Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i Four Wheeler

Despite the global pandemic, Americans are still working on their cars, at least according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Retail sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers hit $139.5 billion, the highest in United States history. Businesses throughout the country are taking a stand against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) claim that it is illegal to modify street vehicles and convert them into dedicated race cars. The $2-billion racing industry is pushing back by seeking passage of the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act of 2021 (H.R. 3281), a bipartisan bill that clarifies the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete and protects Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated race cars. To learn more, visit saveourracecars.com. 1 Research from Zutobi on the…

SPONSORED BY Broncos have been a part of Bob DuBois’ life since 1967, when his dad carted him home from the hospital in a ’66 Bronco, swaddled in a laundry basket. Bob bought his first Bronco in 1997. It was a ’77 with a Sport package, and ever since, he’s made a hobby out of buying, fixing up, and selling Broncos. At one point, Bob happened upon a ’73 Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco that had been left to rot in the Colorado backwoods. He and his wife considered beginning the arduous and expensive process of restoring it, but instead, they used the limited-edition machine as a bargaining chip when acquiring the Metallic Blue ’76 Bronco seen on these pages. “THE ONLY BODYWORK ON THE BRONCO IS THE NATURAL PINSTRIPING!” -BOB DUBOIS…

We’re excited to dive into a detailed look at the much-anticipated ’22 Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. But before we get too far, there are a couple of big questions that we need to address. First, Wagoneer versus Grand Wagoneer. Yes, the two vehicles are physically the same. They share the same chassis, suspension, and much of the bodywork. That’s where the bulk of the similarities end, however, as the Grand Wagoneer is, well, grander than the Wagoneer. Second, why are the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer not referred to as Jeeps? This one is a little trickier, as it involves Jeep and parent company Stellantis attempting to create a separate luxury division centered around Wagoneer. Think of it as the Wagoneer “brand,” with the ’22 Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer being the…

It all started with a call to adventure, and you, the readers of Four Wheeler, stacked our inbox with applications to join us in the Utah backcountry for a one-of-a-kind experience. From an overwhelming pool of responses, we selected 20 participants to be part of the 2021 Four Wheeler Overland Adventure—and that was no easy task. Your backgrounds were diverse, your vehicles were impressive, and when the dust settled, the invitations went out to 20 worthy adventurers and their rigs, hailing everywhere from Texas to Oregon and from New York to California. When we all met face-to-face, it was in Page, Arizona, for registration. Shortly after, the adventure stepped off the pavement as we journeyed through the lesser-known parts of Utah for three days of incredible overlanding. The 2021 Four…

As most of us know, Wranglers are not the world’s quietest vehicles to ride in, despite being impressively civilized these days. And while most of us would gladly take the tradeoff of increased sound levels for the experience Wranglers can give us on the trail, nobody is going to say no to a quieter interior. The Wrangler JL does use increased sound deadening over the JK, and is quieter overall; however, the hardtop is thinner, making wind noise noticeable and sound insulation a must-have upgrade. We were hunting for a product that looked premium, was durable and easy to clean, and would lower the interior sound levels in our AEV-equipped ’20 Jeep Wrangler JL Unlimited. With a huge selection of products on the market, including the ones you can now…

SUPERCAR CORNER Four Wheeler Mobile Once the pages of your magazines have worn thin, reach for your favorite mobile device and check out Four Wheeler Mobile. Whether it’s our mobile app (download it from all mobile application purveyors) or the website, you’ll have your fill of 4x4 news, off-road trail action, overland expeditions, in-depth installs, product reviews, and much more.…

Early Broncos are smokin’ hot for many reasons: solid axles, compact size, and the availability of small-block V-8s as an easy swap or right from the factory. We love Ford Windsor V-8s. These engines, like the early Bronco, are compact and pack a punch. Still, many 302s, 289s, and 351s are built to the hilt. That’s great if you like horsepower, but generally, small-block Ford Windsor engines that are even mildly built don’t build enough vacuum to power most power brake boosters (that is, assuming the old rig has a booster to begin with). The result is a mushy brake pedal and suboptimal braking performance. So, when it came time for us to get a braking system figured out for our ’69 Bronco project, we asked our friends and Bronco…

The fullsize ’22 Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer may not be Trail Rated by Jeep due to their sheer size, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t equipped for dirt-road excursions. In fact, beyond the available skidplates and towhooks, there are three four-wheel-drive systems, two suspension systems, Selec-Terrain traction management, and a host of available tech. Let’s walk through the capability of each of these systems. Capability When the Advanced All Terrain Group package is selected, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer benefit from either an 18-inch or 20-inch off-road tire; a two-speed transfer case; a 3.92:1 final drive ratio; towhooks; an electronic limited-slip differential (a mechanical one is standard on the 5.7L-equipped Wagoneer); Quadra-Lift air suspension; Selec-Speed Control; and skidplates for the front suspension, fuel tank, rear stabilizer, and transfer case. This…

Trailer tires are the unsung heroes of the tire world. They are not as glamorous as, say, a meaty extra-large mud terrain, but they are truly among the hardest-working tires a person can own. Trailer tires are often neglected and abused. And nothing hurts worse than having a trailer tire, or two, fail while hauling a load. For that reason, it’s important to stay on top of trailer tire maintenance, a big part of which is replacing your trailer’s tires when they get old. We had good luck with the last set of tires on our heavy-duty, eight-lug car hauler trailer. We never had a flat (knock on wood), and the treadwear was fantastic. However, the tires had surpassed six years old, which is on the ragged edge of a…

Meet the Sugga: Looking back to 1972 and our first time with Volvo’s transmitter-toting 4x4 Our fascination with four-wheel-drive oddities led us across the path of this Volvo-powered, ex-military, taxi-inspired, “cross between a late depression American sedan and an early Dodge Power Wagon fitted with enough antennae to track a moon shot.” In the August 1972 issue of Four Wheeler we detailed our first time with the Volvo Radiopersonterrängbil 915, or in short, the Sugga. After 17 years of service in the military, this particular unit was decommissioned, put up for auction, and shuffled off to an enthusiast in the United States, who was glad to show us around their latest find. Its story begins during World War II when Volvo produced the Terrängpersonvagn m/43 (TPV). Using parts that were…

A BRONCO TOO I’m in the process of a refresh of a former build of an ’84 Ford Bronco II. My parents bought it new in 1984. I drove it in high school, which is when I built it the first time over 20 years ago. I’m updating to more modern trends, including wheels and tires, repaint (body off frame), new interior (black leather), and other touches. It’s originally orange and will stay that way. I plan to finish the refresh by the end of summer. It has a “built” original 2.8L V-6 (four-barrel carb, intake, headers, Comp cam, etc.). This is a picture from about a year ago (still original build) with 6-inch Skyjacker suspension. BRENNON VIA EMAIL LOW MILE, CUSTOM RAM Hello. I just wanted to send a…

UPGRADED GMRS Midland’s MXT115 and MXT275 (shown) MicroMobile radios now come with a built-in 18-watt USB-C charging outlet, allowing you to charge your USB-C–powered electronics directly from the MicroMobile unit. The MXT115 and MXT275 MicroMobile two-way radios allow transmissions on 15 GMRS channels and 8 repeater channels (now with split-tone capability) as well as access to NOAA Weather alerts. Both units are also fully compatible with Midland FRS/GMRS handheld radios. The slim design of the MXT115 and MXT275 make them a breeze to mount in virtually any vehicle and the packages include a flip-frame detachable mount, magnetic mount antenna, 12-volt power cord, and more. INFO: Midland Radio, 816/241-8500, midlandusa.com RUGGED-DUTY RATCHET STRAP Keeper engineered the Combat Ratchet Tie Down to meet the needs of day-to-day professional and business use as…

The ’21 Bronco is finally here and, if the reception around our first drive location in Austin, Texas, was any indication, highly anticipated. The Bronco has hit the scene in a way that riding on the back of a zebra in our skivvies couldn’t have caused more of an entrance. The last vehicle we drove that drew this much onlooker attention was the Hummer H2 way back in the early 2000s. We spent a weekend behind the wheel of the Bronco—which was designed and engineered to take on the Jeep Wrangler directly—and feel like we have a pretty good idea of where it excels and where it might fall short. So, is the Bronco going to be the proverbial nail in Jeep’s coffin? Read on to find out. Based on…

A long-arm suspension is a great idea for most off-road linked suspension rigs. Many have been built and much time has been spent thinking about doing so. Using a Jeep as an example, many coil-sprung models have relatively short front arms. That’s fine until you add suspension lift. Then those short arms get to a point where they’d just as soon rotate backward instead of rotating up when you hit a big bump. Making the front control arms longer helps level them out and, as a result, helps smooth out the ride in a lifted Jeep. In this story we’re going to outline a relatively easy way to build your own DIY front suspension. Much of this tech relates to coil-sprung Jeeps, but there is no reason you couldn’t do…

More dirt roads. More off-road fun. More spectacular scenery. This time in south central Utah. The Moab Easter Jeep Safari crew is branching out and conducted a monthly trail ride in mid-May 2021 in the Green River, Utah, area. Red Rock 4-Wheelers Club President Mike Kelso said this area will become the site of an annual trail ride that’ll add to the variety of backcountry experiences the club offers its members and participants. Chosen trails for the ride were Black Dragon Canyon and Eagle Canyon in the San Rafael Swell region, about 65 highway miles northwest of Moab. Fifteen Jeeps participated, two from Colorado, one from Arizona, and the rest from Utah. The group convened on a beautiful Saturday morning in Green River, Utah. The Black Dragon Canyon trail is…