Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2021 i Four Wheeler

SNOW SURPRISE HERE Here are some chilling numbers. Between 2014 and 2018, nearly 25 percent of Alaska’s 307 driving fatalities were caused by snow and ice, making it the state with the most winter weather-related driving deaths. North Dakota comes in Second with 12.5 percent of its fatalities attributed to slippery conditions, with Wyoming, Minnesota, and Vermont rounding out the top five. Herculean 6x6 Rezvani Motors has released its latest creation—a six-wheel-drive Jeep-based mega truck with a list of options fit for mob boss and gearhead alike. Motive forces come from a 1,300hp, supercharged 7.0L V-8 based on the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. Other FCA-sourced engine options are available, including a 285hp 3.6L V-6 and a turbodiesel 3.0L V-6 with 442 lb-ft of torque, but we’re betting the 7.0L will…

One of our favorite trucks to get our hands on is a late(ish)-model GM truck. With a rich aftermarket of just about anything you can imagine, the sky really is the limit. A pristine ’15 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 landed in our lap and we knew just where we wanted to go with it: Up! A 6-inch lift, 20-inch wheels, and 37-inch tires fit these trucks like a glove, so that was the direction we were headed. We contacted BDS Suspension for the company’s front 6.5-inch lift kit. It’s unique in that it utilizes high-arched crossmembers that blend perfectly with the angle of the factory lower control arms for a completely integrated look. Also, the torsion bars are mounted directly to the top of the lower control arm, eliminating the…

We’ve spent countless hours modifying and building 4x4s to do hard off-road trails. For reasons that we might never know, it seems like bigger and “badder” is always better, but at the end of the day, most of the off-road trails around the country (and world) were created at a time when today’s trends of LS engines, 1-ton axles with chromoly ’shafts, and 40-inch tires weren’t at all common, if those parts existed at all. And, as it turns out, off-roading, trail riding, and backcountry exploring in old, small, period-correct early 4x4s is a ton of fun and an experience that everyone who loves off-roading should try. Sure, they are not fast, and sometimes you have to stack rocks, but, in general, old 4x4s, even in nearly stock form, are…

The ’21 Ram TRX has moves, it is a gorgeous beast of a truck that exudes luxury and has the performance to back it up. In fact, it is one of the most fantastic pieces of machinery we have ever strapped ourselves into. And that’s no hyperbole; it really is that impressive. Based on the award-winning Ram 1500, the TRX is the pinnacle of all that is great about internal combustion performance vehicles. There is no hybrid system, no electrification, no plugs, no alternative fuel, just a big ol’ honking 702hp 6.2L Hemi V-8 with a 2.4L supercharger bolted on top of it and a true dual exhaust that barks out melodies with the same voracity as coyotes who serenade the moon in forgotten corners of the desert. In the…

If we had to sum up our year with the 2019 Pickup Truck of the Year-winning Ram 1500 Rebel 12 in one word, it would be “incredible.” We couldn’t have been more impressed with the truck. It is the perfect mix of luxury, tech, comfort, capability, and reliability. In fact, other than scheduled service, the Ram had no issues during its stay (although there were a few minor recalls that the dealer took care of during scheduled maintenance). Overall, the Rebel proved itself an exceptional family hauler that was ready for a weekend of warrioring whenever the spirit moved us. It was impressively quiet around town, and one would never guess this truck came with aggressive tires and a commensurate amount of off-highway capability. The responsive 5.7L Hemi V-8 forever…

“BOB’S PLAN BEGAN BY SALVAGING WHAT HE COULD FROM THE SEVERELY CRUMPLED POWER WAGON, INCLUDING ITS AXLES, SPRINGS, AND SHOCKS.” One truck was wrecked, the other one only sent power to its rear axle. Bob Olds looked at the ¾-ton Ford and the crinkled Power Wagon, saw (very few) dollar signs, and the inspiration he needed for his next project. We leafed through the archives to June 1966 to see how this budget-conscious build unfolded. Bob’s plan began by salvaging what he could from the severely crumpled Power Wagon, including its axles, springs, and shocks, and the heart of its four-wheel-drive system—the NP200 transfer case. To fit the ’case between the Ford’s framerails, he built a crossmember from 8-inch channel steel and angle iron. The full-float rear axle from the…

SLIM TENT At about half the width of traditional rooftop tents, the 24-inch-wide Thule Tepui Foothill can comfortably fit two adults while preserving space atop your vehicle for other adventure gear. The tent sits 9.5 inches above the roof rack to maintain vertical clearance and the intuitive design allows for one person to deploy and repack the tent with relative ease. Amenities include a high-density foam mattress, optional 310 thread count fitted sheets, an insulator for colder nights, and more. INFO: Thule, 800/238-2388, thule.com DOUBLE DUTY Does your ’84-’01 Cherokee or ’86-’92 Comanche need new dual-rate coil springs? Look no further than Skyjacker! The first rate gives a comfortable ride on the highway while the second rate, which is only engaged after compression of the first rate, allows for control…

We’ve often touted the benefits of leaf-spring suspensions. Sure, they are simple. Sure, it’s technology that could be almost 300 years old, and sure, leaf springs aren’t terribly fancy. But hey, they work and they work well, especially off-road. Leaf springs were also ubiquitous until the introduction of the ’66 Ford Bronco. The first Jeeps, Toyota 4x4s, IH Scout 4x4s, Land Rover 4x4s, Chevy Blazers and trucks, early Ford 4x4s, and more were purely leaf sprung until the introduction of the Bronco. We’ve built all kinds of custom 4x4s, ranging from simple aftermarket lift kit installs to fully custom link suspensions, but it’s still easy to head back to what’s simple and what works. Leaf springs do just that. So, when we decided to rebuild a rusty, battered, abused, and…

Matthew Jackson’s vehicle lives a relatively laid-back life compared to its days serving in the Australian military. “It was an FFR truck,” he told us, using an acronym indicating how the truck was “fitted for radio” during its peacekeeping duties. Digging a bit further back in its history brings us to the 1980s and Project Perentie. Taking its moniker from a large (think: average human-sized) Australian lizard of notable agility and endurance in harsh environments, Project Perentie was a push by the Australian Army that sought out a replacement for the country’s aging fleet of Series IIA and Series III Land Rover military vehicles. Candidates considered by the Australian Army included a variant of the Jeep CJ-10 and a Mercedes-Benz vehicle resembling a 300GD. However, after more than a million…

AVOIDING DEATH … WOBBLE Q I fell in love with Jeeps when I saw, then rode in, a flatfender Willys Jeep. That said, I’ve never owned a Jeep. I’ve read about death wobble on the solid axle coil spring suspension Jeeps. My question for you is: Can the older solid axle Jeeps with leaf springs also develop death wobble. Thank you, I appreciate your help. HERMAN VIA EMAIL A I must say, you have impeccable taste in vehicles. The flatfender Willys Jeep is like a fine wine paired with a stinky and expensive cheese, except only better, ’cause you can enjoy it for weeks, or years … heck, a lifetime. Also, like the finer things in life, the experience with these old workhorses transcends the visual and olfactory sensations. A…

DODGE PROJECT I saw your article Firing Order: Old 4x4s For The Win! (Nov. ’20) and it sort of hit home. I started my off-road adventures back in 1963 with a trip to Baja. Back then there were no paved roads from Ensenada south, which was fun, but hard work. Over the years, I have had Land Rovers, Dodge Power Wagons (civilian and military), and now a Jeep JK. My present project is a ’41 Dodge WC-22 body on a ’52 Dodge M37 frame and running gear. I removed the rear spring perches, flipped the axle, converted to disc brakes, and welded the spring perches back on the top of the axle. The rear driveshaft now attaches to the parking brake flange on the transfer case. The engine I’m using…

The 2020 Ultimate Adventure Long Range Jeep (UALRJ) is a nod to the first mass-produced off-road vehicle that may well have started the whole off-road lifestyle in the ’50s and ’60s: the World War II jeep. Specifically, the UALRJ is a nod to the SAS jeeps used in the North Africa Campaign of WWII, which encompassed parts of the northeastern Sahara Desert along the borders of Libya and Egypt. These jeeps, and the hearty group that staffed them, were off-roading before that was even a thing. Their exploits are those of legend and inspired the Rat Patrol television show (check YouTube). Their iconic, sand-colored paint and stripped-down nature are only part of their unique look. Loads of fuel, ammo, and water and cowl-mounted machine guns made this ragtag military group…

Tom Pardini’s truck is definitely a Silverado, we checked. And if you don’t believe us, he’ll tell you how the monster shown on these pages began as an ’02 Chevy Silverado with a single-cab and a shortbed, and he almost let it get away. “I went to trade it in on a Duramax,” Tom told us, but when he found that his leveled Silverado on 33-inch mudders was only valued at $1,500, he decided to keep the truck and start building. Tom was no stranger to building trail trucks, having ’wheeled beefed-up Chevys of a few generations in the hills of northern California, and he knew he wanted heavy-duty running gear. For this iteration of the Silverado’s build, that meant a Ford Kingpin Dana 60 held in place by a…

Structural steel tube is widely used in off-road fabrication because it offers high strength relative to weight. But buying steel and steel tubing for your 4x4 project can be daunting and expensive to those who haven’t done it before. Sure, you can grab a 3- to 4-foot length of mild steel at the local hardware outlet store, but you’ll pay out the nose for it (relatively speaking), and 3 to 4 feet of steel doesn’t go far when it comes to building an off-road rig. And is it even the best kind of steel for you to use? Eventually, once you’ve started fabricating your own parts out of steel and other metals, you’ll want to explore your local metal distributor. Here is a rundown on some basic information you will…

Three things you didn’t know about Steve Brock: He cut his teeth rockcrawling a souped-up TJ Wrangler around the Midwest. He and his wife have been known to cook and eat breakfast skillets for meals other than breakfast. And he is always on the lookout for a good deal. In fact, it was a smokin’ good deal that got him into his current overlanding rig: a ’12 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. Let’s rewind to 2018. Steve and his wife, Terri, were on the cusp of a bucket list trip—journeying west from Ohio with plans of exploring Utah and Colorado for two weeks. As Steve was preparing the trusty rockcrawler—his ’02 Wrangler—for the adventure, he realized there was too much that needed to be fixed and too little time. So, he began…