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CONTENTS

APRIL 2020, VOL.57, NO.4

COVER SECTION

TIRE BLITZ!

16 DICK CEPEK TRAIL COUNTRY EXP Torture testing Dick Cepek’s do-it-all rubber

20 GENERAL GRABBER X3 Testing in boulders, a blizzard, and everything in between

26 REINING IN RUGGED TERRAIN We drive Federal’s new Xplora R/T rugged-terrain tire

30 TIRE GUIDE The newest and hottest rubber for 2020

FEATURES & EVENTS

38 DARING 10 A solid-axle Chevy built with dollar-smart parts

44 2019 TIRERACK.COM OVERLAND ADVENTURE EAST Kicking off the adventure at Rausch Creek Off-Road

52 OBJECTIVE-BASED FOUR-WHEELING

Is this the way you should be building your vehicle? It worked well for Matt Patterson and Samantha Wilson’s ’01 Jeep Cherokee

56 2019 OVERLAND EXPO EAST Rigs and happenings of the East’s premiere adventure travel show

60 LIFE IN OVERLAND This ’18 Ram Power Wagon didn’t need much to help ease Patrick James over obstacles

70 34 HEAD-TURNING, GAZERIVETING 2019 SEMA 4X4S All sizes, all shapes, all awesome

82 TRAIL’S END

DEPARTMENTS 6 FIRING ORDER 8 INBOX 10 RPM

14 PARTS RACK 78 TECHLINE 81 CALENDAR

Vega mudder: From family wagon to mud-slinging monster

ROAD TEST 66 NISSAN’S DESTINATION FRONTIER IS YOUR BUDGET OVERLANDER Overland and under budget

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WWW.FOURWHEELER.COM EDITORIAL Network Content Director Sean P. Holman Editor Ken Brubaker Managing Editor/Ad Coordinator Bill Klein Staff Editor Jered Korfhage Social Media Director Brandon Scarpelli ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Creative Director Alan Muir Design Director Markas Platt READER SERVICES Four Wheeler, P. O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL321420235, 800/777-0555, 386/447-6385 (intl), or e-mail fourwheelr@emailcustomerservice.com. Please include name, address, and phone number on any inquiries. Occasionally, our subscriber list is made available to repu-

COMING NEXT MONTH: PART 2 OF THE TIRERACK.COM OVERLAND ADVENTURE EAST

table firms offering goods and services we believe would be of interest to our readers. If you prefer to be excluded, please send your current address label and note requesting to be excluded from these promotions to TEN: Publishing Media, LLC, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245, Attn: Privacy Coordinator. Back Issues: To order back issues, visit TENbackissues.com. Reprints: For high-quality custom reprints and eprints, please contact The YGS Group at 800/290-5460 or TENreprints@theygsgroup.com. Submissions: Any submissions or contributions from readers shall be subject to and governed by TEN: Publishing Mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s User Content Submission Terms and Conditions, which are posted at http://www.enthusiastnetwork.com/submissions. ADVERTISING INFORMATION Please call the Four Wheeler advertising department at 310/531-9183. Related publications: Hot Rod and Motor Trend.

Copyright 2020 by TEN: Publishing Media, LLC. All rights reserved PRINTED IN THE USA The Four Wheeler trademark is a registered trademark of Motor Trend Group, LLC. Under license by TEN: Publishing Media, LLC.

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Cellphone Cameras and 4x4s M

y gray head of hair is probably a tipoff that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen a few years. And those years sure have seen some interesting changes. I was slapped upside my gray head on this topic as I was going through some old wheeling photos from back in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s. Back then, if you wanted to show your buds photos of your wheeling forays you trotted out a photo album. I was never that orderly, my photos were in a stack with a rubber band around â&#x20AC;&#x2122;em mixed in with tools in the center console of my Scout. And if you wanted photos of your wheeling exploits you actually had to bring a camera. Back then, about the time that REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, and Styx were dominating the record charts, there were no cellphones with cameras. Heck, I was still â&#x20AC;&#x153;soupingâ&#x20AC;? print B&W film in my kitchen and hanging the film from the ceiling to dry. Things began to change dramatically in regard to photography in the late â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90s when digital cameras began to come on strong. The first digital camera I ever used was a Kodak DC50. At the time it was cutting edge even though it was the size of a pair of binoculars, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a screen to see the photos youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve taken, and had a sensor resolution of only 0.38 megapixels. Nonetheless, I took the camera to the Telluride Rotary 4x4 Tour in Telluride, Colorado, and gathered images from the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trail ride that I was able to show my fellow wheelers almost immediately on my laptop. This was amazing for the era, because film photography, which required waiting for the Back in 2005, during our ninefilm to be processed, was the norm. The ability to day, nine-state H2our De Force road trip, digital photography view a digital photo almost instantaneously was made it easier to get photos on quite the deal. And digital photography translated fourwheeler.com, though public to a much quicker publish time on websites. internet was a bit hard to find. But, this tech was expensive. A laptop and digital photography story that affected wheelers everycamera purchased in the late â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90s was FAR more expensive than they are today. And by comparison, where was the integration of cameras into cellphones. Without question, the pairing of the two rudimentary. made it super easy to share stuff like trail and Digital photographyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effect on Four Wheeler build photos. Folks who loved to document things was incredible. By 2005, our film cameras had like this found it much easier to share said photos been retired and all our photography was done and folks who had maybe never had an interest using DSLR cameras. This allowed us to streamin photography were taking and sharing photos. line getting content into the magazine and onto Video soon followed and its effect on the wheeling fourwheeler.com. Our website was rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with world was massive. Eventually, along came social new content arriving quicker than ever and the media, which opened up an entirely new way to Four Wheeler staff was blogging on 4x4 topics relentlessly, supported by digital photography. But, share wheeling photos with the wheeling world. Nowadays, a 4x4 on an obstacle probably cellphones with cameras were still rather rare. has a slew of cellphones pointed at it. And During that yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s H2our De Force, where then many 4x4s are outfitted with video cameras. Four Wheeler Tech Editor Sean Holman and I drove a Hummer H2 SUT 3,698 miles across nine Personally, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m OK with this because I love seeing your wheeling photos and videos. And states, wheeling in every state along the way, our Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to say thank you for emailing photos of biggest challenge to getting our photos and blogs your 4x4s, builds, and off-road adventures. on fourwheeler.com was finding a web access Please keep â&#x20AC;&#x2122;em coming! We love being able to point. There just werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too many public places include them on fourwheeler.com and in Four to access the Internet back then. We got very creative in finding access points, from working in a Wheeler magazine. And thank you for tagging #fourwheelermag in your off-road social posts. I laundry room at a campground to parking outside enjoy seeing your wheeling photos and builds. of a pack-n-ship business at 1 a.m. And the Wi-Fi â&#x20AC;&#x201C;KEN BRUBAKER speed was slower than a Unimog in low range. KEN.BRUBAKER@FOURWHEELER.COM Arguably the biggest milestone in the digital PHOTOS: KEN BRUBAKER

6 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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BY TORI TELLEM EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM

A TALE OF OWNERSHIP Ever since I recognized myself, as a young adolescent boy stepping out into life’s playground, I have had an unrelenting, inquiring fondness for anything wheels and motor—you would probably be surprised at my personal repertoire’s variety and breadth. I remember about 20 years ago walking out front of my newly bought property and parked across the road was (unbeknown to me then) a new 38A, sitting high (in my eyes; actually sitting low in air-suspension access mode). Instant attraction, as I walked up and peered into its darkened windows and stood back again, the exquisite thought that one day I would have this “golden deer” urban creature. Ten years later, the dream was realized and I have owned the pictured one for 15 years. The history and its build with me is a story for another time; suffice to say, I am a pragmatist and a stickler for factory. However, I practically manifest appreciation of my personal unique preferences. JOHN VIA EMAIL

OG MONSTERS Loved your article on monster trucks! Here are a few pictures from 1988 outside AtlantaFulton County Stadium—back when they had the metal bodies and offered up a pretty stout ride. Really like Grave Digger in the metal body. Good story: I was at a gas station and a guy had big monster truck wheels on a trailer. Turned out it was the guy building the Carolina Crusher; pretty sure it was Gary Porter. Always was a fan of that truck once he started. PETE SNYDER VIA EMAIL

SCOUT FAMILY I was born in 1963, and my dad, Charles, (president of Desert Burros Four-Wheel Drive Club, 1970) bought his first ’64 Red Carpet Series Scout Model 800. From 2005 to the present, I have enjoyed building and offroading my ’67 Model 800 Scout, sporting a fuel-injected Ram Jet 350 engine, five-speed manual transmission, full four-link front-end with 3-inch Fox coilover shocks, and wishbone rear suspension with 3-inch coilover shocks. Other useful things added were a Warn winch, onboard belt-driven air compressor, and ARB front and back Air Lockers. It is the funnest truck I’ve ever owned and still sporting the Scout legacy. My dad also has a mint-condition ’79 Scout buried somewhere in his garage. ROBERT STORRIE VIA EMAIL

WHERE TO WRITE

NOTHING BUT V-8S I have driven both Ford and Chevy. My dad owned part of a Ford tractor dealership. There, I learned to drive and handle a truck and trailer. We had an F-400 with the 300. It was a slug, but I learned a lot about driving a loaded truck. The only way to get or keep rolling was to go as fast downhill as up! If lucky, you would lose momentum about the top of the next hill before grabbing a lower gear. Did not matter if loaded or unloaded! Foot to the floor! Anyway, no power steering and for sure no A/C. Was as bone-stock as you could get. I loved that truck! Also had other trucks, but all had that 300. My first Chevy had the six. No power, no fuel savings. Guess that’s why I have had nothing but V-8s since! HUGH SPEARS VIA EMAIL

PLOT TWIST My six-cylinder rig is an ’06 Dodge Ram 1500 six-speed manual shortbed regular cab. It is the only vehicle I have personally ever owned for myself (besides the three cars I’ve bought

ddress your correspondence to Four Wheeler, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245 or send an email to ken.brubaker@fourwheeler.com. All letters become the property of Four Wheeler, and we reserve the right to edit them for length, accuracy, and clarity. The editorial department can also be reached through the website at fourwheeler.com. Due to the volume of mail, electronic and otherwise, we cannot respond to every reader, but we do read everything.

8 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

for my wife). I got it in 2007 with 8,000 miles on it. I have added 160,000 miles to it over the past 12 1⁄2 years. It has completed road trips, ranging from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Boston, carrying my wife, 8 months pregnant with our first child. I detoured to Nashville, turning a 1,300-mile drive into a 2,000-mile one. That was the most scenic journey I’ve ever been on and to share it with the woman I love and do it in the truck I love nearly as much (don’t worry, my wife accepts it) was a privilege. Going on many weekend getaways to Key West via the famous overseas highway and hitting some of south Florida’s most remote mangrove trails, not to mention Orlando and Fort Myers for the off-road park, natural-springs camping, and Universal Studios fun kept my newfound life (originally from England countryside) very interesting. I may lose some of the readers’ respect right here by informing you that my truck is 2WD ... but with a suspension leveling kit, a set of 33-inch mud-terrain tires, and a rear locker, my vehicle goes almost anywhere a 4x4 goes. I really want a ’13 Ram Power Wagon, but I think for now I’ll just add a winch and larger tires with upgraded gears; being in the flat Sunshine State, I can get through the mud and sand just fine. All you really need is ground clearance and traction. Air down the tires, have recovery gear at the ready, and you’re good to go. Cheers for giving me the opportunity to show off my first love, who’s remained loyal to me for nearly half my life. ARTY MOLINARI VIA EMAIL

SCOUTING THROUGH GENERATIONS I have been into Scouts since before I could drive, when my dad had one and I would go ’wheeling with him on the weekends. I’m grown up and in my 40s—I still have a Scout and am part of the second generation of The Binder Bunch, one of the oldest Scout clubs in Colorado, and maybe in the U.S. I would love a chance to be in the magazine and featured as my dad was back in the 1990s with his Scout. I would love for my boys to see their old man in the magazine and give them something to shoot for when they’re older. JON CASSEL VIA EMAIL

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»»»That’s Interesting The 2019 SEMA Show may be over, but its awards will linger for a full year, including the Vehicles of the Year: the Chevy Silverado, truck; the Jeep Wrangler, 4x4/SUV; and the Polaris RZR, powersports. The ’21 Chevy Silverado HD Carhartt Special Edition may be a name too long to even abbreviate on a personalized license plate, but it’s a personalized vehicle, nevertheless. It’s a 2500 LTZ Crew Cab at its soul, outfitted with the Z71 Off-Road package, 20-inch wheels, soft tonneau, and more, along with other durability-themed odds and ends inside that are designed to speak to your demand for a work truck that was inspired by an apparel company. Maybe the other way around. It probably doesn’t matter. China got its new Jeep Commander PHEV. Fiat Chrysler said, “This is the first electrified vehicle in the global Jeep family and it also represents Jeep’s entry into China’s rapidly growing New Energy Vehicle market.” Trailblazer: As we’ve mentioned before, it’s back. It’s a small SUV. It’ll have available ACTIV trim for more

10 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

aggressiveness, with things like a specific fascia, ground-clearancefriendliness, suitable tires, and shock tuning. When the Trailblazer comes in spring 2020, look for it to start at less than $20,000. A Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety went to the ’20 Toyota Tacoma— when it’s outfitted with the particular headlights that made it safer. iseecars.com went seeking out which states opt for two-wheeldrives versus 4x4s. The state with the most two-bys? Plot twist—it was a tie between Florida and Hawaii. Those were followed by Louisiana, California, and Mississippi to round out the top five. In case you’re walking around telling people that no one is buying electric vehicles, allow us to give you another talking point, about how they’re currently outselling manual transmissions in the U.S. Get your Nissan Titan XD custom dualie conversion here: Z1 Motorsports. Well, technically get it from the company’s new division, Z1 OffRoad. Among a few of the changes

you’d get would be a tweaked suspension and axles and an ICON Vehicle Dynamics 3-inch lift. The ’20 RTR Ford Ranger just might show up at your local Ford dealership. It’ll have special parts, such as Fox 2.0 coilovers, Ford Performance exhaust, unique grille, and more RTR-stylized offerings, plus a serialized dash plaque signed by Vaughn Gittin Jr., the name behind RTR stuff. Recalls: About 528,594 ’11-’13 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos for an alleged issue with the fuel-pump relay. And it looks like GM is recalling more than 640,000 ’19-’20 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, and 3500 pickups with carpet due to an alleged issue with the seatbelt tensioner, that carpet, and possible fire. Sounds like once again the Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup is gaining forward momentum, now landing with a build location: Alabama. ALG Residual Value Awards are given to vehicles that are predicted to retain a high percentage of their MSRP over a 3-year stint. The 2020

model year goes to: Land Rover Range Rover and Discovery, Chevy Tahoe, and Jeep Wrangler in their various SUV categories and the GMC Sierra HD and Toyota Tacoma in the pickups arena. ’20 Toyota 4Runner Venture Edition: Yakima rack, 17-inch TRD wheels, all-weather mats, basically. 65 years of the small-block means a new small-block: Chevrolet Performance’s SP383 EFI crate engine. It’s based on the ZZ6 EFI and sees 450 horses and 436 lb-ft of torque. WD-40 and SEMA Cares built up a ’66 Ford Bronco, including a 5-inch lift, rollcage, and new axles, with all its auction proceeds going to ChildHelp, a SEMA Cares-related charity. Not the first time this one’s been modified; 2017 gave it a 3.5L EcoBoost and six-speed trans.

»»Is It True? What is Cybertruck? Tesla’s new vehicle. Exoskeleton (to avoid dents, dings, corrosion). Armored glass (to “absorb” or “redirect” impact force). “Vault-like storage.” Plus adaptive air suspension, allelectric power with a range of 250plus miles depending on drivetrain, 7,500-pound towing capacity (although can go higher), up to 16 inches of ground clearance. The truck has, of course, standard autopilot. The ’20 TOMCAR TX4 can now be scooped up by civilians, after previously being a brand making tactical side-by-sides for the Israeli Special Forces. There will be a rear-mounted 107hp 1.5L fourcylinder, 2,500-pound payload capacity, up to 5,400-pound tow rating, 14 inches of wheel travel, and MSRP of $36,500. Learn more at tomcar.com.

Will the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 see an increase in their tow rating? Is Land Rover facing a vehicle shortage from Brexit-related issues? Is Ford going to build pickups in China with the Ford name? Are Porsche owners dumping their sports cars in favor of Jeep Wranglers? Has the price of a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon already shot up? Will the ’21 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 63 S have a 612hp AMG V-8 and starting price of $200,000? Will the Land Rover Defender 90 feel super budget-friendly by comparison and kick off at about $50,000?

Your Government at Work Waymo wants to have robotaxis working in California. California said, okey-dokey, but that the driverless service has to be free, as in no fares can be charged. Waymo is not so okey-dokey with that. Not-fans of autonomous vehicles are okey-dokey with any delays. The National Transportation Safety Board wants to mandate bike helmets nationwide. When not trying to mandate those helmets, the NTSB did its investigation into a self-driving Uber crash that killed a pedestrian in 2018. To be noted from the NTSB report: “By the time the ADS determined that a collision was imminent, the situation exceeded the response specifications of the ADS braking system. The system design precluded activation of emergency braking for collision mitigation, relying instead on the operator’s intervention to avoid a collision or mitigate an impact. Video from the SUV’s inward-facing camera shows that the operator was glancing away from the road for an extended period while the vehicle was approaching the pedestrian. Specifically, she was looking toward the bottom of the SUV’s center console, where she had placed her cell phone at the start of the trip. The operator redirected her gaze to the road ahead about 1 second before impact.” So, sleep comfortably tonight knowing that someone functioning as the safety driver was doing what regular drivers of future autonomous vehicles will certainly, definitely never do, not pay attention. Is California going to stop buying vehicles from Fiat Chrysler, Toyota, GM, and other automakers who support the idea of the state losing its position for setting emissions standards? The Netherlands is cutting its speed limit to cut nitrogen pollution.

“…THE SECOND BIGGEST REASON FOR GLOBAL EMISSIONS GROWTH IN LAST 10 YEARS, AFTER THE POWER SECTOR AND MORE THAN ALL THE INDUSTRIAL SECTORS PUT TOGETHER.”—INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY’S DIRECTOR, FATIH BIROL, TO REPORTERS ABOUT SUVS

»»What’s Happening In The Industry •Pep Boys gave $300 gift cards and roadside safety kits to more than 100 U.S. military veterans during Progressive’s Keys to Progress events, a program designed to provide transportation to vets and their families. •Pirelli has developed tires called Cyber with an internal sensor to interact with the 5G network. No idea what that means? Basically, the road tells the tires things about the conditions, but not in a gossipy way. •Winners of the SEMA show’s 2020 Best New Products included CURT Manufacturing’s BetterWeigh fourwheeler.com

Mobile Towing Scale with TowSense Technology for exterior accessory, AutoMeter Invision Digital Dash for interior accessory, Yokohama’s Geolandar X-AT for tire product, and RSI SmartCap EVO for van/pickup/ sport-ute product. ICON Vehicle Dynamics won the off-road/fourwheel-drive category for its Jeep Gladiator 21⁄2 -inch suspension, with Dana’s Ultimate Dana 60 axles for the Gladiator being a runner-up. The HaulGauge Garage Smart Litter and Storage System was also a runnerup in that arena. •Looking for a place to work? BorgWarner was named one of the

best places to do that in Michigan by the Detroit Free Press. •There will now be a Yukon Gear & Axle Authorized Installer Program, “structured to provide education to participants to ensure professional mechanics and drivetrain installers are able to utilize the highest standard of drivetrain product knowledge and installation expertise to build new business. With successful completion of the three-day study and hands-on installation course, mechanic installers will be authorized as a Yukon Master Installer.” The manufacturer of Yukon Gear & Axle is Randy’s Worldwide.

Random Photo We Dug

Ford sent its Bronco R prototype—a race-inspired version of the Bronc that was built by Ford Performance and collaborators—to hang out with Rod Hall and Larry Minor’s Bronco to mark that Bronc’s Baja 1000 win 50 years ago. FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2020 11

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Ford Mustang SUV

We have a list of demands: First, you need to download the Four Wheeler app from the App Store. What you’ll find is endless content—but don’t look at it before bed or your brain will stay awake for hours coming up with build ideas and travel arrangements. Next on the list: You need to attend our history-making, never-has-happenedbefore, FOMO-inducing Four Wheeler Adventure Expo. It’s March 7-8, 2020, in Costa Mesa, California. Workshops, seminars on driving off-road, tons of products related to the backcountry, and much more are on the menu. You don’t even have to be a 4x4 enthusiast—bring your hiker friends, camping fans, mountain bike buddies, and anyone who likes the outdoor/adventure/offroad lifestyle. Go here for more info: bit.ly/2OFPT2V.

In case you missed it (or tried to), here’s the first new addition to the Ford Mustang lineup in 55 years: an SUV. The Mustang Mach-E is fully electric. It won’t be for the 4x4 market (presumably never), but we still felt it was important for you to not be able to unsee it if we can’t.

Chevy Suburban Turns 85 Of all the milestones you’re thinking of in 2020, you may have forgotten this one: The Chevy Suburban turns 85. That’s right, in 1935, the Suburban Carryall eight-seater with a Stovebolt inline-six and 60 horses hit the streets, a “wagon” sitting on a 1⁄2 -ton chassis— a first. The small-block V-8 came in 1955, as did four-

wheel drive, the NAPCO Powr-Pak. Three doors? That was 1967. Four doors? That was 1973. By the time 2020 arrived, a few other changes had happened since the 1930s, including seating for nine and a V-8 making 430 horsepower. Not to be forgotten: The Chevy Tahoe is now 25.

“ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS CONSUMERS HAVE ASKED US OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN, ‘WILL YOU PLEASE OFFER A JEEP WRANGLER DIESEL?’, AND I’M PLEASED TO ANSWER THAT WITH A RESOUNDING, ‘YES!’” —JIM MORRISON, HEAD OF JEEP BRAND, NORTH AMERICA

’20 Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel The numbers are in and the 3.0L EcoDiesel engine in the ’20 Jeep Wrangler will make 260 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. The V-6 will be available for the Sport, Sahara, and Rubicon, so those will have heavy-duty Dana 44 axles with 3.73 gears. fw

Toyota’s TRD Turns 40 It was back in 1979, when Toyota Racing Development (TRD) USA was birthed as Toy’s performance division, with upgrades (exhaust, suspension, engine performance, and so on) happening right at the factory, and over time that included the 4Runner, Sequoia, Tundra, and Tacoma. The math is: 40 years old. 12 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

’20 Jeep Wrangler Freedom Edition Jeep is offering a Freedom Edition of the ’20 Wrangler, a nod to members of the military and with a good side effect: Jeep will donate $250 to the USO for every sale. At the core, it’s a Sport S, with badging and logos that are on point, such as an American flag and Oscar Mike (military speak for “on the move”), among a few other unique features. The two-door MSRP will be $34,190 and the four-door will be $37,690.

SILICA COMP0UNDS

BAJA PRO X

BAJA BOSS ™ ADVANCED MUD-TERRAIN

BAJA ATZ P3™ HYBRID ALL-TERRAIN

DEEGAN 38™ ALL-TERRAIN

INTRODUCING THE

HIGH TENSILE BODY CORD

DEEGAN 38™ MUD-TERRAIN

POWERPLY 3-PLY

MILEAGE WARRANTIES

BAJA MTZP3™ MUD-TERRAIN

POWERPLY 3-PLY

POWERPLY XD™ ASYMMETRICAL TREAD EXTREME SIDEBITERS®

Parts Rack PRESSURE ORATOR

Slime now offers the Elite Digital Tire Gauge with Pressure Air Lock Technology. Every time you check your tire pressure with a traditional tire gauge, you can lose 1-2 psi from the tire. The Elite Digital Tire Gauge is said to completely eliminate this scenario and take the guesswork and escaped air out of the equation. It locks in the air so there is zero air loss when checking your air pressure, giving you an accurate tire pressure reading. The gauge features a large LCD screen that is said to be 50 percent bigger than most digital tire gauges, making it easy to see your tire pressure reading. Other features include the ability to read 5-150 psi, a rubberized grip, an LED light for night use, a replaceable battery, automatic shutoff, and readings in psi, kPa and bar. INFO: Slime, 888/457-5463, slime.com

DIG BIG

DMOS may have the solution for those that love the compact size of folding shovels but hate actually trying to dig with one. The company has introduced the Delta line of folding shovels. The Delta shovel is capable of being used as a fullsize shovel or collapsing down for work in limited space, as a hoe, or folding flat for storage. It features a 12-gauge cold-rolled blade with a 12-gauge cold-rolled steel brace. If you want your shovel on a diet, you can choose the Delta shovel in 6061 aluminum, which is available with a red or blue finish. The three-part telescoping, adjustable anodized-aluminum shaft assembles to a maximum length of 51 inches with optional adjustment lengths of 37 inches or 24 inches. The steel version weighs in at just more than 6 pounds while the aluminum version chimes in at 3.5 pounds. Each Delta shovel is available with or without a roof rack mount, and the mount is available separately. INFO: DMOS, 833/344-3667, dmoscollective.com

STICKY ANTENNA

Rugged Radios introduces a suction cup antenna mount. It’s said to provide more options when mounting your radio antenna. The swiveling antenna mount can be adjusted to any angle on non-porous surfaces, such as clean body panels and windows. The suction cup makes it ideal for aluminum- or fiberglass-bodied trucks and vehicles that cannot use a magnet mount. It’s also a great option for chase vehicles and motorhomes when you don’t want to drill into your roof. The mount was developed by Scosche for Rugged Radios. It requires the popular Rugged Radios NMO cable mount option with 13 feet of cable. INFO: Rugged Radios, 888/541-7223, ruggedradios.com

GLADIATOR BOXES

Tuffy Security Products has expanded its line of lockboxes with a pickup bed storage system for the ’20 Jeep Gladiator. The storage system includes two long compartments located along both sides of the pickup bed. The boxes feature three separate lids with dividers, keeping adventure gear organized and out of the elements. The Tuffy lockboxes are manufactured from 16-gauge, 1 ⁄8 -inch-thick welded steel. The steel bin lids are covered with a composite material for weather resistance and have push-button locks, allowing each lid to latch shut without having to lock with the key. They can be accessed from the exterior of the bed and allow the use of factory bed lights as well as the optional 110V power point. Multiple BullRing tie-downs are affixed to the side of the lockboxes so the included nylon net can be used to secure larger gear in the pickup bed. No drilling is required for installation, and an optional folding Bestop soft tonneau cover fits securely between the Tuffy lockboxes to protect items in the bed. INFO: Tuffy Security Products, 800/348-8339, tuffyproducts.com

NEW FITMENTS

Icon Alloys has announced new fitments of the popular Compression wheel. It’s now available in Ford Ranger 5-lug and Toyota Tacoma 6-lug patterns in a 17x8.5 size. The wheels are said to not only have been engineered to enhance the overall look of the vehicle but the overall handling of the vehicle as well. The new fitments for the Compression wheel come with a 5.75-inch backspacing with a 25mm offset to reduce scrub radius and maximize brake caliper clearance. The wheels also yield a 2,750-pound load rating, which is said to make them some of the strongest wheels on the market. They are available in bronze, satin black, and titanium finishes. INFO: Icon Alloys, 951/689-4266, iconalloys.com

14 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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BY JOHN CAPPA EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM

BISON BUMPER

The AEV front bumper that comes standard on the ZR2 Bison is now available for all ’15-tocurrent Chevy Colorado trucks. It features a 2.5mm-thick stamped-steel face, 3mm-thick corner stampings, and a 3-inch tubular steel substructure for maximum protection and durability out on the trail. The ZR2’s chassis-mounted recovery points are retained and were made even more accessible along with an integrated winch mount, which requires an optional winch install kit. AEV added a pair of halogen foglights to the Bison’s front bumper, a feature not otherwise available on the standard ZR2. As an OEM-validated part, this bumper is said to have passed all of GM’s corrosion, vibration, and front-impact crash testing before going on the ZR2 Bison. It’s made in the USA and comes E-coated and powdercoated for corrosion resistance. INFO: AEV, 248/926-0256, aev-conversions.com

HD BALL JOINTS

Carli Suspension has updated its heavy-duty ’03-’12 Ram HD lower ball joints. The production materials, processes, and coatings all remain the same, while a grease evacuation port, a disc spring to preload the lower pin to the wear surface, and a custom boot to seal the lower from the elements have been added. The Carli Joints are similar in design to the OE joints, but they are said to include several improvements. Unlike stock, there is no sleeve isolating the wear surfaces, eliminating the point of failure. The upper cavity’s size is increased to hold a larger grease reserve, and the threaded cap allows access to the cavity and pin if needed. A channel in the pin itself provides a path for grease to migrate to the wear surface. At the bottom of the ball joint housing, a Viton seal prevents the environment from entering the ball joint. The spherical lower is a ball-andsocket design, allowing lateral misalignment. Each Carli Joint comes backed by the Carli Advanced Replacement Lifetime Guarantee. INFO: Carli Suspension, 888/992-2754, carlisuspension.com

WATERPROOF WINCHING LEVEL SPACERS

If your Jeep is in need of a little boost to level out the stance and clear a larger tire, Zone Offroad may have just what you need. The company is now offering 3⁄4-inch polyurethane coil spring spacers specially designed for use on the front of the Jeep Wrangler JK, Wrangler JL, and Gladiator JT models. These polyurethane spacers are said to be the perfect solution to get that extra height without affecting ride quality or handling. They can be used to level the stance or compensate for a heavy winch bumper and other front-end accessories. The spacers are designed for compatibility on stock height vehicles as well as in combination with most lift kits on the market that use replacement coil springs. They are designed, tested, and manufactured in the USA and include the Zone Offroad Factory Protection Plus warranty. INFO: Zone Offroad, 888/998-9663, zoneoffroad.com fourwheeler.com

MICRO BRIGHT

Baja Designs now offers the compact S1 LED auxiliary light. The company was focused on creating the most powerful, yet compact light in the world. The result is this 2.1-inch light, which emits 2,375 lumens from a single LED. Baja Designs’ S1 is available in a wide variety of beam patterns and lens color options to fit multiple applications, including a long-distance spot with a 9-degree beam focus, a wide-cornering version with a horizontal-flattened 42-degree beam in clear or amber lenses, and a 60-degree work/ scene version, which projects a wide circle for illuminating camp and work spaces. As of press time, a long-distance laser variation is scheduled for release soon. Each S1 light weighs less than half a pound, and each pair of lights ships complete with a wiring harness and stainless steel mounting brackets. As with all Baja Designs lights, the new S1 is waterproof, rain-proof, and submersible to IP69K standards. The S1 is designed, engineered, and assembled in the USA and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty. INFO: Baja Designs, 760/560-2252, bajadesigns.com

Warn Industries has released the VR EVO, an all-new series of standard-duty truck and SUV winches. The new standard-duty winches include features such as IP68 waterproof construction, a new two-in-one remote allowing for either wireless or corded operation, an Albright contactor, a cast-aluminum tie plate, and a relocatable winch control pack, which allows for various mounting configurations, especially when the winch is placed inside a bumper. The aluminum-wrapped motor and gearend housings provide increased cooling and efficiency. Warn will offer the VR EVO in 8,000pound, 10,000-pound, and 12,000-pound capacities with a steel rope and roller fairlead or with a synthetic rope and a black aluminum hawse fairlead. INFO: Warn Industries, 800/543-9276, warn.com fw

Tire test

DICK CEPEK TRAIL COUNTRY EXP Torture-testing Dick Cepek’s do-it-all rubber By Jered Korfhage jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com Photos: Jered Korfhage

ick Cepek is a household name in the off-road community; it’s also a name that’s synonymous with adventure. The company joined us on Four Wheeler’s 2019 Overland Adventure, where we journeyed with a group of participants across the Arizona backcountry from Wickenburg to Flagstaff, driving almost exclusively off-road and camping each night. We outfitted a ’17 Wrangler for the adventure with suspension, lights, and armor, but the story here is what handled contact with the ground beneath—Dick Cepek’s Trail Country EXP tires. In advance of the adventure, we visited the headquarters of VTX Wheels, where our Dick Cepek rubbers were fit around a set of 17x9 Terra wheels. The aluminum wheels satisfied 16 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

our need for a respectably sporty look, and the grabs the dirt while stone ejectors between hue matched that of a weathered American onethe blocks toss out offending stones. The cent piece. two-ply sidewalls also come with their own The Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP falls lugs for increased traction when the pressure between its two close relais inevitably dropped for tives—the Trail Country, off-highway adventures. an all-terrain tire; and the With everything tucked SPECIFICATIONS (AS TESTED) company’s mud-terrain, the neatly under our fender Tire: Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP Size: 285/70R17 121/118Q Extreme Country. Tighter flares, this is where the Type: Radial all-terrain spacing on the center lugs rubber met the road—and Load range: E Max load (lb): 3,195 separates the tire from its the rocks, and snow, and Approved rim width (in): 7.5-9.0 mud-philic brethren by mud, and every imaginTread depth (in): ⁄ Overall width (in): 11.5 offering better pavement able terrain. Have a look Tread width (in): 9.2 performance while still at how the Dick Cepek Overall diameter (in): 33.1 Maximum psi: 80 holding the road during Trail Country EXPs fared Weight (lb): 57.0 rainstorms. Wider lug through our 10,000-mile Warranty: 45,000-mile limited treadwear spacing on the outer tread torture test. 18.5

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This is the cleanest we’d see the Trail Country EXPs and the VTX Terra wheels for the duration of our test, and if you’re concerned with curb appeal, this pairing certainly places a checkmark in that box.

Though we tried (did we though?) to keep them clean, we hurried off into the wild in search of snow within the first day with our new tires. The EXPs are not classified as snow tires nor do they wear the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake; however, that did not deter us from chugging straight into a snowstorm.

Shoveling through the deep fluffy stuff was no issue for the tires, in fact, they pushed us farther into the trails than our Jeep’s ground clearance allowed us to go. It was the hard-packed snowy roads where we wished for more siping in the tread blocks, but considering these aren’t snow tires, we couldn’t complain.

Between the Arizona Overland Adventure and our subsequent explorations of the roads less paved, we spent nearly as much time with these tires on gravel as we did on concrete and asphalt. We kept a close eye on the treads for signs of chips and missing chunks after days on the stony roads and found nothing of the sort. Similarly, the stone-ejecting ribs between the blocks successfully fended off bits of rock intent on drilling through the tire carcasses, and we had no issues on that front.

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FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2020 17

Tire Test

Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP

Dropping air pressure in the Trail Country EXPs took an already pleasant off-pavement ride and made it considerably smoother. Our tires came in Load Range E with two plies in the sidewalls, so a few more pounds of air had to come out than in some of the lighter-duty tires we’ve tested to achieve the desired amount of flex.

When the day’s challenges included crawling over jagged ledges or through patches of dishearteningly large granite hunks, we let more air from the tires until our gauges read roughly 20 psi. We found this to be a functional balance of enough pressure to maintain the bead while letting the sidewalls melt around the contours of each and every obstacle.

We sometimes think our tires go through more in 10,000 miles than some will see in an entire lifetime, so we are not surprised when signs of wear appear on the treads. With a rotation halfway through the test, the Trail Country EXPs wore down evenly without any signs of cupping or scallops. The shoulder lugs and sidewalls bore their share of superficial gashes and scuffs from encounters with obstacles, but we suffered no punctures throughout the test.

Whether it was hiding beneath the snow on our winter excursions or making it up the entire trail after a rainstorm had its way with the once-dusty track, we found our share of mud. The 18.5⁄32-inch tread depth gave plenty in the way of bite into any slop, and once we increased wheel speed, mud was sent flying as the tires cleaned themselves. Space between tread elements was not as great as mud-terrain tires, so choose carefully if you plan on frequently slamming the boggin’ pits. However, we think these treads clean far more efficiently than the typical all-terrain tire in gooey dirt. fw

SOURCE Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels 800/222-9092 dickcepek.com

18 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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FIND YOUR JOURNEY! MARCH 7 & 8, 2020 Costa Mesa, CA — OC Fair and Event Center VENDOR MIDWAY • OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE EDUCATION SERIES ADVENTURE RIGS ON DISPLAY • PRODUCT DEMOS • CRAFT BEER GARDEN

FOURWHEELER.COM/ADVENTURE-EXPO

Tire test

General Grabber X3 8,000 miles of rocks, roadways, sand, and snow By Jered Korfhage jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com Photos: Jered Korfhage WHEN THE TIRE HAS “MUD-TERRAIN” PLASTERED

across the sidewall, our first question for the General Grabber X3 was “but what else can it do?” We installed a set of 35x12.50R17 X3s on our two-door ’17 Wrangler and went through our typical weekend routine—driving far and near in search of wild terrain. Whether it was a high-altitude dumping of snow, beach cruises, grinding over boulders, or slick muddy ruts, we made sure to put the tires through every abusive environment we could get our tread blocks into. After nearly 8,000 miles of torture, we had a logbook filled with notes and a tire repair kit that remained unzipped. Did the General Grabber X3 mud-terrains prove useful in more than just mud? Read on for what we found.

When we sat down to crunch the numbers, if the Jeep was off-road, chances are it was bound for gravel. Whether that means the path leading to a gnarly crawling trail or a 100-mile push through the backcountry, miles spent on kumquat-sized bits of geologic goodness nearly outnumbered those spent on blacktop. With the windows down, it was common to hear stones plinking from the fender flares as they were punted from between the tread blocks by what General calls “Stone Bumpers.” The raised rubber ribs spaced among the tread blocks kept stones from becoming trapped in the voids and drilling into the carcass.

20 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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For the four-wheelers outside the tropics, snow is something we are privileged (or forced) to drive through. We took the first chance we could and ran for the hills when the forecasters hinted at winter storms, hoping for some powder pushin’—and the Grabber X3s did not disappoint. Hard-packed snow was the tire’s only downfall, since the mud-terrain lacked the intricate siping and softer-to-the-touch compound that is normally found on a dedicated snow tire. Disclaimer: the Grabber X3 is not a snow tire and does not come with a Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake. However, when the snow piled up, the tread blocks dug and plowed like we wanted them to, transforming our JK into the horsepower-drawn sleigh that we needed to ride merrily through the white stuff.

FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2020 21

Tire test general grabber x3

Mix two parts soil with one part water and you have the exact compound for which the Grabber X3 was designed—mud. We let the 21⁄32-inch-deep voids and formidable sidewall lugs sink their fangs into the goo to see if we’d continue forward. Spoiler—whether the task was holding lateral stability on off-camber slopes of slime or punching through a soupy hole, the Grabbers were scarcely challenged. With some application of wheel speed, the voids cleared out and we chugged forward.

When our plans included driving

over some of the famous sandstone formations of southern Utah, we dropped the pressure in our Grabber X3s from the streetable 28 psi to between 12 and 15 psi, which let the load range E sidewalls take on the chore of enveloping the obstacles. In the name of tire testing, we made sure to get our rubbers into some jagged crevices enough to let the sidewalls really rub shoulders with the rocks. We put some scuffs in the red “General” lettering on the threeply sidewalls, but nothing more than cosmetic damage was sustained.

22 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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Between beachfront cruises and laps through the sand dunes, the Grabber X3s showed no signs of weakness in the sand. We ran ’em both at street pressure and at the same 12-15 psi we used for the rocks with no issue and enough flotation to keep us moving.

Checking in with the treads after 8,000 miles revealed what we observed to be normal signs of wear (and a healthy dose of silt). The shoulder lugs showed some distress in places from grabbing onto the rockier trails and the blocks were only beginning to lose the crisp edges that came from the factory. General’s Duragen technology seems to have kept chipping and cuts to an absolute minimum—we could find nothing of the sort, even after all those miles.

After returning the Grabber X3s to

highway-appropriate pressures, we found that they tracked straight and rolled well at higher speeds. At 77 pounds per corner, we saw the JK’s fuel economy drop to about 15-17 mpg on the highway, compared to the 18-20 we got with our former 33-inch tires. The Grabbers continued to inspire confidence even when standing water covered the interstates as we avoided hydroplaning and maintained control. Noise from the tires was most noticeable at parking lot speeds and we found nothing more than the typical lower-pitched hum when we were moving quick. fw

SPECIFICATIONS (AS TESTED) Tire: General Grabber X3 Size: 35x12.50R17 LT 121Q Type: Radial mud-terrain Load range: E Max load (lb): 3,195 Approved rim width (in): 8.5-11.0 Tread depth (in): 21⁄32 Overall width (in): 12.5 Tread width (in): 10.1 Overall diameter (in): 35.0 Maximum psi: 65 Weight (lb): 77.0

SOURCE General Tire 800/847-3349 generaltire.com

Tire test

REINING IN

RUGGED TERRAIN We drive Federal’s new Xplora R/T rugged-terrain tire By Jay Kopycinski editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Jay Kopycinski

he tire industry has been hard at work over the last decade or so when it comes to supplying a wide range of high-performance off-road tires for our needs. Improved molding processes have resulted in smoother-rolling tires. Better rubber compounds have increased both traction and wear lifetimes. Furthermore, better-engineered tread designs have added to traction gains while also decreasing road noise.

With the percentage decline in car sales in North America and the continuing rise in lighttruck sales, tire demand in the off-road segment has risen dramatically. Manufacturers have graced us with a plethora of both all-terrain and mud-terrain tread choices in the light-truck tire category. All-terrain tires offer us better highway manners, but mud-terrains will take you farther down the trail in most cases. Enter the Federal Xplora R/T, a tire that

sits comfortably between an A/T and M/T tire. It’s a possible choice for those looking for less noise and better on-road ride comfort than you’d typically get in an M/T tire, while also gaining off-road performance over a typical all-terrain tire. Federal Corp. was established in 1954 in Taipei, Taiwan, and distributes a wide range of consumer tires to more than 120 countries from two tire factories in Taiwan. Federal Tire North

SPECIFICATIONS (AS TESTED)

26 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

Tire: Federal Xplora R/T Size: 35x12.50R17LT Type: Radial rugged-terrain Load range: E (10-ply) Max load (lb): 3,638 Approved rim width (in): 8.5-11.0 Tread depth (in): 18⁄32 Overall width (in): 12.9 Tread width (in): 10.0 Overall diameter (in): 34.7 Maximum psi: 65 Weight (lb): 69.2

The tread carcass is constructed with a combination of polyester, steel, and nylon plies, while the sidewalls use polyester plies. The tire felt firm (but not harsh) on pavement, given its moderately aggressive tread blocks.

We left the Big Bear Lake area pavement and turned onto loose dirt where we tested the tire on mountain forest roads.

America is a subsidiary of the parent company and is based in Torrance, California. As with most contemporary tire designs, the Xplora R/T tread was designed using computer modeling to optimize tread pitch for traction while keeping road noise in check. Since a lot of buyers are looking for both aesthetics and performance when throwing down cash for new rubber, Federal engineers adorned the sidewalls with visually attractive and functional sidebiters. We had the opportunity to experience the new Xplora R/T in Big Bear Lake, California. Federal gathered a fairly large group of rigs equipped with these tires so that attendees could try the tires on- and off-road under somewhat limited conditions. From what we observed, this tire provides a quiet and smooth on-road ride while offering a fairly open tread design for off-road traction. Based on your intended need for pavement versus dirt performance, this tire might fit that very middle compromise position. From what we were told, they will also be very competitively priced in the market. For those familiar with the existing Federal Couragia line, the company will be phasing those out with incoming Xplora designs. When all is said and done over the next couple of years, Federal plans to have eight different tire types in the Xplora line. Federal launched the Xplora M/T in 2017 and will be introducing the Xplora A/T very soon. There are also plans for a new Xplora X/T extreme-terrain tire, set to be the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most aggressive tread to date.

The open shoulder grooves lie between those of an all-terrain and mud-terrain tire. One might think of the R/T as an aggressive A/T tire. We found the tire handled well at street pressure on the twisty paved roads in Big Bear Lake. The ride was comfortable and the minimal noise level coming off the tread was a welcome volume when cruising with the windows down.

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We had spectacular views in the area as we climbed in elevation, even spotting several old mining and other vintage remnant sites. Elevation here exceeds 7,000 feet.

Many of the drivers dropped air pressure for the dirt portion of the trek. Here again, the Xplora R/T felt firm but comfortable as we rolled over a variety of gravel and dirt roads.

FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2020 27

Tire Test

Reining in Rugged Terrain

Federal had gathered a number of enthusiasts for the event, so there was a good variety among the nearly 20 rigs out for the day. This also meant we had the chance to see the new tire in a variety of diameters and sidewall profiles.

The Xplora R/T uses a four-block pattern on its tread as opposed to a five-block pattern used on some mud-terrain designs. Linear-centered tread blocks are used to enhance on-road straight-line stability. Stone-ejector bars between the blocks prevent stone drilling of the tire, which can damage the tread surface and cause irregular tire wear.

The Xplora R/T tread incorporates a step-down at the leading edge of the tread block. This helps prevent heel/ toe wear caused by the tread block contacting the road surface at different speeds at the front and rear of the block. Siping is also used strategically on some of the blocks.

The tire compound felt relatively soft based on a quick thumb-push test. Upon our query, the tire designer offered that the Xplora M/T and the new R/T both use the same rubber compound.

Tires are sized to fit 15- up to 20-inch-diameter wheels, with the possibility of larger diameters in the future. For our trail purposes, we were happy to see they have the very popular 37x12.50R17 size.

We had the chance to experience the tire at speed and the traction felt solid and predictable. After our limited driving, we checked the tires and found no early signs of odd wear or tread chunking. However, greater time with the tire in the dirt and on rocky surfaces would better reveal the tiresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; resistance to tread chipping. fw

SOURCE Federal Tire 310/328-1888 federaltireusa.com

28 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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JEEP TJ / XJ DUAL RATE LONG TRAVEL SYSTEMS 2nd Rate Engages During Compression

1st Rate Highway Ride Long-Travel During Off-Road

4â&#x20AC;? LIFT SYSTEM

2nd Stage Variable Rate

NEW DUAL RATE-LONG TRAVEL suspension offers you the best of both worlds! The 1st-Rate offers an eceptional highway ride & LONG TRAVEL as those coils EXPAND during articulation which allows suspension droop to keep the tires in contact with the ground much longer. The 2nd Rate, lower coils, only engage when the suspension compresses past the 1st rate. The 2nd rate allows consistent control & stability during heavy off-road suspension movement.

WWW.SKYJACKER.COM

ULTIMATE TIRE GUIDE The newest and hottest rubber for 2020 Compiled by Tori Tellem editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Courtesy of the manufacturers

WHAT’S THERE TO SAY ABOUT TIRES? They’re still round, it seems. End of story? Actually, there’s a lot

to say about tires, since manufacturers are thinking up new concepts and inventing new technology every year to make on-highway driving smoother and off-road driving nearly point and shoot—and damagefree. Tires are being engineered to withstand the rigors presented by various terrain and obstacles, and then have the capability to tow without flinching. What you’ll find here are brand-new tires, as well as a couple of familiar faces with an expanded lineup or improvements. The pricing listed is approximate, typically for the smallest tire size available, and is the cost of a single tire at time of print.

PRO COMP XTREME MT2 Tech: Breaking down the name of the tire says it all: maximum traction extreme off-road tire. The aggressive tread design is for on- and off-road use. There’s a three-ply sidewall and two-step tread block design that’s got stability, braking performance, and even treadwear in its DNA. Neat: Those alternating scalloped shoulder lugs will get after it— “it” being mud, rocks, dirt, and trenches. Cost: Starts at $189.99 Info: procompusa.com

KANATI ARMOR HOG ATX Tech: It’s a 12-ply–rated light-truck tire that’s prime for handling heavy-duty towing and payloads. Stability, durability, increased load capacity—while remaining comfortable for everyday driving. Neat: All-steel body-ply construction. Cost: Starts at $193.99 Info: greenballtires.com

DICK CEPEK TRAIL COUNTRY EXP Tech: It’s a hybrid design—the mesh is mud-terrain and all-terrain, thereby giving both a smooth ride and nailing traction. The tread is big and deep for off-road performance and wear. Having high-tensile body ply cord reduces ride harshness and weight. Neat: Silica-reinforced compound means cut and chip resistance. Bonus: better wet traction. Cost: Starts around $140 Info: dickcepek.com

30 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

MICKEY THOMPSON BAJA BOSS Tech: First, you’ve got the fact that it’s an ultra-premium, extreme mud-terrain tire, with an asymmetric tread pattern for less noise and better handling and PowerPly XD three-ply sidewall construction. Then, you’ve got the next-gen Sidebiters to perform off-road. Neat: Mud scoops. They give a concave surface for mud traction and to prevent mud from hanging on. Cost: Starts around $300 Info: mickeythompsontires.com

PIRELLI SCORPION VERDE ALL SEASON PLUS II Tech: Looking for an SUV tire? You’ve come to the right place. This tire has a new compound that tackles wet driving and dry handling. A larger, rebalanced contact patch gets it done in the braking part of those scenarios. Neat: The high-mileage tire was developed with North American drivers in mind, and their special vehicles, and their highways’ quirks. Cost: Starts around $120 Info: pirelli.com

DELIUM TERRA RAIDER M/T Tech: It’s just science—as in, this has a “scientific traction tire design” that focuses on force, flexibility, flotation, and more. The patented MountainGrip three-ply sidewall means an aggressive and attractive design, not to mention the tire is the traction trifecta: mud, deep snow, and rockcrawling. Neat: It’s race-ready for King of the Hammers? Oh, yeah. Cost: Starts around $150 Info: tireget.com

FUEL OFF-ROAD GRIPPER M/T Tech: What you’ll notice right away is the aggressive styling, but that’s not just pomp. You’re getting off-road traction from those big ol’ blocks. The shoulder design improves lateral grip and impact resistance, and that groove pattern has grip and high wear resistance. Neat: Double-layer, high-strength belt steel wire for performance and a special airtight formula for tire tightness. Cost: Starts at $295 Info: fueloffroad.com

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ULTIMATE TIRE GUIDE

INTERCO SUPER SWAMPER TSL/MEGA COMPETITION STICKY Tech: MEGA—as in, mega-sized lugs (for customizing), mega-deep tread, and mega-sticky race compound. The eight-ply–rated tire also has a wide flotation point/contact patch. And you can tune the rubber for your driving needs or a specific course. Neat: The company also offers a bunch of daily driver radials, not just these serious competition tires. Cost: Starts at $520 Info: intercotire.com

HANKOOK DYNAPRO MT2 Tech: This brand-new, extreme off-road tire has a “terrain strike tread design,” so expect an aggressive, high-void tread pattern. The sidewall utilizes an integrated linking system, marrying the shoulder and sidewall block for rigidity and traction. Neat: “Wraparound tread” and “sidewall protection shields.” Cost: Starts at $138.95 Info: hankooktire.com

DELINTE BANDIT R/T Tech: This rough-terrain tire that maintains comfort on the street has 12-ply construction, making it durable, too. Then there’s its F-rating for higher carrying capacity. Neat: Not only is there an R/T variety, but also M/T and A/T (and H/T). Cost: Starts around $160 Info: delintetires.com

HERCULES TERRA TRAC M/T Tech: The HiLo tread design is super unique, and there’s deep siping, too. So, you get a mud tire with extreme-terrain traction off the road, and just as noteworthy, handling and a quiet ride on the road. Thank the scalloped tread blocks for keeping that mud away but keeping the traction-readiness nearby. Neat: Aggressive, camouflage sidewall design. Cost: Starts around $140 Info: herculestire.com

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KENDA KLEVER X/T K3204R Tech: You probably already know the popular Klever R/T KR601. Well, it inspired this brand-new UTV tire, an uber-light, steel-belted, 10-ply specimen. It has low rolling resistance and traction when needed, and its stud-able design allows it to tackle snow and ice riding, too. Neat: That beefy bead protector. Cost: Starts at $170 Info: kendatire.com

ELDORADO SPORT FURY AT4S Tech: Any and all terrain? No problem for this new all-season tire, which has the siping and groove design to give both traction and a comfortable ride. Neat: Meets severe snow tire requirements, so it’s got the official snowflake symbol. Cost: Starts at $97 Info: eldoradotire.com

DELTA TRAILCUTTER AT4S Tech: The name clues you in on this tire’s skillset. The all-terrain rubber has zigzag grooves, varying-angle sipes, and a continuous center block for tackling terrain while maintaining a comfortable ride. Neat: Did we mention grip on those other terrains, too: ice, rain, and mud? Cost: Starts at $97 Info: deltatire.com

WILD TRAIL ALL-TERRAIN XT Tech: All-surface traction, the ability to use optional metal studs, and loads of sizing options make this new tire line a solid contender if you’re shopping for rubber for your pickup or SUV. Neat: That tread design has 3D micro sipes. Cost: Starts at $97 Info: multimiletires.com

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ULTIMATE TIRE GUIDE

MILESTAR PATAGONIA M/T Tech: “Harsh off-road terrain” would be this three-ply tire’s middle name if tires had middle names. Ground clearance, high-void tread design, impact protection, and more are on tap. There’s a 40-inch size, too. Neat: Staggered, off-center tread blocks for traction—but also for on-road performance. Cost: Starts at $159.99 Info: milestartires.com

FALKEN WILDPEAK A/T TRAIL Tech: This tire locked onto CUVs—an untapped market for all-terrain tires. So, it’s about on-road comfort coupled with off-road traction and all-weather performance, and that severe snow rating. Neat: You’re likely well versed in this growing tire line’s M/T and AT3W (there’s also now an H/T02). Cost: Starts around $100 Info: falkentire.com

TOYO TIRES OPEN COUNTRY R/T Tech: Traction, durable construction, and aggressive styling that isn’t just about “style” but actual aggressive grip. However, on-road comfort didn’t get lost in the shuffle. There are also some new 38-inch diameters. Neat: This tire borrowed the M/T’s sand, rock, and trail capabilities and the A/T II’s hush factor. Cost: Starts around $202 Info: toyotires.com

COOPER TIRES EVOLUTION M/T Tech: The tire has a grabby “Trail Grip” sidewall, and the tread uses “Mud Slingers” —deep, wide trenches. Ridges called “Stone Barriers” spit out lodged stones and protect from sharp rocks. Neat: Those large blocks? Called “Earth Digger,” and they have alternating mud scoops. Cost: Starts around $200 Info: coopertire.com

34 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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ULTIMATE TIRE GUIDE

SAILUN TERRAMAX A/T 4S Tech: A severe snow rating and performance in all conditions? That’s here as well as on- and off-road stability, comfort, handling, and stone ejectors. Neat: That trapezoidal claw design on the shoulder edge and those zigzag grooves. Cost: Starts around $159 Info: gosailun.com

YOKOHAMA TIRE GEOLANDAR X-AT Tech: Dual sidewall design means dealer’s choice for appearance, and there’s a new HD2 compound for long tread life. It also sports Geo-Shield for durability and puncture resistance, and big ol’ shoulder blocks for off-road grip. Neat: SEMA named it a best new product for 2020. Cost: Starts around $175 Info: yokohamatire.com

NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN MTX Tech: This mud-terrain tire that also tackles rocks has reversible (three-ply) sidewalls for a custom look (called “beast” and “machine”), big lugs for traction and grab action, and a rim protector bar on sizes 20 inches and up. Neat: Those block positions are actually patented technology to reduce tire noise when you make the leap from mud to street. Cost: MSRP is $205 Info: nexentireusa.com

BFGOODRICH MUD-TERRAIN T/A KM3 Tech: Need an extreme tire? Check it: “mud-phobic” bars on the shoulder, “terrain-attack” tread pattern, “linear flex zone” for enveloping stuff at low pressure, and “traction-armor” sidewall coupled with a notched shoulder design. Neat: Krawl-TEK is a compound for even more rock traction. Cost: Starts at $171.99 Info: bfgoodrichtires.com fw

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Feature

38 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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DARING A solid-axle Chevy built with dollar-smart parts By Graffen White editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Ali Mansour

Preserving the look of the S-10 was extremely

important to the owner, and it’s one of the reasons why the custom bumpers are so subtle. In fact, the front bumper is hiding a Warn M8000-S winch that requires the front grille, along with a small section of tubing, to be unbolted in order to remove it. At the end of the day, there’s no denying that this mini-truck still very much looks like an S-10.

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f you’ve been reading Four Wheeler over the last year, you will recognize this ’01 Chevy S-10 Crew Cab. Over the past several months, freelance contributor Ali Mansour has documented the transformation of the truck from bone stock to the incredible off-road–ready machine you see here. While a

10 Crew Cab S-10 may not seem like an obvious pick for a major build, once you look at the low cost of entry and standard features, the S-10 begins to make sense in many respects. The S-10 doesn’t have the major aftermarket support like a Toyota Tacoma. However, it doesn’t have the price premium that even

FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2020 39

Feature Daring 10 high-mileage, used versions of the Japanese pickups boast either. Given that the S-10 has a body-on-frame construction, reliable 4.3L engine, and limited electronic nannies, it made for an ideal home for the junkyard-sourced 1-ton axles and Jeep Wrangler suspension it would receive. Thanks to the extremely talented craftsmen at Low Range 4x4 in Wilmington, North Carolina, Ali’s vision of a do-it-all pickup became a reality. While there are still a few upgrades and tweaks coming to this truly unique build, we wanted to show you the S-10 getting a thorough shakedown on the trail.

The high-pinion Dana 60 front axle was originally found under a ’03 Ford Super Duty. This axle was completely torn down and modified using 35-spline chromoly axleshafts and 5.38 gears from Nitro Gear & Axle. An ARB Air Locker ensures both tires can fight for traction on the trail. Helping to steer the truck is a PSC Motorsports hydraulic-assist steering kit, which works with a high-steer knuckle from Ujoint Offroad and steering link kit from Barnes 4WD.

Out back, you’ll find a full-float GM 14-bolt axle that was pulled from a

late-model 3⁄4-ton GMC. The advantage of going late-model with the 14-bolt is that it came fit with disc brakes from the factory and was easy to adapt to the S-10’s emergency brake system. Inside, a set of 5.38 gears are paired with an ARB Air Locker. As is the case with the front, the differential is protected by an X-treme series aluminum cover from Nitro Gear & Axle.

40 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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Much of the suspension comes from Rock Krawler and uses a mix of control arms and axle brackets designed for a Jeep Wrangler LJ. At the frame side, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find an assortment of high-clearance suspension brackets from Barnes 4WD. While Wrangler parts might not seem like an obvious crossover, a few quick measurements revealed they work almost perfectly for the Crew Cab S-10.

Turning a 40-inch-tall tire off-road is no easy task with an 18-year-old V-6. To give the S-10 some serious gear reduction, a four-speed Atlas transfer case from Advance Adapters was installed. It provides 2:1, 2.72:1, and 5.44:1 low-range options, making it extremely versatile in the sometimes wet and rocky trails this truck will see. Getting power to the axles are custom JE Reel drivelines fit with 1350 CVs at the T-case.

With less than 120,000 miles on the odometer, the stock 4.3L Chevy V-6 is doing a decent job at powering the S-10 on- and off-road. Aside from a generic auto parts store air filter and Duralast-sourced 3â &#x201E;4-ton Suburban-application master cylinder upgrade, the engine bay remains mostly stock. Backing the engine is a fully refreshed 4L60E automatic transmission.

Supporting the truck at each corner are 12-inch-

travel 2.625 coilovers from Rock Krawler. These are off-the-shelf shocks originally intended for the Jeep Wrangler JK. Again, after crunching a few numbers, Ali found the weights were similar enough to give these a shot. Each shock is supported via a custom tubular shock tower that was built by Low Range 4x4.

For now, most of the inside of the truck remains

stock. The biggest upgrade can be found at the center console. This custom metal console allows for easy access to the Atlas shift levers and ARB switches. The small remote sitting on the driver side is for the Warn winch.

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Feature Daring 10

One thing that might not translate extremely

well in photos is just how low this truck is. This was accomplished by utilizing every inch of available uptravel, with significant trimming to the front fenders and bed. Given the amount of articulation the truck has, we can attest that every bit of that trimming was necessary.

In the bed you’ll find a 19-gallon RCI fuel cell that’s been modified to accept the S-10’s stock fuel pump assembly. Resting just after it is the fullsize spare. While in this configuration it leaves just enough room for a tool bag, portable air compressor, and recovery gear. Most of the time the truck runs without the spare out back.

AT A GLANCE GENERAL Vehicle: ’01 Chevy S-10 Owner: Ali Mansour Stomping grounds: Wilmington, North Carolina Build time: 9 Months

DRIVETRAIN

This truck was not intended to

be a trailer queen. As such, great care was taken to choose a tire and wheel package that would be suitable on the highway and tough enough on the trail. Making that happen is a set of 40x13.50R17 Nitto Mud Grapplers and 17x9 KMC Machete beadlocks. Having the ability to drop the Grapplers into the single-digit range was critical for trail comfort and performance. Having them locked to the wheel meant it could be done time and time again without fear of losing a bead. fw

Engine: 4.3L Chevy V-6 Transmission: 4L60E Transfer case: Advance Adapters Atlas four-spd Low range ratios: 2:1, 2.72:1, 5.44:1 Crawl ratio: 274:1 (max) Front axle/differential: High-pinion Dana 60, Nitro Gear & Axle chromoly axleshafts, Warn hubs, 5.38 gears/ARB Air Locker Rear axle/differential: GM 14-bolt, 5.38 gears/ARB Air Locker Front suspension: Rock Krawler three-link w/12-in-travel Rock Krawler 2.625 coilovers Rear suspension: Rock Krawler four-link w/triangulated uppers, 12-in-travel Rock Krawler 2.625 coilovers Steering: PSC Motorsports hydraulic-assist w/Ujoint Offroad high-steer arm

TIRES/WHEELS Tires: 40x13.50R17 Nitto Mud Grappler Wheels: 17x9 KMC Machete beadlock

MISCELLANEOUS Armor: Custom bumpers, Trail-Gear sliders Cool stuff: RCI 19-gal fuel cell, Warn M8000-S winch, JE Reel driveshafts, Barnes 4WD link brackets and 1-ton steering kit

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Overland Adventure East: Part 1

Kicking off the multi-state adventure at Rausch Creek Off-Road Park By Jered Korfhage jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com Photos: Four Wheeler Staff

ome came to unplug from their everyday lives, others sought to explore an environment far removed from the one they called home. Either way, the 2019 TireRack.com Overland Adventure East was most importantly about the memories formed along the way. We know many 4x4 enthusiasts enjoy camping while wheeling, and some of us choose to extend those trips over multiple days while covering great distances, relying only on what has been packed into, on top of, or behind our rigs. Whether you call it a sport, your hobby, or way of life, overlanding can be described as self-reliant vehicle-based travel where the journey is the purposeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and from that was born Four Wheelerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Overland Adventure. From the stacks of applications submitted through fourwheeler.com, we selected 20 overland vehicles of various sizes, makes, and models, each equipped with true four-wheel drive, bearing unique sleeping accommodations, and hailing from all corners of North America to join us on our inaugural expedition into the East.

44 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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2019

Overland Expo East Adventure rigs invade Infinity Downs, Virginia By Jered Korfhage jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com Photos: Jered Korfhage

verland Expo East 2019 was one for the books with a recordbreaking 12,500 attendees, 1,000 adventure vehicles, 188 exhibitors, and 55 media outlets. The event found a new home for 2019 at Infinity Downs in Arrington, Virginia, a change from its usual locale some 300 miles to the south. With its rolling hills, beginnings of fall color in the trees, and expansive acreage, Infinity Downs was an admirable location for the Expo. Overland Expo East could be enjoyed via a day pass for folks choosing to explore the show for the day, a weekend pass including two days at the show with vehicle-based camping, or the penultimate Overland Experience, which added access to specialized classes and programs, an attendee gift bag, complimentary beverages, and much more. For those who desired some excitement on the way to the Expo, the Four Wheeler TireRack.com Overland Adventure East concluded at Infinity Downs and included admission to the show for all participants. Following Overland Adventure East, we immersed ourselves in the Expo, taking in the skills courses, product demonstrations, hotoff-the-grill food, and, of course, the rows of unique and diverse vehicles dressed to the nines in their overlanding best. Whether it was a luxury land yacht or a DIY bugout rig, we were there with eyes open and camera lenses ready. Flip through the following pages for a look into some of the machines, activities, and exciting new wares of the 2019 Overland Expo East. For more info on upcoming Overland Expo events visit overlandexpo.com.

2 1

1. Bert Garrison saved this ’78 Jeep J20 from a certain trip to the junkyard and began the process of transforming it into his dream off-road adventure machine. The stock axles are held in place by a Rusty’s Off-Road 4-inch lift kit and Rancho RS5000 shocks handle the damping. All Bert needed was a bit more clearance for the 33-inch BFGoodrich KM3 mud-terrains. 2. Bert keeps a SnoMaster fridge on a slider in the J20’s bed with a fire extinguisher within reach of the cooking area. What you can’t see is the second battery, dual battery charger, auxiliary fuse box, and ARB twin air compressor all mounted within the Weatherguard box, and air chucks extending to both bedsides for any pneumatic needs. 3. The interior was reupholstered during the truck’s frameoff restoration in 1995 and has since been fit with GMRS, HAM, and CB radio communications and a removable center console. On Bert’s to-do list is adding bucket seats in place of the factory bench. 4. The J20’s AMC V-8 remained stock, however, Bert added an MSD ignition, Truck Avenger carburetor, FlowKooler water pump, and battery isolator, all to make the old powerhouse a bit more reliable.

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When participants of the TireRack.com Overland Adventure East arrived at Overland Expo East, show staff was on hand selling clothing, gear, and memorabilia from the event for participants and showgoers alike to take home.

Show attendees were invited to drive their

personal vehicles through the obstacle course, with the aid and spotting of a guide, where hillclimbing skills, maneuverability, traction control, and articulation were all tested.

LMTV-based expedition

vehicles were a common sight throughout Overland Expo East. We’ve heard rumors of folks nabbing these machines at auction for under $30,000. Strap a camper to the back, fold out the denim-blue rug, and we’d venture to say you have a budget-friendly backcountry setup.

General Tire brought a fleet of vehicles to the show and invited participants to make their way through a test course demonstrating the capabilities of the company’s off-road tire line. The JKU here is wearing a set of Grabber X3 mud-terrains.

Three generations of Land Rover in one frame with the rightmost

Discovery having recently competed in the reawakened TReK competition.

Feature OVERLAND EXPO EAST

We searched high and low, but this appeared to be the only overland-kitted Hummer at the show, with a color-matched off-road trailer in tow.

A beautifully restored ’65 Land Rover Series 2A came to the show from Richmond, Virginia, dressed in a satin-blue paintjob.

Topher Witkowski stuffed a 6BT in the front of his ’93 FJ80 and likes to camp just as hard as he ’wheels. His Dana 300 twin-stick T-case splits the power to the Dana 60 frontend with hydro-assist steering and an ARB Air Locker; and to the rear Chevy 14-bolt filled with 4.10:1 gears. Topher runs a three-link front and a four-link rear suspension setup with Fox coilovers and hydraulic bumpstops at each corner.

Though it might look like

an Odyssey with its rear cut off, this Ridgeline with a Roofnest is certainly ready for more than pavementbound adventures.

“Best Patina Award” went to this FJ45LV. 58 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

When you are finished ogling the

heavy-duty tube armor on this Dodge Ram 3500, you’ll notice the handle above the rear wheelwell that flips the bedside down like a tailgate, giving additional access to the cargo area.

Robert Lahr and his cat, Dolly Purrton, had all the necessary off-road capability and camping comforts in their ’64 F-350 fit with a camper and a fold-down rear patio.

Porsche 911 on all-terrain tires? What it lacks in

cargo space it sure makes up for in head-turning charm.

Overland Essentials

We cruised through the vendor show at Overland Expo East and found a few cool off-road products that you need to see!

Trail-Rated Trans

You might recognize the Tremec TR-4050 as what the editors of Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road dropped into the ’64 International Scout 80 for the 2019 Ultimate Adventure in Alaska. With a 6.16:1 First gear and 0.76:1 Fifth gear, the gearbox mixes low-range capability with highway cruising. For more, check out shiftsst.com.

IFS Reinforcement

Portable Solar

Multifunction GPS

Fab Fires

Looking to beef up the independent front suspension on your ’95-’19 Tacoma, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser; ’07-’19 Tundra; or ’07-’19 Sequoia? RCV has CV shafts that are said to be twice as strong as the factory components and withstand increased operating angles, while still directly replacing OEM gear. Head over to rcvperformance.com for more.

The wizards at 4thD Solar have dreamed up a line of portable solar panels designed for the rigors of backcountry travel. The company offers units to power everything from entire camping setups down to just your smartphone or tablet. Check them out at 4thdsolar.com.

Need a navigation system that can point you to the outlet mall as well as through the backcountry four-by trails? Garmin has blended on-road usability with backcountry mapping and built all that and more into a rugged package called the Overlander. Read more about this unit at garmin.com.

You know Fab Fours for unique and rugged 4x4 armor, now let the company add some flare (yes, it was intended) to your campfires with this line of fire pits. Modeled after either a Jeep Wrangler, Chevy HD, or Dodge HD, you can have a personalized and off-road centric flame containment system. See the lineup at fabfours.com. fw

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FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2020 59

“The overlanding community is great,” says Patrick. “You can meet friends anywhere.” He picked the Ram Power Wagon for his foray into the sport because “it was fully optioned—leather, heated, and cooled seats; heated steering wheel; and navigation. But the No. 1 reason for buying the Ram is that from the factory there are locking differentials, a disconnecting sway bar, and the 6.4L Hemi.”

60 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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A WESTIN COMPANY

he way Patrick James signed off on one of his emails evoked a variety of feelings, with jealousy being pretty much at the top of the list. OK, the only thing on the list. He wrote, “Text me. I am traveling and enjoying life.” There was a hard start to that sign-off, though. In January 2018, Patrick lost his wife of 41 years to cancer. He bought this ’18 Ram Power Wagon brand new the following month. Then, Patrick put more than 34,000 miles on the truck in just fourwheeler.com

19 months. One could say that the outer strength of the truck assisted with inner strength for the human. “Overlanding has given me adventure and helped me move on and meet new people.” We met Patrick and his Power Wagon on our 2019 Four Wheeler Overland Adventure as we explored the Arizona backcountry. If you see Patrick James on the trail, meet him. He’ll probably be in his new project, a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon/Cascadia Vehicle Tents trailer combo. And he’ll be the one enjoying life. HEELER APRIL 2020 61

Feature LIFE IN OVERLAND

“I am a retired pilot, so I want reliable equipment,” Patrick says about his product choices when modifying the Power Wagon. “Happy Trails 4x4 shop in Jacksonville, Florida, did all the installation of the AEV suspension and sourced all of the things that I had chosen for the build.” The AEV 3-inch lift was joined by the brand’s differential covers and pitman arm. A Hellwig 1.25-inch sway bar was added at the rear. Patrick kept the stock shocks, axles, and exhaust.

Rolling stock is 37-inch

Nitto Ridge Grapplers and 17 inch AEV Ram Salta HDs

62 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

Patrick didn’t touch the factory 410hp 6.4L Hemi but he did add a

That’s an AEV snorkel system as well as Rigid Industries driving, fog,

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Off-road adventures get dirty. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why Armorlite Ç Ç&#x2030;Ę¤Ç&#x2030; ÉĽÇ&#x2030;Ç Ć&#x192; Ćş ÉĽ Ç&#x2030;É˝Ç&#x2030; É¨Ç&#x2030;ÉĽ Ć&#x192;ĆşÇ&#x2030; Ç&#x2030; É˝ Ë? É¨Č&#x2C6; Çź system for the JeepÂŽ Wrangler that can handle anything the trail throws your way. Armorlite goes where throw-in mats canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, providing an entirely new level of durability, style and performance.

Feature life in overland

AT A GLANCE GENERAL Vehicle: ’18 Ram Power Wagon Owner: Patrick James Stomping grounds: Palm Coast, Florida Build time: 3 months

DRIVETRAIN Engine: 6.4L V-8 Hemi Transmission: 66RFE six-spd automatic Transfer case: BW 44-47 Low range ratio: 2.64:1 Crawl ratio: 35:1 Front axle/differential: AAM 9.25-in/electric locking Rear axle/differential: AAM 11.5-in/electric locking

SUSPENSION

The spare tire resides on a Wilco Offroad swing-away hitch carrier. Necessities for getting off the grid in-

clude a James Baroud Explorer rooftop tent, Road Shower unit, Alu-Cab Shadow awning, and four Maxtrax recovery boards at the ready should an escape route be needed. There’s an ARB dual compressor and fridge, plus an Alu-Cab drop-down fridge mount. The Leitner Active Cargo System is paired with Decked drawers. Patrick also carries a Go Power! 2,000-watt Pure Sine Wave inverter and two 5-gallon jerrycans.

Front: Coil springs, factory shocks, sway-bar disconnect, AEV 3-in suspension kit Rear: Coil springs, factory shocks, Hellwig sway bar

TIRES/WHEELS Tires: 37x12.5R17LT Nitto Ridge Grappler Wheels: 17x8 AEV Ram Salta HD

MISCELLANEOUS Armor: AEV differential covers, stock 12,000-lb Warn winch Cool stuff: AEV snorkel, Wilco Offroad tire carrier, Rigid Industries lights, AEV ProCal module, AEV Switch Pod kit, ARB fridge, ARB dual compressor, Maxtrax recovery boards, Alu-Cab awning, Genesis dual-battery system, Odyssey battery, Leitner cargo system, Decked drawers, Go Power! inverter, 5-gallon jerrycans, Road Shower, James Baroud rooftop tent

The interior is stock, with the exception of an AEV Switch Pod for cleaning up the switches situation, and there’s also an AEV ProCal recalibration module. An iPad Pro handles GPS duty, while a 40-watt Midland two-way radio keeps Patrick in touch. fw

64 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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Feature

By Jered Korfhage jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com Photos: Jered Korfhage

Nissan’s Destination Frontier Is Your Budget Overlander W e saw the Nissan Destination Frontier at Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, Arizona, and needed to get a closer look at the company’s budget overlander. Instead of simply walking around the impressive rig parked at Nissan’s booth, we decided to take it on a whirlwind three-day backcountry trip of our own and see how the automaker did at outfitting its midsize truck for off-grid exploration.

66 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

Testing the Budget Overlander

Nissan’s goal in building the Destination Frontier was to begin with a budget of $40,000, put roughly $30,000 of that toward an SV Midnight Edition 4x4 crew cab Frontier, and with the remaining funds, deck out the rig with appropriate accessories to make it fit for backcountry travel. In short, building an overland vehicle doesn’t have to put you in the poorhouse. Here’s a tease: Nissan did a great job; however, we think we could do it cheaper—and with more trail capability.

We loaded the Dometic CFX 50W with a few

days of food and drink, filled the auxiliary tanks with fuel, strapped down our Trance 29er from Giant Bicycles, and started driving. We’ll hit you with our first tip for cruising the backcountry on a budget: We planned our route using a gazetteer (read: collection of paper topographical maps in book form with on- and off-highway routes, geographical features, and more). Yes, there are GPS units, mobile apps, and other gadgetry available for navigation and route planning, but our gazetteer never loses reception or battery power. We left the pavement in our rearview mirror around St. George, Utah, late at night, Baja Designs LP6 lights blazing.

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Overland and under budget

As soon as the sun lit

the red cliffs of southwestern Utah, we unpacked the mountain bike for some early morning singletrack riding before continuing our journey.

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Feature Nissan’s Destination Frontier Is Your Budget Overlander

Dropping the air pressure in the 285/70R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers made sure the next few hundred miles of dirt would be much softer.

We traversed the higher elevations, giving us views into Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument and the small peaks in the distance.

Trails wound through twisted canyons, climbed up the sides of steep

cliffs, and then dropped back down into narrow drainages again, eventually funneling us toward Lake Powell, where we made camp in the waning daylight.

Exploring the Backcountry in Comfort Before digging into the Destination Frontier, let it be known that the journey in this truck was made exponentially more pleasurable by the Frontier’s sofa-plush seats. This line of work tends to put our posteriors in an array of driver seats, some with massage functions, others clad in cowhide and embroidered with fine thread, and many capable of freezing or steaming our cheeks at the touch of a button. The seats in the Frontier immediately took the crown (or throne). With the payload of gear, larger tires, and the rooftop tent plowing the air like the blade of a motor grader, we were thrilled with the average fuel consumption of 14 miles per gallon, highway and trail combined. We’d be safe estimating the 21.1-gallon gas tank would get us about 300 miles of dirt before even needing to touch our auxiliary rack-mounted fuel tanks. Nisstec’s coilovers, upper control arms, rear leaf springs, and rear Bilstein shocks were specifically selected to handle the weight on the truck, and we made sure to give ’em a little push, just to see how they handled exuberant off-road travel. Combined with aired-down tires, the

With a few more people, we’d enjoy a sideby-side competition of what can be pitched faster—the CVT Mt. Shasta rooftop tent, or a common backpacking-style ground tent.

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As the stars flickered in the velvet sky above, it was time to enjoy an evening reveling in the silence and solitude.

Before sunup, we had breakfast sizzling on the

How We Would Build on a Budget

suspension was free of bottom-outs while traveling at 15 to 30 mph. When more shock travel was necessary, the movement of the front and rear was predictable without any unexpected bounces. This truck certainly was not built for high-speed whoop whomping, but the majority of higher-velocity encounters with bumps was nothing short of satisfying.

While Nissan did a darn good job outfitting the Destination Frontier for backcountry travel, we think that by rearranging the buildsheet in a few places we could wring a bit more off-road capability out of the platform and save a few more dollars. Here’s the plan:

of sleeping in camp not involving spinal columns touching the cold ground—a hammock. ENO sells everything needed to suspend a sleeping parachute between the Frontier and another stationary object for around $50, trimming about $1,800 from our slumber budget.

Lights For an estimated $56, we could walk out of

The Truck If you’re really building on a budget, it will be easy to justify saving over $3,000 on your build by choosing the Crew Cab S model instead of the Crew Cab Midnight Edition. The Midnight Edition gives you additional badging and blackedout wheels and grille; but since none of those items really pull their weight in the backcountry, they won’t be missed on our budget build.

tailgate and more miles of dirt in the plans.

Harbor Freight with a pair of 3-inch LED cubes and a 22-inch LED lightbar, which would shave $400 from the truck’s off-road lighting budget while still delivering reliable lumens.

Winch We’d also snatch a Badland winch with 12,000 pounds of pulling power for one quarter of the cost of the Frontier’s current winch, saving us an estimated $1,200 and gaining some pulling power. Refrigeration We are quite familiar with the benefits of electric cooling power while on the trail; however, if it means shaving about $700 from our “keep the cold stuff cold” budget, we’d choose a Canyon cooler with 45 quarts of interior capacity

Traction, Recovery, and More If our math skills hold up, the above changes would save us about $7,000. Spending a fraction of those savings on a rear locker would greatly increase the capability of the rig in low-grip conditions. For another negligible sum, we would also add skidplates and rocksliders to keep our bodywork and underpinnings intact. With the leftover cash,

Sleep

We hauled between the walls of more

canyons painted in ochre hues and garnished with crumbled talus, traversed more highcountry plains, and followed a dry river drainage back to pavement, where our dirt journey came to a close.

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FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2020 69

Feature

34 Project X Standing tall in the company’s booth, Mickey Thompson’s Project X Power Stroke–powered ’19 F-150 was hard to miss. A 12-inch Bulletproof suspension, Atlas rear springs, Eibach front coils, and King shocks allow plenty of room for the 43-inch-tall Baja Pro XS tires on beadlock 20x12 Sidebiter IIs. Duval Offroad Designs, X-Treme Toyz, and LGE-CTS Motorsports loaded the 3.0L diesel up with aFe performance parts and outfitted the truck with N-Fab body armor, KC lights, Bushwacker flares, Kicker sound, and more.

HEAD-TURNING AND RIVETING 2019 SEMA 4x4s

very November, more than 160,000 attendees—representing automotive aftermarket parts retailers, customizers, builders, suppliers, and vehicle manufacturers from around the globe— gather in Las Vegas at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show, better known to most of you as the SEMA show. It’s the granddaddy of automotive shows, taking up more than 2.6 million square feet of display area! SEMA isn’t open to the general public, but if you are connected to the automotive industry, it’s the one event of the year that’s a must. We rolled into the 2019 SEMA Show with cameras at the ready, and

70 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

one of our goals was to show you some of the most creative, innovative, and capable 4x4s among the 1,500 or more vehicles on display inside and outside the expansive Las Vegas Convention Center. The images we captured show just a tiny sampling of the newest vehicle trends and aftermarket products along with some oldies but goodies. It’s no surprise that the Jeep Gladiator was one of the most popular project vehicle platforms. But as you can see from our gallery, there were plenty of customized Ford Rangers, Silverados and Sierras, Colorados and Canyons, F-150s and Super Duties, JKs, and Rams to spark the creative juices. fourwheeler.com

ALL SIZES, ALL SHAPES, ALL AWESOME By Bruce W. Smith editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Bruce W. Smith

Hellcat Gladiator Skyjacker Suspension’s Lonnie McCurry Jr. parked his ’20 Jeep Gladiator in the booth to show off the company’s new 4.5-inch Dual-Rate LongTravel suspension and Milestar Patagonia treads. This is one Gladiator that will never lack power thanks to a 717hp 6.2L Hellcat swap by Americas Most Wanted 4x4!

Cool Blue FC RSO Performance did an outstanding job restoring and outfitting this overlanding ’64 M677 Jeep FC Quad Cab. The Rampage bumpers, Rugged Ridge winch and racks, 38-inch Falken Wildpeak M/Ts, Omix lights, and HIT rooftop tent really juice up the let’s-go-exploring bug. A true Truck Hero.

Classic Grand Wagoneer Not every rig on display at SEMA was wildly custom-

Repowered Scout II Old International Harvester Scouts never die, they just return with an R2.8 Cummins transplant and continue on. IH Parts America paired this ’78 Scout II diesel conversion with new Dana 44s and ARB Air Lockers that are fed power via an NV3550 five-speed manual and NP241 T-case.

Badass F-350 It was hard to miss Sinster Diesel’s Sintor Ford F-350 4x4 on our way into the SEMA show. The ’18 Super Duty runs a Carli Suspension lift over F-450 axles, King coilovers, and Deaver leaf springs in back that set the stage to slide on 46-inch tires on Stazworks wheels. Rigid LEDs add to the Sinister look.

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ized. This classic ’88 Jeep Grand Wagoneer SJ in the Crown booth looks as if it just rolled off the assembly line. The team at Max-Bilt Off Road refinished the factory interior, slipped a 4-inch lift and 33-inch Yokohama Geolandars underneath, and freshened up the factory V-8. We love the wood canoe tethered to the factory roof rack, too.

FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2020 71

Feature 2019 SEMA 4x4s

Tazmangler Gladiator The new Jeep Gladiator seemed to command the overlanding project vehicles at the 2019 SEMA Show. Jeff Becker’s Tazmangler Overland, built by Duval Offroad Designs and X-Treme Toyz, has it all, from Leitner Designs’ racks and storage pods to Bestop’s Sunrider top to Warn recovery gear and Atomic Monkey storage bags. A Fabtech 5-inch lift with Sway-A-Way bumpstops and shocks makes way for 40-inch Mickey Thompsons, while aFe Power juices up the Jeep’s six. Rooftop sleeping accommodations are courtesy of Front Runner Outfitters.

Overlanding 4Runner Overlanding is a big trend in the off-road world

Bad Black F-550 The best-looking rig in black at SEMA had to be this Severe Duty ’19 F-550 built by DBL Design. The 335/80R20 Continentals and DBL Design 10-lug military wheels fit the big rig’s meaty stance perfectly. Bodyguard front/rear bumpers serve and protect, while the 16.5 Warn winch up front can pull its weight and more in demanding situations.

Never 86 This Wolfpack Garage went all out on this ’86 GMC 1500 restomod in

Showstopper 4Runner Showstopper’s White ’16 Toyota 4Runner is chock-full of mods designed for overlanding. Underneath is an Icon Vehicle Dynamics suspension with 36-inch Stage 7 Billet Overland rear springs. Baja Designs handled all the exterior lighting, while MobileStrong drawers keep cargo secure in the rear. Yokohama Geolandar M/Ts on 17x8.5 Advan RGD2 wheels supply traction and a Warn VR EVO covers the self-recovery power. The hood is a Seibon OEM-style carbon-fiber piece.

Flat Out K5 Blazer We had to do a double take walking by this ’20 Chevrolet four-door “K5.” It’s actually a retro-inspired ’18 Tahoe that Arkansas-based Flat Out Autos blended into a cool mash-up of new and old. This ’18 Tahoe received a ’68-’69 C-10 pickup front fascia and K5 Blazer rear gate and taillights—all seamlessly integrated into the modern body. Yes, you can order your own.

72 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

right now, and there were dozens of 4x4s outfitted for just that purpose. Among those we liked was this ’19 Toyota 4Runner in the SEMA Overland Experience display area. It’s set up with a Napier rooftop tent system and a Rockland Custom Cabinets secure storage system in the back. Clean. Simple. Efficient.

a sharp Forest Green. It sits at factory ride height but sports a frame-off restoration that included a 6.2L LS3 swap into a custom chassis with a cantilever suspension that has a full 14 inches of travel front and rear. Oh, yeah, the BFG A/Ts are 35s.

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Bulletproof Terradyne If you are worried about hitting an IED while offroading or getting ambushed along the trail, the Terradyne Armored Vehicles CIV (civilian) Gurkha in Extreme Outback Products’ display area will let you ’wheel easy. Built on the Ford F-550 Power Stroke chassis, the Canadian-built SUV can withstand just about anything rival off-roaders can throw or shoot at you. One-inch-thick bulletproof glass, an armored underbelly, and 40-inch run-flat Goodyears save the day.

Four-Door Bobtail Another head-turner. From TV show to the SEMA

GenRight JK We love lots of suspension travel and big tires on JKs built to

AAC Ford Ranger Ford kept the new Ranger highly visible at 2019 SEMA. Among those builds was this XLT Sport SuperCrew FX4 that was built by Advanced Accessory Concepts. It reflects the growing interest in outfitting Rangers for overlanding. The EcoBoost-powered truck sported an Icon Vehicle Dynamics 3-inch lift, LT285/75R17 Falken Wildpeak M/Ts, and AFN body protection with Warn recovery gear and a Zeon winch. An ARB Fridge Freezer, Overland Storage System drawers, and Tepui HyBox tent atop the AFN aluminum bed cap serve camping needs.

take on the nastiest off-road challenges. GenRight Off Road, King, Spyder, R1 Concepts, K&N, Mickey Thompson, and Yukon Gear & Axle know how to match up all the right components to get the job done.

Baja Forged F-250 It was hard to miss the LGE-CTS Motorsports ’20 F-250 XLT Crew Cab 4x4, dubbed Baja Forged, in the Ford section of SEMA. The coilover conversion and rear four-link of the 4.5-inch Stage 7 Icon Vehicle Dynamics suspension kit look sweet on this work/overlanding truck, as do the Hellwig Products air-helper springs and oversize front/rear antisway bars. Of course, the bronze Method Race wheels, 37-inch BFG M/Ts, and Baja Forged carbon-fiber front fenders don’t hurt the looks either. Rigid supplied the lights, Warn the recovery gear, and Pronghorn the utility box in the bed. ARB and Tepui handled the overlanding/camping gear.

show floor, Maxlider Brothers Customs brought back its stretched, supercharged 5.0L Coyote ’66 Ford Bronco as a tribute to Ford announcing the return of the Bronco in 2020. Maxlider Brothers Customs partnered with MJR Industries, Roush Performance, Yukon Gear & Axle, BFGoodrich, WetSounds, and Currie Industries to bring this white beauty to life.

Haulin’ ’55 Chevy Baja Designs had a winner in Peter Verboom Jr.’s ’55 Chevrolet 3100 pickup. We bet it can run with the fastest street-legal trucks in the desert or dunes. It’s fully caged, running a three-link front suspension and fourlink in back with 3-inch Custer coilovers all around. Under the hood is a 648hp 506ci Chevy big-block that puts power through a Reid TH400, NP205 T-case, and on to a 14-bolt in back and Dana 60 up front, both fitted with lockers. MasterCraft Safety buckets, BFG tires, a Lee 2:1 steering box, a Race radio system, and a 45-gallon Fuel Safe tank make desert drives a lot of fun.

Feature 2019 SEMA 4x4s

Patriotic Gladiator The 2020 Gladiator in the Westin booth was one of the most patriotic rigs at SEMA this year and it sported a cool American flag exterior treatment. The Gladiator was also a rolling catalog of sorts, showcasing some of the company’s available JT products.

Rtech Ponderosa Dualie Of all the vehicles on display outside the Las

Willys Nugget This classic Willys pickup was captured on the cell phones

Line-X JT Gladiator Line-X teamed up with celebrity automotive customizer

of just about every SEMA attendee that walked by the Decked booth. Nugget is a gem. The brush-worn look of the “Owens Valley Exploration Corp” logo and faded paint on the jerrycan fit the pickup’s desert patina perfectly. Check out the Willys emblems on the edge bends of the rear fenders. Nice touch.

Jesse James and Zero to 60 Designs founder Kenny Pfitzer to build this eyepopping ’20 Gladiator. It’s coated in Line-X specialty coating and sports a bunch of Line-X Truck Gear components, including the doors that were in the final stages of getting approved for addition to the Truck Gear line of Jeep products.

Cooper Rubitron Todd Holzwarth’s ’20 Gladiator Rubitron in the Cooper

Smittybilt SMCO F-550 You don’t see many tracked vehicles at SEMA,

Tire display has had a foot bobbed off the bed along with a whole suite of modifications, including such things as a Rock Krawler long-arm 4.5-inch lift with four-link triangulated rear suspension paired with a King coilover front on Rebel brackets. It rocks on- and off-road and has Black Rhino Primm beadlocks, 40x13.50R17 Cooper STT Pros, a full set of Road Armor body armor, Trek bed rack system, Rigid Industries LEDs, 5.13 Yukon gears, T-Rex grille, Bestop Sunrider, and rooftop tent.

and for sure none that are as impressive as the SMCO 6x6 taking up a lot of floor space at the Smittybilt display. The limited-production ’20 Ford F-550 has a Highway Products 10-foot bed with built-in fuel cell and custom load ramp for the tracked ATVs sitting above. It’s a big boy, too. Custom 10-inch SMCO lift, custom radius-arm front and four-link rear suspension with load-leveling airbags, and King coilovers make for an impressive ride. Whatever the terrain, mud or snow, it’ll get through.

74 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

Vegas Convention Center, the one that caught the eye of many truck lovers was The Ponderosa, a 4x4 Crew Cab dualie built by Rtech Fabrications. The Ponderosa is based on Chevrolet’s ’64-’66 trucks and this one is powered by a Cummins turbodiesel. Want one? Visit rtechfabrications.com for more info.

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Feature 2019 SEMA 4x4s

Prospector Ram 2500 This AEV-built Prospector Ram 2500 runs

Keystone F-150 Keystone Automotive Operations took this ’20 Ford F-150 and

41-inch Super Swampers and a full complement of AEV modifications and products, including a 3-inch lift, custom Bilstein shocks, and the front axle moved forward an inch.

set it up for overlanding with a bevy of products from the likes of Warn, Leer, Bedslide, Westin, ARB, and other aftermarket manufacturers. What really caught our attention is the split hard-tonneau cover opened via actuators normally used for electric bed steps.

Bodyguard Gladiator Bodyguard Truck Accessories teamed up with Maximum Elevation Off-Road to build this showcase Gladiator. The truck is powered by a 550hp 6.2L LS3 from Bruiser Conversions. Dana Spicer Ultimate 60s with 5.38 gears and Eaton ELockers get power to the 42x14.50R17 Goodyear Wrangler MT/Rs on 17-inch Method Race Wheels. Rebel Off Road’s new Recon kit handles the suspension lift.

Backroadz Gladiator If the number of Gladiators on display is any indication of

Trophy T Tim Odell’s handbuilt 4x4 ’46 Diamond T rat rod, called Trophy T, made us smile. The 40-inch Nitto M/Ts make you aware there’s a lot more going on, and if you look closely you’ll see a Warn winch mounted under the front of the handbuilt Vice Unlimited creation, Rigid LED lights on the roof, a long-travel four-link rear suspension, and Fox coilovers all around. It’s powered by a turbo’d 650hp 6.0L Chevy mounted just behind the cab. This gives new meaning to the words “Trophy Truck”!

Yakima Ranger MAD Industries built this ’19 Ford Ranger SuperCrew XLT 4x4 for the Yakima booth and upfitted it with RPG Offroad bumpers, Ford Performance 2-inch lift, 33-inch BFG T/A KO2s, Air Design flares and fender vents, Hexis Matte BodyFence paint protection film, and a raft of Rigid LED lights. A Warn M-85 Series winch is hidden in the front, and the roof and bed are filled with Yakima racks and accessories to carry all the outdoor toys.

76 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

what’s to come, there will be a lot of them used for off-the-grid camping in the next few years. Napier Outdoors teamed up with Doetsch Off-Road to build this well-outfitted ’20 JT, which is just the right platform for a Napier Backroadz truck tent.

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Black Beauty It didn’t take long for Superlift Suspension to build a 6-inch lift kit for the ’20 Chevrolet Duramax AT4 and have it on display for SEMA 2019. The black Silverado 2500HD looks sharp with the 37x12.50R20LT Mickey Thompson Baja Boss tires and Fuel wheels.

SXS Transporter Off-Road Kings took a different approach to a ’20 Jeep Gladiator build by setting this one up to carry a Polaris side-by-side instead of a rooftop tent. We noticed the new Rampage Products winch bumper and Kanati Mud Hog M/Ts, too.

New Old Gladiator Double take! Kudos to Innovative Auto Creations for seamlessly molding a fiberglass replica of the first Jeep Gladiator J200 (’62-’65) front end to a ’20 model. We think this body mod will be a popular way to salute the Gladiator heritage.

Baja-Ready Colorado Bodyguard’s lifted ’19 Chevrolet Colorado Duramax parked outside the SEMA show entrance display area is set for overlanding with a bed full of gear, rooftop tent, Diode Dynamics LED lights, and self-recovery gear. The Dual-Mode suspension with custom-tuned King off-road shocks is from Baja Kits. fw

TECHLINE

COMPILED BY JOHN CAPPA EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM PHOTOS: JOHN CAPPA

FRAME MOUNTED CAGE

If you have plate-type rocker armor tied to the frame with a tube perpendicular to the frame, is it considered acceptable to tie a cage in vertically in the middle of that span? There is no rulebook to build from on a recreational crawler. I was intending to hard mount the cage to the frame. @DAN.SANFORD1 VIA INSTAGRAM @CAPPAWORKS

C-CLIP SEALING

What is the best way to replace axle seals on a Dana 35 at home with handtools? @SENNLLOYD VIA INSTAGRAM @CAPPAWORKS

There are a few versions of the Dana 35 axle and changing the axle seals on each is slightly different. I’ll go ahead and assume you have the most common version, which is the C-clip Dana 35 rear axle. The good news is that the C-clip Dana 35 is one of the easier axles to replace the axle seals on. Because it’s a C-clip axle, the bearings and seals are pressed into the housing and not on the axleshafts like on a typical semi-floating rear axle. The repair can totally be done in a garage or driveway at home with common handtools. The first step will be to safely support the rear axle on jackstands and remove the tires, wheels and brake drums. If you can, try to determine exactly where the leak is coming from. It’s most likely leaking from the seal surface on the axleshaft, but sometimes a seal can leak where it’s pressed into the axlehousing. To access the axleshafts on a C-clip axle like the Dana 35 you need to remove the C-clips from their ends inside the differential. This does not require complete differential disassembly, so it avoids the need for specialty tools. Drain the rear differential and remove the differential cover. Inside, you’ll find the differential gears. Remove the differential center pin and the small differential gears. Give each

axleshaft a nudge inward from the wheel flange. They should slide in 1⁄8- to 1⁄4-inch. Using a small magnet or mechanic’s pick, remove the C-clips from the insides of the differential side gears. With the C-clips removed, the axleshafts can now slide out of the axlehousing. Take care not to spill any gear oil on your brake assemblies. If you do spill, clean them quickly with brake cleaner. You don’t want the brake shoes to become oil soaked. If the brakes are already oil soaked from the axle leak, you’ll want to replace the brake shoes while you are in there. If it’s obvious that the seal was leaking at the seal surface where it rides on the axleshaft, inspect the axleshaft for wear. Check the bearing surface on the axleshaft as well. The bearing and seal surfaces on the axleshaft should be smooth. If they are pitted, grooved, or show any other damage, the axleshaft will need to be replaced along with the axle bearing and seal. If only the seal is bad you can replace that, but it’s a good idea to replace the bearing since you are already in there. It’s not uncommon for a bad axle bearing to cause an axle seal to leak. The axle seals can be pried out with a seal puller or screwdriver, but you may need a slide hammer to remove the axle bearing from the axlehousing. Clean the area thoroughly and install the new axle bearing. It’s a good idea to smear just a little bit of RTV on the outer mating surface of the new axle seal before tapping it into the axlehousing. With the new seals and bearings installed, you can slide the axleshafts home and reassemble the differential. Companies such as 4 Wheel Parts (4wheelparts.com), ORW (offroadwarehouse.com), and Quadratec (quadratec.com) offer replacement axleshafts, axle bearings, and axle seals for the Dana 35, as well as parts for other axle models.

Attaching a rollcage directly to the frame of a 4x4 is ultimately the safest method of mounting a cage. Even attaching the cage legs to the frame runners of the rocker protection is generally better than mounting them to the sheetmetal, but there are a few things you should be aware of. Because you are essentially rigid mounting the body to the cage and the cage to the frame, you’ll want to get rid of the factory rubber body mounts. If the body is allowed to move and the cage isn’t, something will eventually crack. The rubber body mounts can be replaced with aluminum pucks or some other rigid durable material like Delrin. If you can’t put a small bend in the cage legs to at least route them a little closer to the frame end of the rocker frame runners, then consider reinforcing the frame and frame runners. You could plate the frame or even just add gussets to spread the load. This will help keep the rocker supports from tearing out of the frame in the event of a rollover. Plating and gusseting will be especially important on modern 4x4s with thinner, lightweight boxed frames. As always, check the backside of the frame for fuel lines, brake lines and wiring before welding.

NO FILL FUEL WHERE TO WRITE

ave a 4x4 tech question you want answered in Techline? Drop an email to editor@fourwheeler.com or message us through our Facebook page at facebook.com/fourwheelermag. All letters become the property of Four Wheeler, and we reserve the right to edit them for length, accuracy, and clarity. Due to the volume of mail, electronic and otherwise, we cannot respond to every reader, but we do read everything.

78 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

I have a ’00 Jeep TJ Wrangler and I barely drive it because it’s nearly impossible to fill up at the newer gas pumps. I’ve never been able to lock the pump and let it go, but either newer pumps are increasing volume or my fourwheeler.com

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Techline problem is getting worse. There’s only one pump I can use to fill up that pumps slow enough so it doesn’t reset. I’ve pulled the filler nozzle surround off and tried blowing the vent out with an air gun. I tried doing the same to the line leading to the evap canister under the hood, but to no avail. Is there another line that I’m missing? I’d rather not drop the tank, as everything is super rusted and I wanted to avoid that if at all possible. I’ve searched forums and I’m stumped. Are there any additional vent hoses from the top of the tank or is the one at the top of the filler neck the only one? I’ve even tried disconnecting the entire system and it doesn’t help. It just leaks when I fill up too fast. I think I’ve heard that there is a check ball to prevent fuel escaping during a rollover, could that possibly be the culprit? @TRAMP_CYCLE VIA INSTAGRAM @CAPPAWORKS

be replaced without replacing the entire fuel tank. However, I’ve heard of people bypassing the valve and installing a separate vent tube, which seems to cure the slow filling issue. You may find that there is nothing obstructing the fuel flow from the filler neck to the fuel tank, and if so I wouldn’t be surprised. I have a similar problem with my ’04 Dodge Ram 1500. The fill hose on this truck is smallish and has a few moderately tight bends. What I have found is that some fuel pumps just fuel too fast for the small, restrictive fill hose on my tank. I’m fairly sure that fuel pumps have sped up and increased the volume of fuel delivery over the past decade or two. Some pumps work for me, and some don’t. You could be having the same problem.

(advanceadapters.com) and Novak Conversions (novak-adapt.com) offer the components needed to put the GM transmission behind the 4.0L engine and in front of your factory transfer case. PCS offers electronic paddle shift kits that can be used on the 700-R4 and 4L60E.

MOPAR POWER

I’d like to do an engine swap in my Jeep. I want to use a ’01 Magnum 5.9L out of a Dodge Ram 1500 and put it into a ’01 TJ Wrangler that currently has a 4.0L and an automatic transmission. What are the pitfalls? What major issues will I encounter? Which transmission do I use: the Ram or the TJ transmission? Are there any vendors out there that sell a kit for this type of swap?

PADDLE SHIFT 4.0L

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN VIA FACEBOOK.COM/JOHNCAPPA4X4

What is the best trail and overland worthy automatic transmission that is adaptable to the Jeep 4.0? If possible I would love to run a modern automatic like a Tiptronic or Steptronic. @DANIELPINEDA06 VIA INSTAGRAM @CAPPAWORKS

A A

Hearing the fuel nozzle shut off before the tank is full is certainly one of the more annoying sounds we hear day-to-day, especially if it’s consistently repeated with every couple of gallons that pass through the filler hose. The first place to inspect should be the Jeep’s filler and vent hoses. Over time these hoses can flatten out and even kink, restricting the flow of fuel into the fuel tank. If you find a kink or flat spot, you can sometimes loosen the clamps and manipulate the hose so the kink or flat spot is removed. Another option is to insert a radiator intake hose spring. You’ll have to find the correct size, but the spring will keep the hose from collapsing the same way it works on a radiator hose. There is also the possibility that there is a blockage in the fuel fill hose that you don’t know about. It probably would not be the first time someone found a child’s toy, a rock, or other item wedged in a fuel filler. It would be difficult to get something like this past the safety flapper on the filler neck, but not impossible. Also, if someone tried to siphon fuel from your Jeep, a broken-off siphon hose could be stopping up the fuel flow, too. Ultimately, you should consider removing the filler hose to check it. If the fill or vent hoses are kinked, damaged, or flattened, companies such as Crown Automotive (crownautomotive.net) and MTS (mtscompany.com) offer replacements. It’s possible that the check valve on the fuel tank is sticking. Unfortunately, the check valve is usually part of the fuel tank and can’t

80 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

If you have a newer Jeep Cherokee XJ or Grand Cherokee you may already have the best transmission for this task. The AW4 overdrive automatic transmission available in some of these Jeeps is a great transmission. It’s also electronically shifted, so you can remove the traditional shifter and install paddle shifters on the steering wheel if you desire. Companies such as Nick In Time Design (nickintimedesign.com) offer the electronics needed to manually shift

the AW4. The company’s Nifty Shifter V1 could be used in conjunction with a joystick shifter or paddle shifters from a company such as PCS (powertraincontrolsolutions.com). PCS also offers pushbutton shift controllers. Now, if your 4x4 doesn’t have the AW4 and you want to swap in an automatic transmission that can be shifted electronically with paddle shifters, you should steer into a GM 700-R4 or 4L60E. Both of these overdrive automatic transmissions can be adapted to the Jeep 4.0L inline-six engine. Advance Adapters

You’re in luck. This is a sensible swap that’s one of the simplest engine swaps out there. The 5.2L 318ci and 5.9L 360ci were two of the most common V-8 engines used throughout the ’90s in Jeep Grand Cherokees and in Dodge Ram, Dakota, and Durango 4x4s. The 5.2L and 5.9L are arguably much better swap candidates than the Hemi V-8 engines. They can be had for dirt cheap, along with the entire donor vehicles themselves. Having the complete donor vehicle makes the engine conversion go much easier, as many of the miscellaneous parts and pieces you’ll need can often be picked from the parts car. You’ll want to use the V-8 transmission, it can be adapted to your transfer case. You may need to swap the input gear of your transfer case to get it all to fit up. Because every engine swap is different, there really isn’t a complete kit to make the swap. However, both Advance Adapters (advanceadapters.com) and Novak Conversions (novak-adapt.com) offer the components needed to help perform your V-8 transplant. The good news is we’ve actually made this swap, although it was on a four-cylinder TJ. You can read about the conversion in a story called “More Mopar” on fourwheeler.com. It’s a two-part story. Part one can be found here: https://bit.ly/2Xixn4h. Part two can be found here: https://bit.ly/340RLtz. fw

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Vega Mudder: From Family Wagon to Mud-Slinging Monster

hink back to the last time you saw a Chevy Vega in the mud bogs. We are willing to bet you have not, at least until your eyes landed on Bernard Eastburn’s creation, that we visited in the January 1986 issue of Four Wheeler. Bernard spent his weekdays tugging a triple trailer to and fro across the Oregon mountains so that on the weekends he could play in the mud. However, he wanted a machine that was a little something different than the rest. He spent enough time glancing between the junked Chevy 3⁄4-ton pickup withering in his backyard and the sagging and impotent grocery-toting ’73 Vega GT in the driveway that he began to have thoughts of “what if …?” Sure enough, Bernard dove into the project of fusing his economy commuter with the wrecked Chevy. Since Bernard had competitive mud racing in mind, his rig needed a minimum wheelbase of 101 inches. To accomplish this, he began by removing 27 inches from the midsection of the derelict pickup’s frame, gutting the Vega’s unibody, and reinforcing the interior with a lattice of 1-inch square steel tubing. The result was a beefed-up Vega body sitting on a 102-inch-wheelbase 4x4 chassis. Spicer 44s with 4.10:1 gears and Detroit lockers sat beneath the machine, while a set of 15/31.5-15 Firestone flotation tires mounted to home-built steel wheels handled mud-slinging and sand-throwing duties. Up front, suspension components from a ’79 Blazer could be found. Out back, Bernard inserted blocks above the rear springs, converting the rearend to a hardtail to keep him in compliance with competition pulling laws.

The Vega mudder got its power from another junkyard gem—the 454 out of a smashed ’70 Caprice that Bernard fixed up with a pair of Carter 625-cfm four-barrels, a set of stove-pipe headers, and a laundry list of power-adding accoutrements. Behind the engine went a Turbo 400 transmission revalved for a stall speed of 3,500 rpm, and an NP205 lifted from another ’77 donor 4x4. Safety features included a full ’cage made from 2-inch tubing, a five-point harness, scatter blankets over each U-joint, and front disc brakes donated by a Blazer (no brakes out back). Bernard kept his reserve of fuel in a 6-gallon, spun-aluminum tank mounted to the front bumper. Depending on the race, the Vega sipped 130-octane aviation gas or “California Funny Fuel.” Consumption estimates for a typical pulling run were right around one gallon per pull! To keep the Vega looking sharp while fending off barrages of

mud and stones, Bernard had it painted with 14 coats of Ditzler’s Delron candy apple red followed by 11 coats of clear and airbrushed lettering. “Somethin’ Different” was the name emblazoned across its sides. When we caught up with Bernard, he was already planning the next upgrades to the Vega, which included a 468ci alcohol-injected Chevy block and a set of 60-series differentials. At the time, his Vega was one of the only carbodied pullers in the National Four Wheel Drive Pulling Association. Bernard also told us how he was sure to leave the luggage rack, radio, and heater all in good working order in case he still needed the rig for its original intended purpose: grocery getting. This is your chance to tell us about your favorite car-bodied 4x4 that you built or that you remember from way back, and please include a high-resolution image when emailing editor@fourwheeler.com with your tale. FW

FOUR WHEELER (ISSN 0015-9123) April 2020; Vol. 57, No. 4. Copyright © 2020 by TEN: Publishing Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Published monthly by TEN: Publishing Media, LLC., 275 Madison Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10016. All Rights Reserved. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Single copy price is $6.99. SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. APO, FPO and U.S. Possessions $19.97 for 12 isssues. Canada orders add $12.00 per year and international orders add $24.00 per year (for surface mail postage). Payment in advance, U.S. funds only. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to FOUR WHEELER, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.

82 APRIL 2020 FOUR WHEELER

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