bud was back to see what happened to me. We dropped his trailer next to my turd and headed into town hoping that there was some part store open midday on Presidents Day. NAPA again was the winner. I bought an overpriced front hub assembly for the SUV. Once back at the turd pile I installed the new hub and we were off. Made it the rest of the way home without any more problems, just a lot later, a lot poorer, and a lot more tired than I would have liked to have been after a calming weekend camping trip. MATT BENTZ

Chandler, AZ

VOLUME 41, NUMBER 10

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