Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2018 i Four Wheeler

WHILE LIFT KITS, AGGRESSIVE TIRES, BEEFY BUMPERS, AND WINCHES MAKE OUR RIGS into morecapable machines, the transfer case is the heart of the 4x4 experience. Whether yours operates with the twist of a dial or the throw of a shift lever, it is the device that ultimately splits your engine’s power between the front and rear axles, thus separating it from other machines on the road. If you need to show your T-case some love, we’re here to help. From simple slip-yoke eliminator kits and shift levers all the way to rebuild kits and entire four-speed T-case swaps, let us be your tour guide into the heart of your 4x4—because without this wondrous box, your 4x4 would just be another pavement-bound commuter sedan. TACO TWO-CASE Case Files: One transfer case…

OUR ’17 TOYOTA TACOMA TRD OFF-ROAD HAS treated us well over the past year and a half and 46,000 miles of ownership, but once it’s loaded up with a bed full of camping gear and enough supplies for a seven-day trip, the stock suspension is simply overwhelmed. What started out as a midsize truck that was light on its feet when empty, now feels bloated and lethargic when fully loaded, lumbering around corners and bottoming out on the smallest of bumps. Bilstein has a cure for the boat-anchor blues—its new B8 8100 series direct-fitment suspension system for the ’05-’18 Toyota Tacoma. All four corners of the vehicle have been specifically engineered with a uniquely tuned shock, taking into consideration the exact weight measurements on each corner. The front and rear…

YOU MAY NOT KNOW IT, BUT FAIRFIELD, IOWA, is the center of the Dodge Power Wagon universe. For the past 31 years, Fairfield, population 9,464, has been home to the Vintage Power Wagons Rally, hosted by a company that has become the primary worldwide support for owners of Dodge Power Wagons, World War II Dodge military trucks, and classic Dodge trucks in general. Strangely enough, that company calls itself Vintage Power Wagons, and they’ve been in business since 1975. The five-day Rally is a low-key and mostly self-directed event. Vintage Power Wagons (VPW) has a daily list of available activities and participants make the choice. VPW remains open for business and tours, but the Rally welcome center and show area are at the Jefferson Country Fairgrounds. Most of the participants’…

THE ALL-NEW ’18 JEEP JL WRANGLER WAS eagerly welcomed after a long run of JK Wrangler production. Among other things, on- and off-road performance has been improved and the flagship Rubicon models come from the factory with 33-inch tires. However, the owner of this JL Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon wanted a bit more height to improve approach and departure angles, and the ability to run 37-inch tires. Enter Rock Krawler Suspension. The company offers both 2.5- and 3.5-inch suspension systems for the new JL. Additionally, Rock Krawler offers several kit options based on the performance you desire for your Wrangler. The owner of this Wrangler opted to use the company’s 2.5-inch X Factor Mid Arm System. The kit includes beefier adjustable control arms, a new adjustable front track bar, triple-rate coil…

MORE V-DRIVE I was reading one of your articles about the VEMCO drives and thought these pictures would be nice. I’ve had this van for about four years now. It’s missing the radiator, distributor, and starter. I found it in Albuquerque at a car shop that had a track car. They needed some parts one day for that race car and removed the items from the van. It ran very good until the parts were removed and it only has 87,000 miles. I’ve been hand turning the engine twice a year and I feel good that it still has some compression. I hope to get it running soon. I hope you like the pictures and thanks for doing the VEMCO article—it gives me more motivation to do this project. TODD…

SLINKY ZJ Iron Rock Off Road introduces the Rock-Link three-link front long-arm upgrade for the ’93-’96 Jeep ZJ Grand Cherokee. The subframe is made from ¼-inch steel and the arms are made from 2-inch-diameter, 5⁄16-inch-wall DOM tubing. The subframe is said to tuck up as tight as possible to improve ground clearance when keeping your Jeep low and your belly high. The adjustable control arms feature an inboard bend to clear the tires when turning. No welding is required for installation; it is a completely bolt-on kit. INFO: Iron Rock Off Road, 877/919-5337, ironrockoffroad.com WELD TIGHT Miller Electric has expanded on the Weld-Mask series with the introduction of Weld-Mask 2. It’s an alternative to traditional bulky welding helmets. Weld-Mask 2 is said to be engineered specifically for the unique hazards…

WHEN IT COMES TO MIDSIZED PICKUPS on the trail, Toyota seems to rule the market. However, that doesn’t mean there are not some formidable contenders. The challenge for many usually isn’t the want to build other midsized pickups, but rather the lack of aftermarket support that is holding them back. However, Will Saric’s ’02 Nissan Frontier is a prime example of just how far you can take a mini-truck by searching out the right parts. Having owned the truck for 10 years, Will, an FAA A&P mechanic, has steadily transformed the Nissan from a high school daily driver to the trail machine it is today. Starting off with a base-model extended cab SE version of the truck, he understood that for the truck to handle his projected tire and adventure…

WHAT BETTER WAY TO RING IN THE ARRIVAL of BFGoodrich’s new mud tire than to spin them across the country through every imaginable terrain? Yes, you read that correctly. In the span of 10,000 miles we found a blizzard, mud bogs, sand dunes, gravel roads, rain, dirt, rocks, and open highway. After our six-month torture test, not only did we confirm that the KM3s are indeed round and black, but they can also hold their own against the perils of on- and off-road use. Taking a quick trip back in history, BFGoodrich debuted the world’s first radial light-truck performance tire in 1980—the Mud-Terrain T/A. Fast-forward to 2001, and the company gave Four Wheeler a look at the newest addition to the lineup, the Mud-Terrain T/A KM. For anyone curious about…

THE DODGE WC SERIES MILITARY 4X4S WERE everywhere in World War II. Like the GI jeep, those relentlessly reliable military Dodges were cemented in the memories of returning servicemen as true-blue war buddies. That reputation offered Dodge a built-in marketing edge if they could utilize them in the civilian landscape. As early as 1943, Dodge began shaping its post-war marketing strategy and adapting the wartime 4x4 trucks from a sword of war into a plowshare for peace. Before WWII, the light-truck 4x4 market was almost nonexistent. That was more lack of demand than it was a lack of technology. Returning veterans who had seen four-wheel drive in action created a new demand and made factory-built civilian four-wheel-drive light trucks a viable idea. Yes, the four-wheel-drive market still existed primarily in…

HISTORICALLY, LAND ROVERS were working-class vehicles bred more for work than for play. Then, in 1970, British Leyland launched the more luxurious Range Rover SUV into the lineup, and so began a transition from no-frills, farm-based function to posh-posh, white-collar flash. As the years progressed, new vehicles were added that followed Range Rover’s swoopy shape and impressive cadre of amenities. First there was Evoque, waltzing into the Land Rover offices like it owned the joint, turning heads at every cubicle. Next was the new kid in the mail room, the Discovery Sport, which if going by the body shape, was no doubt the beneficiary of a bit of nepotism. Then in sauntered the Velar, with its stunning looks and high-end sophistication. And all the while, there was Discovery, just standing…

“AT THE TIME, ALL IT TOOK TO PUT 60 GALLONS OF REGULAR FUEL IN THE TANK WAS $70.” Imagine flying the Goodyear Blimp down a New York City alley, parallel parking a 747, or sailing the Exxon Valdez up a drainage canal. The off-road equivalent is wheeling this 33-foot 4x4 behemoth. In October of 1989, we traded in our short-wheelbase rigs and longbed pickups for something even more immense—Revcon 4x4’s entry into the off-road motorhome scene. Let’s talk numbers. The RV was 10.6 feet tall, 8.3 feet wide, had a 12,000-pound winch, carried 60 gallons of fuel, weighed in at 18,500 pounds, required three Rancho steering dampers, and boasted a price tag (as tested) of nearly $200,000. The backbone of the custom-built land yacht was a channel-steel frame, welded together…

THAT’S INTERESTING Nissan decided to build a shrine to the beach and call it Titan Surfcamp. It began as a Titan XD Midnight Edition that got hang-10’d with surfboards, paddleboards, fishing equipment, and a bunch of aftermarket parts. The point of the build: “Inspired by the vintage beach trucks of the 1960s, Titan Surfcamp is a celebration of the beach truck tradition with all the modern technologies Titan customers want when they head out to surf, shore fish, and camp-out by the water.” You might want, but you aren’t going to get, unless you do it yourself. This was a project truck. The newest inductees into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame are Cameron Steele, Robbie Pierce, Mark McMillin (Andy’s uncle), Johnny Campbell, Ed Robinson, and Jim Bramham. Congrats to…

IT’S WHAT MAKES A 4X4, WELL, A 4X4. IT’S ONE of those critical components that most people rarely give a second thought to until they have a problem with it. Hands down, your vehicle’s transfer case is the single most important part of your 4x4. Why? Because without it, you wouldn’t have four-wheel drive! Much like the rest of the powertrain under your 4x4, the transfer case has seen a steady evolution over the years. However, that’s not to say that all aspects of a modern T-case are better than those of yesteryear. Part-time, full-time, two-speed, four-speed, gear-driven, chain-driven—there are plenty of differences from one T-case to the next. Navigating your way through the sea of transfer case terminology and options may seem overwhelming, but we’re here to help. In…

WE SECURED OUR SURFBOARDS ONTO THE roof rack of our Land Rover Defender 110, left Alajuela, and headed towards the Pacific Ocean via the Inter-American Highway. An hour later we arrived at the ferry crossing in Puntarenas in our well-equipped rig, eager to head into unknown territory in search of the perfect wave. Over the years, we had shredded many surf breaks from the Ventura County Line in California to Baja Mexico, but had longed to rip some waves in Central America. As we glanced across the Golfo de Nicoya in Costa Rica, we hoped to find what we were looking for. An epic surf and four-wheel-drive adventure was in our crosshairs. A few weeks earlier, we had contacted Fabio Perrone and Luis Rojas, owners of Nomad America, an overlanding…

A FEW YEARS AGO, THE THOUGHT OF TOWING a trailer down a two-track trail was frightening. The closest things to off-road–worthy trailers at the time were old military M100 trailers. They left a lot to be desired, especially in sketchy situations. In addition, you would have to customize said trailer to haul camping gear, an ice chest, and a bundle of firewood. Fast-forward to present day, and the off-road camper trailer market has exploded. Heavily influenced by overseas camping trailer manufacturers from Australia and South Africa, the off-road camper trailer market is settling into its groove. For example, the 2018 Overland Expo West event was chock-full of off-road campers from all over the world. The Aussies have been in the forefront of off-road camper design and functionality. Case in point,…

IN PART 1, WE FOCUSED ON UPGRADING OUR ’12 Wrangler JK with new American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) bumpers, giving our Jeep a fresh look with expanded utility. In this installment, we will focus on wheels, tires, lights, and accessories that add function and style to our rig. Once again, we turned to our friends at American Overland Expedition in Laguna Niguel, California, to aid us with the install. For wheels, we decided to go with AEV’s sexy new 17x8.5 Borah DualSport. This extremely versatile JK-specific wheel features a backspacing of 4.59 inches to keep the tires in the stock wheelwells, is hub-centric, comes in several different finishes, and is made strong to resist cracking or bending, as evidenced by AEV’s lifetime structural warranty. These wheels feature recessed valve stems and…

DAKOTA SOLID-AXLE SWAP Q I’m looking for a bolt-on straight axle swap kit for a ’99 Dodge Dakota 4x4. It has an extra cab, a 5.2L V-8, and an automatic transmission. I’m also looking for looking for 4-inch rear lift blocks and U-bolts. Can you help me? TERRY RANDALL VIA FACEBOOK.COM/FOURWHEELERMAG A Unfortunately, the ’97-’04, and pretty much all of the Dodge Dakota and Durango models, never enjoyed an abundance of aftermarket support. I don’t know of a kit to do what you propose. A bolt-on solid-axle swap kit would require a lot of time and effort for a company to develop, both of which are typically reserved for more popular 4x4s. The initial investment would likely never be recouped. But don’t fret, there may not be a bolt-on solid-axle…