CONTENTS APRIL 2019, VOL.56, NO.

16

COVER SECTION
42 MUST-SEE TIRES! 42
16 WRAPPED UP
42 ways to dress the wheels on your 4x4

FEATURES & EVENTS

28 SEEN AT SEMA
22 rigs of the 2018 SEMA show—from
flashy to functional

34 TAX RETURN TRAIL FIX

Turn your refund check into off-road fun
with 38 new products from SEMA

42 AMERICA’S WILD WEST 24 28

Using 4x4s to retrace history on the
Applegate-Lassen trail 74 HIDDEN POTENTIAL DEPARTMENTS
Discovering your JK Wrangler’s off-road
56 THE GHOST DIVIDE potential with a JKS Jspec suspension 8 FIRING ORDER / 10 INBOX /
EXPEDITION II system and the right tires 12 RPM / 78 TECHLINE /
Exploring the Old West with New Mexico 80 CALENDAR / 82 TRAIL’S END
Backroads PRODUCT TESTS
66 BACKWARD GLANCES 24 2019 CHEVY TRUCK ON THE
COVER: Chris
Wheeling in style: 1966 Jeep Super INNOVATION Collard shot this
Wagoneer Silverado turbo I-4 surprises and Bison photo of a Wran-
ups the Colorado ZR2’s dirt game gler traveling
70 FROM THE BACKCOUNTRY through silt on
Dirty tricks: keep yore back to the wall 60 SMALL HAULER the Applegate-
Lassen trail. The
and yore .45 loose in its holster! Enjoying extra capacity with the Maxxis
story on this

TECH & HOW-TO

ST Radial M8008 trailer tire incredible, his-
tory-saturated
62 OFF-GRID CONDO trail begins on
48 HIGHER STANDARD We test Schutt Industries’ Xventure XV-2 page 42.
Improve your fourth-gen Ram’s quality of Deluxe off-road tent trailer
life with Carli Suspension’s Backcountry
2.0 lift

52 STOP THE PLAY

Installing a RedHead power steering gear-
box and Borgeson steering shaft takes the
slop out of steering in older Ford trucks WWW.FOURWHEELER.COM
WA R N E L I T E F R O N T B U M P E R
FOR THE JEEP WRANGLER
Whether you’re on the trail, on an overland
expedition, or just looking for a sturdy place
for your WARN winch, the WARN® Elite™
Front Bumper is what you’ll want on the
front of your Wrangler JK or JL. These
bumpers have advanced bumper
geometry for increased approach
angles, a grille guard tube for extra
vehicle and winch protection,
an optional lower skid cover for
shielding your vehicle’s critical
components, and integrated off-road
jack points for easy field repairs.
Designed, engineered, and made in the
USA, the WARN Elite Front Bumper offers
the features Wrangler owners need with a
great new style that’s perfect for
the life off road.
GO TO WARN.COM TO LEARN MORE
 WWW.FOURWHEELER.COM

EDITORIAL
Network Content Director Sean P. Holman
Editor Ken Brubaker
Managing Editor Lucia Salas
Staff Editor Jered Korfhage
Social Media Director Brandon Scarpelli

ART DIRECTION & DESIGN

Art Director Greg P. Smith
Creative Director Alan Muir

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 FIRING ORDER
Made
in the
That Time I Bought
An AMC Eagle
O
ver the years I’ve owned some
unusual four-wheel-drive
vehicles. I don’t go looking for
’em, but for some reason they
find me. An example is the ’84
AMC Eagle wagon I purchased in the early
’90s to address the needs of my growing family
(and my extremely limited budget).
The Eagle was based on the AMC Concord/
Hornet platform, which had a long history of
production. It’s said that the idea of fitting the
car with a four-wheel-drive system came from
Roy Lunn, the chief design engineer for AMC
Jeep. Turns out, it was a very good idea. The
Eagle was very successful for AMC, at least
Introducing
the All-New
Suspension Lift
Four Wheeler reader Rich Comer sent this
photo of his ’83 Eagle. He won it in a $5 raffle
and it’s his daily driver.
for the first few years. In 1980, Four Wheeler
6LPSO\WKHEHVWZD\WRĆW noted that the Eagle was “the beginning of
35-37 inch tires on a a new generation of cars.” Among its many
unusual traits is that it was equipped with IFS.
2018–2019 Jeep Wrangler My Eagle was fitted with the carbureted 258ci
JL. Dynatrac-engineered I-6, automatic transmission, and shift-on-the-fly
single-speed 4WD. Fun fact: It’s said that the
spring rates and shock four-wheel-drive system added 300 pounds to
valving provide better the weight of the vehicle. Another fun fact: A
handful of ’80 Eagle wagons were fitted with
ride quality, handling and 3.6L turbodiesel engines via factory-authorized
stability. Giving you the conversions. According to a sales brochure, the
&RQĆGHQFHWR([SORUH™. engine made 150 hp and 224.2 lb-ft of torque.
The brochure also noted the turbodiesel-
equipped Eagle returned 24-35 mpg with over-
drive, which gave the wagon a range of 1,500
www.dynatrac.com miles when matched with the larger fuel tank.
714-596-4461
A 4WD car was very unusual in the ’80s.
I recall fielding questions about the Eagle
from curious onlookers. Its increased height
(3 inches) is one item that made it stand
out visually. Daily drivability was similar to
any other car, but in inclement weather the
Eagle soared. When 4WD was engaged it
was surefooted on ice and snow, and it was
a snowdrift-bashing, crazy thing. And there
wasn’t a bunch of low-hanging fragile stuff
protruding from the front end of the vehicle,
so deep drifts on rural one-lane-roads could
be attacked without fear of seeing some large,
expensive plastic pieces in the rearview mirror.
During mild off-roading the Eagle did surpris-
ingly well, thanks to decent approach
and departure angles and acceptable
ground clearance.
Here’s a photo of my Eagle on a back-
road along the Mississippi River. It wasn’t
Rubicon-ready, but unlike the majority
of 4WD crossovers today, the Eagle had
decent ground clearance, so it could be
pointed down rough roads without fear of
shedding low-hanging components.
This Eagle was at a mud event in Missouri, and
many props are in order for the owner who appar-
ently said, “Heck ya, I’ll wheel that Eagle.”
I was reminded of my Eagle when I saw
one in a restaurant parking lot the other day in
Florida. But that’s not the first time. I also saw
one at a mud event in Missouri recently, and a
reader recently sent in a photo of his.
I can’t help but wonder how the Eagle would
fare in a head-to-head off-road shootout when
pitted against modern car-based 4WDs and
even some 4WD SUVs.
Have you owned an unusual 4WD like an
AMC Eagle? Or did you build an oddball 4WD
rig using a truck chassis and a car body? If so,
email the address below and tell us about it,
and please include a high-res photo!
—KEN BRUBAKER
KEN.BRUBAKER@FOURWHEELER.COM
PHOTOS: KEN BRUBAKER
fourwheeler.com
 15 MINUTES COULD SAVE YOU
15 PERCENT OR MORE ON MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE

geico.com 800-442-9253 /RFDO2ǏFH

Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government
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 Inbox
1973 K25
About a year and a half ago, my wife and
I decided to purchase a truck and trailer and
start “getting away from it all” a few times a
year on our own and occasionally with my par-
ents who own a 39-foot RV. This was not going
to be a $100K setup of a new truck and trailer...
we don’t have that kind of taste or budget. My
dad and I had discussed going in on a Chevy/
GMC K20, since we had both owned several
through the years, but neither of us currently
did and missed having one to haul stuff and
tinker with. I talked with him, and he was open
to the idea of it being “our” truck and my wife
and I could also use it for towing duty, so we
started looking. Neither of us was happy with
what we were finding locally, either due to the
price or condition of the truck. We wanted a
driver, but expected to do some work to get it to
our liking. They had left on vacation and shortly
after that a ’73 GMC K25 with an ’81-’87 front
clip popped up on Craigslist for $2,500. It
looked clean and straight but seemed too good
to be true for the price. I let him know and he
gave me the OK to go check it out. During my
call to the owner, he said that it had a complete
drivetrain of a small-block Chevy and SM465,
but was not currently running due to it missing
a carb and distributor, so I went to go check
it out. The truck appeared to be complete,
straight and rust free although it was a bit of
a mishmash of Chevy/GMC parts, which I’ve
come to expect on these trucks. I really liked
it, but what sold me on it was the camper shell
that was included and original wheels and hub-
caps! Don’t get me wrong, the truck was a little
rough, but everything was there besides the
carb and distributor!
After some discussions with Dad he gave
WHERE TO WRITE
ddress your correspondence to Four Wheeler, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245 or send
A 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 re-
spond to every reader, but we do read everything.
10 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
BY KEN BRUBAKER KEN.BRUBAKER@FOURWHEELER.COM
me the OK to
bring it home.
Payment was
made, paper-
work was com-
pleted, and later
that week I had
it towed home.
That same
evening, my
wife and I met
my parents for
dinner after they
got back from
their trip and
they came back
to the house
to check out the truck. Dad was almost giddy
when he saw it and was excited to get it going!
We both did some digging and scraping to
get the engine info and found that it was a ’76
305ci, which we both knew wouldn’t be great
for towing, but when we pulled a valve cover to
get some kind of idea as to the condition of the
engine, we found roller rockers...which gave us
hope! He had an older Quadrajet carb he had
rebuilt to use and I purchased a new Summit
HEI distributor and we went to work a couple
Saturdays later to get it going. A starter and
some starting fluid were the only unexpected
purchases we had to make to get it going. Once
we got it started the engine sounded good, but
tired, and had a leaky rear main seal...all signs
of high mileage and needing a rebuild, but we
decided that if the engine had to come out for a
rebuild, why stay with the 305? Another small-
block Chevy would be just fine, but a big-block
was the answer for towing! In the meantime,
since we were still going to use it as a truck, we
changed the transmission and diff oil, and in
the process we also found the diffs were about
half-full of water, but there was no rust inside
either one! I also got a great deal on a 1-ton
full-float 14-bolt with the same 4.10:1 gears as
the front axle, so we swapped out the marginal-
for-towing semi-float 14-bolt. The same guy
had an original four-core radiator so that was
cleaned up/out and swapped in too. In the
meantime, the truck has been used for general
hauling and Home Depot runs and is great for
that, but not for towing a 25-foot fifth-wheel
trailer...we found out the hard way!
After a long hunt for a solid big-block Chevy
short-block, we found a used Gen VI four-bolt,
forged bottom end 454 in an industrial co-gen
application and the guy only wanted $100 for
it. The guy selling said it ran on CNG and ran at
only 1,800 rpm its whole life! He has a contract
with several area facilities to swap them out for
new ones when they get to 25K hours, so they
have very light wear and he had several to pick
from. He had a few Gen Vs also, so we picked
the best/cleanest Gen VI we could find, since
we plan to use the SM465 and mechanical fuel
pump, for now. The plan is to build a clone of
the GM 454 high-output, since the block is the
same and the 0.030 over short-block should
be ready to be picked up by the end of this
week! The only other major plans for the truck
will be an NV4500 swap, install a modern A/C
system, and eventually install an aftermarket
EFI system. My wife and I agreed that since
the outside is decent looking we will keep it as
is, but spend $$ as needed on the interior to
make it more comfortable and convenient for
travel. We also don’t want it looking too good
as to attract the wrong kind of attention...we’ve
already had people messing with it when it sits
on the street in front of the house.
It’s been more work than planned, but in my
opinion, not too bad for a $2,500 truck, and in
the end we will have exactly what we want and
need for about an $8,000 investment!
MATT HACKETT
VIA EMAIL
SEAN’S K20
I’ve been a Four Wheeler reader many
years and enjoyed your commentary about
ugly 4x4s in November’s Firing Order. I get the
same reactions to my ’75 K20. I’ve owned my
truck about six years. He’s full of rust, bondo,
dents, and spray foam insulation. The bondo
was long before my tenure. The spray foam
fills rust holes in the cab and the majority
of the dents are from past excursions. In six
years, I’ve transformed the truck into a reliable,
formidable, and capable trail rig. It has a roller
468ci big-block, granny four-speed, twin-stick
NP205, 4.56 gears with Powertrax lockers,
and Tom Wood’s driveshafts. Also, I’ve bought
and added almost every Offroad Design modi-
fication possible. The truck has approximately
3 inches of lift and all rides on custom 10-inch-
wide, eight-lug Stockton wheels, and 35-inch
BFG Mud-Terrains. The truck is limber, fun,
and always turns heads.
SEAN MCDONNELL
VIA EMAIL FW
fourwheeler.com
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BY TORI TELLEM
EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM
»»That’s Interesting
2019 Kelley Blue Book Best
Buy awards: fullsize SUV, Ford
Expedition, and Ford F-150 for
pickup.
Ford and Mahindra will be col-
laborating/sharing powertrain and
connect-vehicle projects, but in
India only. For now.
Ford’s also buddying-up with Avis
Budget Group to make for better
user experiences when it comes
to vehicle rentals, and also when
it comes to efficiency for that pro-
cess via connected tech.
Production on the ’19 Ford
Ranger is officially in action. It’s
happening at the Michigan Assem-
bly plant that the Blue Oval invested
$850 million into for building the
pickup and also the ’20 Bronco.
Which one of you did Ram want
to know that its “Farmer” com-
mercial turned 5 years old? They
must think a lot about your interest
in this commercial, as this news
came in the form of a press an-
nouncement.
Jaguar Land Rover opened a
manufacturing plant in Slovakia—
that’s a first for a UK auto company.
Solar panel roofs will be found on
Kia and Hyundai starting in 2019,
12 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
RPM
mainly to charge batteries, but don’t
be surprised to see that on its regu-
lar vehicles, like for heating seats.
Winners of the 2018 SEMA
Vehicle of the Year award were the
Ford F-series for truck, the Jeep
Wrangler for 4x4/SUV, and the Po-
laris RZR Turbo S for powersports.
The wins go to the ones trending
the most in the aftermarket in
terms of products and accessories
being developed, which translates
to those that are the coolest in a
roundabout way.
People are talking about the
Salomondrin Ford Raptor S. Galpin
Auto Sports built it, and you can
see what they did by going here:
bit.ly/2KmYIM9. They’re building
24 more, should your taste buds
be awakened.
For its efforts in recruiting and
employing military veterans, Fiat
Chrysler received gold medallion
certification.
The Zebra is a vehicle insurance
search engine, and it did an inves-
tigative report sans Keith Morrison
to figure out whether the insurance
industry collects data about your
online behavior to decide what to
charge you. Like, if you use Gmail,
you might pay $100 more, but AOL
might save you $100. Or, if you’re
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
online at 3 a.m., you might pay
$58 more than others. Using an
iPhone? You might pay more than
Android users.
Volkswagen has taken the wraps
off what it’s calling the “next gen-
eration” pickup, the Tarok. The
double cab has seating for five, but
with the option to fold down the
rear cab for more cargo space.
According to LendingTree, mil-
lennials who owe the most money
on their vehicles seem to be lo-
cated primarily in the South.
Nissan brought the Frontier
Sentinel to the São Paulo Motor
Show. What makes it interesting is
that it’s been designed for rescue
missions—and has Nissan Leaf
batteries.
J.D. Power created VIN Based
Option, which is said to be acces-
sible by all NADA Values Online
subscribers. “This new feature
utilizes packaging, content, and
descriptive features specific to a
vehicle’s entire 17-character VIN
(Vehicle Identification Number) to
enhance and customize each ve-
hicle valuation instead of the basic
11-character VIN.”
The Insurance Institute for High-
way Safety said the ’19 Ram 1500
crew cab earned “good” in all six
crash tests (the highest rating). The
last generation of Ram didn’t do so
well in the roof strength and driver-
side small overlap front tests.
And more good talk: The Ram
1500 was also named Green Car
Journal’s 2019 Green Truck of the
Year.
Geely, which is the Chinese
automaker that owns Volvo and Lo-
tus, bought the Utah Motorsports
Campus, known for its off-road and
rockcrawling courses.
Bit the dust: Cadillac’s subscrip-
tion program. Whose sub service
is next?
fourwheeler.com
 Four Wheeler App
appy 2019, aka a new year, a new you, living your best life yet.
H And the only way to do that is to download the Four Wheeler
app. Don’t believe us? There’s literally only one way to find out the
truth—by downloading our app and then waiting for the best life to
begin over the remaining months of 2019. But ask yourself: How
can that not happen with tons of tech, products, feature vehicles,
installation how-tos, product guides, news, and more right at your
fingertips? Download at the App Store for the answer.

✓RANDOM QUOTE:
“THE PRICE IS A LITTLE HIGH, BUT WITH
’19 Ram 1500 North Edition ALL THE TECHNOLOGY ON IT, I GUESS
A cold-weather truck is the idea behind the special-edition Ram 1500
North. What your money gets you—an MSRP of $45,890—is an en- IT’S WORTH IT. BUT, IN THE FUTURE, IT’S
gine-block heater, factory 1-inch lift, severe-snow–rated Falken LT tires (as
in, the snowflake symbol), heated mirrors, Mopar all-weather mats, remote
SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE WON’T BE
start, towhooks, electric-locking rear axle, and more. If you know the Big ABLE TO AFFORD.”
Horn, that’s the basis, and you can get it in crew cab shortbed or longbed — ERNEST JOHNSON TO DETROIT FREE PRESS, REGARDING THE HIGH COST
with either the 3.6L or 5.7L. OF PICKUPS NOWADAYS. HE JUST GOT A ’19 GM PICKUP.

Custom Fords from the ’18 SEMA Show

ast issue, we showed you some unique Rangers that Ford and some of
L its partners created for the ’18 SEMA Show. Here are a few unique F-
series that might give you some building ideas of your own as well.
Transfer Flow took an F-150 with the 3.0L diesel and added lots of
aftermarket goods, including new tires and wheels, a 6-inch coilover kit,
exhaust, front and rear bumpers, roof rack, and, of course, a Transfer Flow
50-gallon replacement fuel tank and another 40-gallon-er in the bed that’s
a toolbox combo/refueling kit upgrade plus movie projector screen inset—
all in the name of “ultimate family Ford F-150 adventure truck.” Everything
from lighting to a recovery kit also made the cut.
A Super Duty was the subject of a collab between Ford and Wilderness
Collective, a moto tours company, which included a suspension lift, Ford
Performance exhaust, manual front lockers, 37-inch rubber, rooftop tent,
lighting, heavy-duty bumpers, and more.
Work truck inspo? The Super Duty by DeBerti Design, which included Transfer Flow F-150
turning the 6.7L Power Stroke into a 900hp diesel powerhouse. Suspension
upgrades, a custom utility bed, trailer hitch, and welding products were
among the items that make the stealth work truck be a work truck.

DeBerti Design
Super Duty

Wilderness
Collective
Super Duty

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 13

 RPM
»»Is It True?
Ford was one of the names on
a patent to eliminate new-vehicle
smell? Also known as the poetic
invention that “relates to ink com-
positions containing hydroxylated
and carboxylated polymers that
are functionalized with reactive
metal complexes and alkyl phos-
phates, which provide adhesion to
a wide range of substrates without
decreasing the viscosity stability
of the composition”? But the U.S.
will get to keep the smell because
we like it?
Ford’s also going to start using
graphene—the first time ever for
vehicle use—which is a 2D nano-
material referred to as “miracle
material,” as it’s 200 times stron-
ger than steel? And you already
know it for its use in smartphones?
’19 Toyota 4Runner Nightshade,
Tacoma SX, Tundra SX
here are three new options in the Toyota mix. The ’19 4Runner can
T be had in Nightshade Special Edition style, which means lots of
black, including wheels, accents, and inside. Opting for this 4Runner
Limited tacks on $1,740. Meanwhile, the pickups get an SX package.
We’re not entirely sure what Toyota meant when it said of the Tundra SX,
“Relying on a selection of color-keyed accents and blacked-out wheels,
SX combines thoughtful upgrades to create what may be the cleanest
Tundra to date,” but we can tell you that cleanliness runs an MSRP of
$1,630 and it’s based on the SR5. The Tacoma SX is based on the SR
and gets the blackout treatment for $560.
»»Your Government at Work
It seems NHTSA is getting
complaints about death wobble
we’re now finding this copy-and-
paste laziness our YOLO thing,
buses, clean trucks, and other in-
novative, clean transportation and
from the ’18 Jeep Wrangler JL. but: “The California Air Resources mobility pilot projects.”
Board today approved a $483 mil-
Not sure whether they said it lion plan to fund clean car rebates, The EPA puts out a list of na-
better for us as well or whether zero-emission transit and school tional companies that are the larg-
est green-power users, to the tune
of there being 100 that make the
list. GM’s Arlington Assembly joint
made the cut—No. 76, if you have
a number fetish.
There’s large amounts of chatter
that Israel is intending to ban the
sale of new gas and diesel vehicles
after 2030.
If you can hear that over the
chatter regarding Spain doing it
too come 2040.
And honestly, these people
said it better for us, too: “Electrify
14 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
Is Ford planning to eliminate
the Explorer in Egypt?
Is this the last Ford item
already? That it might share a
vehicle platform with Volkswagen?
And of the electric-vehicle variety?
Nope—the last Ford item
would be that the ’20 Bronco will
have a seven-speed manual trans?
GM will use the power of wind
to help with the building of pickups
and SUVs in Texas?
Because Bentley is now in
the SUV business, we’re going to
cover the automaker’s every move,
including wondering aloud, Did it
open its first dealership in Israel?
The ’19 Aston Martin SUV will
be called DBX? And wasn’t that a
rapper’s name?
Bankrupt alert: The Bob Bon-
durant High Performance Driving
School?
You can get yourself the cur-
rent-edition Chevy Silverado and
GMC Sierra clear through 2019,
while also having the option of the
new edition?
America and the Ohio Turnpike
and Infrastructure Commission
today announced plans to install
electric vehicle charging stations,
the first along the Ohio Turnpike.”
The headline from NHTSA said
enough: “Fatal motor vehicle crash-
es are down by almost 2 percent
after 2 years of large increases.”
Before you turn your nose up at
the thought of an electric vehicle,
know that Austria is probably going
to let those vehicles have a higher
speed limit than that of gas and
diesel vehicles.
Canada, looks like you’re
getting maintenance and con-
struction work done on the Alaska
Highway to modernize it/rebuild
the roads. fw
fourwheeler.com
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 Feature

42 ways to dress the wheels on your 4x4

By Jered Korfhage jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com Photos: Courtesy of the manufacturers

T
IRES—THEY INTIMATELY HANDLE RELATIONS MICKEY
between your vehicle and the ground
beneath, and they are a grippy necessity.
THOMPSON BAJA
Whether your needs require a dedicated BOSS
off-road, mud-slinging, rock-hugging monster, The Wrap: The Boss is here!
or something black, round, and rugged that will Mickey Thompson’s new ex-
get you to your next adventure destination, we treme mudder is made to up
have the answer all wrapped up in the next few the cool factor of any 4x4—
street truck to trail rig. The tire
pages with 42 new tires for your 4x4.
features a three-ply sidewall,
deep voids, and a silica-
reinforced compound.
FALKEN How Big: 18 sizes for 17- to
WILDPEAK 24-inch wheels
Info: mickeythompsontires.com
A/T3W
The Wrap: Any adven-
ture, any weather.
Falken’s tread
pattern and silica
PRO COMP XMT2
The Wrap: Computer modeling helped
compound allow
deliver this grippy, open-tread pat-
the tire to excel in
tern, which gives you control on the
wear, winter, and wet
highway and the trail without exces-
performance—and
sive noise. Features include sidewall
have even earned
protection, stone-ejecting ribs, and
the Three-Peak
elliptical sipes. Available in two new
Mountain Snowflake
sizes—37x13.5R20 and 35x12.5R17.
designation.
How Big: 31- to 40-inch tires for 15- to
How Big: 30- to 37-
22-inch wheels 
inch tires for 15- to
Info: procompusa.com
20-inch wheels
Info: falkentire.com

MILESTAR FURY COUNTRY

PATAGONIA X/T HUNTER M/T
The Wrap: Bridging the gap be- GENERATION 2
tween mud- and all-terrain tires is The Wrap: Designed with
the Patagonia X/T. fewer center voids for improved
The tire is built to handle rough highway handling and noise re-
terrain while still keeping noise to duction, as well as aggressive
a minimum throughout the life of shoulder tread to maximize
the tread, and it also features a off-road performance, Fury
three-ply sidewall; select sizes are brought the mean looks and
available with an F load rating. the muscle to back them up.
How Big: 20 sizes for 16- to How Big: 265/70R17 and
22-inch wheels 285/70R17, with more to come
Info: milestartire.com Info: furytires.com

16 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 HERCULES TERRA TRAC M/T
The Wrap: In addition to good road manners,
the Terra Trac M/T features scalloped tread
blocks to scoop through thick mud, deep sip-
ing for wet conditions, and a camouflaged side-
wall tread pattern for increased traction and
head-turning good looks.
How Big: 31- to 37-inch tires for 15- to 20-inch
wheels
Info: herculestire.com

ATTURO TRAIL BLADE BOSS

The Wrap: Cut your way through the slop with this
burly, knife-wielding rubber. Large voids excel in
the mud, while smaller inner tread blocks grab
onto rocks.
How Big: New for 2019—40x13.5R17,
LT375/45R20, LT375/40R24, LT375/45R22,
LT355/40R22, and LT375/55R20
Info: atturo.com

BFGOODRICH
MUD-TERRAIN T/A KM3
The Wrap: Ten years in the making, the new
generation of mudder is here and better than
ever, with a Krawl-Tek compound, Terrain-
Attack tread design, and Coreguard Max tech-
nology among the list of innovations.
How Big: 31- to 37-inch tires for 15- to 20-inch
wheels
Info: bfgoodrichtires.com FUEL
GRIPPER M/T
The Wrap: Flashy and formidable, the
Gripper M/T is equipped to handle
the dirt as well as daily driving duties.
How Big: 33- to 40-inch tires for 17- to
28-inch wheels
Info: fueloffroad.com

NEXEN ROADIAN MTX

The Wrap: Nexen engineered a snazzy
new rubber for the off-road sector of
the tire market. With reversible three-
TOYO OPEN COUNTRY ply sidewalls and noise-reducing
tread lugs, the Roadian MTX is at
A/T II home in the mud and on rocks, and
The Wrap: Backed by a 65,000-mile tread- still well-mannered enough for ex-
wear warranty, the Open Country A/T II is as tended highway use. 
versatile as it is aggressive, and it will keep How Big: 33- to 37-inch tires for 16- to
you happy on the road and the trail. 20-inch wheels
How Big: 100 sizes for 15- to 22-inch wheels Info: nexentireusa.com
Info: toyotires.com

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 17

 Feature Wrapped Up

KUMHO ROAD
VENTURE MT51
YOKOHAMA The Wrap: Whether it’s off-road-
ing, camping, mining, farming,
GEOLANDAR or even the school run, this
X-MT great all-around tire will exceed
expectations with aggressive
The Wrap: Engineered
shoulder notches, deep siping,
for rockcrawlers. The
and angled grooves to eject
high void-to-lug ratio,
stones and mud.
three-ply sidewall, and
noise-reducing tread How Big: LT235/75R15 to
LT285/70R17
pattern demand respect
Info: kumhotireusa.com
on the trail, and they
keep the noise down on
the ride home.
How Big: 35- to 40-inch
tires for 15- to 20-inch
wheels
Info: yokohamatire.com
NOKIAN
HAKKAPELIITTA 9
The Wrap: For those of us
in the snowier areas of the
planet, the Hakkapeliitta 9
has the double-studded tech

LINGLONG
to hang onto the road, even
in the sloppy white stuff.
CROSSWIND M/T Durable rubber compounds
and deep grooves keep noise
The Wrap: With a name mean-
ing “exquisite” in Chinese, low and the confidence high
the Crosswind aims to please. in polar areas. 
Directional tread blocks, wrap- How Big: 175/65R14 to
around shoulder lugs, and a 275/35R20 
chip-resistant rubber blend let Info: nokiantires.com
this tire roll smoothly in traffic
and on the trail. 
How Big: 30- to 33-inch tires
for 15- and 18-inch wheels;
LT215/75R15 to LT305/70R17

KANATI
sizes also available 
Info: linglongtire.com
MUD HOG
The Wrap: Kanati makes sure
you no longer need a sepa-
rate tire for your ventures
off the pavement. The Mud
Hog features a layered noise-
canceling block design in the
contact patch as well as a
high void ratio for easy muck
and water evacuation. 
How Big: 31- to 39-inch tires
for 15- to 22-inch wheels
Info: kanatitires.com

FIRESTONE DESTINATION MT2

The Wrap: Built for the trail, whether it’s through mud, rock, or snow. This
tire includes mud and stone ejectors and a chip- and tear-resistant rub-
ber blend to combat the roughest off-road terrain.
How Big: LT235/75R15 to LT275/65R20
Info: firestonetire.com

18 fourwheeler.com
BLACK BEAR RUGGED
TERRAIN
The Wrap: Asymmetrically patterned triangu-
lar and trapezoidal tread blocks bite into the
dirt while the dual sidewall designs allow for
customization of your rig’s appearance.
How Big: 33- to 40-inch tires for 15- to 22-
inch wheels
Info: blackbeartire.com
MOMO M-TRAIL M8 AT
The Wrap: Packed with step-block edges,
the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake
designation, and a 50,000-mile limited
warranty, the M8 AT is ready for any chal-
lenge you throw its way, on or off the trail.
How Big: 205/70R15 to 275/60R20
Info: momo.com
fourwheeler.com
KENDA KLEVER R/T
The Wrap: The Klever is pinned to accept
winter studs, fends off punctures with a three-
ply sidewall, and does it all while maintaining
composure on the highway with long-lasting
treadwear and minimal road noise.
How Big: 33- to 35-inch tires for 17- to 22-inch
wheels NITTO RIDGE
Info: automotive.kendatire.com GRAPPLER
The Wrap: Nitto used advanced
sound equipment to create a tread
pattern that doesn’t scream on the
highway and can still dig into the trail.
Staggered blocks and step-block
edges give maximum area for grippy
action while the dual sidewall pat-
terns add style points. 
How Big: 33- to 38-inch tires for
16- to 24-inch wheels, with P-metric
sizes available
Info: nittotire.com
TRI-ACE DAKAR
M/T III
The Wrap: Proven in Lucas Oil Off-
Road races, the Dakar M/T III is
ready for all on- and off-road chal-
lenges from trails to trailer towing.
How Big: 31- to 40-inch tires for
15- to 26-inch wheels
Info: tri-acetireusa.com
PIRELLI SCORPION ALL
TERRAIN PLUS
The Wrap: Pirelli’s entrance into the all-terrain game
just got a facelift and a Three-Peak Mountain Snow-
flake. This tire is mean enough to tackle the rugged
trails, tame enough for highway performance, and
certified for use in snow, ice, and wet grass. Stay
tuned for our long-term review.
How Big: 235/70R16 to LT285/55R20
Info: pirelli.com
FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 19
 Feature Wrapped Up

GROUNDSPEED VOYAGER MT
The Wrap: The Max Traction tread pattern has
large self-cleaning voids to keep you churning
through the mud, styled sidewalls for great looks
and protection, and an exclusive rubber recipe
for grippy performance.
How Big: 33- and 35-inch tires for 15- to 20-inch
wheels  How Big: 35x12.50R20LT,
Info: groundspeedtires.com
COMFORSER CF3000
The Wrap: The unidirectional tread pattern
on this mud tire keeps it quieter on the
PIT BULL PBX A/T pavement, and most sidewalls feature
raised white lettering for style points.
HARDCORE LT RADIAL
The Wrap: Combining the mud- and all-
How Big: 31- to 40-inch tires for 15- to
24-inch wheels
terrain worlds, this rubber from Pit Bull Info: comforser.ca
sacrifices not a smidgen of traction for
improved on-road comfort and reduced
road noise. A 40,000-mile treadwear
warranty and Three-Peak Mountain
Snowflake also come standard. 
35x12.50R18LT, and 35x12.50R17LT
Info: pitbulltires.com

DELINTE DX12
BANDIT R/T
The Wrap: Off-road performance and on-
road comfort are mixed in this tire with sta-
bilized shoulder blocks, wetland-optimized
grooves for water drainage, and a rein-
forced sidewall to resist punctures.
How Big: 33- to 37-inch tires for 14- to
24-inch wheels 
Info: delintetires.com

GOODYEAR ASSURANCE
WEATHERREADY
MICHELIN LTX A/T2 The Wrap: Just like the name says, this tire keeps
The Wrap: An all-terrain tire built for light trucks you and your rig safe on the road—in the rain
and SUVs, the LTX A/T2 has a compound and through the snow. Asymmetric tread blocks
designed to resist chipping and tearing, excel- maintain traction when the road is dry, while the
lent durability, and a 60,000-mile treadwear sweeping grooves and zigzag edges bite into
limited warranty. snow and ice, directing water outward.
How Big: 245/75R16 to 285/55R20 How Big: 195/65R15 to 255/55R20
Info: michelinman.com Info: goodyear.com

20 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 R/T Rundown
omewhere between mud- and all-terrain
S tires are the seemingly new-fangled rugged
terrain (R/T) tires. Sometimes described as
a mud-/all-terrain hybrid, they claim to have
appreciably different highway manners than
other tires on the market while still maintaining
some all-terrain tire qualities. Are R/Ts for you?

TREADWRIGHT
WARDEN AT
The Wrap: TreadWright has been remolding
all-terrain and mud-terrain tires for 40 years
and provides a cost-effective and eco-
friendly alternative when choosing your next
rubbers. The Warden AT is everything you
expect from an all-terrain, with the clear con-
science of helping to save Earth’s resources,
and some dollars too. 
How Big: 215/85R16 to 315/70R17; 31- to
35-inch sizes as well
Info: treadwright.com
GLADIATOR XCOMP M/T
The Wrap: Beastly tread blocks on the footprint
and shoulders dig deep into mud, sand, and
snow, while layers of steel and nylon belts main-
tain tire structure and protect from punctures.
How Big: 31- to 40-inch tires for 15- to 26-inch
wheels
Info: gladiatortires.com

GENERAL GRABBER A/TX

The Wrap: For those of us whose rigs live on pave-
ment during the week but still need to tolerate week-
end adventures off the highway, General has your
tire. The Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake means

HANKOOK DYNAPRO MT
terrific traction in the winter months as well. 
How Big: 27- to 37-inch tires for 14- to 20-inch
wheels; 235/85R16 to 325/60R20 as well The Wrap: Hankook’s mudder also offers
Info: generaltire.com great treadwear and performance in wet
conditions.
How Big: 30- to 38-inch tires for 15- to 22-
inch wheels
Info: hankooktire.com

LAUFENN X FIT AT
The Wrap: Light-truck and SUV owners
can now enjoy enhanced off-road traction
without sacrificing braking capabilities or
handling in wet conditions. This tire mixes
a toughened puncture-resistant sidewall
with deeply siped tread blocks for grip on all
surfaces. 
How Big: 235/75R15 to 275/65R18
Info: laufenn.com

CONTINENTAL TERRAINCONTACT A/T

The Wrap: Whether your rig is an SUV, CUV, or light truck, the TerrainContact A/T
from Continental will excel in dirt, gravel, and even grass.
How Big: 256/70R16 to 285/45R22
Info: continentaltire.com

FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 21

 Feature Wrapped Up
BRIDGESTONE DUELER A/T DIEHARD SILVER TOURING
REVO 3 ALL-SEASON
The Wrap: Traction Claw technology inspires The Wrap: You already trust the company’s bat-
confidence on the road and the dirt, while the teries, now put your trust in the cross-angle
REVO 3 also features a 60,000-mile limited sipes, circumferential grooves, and Tension Con-
treadwear warranty on non-LT sizes. trol Technology to get your rig to and through the
How Big: P225/75R16 to LT285/60R20 trails with confidence.
Info: bridgestonetire.com How Big: 175/70R13 to 235/65R18
Info: diehard.com

MAXXIS RAZR MT
The Wrap: With the design process
for this tire including an exten-
sive off-road racing career,
Maxxis mixed up a new
chip-resistant and tread
life–enhancing rubber
compound and built it
into the RAZR MT. The
tire also includes an
improved casing strength
and a 40,000-mile tread-
wear warranty.
How Big: 32- to 40-inch tires
for 15- to 22-inch wheels
Info: maxxis.com

LEGION
DIESEL
POWER M/T
The Wrap: Brainchild of
the Diesel Brothers from
the Discovery Channel
hit show, these tires turn
diesel torque into traction
with wide lateral grooves,
stone ejectors, and a
tread pattern designed
with big diesel power
in mind.
How Big: LT285/75R16 to
DICK CEPEK TRAIL
37x13.50R22LT COUNTRY EXP
Info: legiontires.com The Wrap: The new hybrid rubber from Dick
Cepek is as happy on the interstate as it is
exploring the backcountry, with notched
and stepped outer lugs, interlocking siping,
and a silica-reinforced tread compound.
How Big: 31- to 35-inch tires for 15- to
20-inch wheels
Info: dickcepek.com

INTERCO IROK ND
The Wrap: Interco’s famed IROK now gives
the same bite in reverse as it does going
forward. The company’s Three Stage Lug
design, scooped lugs, and aggressive side-
walls excel in mud, rocks, and everything
in between, while adding a menacing
demeanor to any 4x4.
How Big: 31- to 37-inch tires for 15- to
20-inch wheels
Info: intercotire.com
COOPER
DISCOVERER AT3 4S
The Wrap: The mix of a silica-based compound,
zigzag sipes, and saw-tooth technology
earn the Discoverer AT3 4S a 65,000-mile
treadwear warranty, and a SEMA 2018 New
Product Award.
How Big: 235/75R15 to 275/60R20
Info: us.coopertire.com fw

22 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 Your Place for
Lifestyle Support.

UNBEATABLE SERVICE, TECH ADVICE, SATISFACTION, AND SELECTION.

Call by 10 pm EST: In-Stock Parts Shipped That Day!

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for use in California or other states with similar laws/regulations. Please check your state and/or local laws/regulations. FIND IT AT
© 2019 AUTOSALES, INC.
 Feature

2019 CHEVY TRU

Silverado turbo I-4 surprises and

Bison ups the Colorado ZR2’s dirt game
By Jay Kopycinski editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Jay Kopycinski & Chevrolet

C
HEVROLET HAS INTRODUCED THE ALL-NEW ’19 SILVERADO 1500 WITH A FRESH, SMALLER ENGINE, AND IT
has also added to the off-road capabilities of the midsize Colorado pickup. We had the op-
portunity to drive the new four-cylinder Silverado and the dirt-savvy Colorado ZR2 Bison in
Arizona. Come along as we give you details and first drive impressions of these two trucks.
EPA estimates for the 2.7L-equipped 2WD Silvera-
do are 20 mpg city and 23 mpg highway, and you
can expect a small efficiency penalty for 4WD ver-
sions. Towing capacity runs up to 7,200 pounds and
payload up to 2,280 pounds, depending on model.

Silverado 2.7L I-4 Turbo
A fascinating feature in the ’19 Chevy
lineup is the availability of a four-cylinder
engine in the fullsize Silverado. Its 2.7L dis-
placement is similar in size to what you might
typically find in a midsize pickup. However,
Chevy packs the intake charge of this engine
with a turbocharger and does some other
tricks to derive 310 hp and 348 lb-ft of torque
from this new powerplant that’s built in Spring
Hill, Tennessee. That peak torque runs from
about 1,500 to 4,000 rpm. The ’19 Silverado
also sheds weight with this engine, resulting
in a 380-pound decrease compared to an ’18
Silverado with the 4.3L V-6 engine.
The engineers started with a clean slate,
building the new truck-specific engine with an
aluminum block and cylinder head. The dual-
overhead cam valvetrain uses four valves per
cylinder, with an interesting twist. The action
combines the Tripower valvetrain with continu-
ously variable valve timing, variable valve lift,
and Active Fuel Management (cylinder deac-
tivation). Solenoid actuators above the cam-
shafts, along with the use of three cam profiles,
allow the engine computer to vary the engine
performance on the fly based on the perfor-
mance demands at the time. Intake air is forced
as needed using a dual-volute turbocharger
with an electronically controlled wastegate,
combined with an intercooling system. The
advanced turbo design can effectively benefit
engine performance at low rpm and build fur-
ther from there.
We drove a 2.7L turbo Silverado backed with
its eight-speed automatic over city streets and
highways and found it pleasantly responsive to
throttle input, with little indication of turbo lag.

24 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

UCK INNOVATION

Notable characteristics of the Silverado’s optional 2.7L engine include an electric water pump, continuously
variable oil pump, engine oil cooler, integrated exhaust manifold, automatic stop-start, and Active Thermal
Management used to route coolant as needed for temperature control and friction reduction.

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 25

 Feature 2019 Chevy Truck Innovation
Fuel is delivered to the 2.7L’s cylinders via 3,000-
psi high-pressure direct injection. Maximum turbo
boost pressure is 22 psi.
This Silverado 4WD was outfitted with a 3.42:1
axle ratio. It pulled well up to highway speeds,
even tackling 6 percent mountain grades with
slight downshifting and more gentle input from
the turbocharger.
Unloaded, we were impressed with the per-
formance of the truck. Conceptually, Chevy’s
goal was to build an engine that could go from
sipping fuel running on two of its four cylinders
when cruising by adjusting cam timing and
fuel delivery, but then pull similar to a small
V-8 engine when the forced induction was fully
utilized. The 2.7L turbo engine acts like two
different engines during low- and high-rpm
26 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
The 2.7L engine fits easily under the hood of the Silverado, but much remains hidden under plastic covers
and a large air intake plenum.
operation. For those consumers that don’t haul
heavy loads much or tow regularly, this truck
may fill the bill for a pickup with good power
combined with top-line fuel efficiency.
Colorado ZR2 Bison
On the midsize, off-road side of things,
Chevy is upping its game on the ZR2-edition
Colorado by introducing the Bison. The ZR2
itself offers outstanding off-road capability with
front and rear locking differentials and tuned
Multimatic spool valve shocks. Designed in
conjunction with American Expedition Vehi-
cles (AEV), the Bison is now the top-of-the-line
Colorado, incorporating more extras from the
factory that enthusiasts might seek in the after-
market after purchasing a truck.
AEV designed many of the upgrades on the
Bison. Most notable at first glance are the front
and rear stamped-steel bumpers. The front
has replaceable corners with foglights and is
designed to easily accept a Warn or ComeUp
winch. The rear bumper includes recovery
The ZR2 Bison is armored all around. The front and
rear steel bumpers are tapered upward at the ends
for clearance. Tubular sliders under the rocker panels
and at the rear bumper help keep rocks away from
sheetmetal.
fourwheeler.com
points, knock-out panels for additional lighting,
and nerf tubes that protect the bed corners. Less
visible are the five skidplates that protect all
the vital areas under the truck. Chevy wanted
durable protection underneath, but it also
wanted to stick to a tight weight budget at the
same time. AEV opted to design relatively thin
but stiff skidplates that are hot-stamped from
boron-alloy steel, resulting in light skidplates
that are much harder to dent, spring back from
most impacts, and do not easily gouge as they
slide over rocks they contact. When speaking
with AEV President Dave Harriton, he stressed
that each of the Bison factory upgrades is fully
compliant with the engine cooling and crash
impact standards used to test the Colorado.
The Bison is available with the V-6 gas en-
gine and eight-speed automatic transmission, or
the 2.8L Duramax diesel engine combined with
a six-speed automatic. You can choose whether
you prefer the brisker acceleration of the gas
powerplant or the torquey pull and extended
driving range of the diesel powerplant. Bison is
also available in both Crew Cab and extended
cab models.
We had the chance to test the skids
and sliders on the ZR2 Bison as we
crawled around the desert. We found one
vulnerability in the rocks, and that was the
large diameter of the diesel exhaust pipe under the rear
corner of the truck.
The position- and velocity-sensitive Multimatic shocks
used on the Colorado ZR2 trucks contribute heavily to
the excellent on- and off-road ride characteristics.
fourwheeler.com
We slipped behind the wheel and drove the
Bison on surface streets, highways, and off-
road. The on-road suspension behavior is tuned
much to our liking. It’s slightly firm, as an off-
road truck should be, so handling on the street
AT A GLANCE
2.7L TURBOCHARGED DOHC I-4
Bore & stroke (in): 3.63 x 4.01
Block material: 380 T5 cast aluminum (cast-iron
cylinder inserts)
Cylinder head material: 356 T5 cast aluminum
Compression ratio: 10.0:1
Firing order: 1-3-4-2
Ignition system: High-energy coil-on-plug
Max engine speed: 6,100 rpm
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 310 @ 5,600
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 348 @ 1,500-4,000
Manufacturing location: Spring Hill, Tennessee
AT A GLANCE
2019 CHEVY COLORADO ZR2 BISON
Package price: $5,750
Bison upgrades include: front and rear steel bumpers,
high-strength boron steel skidplates, wider fender flares
(can clear 33-inch tires), Dual Sport wheels, rear differen-
tial skidplate, flow-through “Chevrolet” Bow Tie, AEV logo
headrests and floor mats
is comfortable without excessive sway. On dirt,
the amazing Multimatic shocks soak up ruts
and bumps on two-track roads and smooth out
as speed increases. We also had the opportunity
to tackle some mild rockcrawling in the Bison
and left impressed with what the truck could
do. The IFS flexes well, and combined with the
articulation of the rear axle and locking differ-
entials, we could walk the truck through some
good obstacles.
As an aside, Chevy has more exciting news
regarding the Colorado. The company just
released a line of race-proven parts for the
ZR2 based on performance testing on Chad
Hall’s desert race truck. Upgrade parts include
race-tuned shocks, jounce bumpstops, A-arms,
rear traction bar, steel driveshaft, exhaust,
and other parts allowing owners to build their
own high-performance truck using factory
components. There is also an optional AEV
snorkel designed specifically for the Colorado.
Overall, the Bison is quite capable straight off
the dealer lot, plus there is the capability for
any ZR2 owner to push to higher performance
levels if desired. fw
SOURCE
Chevrolet
800/950-CHEV
chevrolet.com
Other AEV touches on the
ZR2 Bison include the special-
edition headrests, floor mats,
and unique badging.
Hot-stamped boron-alloy
steel is used for the skid-
plates, resulting in light skids
that are surprisingly hard to
dent, spring back from most
impacts, and do not easily
gouge as they slide over rocks
they contact.
FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 27
 Feature

The Cactus Runner

Daystar took a ’12 AWD Challenger, added a pair of Tom Wood’s
driveshafts, BFGoodrich KM3 tires, a real two-speed T-case, and
a 392ci Hemi engine to keep the yellow beast ripping even after
the pavement ends. Can we expect this as an option in the Mopar
catalog? Not likely, but we can dream.

Stretched JL
Warn and Bruiser Conversions partnered up to build a JL Wrangler
with two rows of seating, 42-inch BFGoodrich tires, a Corvette LS3
V-8, and plenty of Warn recovery gear.

Red Cummins Panel Truck

The folks at Five R Trucks parked a red attention-grabber
from 1957 in the Skyjacker booth. The 24-valve, 5.9L
Cummins-powered Ford panel truck sits on a custom-
fabricated frame, has a transmission and T-case from ATS
Diesel, and rides high on a Skyjacker lift kit.

Chevy Short Box

Chevy Performance breathed new life into this ’78 Silvera-
do with an L96 crate engine, 4L70E transmission, and red
and black simulation leather to match the paintjob.

SEEN AT SEMA
22 rigs of the 2018 SEMA Show—from flashy to functional
By Jered Korfhage jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com Photos: Four Wheeler Staff

I
T’S THE CAR SHOW TO END ALL
car shows! It’s the Specialty
Equipment Market Associa-
tion (you might know it as
SEMA) Show, and for 2018, it
returned to Las Vegas, Nevada.
For a bit of scale, laid down on
its side, the Empire State Build-
ing could fit inside just one
(there are seven) of the SEMA
halls where 162,000 attendees
come to ogle 2,400 exhibiting
companies. The general public
isn’t allowed in, but those in the
industry are invited. We swooped
in with cameras blazing to docu-
ment the SEMA Show, including
the many show vehicles—from
the Big Three automakers to
specialty fabricators—looking
for the zaniest and most capable
rigs we could find. Read on for a
look at what was seen at SEMA
this year.

28 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

Rowdy Roxor
Lurking in the Yukon Gear & Axle booth was one
of the largest Roxor builds yet—rocking out on 35-
inch Maxis RAZR M/T tires, Trail-Gear Rock Assault
8-inch axlehousings, JHF portal axles for increased
ground clearance, and a Zip Locker for traction. The
Roxor sat on 5-inch leaf springs with Radflo 2.5-inch The Biggest JL
shocks. A tuner from Diesel Freak upped the power The ORI struts run clear into the cab to make sure the 49-inch Swampers have enough room to move under
to 120 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. Look for this rig in the Black Ops 4x4 JL Wrangler. RockJock 70 axles from Currie get power to the tires and the aFe Rock Basher
the 2019 King of the Hammers race. 3-inch exhaust system stays clear of trail damage.

Dirty Ford
Amidst the sea of shiny show rigs, this ’19 Ford F-250 XLT Crew Cab
FX4 caught our eye. Wilderness Collective, of Los Angeles, California,
started by lifting the rig 2.5 inches with an ICON Vehicle Dynamics
Stage 5 kit, adding 37-inch Toyo Open Country M/T rubbers, and up-
grading to a sturdier trackbar and a Hellwig sway bar. The front of the
truck sports a Warn M12 winch and pair of ARB compressors, the rear
hauls an array of wilderness gear, and the paintjob, at least for the show,
was muddy.

SlantbackSIX
ROAMR mixed rockcrawl-
ing with overlanding in
this stretched ’73 Jeep
Commando build with
bits of CJ-6 in the body
and 40-inch tires.

Volvo Sugga
Sitting in the Toyo Tires
booth was a ’57 Volvo
TP21 “Sugga.” The origi-
nal engine is long gone,
and in its place lives a
572ci Chevy big-block
V-8 and a T475 trans-
Ranger X mission. Power moves
Among the lineup of Ford Ranger builds at the show, the BDS through the SCS Gearbox
Project Ranger X turned our heads. The Ranger was converted to T-case and into the
a 136-inch wheelbase longbed with a BDS 6-inch IFS lift, making Volvo’s 1-ton axles and
enough room for the BFGoodrich KM3 tires. Project Ranger X is 40-inch Toyo M/Ts.
loaded for adventure with space for a dirt bike, Dometic portable
fridge, and 10,000-pound Warn Zeon winch.

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 29

 Feature Seen at SEMA

Big RZR
Polaris and Line-X built a 14.8-foot-long UTV called the
Dagor. Seems perfect for military applications, or any
off-road fun.

Scootin’ Scout
Billy Bibb caught our eye when he parked his ’73 Scout
II in the Lund International booth. Among the list of
upgrades were a 376ci supercharged LSA V-8 pump-
ing out 556 hp, a 4L80 transmission, and MagnaFlow
3-inch pipes coming out the back end.

Custom Rebel
Mopar built a customized ’19 Ram Rebel decked out with a 2-inch lift,
18-inch beadlock wheels, 35-inch Goodyear DuraTrac tires, five 4,800-lumen
off-road LED lights, and a Ram Airflow cold-air intake system to help the 5.7L
Hemi V-8 breathe easier.
Two-Tone Ford
At first glance, you might think back to the high-performance trucks
of the ’70s, but this ’19 Ford F-250 is fresh and new with 42-inch
tires, a 5-inch lift, and Rancho RS5000 shocks.

Off-Road Wrecker
While most of this rig appeared to be from the early 1900s (Ford
Model TT?), the AxleTech 4000 series planetary axles with a 6.86:1
drive ratio from an MRAP vehicle certainly were not. The truck main-
tained its stock leaf springs, housed an AxleTech T600 T-case with a
1.93:1 low-range ratio, and had a monster PTO winch in the bed.

Viking Van
Yes, 4x4 vans are
already cool, but
they are exponen-
tially cooler with
46-inch Baja Claws
and custom fenders
to contain flying
sludge.

30 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 Feature Seen at SEMA
Full Metal Jacket
This ’41 Dodge Power Wagon maintained its truck feel and didn’t go overboard, but still caught
our attention. The truck sits on a custom-built chassis, four-link suspension, and 37-inch tires.
The 4BT is helped out by a single HX35 turbo, and it sends 300 hp to the TH350 automatic
three-speed transmission.

Big Willy
Originally a Burn-
ing Man vehicle,
this Jeep is a
1.648:1 model
of an old Willys
with a Cummins
engine, NP205
T-case, 6L80
transmission,
and 52-inch
tires. Yes, it is
drivable, and the
owner plans on
wheeling it on all
the famous 4x4
trails.

The Sherp
The tires are big, tubeless, and act as paddles when the driver points
the machine toward the water. It is diesel-powered with the 1.5L mo-
tor banging out 44.3 hp to haul the 2,866-pound machine across the
land—or water. Seating for two, and it sleeps four.

Rat Rod Welding Truck

It has two Cummins engines for power—a 24-valve twin-turbo for the
front, and another 4BT running the generator in the back. Welder Up,
of Las Vegas, Nevada, outfitted the truck with a drill press, anvil, hard
hat, welding gear, a PTO winch on the front, and many other eclectic
goodies.

Restomod FJ
Out with the stock engine and in with a fuel-injected
4.2L 3F to bump output to 155 hp and 220 lb-ft of
torque. The FJ45 is lifted 2 inches and sits on axles
from a donor FJ60.

Rugged Open-Air Vehicle

Is it a Ridgeline? Is it a Pioneer? It’s a bit of both.
Being the only company to produce powersports
equipment and street-legal vehicles, Honda took a
3.5L V-6 and a six-speed automatic transmission and
stuck them in a scaled-up version of a Pioneer fitted
with a Ridgeline bed and shod with 33-inch tires. FW

32 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

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 Feature

TAX RETURN
Turn your refund check into
off-road fun with 38 new products
from SEMA 2018
By Jered Korfhage jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com Photos: Courtesy of the manufacturers

T
AX RETURN SEASON? YOU MEAN 4X4 UPGRADE SEASON! WHAT BETTER WAY TO PUT THAT REFUND
check to good use than to invest it in your rig, with the help of these 38 new off-road
products we discovered at the 2018 Specialty Equipment Market Association (aka
SEMA) Show, held each year in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DOMETIC
CFF 45 12V FRIDGE
Why it’s cool: The lid opens from both sides,
and with fewer frills, the cost stays low, just like
the temperature of the goodies you’ll be storing
inside.
Info: dometic.com

DYNOMAX MUFFLER SPICER EXTREME U-JOINT

ELIMINATION KIT FOR
JL WRANGLER
Why it’s cool: Say goodbye to the stock muffler
and low-hanging tailpipe on your JL Wrangler,
and say hello to ground clearance and a deep
performance tone from the mandrel-bent
stainless steel piping.
Info: dynomax.com
Why it’s cool: No needle bearings, oversized
trunnion, full-circle snap rings, grease zerks
in each cap, and available for wheel-end
applications in Dana 30, 44, and 60 axles.
Info: spicerparts.com
TRIGGER 4 PLUS
Why it’s cool: Control up to four 12V or 24V ac-
cessories with either a rocker panel or mobile
app. Features four solid-state channels, water-
proof connectors, a built-in DIN connector, and
a 2018 SEMA Best New Products Award.
Info: triggercontroller.com

DYNATRAC PROROCK 44 FOR JL WRANGLER

Why it’s cool: This axle claims to have the brawn necessary to support up to 38-inch tires with stronger
axletubes, reinforced end forgings, and the elimination of the front-axle disconnect.
Info: dynatrac.com

34 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

TRAIL FIX

CURRIE DIGITAL
EZ-DEFLATOR PRO
Why it’s cool: Deflate tires on even the hardest-
to-reach beadlock wheels with an extended tip, RANCHO CRAWLER
digital gauge, and valve stem–illuminating light. SHORT-ARM KIT
Comes in a protective foam-lined plastic case. Why it’s cool: With separate kits for Rubicon
Info: currieenterprises.com and non-Rubicon Unlimited JL Wranglers, the
Rancho kit includes progressive-rate springs, D2
bushings, and adjustable control arms, and still
maintains compatibility with the Jeep Electronic
Stability Control System. The kit is said to fit a
37-inch tire.
Info: gorancho.com

WARN 8274-70
Why it’s cool: A 6hp motor, 150 feet of synthetic
Spydura rope, 10,000-pound pulling capacity,
Warn 70th Anniversary badging, and only 999
will be made.
FACTOR55 LOAD Info: warn.com

DISTRIBUTION PLATE
Why it’s cool: This link serves as a collection
point for multiple vehicle recovery loads from
various directions. It’s rated to 20,000 pounds,
compatible with synthetic rope, and made in
the USA.
Info: factor55.com

CHEVROLET AMSOIL SEVERE GEAR

COLORADO ZR2 REAR EASY-PACK
Why it’s cool: Forget a bottle—squeeze
LONG-TRAVEL DSSV SHOCKS your 75W-90 and 75W-140 gear lube
Why it’s cool: Add 10 percent more travel to the rear where it needs to go like you would a
of the ’17-and-up Colorado ZR2 and drastically ketchup packet.
improve off-road performance. Info: amsoil.com
Info: chevrolet.com/performance

FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 35

 Feature Tax Return Trail Fix
BAJA DESIGNS LP6
Why it’s cool: Integrated Peripheral Technology
blasts 10,300 lumens into a 200-degree spread
of usable lighting.
Info: bajadesigns.com
MAHLE MOTORSPORTS 6.7L
CUMMINS FORGED PISTONS
Why it’s cool: Crafted with Mahle’s proprietary
M142 alloy forgings, and then machined with
specific profile and ovality geometries, profiled
pin bores, and radiused valve pockets. A Grafal
skirt coating is also used to reduce drag and
wear along with hard-anodized top ring grooves.
Info: mahlemotorsports.com
DANA ULTIMATE DANA 44 ADVANTEK FOR WRANGLER JL
Why it’s cool: The bolt-in replacement JL front axle increases ground clearance by half an inch; boasts
a thicker 9.5mm axletube and upgraded 1410 U-joints; and comes in 4.56, 4.88, 5.13, and 5.38
gear ratios.
Info: spicerparts.com
36 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
MICKEY THOMPSON WESTIN AUTOMOTIVE JEEP
BAJA PRO X LED GRILLE
Why it’s cool: With a sticky-as-gum tread com- Why it’s cool: Each one-piece grille is made from
pound, 43-inch diameter, and ferocious-looking 11-gauge steel and comes with a double-row
scooped lugs, this new rubber is “For Off-Road LED lightbar.
Use Only, Not for Highway Use.” Info: westinautomotive.com
Info: mickeythompsontires.com
ADDICTIVE DESERT DESIGNS ’19 RAM 1500
STEALTH FIGHTER BUMPER
Why it’s cool: This bumper is slim-fitting and matches the body lines of the Ram
1500 while offering space for a 40-inch LED bar, shackle mounts, and OEM parking
sensor mounts.
Info: addictivedesertdesigns.com
RUGGED RIDGE XHD ROCK
SLIDERS FOR WRANGLER JL
Why it’s cool: The one-piece, 3mm steel-plate
design protects the JL’s vulnerable pinch seam
and also serves as a handy entry step while
fending off trailside boulders.
Info: ruggedridge.com
fourwheeler.com

FAB FOURS BRAKE SYSTEM
Why it’s cool: Bring your rig to a stop with an
octet of 43mm pistons and what is claimed to
be the largest two-piece passenger vehicle rotor
on the market.
Info: fabfours.com
MOUSEBLOCKER PRO
ANTI-RODENT DEVICE
Why it’s cool: Keep rodents from feasting on
your wires while your vehicle is in storage with
ultrasonic pulses that sound like jackhammers
to the little critters. Plugs into 110V outlets and
extension cords.
Info: mouseblocker.com

MAXTRAX
FLEX-A-LITE FLEX-WAVE WINCH RING
Why it’s cool: The serrated blades on this elec- Why it’s cool: In an effort
tric fan are quieter and more efficient than to remove metal from
traditional S- and straight-blade fans. Pro- vehicle recovery, Maxtrax
totyped and tested in an air tunnel to verify introduced the Winch Ring
efficiency and airflow. to replace the traditional
Info: flex-a-lite.com snatch block. Designed for
synthetic rope and rated for
19,800 pounds.
Info: maxtrax.com.au

AMERICAN EXPEDITION
VEHICLES MODULAR JL
BUMPER ENERGY SUSPENSION ROCK-
Why it’s cool: Choose from stubby or full-width FLEX SUSPENSION SYSTEM
configurations with a bumper that is 20 pounds
lighter than its JK counterpart. Has a winch
Why it’s cool: Unlock suspension flex from your
JL Wrangler with polyurethane components,
OPTIMA BATTERY TRAY
Why it’s cool: Reduce the risk of your battery fail-
mount, skidplate, and space for two 7-inch high-performance bumpstops, and caster angle ing from the inherent shakes and vibrations of
LED lights. correction bushings for the lower control arms. off-road driving with Optima’s grippy new tray.
Info: aev-conversions.com Info: energysuspension.com Info: optimabatteries.com

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 37

 Feature Tax Return Trail Fix
STEELCRAFT
STUBBY JEEP
BUMPER
Why it’s cool: A minimal-
ist stubby bumper for JL
Wranglers that accepts
winches, 20-inch LED
lightbars, shackles, and
factory foglights.
Info: steelcraftautomotive.
com

ICON DELTA JOINT 1-INCH

UNIBALL RETROFIT KITS
Why it’s cool: Replaces standard 1-inch uniball
joints with a joint that offers increased durability
and performance.
Info: iconvehicledynamics.com

BFGOODRICH TIRE LETTERING

Why it’s cool: BFGoodrich and Tire Stickers partnered
up so you can customize your tires with raised, mul-
ticolor letters designed to withstand trail conditions.
Info: tirestickers.com
LOCKING
RECOVERY HOOK
Why it’s cool: Add some se-
curity to your 7⁄8 -inch bumper
tabs, accessible with the same
key that fits in your vehicle’s
ignition.
HELLWIG REAR SWAY Info: boltlock.com
BAR FOR ’19 GM 1500
Why it’s cool: Made from 4140 steel, this sway bar is said to improve stiffness and handling
while adding the option to adjust the amount of body roll reduction.
Info: hellwigproducts.com
TUFFY MODEL 352 LOCKBOX
Why it’s cool: Lockable storage for ’19 GMC
Sierra and ’19 Chevy Silverado. The 16-gauge,
1
⁄8 -inch steel fits under the bench seats with zero
drilling.
Info: tuffyproducts.com 

RIGID ADAPT E-SERIES

LIGHTBAR
Why it’s cool: Built-in GPS sensors monitor ve-
hicle speed and adjust light from wide-angle
flood patterns for low speed to a precision spot
pattern for high speed. Comes in 20-, 30-, 40-,
and 50-inch lengths. 
Info: rigidindustries.com

38 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 BESTOP CORE DOORS FOR
DITCH HITCH JK WRANGLER
Why it’s cool: Specifically designed for handling shock loads that are frequently involved in vehicle Why it’s cool: A one-piece, cast-aluminum door
recovery, the Ditch Hitch eliminates the need for unsafe chains and hooks. for the JK Wrangler with a smooth fit and a
Info: ditchhitch.com removable center panel.
Info: bestop.com

JL/JK
DUAL-RATE
LONG-TRAVEL
COIL SPRINGS
Why it’s cool: Dual-rate long-
travel coils offer control and
stability on the trail and
comfort on the highway.
Info: skyjacker.com
ODYSSEY BATTERIES
Why it’s cool: The powerful Performance 94R-
850 battery is now available for popular Jeep
and Chevy models.
Info: odysseybattery.com
Best New Product
Award
ach year, the SEMA Best New Products
E Award recognizes cutting-edge products
that will be on sale in 2019. Some of the
winners appear in this guide, but here is a
glimpse of some others. Best Exterior Acces-
sory Product: Lund International, AVS Aeroskin
LightShield Hood Protector. Best Packaging
Design: Pedal Commander, Pedal Commander
Performance Throttle Response Controller.
Best Powersports Product: Warn Industries
Inc., VRX 45-S. Best Tire Product: Cooper Tire,
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S. Best Van/Pickup/
Sport-Utility Product: Brandmotion, Radar
Blind Spot System with Cross Traffic Detection.

JL WRANGLER 4-INCH

SUSPENSION KIT
Why it’s cool: Superlift’s 4-inch lift kit for the JL
Wrangler includes springs that are location spe-
cific—each corner is specifically tuned for the
weight of the Jeep.
Info: superlift.com
PROCHARGER JL WRANGLER HO INTERCOOLED SYSTEM
Why it’s cool: With no permanent modifications necessary, ProCharger offers a supercharger for ’18 JL
Wranglers that claims to add more than 50 percent power to the 3.6L engine with only 7 psi of boost.
Info: procharger.com fw

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 39

 Feature
AMERICA’S
WILD WEST
Using 4x4s to retrace history on the
Applegate-Lassen trail
By Chris Collard editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Chris Collard
W
E RESTED UNDER THE SHADE OF A COT-
tonwood tree, staring across an
expanse of sagebrush bounded by
brown foothills peppered with black
volcanic outcroppings. One hundred miles to
the west, the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada
ascended nearly to the clouds, an ominous
obstacle for man, beast, or machine. Before us
the dirt road divided, offering two options. If
we veered left, beyond the evaporating vestiges
of the Mary’s River (Humboldt), the dreaded
Forty-Mile Desert awaited. The two-track to
the right was less established, an unknown. But
tales of reliable water and rich grasses were
powerful persuaders, and it was rumored to be
a shorter and easier path to California. We took
stock of our supplies, discussed the options,
and turned the wheels toward the path less trav-
eled—the Applegate-Lassen Emigrant Trail.
Such were the thoughts of our venerable pre-
decessors, those who ventured away from the
security of Eastern living into the unknown. As
soon as grasses on the Great Plains were suf-
42 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
ficient to support livestock, thousands of wagon
trains departed locales such as Independence,
Missouri, for the Rocky Mountains. With a
short window to clear the Sierra Nevada before
winter snow set in, it was often a life-or-death
race to the finish. The fork in the road along the
Mary’s River would decide the fate of many.
It was late summer, and we were to join
Jeep Jamboree USA (JJUSA) for its inaugural
Applegate-Lassen Adventure, the first in a se-
ries of extended overland trips. Unfortunately,
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
declined JJUSA’s permit request, the trip was
cancelled, and registration fees were returned.
Fortunately, in the true spirit of adventure the
participants decided to go anyway. It was of-
ficially “unofficial.”
Manifest Destiny
News of the 1846 Donner Party tragedy
launched a movement to establish less danger-
ous routes to California and Oregon, neither
of which were part of the United States at the
fourwheeler.com
 Wild mustangs,
such as this band we
found near Rabbithole
Springs, are living ves-
tiges of the Great Mi-
gration of the 1800s.

While the Black Rock

playa is usually dry dur-
ing summer months, any
precipitation will make it
a gooey mess.

The Applegate Trail

departed the Cali-
fornia Trail near
the Mary’s River
near present-day
Lovelock, Nevada.

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 43

 Feature America’s Wild West
time. Manifest Destiny, the belief that the
U.S. should control all of North America, was
largely dependent on settlers moving west, and
many private citizens had cause to forge new
corridors to their lands.
Jessie and Lindsay Applegate, prominent set-
tlers from Willamette Valley, Oregon Territory,
who had each lost a son to the Colombia River
during their migration along the Oregon Trail,
were determined to establish a safer route to the
Northwest. Traveling south, the two brothers
crossed Northern Nevada and eventually arrived
at the Mary’s River and the intersection of the
Forty-Mile Desert. Their path would become
known as the Applegate Trail. Danish emigrant
Pete Lassen, who held a Mexican land grant
in Northern California, also saw the value of
enticing settlers to his region; settlers meant new
leases and commerce. A few years later, Lassen
tied in the Applegate trail across the Black Rock
Desert with his ranch near the present-day town
of Vina. Although the route added 200 miles for
settlers bound for Sutter’s Fort, Eastern newspa-
pers eager to create a catchy headline reported it
as being shorter and easier.
The Death Route
When the pioneers of 1849 reached the
Mary’s, they circled the wagons in the sage and
were faced with a dilemma—follow the estab-
lished route to the Forty-Mile Desert or turn
right into the unknown. Most turned left, but in
August one group veered right, and nearly ev-
ery subsequent wagon train followed. We traced
their path over Antelope Pass, stopping to read
one of the signposts erected along the route
by Trails West. Each is engraved with journal
entries from the pioneers. An entry on Antelope
Pass confirmed that the first few trains found
suitable grass and water. But as we ventured
west toward Rabbithole Springs, the accounts
began to paint a grim picture.
In the distance a massif rose from a sea of
white. Perched on the north end of an expansive
alkali flat, Black Rock Peak became a naviga-
tional beacon for pioneers departing the spring.
In 1843, explorer John C. Fremont was the first
white man to visit the region. Commissioned
by the government to find an alternative route
to South Pass (Wyoming) and Oregon Terri-
tory, he continued west with his party through
High Rock Canyon and across the Black Rock
playa in the dead of winter. He observed “a
column of smoke” rising through the fog, which
was steam from another spring some 20 miles
from Rabbithole. He and guide Kit Carson
eventually waded over the Sierra Nevada in

Without a breath of wind

to disturb the silence, we
enjoyed a night of libation
and conversation under a
galaxy of constellations.

We circled the “wagons” in the middle of the Black Rock playa for
our first night’s camp.

The Black Rock Desert, which once lay under

400 feet of water, is now a parched and fis-
sured alkali flat throughout most of the year.

Twice each day, chuckwagon master Randy pulled out

his Dutch oven and prepared a feast that would quench
the appetite of the hungriest miner.

The Black Rock playa is 30 miles in length.

44 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

waist-deep snow, glimpsing “a beautiful view
of a mountain lake at our feet, about fifteen
miles in length” [Lake Tahoe] before reaching
Sacramento.
Stretching north from the town of Gerlach
about 30 miles, the Black Rock playa is seem-
ingly endless. We opened up the throttle and
proceeded to disperse a dozen dust trails that
drifted off on a light breeze. About the mid-
point we slowed and circled the wagons. Randy
Stockberger, our head hashslinger, fired up
the Dutch ovens, and we settled in around the
campfire as twilight yielded to a moonless sky
peppered with constellations.
We read accounts of wagon trains camped
on the playa after days without food for their
livestock or water of any quantity. Oxen teams,
suffering from dehydration and enticed by the
allure of water at the edge of a distant mirage,
Near Double Hot Spring, which is warm enough to boil
potatoes, is a great camp area replete with a hot tub for 10.
While most of the Applegate-Lassen is quite easy, there are
areas that require four-wheel drive.
fourwheeler.com
would charge off in a state of delirium only to
collapse at their final resting place. Their hu-
man counterparts became equally desperate.
Without beasts of burden to ferry their wagons,
many collected what they could carry, aban-
doning all else and striking out afoot. Although
many survived the onerous miles to the next
spring, many succumbed to the elements. The
following year, as the gravity of the 49ers’
plight reached the East Coast, the Applegate-
Lassen would aptly be named The Death Route.
Boiling Springs and
Cavalry Outposts
With sunrise we shared a cup of joe and
took in the vastness of the playa before mak-
ing our way to the Black Rock Spring, the first
water source since leaving Rabbithole. With
Black Rock Spring is large, mostly
shallow, and usually cool enough
for bathing.
Near Black Rock Spring we took a side route to a seldom-visited
place called Hidden Playa.
By the end of sum-
mer, many areas
of the alkali flat
become thick with
powdery silt.
the playa in our rearview mirror, we followed
the trail north along the base of the Black Rock
Range to Double Hot Springs. While their
turquoise-blue depths are a thing of beauty,
many souls have been lost by slipping off the
steep edge and into the boiling abyss. The up-
per spring, which is 184 degrees F, was used
by the pioneers to cook fowl and boil coffee.
Downstream, however, the spring drains into a
large agricultural tank that makes for the per-
fect desert hot tub.
To the north we stopped at the remains of
Hardin City, one of the many short-lived boom-
towns of the 1860s silver rush, before turning
off the main track to locate a place known as
Murder Rock. In addition to ranching, Pete Las-
sen explored many pursuits, one of which was
prospecting. In 1895, Lassen, Ed Clapper, and a
man named Americus Wyatt, while searching
FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 45
 Feature America’s Wild West
for Hardin’s lost treasure, camped in a canyon
near his 1849 encampment. Shots rang out as
they arose the next morning; Lassen and Clap-
per were dead. Wyatt blamed the local Paiute
tribe, but many still speculate that he was the
assailant.
The sun crept over the eastern horizon,
dispersing warm hues over our camp near
Soldier Meadows, site of the 1860s U.S. Cav-
alry outpost of Camp McGarry. The smell of
coffee filled the air, and ranch-style biscuits
and gravy were scooped out of a Dutch oven
in steaming heaps as we lined up around the
chuckwagon. We departed the Ranchers Cabin,
an old wrangler’s hut that is now a BLM camp
area, and made our way up to Fly Pass. The
pass and adjoining canyon became a nemesis
for wagon trains heading west. Steep ledges re-
quired travelers to unhook their teams from the
wagons and lower them down by ropes through
the precipitous terrain; a recurring task before
reaching High Rock Canyon.
Sheer rock walls towered above, and the
Several cabins, remnants of the region’s private cat-
tle ranching era, can be found near High Rock Lake.
Tracks from steel-banded wheels, etched into the
bedrock by hundreds of wagon trains, can still be
seen near High Rock Canyon.
46 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
trail narrowed as we descended into High Rock
Canyon and stopped for lunch near the opening
of a small cave. Stepping inside revealed a large
natural cavern with a smoke-stained ceiling and
animal bones scattered about the floor, most
likely an ancient camp of Paiute hunters.
Further on we found evenly spaced grooves
in a section of bedrock, evidence of the pass-
ing of steel-banded wagon wheels, before
reaching the Steven’s Camp homestead. For
the pioneers that survived the hardships of
crossing the desert, the crystal-clear creek
leading up to the camp must have appeared
like the Garden of Eden. Said to have been
built by 1950s musician Tennessee Ernie Ford,
the ranch house and surrounding valley was
later acquired by the BLM. It now serves as a
free bunkhouse complete with a kitchen and
room for a dozen people.
Turning south we departed the Applegate-
Lassen, picked up the Noble’s Cutoff near
Gerlach, and entered the Smoke Creek Desert.
Established in 1854 by William Noble, the
With vertical cliff
walls rising 350
feet from the
valley floor, High
Rock Canyon
is a curiosity of
nature.
cutoff departed the main trail near Rabbithole
and headed to Granite Springs near the town of
Gerlach, bypassing much of Black Rock Desert.
It would later be confirmed as the shortest and
most gradual ascent over the Sierra Nevada and
to the bounty buried deep within California’s
Gold Country.
Circling the wagons under a grove of cotton-
wood trees near Buffalo Creek, Randy fired up
the Dutch ovens one last time and we reflected
on the tangled web of “shorter and easier”
paths that dissected the region. Ironically, the
emigrants that made that fateful right turn at the
Mary’s River had suffered in vain. But the mid-
1800s was an era of exploration and discovery,
and many “white spaces” remained on maps of
America’s extremities. When they struck out
from Independence, Missouri, they took mat-
ters, and their lives, into their own hands. As
we retired for the night, fried chicken was com-
ing off the grill, and we raised a toast to those
hearty souls that forged new lives in what was
truly a wild, Wild West. FW
We stopped in Yellow Canyon at the Garage, the
last remaining structure of a 1910 cattle ranch.
The High Rock Trekkers 4WD Club has spent de-
cades exploring the region and undertaking dozens
of conservation projects. A plaque at Steven’s Camp
honors club members that have passed.
fourwheeler.com
 www.NTWonline.com www.NTWonline.com www.NTWonline.com

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 Tech

Improve your fourth-gen Ram’s quality of life

with Carli Suspension’s Backcountry 2.0 lift
By Mike McGlothlin editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Mike McGlothlin

T
HERE ARE AFTERMARKET SUSPENSION SYSTEMS THAT DELIVER ALL
the goods (improved wheel travel, handling, and ride, for
example), but they come with a larger-than-average price tag.
With a reputation that precedes it, Carli Suspension is one
such company known for offering some of the best suspension lifts
money can buy. We recently stopped by Flynn’s Shop in Alexander,
Illinois, to get the lowdown on Carli’s Backcountry 2.0 system, which
was being installed on a Cummins-powered ’12 Ram 2500.
Advertised as a 3-inch lift kit with progressive-rate coil springs,
an adjustable track bar, and front and rear Fox 2.0 remote-reservoir
shocks, the Backcountry kit looks promising on paper. Out in the real
world—and with the optional high-clearance control arms, torsion
sway bar, dual steering stabilizers, and full Deaver spring pack on
board—it’s damned impressive. Not only did the 3-inch Carli system
produce one of the best riding, steering, and handling 3⁄4-ton Rams
we’ve ever ridden in, it provided more than ample clearance for a
set of 35-inch Nitto Ridge Grapplers mounted on 20x9-inch BMF
Novakanes. Tag along for an in-depth look at the high-quality com- Before
ponents that make up the Carli Backcountry 2.0 kit.

HIGHER STANDARD

After

48 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 4

2
1. Carli Suspension’s Backcountry 2.0 system adds
3 inches of front lift height to ’10-’13 Ram 2500–
model trucks and comes standard with progressive-
rate coil springs, Fox 2.0 remote-reservoir shocks
(front and rear), limit straps, and an adjustable track
bar. Additional options that made their way into this
install include Carli’s torsion sway bar; replacement
full rear leaf-spring packs (for a 1-inch gain in ride
height); high-clearance extended control arms; and
a high-mount, opposing steering stabilizer kit. As
configured, the Backcountry 2.0 kit in this article
retails for $5,655 at time of print.
3 6
2. The guys at Flynn’s Shop got started by installing
Carli Suspension’s differential guard, an item that them accordingly to ease the installation process. Notched recesses rule out tire rub during instances
provides both added protection for the front ring-and- We’ll note that during installation, the guys at Flynn’s of lock-to-lock turning. And, even though this truck’s
pinion and a mounting bracket for the opposing dual had to loosen, lower, and slide the turbo downpipe owner went with 35s for the time being, it’s nice to
steering stabilizer system. The 1⁄4-inch-thick differen- rearward in order to access the frame side bolt for know that room for growth exists should he decide to
tial guard bolts over the factory diff cover using the the passenger-side upper control arm. step up to 37s in the future.
seven supplied M10 bolts (torqued to 25 lb-ft), and
its installation also requires that the factory stabilizer 4. Instead of incorporating rubber bushings in its 6. Not only was the installation of Carli’s progressive-
clamp be relocated to the passenger side of the tie control arms, the Carli units utilize fully sealed, rate coil springs a two-man job, but it required
rod center bar. greasable spherical joints that are completely rebuild- that the top control arm bolts be left uninstalled,
able. The use of a spherical bearing eliminates the temporarily. With the coil springs being approximately
3. Slightly longer than the factory units, Carli kinetic chatter associated with the factory rubber 3 inches taller than the factory versions, it wasn’t
Suspension’s high-clearance extended control arms joints, increases articulation, and takes all the play enough to simply droop the front axle. Leaving the
increase articulation. On top of that, the Carli units out of the axle, yielding a smoother ride. top control arm bolts (at the axle) uninstalled allowed
are considerably beefier than the OEM components. the axle to be tilted downward enough to finagle the
Fabricated from 1⁄4-inch-thick wall steel, they’re 5. While the primary purpose of Carli’s high-clear- new coil springs into place. Additionally, the shocks
internally gusseted and welded for superior strength. ance, extended-length control arms is to re-center had to be positioned inside the coil springs (and the
And because the control arms are both passenger/ the front axle, they also ensure clearance isn’t an remote reservoirs fed through the shock towers) dur-
driver-side and upper/lower-specific, Carli labels issue with tires as large as 37 inches in diameter. ing this process.

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 49

 Tech Higher Standard
8
7. The coil springs included in Carli Suspension’s
Backcountry 2.0 kit are shot-peened and preset
specifically for this application (’10-’13 Ram 2500
diesels and ’10-’12 Ram 3500 diesels, respectively).
Each coil is spaced differently, which results in the
coil springs having a variable spring rate that lends
itself to off-road agility, and a plush ride on the
street. Contained within each coil spring is a Fox 2.0
remote-reservoir shock absorber. The Carli-tuned Fox
units feature extruded 6061-T6 aluminum bodies
and reservoirs, with hard anodizing for utmost cor-
rosion resistance. The guys at Flynn’s mounted the
reservoirs parallel along the top of the framerail, in
front of the shock and coil spring.
8. Opting for Carli Suspension’s torsion sway bar
means replacing the entire factory sway bar assembly
with one that allows the front suspension to move
freely without giving up any control—and it improves
ride quality substantially. The torsion sway bar is
supported by laser-cut, powdercoated drop brackets
that incorporate zero-give Delrin bushings and mount
via Grade 8 hardware.
9. A pair of heavy-duty 17-4 stainless steel endlinks
secure the torsion sway bar drop brackets to the
lower coil spring bucket on the axle and are adjust-
able via jam nuts. For the 3-inch Backcountry 2.0
lift, the endlinks needed to measure 6 inches, eye to
50 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
9 12
10
11
eye. The endlink bodies themselves are longer than
factory in order to reset the sway bar engagement
points.
10. As with any suspension lift, the track bar is a very
important piece of the puzzle. Once installed, the
extra 3 inches of lift result in the axle being shifted
toward the driver side up to a 3⁄4 inch and back
toward the cab as much as a 1⁄2 inch. Carli Suspen-
sion’s fully adjustable track bar is designed to push
the axle back toward the passenger side of the truck
and provide a stronger link with less deflection. Per
Carli Suspension’s instructions, the folks at Flynn’s
configured the track bar to measure 391⁄8 inches
from the center of the Heim joint to the center of the
uniball before installing it.
11. The icing on the cake in this particular install
was the addition of Carli’s high-mount, opposing
steering stabilizer system. Designed for the T-style
steering linkage, the system all but eliminates the
bumpsteer associated with late-model Rams and
can be fine-tuned to accommodate virtually any tire
configuration. The top stabilizer makes use of a billet
clamp that attaches to the drag link, the bottom
stabilizer fastens to the differential guard bracket
(installed earlier in this article), and both stabilizers
are nitrogen-filled and pre-charged to 200 psi.
12. Three rear leaf-spring options exist for Carli
Suspension’s Backcountry 2.0 system: an add-a-pack
that replaces the lower overload spring, a full spring
pack, and a heavy-duty full spring pack. All spring
packs are built by Deaver Spring to Carli’s specifica-
tions. This particular customer elected to run the
full spring pack, which Carli claims softens the rigid-
feeling rear suspension while adding an inch of ride
height, minimizes axlewrap and hop, and is capable
of allowing for 15 inches of suspension travel. The
diesel-specific full spring packs utilize durable ure-
thane bushings and steel crush sleeves. FW
SOURCES
Carli Suspension
888/992-2754
carlisuspension.com
Flynn’s Shop
217/478-3811
fourwheeler.com
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 Tech

STOP THE PLAY

Installing a RedHead power steering gearbox and
Borgeson steering shaft takes the slop out of steering in
older Ford trucks
By Bruce W. Smith editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Bruce W. Smith

R
ECIRCULATING-BALL POWER
steering is a simple design
that is reliable and stout.
Despite its robust design, a
power steering gearbox will eventu-
ally need replacing as the seals, worm
shaft, worm shaft guide, and the ball
bearings that roll between the shaft and
guide wear out. The classic symptom of a
gearbox nearing the end of its life is play in
the steering wheel, resulting in “sawing” the
wheel as you drive down the road and fluid
leaking from around the output shaft. Sloppy
steering is tiring for the driver and a safety con-
cern, and leaking fluid is a nuisance. Replacing
the gearbox with a remanufactured one cures
both ills.
Like all Ford F-150s, F-250s, F-350s, vans,
and SUVs of the ’80s and ’90s era with more
than 150,000 miles on them, the OEM power
steering box in our ’91 Ford Bronco was wear-
ing us out on the open road and leaving un-
sightly oil spots wherever it was parked. Ever
since the day we took possession of the Bronco
a couple years ago, we had to saw the steering
Our RedHead Ford Bronco power steering box is the same as used across a wide
range of Ford pickups (F-150/250/350), SUVs, and vans during the ’80s and ’90s,
and the company offers similar versions for Dodge and GM pickups, gas and diesel.
Borgeson’s universal steering shaft is a great companion upgrade for any pickup/SUV
that employs the old rag joint system.
wheel to keep on the straight and narrow. The in the past for other 4x4s, and we weren’t that
worn-out steering was expected, as the SUV’s impressed with the amount of steering wheel
odometer was on its third round, and according play that remained after installing them. This
to RedHead Steering Gears techs, most Ford time we stepped up our game and turned to
truck steering boxes start showing signs of play RedHead Steering Gears for its replacement
after only 100,000 miles. The gearbox was also Ford box.
doing a superb job of keeping the pitman arm There’s a reason the American-built Red-
and tie-rod end well lubricated. It was time to Head power steering gearboxes, which are
stop the play. available for Ford, GM, and Dodge/Ram trucks,
have a stellar reputation and a higher price than
lower-priced versions found at discount auto
A Popular RedHead parts stores: RedHead doesn’t cut corners on
We’ve pinched pennies and bought inexpen- the remanufacturing process.
sive remanufactured power steering gearboxes “Most remanufacturers take the worn-out

52 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 4
1. The gearbox in our Bronco appeared to be the
original unit, as did the rag joint steering shaft. The

1 wear on both contributed to about 11⁄2 inches of

steering wheel play that kept the driver busy sawing
the wheel to keep on track.

2. A sure sign of our power steering box being ready

for replacement was the constant leak from the sec-
tor shaft—and the slop between the steering wheel
and the pitman arm.

3-4. We removed the steering intermediate shaft by

taking out the two 5⁄8-inch bolts that hold the upper
joint at the firewall and lower joint at the power steer-
ing gearbox. We sprayed both with a good penetrating
lubricant the day before because these bolts tend to
get a little rusty at their age.

5. Borgeson’s universal replacement steering shaft

for the ’80-’91 Ford trucks and SUVs is made from
thicker material than the factory shaft (top), and it
uses billet steel U-joints instead of the old rag joint,
which eliminates slop in this area of the steering
3 system.

2
ball bearings and replace them with the factory
size,” explains RedHead’s Tyler Hanks. “This
takes into account that the bearings wear down.
But doesn’t take into account that the channels
the bearings roll in the worm and piston wear
down as well. New bearings in worn grooves
still leave steering play. We found that replac-
ing the stock recirculating-ball bearings with
oversized ones matched to the grooves removed
looseness entirely.”
To that end, RedHead stocks a wide range
of sizes in the bearings so every gearbox that’s
rebuilt can meet the company’s strict tolerance
standards, which are tighter than factory. The
company also hand-fits each worm and piston
assembly with the correct size bearing to tighter
tolerances than Ford used. The shop puts every
sector shaft on a lathe to make sure each shaft
is straight and true, then polishes the sealing
surface to a higher polish than new.
“Once the unit is fit with a set of bearings
that give the gear no play, we install new seals
and then make all our final adjustments under 5
fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 53
 Tech Stop the Play
1,200 psi,” says Hanks. “This is to ensure and
validate our claims of no leaking, play, or lash
with our power steering boxes.”

Out the Rag Joint

After the installation, we took our Bronco
on the road. Saying the steering was “like new”
is not doing our steering upgrade justice: Ford
trucks in that era never had steering as tight and
precise, or with the feel that the RedHead in our
SUV provides. Steering our 27-year-old Bronco
now is like steering an ’18 F-250. 12
While we had our Bronco on the lift at Ore-
gon’s Mobile Diesel Service, we nixed the old
rag joint–style intermediate steering shaft and
replaced it with a Borgeson universal steering
shaft, which uses billet-steel U-joints in place of 8
the rubber snubbers. The rubber in these old rag
joints deteriorates over time and miles, allow-
ing some numbness between the gearbox and
the steering wheel.
Mating the Borgeson intermediate shaft with
the RedHead steering box ensures there’s no
play in our Bronco’s steering; touch the steer-
ing wheel and the 35-inch mud tires respond
instantly. That’s comforting, and a dramatic
change from what we’d been enduring for the
past couple years. We should have made this one
of our first upgrades instead of one of the last. 9 13
6. The Borgeson replacement steering shaft was
about a foot longer than the one out of our ’91
Bronco. To make sure the new shaft is cut to the
same length as the OE shaft, the old steering shaft
had to be marked before it was removed. We used
a white marker to spot the OE shaft where the two
parts slide into one another.

7. A 1⁄2-inch fitting wrench easily removed the high-

pressure feed line to the gearbox. You’re going to spill
power steering fluid during this whole process, so
have a drain pan underneath.

8. We removed the tie-rod end using a puller. You will

also need to use a puller to remove the pitman arm,
which is held in place with a 15⁄16 castellated nut.

9. Mobile Diesel Service technician Wyatt Gitcomb

handled the replacement of our Bronco’s steering
6 gearbox, which is held in place by three 7⁄16-inch
bolts through the framerail. (When the new box is
installed, it’s recommended these be replaced with
new Grade 8 bolts.)

10. When we removed the three frame mounting

bolts, the old steering box came free. It weighs
about 30 pounds, so be ready when that last bolt is
10 removed.

11. The RedHead power steering box fits right back

in the same location as the OE box. It helps to have a
second person around at this point to put the mount-
ing bolts in while the box is being held up.

12. Gitcomb torqued the mounting bolts to factory

spec. We will have replaced the factory bolts with
Grade 8s by the time this article is being read.

13. Our Bronco had a Pro Comp 6-inch suspen-

sion installed earlier, so the pitman arm is new. We
7 11 reinstalled it and torqued it to spec.

54 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

14

18

15

19

21

16

20
17. After we cut the Borgeson shaft to the proper
length, we drilled a 5⁄16-inch hole through the shaft
where the longer of the two set screws that attach
the U-joint passes through to the inside of the steel
“D” tube.
22
21. The last step in our RedHead upgrade was
purging the Bronco’s power steering system of air.
This requires the help of another person, 20-30 full
rotations of the steering wheel, and several top-offs
with power steering fluid.

18. Our new assembled shaft (top) next to the factory 22. Some Ford owners try to rebuild their power
intermediate shaft. The Borgeson replacement unit steering gearboxes. This seldom results in satisfac-

17
is far beefier than the factory steering shaft, and its
billet steel U-joints eliminate any play that may have
been associated with the old-style rubber-isolated
14. We replaced the drag link tie-rod end and rag joints.
torqued it to spec, completing the work from beneath
the truck. 19. When the new steering shaft is installed, make
torily removing lash and steering play, which are the
result of worn bearings and the grooves they travel
along on the sector shaft. RedHead rebuilds its power
steering boxes using oversized bearings, among other
upgrades, that eliminate steering play. fw

15. The Borgeson telescoping steering shaft is

universal, fitting many vehicles. To fit the Bronco,
the shaft had to be marked and cut down to match
the length of the OE intermediate shaft. Borgeson’s
instructions detail the process.
16. A chop saw made easy work of cutting the new
steering shaft to the correct length. We measured
three times, read the Borgeson directions twice, and
cut once. We didn’t want to make any mistakes at
this point.
sure the splined input shaft of the steering box and
steering wheel shaft are flush with the opening of
SOURCES
each U-joint on the Borgeson shaft. If they protrude, Borgeson Universal
860/482-8283
the splined ends could interfere with the movement borgeson.com
of the U-joints in extreme conditions.
Mobile Diesel Service Inc.
20. Before we tightened the bolt to secure the inter- 541/459-8939
mediate shaft to the RedHead’s splined input shaft,
RedHead Steering Gears
we made sure the front tires were straight—and that 800/808-1148
the steering wheel was centered. It’s easy for the redheadsteeringgears.com
steering wheel to move a little during the R&R of the
steering box and intermediate shaft.

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 55

 Overlanding Special
THE GHOST DIVID
Exploring the Old West with New Mexico Backroads
By Michael Rudd editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Michael Rudd
W
E LEFT THE OVERLAND EXPO WEST IN
Arizona, an annual event for do-it-
yourself adventure travel enthusi-
asts, in the early morning light on a
500-mile, mainly off-pavement journey from
Mormon Lake, Arizona, to Truth or Conse-
quences, New Mexico, with Jake Quinones,
owner of New Mexico Backroads. Jake’s com-
pany is devoted to vehicle-supported explora-
tion throughout remote areas of the American
Southwest. Jake provides years of valuable
knowledge and experience for the expedition
members seeking to better their skills in
the lifestyle of overlanding. Not unlike the
gunslinger in Stephen King’s The Dark
Tower novels, Jake transported us into an-
other realm rarely seen.
The expedition included five days of
professionally guided overland/expedi-
tion (4WD vehicle-dependent) travel
across rugged backroads of Arizona and
New Mexico, exploring areas of the Gila
56 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
National Forest, White Mountains, and Mo-
gollon Rim. Jake provides training sessions
and instructions on subjects including driving
techniques, toolkit overview, and vehicle main-
tenance, in addition to interesting information
about the land and history as well as self-suffi-
ciency for remote stretches.
Our group headed south on Highway 3 and
turned off-pavement a few miles south of Long
Valley. After airing down, we treaded lightly
toward the east, then stopped at a lookout on
the edge of the jagged cliffs of the Mogollon
Rim. Jake took this opportunity to describe the
details of the Dude Fire, one of the most tragic
days in U.S. Forest Service history in which six
firefighters lost their lives.
There were seven vehicles in our group.
Dusty Weathers, a cardiologist, was driving an
’11 Toyota Land Cruiser and Scott McAndrew,
an advertising executive, joined the expedition
in his ’04 Lexus GX470. Debbie Wilson, a vol-
unteer at Homeward Bound Dog Rescue, drove
her Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, while
Bryan Hutchinson, a former police officer, was
in his AEV-equipped ’13 Jeep Wrangler
Unlimited. An old friend, Yves Furbringer
(“The Swiss”) had driven down from Can-
ada in his ’06 Land Rover Defender 110 to
join us. We were accompanied by first-time
overlander Breck Stremmel, and we were
driving an ’07 Hummer H3 equipped with
35-inch General Grabber tires, a Smittybilt
XRC winch, and Turtleback Trailer. Jake
Quinones used a ’12 Jeep Wrangler Unlim-
fourwheeler.com
DE EXPEDITION II Dusty Weathers,
Scott McAndrew, and
Debbie Wilson traverse
the Mogollon Rim.

Jake discusses the

ited to serve as his transport, base camp, shelter, second day’s route
and office. His AEV-outfitted Rubicon rolled on with Bryan Hutchin-
37-inch BFG All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires and had son (left) and Scott
a custom homebuilt interior platform to maxi- McAndrew.
mize storage and provide sleeping accommoda- Yves Furbringer
tions in the field. We followed Jake on the Rim drives through
Road toward Black Canyon Rim Lookout (el- a section of the
evation 7,744 feet) and stopped at a campground 1990’s Dude Fire
to have lunch and get better acquainted. area near Payson,
Arizona.
Later that day we arrived at our campsite
in a meadow at nearly 7,000 feet in elevation.
We went about our business of setting up camp
Spotted owl in Chloride
Canyon.

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 57

 Overlanding Special The Ghost Divide Expedition II
and preparing dinner using the Turtleback’s
propane cooktop. Afterward, we sat around the
fire pit, stargazing and telling stories of past
adventures.
Shortly after sunrise, we had breakfast and
discussed the route and itinerary for the day.
We motored over the Mogollon Plateau and
dropped into Show Low for fuel and supplies.
Once back on dirt, we traveled southeast over
the White Mountains toward that evening’s
camp near the New Mexico-Arizona state line.
During a brief stop near Hannagan Meadow to
view the burnt landscape, Jake described the
details of the Wallow Fire, the largest blaze
in Arizona history. Pushing on, we headed
northeast through the Blue Range and arrived Jake Quinones leads our expedi-
tion through the Red Hills.
at camp a few hours before dusk. Jake gave an
informative presentation on his tool and recov- Wild horses at our first night’s
ery kit, one of the more comprehensive setups camp near the Apache-Sitgreaves
we’d seen. Later that evening we had dinner National Forest.
and then played cards under a clear, starry sky.
The next morning we wandered east to-
ward Beaverhead and navigated through the
Red Hills and over the San Francisco Moun-
tains into New Mexico. After a fuel and
lunch stop in Reserve, we turned south
and slowly traversed the eastern side of
the Tularosa Mountains. As a boy, Jake
had become familiar with this part of the
Gila while riding shotgun in his dad’s
Bronco, a story he told over the radio
as we traveled to the night’s camp near
Bearwallow Mountain. Once at camp,

Jake Quinones gives a presentation of his Breck Stremmel and Yves Furbringer airing down
comprehensive tool and recovery kit. on the Mogollon Rim Road.

58 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

Debbie Wilson sets up her Voyager Adventure Trailer “The Crew” left to right: Jake Quinones, Debbie Wil-
at the third night’s camp near Bearwallow Mountain. son, Scott McAndrew, Yves Furbringer, Bryan Hutchin-
son, Dusty Weathers, and Breck Stremmel.

we set up the trailer, showered, and had dinner

on the stove within minutes. That night, Jake
delivered an interesting tale about Ben Lilly, a
legendary mountain man that spent most of his
life hunting mountain lions, wolves, and bears
in the area.
We awoke well rested, had breakfast, and
then joined the driver’s meeting. Jake detailed
our route through T Bar Canyon, over Aero-
plane Mesa, and into the Canyon Creek Moun-
tains. Along the way, we enjoyed a lunch break
near Loco Mountain (elevation 8,329 feet) and
later passed through the Wolf Recovery Area. Jake Quinones leads the
In 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expedition in his ’12 AEV-
released captive-reared Mexican Gray Wolves outfitted Rubicon.
(once an endangered species) into the
wilds of the Blue Range for their his-
toric journey of repopulation.
After a long day on the trail we ar-
rived at the night’s camp near Wolf
Hollow where Scott McAndrew asked
Jake if he’d give a winch recovery
presentation. Jake placed his Rubicon
near a large tree and staged the recov-
ery for those interested in a lesson.
Some of the others in our group opted
for a scenic hike to a cliff overlooking
the Plains of San Augustin and stayed
until sunset.
We departed camp shortly after our
Breck Stremmel enjoys the comforts of the Turtle-
morning coffee and made our way over the back Trailer on her first-ever overlanding trip.
Continental Divide and Black Range before
descending into Chloride Canyon. Jack de- Our dusty adventurers emerged from the
Petroglyph
scribed the canyon as a hideout for bandits, backcountry with a deeper understanding of the in Chloride
outlaws, and Indian raiders in the 1800s. land that we had explored. Thanks to Jake, we Canyon.
Billy the Kid was said to have frequented this gained a practical knowledge of overlanding,
remote region while running from the law. acquired new friends, and traversed historical
Nearing the tiny town of Chloride, we stopped landscapes through the remote backroads of the SOURCE
to view ancient petroglyphs that adorned the Ghost Divide, a surreal and forgotten area of New Mexico Backroads
newmexicobackroads.com
towering rock walls on each side of the trail. the American Southwest. fw

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 59

 Tire Test
SMALL HAULER
Enjoying extra capacity
with the Maxxis ST Radial
M8008 trailer tire
By John Cappa editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: John Cappa
W
E’VE PUT SEVERAL THOUSAND
miles on the Maxxis ST
Radial M8008 trailer tires
without any issues. Our
car hauler weighs in at about 1,500
pounds and regularly carries a 4x4
that weighs about 5,000 pounds,
for a total of 6,500 pounds of rolling
mass. Anyone that’s regularly towed
his or her 4x4 cross-country on a car
hauler has likely experienced a trailer
tire failure, and understandably so.
There are many different things that
can cause them to come apart like a
Cinnabon in a blender. These include
sun damage, old age, overloading,
low tire pressure, impact with a
foreign object, and so on. The thing to
60 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
remember is that not all trailer tires are
equal. Some trailer tires are of a better
quality, more robust, and more UV-
resistant than others. Also, radial trailer
tires roll more smoothly, run cooler,
and wear longer than their antiquated
bias-ply counterparts. Having had
more than our fair share of trailer tire
failures, we are happy to report that
our Maxxis ST Radials haven’t even
whimpered from our trailering abuses
and appear to be wearing incredibly
evenly after two years of service.
A typical car hauler trailer comes
with a pair of 3,500-pound-capacity
axles. To cut costs, they often come
with passenger-car tires mounted
on 15-inch-diameter wheels. These
Our Maxxis ST Radial M8008 trailer tires are wearing amazingly, even after sev-
eral thousand miles. They do pick up small stones in the tread occasionally, but it
hasn’t affected the performance of the tires.
tires are usually not up for cross-
country hauling a 4x4, as evidenced
by the overly bulging sidewalls under
the heavy load. That’s where the
eight-ply Maxxis ST Radial M8008
in 205/75R15 flavor comes into play
(PN TL15703000). This tire features a
D load rating with a max load capacity
of 2,150 pounds. Watch out though,
as there is also a less desirable six-ply
version with a C load rating and a
max load capacity of only 1,820
pounds. The fenders and frame on
some trailers will allow for the much
larger 225/75R15, which comes in
both an eight- and ten-ply version with
2,540-pound and 2,830-pound
max load capacities, respectively.
The higher load rating and increased
air pressures help keep the tires
cooler under a given load, allowing
them to last longer. However, make
sure your wheels are rated for the
higher capacity before mounting up
your new Maxxis tires. FW
SPECIFICATIONS (as tested)
Tire: Maxxis ST Radial M8008
Size: 205/75R15
Type: Trailer service
Load range: D
Max load (lb): 2,150
Sidewall construction: Two-ply
polyester
Tread construction: Two-ply polyester,
two-ply steel, one-ply nylon
Approved rim width (in): 5.0-61⁄2
Tread depth (in): 9⁄32
Tread width (in): 7.95
Section width (in): 8.1
Overall diameter (in): 27.1
Maximum psi: 65
Weight (lb): 27.4
SOURCE
Maxxis
800/462-9947
maxxis.com
fourwheeler.com
 Feature

62 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 OFF-GRID
CONDO
We test Schutt Industries’
Xventure XV-2 Deluxe
off-road tent trailer

By Bruce W. Smith editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Bruce W. Smith

T
HERE ARE A LOT OF OFF-ROAD ADVENTURERS LOOKING FOR RUGGED CAMP
trailers that can provide a good night’s sleep while offering con-
veniences that take the rough edge off boondocking—and there’s
no shortage of trailers from which to choose. One that has caught
our attention is the Xventure XV-2 Deluxe from Schutt Industries.
The XV-2 is a robust military-spec utility trailer built with a huck-
riveted frame and aluminum construction, upfitted with the basic ne-
cessities for making off-grid camping a nice step up from sleeping on
the hard ground beneath the cover of a traditional tent or tarp. From
the rooftop tent and onboard water system to the heavy-duty axle and
traction tires, the Deluxe model is ready to make base camp comfort-
able wherever your 4x4 dares to tread.
It’s the middle child of three civilianized military-spec trailers that
Wisconsin-based Schutt (pronounced “shut”) offers to the overlanding
crowd, and it’s designed to withstand the harshest environments. The
trailer is spartan compared to other self-contained, single-purpose

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 63

 Feature Off-Grid Condo
overlanding trailers in its price range. But it can Options abound. Ours had an array of exter- for solar power, too, as well as 110 V should you
also serve a dual purpose as a full-fledged util- nal and internal LED lights, the external fold- plug into the grid or a portable generator.)
ity trailer during the workweek. out aluminum table with a propane stove, and We slept like babes in the woods on the
This model will handle up to 37-inch tires, sink hookup providing hot and cold water. Our rocky banks of Oregon’s Rogue River on our
and the interchangeable hubs make it easy to outdoor time was also eased by having an op- outing, snuggled inside a top-of-the-line James
match the trailer’s wheels to those of most tow tional ARB Fridge Freezer in the front storage Baroud rooftop tent system. The rooftop tent
rigs. It’s also equipped with both electric brakes box, along with a second deep-cycle battery and is easy to pop up, and it’s a comfortable, all-
and independent manual brakes that enable you ARB air compressor. (The trailer is pre-wired season shelter for 4x4 adventurers.
to turn it around in very tight confines or keep
the trailer from rolling when it’s parked. The
payload capacity is 2,750 pounds, and you can
carry an ATV in the bed under the adjustable-
height RTT rack system.
Our test model was fitted with a roll-up,
locking, flush-mount Truxedo tonneau cover.
It also had a big tongue cargo box that houses
all the electrical components and has spaces
to carry NATO-style jerrycans of water, tools,
and gear. Underneath, twin 11-gallon water
tanks sandwiched between the frame and floor
provide fresh water to the optional sink or
external shower, or through an on-demand por-
table water heater mounted to the inside of the
passenger-side sidewall.

 A bonus of the XV-2 is that the trailer bed is as big

as a pickup’s—it can be packed with gear or used as
a traditional heavy-duty cargo trailer. The width be-
tween wheelwells is 49 inches, and with the tailgate
down it easily hauls sheets of plywood. Load capacity
is a whopping 2,740 pounds.

The external galley option, which includes a galley

table, two-burner stove, and faucet/sink, is a great
convenience item if you are using the XV-2 as a base
camp. The table slides into pockets attached to the
trailer’s frame. The LED area lights are standard on
the XV-2 Deluxe.

64 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER

 The XV-2 equipped like we tested it isn’t
cheap: Schutt lists the base price at $14,500,
but with all the fine options, the tally came to
$24,000. That’s a lofty price for an off-road
tent trailer. But then again, this trailer can be
used on an everyday basis as a heavy-duty
cargo/utility trailer by simply lifting off the
tent and unhooking the on-demand water
heater mounted inside the bed. Few (if any)
other off-road camp trailers provide that ver-
satility—or a 2,700-pound cargo capacity.
This trailer tows like a dream behind
Jeeps, smaller SUVs, and midsize pickups
like the ’17 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4 we
were driving. A lot of that is because of the
Multi-Axis Max Hitch that allows the trailer
to move with the terrain without imparting
its varied off-road gyrations into the tow ve-
hicle. Off-road towing is also enhanced due
to more than 18 inches of ground clearance
running stock 33s. After several off-road
outings using the XV-2 as base camp, we can
attest it’s not like any other off-road camp
trailer we’ve tested. FW

We’ve used the XV-2 in several different settings, Toyota’s ’17 Tacoma TRD
from rugged Jeep trails to open desert and dunes. Off-Road Double Cab Long
The trailer can be equipped with tires/wheels of Bed, like the one we used on
choice up to 37s, like these on a Jeep outing last our trip, can easily tow the
winter, providing considerable ground clearance. Xventure XV-2, which weighs
around 2,300 pounds loaded
with water, gear, and provi-
sions needed for the typical
multiday overlanding trip. Our
Tacoma’s 278hp 3.5L V-6 de-
livered 13.5 mpg during the
400 miles we were towing the
Xventure trailer.

AT A GLANCE
Model: Schutt Industries Xventure XV-2 Deluxe
Trailer length (in): 151.5
Trailer width (in): 75
Travel height (in): 73
Track (in): 63.4
UVW (lb): 1,190
GVWR (lb): 3,500
Cargo bed (in): 59x89x18
Construction: Aluminum, riveted
Tires: LT315/70R17 Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ
Rooftop tent: James Baroud Grand Raid XXL
Freshwater capacity (gal): 22
LP-gas capacity (lb): 20
Base MSRP: $14,500
MSRP (as tested): $24,000
Major options: James Baroud Grand Raid rooftop tent
($3,500), ARB 50-qt Fridge Freezer ($995), ARB air
compressor ($375), Cargo Rack Lift Assist ($290), Mick-
ey Thompson tires/wheels ($1,200), ARB awning ($295),
Dual battery system ($450), custom vinyl wrap ($450),
exterior galley ($950)
Warranty: 10 years on chassis; 1 year on trailer

SOURCES
99West Trailers
503/537-9103
99westtrailers.com
We loved having the optional propane-powered The XV-2’s tongue cargo box is divided into three
Camp Chef Triton 5-liter hot water heater on the sections that contain the power distribution center, Schutt Industries
XV-2. It provided instant hot water with temps adjust- deep-cycle Odyssey batteries, Blue Sea marine-style 715/823-8025
schuttindustries.com
able from 80 to 150 degrees F for taking showers master power switch and battery charger relay, toggle
and doing dishes. Truxedo’s roll-up, flush-mount switches for lights, a solar charger, and a 1,000-watt Toyota
tonneau was also nice. It’s a standard feature on the inverter. toyota.com
Deluxe model.

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 65

 Feature

BACKWARD GLANCES
Wheeling in style: 1966 Jeep Super Wagoneer
H
ERE IS YOUR 4X4 TRIVIA QUESTION FOR THE
day: What was the first luxury SUV? If
your answer was Range Rover, that’s a
good guess, but an incorrect one. The
Range Rover started out in 1970 as a modestly
trimmed two-door 4x4 “Estate Car” (station
wagon in Brit-speak), and it stayed modestly
trimmed for most of a decade before beginning
a march upmarket. Beating the British to the
luxo punch was the ’66 Jeep Super Wagoneer.
The J-Series Wagoneer set a high mark when
it debuted for 1963, answering new market
demand for carlike four-wheel-drive station
wagons. Full details on Kaiser Jeep’s early steps
to the Super Wagoneer have not been found,
but we know the company’s product-planning
people had a clear market trend to follow.
Documents from November of 1964 show the
project had been underway for some time and
likely started in 1963, soon after work began
on a sorely needed V-8 engine option for the
J-Series.
The AMC 327ci, two-barrel V-8 option
was introduced in April 1965 as Phase 1 of a
J-Series midyear refresh—the update that in-
cluded ditching BorgWarner automatics in favor
of the GM TH400, offering a two-speed trans-
fer case with the automatic and adding Saginaw
power steering. Phase II was implemented in siderably different than that first styling pro-
June through August of 1965, depending on totype. The first Super Wagoneer, built in Oc-
the J-Series model, and the 230ci “Tornado” tober of 1965, was reportedly displayed at the
OHC six was replaced as the base engine by the Los Angeles and Boston auto shows that year.
AMC 232ci “Hi-Torque” OHV six. Restyling The production interior had evolved from the
included a new grille, badging, and body trim. first styling prototype. The manual overdrive
Phase II also included a new model, the Super transmission was no longer in the mix and a
Custom Wagoneer, now known as the Super TH400/Dana 20 gearbox combo was standard
Wagoneer. behind the four-barrel 327. A dash-mounted air
The Super Custom became a third trim level conditioning system, power steering, and power
above Standard and Custom, adding the most brakes were standard. With plush bucket seats
luxurious package ever offered in a 4x4, plus a up front and high-end upholstery throughout,
270hp, high-compression, four-barrel version the Super Wagoneer had a chrome center con-
of the 327. The original planned features had sole with a clock and a console shifter for the
included a three-speed manual transmission automatic. The interior and exterior color op-
with a console shifter and a console-shifted tions were expanded to include Glacier White,
overdrive, Deluxe wheels (exact type not de-
scribed), plush front bucket seats, and “Su-
per Custom” trim. The Super Custom trim
was described as white exterior paint with a
red interior, unique headliner with chrome
ribs, full carpeting and kick pads, cargo
area carpet with chrome skip strips, unique
padded door panels and padded sunvisors,
instrument panel dress-up, glovebox light,
and a chrome inside mirror.
The first production Super Wagoneer,
now officially the Model 1414D, was con-

This ’66 Super Wagoneer is the 487th produced and was built in May of 1966. Resplendent in Glacier White with a Charcoal interior, it was delivered new to
actor Danny Thomas in Los Angeles. The list price for this top-dollar rig was $6,047.88. Add transportation charges of $175, and the price jumped to $6,222.88
($48,401.33 today). For that you could buy a well-equipped ’66 Cadillac, Lincoln Continental, or Chrysler Imperial. Those cars may have been high on the luxo
food chain, but when faced with inclement weather or a long trail out to the ranch, the Super Wagoneer was the rig that could get you there and back—period—
and do it in more style and comfort than anything else with four-wheel drive.

66 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 BY JIM ALLEN EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM PHOTOS: JEFF KOBS, WAGONEER WORLD

Empire Blue, Indian Ceramic,

and Prairie Gold exterior paint
with Marlin Blue, President
Red, or Charcoal interior colors.
A black vinyl roof was included
along with a roof rack, gold-
anodized side panels, and styled
wheel covers with spinners.
Super Wagoneers began
showing up in select show-
rooms as early as December of
1965, but fewer than a hundred
had been built to that point. It
wasn’t cheap; prices ran a bit
over $6,100—a thousand more
than a base ’66 Cadillac Calais
and about the same price as
a base Fleetwood. There was On the outside, the unique things that mark a Wagoneer are a black vinyl roof (missing on this one and
only one option: a limited-slip rear differen- replaced by a previous owner with a black textured coating), the gold-anodized side panels with a “Super
tial. A respectable 657 Super Wagoneers were Wagoneer” badge, the spinner-style hubcaps, and the “gunsights” on the front fenders. Many of the high-
built for 1966, greenlighting the 1967 model end Wagoneer Custom features were standard, including the power rear window, roof rack, and the full
chrome treatment.
year, in which another 455 virtually identical
Super Wagoneers were built. The Super Wag-
The ’68 model year was broken up into 1st oneer was the first
and 2nd Series Super Wagoneers. For 1968, Jeep to feature
dash-mounted air
Jeep debuted a new V-8—the 350ci Buick— conditioning. Up to
because the AMC 327 had gone out of pro- this point, an under-
duction in 1967. Jeep still had a good stockpile dash setup had been
of the four-barrel engines, so they were used offered. We must
up in Super Wagoneer production until March check, but this may
also be the first time
of 1968, when the 350ci two-barrel replaced dash air was offered
them. Only 187 327 V-8 Super Wagoneers in any SUV. In the
were built in the ’68 model year. days when everyone
had a cigarette in
their mouth, dual ashtrays were a must. In 1966,
AM radio was “it,” and FM was just getting started
in cars.

The first 350-powered Super was built

in December of ’67, likely as a test unit, but
larger-scale production of 350-powered Super
Wagoneers started in February of ’68. Another
177 2nd Series Super Wagoneers would be
built. Production of the ’69 Super Wagoneer
would start in July of 1968, but as far as can
be determined from the production figures,
not many were built; production stopped
some time in January of 1969, with an ap-
proximate total of 1,482 1st and 2nd Series
being built. The King was dead, but was there
a new monarch? As it turned out, yes. The
’68-’71 Custom Special 1414X, which shared
some features with the 1414D, took over, but
the package content was reduced and some
items that had once been standard, such as air
conditioning, were made optional. It’s often
Bucket seats, a center armrest on the console, a console shifter for the automatic, tilt steering wheel… confused with the Super Wagoneer, but the
this was the groove for 1966. Custom Special is a topic for another day.

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 67

 Feature 1966 Jeep Super Wagoneer

The Super Wagoneer’s place in his- The Super seats

tory has often been overlooked, and other were a big upgrade
compared to the
brands have attempted to crown them-
Standard or Custom
selves as having built the first “King of Wagoneer, both
the SUV.” Jeff Kobs, of Wagoneer World in look, quality,
(wagoneerworld.com), doesn’t intend to let and butt-coveting
the Super Wagoneer languish in obscurity comfort.
and misinformation. He was among the
first to recognize their significance and Plenty of room
has been rescuing them since the early for your Ventura or
American Tourister
2000s, bringing them back to their original luggage, and more
splendor and finding them new homes with besides. The combi-
appreciative owners. To date he has owned nation of luxury and
11, including the ’66 seen here. That num- practicality is com-
ber includes the earliest known survivor, mon today, but in the
’60s it was rare in a
the seventh Super Wagoneer built. Jeff is 4x4 of any type.
building a website dedicated to the Super
Wagoneers (superwagoneers.com), and it
should be up in some fashion by the time you
read this. Special thanks to Keith Buckley,
Guillaume Herve-Gruyer, Jeff Kobs, Bill Nor-
ris, and Brandt Rosenbusch for information
and research help on this story. FW

The AMC 327ci V-8 is almost forgotten these

days, but once upon a time it was a potent and
durable powerplant in its class. The 327, 270hp,
four-barrel unit used in the Super Wagoneer was the
production performance pinnacle, but the few who
tinkered learned there was more to be had from
this mild-mannered powerplant. The engine family
was developed in 1956 for the higher-end Nash
and Hudson cars and appeared in three cubic-inch
displacements from 1956-67: 250, 287, and 327.
The first iteration was 250 ci, but it grew to 327
cubes for 1957, and it powered the Rambler Rebel
in more or less the same form as seen here. In the
small Rambler, 270 horses made for a very sprightly
car. The Super Wagoneer wasn’t exactly a rocket
ship, but the 360 lb-ft of torque could propel the
4,400-pound Jeep to 60 mph in 10 seconds, and
that’s about the same as any of the big luxo “tuna-
boat” cars of the era and about 2-plus seconds
faster than a two-barrel 327 Wagoneer.

Provenance is every-
thing, and star power
adds to it. Actor Danny
Thomas owned this
Jeep for several
years, after which
it had two owners in
Las Vegas, Nevada—one of them
for more than 20 years. It went to Texas in
2010 and Jeff later acquired it.

AT A GLANCE
Vehicle: ’66 Jeep Super Wagoneer 1414D
Owner: Jeff Kobs
Estimated value: $60,000
Engine: AMC 327ci four-barrel V-8
Power (hp): 270 @ 4,700 rpm
Torque (lb-ft): 360 @ 2,600 rpm
Bore & stroke (in): 4.00 x 3.25
Comp. ratio: 9.7:1
Transmission: TH400 3-spd auto
Transfer case: Dana 20 2-spd
Front axle: Dana 27AF
Rear axle: Dana 44
Axle ratio: 3.31:1
Tires: 8.45-15
Wheelbase (in): 110
Curb weight (lb): 4,388
Fuel capacity (gal): 18

68 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 Feature

Granville
Salute
D
UE TO MANY REQUESTS,
we’re republishing some
of Granville King’s
“From The Backcoun-
try” columns as space permits.
These columns ran in Four
Wheeler from 1984 until
Granville’s passing in 1989 at
age 70. Granville was a retired
aerospace engineer and
television screenwriter who lived
off-grid in a trailer in Baja,
Mexico. His off-road experi-
ences were many, and his
storytelling was amusing,
riveting, timeless, and
unparalleled.

70 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 71
 Feature Granville Salute

72 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 Tech

Discovering your JK Wrangler’s off-road potential with a

JKS Jspec suspension system and the right tires
By Pete Williamsen editor@fourwheeler.com Photos: Pete Williamsen

W
HEN JEEP INTRODUCED THE JK WRANGLER

HIDDEN
with a four-door option in 2007,
they created a new type of Wrangler
owner. While the two-door JK cus-
tomer stayed closer to the conventional Wran-
gler customer’s roots, the new JK Wrangler
Unlimited was flying off dealer lots, often to
serve a more domesticated role in some cases:
commuting to work, carpooling to school,
picking up groceries, and yes, crawling the
mall. In 2012, Jeep introduced a refreshed JK

POTENTIAL
with a modernized interior, an adequate 3.6L
Pentastar V-6, and the stellar Mercedes-sourced
W5A580 five-speed automatic transmission,
further cementing the JK Unlimited’s place in
the mainstream.

74 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

 1
2 3
Like generations of Jeepers before them, the
aftermarket bug has bitten JK Unlimited own-
ers too. Today, there are a dizzying number of
options, from spacer lifts to Ultra4-inspired
coilover suspensions. What’s the JK Unlimited
owner to do?
We were invited to Krusher Offroad in
Burbank, California, a specialist in late-model
Wranglers, to watch a ’13 JK Unlimited Sahara
be transformed from mall machine on bald tires
to off-road ready. This Jeep’s owner uses his rig
for daily tasks typical of a four-door SUV, but
also likes to travel off-road. Drivability and reli-
fourwheeler.com
ability were some of the key requirements when
it came to suspension selection.
A basic 2.5-inch JKS Jspec suspension sys-
tem was chosen along with several upgrades to
beef up the Jeep’s drivetrain components. It’s
worth noting that there’s also a 3.5-inch Jspec
suspension available for the JK Unlimited and
both 2.5- and 3.5-inch Jspec suspension sys-
tems for the two-door JK Wrangler. The JKS
Jspec line takes the entire Jeep into consider-
ation with its complete suspension kits that are
designed for the driver who wants performance
and durability, but also wants to maintain good
1. Here it is! Everything you need to create a reliable
weekend warrior. Note the awesome packaging of the
Jspec base kit.
2. Disassembly of the JK suspension and prep for the
Jspec lift was very straightforward, and JKS provided
detailed instructions. The factory front driveshaft
was disconnected from the pinion, and the driveway
installer will want to disconnect the drag link from
the pitman arm to allow for easy manipulation of the
front axle.
3. Before putting the rear suspension back together,
we got to work on the OGS169 rear track bar
brace. This optional piece is a weld-on job, but it’s
well within the skillset of the entry-level driveway
fabricator. If you’re doing a home installation and
don’t have a welder, don’t fret, you can save it for
your local shop later. A rear track bar brace is cheap
insurance against catastrophic failure of the rear
track bar bracket, a notorious weak point on the JK
Wrangler’s rear axle, even with the additional hassle
of installation.
handling and ride quality. The takeaway is you
don’t have to go big. With a little planning and
proper application, a high-quality, moderately
sized suspension lift and tire combo can create
a very capable JK that is at home on city streets
and the dirt. Follow along as we cover some of
the highlights of the install.
FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 75
 Tech Hidden Potential
4
5 8
6 9
7
76 APRIL 2019 FOUR WHEELER
4. Rear assembly includes bolting on the new track
bar bracket (shown), the bumpstop extensions, rear
brake line brackets, coil springs, and new shocks. It’s
important to note the orientation of the coil springs,
installed per JKS’ instructions, which ensure a level
Jeep with proper ride height and performance. The
optional rear control arms and new rear track bar
were also bolted in. The rear sway bar links needed to
be cut to length, but are a worthwhile upgrade over
the factory links.
5. Front installation started with drilling a 5⁄16-inch
hole in each front bumpstop pad to install the sup-
plied 2-inch bumpstop spacers. These spacers keep
the suspension from bottoming out and will keep the
tires out of the factory fenders. The new coil springs
reused the factory coil spring isolator and the new
Fox 2.0 shocks were bolted at the stock locations.
6. A set of optional 2-inch by 1⁄4-inch-wall J-Link
fixed lower control arms were chosen as a strength
upgrade for front caster correction instead of cam
locks. As a bonus, the slightly lengthened rear arms
re-center the rear axle in the wheelwell.
7. Installation of the rest of the front suspension
consisted of bolting in and setting an approximate
length of the new track bar (final adjustments are to
be done after setting the Jeep on the ground), and
installing the brake line brackets and the Quicker
Disconnects sway bar links.
8. Before we bolted the driveshaft back in place,
it was time to install the exhaust extensions. For
’12-and-up JKs it is vitally important that you install
the optional JKS 8150 exhaust extensions to the
exhaust pipe that loops under the driveshaft. Without
it, the driveshaft boot will contact the exhaust pipe,
and the driveshaft will rub on the loop during even
mild suspension movements.
9. Our Jeep got a set of Nitto’s LT285/75R17 Ridge
Grappler tires on factory Rubicon wheels that were
scored on the cheap. This is a great tire size for a JK,
giving an appreciable bump in ride height without
killing performance with the factory gears. Wheel
spacers are highly recommended for using factory
wheels. For our application, 11⁄4-inch spacers from
Nitro Gear & Axle were chosen. If you do run a wider
tire, a 11⁄2-inch spacer may be a better choice. Wheel
spacers work well and can be a much more afford-
able option than new wheels, but always use a quality
wheel spacer and always follow the installation
procedure.
fourwheeler.com
10
13
creased uptravel means
the suspension doesn’t
bottom out during nor-
mal street maneuvers.
For our road test, we
decided on a jaunt over
the famed Mulholland
Drive in Los Angeles and
were very impressed,
and a little freaked out,
about the speed with
which you can take the
sharp corners on this
windy mountain road.

13. For our off-road test,

we wheeled around an
OHV park. The differ-
ence between the stock

11 14
10. Once final track bar adjustments were done, it
was time to set the Jeep on the ground and torque
down all hardware to spec. Marking the bolts is
always a good idea so you can visually check them to
ensure they haven’t moved.
11. The optional Superchips Flashcal is available
alongside the Jspec kit. This is necessary to correct
the speedometer for the larger-diameter tires. The
Flashcal includes the ability to manipulate the TPMS
and even an optional horsepower upgrade.
12. On the road, the new Jspec suspension is taut
while yielding a very pleasant ride. JKS’ proprietary
dual-rate springs combine with the Fox Adventure
2.0 shocks to provide a big improvement in handling,
12 despite the increase in ride height. The additional in-
Kit Specs
ur JKS Jspec 2.5-inch kit is specific to the four-door Unlimited JK. It contains coils, Fox 2.0
O Adventure series shocks, a front track bar, a rear track bar relocation bracket, brake line brackets,
and JKS Quicker Disconnects sway bar endlinks. JKS recommends up to a 35-inch tire for the
2.5-inch kit. MSRP at time of print is $1,245.
and lifted Sahara is
even more noticeable on
the dirt. In stock form,
the lack of uptravel and soft spring rates mean that
rutted dirt roads can be a slow, agonizing experience.
The Jspec suspension turned dirt roads into a down-
right fun place to be; the spring and shock combo
really comes to life and does a great job soaking up
the bumps while providing great stability.
14. In the rocks, there was absolutely no comparison
between the modified and factory versions. While
a Rubicon is competent in the rocks for such a
low-slung vehicle, a Sahara, with its street tires, low
ride height, and fixed factory sway bar is simply not
equipped for this type of terrain out of the box. It is
amazing what a couple inches of ride height, a little
flex, and some aggressive tires can do. With the
JKS Quicker Disconnects, we can have the sway bar
disconnected in less than two minutes, and since
we opted for the lanyard kit, we can easily tuck the
factory sway bar out of the way. Suspension flex is
impressive. Even though the base Jspec kit does not
focus on wheel travel per se, it is a great demonstra-
tion of how a moderate suspension lift and the proper
tires can really make a JK Wrangler live up to its
potential. FW

ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS:
 PWT3571 .......................... Superchips Flashcal Programmer .................... MSRP $180
 JKS8150 ...............................Exhaust spacer for ’12-’17 JKs..........................MSRP $45 SOURCES
 JSPEC111K...........................Front and rear J-Link control arms .....................MSRP $450 JKS Manufacturing
517/278-1226
 JOGS169...............................Rear track bar brace ...........................................MSRP $50
jksmfg.com
 JKS2943 ...............................Adjustable rear sway bar links............................MSRP $85
 OGS159 ................................Adjustable rear track bar ....................................MSRP $180 Krusher Offroad
 2039 .....................................Sway bar lanyard kit ...........................................MSRP $15 818/848-2277
krusheroffroad.com

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 77

 TECHLINE
COMPILED BY JOHN CAPPA EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM PHOTOS: JOHN CAPPA
RUBICON FRONT OR REAR
DRIVE
Q
Assume you have a typical Jeep, say a JK
on 35-inch tires. You have to run the Ru-
bicon in two-wheel drive. Would you choose to
run rear-drive only, or front-drive only, and why?
@DAVIDFREIBURGER
VIA INSTAGRAM @CAPPAWORKS
A I can’t imagine doing this on purpose,
although given these parameters it would
have to be something done purposely. You
typically don’t get to decide which axle fails to
transmit power to the ground in the middle of a
trail. Regardless, I’ll go ahead and assume that
you won’t let me switch from front- to rear-wheel
drive when I want to, depending on the obstacle
in front of me. Given that I have to stick with my
choice through the entire trail, I’m going with
rear-wheel drive. I’d also air down all four tires to
8-10 psi or less depending on the make, model,
and size of the tires and wheels. The lower tire
pressure will not only increase traction, but the
aired-down tire carcasses will be more compliant
and roll more easily over rock obstacles that
would otherwise act as wheel chocks and stop
the vehicle in its tracks.
Now, the answer as to why would I choose
the rear drive over the front is simple, but with
several important reasons. First and foremost,
my concern would be for survivability. If my 4x4
breaks, I’m stranded on one of the most famous
and difficult trails in the United States. Break-
ing down on any trail seems like a bad idea, so I
typically take all the precautions necessary, re-
WHERE TO WRITE
ave a 4x4 tech question you want answered in Techline? Drop an email to editor@fourwheeler.com
H 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 2019 FOUR WHEELER
gardless of the fact that in this case I’m already
starting out with a 4x4 missing two legs. Having
said all of that, the OE rear axle of any 4x4 is
typically stronger and more durable than the
front axle. These vehicles are designed to drive
nearly their entire lives on-road, and in some
cases even tow a trailer in rear-wheel drive. To
accommodate this added stress and wear, the
rear axle components are always larger than the
parts found in the front axle on the same 4x4.
Of course, there will be very specific situations
on the trail where front-wheel drive would be
better to have than rear-wheel drive, but they are
few. By comparison, the rear-wheel drive will be
much more beneficial, especially when climbing.
The weight transfer to the rear axle when climb-
ing up and over an obstacle will help in the rear
traction department, where an unweighted front-
driven axle might flail around uselessly.
There are some places I’d likely have to use a
winch or a buddy to pull me up. But realistically,
most of the Rubicon Trail can be traversed in
2WD in a capable Jeep with properly aired-down
tires.
COOLER COOLING
Q I have a ’00 Jeep TJ with the 4.0L inline-
six and a winch on the front. It’s running
warm in traffic on 90-100–degree days with
the A/C on. Everything in the cooling system is
new except the fan clutch. Heat soaks the in-
jectors occasionally, but not to the point of los-
ing coolant or boiling over. The A/C just starts
blowing warm air and the gauge creeps above
210 degrees. It never runs hot while moving at
speed. I was thinking of putting louvers on the
hood and an auxiliary fan on the condenser.
Any ideas?
@THE_GOD_FATHER13
VIA INSTAGRAM @CAPPAWORKS
A
Keep in mind that 210 degrees is not over-
heating in your application. The standard
operating temperature for the ’00 4.0L is within
200 to 210 degrees. If it gets to 230 degrees or
so, you have a real problem. Unfortunately, the
A/C system on the TJ has never been known to
be incredibly efficient, especially on extremely
hot days. There are a couple of things you can
do if you just don’t like the engine running that
warm, and these fixes should help the A/C cool
down a bit too.
Now, assuming everything was operating nor-
mally, and if it was running warm at speeds over
25-30 mph, I’d say you had an airflow problem.
This can be caused by aftermarket parts, such
as a large bumper, off-road lights, or a winch
blocking the airflow through the grille at speed.
Mud and bugs can also clog the radiator fins, re-
ducing airflow and potential heat dissipation. It’s
not a bad idea to flush out the radiator fins from
the engine compartment outward if you regu-
larly encounter mud and large swarms of bugs.
However, don’t use a power washer or anything
with high water pressure or you could damage
the fins. Since you are only noticing the problem
at slow speeds, it could be a fan or fan clutch
problem. Make sure the fan shroud is in place
and not cracked or broken. Also, check that all
of the blades are in place on your fan and then
test the fan clutch. Sometimes even a worn but
still functioning fan clutch can cause the prob-
lem you are describing. If all else fails, you can
try adding an auxiliary electric fan in front of the
condenser, but it could impede airflow at higher
speeds.
LONG-TRAVEL TTB OR SWAP
Q I have a ’95 Ford F-250 diesel with a
Spacekap camper. I’m building it to camp
and tow. Should I build up the TTB axle into a
long-travel setup? Would that be a good axle
for highway use and towing? Or should I swap
in the Dana 60 that I have from the same year
truck? Either way, I have to replace the springs.
Any advice?
@DOUG_LEFRESH
VIA INSTAGRAM @CAPPAWORKS
A If the TTB is functioning and no parts are
worn, there really is no need to upgrade the
front axle in your application. Widening the front
beams and installing long-travel coilovers and
bypass shocks won’t do you much good without
addressing the rear suspension too. You will have
to tune the long-travel suspension for the weight
you plan to have. Tuning the long-travel suspen-
sion for the added weight of a trailer or camper
and gear will generally provide poor performance
off-road when not towing or hauling camp gear.
fourwheeler.com
 THE ONLY BRAKES
I think the stock suspension along with some
quality monotube shocks that feature compres-
sion adjusters would serve you well. The TTB
MADE THIS WAY
front suspension will offer a smoother ride than Kevlar® based low abrasion, low dust, high Edge chamfers for reduced chatter
the solid front axle on- and off-road. However, if performance compound in a choice of and improved pad contact
you are looking for the ultimate in durability, are different blends for every driving style
sick of the strange tire wear that the TTB setup and vehicle
provides, or your TTB axle and suspension are
due for an expensive overhaul, then the Dana 60
solid-axle swap might be a good plan.

NUCAP® NRS® hook

finished backing
10-HOLE DILEMMA plates for superb

Q I have a ’00 Ford Excursion. I swapped out Noise shims on piston side bond strength and
the front axle for a ’02 dualie axle minus Unique "Brake-In™" of pad for totally silent zero chance of pad
the dualie extensions. I want to run 41-inch coating conditions rotors braking de-bond
Continental tires. I am running 3-inch spacers. fast at pad install and
Will the spacers hold up to the new tires? Should seats new pads quicker
I buy the dualie hub extensions or should I swap
the axles for F-450 10-hole axles? If I do go with
the F-450 axles, is the 10-hole bolt pattern the
same as the military bolt pattern on HEMTT
wheels?
@TBONE13AZ
VIA INSTAGRAM @CAPPAWORKS GD BSD

A If you are hauling any kind of load or off-

roading regularly, I think the wheel spacers
are a bad idea on a heavy 4x4 like this. The good
USR RK
news is that you don’t need to swap out the axles
to get the 10-hole lug pattern. You can use the
dualie wheel ends and the factory Ford F-450
10-hole wheel adapters or purchase the 10-hole
wheel adapters from companies like Mr. Lugnut
(thewheelgroup.com), part number WA02-8170F.
These 10-hole wheel adapters convert the Ford
Combine your choice of these quality UK made EBC pads with our sport
dualie 8-on-170mm lug pattern to a 10-on-
285.75mm (10-on-11.25) lug pattern. The rotors which arrive with “thermic black” corrosion resistant coated finish
HEMTT wheels and tires are not the best choice. for great looking brakes that COST less and STOP faster.
They are incredibly heavy and will sap overall
power and braking performance. A single steel
wheel alone is 152 pounds! The 8.89 inches of
backspacing is a lot, but could work with the cor-
rect adapter. You could also recenter the wheels,
change the backspacing, and alter the lug pattern
if you were determined to run these heavyweight
wheels. The good news is that Hutchinson Wheels
(hutchinsoninc.com) offers lighter 20-inch-
Buy ONLINE or from your favorite
diameter wheels that can be easily fitted to your
Ford with the correct dualie wheel hubs and performance store or order at Autozone. www.ebcbrakes.com
adapters. FW

fourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER APRIL 2019 79

 CALENDAR COMPILED BY JERED KORFHAGE JERED.KORFHAGE@FOURWHEELER.COM

Hosted by: Mid Florida Jeep Club

April 6 Info: jeepbeach.com
What: Getting Started Off-Road Driving
Where: Gorman, California
Hosted by: Badlands Off-Road Adventures
April 25-27
What: Arch Canyon Jeep Jamboree
Info: 310/613-5473, 4x4training.com Where: Blanding, Utah
Hosted by: Jeep Jamboree USA
April 7 Info: 530/333-4777, jeepjamboreeusa.com
What: Day 2 Getting Started Off-Road Driving
Where: Mojave, California
Hosted by: Badlands Off-Road Adventures
April 26-28
What: Wake The Squatch
Info: 310/613-5473, 4x4training.com Where: Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Hosted by: Mountain Mafia Entertainment
April 10-13 Info: mountain-mafia.com/ptr-venue
What: 15th Tennessee Mountains Jeep
Jamboree
Where: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
April 27
What: Shakedown Run (open to past customers)
Hosted by: Jeep Jamboree USA Where: Gilbert, Minnesota
Info: 530/333-4777, jeepjamboreeusa.com Hosted by: Iron Range Off-Road
Info: ironrangeoffroad.com
April 15
What: Easter Safari For First Timers
Where: Moab, Utah
Hosted by: Badlands Off-Road Adventures
WHERE TO SEND SUBMISSIONS
ddress your correspondence to: Calendar, Four Wheeler, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245, or
Info: 310/613-5473, 4x4training.com
A email jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com. All submissions become the property of Four Wheeler, and we re-
serve the right to edit them for length, accuracy, and clarity. The editorial department can also be reached through
April 22-28 the website at fourwheeler.com. Due to the volume of mail, electronic and otherwise, we cannot respond to every
What: Jeep Beach reader, but we do read everything.
Where: Daytona, Florida

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 TRAIL’S END BY JERED KORFHAGE JERED.KORFHAGE@FOURWHEELER.COM PHOTOS: STUART A. BOURDON

A Look Back to
December 1989: Tiger’s Van
W
hile sifting through the Four
Wheeler archives one night,
something sprang forth
from the pages, pounc-
ing on us like a tiger on an
unwitting gazelle. Something Taxi Fleet Yellow
with big tires and off-road lights—Tiger’s van
had us by the tail.
The van’s story appeared in the December
1989 issue of Four Wheeler, but its saga dates
back even farther to when Tiger LeBrun visited
the scrapyard. The year was 1973, and the
National 4WD Center mechanic from York,
Pennsylvania, had just salvaged a pair of 1⁄2 -ton
Dodge W100 axles and replaced the bearings,
seals, and wheel studs. The axles sat dormant
until 1982, when Tiger slapped down two Ben-
jamin Franklins for a neglected ’65 Chevrolet
90 van, and then the project began.
Tiger was no stranger to 4x4 van conver-
sions, but the Chevy’s mid-chassis–mounted
230ci six provided a couple challenges. First
off, it was not a big enough powerplant
for what Tiger had in his plans. In order
to fit the desired 350ci V-8, Tiger need- paintjob surely was. The Taxi
ed to widen the engine compartment by Fleet Yellow was accented by
12 inches, which involved cutting the a set of stripes perfectly fit for
van’s floor to the framerails and boxing it the ’80s, with turquoise, pink,
again. Before setting the engine in place, white, and blue enamel embla-
however, it was bored 0.030 inches over zoned across the van’s panels.
and stroked 0.270 inch by Performance Extending from the front of the
Auto Wholesalers. van, like a severe underbite,
A TH350 automatic transmission went was a custom-built bumper and
in behind the engine, and power was brushguard, which also served
then split up by a Jeep-sourced Dana as a mounting point for three KC
20 transfer case. Because the gearbox lights. Another quintet of KCs
and T-case were so far behind the cab, graced the van’s rooftop, sitting
Tiger installed a 10-foot cable between atop a Dick Cepek lightbar.
him and the B&M Quick Click shifter, as Tiger has continued to bring
well as a 6-foot shifting rod for the T-case. The Tiger opted for Skyjacker 10-inch leaf springs vans into the realm of four-wheel drive, joining
van’s new powertrain required new custom on custom-built hangers in the front of the van. Quigley Motor Company, which specializes
crossmembers, which allowed Tiger to position The rear got stock GM springs, extended hang- in 4x4 van conversions. We have seen him in
the whole assembly 6 inches below the stan- ers, Rancho heavy-duty add-a-leaves, and recent years piloting vans—transfer case and
dard engine height. 48-inch traction bars. Each corner was also all—through the trails of Utah, and even on our
As the story tends to go with 4x4 projects, sprung with a pair of Rancho RS 7000 shocks sister magazine 4-Wheel & Off-Road’s Ultimate
Tiger decided against the W100 axles and on custom mounts. Adventure.
instead chose a Dana 44 frontend, geared to Tiger’s van was big in nearly every way, We want to see your 4x4 van conversions
3.92:1, and a Chrysler 8.75-inch rearend, filled including the 39-inch Interco Super Swampers and hear your off-road van stories, so send us
with 3.91 gears and an Auburn limited slip. and 15x8 Cragar wheels. If the monster rub- a note at editor@fourwheeler.com, and don’t
After trying a few different suspension setups, ber wasn’t enough of an attention grabber, the forget to include a high-resolution image! fw

FOUR WHEELER (ISSN 0015-9123) April 2019; Vol. 56, No. 4. Copyright © 2019 by TEN: Publishing Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Published monthly by TEN: Publishing Media, LLC., 1212
Avenue of the Americas, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10036. All Rights Reserved. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Single copy price is $6.99.
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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 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com

EV E RY D A Y
T E C TI O N
PfRorOyour vehicle!
Laser Measured

FloorLiner
™

Ultimate protection against spilled

Rear FloorLiner
coffee, wet shoes and muddy messes. ™
Our custom-fit FloorLiners™ keep messes
away from your vehicle’s floor and saves
you time when cleaning. Easy to install,
a vehicle lifesaver in minutes! Front FloorLiner™

Available in Black, Tan and Grey

(Cocoa Available for Select Applications)

Designed and Engineered in USA -

Handcrafted in Germany

Side Window Deflectors BumpStep®XL Seat Protector

See these products and much more at

American Customers Canadian Customers European Customers

Order Now: 800-441-6287
WeatherTech.com WeatherTech.ca WeatherTech.eu

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Infiniti • Isuzu • Jaguar • Jeep • Kia • Land Rover • Lexus • Lincoln • Maserati • Mazda • Mercedes-Benz • Mercury • Mini • Mitsubishi • Nissan • Oldsmobile
Plymouth • Pontiac • Porsche • RAM • Saab • Saturn • Scion • Smart • Subaru • Suzuki • Tesla • Toyota • Volkswagen • Volvo and more!

MADE IN USA © 2019 by MacNeil IP LLC