Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2018 i Four Wheeler

WE HAD BIG PLANS FOR OUR ’17 TACOMA from the start. With our sights set on some of the deeper ruts and taller boulders found across the country, we knew the stock tires—or even 33-inch tires, for that matter—wouldn’t quite suffice. The Tacoma Off-Road package affords drivers just over 32 degrees of approach angle, a 21-degree breakover angle, and a 23.5-degree departure angle. Though respectable, it would still be difficult to keep the truck’s undercarriage from hanging up on the trail. The solution? Bigger shoes. To bridge the gap between capability in the dirt and highway manners for the daily commute, 35-inch Nitto Ridge Grapplers mounted on Mamba Offroad M19 wheels fit the bill. That decision was simple, however, when compared to the question of how we should go about…

WHEN THE SECOND-GEN ’94 RAM 1500 WAS UNVEILED there was a collective gasp from the truck community. The exterior styling of the new Ram 1500 was a radical departure from its predecessor, and from all other ½-ton pickup trucks produced at the time—and in that area alone, it set the truck world on fire. Many of those gasps turned into purchases, and the new truck helped Ram 1500 sales skyrocket from 1993-model-year levels. It appears that history may be repeating itself. When the ’19 Ram 1500 was officially unveiled at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, the truck world went nuts. Social media lit up and people started talking. What’s New Ram Trucks says the all-new fifth-generation Ram has shed 225 pounds of overall weight compared…

IT’S FUN TO DRIVE A SUPERCAR with a bed on the back of it. From the looks to the performance, the Raptor is a blast on the street or the dirt. However, that doesn’t mean its pickup truck roots have been neutered. With 1,000 pounds of payload and 5,000 pounds of towing, plus the extreme level of off-road ability, the Raptor is still a useful tool to have in the driveway. So far we’ve filled the bed with over 1,000 square feet of laminate wood flooring, transported axles for one of our Jeep projects, and filled the bed to the brim with sod for a backyard project. While the long-travel suspension is notably softer, squatting more under load than a standard F-150, it is quite manageable. To increase the usefulness…

Sometimes wheelers demand comfort and quirkiness on top of capability in a 4x4. That is, however, only part of what Thomas Johansson was thinking when he built his off-road sedan back in 1968. It all started in Sweden. Thomas set out to build an off-road machine using a platform as disconnected from the off-road community as possible. We asked him how he found his ’53 Oldsmobile 88 Super Rocket four-door sedan—and we still have no answer to this day. What we do know is that he was able to craft his dream machine using only parts he had available at his 4x4 garage in Sweden, the Terräng Axel Off Road Center. One of the more notable deviations from the stock platform was Thomas’ removal of the rear half of the…

+ www.AdvantiWheel.com +(877) 591-1001 + TORCERE DIAMETER: 19, 20 DIAMETER X WIDTH: 19x8.5, 19x9.5, 20x9, 20x10 FINISHES: Matte Black, Matte Slate Gray, Flash Silver BOLT PATTERNS: 5x108, 5x112, 5x114.3, 5x120 APPLICATIONS: Sports-Luxury and Performance Vehicles WHEEL TYPE: One piece + VIGOROSO DIAMETER: 17, 18, 19, 20 DIAMETER X WIDTH: 17x7.5, 18x8, 18x9, 19x8.5, 19x9.5, 20x9 FINISHES: Matte Black Machined Face, Flash Silver BOLT PATTERNS: 5x108, 5x100, 5x112, 5x114.3, 5x120 APPLICATIONS: Sports-Luxury and Performance Vehicles WHEEL TYPE: One piece + HYDRA DIAMETER: 18, 19, 20 DIAMETER X WIDTH: 18x8, 18x9.5, 19x8.5, 19x9.5, 20x9, 20x10 FINISHES: Matte Black Machined Face Bronze Clear, Matte Black Machined Face, Titanium Mirror BOLT PATTERNS: 5x100, 5x108, 5x112, 5x114.3, 5x120 APPLICATIONS: Sports-Luxury and Performance Vehicles WHEEL TYPE: One piece + FORCHETTE DIAMETER: 17, 18, 19, 20 DIAMETER X…

+ www.americanforce.com + (786) 345-6301 + 6G17 - Evo SD DIAMETER: 22, 24, 26 DIAMETER X WIDTH: 22x10, 22x11, 22x12, 22x14, 24x11, 24x12, 24x14, 26x12, 26x14 FINISHES: Polished, Custom BOLT PATTERNS: 10-lug with adaptor APPLICATIONS: Ford, Chevy/GMC, Dodge WHEEL TYPE: One piece + FA04 - Alta MP DIAMETER: 24, 26, 28 DIAMETER X WIDTH: 24x14, 26x14, 24x16, 24x18, 26x16, 26x18, 28x16 FINISHES: Polished, Custom BOLT PATTERNS: 5x127, 5x135, 5x139.7, 5x150, 6x135, 6x139.7, 8x165.1, 8x170, 8x180 APPLICATIONS: Ford, Chevy/GMC, Dodge WHEEL TYPE: Two piece + 6F90 - Menace SFSD DIAMETER: 22, 24, 26 DIAMETER X WIDTH: 22x10, 22x11, 22x12, 22x14, 24x11, 24x12, 24x14, 26x12, 26x14 FINISHES: Polished, Custom BOLT PATTERNS: 10-lug with adaptor APPLICATIONS: Ford, Chevy/GMC, Dodge WHEEL TYPE: One piece + 6F06 - Riot SD DIAMETER: 22, 24, 26 DIAMETER X…

+ www.ebcbrakes.com + (702) 826-2400 + Greenstuff 2000 Series Sport Brake Pads PRODUCT INFO: These pads are designed as an excellent higher friction upgrade to give a brake improvement of 20-25 percent on OE pads on passenger/saloon cars up to 200 BHP. Made from a specially designed softer compound that gives a longer lifetime as well as improved pedal feel at lower speeds, these pads will produce medium levels of dust. Featuring Brake-In surface coating, which helps pads to seat quickly after installation. SPECIFIC APPLICATION: Greenstuff 6000 Series Sport Brake Pads for Light Truck/SUV; Greenstuff 7000 Series Sport Brake Pads for 4x4/SUV + Bluestuff NDX Series PRODUCT INFO: Bluestuff NDX race formula is an ultrahigh friction pad with a friction level peaking above 0.6 under braking that generates more g-force than…

FARM-JACK ADD-ON Having been let down by failures of the factory farm-jack top plate several times on more than a few jacks, Davis Fabrication came up with Jack Beef, a heavy-duty farm-jack top replacement. Each Jack Beef jack top is cut from ½-inch-thick T1 plate steel. The grooves are milled with a radiused inside corner, which allows the plate to be securely mounted in either direction on the jack for pulling, use as a winch, clamping, and grabbing anything in its teeth without slipping. It locks on ⅝-inch or ⅜-inch chain, and can accept up to a 1⅛-inch clevis/shackle pin for pulling in either position or direction. The Jack Beef is sold in raw steel and can be painted any color you desire, or can be ordered with an optional…

ON NEW YEAR’S DAY 2018 THE BA350 SUPER Duty launched itself to the top of the internet’s viral video billboard. It only took a short Instagram clip to show just how far, and high, Doug Paddock, owner of DEFCO Trucks in Denver, Colorado, was willing to go to prove his BA350 was an authentic super truck. He did not disappoint. Somewhere between 10 and 20 feet above the cracked pavement of a parking lot somewhere in Colorado, the 1-ton beast soared through the air out of frame. Haters said it didn’t survive, but the truth is it did, impressively. The landing was slightly nose heavy, but when you jump a 7,000-pound truck that high and land on flat ground that’ll happen. You can watch the jump video at: youtube.com/defcotrucks. After…

FORD F3 4x4 SWAP Q I’m restoring a ’49 Ford F3, which when finished will be my everyday driver. For this reason I’m converting it to four-wheel drive. I’m putting a Ford 9-inch in the rear and a Dana 44 up front. My question is which is better for an everyday driver, the solid axle Dana 44 or the TTB Dana 44? Remember, I will not be off-road with it. I’m only installing four-wheel drive for the snow and ice in the winter. ZACH HARMON VIA FOURWHEELER.COM FORUMS A The axle assembly you choose will depend on your personal suspension preference, your fabrication abilities, and which transfer case you plan to use. The Ford Twin-Traction Beam (TTB) axle and steering assembly will require more careful measuring and much more fabrication…

As our obsession with wheels and tires continues to grow so does the increasing amount of options we have to choose from. From colors to sizes, diameters to widths, open lug to closed lug, the wheel industry has provided so many paths that it’s hard to decide which one to take. Like fashion, wheel design is in a constant state of evolution. You’ve got your staple designs (mesh, five-spoke, six-spoke, split spoke, and so on) but now we’re seeing a synthesis of classic designs intertwined into many of today’s most popular wheels. Now, if you’re a wheel buff with historic knowledge, you’ll recognize many of the styling cues borrowed from the most iconic wheel designs ever created. From BBS Turbo Fans, Epsilons all the way to the historic Volk TE37,…

Searching for your next set of wheels can be cumbersome, but as your search continues remember one thing: Some wheels may look alike, but they’re nothing alike—particularly when it comes to quality or construction. Especially in modern times where the market is flooded with an influx of cheap knockoffs, the wheel market can be hard to navigate. To help better make that decision, you’ll want to consider budget and style. But above all, be sure to find out how the wheel you want is manufactured. By now racing purists and fans of well-built wheels know all too well about RAYS Engineering, the creative force behind such brands as Volk Racing and Gram Lights. With deep-seated roots in racing, RAYS Engineering is also the powerhouse behind Volk’s infamous TE37. Introduced in…

+ www.americanforce.com + (786) 345-6301 + 255 - Shock FP DIAMETER: 20, 22, 24, 26 DIAMETER X WIDTH: 20x10, 20x12, 20x14, 22x10, 22x11, 22x12, 22x14, 24x11, 24x12, 24x14, 26x12, 26x14 FINISHES: Polished, Custom BOLT PATTERNS: 5x127, 5x135, 5x150, 6x135, 6x139.7, 8x165.1, 8x170, 8x180 APPLICATIONS: Ford, Chevy/GMC, Dodge WHEEL TYPE: One piece + F201 - Venom FP DIAMETER: 20, 22, 24, 26 DIAMETER X WIDTH: 20x10, 20x12, 20x14, 22x10, 22x11, 22x12, 22x14, 24x11, 24x12, 24x14, 26x12, 26x14 FINISHES: Polished, Custom BOLT PATTERNS: 5x127, 5x135, 5x150, 6x135, 6x139.7, 8x165.1, 8x170, 8x180 APPLICATIONS: Ford, Chevy/GMC, Dodge WHEEL TYPE: One piece + F09 - Big Ten SS DIAMETER: 20, 22, 24, 26 DIAMETER X WIDTH: 20x9, 20x10, 20x12, 20x14, 22x10, 22x11, 22x12, 22x14, 22x16, 24x11, 24x12, 24x14, 24x16, 26x12, 26x14, 26x16 FINISHES: Polished, Custom BOLT…

Offset is the location of the flat mounting surface of a wheel relative to the wheel’s centerline. Negative offset means that the mounting surface is toward the center of the car, positive offset means that it’s toward the outside of the car, or the wheel is “pulled in” toward the center. Offset affects many things other than just whether the wheel has the appearance of “sticking out” past the fender. The wrong offset can cause rubbing problems when the suspension is compressed or the wheel is turned. Offset affects the steering geometry’s scrub radius, possibly leading to problems with torque steer or self-centering characteristics. Offset also affects the suspension’s motion ratio, which directly determines the effective spring and damper rates. Potentially, in a very heavily loaded vehicle, or with extreme…

Vincentric’s Best Value in America award-winners? Ford for truck brand and its Expedition for large SUV, and the Toyota 4Runner for midsize SUV. Pickups were the F-150, Tacoma, Chevy Silverado 2500, and Ram 3500. You can probably figure out the categories for each of those on your own. The Jeep Compass Night Eagle debuted in Europe. Think of it as more like the Jeep Compass Gloss Black All Over. Europeans also got the Grand Cherokee S. Think of it as the Grand Cherokee Sporty Spice with Diesel. ’19 Ram 1500 Tradesman: The work truck can be had with the 3.6L V-6 or optional 5.7L Hemi, among other worky things for vocational usage. Who has one of the best interiors for 2018, if autotrader.com may say so itself? The Ram 1500.…

MOST 4X4S WILL NEED A SUSPENSION UPGRADE AT some point during their service. Whetherit’s time to step up in tire size or the stock components just don’t quite eat up the bumpy stuff like they used to, you might be asking whether it’s the time to add on that long-arm kit you’ve always dreamed about—or does it make more sense to only replace worn-out parts? The answers to those questions depend on your vehicle, budget, and wheeling expectations. We hope we can make your decision easier. Read on for 34 suspension kits ranging from shock and spring replacements to complete suspension conversions. RUSTY’S OFF-ROAD PRODUCTS JL WRANGLER 2.5-INCH LIFT SYSTEM Lift Lines: With RX800 monotube shocks, adjustable track bars, and Rusty’s Forged Flex Joints, the 2.5-inch lift kit shown on…

IT’S LIKE BUYING A CHILD A FANCY BIRTHDAY giftand watching them have more fun playing with the packaging. Even though we had the world’s toughest single-day off-road race roaring around us, we couldn’t help but spend a couple days patrolling the rows of campsites for some of the country’s most interesting off-road rigs. The King of the Hammers race is a weeklong event that draws tens of thousands of 4x4 enthusiasts to Means Dry Lake in Johnson Valley, California. UTVs, dirt bikes, stock rigs, and ultimately Ultra4 cars race throughout the week across barren desert and punishing rocks. What we found as fascinating as the racecourse action was the community of race fans that sprung up out of nowhere on the lakebed. They call it Hammertown. Tents and RVs, grills…

LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN TACTICAL military vehicle procurement and you’ll see what some have called an obsession with lightweight 4x4 vehicles. Since before World War II, there has been a procession of lightweight prototypes, but almost none of them resulted in a production model. One of the few to make the jump from prototype to production was the American Motors M-422 Mighty Mite. The idea behind the lightweights was portability with rapid-deployment forces. In World War II, it was something that could be landed in a glider or carried in transport aircraft. In the ’50s and early ’60s, it was about parachute drops. As helicopters grew in size and power in the 1960s, they were able to transport light vehicles carrying them underslung by cable. This is the…

August 3-5 What: Carlisle Truck Nationals Where: Carlisle, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Carlisle Events Info: carlisleevents.com August 3-5 What: Trucks Gone Wild at Barnyard All Terrain Where: Livermore, Maine Hosted by: Trucks Gone Wild Info: trucksgonewild.com August 4 What: Sno*Drift Summer Where: Atlanta, Michigan Hosted by: Rally America Info: rally-america.com August 4 What: Getting Started Off-Road Driving Where: Gorman, California Hosted by: Badlands Off-Road Adventures Info: 4x4training.com August 4 What: Diesel Pick-Up Powerfest Series Where: Lancaster, Pennsylvania Hosted by: Buck Motorsports Park Info: buckmotorsports.com August 4-5 What: Big Dogs Summer Slam Where: Gore, Virginia Hosted by: Big Dogs Offroad Info: bigdogsoffroad.com August 5 What: Day 2 Getting Started Driving Off-Road Where: Mojave, California Hosted by: Badlands Off-Road Adventures Info: 4x4training.com August 9-11 What: 20th Annual 4x4 Blast Where: Pittsfield, Illinois Hosted…

With over 120 years of history, ABT has remained committed to their roots as an innovation workshop. Officially founded as ABT Tuning in 1967, they have accrued a rich racing heritage that started back in 1950 with an Audi. From the racetrack to the street, ABT Sportsline has continued to deliver on their commitment to excellence and today they are the largest tuning provider for the Volkswagen and Audi Group. Since then, ABT continues to develop their brand. Their latest offerings have set social media ablaze — especially with their collaboration with famed Swedish alpine race skier Jon Olsson. Known by many as a professional skier, car culture knows Mr. Olsson as the guy with the most intense and unique builds. From his insane Lambos with roof racks, to his…

Your wheels are an extension of your personality, and, along with that, are aftermarket accessories that can change the way your car or truck looks. But with so many new releases flooding shelves, it’s difficult to cover them all, so we’re highlighting a few of the most talked-about releases for 2018. Whether you’re after a new look or rejuvenating an older project car, these latest offerings are sure to get your attention. On that note, happy wheel hunting and we’ll see you next year! TURBO FANS If you’re a fan of the nostalgic look of “turbo fans” then you’ll be happy to know that Fifteen52 will be releasing their own version of turbo fans for their Turbomac and Integrale wheels. Manufactured in ABS plastic and carbon fiber (custom order), these…