SILICA COMP0UNDS

POWERPLY XD™
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POWERPLY 3-PLY EXTREME SIDEBITERS®
MILEAGE WARRANTIES POWERPLY 3-PLY HIGH TENSILE
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BAJA BOSS ™ ADVANCED MUD-TERRAIN
BAJA ATZ P3™ HYBRID ALL-TERRAIN

BAJA MTZP3™ MUD-TERRAIN

DEEGAN 38™ MUD-TERRAIN

DEEGAN 38™ ALL-TERRAIN
THE ORIGINAL

CEPEK - T
CERTIFIED
H
E

SINCE 1958
OR
I G I NA L O
V

DICKCEPEK.COM
E

R
LA
ND TIRE -
COUNTRY EXP
TRAIL
COUNTRY

EXTREME
COUNTRY

COUNTRY
TRAIL

FUN

NEW
 FEBRUARY 2020 VOL. 43, NO. 2

COVER SECTION
22 GEAR & GIFT SPECIAL
12 HOT NEW STUFF AT
OFF ROAD EXPO
Something for every kind of wheeler.
18 4WOR-APPROVED
The tools and products we road-tested
on the UA.
22 RECOVERY & STORAGE
Keeping organized and moving forward.

SPECIAL SECTION
ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019
38 MORE IN THE LAST FRONTIER
We left off last month in Alaska at
the Kennecott Mine at the dead end
of a 40-mile road.
48 THE CRONIES

62 The oil that keeps

the UA machine
from seizing up.
52 THE STAFF
More like a bunch of friends on a
working vacation.
56 THE VAN
Our go-anywhere, haul-anyone
Quigley 4x4.
58 ULTIMATE INTERNATIONAL

28 Bumpers, interior, and loose ends.

TECHNICAL
34 PROJECT DOUBLE-DUTY RAM
More diesel means more miles can
be traveled.
66 THE END IS NIGH
Almost ready for our 1969 Bronco
project’s first drive.

FEATURES
28 S-10 TRUGGY
This Chevy S-10 is no mall crawler.
62 EX TERRA
A Nissan built for extreme terrain.

38
DEPARTMENTS ON THE COVER: Harry Wagner is at the right
place at the right time so frequently that we
5 4XFORWARD 70 NEW PRODUCTS swear it says “Right Place, Right Time” for his
address on his driver’s license. This time
6 READERS’ RIDES 72 NUTS & BOLTS
Harry was poised to snap this shot of UA
8 DRIVELINES 74 WHOOPS! invited reader Rich Fredericks crossing deep
water in his 1978 Ford Bronco.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY TEN: PUBLISHING MEDIA, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

WWW.4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
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4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

BARN FIND BLISS
I
T’S ONE OF THOSE DREAMS.
You’re bumping down an unpaved
road, taking a casual Sunday
drive in a vintage vehicle. It’s not
your daily driver, just one of those
superfluous rigs you keep reserved
for when giving the throttle a pre-
start stomp to prime the carburetor is just
as enjoyable as the warm breeze on your
shoulder coming through the roll-down
window and the smell of freshly cut hay
wafting past the triangular wing windows.
You’re blissfully numb, melted into your
low-back seat and easing along without a
care in your head when your fuel tank runs
dry and the pushrod engine goes dormant
with a sputter-sputter-cough.
Avoiding the temptation to immediately
stab the brakes, you aim your solid-axle
jalopy as close to the drainage ditch as
you can so that in the off chance anyone
else comes down this seldom-used road
you won’t be in the way. Easing safely to
the side in sudden silence marred only by
the soft crunching of gravel under the tires
and a slight metallic song from the brake
shoes contacting the drums, you come to
a stop and slap the shifter up into Park.
Sitting for a minute you survey the sur-
roundings and opt to leave the windows
down because who is gonna bother your
old truck here. Exit the cab, reach into the
bed, wrap your fingers around the handle
of that old sun-faded 2.5-gallon plastic
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
fuel jug you meant to fill up the last time
you drove this old clunker, and aim your
feet towards an old farmhouse that lies
across a freshly plowed field to beg a cou-
ple gallons. As you near, visibly peeling
paint and yellowed curtains gently billow-
ing in the breeze come into focus.
The adventure continues. You climb the
porch, knock on the frame of the rusty
screen door protecting the occupants
from horseflies and gnats, and wait.
Footsteps. Down the hall comes a plump,
bearded man in overalls wiping his hands
with a red handkerchief.
“What can I do ya for, stranger?” he
asks with a smile and a wink as he points
to the fuel jug in your hand. “Follow me to
the barn and we’ll get you fixed up.”
You make small talk as he leads you
over to the barn and slides the large
south-facing door open. As your eyes
adjust to the darkness inside, you start
to make out the antique tractor next to
which the fuel you were offered is kept.
Your eyes continue to gain power as raf-
ters and hay and old oil lamps hanging on
beams emerge into focus from shadow.
Then, there in the corner, just visible
through the torn portions of the tattered
canvas tarp that has covered it for 50 years,
you spot it. You can’t believe you’re actually
seeing one in person, let alone hearing what
comes out of the farmer’s mouth after he
notices your slack-jawed stare.
BY Christian Hazel
EDITOR@4WOR.COM
“Oh, that old thing,” he says. ‘It hasn’t run
in decades. It’s in the way. Gimme what it’s
worth in scrap and you can haul it away.”
Yeah, that never happened to me. At
least not yet. But I can dream.
On long family drives my dad used to tell
us tales from the front seat of guys like Reg-
gie Jackson scouring the countryside with
pockets stuffed full of cash, searching out
scores of forlorn and forgotten classic iron
from barns and backyards across Middle
America. And while those tales left an indel-
ible mark on my imagination, in actuality
it’s not barn finds I most frequently stumble
across, but rather wrecking yard finds. If
you’re a gearhead and have some free time,
find a self-service wrecking yard near you
and pay the $2 to walk and wander. Some-
times I stumble across really cool, some-
times rare, and often entertaining vehicles.
No matter what, there’s always something
that sparks my interest. I’ve pulled rare fac-
tory-optioned under-bumper Ramsey FSJ
winches, PTOs, T-cases, genuine Warn Over-
drives, aluminum intake manifolds, scores
of axle assemblies, disc brakes, and more.
What’s even more fun is just dream
building. “I’d take the Hemi out of that Ram
over there, the body of that Suburban, the
axles from that Ford, and the T-case from
that…” and on and on. But I don’t wanna
spoil the ending for you. In fact, you tell me
what you find and what you’d make out of
it. What’s your wrecking yard creation?
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 5

SANO SCRAMBLER
VEHICLE: 1983 Jeep CJ-8 Scram-
bler OWNER: Rafael Terrero, Santa
Rosa Beach, FL TIRES & WHEELS:
35x12.50R15 BFGoodrich KO2, 15-inch
Mickey Thomson SUSPENSION: Rubicon
Express 41⁄2 -inch leaf springs, YJ shack-
les DRIVETRAIN: T-18 four-speed, Dana
20 T-case, Aussie Locker in front axle
PERFORMANCE: 304 V-8; DUI distribu-
tor, Edelbrock Performer carburetor
OTHER MODS: Speedhut digital gauges
DOES IT WORK THE WAY YOU WANT?:
Yes, it’s great for trail-riding and general
running around ANYTHING YOU WOULD
CHANGE?: EFI. Over long rides in the
heat, the carburetor experiences vapor
lock. ANYTHING TO ADD?: This photo
was taken in the Ocala National Forest
on a beautiful day for a trail ride
SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Send us a picture of your ride if you’ve
never done so. We keep a surplus of Read-
ers’ Rides submissions, but only one sub-
mission per person, and we love all off-road
vehicles so send in your entries whether
your rig is stock or not. Make sure each digi-
tal image is at least 1,600 by 1,200 pixels
(or two megapixels) and saved as a TIFF,
EPS, or maximum-quality JPEG file.
WRITE TO: Readers’ Rides, 4-Wheel &
Off-Road, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo,
CA 90245
EMAIL TO: readersrides@4wor.com
> VEHICLE (year, make, model)
> OWNER (name, city, state)
> TIRES & WHEELS (size, make, model)
> SUSPENSION (lift, springs, shocks)
> DRIVETRAIN (tranny, transfer case, axles)
> PERFORMANCE (engine mods)
> OTHER MODS
> DOES IT WORK THE WAY YOU WANT?
> ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE?
> FUNNIEST WHEELING INCIDENT
> ANYTHING TO ADD?
6 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
COMPILED BY Tom Morr
READERSRIDES@4WOR.COM
SPORTY CHEROKEE
VEHICLE: Jeep XJ Cherokee
Sport OWNER: Sebastian Clarkson
TIRES & WHEELS: Nitto Trail Grap-
pler, Fuel SUSPENSION: Rubicon
Express 51⁄2 -inch system DRIVE-
TRAIN: Atlas four-speed T-case,
Tom Wood’s driveshafts, chromoly
axles, front and rear ARB Air Lock-
ers OTHER MODS: Warn winch,
racks on racks
GREAT 8
VEHICLE: 1981 Jeep CJ-8
OWNER: Kevin Hibbs, Hume, CA
TIRES & WHEELS: 35x12.50R15
Chapparel MT on white wagon
wheels SUSPENSION: BDS 21⁄2 -
inch suspension lift, Bilstein 5125
shocks, 1-inch body lift DRIVE-
TRAIN: 4L60E automatic, 4.3:1
Atlas T-case, Dana 30 front axle
with ARB Air Locker, chromoly
axleshafts, AMC Model 20 rear
axle with ARB Air Locker, one-
piece ’shafts, 4.10 gears PERFOR-
MANCE: Vortec V-6, K&N intake,
Flowmaster exhaust OTHER MODS: Onboard air from A/C compressor, third-row and middle seat
in the front so I can fit my family of seven DOES IT WORK THE WAY YOU WANT?: It’s super-reli-
able FUNNIEST WHEELING INCIDENT: Out in the rain with my son and came to a downed tree. My
gut said to turn back but I wanted to keep going, so I tried to put two wheels on the hill and two
on the tree. When the front tires came over the tree, I dropped the rear driveshaft hard onto the
tree and broke my rear spring perches, causing the pinion to shoot up and my driveshaft to come
apart. After scavenging parts, got her going two hours later, only to have it fall apart again and
had to walk several miles back. ANYTHING TO ADD?: My boys and I road-trip eight hours to KOH
in this towing our tent trailer, wheel while we are there, and tow the tent trailer back home
KANSAS RAM
VEHICLE: 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 OWNER: Timothy Drabick, Leavenworth, KS TIRES:
Falken Wild Peaks A/T, Helo alloy SUSPENSION: Rough Country leveling kit DRIVETRAIN:
Stock PERFORMANCE: 3.6L V-6, throttle-body spacer, K&N filter, Flowmaster exhaust
OTHER MODS: Body Armor bumpers, Bushwacker fender flares, N-Fab step bars DOES IT
WORK THE WAY YOU WANT?: She works great on- and off-road. She’s a daily driver work-
and-play truck. FUNNIEST WHEELING INCIDENT: At KC Rocks Park, got stuck between two
trees after being told by park personnel that a fullsize truck would have no problem on
the trails. The kids thought it was funny, but I didn’t—especially with the damage. But got
it fixed and hit the trails again. ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE?: Needs a winch and a
4-inch lift, then she might be complete
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
C17350PAM - 3.5-4” Lift Kit
All Shock Options Available
GMC/CHEVY 1500 CONTROL ARM KITS
2007-2018 MODELS

C15350VA - 3.5-4” Lift Kit

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CALL FOR ALL

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2012-2018 MODELS

WWW.SKYJACKER.COM
 BY Drew Hardin
EDITOR@4WOR.COM

2020 SUPER DUTY ‘OWNS’ TOWING & PAYLOAD

F
ord’s latest salvo in the hard-working-
truck wars is called kilotorque. That’s TITAN REFRESHED

N
the term Mike Pruitt, Super Duty Chief issan revealed the
Engineer, used to describe the more than “refreshening” of the Titan
fullsize pickup line at the
1,000 lb-ft of torque cranked out of the State Fair of Texas, noting “it
newest Power Stroke diesel when he announced takes a big stage to debut a big
truck.” The 2020 Titan has a
the figures at the State Fair of Texas. new look for its front end and a
The third-generation 6.7L Power Stroke, with upgrades that redesigned interior that includes
include a new fuel-injection system and variable-geometry a high-resolution Integrated
turbocharger, produces a best-in-class 475 hp and 1,050 lb-ft of Command Center with a 9-inch
torque “without checking an extra option box,” says Ford, call- touchscreen and internal Wi-Fi
ing out the H.O. version of Ram’s Cummins. That power enables router in the center stack. The
a Power Stroke–equipped Super Duty to tow as much as 37,000 2020 Titans will be offered in
pounds with a gooseneck hitch, 32,000 pounds with a fifth- King and Crew Cab body styles
and in a choice of five models,
wheel, and 24,200 pounds with a conventional hitch. (Those
including the off-road-oriented
ratings are for a 4x2 F-450; for 4x4 models the gooseneck rating
Pro-4X (seen here). The redesign,
drops to 36,400 but the conventional rating is unchanged.) the company noted, allowed
Ford touted the Super Duty’s payload ratings as best-in- them to better differentiate
class as well, noting a peak of 7,850 pounds. Ford’s spec sheet between models, as the Titan
revealed that number was for a single-rear-wheel 2WD F-350 reg- has three separate grille designs
ular cab long box equipped with the standard 6.2L gas engine. In and five different wheels.
4WD models the highest payload was 4,610 pounds for a single- Powering the new Titan is a
rear-wheel F-350 SuperCab shortbox. “retuned” version of the 5.6L
The 2020 Super Duty pickups will start shipping to dealers Endurance V-8. (The diesel
“by year’s end,” says Ford.
8 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
engine is no longer an option.)
Variable valve timing and lift
technology, along with direct
fuel injection, help the engine
make 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of
torque. Behind the V-8 is a new
nine-speed automatic transmis-
sion with a larger final-gear
ratio of 3.692:1, which, Nissan
says, “provides more torque at
the wheels in a given gear and
smoother and faster accelera-
tion.” As an example, Nissan says
the truck’s 50- to 70-mph accel-
eration is a full second quicker
than the previous Titan model
with a seven-speed transmission.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 “ We’ve surpassed the kilotorque barrier
THIS
JUST IN
• AUTOMOTIVE NEWS REPORTS
a Ford F-150 Raptor test mule
has been spotted with what it
calls “a fully engineered and pro-
duction-ready coil-spring rear
suspension.” Ford incorporating
technology into the F-150 that
was made popular by another
manufacturer would be rare,
noted AN, referring to Ram’s use
of rear coils. “But the automaker
has noticed the sales surge that
has catapulted Ram into second
place behind the F-series.”
• IN OTHER PROTOTYPE NEWS,
SEMA published photos of a
camouflaged Jeep Gladiator
pickup that it says could be
a high-performance Hercules
version. While a Hemi engine
would be “unlikely,” says SEMA,
this model could be powered by
the upcoming GME-T6, or Global
Medium Engine Turbo Six Cylin-
der. Sources have said that high-
output versions of that engine
could produce around 500 hp.
• AND ONE MORE: SEMA
reported a sighting of a pro-
totype 2021 Jeep Wagoneer
undergoing hot-weather testing
in Death Valley. SEMA says the
Wagoneer, and larger Grand
Wagoneer, will be built on the
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
”
2019 Ram 1500 platform and
have the Ram’s adjustable ride
height function, but will be fitted
with an independent rear sus-
pension for better ride quality
and be configured to accommo-
date a third seating row. Expect
V-6 and V-8 engines, with a turbo
inline-six/mild electric hybrid
system on the way as well as a
plug-in hybrid version.
• TESLA MAY BE THE NEXT
manufacturer to offer an electric
pickup in the wake of the Ford/
Rivian joint venture and the Bol-
linger trucks. Watch for an offi-
cial announcement by the end of
2019, with production expected
in “early 2022,” says Automotive
News. Tesla chief Elon Musk says
the truck will have a 500-mile
range and a tow capacity of
300,000 pounds. You read that
right; we didn’t mess up the deci-
mal point there.
• AS CRAZY AS A 300,000-
pound tow capacity sounds,
this summer Ford streamed a
video of a prototype all-electric
F-150 pulling 10 double-decker
rail cars and 42 2019 F-series
trucks, totaling more than 1
million pounds. Of course, there
was a disclaimer in the press
release calling the stunt a “one-
time short event demonstration”
with a load that was “far beyond
any production truck’s pub-
lished capacity.” In other words,
don’t try this at home, kids.
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 9
 DRIVELINES

EARTH 3 MILLION CUMMINS

WATCH
• THE EPA INTENDS TO
revoke a waiver issued pre-
viously to California to set
greenhouse gas emissions
rules that are tougher than
federal standards. Accord-
ing to SEMA, the action will
T hat’s how many diesel engines Cummins’ Columbus, Indiana,
Mid-Range Engine Plant has manufactured for Ram trucks
since the first one was made in 1988 for the 1989 model year.
The milestone engine, pro-
duced late in September, will be
installed in a 2019 Ram 3500
Longhorn Crew Cab dualie 4x4.
FORD LEVELING KITS

F
be challenged in court and
or the first time, Ford Performance has developed after-purchase
not be resolved before the
suspension leveling kits that add a 2-inch front lift to F-150 and
2020 elections. The Clean
Ranger pickups. The dealer-installed kits, available for 2015-2019
Air Act allows California to
4x4 F-150s and 2019 4x4 Rangers, include new Fox shock bodies, front
request a waiver for stricter
coil springs, and vehicle-specific upper front mounts with polyure-
state emissions standards
thane bushings. Ford Performance engineers worked with Fox to devel-
that can subsequently be
op internal valving for the shocks “to deliver confident performance
adopted by other states. The
and predictable handling both off-road and on the pavement,” says
EPA has issued many waivers
Ford. The kit also improves the trucks’ ground clearance and approach
over decades but this will be
and breakover angles. The kit retails for $1,495 before installation and
the first time it has rescinded
is available through Ford dealers.
a waiver.
At issue are Corporate
Average Fuel Economy
(CAFE) standards, which
relate to California’s green-
house gas standards. At
the federal level, the CAFE
standards are set by the
NHTSA and linked to the
EPA’s greenhouse-gas rule,
since both rules are based
on the amount of carbon
emitted as fuel is burned. The
Trump Administration con- SILVERADO MIDNIGHT EDITION
tends that the law governing
NHTSA’s CAFE standards
does not authorize California
C hevrolet, too, had a 4x4 reveal at the State Fair of Texas: the Midnight Edition of the 2020
Silverado 1500. Offered on the LT Trail Boss and Custom Trail Boss models, the Midnight
Edition takes an all-black approach with black badges, grille, bumpers, Bowtie emblem, exhaust
to set tougher state green- tips, and side steps. Recovery hooks are, surprisingly, a Jeeplike red.
house gas standards.
The administration wants
to freeze the CAFE standards
at 2020 levels (around 37
mpg) rather than reach-
ing the current federally
mandated level of 54.5 mpg
by model year 2025. While
many automakers may not
seek such a significant CAFE
level reduction given their
need to compete in a global
market, they support the
need for a single national
fuel economy program
with standards that reflect
marketplace realities. To
date, four companies (Ford,
Honda, Volkswagen and
BMW) have signed an agree-
ment with California to reach
a standard of about 50 mpg
by MY 2026.

10 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

 NEW ELECTRIC TRUCK PROTOTYPES
B ollinger Motors has unveiled “beta” prototypes of its all-
electric 4WD B1 sport/utility truck and B2 pickup. These trucks
mark “a major milestone in the company’s next steps toward pro-
duction,” said Bollinger. No details were released about a produc-
tion time frame, or where the trucks will be assembled.
Since its initial prototyping, Bollinger has emphasized the off-
road capabilities of these trucks. Thanks to geared hubs at each
axle, they have some 15 inches of ground clearance and 10 inches
of wheel travel. Dual electric motors put out 614 hp and 668 lb-ft of
torque, helping the trucks achieve a tow capacity of 7,500 pounds
and payload rating of 5,201 pounds, as well as a 0-60 mph time of
4.5 seconds and a 100-mph top speed. Bollinger’s press release did
not mention range, though industry sources are reporting about
200 miles from the 120kW battery pack.

RAM GOES DARK(ER)

L
ast month we showed you black-accented versions of Ram’s
Rebel and Power Wagon; for the State Fair of Texas, Ram added
blackout treatments to the 1500 Limited and Heavy Duty Big
Horn and Laramie pickups.
The Limited Black Edition features black accents on the grille,
badging, towhooks, exhaust, LED headlamps, grille surround, bum-
pers, door handles, and side-view mirrors. The truck also has 22-inch
black wheels, a tonneau cover, and sport performance hood.
The Ram Heavy Duty Night Editions include a black grille with
body-colored surround, black badging, and black 20-inch wheels.
For the first time, dual-rear-wheel Ram Heavy Duty trucks get
17-inch black wheels with machined pockets.

• JAN. 25-26: Arizona Military

CALENDAR
• JAN. 2-4: Snowbird Jeep
Jamboree, Bartow, FL.
Off-Road Adventures, Mojave,
CA. Info: 310.613.5473,
4x4training.com
• JAN. 16-18: Winter 4x4 Jam-
4-12), Moab, UT. Info: rr4w.com
• JAN. 22-26: Parker 425 des-
Vehicle Show by Arizona Military
Vehicle Collectors Club, Phoenix,
ert race by Best in the Desert,
Parker, AZ. Info: bitd.com
AZ. Info: armytrucks.org

Info: 530.333.4777; boree by the Desert Roads and

jeepjamboreeusa.com
• JAN. 11: Getting Started Off-
Road Driving Clinic by Badlands
Off-Road Adventures, Gorman,
CA. Info: 310.613.5473,
4x4training.com
• JAN. 11: Truckhaven Chal-
lenge, Ocotillo Wells SVRA (near
Anza Borrego), CA. Info: corva.
org/event-3581543
• JAN. 12: Getting Started Off-
Road Driving Clinic by Badlands
Trails Society, Hurricane, UT. Info:
winter4x4jamboree.com
• JAN. 17-19: Superstition
Mountain Run by San Diego 4
Wheelers, El Centro, CA. Info:
sd4wheel.com/events
• JAN 18: Winch Clinic by Bad-
lands Off-Road Adventures,
Mojave, CA. Info: 310.613.5473,
4x4training.com
• JAN. 21: Public registration
opens for Easter Jeep Safari (Apr.
• JAN. 23-25: Winter Jambo- • JAN. 25-26: Getting Started
Off-Road Driving Clinic by Bad-
ree on Drummond, Drummond
lands Off-Road Adventures,
Island, MI. Info: 530.333.4777;
jeepjamboreeusa.com
Borrego Springs, CA. Info:
310.613.5473, 4x4training.com
• JAN. 24-26: Winter Fun Fes-
tival by California Four Wheel • NOTE: Have an event? Send
date, location, a description
Drive Association, Grass Valley,
CA. Info: 800.4x4.funn,
cal4wheel.com
of the event, and contact
info (such as email, phone, or
website) to 4wheeloffroad@
• JAN 25: Sand & Dune Driv-
ing Clinic by Badlands Off-Road
enthusiastnetwork.com. Please
submit your info at least four
Adventures, Grover Beach, CA. Info:
310.613.5473, 4x4training.com
months before the event due to
our press lead times.

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 11

 COVER SECTION: GEAR & GIFT SPECIAL
BYTrenton McGee EDITOR@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHY TRENTON MCGEE AND ERIC FILAR

T
HERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT SEGMENTS AMONG OFF-ROAD
enthusiasts. Some like to go fast in the desert, some like to go
slow in the rocks, some like to go camping in remote places,
and some just want the off-road look without all of the dirt.
We can appreciate most of those off-road disciplines, and
nowhere else are there more trucks on display and more parts
1
that appeal to all of them than at Off Road Expo.
Held at the Fairplex in Pomona, California, since its inception about 15
years ago, the show has always been about all things off-road. This year
was no different, with equal parts rock crawlerrockcrawler, desert trucks,
UTVs, and Overlanders all on display. Aside from appealing to the off-road
masses, Off Road Expo is only about a month before the SEMA show and
thus also an excellent venue to get a sneak peek at many products that
will make their official debut in Las Vegas.
We strolled the hallways of the biggest Off Road Expo in recent memory
on the hunt for cool stuff to check out. There was the expected first wave
of what will be a mountain of products for the Jeep Gladiator, but there
was also plenty of other stuff to check out for all of the different makes,
models, and niches. What follows is part new products, part gift ideas,
and a good chunk of what cool and drool-worthy in the world of off road. 2

NEW PRODUCTS & GIFT IDEAS

FROM OFF ROAD EXPO 2019

SPIED AT EXPO

3 6
1
GEN-RIGHT ALUMINUM REAR
BUMPER FOR JEEP GLADIATOR
WHAT IT DOES: Protects the rear of your
shiny new and expensive JT truck without
adding a bunch of weight. The company
offers a front bumper to match and similar
components for the JL.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Gladiators are the hot
new thing in the Jeep market, and it’s great
to see how quickly companies are bring-
ing out cool new products. We also love
the lightweight protection that aluminum
bumpers offer, and this one looks pretty
cool, too.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $1,099
WHERE TO GET IT: Gen-Right,
805.584.8635, genright.com
2
BADASS SD WORKBENCH
WHAT IT DOES: Gives you a sturdy hori-
zontal surface to work on stuff, plus a lot of
storage. In addition to the base workbench,
the company offers all kinds of options,
from different drawer and top configura-
tions to casters, wire mesh shelves, pow-
dercoating, and much more.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Most of the time work-
benches are ugly homebuilt affairs that are
stained with rust and dirt. This is a profes-
sional grade workbench that would look
right at home in a clean, well organized
shop space. Plus from all of the sizes and
options the company offers, it looks as
though Badass would build you anything
you want. The pivoting drawers are pretty
cool, too.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $2,750
WHERE TO GET IT: Badass Workbench,
866.547.1123, badassworkbench.us
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
4 5
3
TRAILREADY FORGED
ALUMINUM BEADLOCK WHEELS
WHAT IT DOES: Proven beadlock tech-
nology that is now available with the supe-
rior strength of a forged aluminum wheel. A
variety of different anodized colors for the
lock rings are also available. The current
size available is 17x8.5.
WHY WE LOVE IT: These wheels were
initially developed for desert racing and
have seen thousands of brutal miles under
everything from trophy trucks to Ultra 4
cars. The company recently expanded its
offerings with additional wheel bolt pat-
terns and production capacity to reduce
lead times. Double-beadlocks are also
available.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $889
WHERE TO GET IT: TrailReady Beadlock
Wheels, 425.353.6776, trbeadlocks.com
4
SEEDEVIL LED BALOON LIGHT
WHAT IT DOES: Provides a quick and con-
venient way to add an impressive amount
of light to an area using LED technology, so
power consumption is kept to a minimum. It
also collapses into a very small package so
it’s an easy to pack away.
WHY WE LOVE IT: These things put out
an impressive amount of light without any
of the glare that comes with ordinary light
fixtures. It’s an awesome way to light up a
campsite, a remote pit, a backyard barbe-
cue, and much more. Tripods are available,
but it would be just as easy to hang it from
a tree or just toss on top of a vehicle.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $325
WHERE TO GET IT: SeeDevil,
877.659.5476, seedevil.com
5
MILESTAR PATAGONIA
X/T TIRES
WHAT IT DOES: Milestar’s latest offering
in a growing line of light truck tires, accord-
ing to the company the Patagonia X/T is an
(Xtreme All-Terrain) offers a three-ply side-
wall, aggressive face and shoulder tread,
and a quiet ride while delivering a 40,000-
mile warranty.
WHY WE LOVE IT: More and more all-
terrain tires are hitting the market with a
tread pattern on the more aggressive end
of the spectrum. This trend blurs the lines
between an all-terrain and a mud-terrain,
providing a solid middle ground for people
who need the ride and longevity of an
all-terrain with a slightly more aggressive
tread for additional traction in the dirt.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $196.50
WHERE TO GET IT: Milestar Tire,
milestartires.com
6
RUGGED RIDGE ARCUS FRONT
BUMPER FOR JEEP JL WRANGLER
WHAT IT DOES: Provides a bolt-on solu-
tion for adding frontend protection to the
JL Wrangler and a sturdy winch mount at
the same time. Integrated recovery points
are included.
WHY WE LOVE IT: We like the stamped
steel look of this bumper as opposed to
the angular, flat surface look you usually
see on aftermarket bumpers. It softens the
lines of the bumper and makes it blend in
better with the increasingly curved shape
of late-model Jeep sheetmetal,
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $499
WHERE TO GET IT: Rugged Ridge,
770.614.6101, ruggedridge.com
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 13
 SPIED AT EXPO
7 9
8 11
7
PRO EAGLE KRATOS
OFF-ROAD JACK
WHAT IT DOES: Designed from the
ground up to be a true off-road jack, the
Kratos features large non-pneumatic tires,
a full-length skidplate to avoid sinking in
the sand, an 8-inch adjustable rubber pad,
and a 3-ton capacity with an overall lift
height of almost 2½ feet.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The Pro Eagle off-road
jack may not be a brand-new product per
se but it’s so cool that it deserves to be
included here, as we haven’t seen many of
these outside of the desert-racing world.
Everything about this jack is geared
toward addressing the unique challenges
of operating a floor jack on soft and irreg-
ular surfaces.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $469.99
WHERE TO GET IT: Pro Eagle,
310.513.8222, proeagle.com
8
FLEX-A-LITE TRANSMISSION
COOLER FOR JEEP WRANGLER JK
WHAT IT DOES: Flex-A-Lite recently
released a whole new line of transmis-
sion coolers that offer greater cooling
capacity and more durable construction.
This new cooler and mounting brackets
offer a simple, bolt-in way to improve the
stock JK’s transmission cooling capacity,
offering greater protection against failure
when subjected to hard use.
WHY WE LOVE IT: It seems like 37s and
40s are becoming the norm on a JK, and
that’s a lot of added rotating mass that
introduces additional strain to the engine
and transmission, even after regearing.
Everyone focuses on axle upgrades with
big tires, but few are paying attention to
the stress added upstream of the axles.
This is a bolt-in way to increase cooling
capacity and protect the tranny.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $240
14 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
WHERE TO GET IT: Flex-A-Lite,
800.851.1510, flex-a-lite.com
9
MASTERCRAFT TRAIL
RUNNER RESTRAINTS
WHAT IT DOES: The Mastercraft Trail
Runner restraints are a high-quality
four-point harness system aimed toward
recreational off-roaders. Available in a
variety of colors, optional shoulder pads
are available for additional comfort.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Five-point racing har-
nesses can be cumbersome and can be
difficult to adjust and latch, not to men-
tion being overkill for recreational appli-
cations. The Trail Runner offers much more
security over a traditional three-point
seatbelt. It has a traditional seatbelt latch
for the lap belt along with new shoulder
harness and lap belt adjusters that make
it much easier to adjust their length,
especially for people not familiar with race
restraint latches and adjusters.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $99.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Mastercraft Safety,
800.565.4042, mastercraftsafety.com
10
FOX IQS COILOVER
SHOCK SYSTEM FOR UTVS
WHAT IT DOES: Fox recently released
its iQS technology for trucks and SUVs, a
system that allows instant in-cab adjuste-
ments to shocks that range from soft to firm.
Fox has now expanded that technology to a
growing line of UTV shocks, bringing the iQS
technology to the side-by-side market.
WHY WE LOVE IT: This is pretty cool
stuff! The only constant off the pavement
is change, so the ability to instantly adjust
shock valving via a dash-mounted rocker
switch is potentially game changing.
We’d like to see the company expand its
truck applications but understand why
it is moving into the UTV market with this
technology.
10
12
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): N/A
WHERE TO GET IT: Fox Racing Shox,
800.369.7469, ridefox.com
11
ROCKHARD JL CAGE
BRACE SYSTEM
WHAT IT DOES: Provides an easy bolt-in
solution for adding more rollover protec-
tion to the front and rear seat occupants
of 2018 and newer JL Wranglers and com-
ing soon for JT Gladiators.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Not everyone is
satisfied with the OE efforts to protect
occupants in the event of a rollover, and
fewer still want to rip apart the interior
of their brand new Jeep to install a cus-
tom rollcage. The Rockhard solution ties
key components of the factory system
together for additional strength. Best of
all, it simply bolts in place.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $529.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Rockhard 4x4,
844.762.5427, rockhard4x4.com
12
MR. GASKET BATTERY
OPERATED TRANSFER PUMP
WHAT IT DOES: Provides a quick and
easy way to transfer fluids (as in fuel) from
one storage jug to another or from a jug
to a vehicle by simply pushing a button.
The pump runs on four AA batteries and
includes adapters that are compatible
with most storage jugs. It even has an
auto-stop feature when the tank is full.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Anyone who has
hoisted a 5-gallon fuel jug on their shoul-
der only to fight with the spill-prone and
infuriatingly slow nozzles of modern fuel
jugs can appreciate the benefits of this
product. We also like the simplicity of off-
the-shelf batteries and the adaptability to
a variety of different fuel cans.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $77.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Mr. Gasket, 866.464.
6553, holley.com/brands/mr_gasket
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 SPIED AT EXPO
13
14
13
DAYSTAR JACK PAD
WHAT IT DOES: Provides a safe and
secure way to add lift height to any floor
jack. The jack pad is available in 3½-inch
or 5½-inch heights.
WHY WE LOVE IT: No more using sketchy
blocks of wood on the pad of your floor jack
in order to gain enough height to get your
4x4 off the ground! The throw of many floor
jacks falls short of being able to reach the
axles of a lifted truck equipped with larger
tires, and this is a safe and viable extension
that can mean the difference between
being able to use your floor jack or not.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $29.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Daystar Products,
800.595.7659, daystarweb.com
14
SOCKET ROLL PRO
WHAT IT DOES: Provides an easy way
to keep your socket set organized and
secure while on the go. Several sizes and
configurations are available.
WHY WE LOVE IT: This is way better
than having to root around in the small
mound of random sockets at the bottom
of your tool bag. You can quickly find that
socket you need, and even better, you
can be sure you don’t leave a socket in
the dirt after a field repair. Best of all, the
roll keeps the sockets secure, even when
bouncing around on a trail.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $39.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Socket Roll,
818.308.5339, socketroll.com
16 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
15
16
15
ANTIGRAVITY MICROSTART
XP-10HD
WHAT IT DOES: This compact personal
power supply pack is about the size and
weight of an old day planner but packs
enough punch to jumpstart a diesel engine.
Aside from jumpstarting trucks, the kit
includes adapters to charge phones, lap-
tops, and just about any 12-volt device.
WHY WE LOVE IT: You can jumpstart a
7.3L Powerstroke with a battery that fits
in your back pocket, plus power or charge
just about anything that runs on 12 volts.
What more needs to be said?
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $219.99
WHERE TO GET IT: Antigravity Batteries,
310.527.2330, antigravitybatteries.com
16
911 MOTORSPORTS
FOUR-POINT JACK ADAPTER
WHAT IT DOES: Provides a versatile way to
hold just about anything with a floor or trans-
mission jack. The modular design enables you
to quickly convert an ordinary jack to support
things like axlehousings, fuel tanks, transfer
cases, bumpers, and much more.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Big and heavy truck
parts are almost always very awkward to
lift and move around. The easily adjust-
able arms of the adapter make it useful for
moving and lifting a wide variety of items,
adding a lot of versatility to a conventional
jack without a lot of cost.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $274.95
WHERE TO GET IT: 911 Motorsports,
541.480.6269, 911motorsports.net
17
17
SWAG OFF-ROAD AMMO
CAN MOUNTS
WHAT IT DOES: Provides secure, lock-
able, and removable storage via com-
monly available ammo cans in a variety
of sizes.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Ammo cans are the
perfect waterproof storage solution for
off-roaders, but tying them down is a pain
and permanently mounting them compro-
mises their watertight seal. These Swag
mounts keep the cans secure and makes
them easily removal for better access to
their contents.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $46.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Swag Off Road,
541.915.2775, swagoffroad.com
18
POWER TANK POWER
SHOT TRIGGER
WHAT IT DOES: A simple, compact, light-
weight system for airing up UTV and other
tires up to 31 inches tall. Boasting enough
power to reseat a bead, the Power Shot Trig-
ger includes a roll bar mount, a tire repair kit,
an air chuck, and a squeeze trigger.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Though geared
toward UTVs, this extremely compact sys-
tem would work well as an emergency air
source for a car or any other application
equipped with smaller tires. The kit is also
available with a twin bottle system.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $296.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Power Tank,
209.366.2163, powertank.com
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
18 19 20

19
ACCUTUNE BOLT-ON COILOVER
BRACKETS FOR JEEP JL WRANGLER
WHAT IT DOES: Offers a convenient bolt-
on or weld-on way to add 2x12-inch coilover
shocks at all four corners. Accutune offers
the brackets by themselves or with com-
plete custom-tuned coilover packages with
your choice of name-brand shocks.
WHY WE LOVE IT: These brackets offer
an easy way to add some serious shocks
to any JL Wrangler. You can utilize just
the brackets if you’ve sourced your own
coilovers, or tap into the company’s vast
experience with custom tuning shocks
with a complete shock package.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $719.90
WHERE TO GET IT: Accutune Off-Road,
424.377.0808, accutuneoffroad.com

20
BFGOODRICH MUD-TERRAIN
T/A KM3 NEW SIZES
WHAT IT DOES: The wildly popular KM3 now
has expanded applications with the introduc-
tion of new sizes aimed at the UTV market.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Adding the traction
and toughness of the KM3 is pretty cool,
but even better, these smaller sizes open
up a world of possibilities for adding gnarly
mud tires to all kinds of unusual applica-
tions, like a Subaru Brat, a Mazda Miata, or
any number of other offbeat vehicles that
could potentially dominate the dirt.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): Varies
WHERE TO GET IT: BFGoodrich Tires,
877.788.8899, bfgoodrichtires.com
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 17
 COVER SECTION: GEAR & GIFT SPECIAL

CAMPING
T DOESN’T TAKE MUCH PERSUAD- along for the trip makes the experience
ing to get those of us at Petersen’s that much better—and boy, do we have
4-Wheel & Off-Road d to go camp- experience! Good weather always helps,

GOODS & ing. Heck, I for one love camping

and have done it all my life. Sure,
but weather is part of the adventure and
almost any weather situation can be dealt

GIFTS FROM I’ve had bad times camping, and

hotels with running water and toi-
lets are sometimes very nice during a trip,
UA 2019 but give me solitude, a flowing creek, a fire
ring, a cooler of beer, good friends, and
some food, and I’m in heaven on Earth.
BY Verne Simons Still, camping can be miserable when
VERNE.SIMONS@4WOR.COM everything gets soaked, or it’s super-hot
PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTIAN HAZEL, or cold enough to freeze everything in
CAMERON HOTCHKISS, STEPHEN WATSON, camp. Learning camping tips and tricks
AND HARRY WAGNER and what products are worth lugging
with when you’re properly prepared.
Here are some items that have made
repeat appearances on our annual Ulti-
mate Adventure. These are things we’ve
tested and can stand behind. They do
what they say they’ll do and make our
time in the dirt all that more enjoyable. Oh,
and our timing is no accident. With the
holiday season around the corner, please
consider one of these options as a gift for
your four-wheeling friends and family.

ULTIMATE
ADVENTURE
1
KERSHAW NATRIX-XL KNIFE
A quality knife for a good price isn’t
easy to find. If you’re working under a rea-
sonable $100 price ceiling, the Kershaw

TESTED,
Natrix-XL is a great gift idea. As the name
implies, the Natrix-XL is on the larger side,
with a chunky 33⁄4-inch-long blade and a
substantial 83⁄4-inch open length.
WHAT IT DOES: Locks sturdily open,
assisted opening flipper, smooth one-hand-

4WOR
ed operation, black oxide blade coating, ball
bearing movement, and reversible belt clip.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Personally, we’ve
never been fans of micro pocket knives.
The Natrix-XL is a substantial folding
pocket knife that you can get a solid full-

APPROVED
hand grip on for serious work, yet it’s still
lightweight and thin enough to virtually
disappear when you wear it.
WHAT IS COSTS (RETAIL): $92.39
WHERE TO GET IT: Kershaw,
800.325.2891, kershaw.kaiusaltd.com/
18 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

2 WHAT IT DOES: It’s a table. It acts as a table while camping.
2
FRONTRUNNER PRO STAINLESS STEEL CAMP TABLE
Yep, we have all sometimes made dinner on a rock, a tailgate, or
maybe a spare tire when camping. Fact is just about any flat surface
(including a, gasp, table) can be a hot commodity when you’re prep-
ping food, eating, playing cards… We could keep going, but why?
The problem with a table, and why we’ve regressed to following
the lead of our hideous caveman ancestors and used a rock, is that
tables aren’t usually easy to take camping, or even car camping or
overlanding. Not so of the FrontRunner Pro Table. This table folds to
a slim 1.3 inches thick. While long (about 45 inches) and wide (about
30 inches), the table fits most off-road rigs nicely between the roof
and a roof rack. That’s right—it fits in a spot where there’s usually
nothing but air. Also, it’s sturdy, has a stainless steel top (that’s easy
to clean and keep sanitary), and only weighs 26 pounds.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Overlanding seems to be a race to see who can
bring the most stuff— the most useful stuff. This table is definitely
useful, and it fits in a spot you didn’t know you had free.
WHAT IS COSTS (RETAIL): $419
WHERE TO GET IT: Front Runner (via Offroad Power Products),
855.463.3762, offroadpowerproducts.com/front-runner-pro-
stainless-steel-camp-table.html
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 19
 UA TESTED, 4W APPROVED
3 folding-table-2018-2019-jeep-wrangler-jl.html
3
JET BOIL ZIP COOKING SYSTEM
One thing that makes camping that
much more comfortable is warm food and
drink when you want it. Sure, cowboys
made coffee on the fire, and we always
love grilling meats and veg out over flame
and coals, but sometimes you just need
that caffeinated beverage or warm chili
right now—particularly the morning after
an unforgettable night in camp. Enter Jet
Boil. Our pal Fred Williams (Dirty Every Day)
has been toting one around for years so he
can brew up his go-juice first thing in the
morning. Not surprisingly when the scent
of coffee hits the air a line forms and Fred
becomes the worst paid and most appreci-
ated barista within miles. A Jet Boil makes
quick work of heating up food and drink
and packs up into a nearly inconceivably
small stowable unit when not in use.
WHAT IT DOES: Heats up food and
drink fast.
WHY WE LOVE IT: A simple and easy
cooking system available for under a hun-
dred bucks with free shipping from Jet Boil.
WHAT IS COSTS (RETAIL): $79.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Jet Boil,
800.572.8822, jetboil.com
20 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
4
4
OUTBACK ADVENTURE PRODUCTS TRAILGATER
Flat surfaces are at a premium when we are prepping food on the Ultimate Adventure,
but although a great big (yet lightweight and stowable) table would be nice, it’s not
realistic for all highly capable off-road rigs. For example, you might not have a roof, let
alone a roof rack, where you could store a large table). Still, most of us have a tailgate of
some sort. We don’t know who, but someone somewhere realized that you could attach
a fold-down flat surface to a tailgate. The first of these surface expanders were surely
homebuilt, but now Outback Adventure Products sells the fold-down Trailgater (nice
name). While this product is only intended to fit on JKs and JLs, we’d bet you could figure
out how to fit one to several other 4x4s, including your own.
WHAT IT DOES: Folds down to provide a prep surface when you are car camping, and
folds up and out of the way when not in use.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Available with either a Sanalite (HDPE) cutting board or a bamboo cut-
ting board, this fold-down prep area will hold up to 40 pounds when installed correctly.
WHAT IS COSTS (RETAIL): $299-$345 depending on model and features.
WHERE TO GET IT: Outback Adventure Products (via Offroad Power Products),
855.463.3762, offroadpowerproducts.com/outback-adventure-products-trailgater-
5
DOMETIC CFX 95DZW
FREEZER FRIDGE
Yes, you could buy a lot of ice at the con-
venience store for what it costs to buy a
quality freezer-fridge, but spend more than
a few days away from a quickie mart or for-
get to stock up on ice just once before you
head out to the boonies and a freezer-fridge
will more than make up for several years’
5
worth of inexpensive frozen water—trust us.
There’s nothing better than having truly ice-cold water after you’ve worked up a sweat
getting up a trail. And it’s hard to beat well refrigerated food or an ice-cold frothy malted
adult beverage while at camp. This Dometic, carried on UA 2019 by Offroad Power Prod-
ucts’ own Cooper Rasmussen, is huge with dual zones and Wi-Fi. It held way more than
just his and his co-driver Cameron Hotchkiss’ food and drinks. We also stashed lots of
beer in this behemoth of a freezer-fridge so we could help ourselves to a cold beer (and
maybe a snack or two). Most campers will probably never need such a huge, dual-zone
freezer-fridge, but if you have a family of eight and you like overlanding, this might be the
fridge for you. Dometic Freezer Fridges come in many sizes, and our pals at Offroad Power
Products, the Official Retailer of UA 2019, can get you one for your adventure rig.
WHAT IT DOES: Refrigerates and freezes whatever you want. These units are durable
and come in many sizes, and Dometic has been making appliances for car camping and
RVs for years and years.
WHY WE LOVE IT: While this fridge is huge, any Dometic can ensure cool produce and
drinks for days out in the boonies while you’re camping and on the trail.
WHAT IS COSTS (RETAIL): $1,429.99; smaller units start at $649.99
WHERE TO GET IT: Dometic (via Offroad Power Products), 855.463.3762, offroadpow-
erproducts.com/lifestyle/campkitchen/fridges.htm
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
6 8 9
6
ZERO TOLERANCE 0562CF KNIFE 8
VIZZ 350-OR LED HEADLAMP 9
TEMBOTUSK SKOTTLE GRILL
If you are shopping for somebody who Situational awareness is a popular idea We’ve told you about the TemboTusk
will only carry a really high-quality blade, these days. While we try to stay aware of Skottle before. Yes, we have! If memory
have we found a gift idea for you! We have our surroundings, when night falls that serves, Cooper Rasmussen of Offroad Pow-
been daily carrying this Zero Tolerance becomes difficult for our daytime-adapted er Products has brought one with him on at
0562CF for months, and it’s still razor eyes. A headlamp is an absolute Ultimate least the past three UAs. We know because
sharp. The 31⁄2 -inch blade is made of ZT’s Adventure must. It helps extend the day as the resident “fat kid,” we don’t miss many
CMP 20CV steel and features an assisted after the sun sets and is a great tool when meals, even other folks’ meals, when camp-
opening flipper, a carbon fiber and steel working on a 4x4 in any low-light situa- ing. Our best practices call for eating early
handle, and a super-sturdy ball bearing tion. Plus, we have this funny picture of our and often, and the TemboTusk Skottle is a
opening system. It’s easily one of the best leader and pal, Editor Christian Hazel, being nice piece of kit to facilitate that. You can
folding pocket knives we’ve carried in the social while wearing a headlamp in camp cook up all kinds of delicious delicacies in
past 30 years. in red-light mode so it would be easier on the wok-style frying pan, from sukiyaki to
WHAT IT DOES: Ambidextrous pocket eyes of others. The Vizz headlamp from grilled cheese sandwiches and just about
clip, high-carbide/high-chromium blade Princeton Tec could also serve as a tail- everything in between. Heat comes from a
steel for exceptional edge retention and lamp on a rig if all onboard illumination fails compressed camp propane bottle, and this
corrosion resistance, super-smooth opera- when you’re on the trail. The Vizz is inex- sucker gets hot fast but is as capable of fine
tion, and sturdy locking when opened. pensive, UA-proven, and adaptable to just heat adjustment as a household gas stove
WHY WE LOVE IT: The blade is chunky about everything we need. is. One way or another, whenever we make
and the handle easy to get your mitts WHAT IT DOES: Provides light when camp and Cooper fricassees up something
around for secure purchase. It just feels like you’re in camp or working on your rig. sweet, spicy, or savory, you can bet we float
a quality piece of machinery, and the blade WHY WE LOVE IT: It has settings for spot- down the scent trail like Pepé Le Pew.
has stayed phenomenally sharp despite light high, spotlight low, flood high, and red WHAT IT DOES: Makes cooking a fancy
nine months of constant use. high. It’s also sturdy, water resistant, plenty meal just about anywhere easy.
WHAT IS COSTS (RETAIL): $260 bright, and inexpensive. WHY WE LOVE IT: You can use it even in
WHERE TO GET IT:Zero Tolerance Knives, WHAT IS COSTS (RETAIL): $35 places where you can’t have a campfire.
800.325.2891, zt.kaiusaltd.com WHERE TO GET IT: Princeton Tec, It is portable and fun to use, and the Skottle
princetontec.com/product/vizz/ itself is fabricated right here in the good
old U.S. of A.
7
OZTENT JET XL TENT BUNKER WHAT IS COSTS (RETAIL): $225
A few years back the UA cronies from Alabama, Sam Gillis and Keith Bailey, brought along WHERE TO GET IT: TemboTusk (via
a simple yet inexpensive tent cot and a UA tradition was born. These things can be set up in Offroad Power Products), 855.463.3762,
minutes and, while not quite a tent, provide a good place to sleep. The first UA-bound tent offroadpowerproducts.com/tembotusk-
cots were made by Kamp Rite, and although they work, the first generation of cots was skottle-grill.html
downright cumbersome when folded. The second
generation of Kamp Rite tents saw some “improve-
ments.” Folded, they were a different shape than
the original but still fairly large. This year James
and Stephen Watson of Offroad Design broke
the tent cot mold with new camp lodging from a
company called Oztent. These new cots are the
Jet XL Tent Bunker from none other than Offroad
Power Products, the Official Retailer of UA 2019.
The Oztent Jet XJ Tent Bunker raises the bar with
quality construction that is easy to fold and stow.
You can bet that we want one of these to replace
our smelly old tent cot for UA 2020.
WHAT IT DOES: Provides an easy-to-set-up, dry,
bug-free, and sturdy sleepy hole for tired Ultimate
Adventurers up to 330 pounds.
WHY WE LOVE IT: It has a steel frame and packs
into a svelte 43x12x11 inches. It stows in the
included waterproof carry bag.
WHAT IS COSTS (RETAIL): $449.10
WHERE TO GET IT: Oztent (via Offroad Power
Products), 855.463.3762, offroadpowerproducts.
com/oztent-jet-xl-tent-bunker.html 7
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 21
 COVER SECTION: GEAR & GIFT SPECIAL
BY Harry Wagner in the rocks, and buried in sand and snow. of the head, you are going to have a bad
When the proverbial feces hits the fan, it is day. The way to avoid that is by properly
EDITOR@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHY RICHARD GIORDANO critical to have the knowledge to overcome stowing and securing your equipment.
AND HARRY WAGNER the issues and the right gear to get out of Specifics regarding how to do this varies

W
trouble. Knowledge comes with experi-
E DON’T NEED TO ence, so learn from our mistakes when it
rattle off our creden- comes to having the right recovery gear.
tials for you to know Equally important as having the proper
that the staff of 4WOR equipment is keeping it stored safely and
spends a lot of time efficiently. A pile of parts and pieces isn’t
not only wheeling but going to do you any good when you need
also traveling, camp- a needle and have a haystack in the bed
ing, and yes, even getting stuck. Just as of your rig. And if you are enjoying some
the best skiers still fall down from time to spirited driving and a D-ring shackle or
time, we manage to get mired in mud, break fire extinguisher thumps you on the back
between pickups with separate beds and
SUVs with enclosed cargo areas, but the
basic premise is the same for both. We
like to keep heavy items like tools and
spare parts low in the vehicle and grouped
together. Those items are usually in our
vehicles all the time, unlike camping gear
or coolers. Recovery gear that we need
to access quickly is next, and light items
such as duffle bags and sleeping bags or
tents go on top.

RECOVERY &
STORAGE GUIDE
THE BEST PRODUCTS
FOR GETTING UNSTUCK
& STAYING ORGANIZED

22 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

1
2 4
1
SMITTYBILT GEN3 XRC WINCH
WHAT IT DOES: Once you have a winch
you wonder how you lived without it. Not
only can they pull you and your friends out
of stuck situations, but they can also be
used to drag a project vehicle onto a trailer,
pull stumps out of your yard, and more.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The new Gen3 XRC
has a 7hp motor for super-fast line speeds,
but our favorite part is the new controller,
which features a load indicator, a flashlight,
and a magnetic base.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $429.00
WHERE TO GET IT: Smittybilt,
888.717.5797, smittybilt.com
2
MAXTRAX XTREME
WHAT IT DOES: You have probably seen
Maxtrax recovery boards strapped to the
side of an overland vehicle. They offer
floatation in soft terrain such as sand and
snow, allowing for self-recovery when
there’s nothing to winch to or no one else
around with a snatch strap. The Xtreme
model is the strongest yet, with alloy teeth
that are replaceable with a T-50 Torx bit.
WHY WE LOVE IT: There are a lot of knock-
off products on the market, but in our experi-
ence none of them comes close to the durabil-
ity of actual Maxtrax products. The company
discourages wheel spin on its traction boards,
but understands that this is unavoidable
in situations such as active war zones and
off-road competition, which is how the new
Xtreme recovery boards came to fruition.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $499.99
WHERE TO GET IT: Maxtrax, maxtraxus.com
3
VIAIR ULTRA DUTY
ONBOARD AIR
WHAT IT DOES: We regularly preach
the benefit of airing down your tires for
increased traction and ride compliance off-
road. What we don’t always tell you is that
you need to air your tires back up when you
return to the pavement or risk overheating
the tires to the point of failure. Onboard
air is the solution, and can also be used for
other tasks as varied as running air tools
and inflating your air mattress.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Viair’s Ultra Duty Air
System comes with everything you need
to install onboard air on your vehicle in one
kit. The heart of the system is the 480C air
compressor, which has a 100 percent duty
cycle. A 21⁄2 -gallon air tank, hoses, wiring,
and more are all included in the kit. The
Ultra Duty Air System can air up a 37-inch
tire from 15 to 30 psi in under four minutes.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $499.00
WHERE TO GET IT: Viair, 949.585.0011,
viaircorp.com
4
BUBBA ROPE GATOR JAW PRO
WHAT IT DOES: Soft shackles are to
traditional D-ring shackles what synthetic
winch line is to steel cable. Bubba Rope’s
Gator Jaw is rated at a 52,300-pound
breaking strength but is so light that it
floats. The Gator Jaws are lighter, stronger,
and easier to work with than D-rings when
5
you have to attach a snatch strap or winch
line to a recovery point.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The new Gator Jaw Pro
replaces the standard eye found in most soft
shackles with a small choker that make it
both simpler and stronger than the competi-
tion. What we love most about Gator Jaw
shackles is how tight and dense the knot is
on them; unlike with cheaper soft shackles,
you never have to worry about them unravel-
ing. And they are made in the USA!
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $49.99
WHERE TO GET IT: Bubba Rope,
877.499.8494, bubbarope.com
5
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT
JUMP START PACK
WHAT IT DOES: Ever find yourself stuck
with a dead battery? Jumper cables are great
if you are in a parking lot, but even with other
vehicles around on the trail you don’t always
have the space necessary to use them. Sum-
mit Racing Equipment’s Jump Start Pack uses
a lithium ion battery that only weighs 11⁄2
pounds and hardly takes up any space when
not in use, yet offers 600 cranking amps to
start your gas or diesel engine.
WHY WE LOVE IT: In addition to jump-
starting your rig, the Summit Jump Pack
has USB outlets and comes with cables
and connectors to charge smartphones or
laptops. It even has a built-in LED flashlight.
These features are super-handy when we
are out camping in the middle of nowhere.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $167.00
WHERE TO GET IT: Summit Racing Equip-
ment, 800.230.3030, summitracing.com
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 23
 RECOVERY & STORAGE GUIDE
6 8
7 9
6
DMOS COLLECTIVE
STEALTH SHOVEL
WHAT IT DOES: Shovels are a valuable
tool on the trail, particularly if you find
yourself in the sand or snow. A little e-tool
isn’t going to do you much good though,
and a fullsize shovel takes up a bunch of
space and results in people flagging you
down on the street to do their landscaping.
WHY WE LOVE IT: DMOS Collective’s
roots are in snow sports, but the company
has a full line of new products aimed at
the off-road market. The Stealth uses an
extendable handle that mounts through
the 6061-T6 aluminum blade, so it is super-
strong but hardly takes up any space
when not in use. And it’s made in the USA!
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $119.00
WHERE TO GET IT: DMOS Collective,
307.203.2975, dmoscollective.com
7
MAC’S UTILITY MAT
WHAT IT DOES: Mac’s Utility Mat is 4-foot-
long foam pad that folds in half when not in
use but is easy to toss under your rig when
you’re making repairs. The 3⁄4-inch-thick mat
is made from polypropylene (essentially
plastic) fibers. As a result, it resists stains,
oil, and chemicals, and it won’t retain water
and can’t mold or mildew.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The beauty here is in
the simplicity. The Mac’s Utility Mat is way
better than lying on the ground, and in
a pinch we have even used it to sleep on
when we forgot our air mattress. When
the mat is folded up it makes a great divid-
er between storage boxes to keep them
from rubbing together or rattling.
24 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $29.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Mac’s Custom Tie
Downs, 800.666.1586,
macscustomtiedowns.com
8
MORE POWER PULLER
WHAT IT DOES: The design of The More
Power Puller hasn’t changed much in over
80 years. Why would anyone want to
change a good thing? This isn’t your aver-
age come-along! The More Power Puller
is made from iron and steel and can lift
up to 6,000 pounds or drag up to 12,000.
Available in 2-ton and 3-ton models, both
with the option of 5⁄16-inch steel cable or
AmSteel Blue synthetic rope.
WHY WE LOVE IT: We don’t necessarily
see this as a replacement for a winch, but
rather a useful addition. Sometimes you
need to pull backwards and don’t have a
rear winch, or you need to pull a rig with a
dead battery onto a trailer, or pull from the
side after a rollover. The More Power Puller
does all that and more. And it’s made in
the USA!
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $286.00
WHERE TO GET IT: The Wyeth-Scott Co.,
800.743.4521, wyeth-scott.com
9
PRO EAGLE KRATOS JACK
WHAT IT DOES: This 3-ton floor jack
was designed from the ground up for off-
road use. The Pro Eagle Kratos uses huge
composite wheels with sealed bearings
to allow it to roll over terrain and has a
full-length skidplate to keep it from sink-
ing in sand and other soft terrain. It even
10
comes with an extension for the foot that
is adjustable up to 8 inches, making it per-
fect for lifted rigs, portal axles, and mov-
ing trailers around.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The big wheels mean
that this jack doesn’t have to stay in the
garage, and Pro Eagle even makes an alumi-
num mount to store it safely inside your vehi-
cle when not in use. The jack is kind of bulky,
but with aluminum construction it is light
enough for use in camp and on the trails.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $469.99
WHERE TO GET IT: Pro Eagle,
310.513.8222, proeagle.com
10
MASTERCRAFT SAFETY
TOOL TOTE
WHAT IT DOES: These water-repellant
totes are padded to protect your tools
and prevent rattles. The diagonal zipper
provides easy access, and straps are
even included to securely lash the bags
in place. They are available in three sizes
to fit not only tools but spare parts and
camping gear as well.
WHY WE LOVE IT: These tool totes do
a great job of protecting our tools from
everything from dust to rain with their
rugged rubberized coating. Bigger tool
bags get heavy in a hurry, so we carry
multiple totes dedicated to electrical
parts and tools, ratchets and sockets, and
screwdrivers and pliers to keep them from
getting too heavy or bulky.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $29.95
WHERE TO GET IT: MasterCraft Safety,
800.565.4042, mastercraftsafety.com
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 Start your free trial now

Go to: MotorTrend.com/TopGear
 RECOVERY & STORAGE GUIDE
11
12
11
HARDIGG CASE
WHAT IT DOES: Used to transport every-
thing from electronics to rockets, Hardigg
cases use multiple latches and a thick seal
to be airtight, protecting the contents in
even the harshest conditions. They are
available in an overwhelming variety of siz-
es and shapes and can be purchased with
foam inserts for even more protection.
WHY WE LOVE IT: These waterproof
cases are a lifesaver when we have our
camera gear and laptop computers on the
trail. They are expensive if bought new,
but you can find used cases at military
surplus stores and online for a fraction of
the price. They might have a few scratch-
es, but the savings is worth it to us.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $10.99
WHERE TO GET IT: Pelican-Hardigg
Cases, 800.473.5422, pelican.com
12
WARN EPIC TOOL ROLL
ORGANIZER
WHAT IT DOES: The new Epic Tool Roll
from Warn has different-sized pockets
not only to store but also organize your
tools and small parts like zip ties, electri-
cal tape, and bailing wire. The rolls are
made from rugged 600D Cordura and use
heavy-duty YKK zippers.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Warn’s new line of
Epic gear is designed specifically for
wheeling rigs and made to attach to
rollcages and fit snugly in cubby holes.
They hold a lot of gear, only take up a little
space, and are tough as nails. They are
MOLLE compatible and use D-rings and
straps to be lashed to nearly anything.
26 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
13
14
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $89.99
WHERE TO GET IT: Warn, 800.543.9276,
warn.com
13
SMITTYBILT G.E.A.R.
TAILGATE COVER
WHAT IT DOES: Need More Space? The
Smittybilt G.E.A.R. Tailgate Covers feature
interchangeable PAL/MOLLE storage
pouches. Designed to match the G.E.A.R.
Seat Covers, all are manufactured from
600 denier polyester. They are available in
black, tan, drab green, or camouflage and
are easy to install with handtools.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The cover comes
with MOLLE pouches, which we used to
store our first aid kit, fluids, and recovery
gear. This way we always have those
items close at hand. The only downside is
that you have to remember to leave extra
space to close the tailgate or risk smash-
ing your gear.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $75.99
WHERE TO GET IT: Smittybilt,
888.717.5797, smittybilt.com
14
FRONT RUNNER WOLF PACKS
WHAT IT DOES: Rather than messing
around with temporary cargo carrying
solutions, these clip-to-close, stackable,
and durable storage containers are light-
weight and rattle-free. The square shape
and vertical sides maximize storage space
compared to other options. Front Runner
Wolf Packs can be used alone or as com-
ponents for Front Runner Wolf Pack Draw-
er Systems, Front Runner Transit Bags, and
Front Runner Flat Packs.
15
WHY WE LOVE IT: These containers are
inexpensive and easy to stack. We use
them for our camping gear and food prep
on the trail. We put labels on the boxes to
tell them apart and just leave our stove
and camp kitchen in one fulltime—that
way it’s easy to load up when it’s time to
hit the trail.
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL): $39.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Front Runner,
866.840.0321, IURQWUXQQHURXW¿WWHUVFRP
15
MAC’S VERSATIE
WHAT IT DOES: Mac’s VersaTie is made
from extruded aluminum and has a mini-
mum breaking strength of 3,000 pounds
in a vertical pull. There is an attachment
point every inch, allowing you to find the
perfect position to secure your load no
matter what you are hauling. VersaTie is
available in surface mount, flush mount,
or recessed to fit any situation when you
need to lash down your gear safely.
WHY WE LOVE IT: We use VersaTie on
the inside of our truck’s bed rail and in
the back of our Jeep. With the tie-down
rings removed, the track takes up virtually
no space and is smooth enough to slide
heavy objects over. Then we just add the
rings to lash down our cooler, tools, and
camping gear when we pack for the trail.
And they are made in the USA!
WHAT IT COSTS (RETAIL):
Starting at $8.95
WHERE TO GET IT: Mac’s Custom Tie
Downs, 800.666.1586,
macscustomtiedowns.com
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 FEATURE

TECH SPECS
1994 CHEVY S-10
DRIVETRAIN
ENGINE: Chevrolet Vortech 350 V-8
TRANSMISSION: TH350 automatic
TRANSFER CASE: NP205 with a Klune-V
Goliath crawl box
FRONT AXLE: 21⁄2 -ton Rockwell, 6.72:1,
Detroit Locker
REAR AXLE: 21⁄2 -ton Rockwell, 6.72:1,
Detroit Locker
SUSPENSION
SPRINGS & SUCH: Custom 4-link, FOA
18-inch coilovers (front); custom wishbone
swivel link with Fox air shocks (rear)
TIRES & WHEELS: 21/49-20LT Interco Irok
Super Swampers mounted on custom
20x13 DIY true double beadlocks
STEERING: PSC double ram, full hydraulic

28 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD

 1 BYTraci Clark EDITOR@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHER TRACI CLARK

J
OE ALLEN FROM LITTLETON, COLORADO, IS NOT A “HOLD
my beer and watch this” kind of guy. He has some mad
skills behind the wheel and a rig that is more than capable
on any trail he points it up. His preference is to run trails
rated 8 or higher, as anything under that might be consid-
ered mall crawling for his 1994 Chevy S-10.
Joe was originally a Jeep guy. At one time he had a seri-
ously built XJ, but an unfortunate trip up a gnarly 9-rated trail took
its toll, and he decided it was time to build something that didn’t
know the meaning of the word no.
“I hate to break on the trail,” Joe says, “so I wanted something
that was not only extremely capable, but something overbuilt so it
would flat-out work wherever I wanted to go.”
Economics were a slight consideration, so Joe looked for a
started project. He found this S-10, but he still did a full ground-up
rebuild to ensure flawless performance. Very little of the original
1994 Chevy S-10 is left; the interior and grille are pretty much the
only things that tell you what it started life as.
Powering this behemoth up the trail is a 1997 Chevrolet Vortech
350 V-8. The engine is stock with the exception of a set of custom
headers and a 3-inch MagnaFlow exhaust system. Backing that
up is a TH350 automatic transmission and a B&M shifter with a
Z-Gate custom control. The tranny has been modified with lower
planetary gears, a reverse pattern, and a manual-shift valve body.
The transfer case is a work of internal art; an NP205 with a Klune-V
Goliath crawl box and a low-range ratio of 5.4:1 give it the ultimate
definition of crawl. Custom-made driveshafts were needed to get
the power to the enormous Rockwell axles.
The hardest part for Joe is finding trails that truly challenge this
vehicle. On a straightforward run up ledges and waterfalls, it excels.
The only issue Joe finds is that in those tight spots where you need
maneuverability and turning radius, his truggy is a bit cumbersome.

1 The original S-10

grille was left in
place with 6-inch KC
Daylighters replacing
the original headlights.
Hidden below the grille
is a 12,000-pound
MileMarker winch
in a fabbed-up cradle.
The 21/49-20LT
Interco Irok Super
Swampers mounted
on custom 20x13 DIY
true double beadlocks
leave one heck of a
footprint. Most obsta-
cles are mere bumps
in the trail.

AIN’T NO MALL CRAWLER

S-10 TRUGGY 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 29

 S-10 TRUGGY
2 Powering this behemoth up the trail is a
1997 Chevrolet Vortech 350 V-8. The engine
is stock except for a set of custom headers and
a 3 inch MagnaFlow exhaust system.
3 The frame was donated by a mid-1980s
Chevy K5 Blazer. The 21⁄2 -ton Rockwell
front axle, with factory 6.72 gears and a
Detroit Locker, gives you the hint that most
trails are just a walk in the park for this 133-
inch wheelbase beast. The four-link front
suspension includes FOA 18-inch coilovers. A
PSC full-hydraulic, double-ended steering ram
wards off arm fatigue while Joe is playing on
the rocks and ledges. Both front and rear axles
have been rebuilt and modified with Ouverson
chromoly shafts, joints, and drive flanges as
well as upgraded seals by Custom Off-road.
4 Mounted on top of the rear axle is a rear
suspension “suck-down” winch for scaling
difficult climbs. Rear suspension is a custom
wishbone swivel link with Fox air shocks. Pin-
ion brakes on the axle are favored over a tra-
ditional disc brake setup. The radiator is rear-
mounted for additional airflow and because
2
3 4
6
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
there wasn’t any room left under the hood. A
CO2 tank is mounted just behind the cab for air-
ing up tires after a long day on the trail.
5 The stock S-10 interior is comfortable
enough for an all-day adventure, but alas, no
air conditioning since Allen mainly runs the Colo-
rado trails. The only glass remaining in the cab is
the windshield and side pop-out vent windows.
A B&M shifter with Z-Gate custom gate work and
a Klune-V Goliath crawl box were installed by
ABD Transmissions in Englewood, Colorado.
6 Squeezing the V-8 into such a small space
wasn’t easy. The hood had to be cut through
the center to clear the engine. The front fenders
needed to be cut out for tire clearance, with
custom tubing mounted inside the fender area
for structural support. The doors have been cut
and modified to improve visibility and comfort.
The exterior rollcage is 0.120- and 0.250-wall
DOM to protect the occupants in case of roll-
over (whether accidental or on purpose Joe
won’t say). Other “custom bodywork” has been
done by Utah’s Upper Helldorado Trail and Colo-
rado’s Penrose Trail.
5
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 31
 TECHNICAL

PROJECT
DOUBLE-DUTY
RAM

MORE DIESEL =
MORE MILES TRAVELED
BY Jay Kopycinski convenience and a longer cruising range. tank adds 30 gallons of diesel on board.
After lifting the truck and upgrading to The Titan tank is constructed from mili-
EDITOR@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHY JAY KOPYCINSKI 37-inch tires, the owner mounted a match- tary-grade, cross-linked polyethylene and

T
HIS 2018 DOUBLE-DUTY RAM
3500 is being built to be a versa-
tile pickup. It wheels, it camps, it
hauls, it tows, and it gets grocer-
ies. It has been used around town
most of its life, but also makes
long-haul runs from time to time,
thus more fuel capacity could provide both
34 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
ing spare tire in the bed. There was little
need for the stock-sized spare under the
bed, so it could be removed. This would
leave a perfect open area to fit one of Titan
Fuel Tank’s Spare Tire Auxiliary Fuel Systems
(STAFS). In addition to its line of extra-capac-
ity stock replacement tanks, the company
manufactures spare tire tanks to fit a num-
ber of applications. In this case, the added
weighs only about 30 pounds. The tank kit
includes everything needed for installa-
tion, including an added filler neck that can
be mounted on the outside or inside wall
of the bed. Once diesel fuel is in the Titan
tank, it can be transferred over to the main
tank using the provided fuel pump. When
commanded from the Titan electronic con-
troller in the cab, the pump pushes fuel into
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 1 The Titan Fuel Tank kit comes very complete,
and the formed tank appears stout in con-
struction. The Ram 2500/3500 kit is designed
to be installed on trucks equipped with a Class
V (5) trailer hitch. To prepare for the kit instal-
lation, the factory spare tire and its hand winch
need to be removed.

2 Titan provides this 3⁄16 -inch-thick stamped

plate that bolts through the existing hand
winch holes on the truck chassis. The long 3⁄4 -
inch bolt is used to hold the tank in place.

3 Most of the fittings and a fuel level sensor

come preinstalled on the tank. Some wiring,
and supply and return rubber hoses, are then
added. Here is the tank ready for an initial fit
under the truck. This work was done with the
truck on a vehicle lift, but could be done in a
driveway as well.
1

4 The filler and vent inlets on the tank sit

towards the rear of the truck, and hoses for
them are assembled for routing upwards into
the bedside area.

5 The Titan kit pumps diesel from the new tank

into a fitting added to the vent line going to
the factory tank. Here the fitting is being spliced
into that line. A second barbed outlet on the fit-
ting serves as a return line to the Titan tank.

6 This 2018 Ram 3500 required temporary

removal of the factory fill assembly to install
the new fitting as the factory metal vent tube had
to be cut and some rubber hose installed in place.

7 The provided inline prefilter and pump were

mounted high on the frame under the bed,
where they would be out of the elements but
2 4 accessible for filter service.

3 5 6

a hose that taps into the tank vent line going

to the factory fuel tank.
The installation is not complex and can
be done with common mechanic’s tools.
The trickiest part of the project is probably
routing some of the hoses in tight spaces
under the bed. The truck now has about
double the available fuel capacity com-
pared to stock form. With a total capacity
exceeding 60 gallons, the truck will surely
remain fueled long beyond the bladder
capacity limit of any driver. 7
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 35
 PROJECT DOUBLE-DUTY RAM

8 9 10

8
“
The new fill door and neck can be mounted
either outside or inside the bed. The owner
opted to put it on the inside wall, keeping the
Added fuel
outside sheetmetal untouched. The one tool
you probably won’t have but need is a 43⁄4-inch
capacity could
hole saw to cut the filler hole. With the fill door
location marked, the large center hole and screw
provide both
holes were drilled using the supplied template.
convenience and
9 The aluminum fill door assembly, gasket, and
the filler neck are all attached together with a long-distance
”
set of screws, sandwiching the bed sheetmetal.

11 cruising range
10 It’s best to double-check your desired
location for clearance of the new filler
neck inside the bedside as the sheetmetal gap
narrows towards the top of the bed. Fill and vent
hoses were routed from here to the new tank.

11 The aluminum fuel door looks clean and

professional. The owner opted to have
the door swing forward so it’s easy to access
the filler neck from the rear of the truck with
the tailgate down.

12 With all the hoses tightened in final posi-

tion, the tank was fully secured in placed
using the 3⁄4-inch stud and a pair of nuts tight- 12 13
ened up against the large, round mounting plate.

13 The small controller was wired into the

system. It can be surface mounted where
desired in the cab. Once the ignition is turned
on, an LED bar graph on the bottom shows
the fuel level in the auxiliary tank. One push
of the the pump on/off button tells the pump
to transfer approximately 5 gallons from the
Titan tank to the factory tank. A second push
of the button during the transfer can stop the
pump at any time.

14 The formed tank makes good use of the

available space in the spare tire area,
giving the truck added diesel without compro-
mising clearance under the bed. Upon initial
fill, the new tank gulped up just over 32 gallons
before the gas station pump kicked off.

SOURCE
TITAN FUEL TANKS
800.728.4982
titanfueltanks.com 14
36 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 Ready to Supply
Your Adventures.

UNBEATABLE SERVICE, TECH ADVICE, SATISFACTION, AND SELECTION.

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

1.800.230.3030 • Int’l: 1.330.630.0230

SCode: 2002FR • Typographical, description, or photography errors are subject to correction. Some parts are not legal
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.
SPECIAL SECTION: ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019

2019
 BY Harry Wagner EDITOR@4WOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHY HARRY WAGNER

W
HEN WE LEFT OFF LAST MONTH, THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE WAS DEEP
in Alaska at the Kennecott Mine, at the dead end of a 40-mile road. If
you haven’t yet read last month’s issue, you might be a little lost. Don’t
worry, so were we. You see, only Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road Editor
Christian Hazel and his route planner, Trent McGee, knew where our
gang of invited readers, UA sponsors, and editorial staff were headed
next. This is one of the main tenants of the UA. Participants know
the starting and ending points of the trip, but they have no idea where we are going in
between. Often at gas stations locals will ask, “Where are you headed?” and we reply that
we simply don’t now. We aren’t being rude—that is just the honest truth.

DAY 4: KENNECOTT TO PAXSON LAKE

O ne unfortunate consequence of cover-
ing so much ground in a week is that
we rarely have an opportunity to explore
From Kennecott we returned to Glen-
nallen for fuel and then headed north past
Paxon Lake and the Alaskan Pipeline. We
any one area. At Kennecott, though, Chris- left pavement and wound our way along a

PART 2: tian Hazel and Trent McGee ensured that

we had several hours to visit the exhibits at
narrow path lined with blueberry bushes to
leave behind the sound of semi-trucks and

MORE OF the General Store and Post Office, explore

the mine, and even hike to the nearby
glacier. Sixteen hours of daylight this
RVs. One of the great things about camping
out of a 4x4 is the ability to get to locations
that most people cannot reach. We camped

THE LAST year gave us the freedom to drive down a

40-mile dead-end road full of potholes and
for the night along a small pond without
another soul around. The few tire tracks in

FRONTIER washboard and still backtrack and get to

camp by dark.
the area were outnumbered but the tracks
of moose and bear on the edge of the pond.

Day 4 took us to the mining town of Kennecott. Despite harsh winters, the town is incredibly well
preserved thanks to its remoteness. The area was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986,
and the National Park Service acquired much of the land within the Kennecott Mill Town in 1998 and
absorbed it within the Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve.

4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 39

 DAY 4: KENNECOTT TO PAXSON LAKE
Alaska has some spectacular rivers, and those
rivers have some amazing bridges. The single-
lane bridge over the Kuskulana River was perhaps
the most breathtaking sight along the McCarthy
Highway. The road surface varied from frost heave
and potholes on the pavement to miles of wash-
board roads to reach McCarthy and Kennecott.

The summer solstice is June 21, the lon-

gest day of the year. Anchorage enjoys over
19 hours of daylight on that day. During
our visit at the end of August there was still
nearly 15 hours of daylight each day, but the
days were starting to get shorter. This made
for some spectacular sunsets.

UA participants are on their own for food

from the time the trip starts until the final group
dinner. Some choose to eat gas station food,
while others buy vittles ahead of time and cook
at night. In addition to welding vehicles back
together with his Premier Power Welder, Chris
Durham cooks for most of the cronies each
night. We aren’t sure when (or if) he sleeps.
40 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 DAY 5: PAXSON LAKE TO HEALY

D ay 5 of Ultimate Adventure started with

Hazel and McGee telling the group that
one of their goals was to be in low range in
the morning before the engines even got to
operating temperature. As we wheeled out
of our seclude campsite near Paxson Lake,
we backtracked on the pavement a few
miles to Paxson before turning on to the
Denali Highway. You would think that once
we got back on the road the drive would
be easier than wheeling, but the Skyjacker
suspensions were working overtime on
the frost heaves and potholes that marked
the traditional entrance to Denali National
Park. (Skyjacker was Official Shock & Sus-
pension for UA 2019.)
After fueling in Cantwell we joined the
Parks Highway and drove through McKinley
Park and Denali Park Village, both of which
were teaming with tourists visiting Denali
National Park. We continued north to Healy,
where we set up camp and offloaded gear
at a local campground. The improved
power-to-weight ratio was appreciated
as we headed out to the Stampede Trail,
made famous by the book (and later motion
picture) Into the Wild. This is the same path
that Christopher McCandless took to reach
his Magic Bus.
We, too, went into the wild, encounter-
ing bottomless mud that was devoid of
traction. Our VooDoo ropes and Smittybilt
winches were working overtime, with the
most stunning background you could
imagine looming large behind us. After
five hours we reached the Teklanika River,
but high water meant that we had to turn
around and go back the way we had just
come in. After a broken U-joint, a swamped
engine, and a broken hub, we returned to
the town of Healy at midnight, muddy and
exhausted. While there is plenty of daylight
in Alaska in the summer, we did find the lim-
its of the sun on Day 5.

Typically we hold the UA at the end of June,

so we definitely aren’t accustomed to fall col-
ors. Summer is short in Alaska, though. Even in
August the fall colors were already in full glory.
This was partially due to the hot temperatures
and lack of rain that Alaska experienced during
the summer of 2019.
Our campsite on the end of Day 4 was in the shadows of the Alaska Pipeline. This 800-mile-long
pipeline transports crude oil from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. We did notice a helicopter fly overhead
while our convoy was driving along the pipeline, generating much debate over the radio about
whether it was just a coincidence or a security patrol.

The Susitna River winds its way over 313 miles of Southcentral Alaska; this
old railroad bridge crosses the river on the eastern edge of Denali National
Park. Dating back to 1921, the bridge today is on the National Register of His-
toric Places. Also known as the Gold Creek Bridge, it was the longest bridge
span on the United States Government Railway in Alaska, at 504 feet.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
Few things scream “Alaska!” like a team of sled dogs. For the last
decade, the Alpine Creek Lodge in the middle of the Denali Highway has
been a mecca for mushers training their dogs, as the road is closed for 135
miles from October through May. With no snow on the ground, this team
was pulling an ATV to keep in shape for the winter.
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 41
 ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019

DAY 5: PAXSON LAKE TO HEALY

The UA is about wheeling and challenging man
and machine, but that is only part of the equa-
tion. This trip has also become an annual family
reunion, a way to learn about the history of dif-
ferent corners of the country, and an opportuni-
ty to witness some absolutely stunning scenery.
Alaska did not let us down in this regard.
Chris Durham makes these Gladiator front-
end conversions for JKs, but on his latest build
he didn’t stop at the grille. He boxed in the tub
as a cab and handmade a Stepside bed on the
back. The chassis is from a JK, which allows
Durham to use an off-the-shelf Skyjacker
suspension. Just about everything else is cus-
tom, but despite that, he didn’t have a single
mechanical problem all week.
Rather than add a permanent snorkel to his
stretched JK, Cooper Rasmussen of Offroad Pow-
er Products bought some vent tubing intended
for a clothes dryer. Whenever we encountered
deep water, he made a temporary intake from the
cab. It certainly came in handy here!
Did we mention that the Stampede Trail runs
through several water crossings? We lost track
of just how many there were on UA 2019, but the
number was likely was greater than on the prior
19 UAs combined. Here Keith Bailey crosses one
of the shallower creeks in his LJ on the way to
yank a stuck Jeep out with his VooDoo Rope.

Rick Péwé was fresh off his trip crossing the

Simpson Desert in Australia when he joined us
on the UA. Trent McGee had towed Péwé’s CJ-17
from Arizona to Alaska so that Péwé could
once again fulfill his role as one of our cronies.
This Jeep, the UACJ, was built for the 2010 trip
and has remained relatively unchanged, with
an E-ROD engine under the hood and an alumi-
num tub from Aqualu.

42 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

 Rich Fredricks had just finished swapping a
new engine into his Bronco days before leaving
for the UA. He then drove the old Ford all the
way from Virginia, with a three-speed C6 trans-
mission with no overdrive! After that, the UA
seemed fairly easy.
We passed several beaver lodges during our
drive across Alaska. This little guy was one of
three beavers we saw in this pond. They were shy
at first, but it didn’t take long before their curios-
ity got the best of them. Living up to the phrase
“busy as a beaver,” they were dragging logs back
to their lodge as we watched from the shore.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
Ken Smith was driving Harry Wagner’s Ford, Hailing from Louisiana, Lonnie McCurry knows
and he was hesitant to beat on it too hard in a thing or two about wheeling in the mud. And
the mud. Unfortunately, the 7,500-pound curb with 707 hp lurking under the hood of his Gladi-
weight meant that the F-150 quickly sank once ator, McCurry had no issue spinning the tires and
the tires stopped spinning. Lowering the air cleaning them out. The 6.2L Hellcat engine was
pressure seemed to help, but the Ford still strug- music to our ears whenever he mashed the gas.
gled to keep up with the lighter vehicles.
Running 40-inch tires on Dana 44
axles is risky, even when they are G2
CORE 44 axles with 35-spline axleshafts
and 3-inch tubes. What we didn’t expect
to break was the huge 1350 axle U-joint
in the front end, and we definitely didn’t
expect it to break in the mud. Unable to
source a replacement, Ryan Kennelly
pulled the axleshaft and continued to go
everywhere with three wheels pulling.
Kennelly was on the event to represent
Smittybilt, the Official Winch of UA 2019.
Remember when we said that there is an abundance of daylight in Alaska? Well,
even that has its limits, and we found it on the Stampede Trail. We think of Stephen
Watson as a rockcrawler, but he demonstrated that he can drive through any terrain,
and his Offroad Design Magnum transfer case setup has a gear for every situation.
“We wondered
if we would
ever make it out
of the mud
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020
” 43
 DAY 6: HEALY TO WASILLA

Coal from the Suntrana Formation is mined in an open pit at the

Usibelli Coal Mine. Once the operation is complete, the area is restored
and they move to a new location. The coal itself was formed over mil-
lions of years, after lakebeds filled with organic matter like plants were
deposited under other layers of sediment and subjected to heat and
pressure, which formed the coal.

The highlight of the mine tour was definitely the huge equipment
they had on hand, including the Caterpillar 994K Wheel Loader. The
994K can carry 41 tons per pass, and the Cat 3516E engine produces
a net power of 1,739 horses, which is routed through a Cat planetary
powershift transmission specifically designed for mining applications.

Outside of Wasilla the group stopped at the Transportation and Industry Museum of The Ultimate Adventure covered over 200 miles on Day 6
Alaska for a short tour. The museum had everything from old fire trucks and helicop- and over a thousand miles in total for the week. Despite the
ters to an impressive collection of chainsaws and outboard boat engines. The favorite remote location, bottomless mud, and numerous water cross-
though was definitely the Jeep CJ-8 mail truck that was in impressively good condition. ings, the carnage was relatively low compared to years past.

T ypically on the Ultimate Adventure

when we go to an off-road park we
have trail guides for the day who are far
more familiar with the area than we are.
Alaska is vast, though, so this year locals
Frank and Cole Wininger came along for
the entire trip. When they aren’t wheeling,
the brothers run a drilling company. One
of their biggest clients is the Usibelli Coal
Mine (Alaska’s only coal mine), and they
were able to get us a tour of the mine.
Usibelli Coal Mine operates 365 days a
year and averages 1.5 million tons of coal
44 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
per year, way up from the 10,000 tons
when the mine opened in 1943. The mine
provides very clean-burning low-sulfur-
content coal to six state-of-the-art pow-
erplants in Alaska, which generate both
electricity and heat. Lisa Herbert led the
group on a tour of the mine’s facilities and
operations, including the huge equipment
they use to transport the coal. This is an
open pit mine, but it was nearly impossible
to tell where they had previously mined
thanks to the rehabilitation of the land.
Herbert was understandably proud of this
fact, and any concerns we had about a
coal mine operating so close to a national
park were alleviated on our tour.
After the tour, the group hit the road
back towards Wasilla, but not without
some stops along the way. In addition to
fuel and the occasional cheeseburger,
Christian Hazel and Trent McGee arranged
for us to stop at the Transportation and
Industry Museum of Alaska. Much like the
Old Rhineback Aerodrome in Red Hook,
New York, where the event stopped last
year, this museum was a step back in time.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 DAY 7: BALD MOUNTAIN & HATCHER PASS

T he last day of Ultimate Adventure 2019

was a great one, full of a variety of ter-
rain from mud to hill climbs to rocks. The
group traveled to Bald Mountain, where we
explored on our way to the summit to view
the wreckage of a B-29 plane crash from
1956. This is one of the most popular trails
in Alaska, and it’s easy to see why. It is close
to Wasilla and offers plenty of challenges,
and the views and scenery are outstanding.
The past few years we have had to cut
our wheeling short in order to make it to the
final dinner, but this year we reached our
destination at the top of Bald Mountain with
time to spare. This gave Trent McGee the
opportunity to lead everyone over Hatcher
Pass to Summit Lake. (His original plan had
us taking this route into Wasilla on Day 6,
but we ran out of time.) This gorgeous drive
doesn’t require the hubs to be locked, but
the spectacular views definitely make it
worthwhile. The Fishhook Road rises to
3,886 feet to cross Hatcher Pass at the head
of Fishhook and Willow Creeks in the south-
western corner of the Talkeetna Mountains.
Once back to town everyone cleaned
up for the dinner finale of the Ultimate
Adventure. This is always a bittersweet
moment. Sponsors were thanked, awards
were handed out, and friends new and old
shared stories from the moments they had
experienced during the past week. While
the week seemed to pass in the blink of an
eye, every moment was full of adventure
and memories. Which is how it always
seems to go on the Ultimate Adventure.
Steven Messer was
battling transmission
shifting issues all week
with his electronically
controlled eight-speed
automatic. The 8L90
only wanted to be in
Third gear when he was
in low range, so Messer
just left the T-case in
high range and let the
525hp LS3 take care of
the rest!

Jeff Ismail and IH

Parts America (Official
IH Truck and Scout
Parts for UA 2019)
were new on the trip,
but he had the right
attitude all week long.
If he broke something,
it was fixed before
anyone else even had a
chance to pull out their
tools. If he got stuck,
he didn’t let it discour-
age him from hitting
the next mud hole even
harder. You can buy
the best of everything,
but a positive attitude
is priceless.

After the wide-open spaces we had

enjoyed in Alaska, we found ourselves
in tight aspen groves on the last day of
the trip. Bald Mountain had steep hill
climbs, tight ravines, and even some
rocks to crawl over. It was a great way
to end a great week in Alaska.

Cory Peterson was our trail guide

for the day in his TJ. Peterson is a
Wasilla local and knows the trails in
the area like the back of his hand. He
was critical in not only planning the
route for Day 7 but assisting us in
navigating the Eureka Trail System
as well.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 45
 ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019

DAY 7: BALD MOUNTAIN & HATCHER PASS

Before there was a JT Gladiator, you had to make your own Wrangler
pickup. That is exactly what Frank Wininger did, using parts from Ameri-
can Expedition Vehicles and adding an aluminum tray bed from Australia.
Wininger runs Skyjacker dual-rate coils to make room for the 38-inch
Falken Wildpeak M/Ts on TrailReady beadlock wheels. Falken was the
Official Tire of UA 2019.
Behind his Mega Cab, Keith Bailey towed his own LJ and Chris Dur-
ham’s Jeep pickup to Alaska on Durham’s trailer. They lost the radiator
on the way north and the engine got really hot, but they didn’t think
it was hurt. Well, it was. By the time they nursed the truck home they
were adding 11⁄2 gallons of water and 2 quarts of oil to the engine every
150 miles.

Who says leaf springs can’t flex? Return-

ing reader Rick Prater’s Willys Wagon uses
Skyjacker Softride leaf springs that are simple,
inexpensive, and stable on the road. They still
provide plenty of articulation to keep the tires
on the ground regardless of the terrain.

We finally found rocks! This year’s Ultimate

Adventure saw far less rockcrawling than in
years past, but we did finally find some rocks
on Day 7. Hailing from Phoenix, David Tucker is
well accustomed to rockcrawling in his FJ40
Land Cruiser.
46 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 The driest summer on
record led to massive wild-
fires throughout Alaska.
This made much of our
trip a smoky affair, but
the fires were mostly con-
tained by the last day. We
finally had sweeping views
when crossing over Hatch-
er Pass on Fishhook Road.
With so many switchbacks
it is easy to see how the
road got its name.

ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019 SPONSORS

CUMMINS INC. FALKEN TIRE OFFROAD POWER PRODUCTS SMITTYBILT
Official Turbo Diesel Official Tire Official Retailer Official Winch
800.286.6467 800.723.2553 855.463.3762 888.717.5797
cumminsrepower.com falkentire.com offroadpowerproducts.com smittybilt.com

DANA IH PARTS AMERICA PREMIER POWER WELDER VOODOO OFFROAD

Official Crate Axle Official IH Truck & Scout Parts Official Onboard Welder Official Recovery Rope
800.621.8084 530.274.1795 800.541.1817 844.866.3661
crateaxle.com ihpartsamerica.com premierpowerwelder.com voodoooffroad.com

FAB FOURS OFFROAD DESIGN SKYJACKER SUSPENSIONS

Official Bumper Official Transfer Case Official Shock & Suspension
866.385.1905 970.945.7777 318.388.0816
fabfours.com offroaddesign.com skyjacker.com

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 47

 SPECIAL SECTION: ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019
BY Christian Hazel members, and everything in between. In
short, how do you really categorize a group
EDITOR@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHY HARRY WAGNER of folks who do absolutely anything asked

S
of them to support the UA? Outside of label-

THE ULTIMATE OMETIMES THE ULTIMATE

Adventure coverage can feel
ing them the best damn bunch of friends,
wheelers, and on-trail rock stars, we can’t

ADVENTURE a little muddied when we try

to divide the participants
into categories. Historically
think of anything. So even though the full
list of cronies who are the oil that keeps
the UA machine from seizing up in a fireball
2019 BOILER that’s just been how we cover
the event, but in recent years
of sparks isn’t laid out in this single story,
together the UA cronies are the heart and

ROOM we’ve had cronies serving as sponsor rep-

resentatives, stepping in as surrogate staff
soul behind the event and a huge reason
for its success over the past twenty years.

CRONY CREAM
OF THE CROP

48 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

2012 JKJ DOUBLE ENDER
DRIVERS: Sam “Five-Quarter-Ton Dismantler” Gillis
and Clifton “Cliffypoo” Slay
DROVE IT OR TOWED IT: Flew in and drove it like
rock stars
HOW MANY UAS HAVE YOU BEEN ON?: 15 (Gillis)
FAVORITE PART OF THE TRIP: Visiting a part of the
country I will never get back to. Totally different
environment than the UAs of the past. Being able
to see the glaciers and camp with animals that
may eat you made it exciting!—Gillis
WHAT BROKE DURING UA: Noting except for my
credit card. Being in “rock star mode” this year
was great. I flew in, picked up rental UA rig, ran the
sh*t out of it, and parked it. Relied on Delta Airlines
to carry me home. Great trip.—Gillis
>DRIVETRAIN
ENGINE: 3.6L Pentastar V-6
TRANSMISSION: WA580 5-speed auto
TRANSFER CASE: NP241
AXLES: Ultimate Dana 60 crate axles with 5.13
gears and Eaton ELockers (front and rear)
>SUSPENSION
SPRINGS & SUCH: Zone 4-inch long-arm front and rear
TIRES & WHEELS: 38x13.50R17 Falken Wildpeak
M/T on 17x9 Mickey Thompson Classic II
WINCH: Warn Zeon 10-S (front); Warn PowerPlant (rear)
OTHER: GenRight aluminum fenders; Synergy Mfg.
rock sliders and skidplates; Truck-Lite headlights
and taillights

Clifton Slay (left)

and Sam Gillis (right)

1976 CJ-17 Rick Péwé

DRIVER: Rick “Ricardo Los Cabesa” Péwé
DROVE IT OR TOWED IT: Towed there, drove it home.
HOW MANY UAS HAVE YOU BEEN ON?: 18
FAVORITE PART OF THE TRIP: Mud trail.
WHAT BROKE DURING UA: Front ring-and pinion, what
else? That’s it. Wipers in the rain on the way home.
>DRIVETRAIN
ENGINE: Odd-fire GM 5.3. Wish it had a Quadrajet.
LOL 6.2 LS3 EROD.
TRANSMISSION: 4L80E
TRANSFER CASE: Atlas
AXLES: Dynatrac ProRock 44/60 front; ProRock 60 rear
>SUSPENSION
SPRINGS & SUCH: Custom Atlas packs, Fox coilover
front leaf rear
TIRES & WHEELS: 38x13.50R17 Falken WildPeak
M/T on Walker Evans beadlock
WINCH: Warn
OTHER: Former Ultimate Adventure vehicle so it has
everything under the kitchen sink
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 49
 CRONY CREAM OF THE CROP

TEAM ULTIMATE ADVENTURE

R
ead with the theme from the movie Team America, World Police
in your head, please. This is the dedicated team that has been
a part of every Ultimate Adventure for the past 20 years in
one way or another. Whether we call them staff, cronies, or some
other made-up name, what’s true is that these are some of the most
accomplished off-roaders, field fixers, camp cookers, story writers,
and truck-building Ultimate Adventurers in the business—even if
they can’t all look at the same camera at the same time. Left to right:
Clifton Slay, Christian Hazel, Trent McGee, Ken Smith, Keith Bailey,
Chris Durham, Verne Simons, Fred Williams, Rick Péwé, Sam Gillis, and
of course in the foreground, Tom Boyd. Not to mention Harry Wagner,
who is in his natural habitat behind the lens taking this photo.

ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019 SPONSORS

CUMMINS INC. FALKEN TIRE OFFROAD POWER PRODUCTS SMITTYBILT
Official Turbo Diesel Official Tire Official Retailer Official Winch
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50 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

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 SPECIAL SECTION: ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019
STAFF OF ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019
WE’RE WORKIN’
FOR A LIVIN’
BY Verne Simons
EDITOR@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHY HARRY WAGNER,
TIGER LEBRUN, AND RYAN KENNELLY
A
S STAFF OF THE WORLD’S
largest off-road magazine
Editor Christian Hazel, Tech
Editor Verne Simons, and
freelancers Trent McGee (who
is also a UA crony) and Harry
Wagner (an ace photographer
who is also a hell of a writer) get to look
forward to many exciting yearly off-road–
related work activities. And truly, getting to
52 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
travel for work is almost always a welcome
adventure. Generally we get to go to Moab
for EJS, Las Vegas for SEMA, and occasion-
ally on one, maybe two new vehicle releas-
es sponsored by one of the OEM companies
at some scenic location or on a local trail
ride to shoot features or trail coverage. We
also get to test the year’s new 4x4s for Four
Wheeler’s SUV and Pickup Truck of the Year.
All of those trips are fun, but without a
doubt the highlight of the 4WOR staff’s
work trips every year is the Ultimate
Adventure. That’s mostly because of the
people the event draws together. We’re
like a bunch of friends on a working vaca-
tion. From invited readers, film crew, and
support to local enthusiasts, corporate
sponsors, cronies, and more, the UA really
is an amazing event because of the people
involved. Oh, and the backdrop of Alaska
this year ain’t too shabby either.
Still, some of us work for months before
the event—and some of us year-round—
on the planning, logistics, sponsors, and
generally making the trip a success. For
us, the UA has become more than work,
more like a labor of love and a chance
to spend time with our colleagues and
friends, who have become a work family.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

Trenton McGee (left)
and Christian Hazel (right)
1964 INTERNATIONAL
HARVESTER SCOUT 80,
THE ULTIMATE
INTERNATIONAL
DRIVERS: Christian “The Combine”
Hazel and Trent “The Farmer” McGee
DROVE IT OR TOWED IT: Towed. It’s
the UA rig—it has to be there.
HOW MANY UAS HAVE YOU BEEN ON:
7 (Hazel); all of them (McGee)
FAVORITE PART OF THE TRIP:
Kennicott Mine was really cool to see,
but for me I really enjoyed watching
people roll in on check-in day and
talking about what a killer trip
they had driving up through British
Columbia from the lower 48.—Hazel
Guiding new and old friends to cool
spots all over Alaska.—McGee
>DRIVETRAIN
ENGINE: Cummins R2.8 Turbo Diesel
TRANSMISSION: Tremec TR4050
TRANSFER CASE: Offroad Design
Magnum Doubler
AXLES: Ultimate Dana 60 crate axles
with 4.88 gears and ARB Air Locker
(front and rear)
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
Christian Hazel
>SUSPENSION
SPRINGS & SUCH: 6-inch Chevy front
springs (front) and 52-inch springs
(rear), all from Skyjacker and hung
spring-under; Skyjacker M95
monotube shocks
TIRES & WHEELS: 38x13.50R17
Falken Wildpeak M/T on 17x8.5
Walker Evans Legend II wheels
RECOVERY: Smittybilt 12K XRC
Gen 3 winch
OTHER: Redneck Ram–prepped,
right-hand JK steering box and ram;
JE Reel driveshafts; Rare Parts JK
tie-rod with custom length drag
link; Modified Fab Fours Bumpers
front and rear intended for a JK;
Premier Power Welder; Dakota
Digital gauges; Mastercraft Baja RS
seats; ARB twin compressor and
refrigerator; PCI radio and intercom;
Airaid UBI system; Lizard Skin
insulation; Pull Pal
WHAT BROKE DURING UA: Dragging
brakes and sticky clutch on Day 1.
Fortunately, simple adjustments
fixed both issues.
1989 RANGE ROVER,
THE DERANGE ROVER
DRIVER: Verne “Pizza and Beer”
Simons
DROVE IT OR TOWED IT: Trent McGee
drove it to Alaska and pre-ran the UA
2019 route with it. Towed home.
HOW MANY UAS HAVE YOU BEEN
ON: 8
FAVORITE PART OF THE TRIP: The
first camping night on the sandbar
in the river. Alaska has always been
a dream destination for me. I can’t
imagine a better group of friends to
explore it with.
>DRIVETRAIN
ENGINE: Cummins R2.8 Turbo Diesel
TRANSMISSION: NV3550 5-speed
manual
TRANSFER CASE: Offroad Design
Magnum Doubler
AXLES: Ultimate Dana 60 crate axles
with 4.88 gears and Eaton Elockers
(front and rear)
>SUSPENSION
SPRINGS & SUCH: Factory Rover
radius arms with Skyjacker LeDuc
Series JK coilovers, RuffStuff
Specialties track bar brackets, and
Rob Bonney Fabrication chromoly
track bar (front); Rover 3-link with
Verne Simons
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020
custom upper wishbone, Skyjacker
M-95 shocks, and Skyjacker JKU
rear lower control arms (rear)
TIRES & WHEELS: 38x13.50R17
Falken Wildpeak M/T on 17x9
Method 101 beadlock wheels with
106 rings
RECOVERY: Warn XD9000 winch
OTHER: Premier Power Welder;
26-circuit Painless Performance
weatherproof off-road chassis
harness; 40x55-inch Legacy
Products sliding soft top; Axis
Industries R2.8 adapters and
motor mounts; Centerforce clutch,
pressure plate, and flywheel;
Wilwood clutch master cylinder
and pedal assembly; Novak clutch
slave cylinder; JE Reel driveshafts
and 32-spline flanges front and
rear; ARB front bumper, freezer-
fridge, and roof rack; Stage8 Dana
60 spindle lock nuts; replacement
Rover radiator from RockAuto.com;
MasterCraft Baja RS seats; Flex-A-
Lite mechanical fan; Redneck Ram–
prepped and ported right-hand JK
steering box and ram.
WHAT BROKE DURING UA: Had small
wiring issues the first day, and the
Rover’s front radius arm bushings
died a slow and terrible death
throughout the trip.
53
 WE’RE WORKIN’ FOR A LIVIN’

THE VIDEO CREW

C
hances are if you don’t know about
Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road
because of our paper and ink maga-
zine, you know about it because you’ve
watched the videos of the action surround-
ing the 20 years of the Ultimate Adventure.
And while we are a magazine first (with all
our stories on the internet), video comes
a very close second. As a result we have
employed dedicated video personnel for all
but the first few Ultimate Adventures. This
year we had a new video crew, who abso-
lutely rocked the shoot (that’s Hollywood
lingo for they done good).
Behind the scenes, Director Ryan “The
Boss” Foss may be quiet, but he talks
when necessary, and he runs the show
when it comes to filming. This guy is
always working, from flying the drone to
touching base with his crew to editing
footage for the daily videos that you may

Fox 3-inch bypass shocks, and

1977 FORD F-150,
RAYMOND
DRIVERS: Ken “The Hydrolocker”
Smith and Harry “Picture Bazooka”
Wagner
DROVE IT OR TOWED IT: Drove it.
HOW MANY UAS HAVE YOU BEEN
ON: 5 (Smith); 5 (Wagner)
FAVORITE PART OF THE TRIP: The
views from Summit Lake on the
last day.
>DRIVETRAIN
ENGINE: 460ci V-8 built by LA Speed
TRANSMISSION: ZF5 5-speed manual
TRANSFER CASE: Offroad Design
Doubler
AXLES: High-pinion Dana 60 with 5.38
Sierra gears, Detroit Locker (front);
Sterling 10.5 with 5.38 Sierra gears
and Detroit Locker (rear)
>SUSPENSION
SPRINGS & SUCH: BDS coil springs,
Rockhound radius arms (front);
Deaver F53 leaf springs and King
3-inch bypass shocks (rear)
TIRES & WHEELS: 41.5x13.50R17
Pit Bull Rockers on 17x9 TrailReady
beadlocks
RECOVERY: Warn 16.5ti winch, 7⁄8 -
inch Voodoo Offroad Kinetic Rope
and Soft Shackles
OTHER: Chris Durham Motorsports Harry Wagner
7075 aluminum tie rod; PSC
steering box and hydraulic assist
ram; Nate’s Precision custom
rollcage that ties into the rock
sliders; B-Radd Customs cargo rack;
Nate’s Precision pipe bumpers; PRP
suspension seats; Deezee bed box;
dual Odyssey batteries; CR Fab fan
shroud; MSD Atomic EFI; 125-quart Left to right: Jeremy Foss, Ryan Foss, Renee
Canyon Cooler LeBrun, Austin Atencio, Stephen Salcido
WHAT BROKE DURING UA: Lost a
Kenny Smith
lifter after water got in the engine.

ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019 SPONSORS

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800.286.6467 800.723.2553 855.463.3762 888.717.5797
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800.621.8084 530.274.1795 800.541.1817 844.866.3661
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Official Bumper Official Transfer Case Official Shock & Suspension
866.385.1905 970.945.7777 318.388.0816
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54 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

 THE ONLY BRAKES
have already seen. We hardly saw Ryan
pause to breathe, eat, or sleep.
Jeremy “Hush Now” Foss holds the title
MADE THIS WAY
of GoPro Operator, but we saw him doing Kevlar® based low abrasion, low dust, Edge chamfers for reduced chatter
many, many jobs, like setting up the drone or
high performance compound in a choice and improved pad
checking the camera guy’s batteries. And if
Ryan is quiet, Jeremy is silent, only opening of different blends for every driving style contact
up a little once he gets to know a person. and vehicle
Steven “Smiley” Salcido is officially the
director of photography. His smile is ever-pres-
ent, and he is always ready to learn and engage
with everyone, and always lightens the mood.
Last but not least, Camera Operator Austin
“The Hussle” Atencio is always in the right
spot for the best shot. He and Steven ran
most of the off-road trails we did on the UA
without slowing. None of the camera crew
seemed to stop. Their work ethic and posi-
tive attitudes despite the mud, cold, and
stinging plants was infectious. We can’t wait
to see the full videos!

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4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 55

 SPECIAL SECTION: ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019

A VAN DOWN
CROSSING
THE RIVER
A QUIGLEY 4X4 TAKES OUR
VIDEO CREW EVERYWHERE 1

ON THE UA 2

BY Harry Wagner
EDITOR@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTIAN HAZEL
AND HARRY WAGNER

O
N THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE
we have always shot video to
document the event, but this
year we upped our game by
bringing along Motor Trend
Group’s go-to director, Ryan
Foss, and his highly skilled
video crew. Editing in real time is no small
feat, not to mention all of the gear required
to shoot video and produce on the road in
Alaska. Fortunately, Tiger and Renee LeB-
run of Quigley Motor Company returned
this year with their Quigley E-250 4x4 van.
Tiger LeBrun has come on the UA in the
past, so he knew what he was getting
into. He and his wife, Renee, kept the video
production crew fed, hydrated, and run-
ning hard all week. As the supervisor of
4x4 production at Quigley, Tiger had the
perfect vehicle to haul our video crew (not
to mention all of their gear) all over Alaska.
The Quigley E-250 offered voluminous dry,
lockable storage that no other vehicle on
the trip could match. But don’t think that
the van stuck to the paved roads on the
trip. Tiger piloted the 9,000-pound van to
99 percent of the places that the smaller
vehicles went on the Ultimate Adventure.
That is a testament to both the capabili-
ties of Quigley vans and to Tiger’s prowess
behind the wheel. 3
56 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 TECH SPECS
2009 FORD QUIGLEY
4X4 E-350 VAN
DRIVER: Tiger LeBrun, Red Lion, PA
CO-DRIVER: Renee LeBrun, Red Lion, PA
HOW MANY UAS HAVE YOU BEEN ON: 3
DROVE IT OR TOWED IT: Drove it
FAVORITE PART OF THE TRIP: All the great
people, positive attitudes, water crossings,
camping, and vistas. Ah, Alaska!
>DRIVETRAIN
ENGINE: 6.8L V-10
TRANSMISSION: 5R100 five-speed automatic
TRANSFER CASE: NP271
FRONT AXLE: Dana Super 60 with
Eaton E-Locker and 4.88 gears
REAR AXLE: Dana 60 with ARB Air Locker
4 and 4.88 gears
>SUSPENSION
SPRINGS & SUCH: Superlift 4-inch coils and
M95 monotube shocks (front); Skyjacker
Softride leaf springs and M95 monotube
shocks (rear)
TIRES & WHEELS: 38x13.50R17 Falken
Wildpeak M/T on 17x9 Gear alloy
STEERING: Ford Super Duty
WINCH: Warn M12000
RECOVERY: VooDoo Offroad 7⁄8 -inch
recovery rope and soft shackles
OTHER: Custom snorkel, custom fold-down
tire carrier and table, 4,000-watt Cen-Tech
inverter, Quigley roof rack, custom rock
sliders, custom rear shelving, Autohome
Columbus rooftop tent
WHAT BROKE: Nothing
5

1 You have heard about a van down by the

river, but what about a van crossing a river?
Tiger LeBrun made a custom intake made from
junkyard parts with a top ordered off of Ama-
zon. The hardest part was cutting the hole in
the hood.
3 Tiger and Renee LeBrun drove all the way
to Alaska from Pennsylvania for the 2019
Ultimate Adventure. He is the supervisor of 4x4
5 Five people living out of a van can get messy.
No other vehicle on the UA had to carry more
than two people. But only the van had enough
production at Quigley, where he has worked for space for six, plus all the gear the camera crew
decades. The couple had even brought a retro 4x4 requires. It is hard to imagine anything other
van to Moab this year for the Easter Jeep Safari. than a Quigley van fulfilling this task.

2 This is essentially a Super Duty truck under

a van’s body, a combination that Ford never
offered from the factory. Quigley uses factory
Ford front axles, radius arms, and steering for
reliability and ease of replacement parts. This
particular Quigley 4x4 van has a Super 60 front
4 Space is good, but if the gear isn’t organized
it takes more time to dig out what you want
and there is the potential to damage expensive
SOURCE
QUIGLEY MOTOR CO.
video equipment. Tiger built a shelving system 717.266.5631
quigley4x4.com
at the back of the van especially for the UA with
totes to safely store and organize all of the gear

“ This van did it all

”
axle with huge 1550 U-joints and giant brakes for the week. Extra fuel went outside of the
to stop the 9,000-pound curb weight. vehicle on the roof.

ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019 SPONSORS

CUMMINS INC. FALKEN TIRE OFFROAD POWER PRODUCTS SMITTYBILT
Official Turbo Diesel Official Tire Official Retailer Official Winch
800.286.6467 800.723.2553 855.463.3762 888.717.5797
cumminsrepower.com falkentire.com offroadpowerproducts.com smittybilt.com

DANA IH PARTS AMERICA PREMIER POWER WELDER VOODOO OFFROAD

Official Crate Axle Official IH Truck & Scout Parts Official Onboard Welder Official Recovery Rope
800.621.8084 530.274.1795 800.541.1817 844.866.3661
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FAB FOURS OFFROAD DESIGN SKYJACKER SUSPENSIONS

Official Bumper Official Transfer Case Official Shock & Suspension
866.385.1905 970.945.7777 318.388.0816
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4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 57

 SPECIAL SECTION: ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019
PART 6: BUMPERS,
INTERIOR & LOOSE ENDS
BY Trenton McGee
EDITOR@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHY TRENTON MCGEE
T
HERE ARE TIMES IN A VEHICLE
build when you wonder if it’s
ever going to get done, and
there are other times when you
feel like you’re over the hump
and start to get excited as your
vision starts coming together.
We’ve had plenty of the former with the Ulti-
mate International, especially when parts
didn’t show up, didn’t fit, or just didn’t work
like we planned. Thankfully we worked
58 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
through most of those issues and are start-
ing to see the light at the end of the tun-
nel—and we’re pretty sure it’s not a train.
There are thousands of details big and
small to attend to when building a vehicle
largely from scratch, and using an uncom-
mon platform only makes things more
challenging. It has been an adventure just
getting the Ultimate International ready
for the 2019 Ultimate Adventure, not to
mention the further adventure of getting
it to the start of the event in Alaska.
By now you’ve seen the unique destina-
tion of UA 2019 and how we fared dur-
ing the trip. This final installment of the
PISCITELLI DESIG N
Ultimate International is the backstory on
how we ended up lucking into creating
one of the most trouble-free UA vehicles in
the history of the event, along with many
of the parts we used to make it happen.
Also, be sure to follow the social media
hashtags #ultimateinternational and
#ua2019 to see some of the other chal-
lenges and fun stuff that we encountered
along the way. Although we’re wrapping
up the Ultimate International build, don’t
be surprised if you see it down the road as
we continue to tweak and refine what we
think is one of the coolest International
builds in recent history.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 1 Fab Fours signed on as the Official Bumper
of the Ultimate Adventure after a multiyear
hiatus, and we were glad to have the company
on board. As extensive as its product line is, we
weren’t surprised that the company didn’t have
an off-the-shelf bumper solution for a Scout
80. With limited space in the back, we wanted
to put the spare on a tire carrier, so we started
1 with one of the company’s JK rear bumper/tire
carrier combos and then modified it. Aside from
fabricating bumper brackets, we had to come up
with some kind of latching mechanism since a
JK tailgate opens sideway and the Scout’s folds
down. We also ended up widening the bumper
ends so it would fit the Scout better.
2 After considering several options, we opted
to build a landing pad into the bumper and
extend the tire carrier to incorporate a heavy-
duty latch that we sourced locally. We also
incorporated a portion of the original Fab Fours
latching mechanism and bolted some of its
urethane landing pads to the tailgate. We were
2 happy with the finished product, though we
3 6
4
5 7
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
should have opted for a secondary latch some-
where on the tailgate.
3 For the front bumper we opted for one of Fab
Fours stubby winch bumpers, also for a JK.
While exceptionally well built, the bumper’s angu-
lar design clashed pretty badly with the vintage
and rounded lines of the Scout. We trimmed the
bottom edge of the bumper to reduce its overall
height and also chopped the angled and pointy
corners with a plasma cutter. The main structure
of the bumper and the winch mount were retained;
these modifications were mainly cosmetic.
4 For something that was never supposed to fit
our vehicle, we think the front bumper turned
out pretty cool. We capped the trimmed ends of
the bumper and added some 4-inch pipe, much
like a period homemade bumper would have been
in the 1960s. We then fogged both bumpers in
Heirloom White. Smittybilt is the Official Winch
of UA 2019, so we installed one of its new Gen3
XRC 9500 winches. Aside from synthetic rope,
the winch has a host of added features, includ-
ing extra lighting and a convenient 12-volt
power post. Although not as vintage-looking
as old-school headlights, we added some Rigid
LED headlights because they are an enormous
improvement over incandescent bulbs and are
the most subtle LED headlight option we’ve found.
5 One of the last pieces of the fabrication
puzzle was building seat mounts, which
turned out to be a bit more challenging than we
initially thought. Scout 80 interiors are smaller
than you think, and the bulkhead at the B-pillar
didn’t help matters. After mocking up several
different designs, we opted to build a frame out
of 1.75x0.120-wall DOM tubing and some 3-inch-
wide, 3⁄16 -inch-thick flat bar. We were able to
retain the original tranny tunnel but had to notch
it a little to clear the seat on the passenger side.
6 We have built enough vehicles to know that
doing what you can during the build to keep
heat and noise down will make for a much more
comfortable finished product. Knowing we would
be up close and personal with the Scout’s drive-
train thanks to its flat belly, we opted to coat the
entire passenger compartment with Lizard Skin
sound and thermal insulation. The products spray
on with a special gun, but there’s no mixing or spe-
cial steps. You just fill the spray gun with product
right out of the bucket and go. You can use just the
sound or insulation products, or apply both as we
did. The finished product looks like bedliner and
really cleaned up the interior of the Scout.
7 In a further nod to making the Scout some-
thing you’d actually want to ride in, we
splurged a bit with a set of MasterCraft Baja
RS seats. Not only do these suspension seats
recline, but the company’s new Tactical fabric is
straight from its experience building seats for the
military. The Recon black fabric is tough and is
going to be easy to clean regardless of how mud-
dy they get. Because we weren’t sure if we were
going to have time to install a heater, and know-
ing our destination, we opted for seat heaters.
They turned out to be a very welcome addition, as
were the Mastercraft five-point harnesses. Also
note our 2x4 “lift kit” for the tranny tunnel, which
was exactly what we needed to clear all of the
new drivetrain with the original tunnel cover.
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 59
 ULTIMATE INTERNATIONAL
9 12
10
11
8 There are some mandatory vehicle require-
ments to go on the Ultimate Adventure, and
one of them is a functioning parking brake.
The rear disc brakes on the Ultimate Dana 60s
have a built-in parking brake function, so we
just needed a way to control them from the
passenger compartment. Lokar makes a really
slick and simple universal parking brake setup
for street rods that worked perfectly for the
Scout. We attached the ratcheting lever to
the transmission tunnel and then routed the
cables to each brake. The cables have plenty of
length and can be trimmed to fit, and it proved
to be one of the easiest additions we made to
the build.
9 Keeping tabs on the engine vitals is impor-
tant, but none of the original Scout gauges
worked and the senders were long gone. We
also wanted to keep the original dash but also
had a pair of big holes to fill. Dakota Digital had
the perfect solution with the company’s new
60 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
13
HDX-2014 instruments. Aside from speed and
rpm, there’s also oil, water, fuel, and voltage—
all in a pair of gauges that fit in 5-inch holes.
The displays are also fully customizable and
have a host of other features. The tech geek
in us found the Bluetooth connectivity to our
phone very useful when doing the initial setup.
10 Communication is a vital part of leading
the Ultimate Adventure, and past experi-
ence with sketchy communication systems had
us not wanting to take any chances this time.
PCI is pretty much the go-to supplier for all
communications products in the desert-racing
and short-course off-road world, so it was a
natural choice. The company recommended its
Ultimate 2-Seat package, which consists of a
50-watt Icom radio, a 4-Link Pro Elite Intercom
with Bluetooth connectivity, a pair of headsets,
an antenna, and all of the related wiring. We
opted to mount the radio to the bottom of the
dash, while we mounted the intercom in the
hole for the original radio. Not only will this
system allow us to talk to passengers without
shouting, but it also provides us with crystal-
clear communication with the rest of the group.
11 Everything about the doors was shot,
from the hinges to the window felts and
guides. Though we weren’t after a Concours-
quality restoration, we did want to end up with
doors that opened and shut and windows that
rolled up and down without rattling. Fortu-
nately IH Parts America had everything needed
to get the doors back in good shape. The new
window guides and felts are a pain to install,
but the result was well worth it. The company
also supplied us with new weatherstripping
and window gaskets.
12 It’s amazing how an engine compartment
can seem so spacious in the beginning
but end up really cramped. We needed a way to
plumb the boost from the turbo to the engine
intake and cool it off at the same time. The solu-
tion was a universal intercooler from Offroad
Power Products, which also supplied us with
2-inch silicone boots and boost clamps. We
sourced some 2-inch mandrel-bent intercooler
piping from an online supplier and then put the
whole thing together. There was just enough
room to slide the intercooler between the radia-
tor and the grille. Tech Editor Verne Simons
incorporated a mount using the existing radia-
tor support he had previously fabbed up.
13 Making sure that the engine has plenty of
cool air to breathe is almost as important
as making sure it’s clean and dry. Knowing that
the fording depth was set to 48 inches for this
year’s Ultimate Adventure, we needed to route
the intake as high as possible, but we didn’t
want to go as far as a snorkel. We utilized one
of Airaid’s UBI systems to route the intake just
under the hood right behind the brake booster.
Our thoughts are as long as we aren’t chest-deep
in water, there was a reasonable chance that
the filter would stay high and dry. The engine
breathes through an oversize Airaid oiled filter.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 SOURCES
AIRAID JE REEL PCI RACE RADIOS
800.498.6951 909.629.9002 800.869.5636
airaid.com jereel.com pciraceradios.com

AMSOIL LIZARD SKIN PULL PAL

715.399.6490 800.549.0042 970.963.4507
amsoil.com lizardskin.com pullpal.com

ARB USA LOKAR RIGID INDUSTRIES

866.293.9078 877.469.7440 855.760.5337
arbusa.com lokar.com rigidindustries.com

14

15 16 17

14 Self-sufficiency is key on the UA, and that

means being as prepared as possible. We
can’t think of an Ultimate Adventure when weld-
ing wasn’t needed on at least one vehicle—and
usually there are multiple incidents when a
metal glue gun is needed. With that kind of track
record, we knew that an onboard welder would
come in handy. We mounted our Premier Power
Welder control box on the fenderwell, where it
would be out of the way but convenient, and the
240-amp alternator was a bolt-on upgrade. You
can also see the manifold for the ARB pump up
kit, which is attached to an ARB twin air com-
pressor that is in turn plumbed to the A-pillar of
the rollcage to act as an air tank.
on our builds. It’s entirely our fault, and noth-
ing is more critical to making the vehicle move
than those critical links between the axles and
the transfer case. JE Reel has been building
driveshafts for our projects for nearly 20 years,
and the company was a natural choice for the
Scout. After discussing the equipment and the
vehicle use, the company recommended a pair
of 1350-driveshafts equipped with a CV joints at
the transfer case front and rear. Two days after
we gave the company measurements, drive-
shafts showed up that bolted in perfectly.
16 Living out of a 4x4 for a week has its chal-
lenges, among them keeping your food and
drinks cool. We often describe 12-volt fridges as
on its last legs and ARB had recently made some
substantial improvements to its already stout line
of fridge-freezers, we didn’t hesitate to get hands-
on experience with the upgrades. The Ultimate
Adventure is the perfect torture test for a fridge,
so look for an upcoming full review on the new
Classic Series II Fridge Freezer.
17 Being at the front of the pack means there’s
no one in front of you to use as an anchor,
and we knew there were going to be times when
trees would be few and far between. In an effort
to be prepared for the unknown, we opted to carry
a Pull Pal along for the trip. This innovative land
anchor is one of the few we’ve seen that actually
work, and the fact that it folds up is a nice bonus.

15 We’re not sure why, but driveshafts

always seem to be among the last pieces
life changing and the single best camping upgrade
we’ve ever made. Since our decade-old fridge was
We used the company’s new Fastrack mount to
attach the Pull Pal to our tire carrier.

ULTIMATE ADVENTURE 2019 SPONSORS

CUMMINS INC. FALKEN TIRE OFFROAD POWER PRODUCTS SMITTYBILT
Official Turbo Diesel Official Tire Official Retailer Official Winch
800.286.6467 800.723.2553 855.463.3762 888.717.5797
cumminsrepower.com falkentire.com offroadpowerproducts.com smittybilt.com

DANA IH PARTS AMERICA PREMIER POWER WELDER VOODOO OFFROAD

Official Crate Axle Official IH Truck & Scout Parts Official Onboard Welder Official Recovery Rope
800.621.8084 530.274.1795 800.541.1817 844.866.3661
crateaxle.com ihpartsamerica.com premierpowerwelder.com voodoooffroad.com

FAB FOURS OFFROAD DESIGN SKYJACKER SUSPENSIONS

Official Bumper Official Transfer Case Official Shock & Suspension
866.385.1905 970.945.7777 318.388.0816
fabfours.com offroaddesign.com skyjacker.com

4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 61

 FEATURE
BY Harry Wagner
EDITOR@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHY CARLOS FLORES
AND HARRY WAGNER

R
OCO4X4 HAS A REPUTATION
for building high-end Jeeps
in its Miami shop, so it might
surprise you to learn that
Roco4x4’s owner, Ricardo
Olavarrieta, wheels a…Nissan
Xterra? Yep, he and his crew
took many of the same design parameters
they use when building Jeeps for customers
and applied them to Ricardo’s 2000 Nissan.
Before they could add 1-ton axles and
42-inch-tall tires though, the Xterra was
covered in dog hair and had a blown
engine—but every project has to start
somewhere. Nicknamed the Iguana, this
Xterra has wheeled all up and down the
East Coast and in Moab, and even par-
ticipated in the Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-
Road Ultimate Adventure in 2011.
Prior to UA 2011, Ricardo put the Iguana
on a diet, cutting off the smashed rear
sheetmetal and removing the doors and
rear hatch. He replaced the sheetmetal
with tubing and was still able to shave
2,000 pounds from the Xterra, making it
more capable and reliable on the trail.
Recently Ricardo completed an eight-
day wheeling trip across Honduras, where
the Iguana had no issues breaking trail for
much newer and more expensive Jeeps.
The huge tires rolled over everything
in their path. The engine doesn’t make
enough power to break the built 1-ton
axles. The leaf spring suspension is simple
and reliable. Ricardo Olavarrieta has dem-
onstrated that these traits are universal
no matter how many slots there are in
your front grille.

1 Roco4x4 built an exo-cage from 1.625x0.120-

wall tubing to protect the sheetmetal and
occupants. It ties into the bumpers, sliders, and
frame in multiple locations for strength. The
front bumper holds a compact yet powerful Warn
9.0Rc winch wrapped in synthetic winch line. It is
topped by an 18-inch Vision X LED light bar.

A NISSAN BUILT FOR EXTREME TERRAIN

62
EX TERRA
FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
1
 EX TERRA

2 6

4
“
Ricardo has lost track of how
TECH SPECS
2
many times he has rolled
5
Power comes from a 170hp VG33E V-6
engine mated to a five-speed manual trans-
”
The rear axle is a full-floating Dana 60 out
of a 1996 Dodge Ram 2500. It has been
2000 NISSAN XTERRA mission. Ricardo Olavarrieta, owner of Roco4x4, upgraded with 5.38 Yukon gears, an ARB Air
DRIVETRAIN bought the Xterra in New Jersey in 2005, but Locker, and disc brakes with Wilwood calipers.
ENGINE: 3.3L V-6 when he went to pick it up it had a blown engine, The heavy-duty diff cover and axle truss tie
TRANSMISSION: FS5 5-speed manual a fact that hadn’t been disclosed. The dealer into the traction bar that prevents axlewrap.
TRANSFER CASE: Factory WD22 with replaced the engine while Ricardo waited, and
4.10 Calmini gears
AXLE: Dana 60 with 5.38 gears and
ARB Air Locker (front and rear)
then he drove the Nissan back to Miami.
6 Leaf springs are an easy, affordable way to
locate axles. The rear of the Iguana uses

SUSPENSION
SPRINGS & SUCH: YJ leaf springs (two
packs combined) and 12-inch-travel
Fox remote reservoir shocks (front);
Skyjacker K10 springs and 2.5-inch-
diameter, 14-inch-travel Fox shocks (rear)
TIRES & WHEELS: 42x16.5-17LT Pit Bull
Rockers on 17x9 TrailReady HD
beadlock wheels
STEERING: Redneck ram with modified
factory steering box and pump
LIGHTING: Vision X 18-inch LED light bar, Rig-
id Industries rock lights, Vision X Minidura
reverse lights, Maxbuilt Trail Tail taillights
OTHER STUFF: Warn 9.0RC winch, Bubba
Rope synthetic winch line, Bubba Rope
kinetic recovery rope, Corbeau seats, Pro
Armor harnesses, Teraflex hand throttle,
Optima RedTop battery
64 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
3 The front axle is a coveted high-pinion Dana
60 out of a 1979 Ford F-350. These particular
axles are so sought after because of the differen-
tial and spring pad placement, which allow them
to be retrofit under vehicles like an Xterra without
outboarding the leaf springs. Ricardo upgraded
the axle with Warn 35-spline premium hubs, an
ARB Air Locker, 5.38 gears, chromoly axleshafts,
and Super Joints from Yukon Gear & Axle.
4 The front suspension consists of long, soft
YJ Wrangler leaf springs that provide ample
flex but also wrap with the leverage from the
42-inch Pit Bull Rockers. Roco4x4 built a trac-
tion bar to eliminate the spring wrap, and Fox
21⁄2 -inch-diameter, 12-inch-travel shocks fitted
with remote reservoirs and dual speed compres-
sion (DSC) adjusters smooth out the bumps.
Skyjacker leaf springs intended for a Chevy
K10 to match the ride height of the front YJ
springs. The soft springs do require a traction
bar to prevent axlewrap but ride great, par-
ticularly with the 21⁄2 -inch-diameter, 14-inch-
travel Fox remote-reservoir shocks.
7 The interior of the Xterra isn’t Ricardo’s high-
est priority. The original dash and windshield
are still there, but the doors are long gone,
replaced with custom tube doors from Roco4x4.
The lack of doors has allowed the elements to
take their toll on the Corbeau seats and Road
Armor harnesses, but Ricardo wears their faded
and tattered threads as a badge of honor for
how much this rig gets used on the trail.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
IT’S LIKE SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT!
Irresponsible behavior like shooting signs, driving off of designated
trails, and littering hurts access to our favorite outdoor places. Set
an example and encourage others to protect OHV areas—because
ON LAND AND WATER
respected access is open access.
 TECHNICAL
THE END
IS NIGH
EARLY BRONCO BUILD, PART
ELEVENTY-HUNDRED AND TWO
BY Verne Simons
VERNE.SIMONS@4WOR.COM
PHOTOGRAPHY VERNE SIMONS
C
HRISTIAN HAZEL PEERETH
down from on high (no, not
that kind of high, you silly
potheads, but rather his comi-
cally tall editor-in-chief desk)
and sayeth to lowly Tech
Editor Verne Simons, “Verne, I
command thee to wrap up this never-end-
ing Bronco build within no more than two
final articles or else I shall smite you with
my all-powerful smiting pencil.” And the
Verne, a follower of the Christian (on Insta-
gram), being of (mostly) sound mind and
generally strong bowels, sayeth to the
Christian, “Yes, yee wise editor-in-chief,
Christian, leader of ourn very own favorite
off-road magazine. It shall be done!”
It’s about time we wrap up this project
anyway. Nothing we’ve done involved
reinventing the “Early Bronco wheel.” The
build has followed what could be a fairly
solid pattern for making a Bronco work
well on- and off-road. We refreshed the
1 We ran one last trip (maybe) to the media
blaster to clean up the the last few old but
still good parts. This included the exhaust sys-
tem that was on the Bronco when we bought it,
which was well done and has a nice clean side
exit in front of the passenger-side rear tire.
There are also some pulleys, steering parts,
dash and firewall parts, and more.
2 Next we slathered black epoxy paint all
over some of the freshly cleaned bits. This
should keep the evil rust monsters at bay for
a few years at least and certainly will give our
Bronco that newly restored 4x4 feel. We like
to let our parts bake in the sun a few hours
between coats to ensure that the paint is hard
as possible.
66 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
James Duff suspension that has been
under the Bronco for decades (June
2019), hammered out a few dings and
dents, bolted and welded on a new panel
here and there (Aug. 2019), cured some
nasty rust, and generally cleaned the
old Ford up. We also slung in a BluePrint
Engines 306ci Bronco Edition small-block
V-8 (Jan. 2019), adapted and added a
6R80 six-speed small-block Ford Street
Smart Package from Performance Auto-
matic, and capped it with a freshly rebuilt
T-shift Bronco Dana 20 (Sept. 2019)—we
can’t wait to drive this combination. We’ve
also added a ton of parts from Wild Horses
4x4 from a fiberglass hood to a stainless
steel gas tank. In addition we’ve asked
lots of questions of our local Early Bronco
expert, Randy, from Driven Auto Parts in
Phoenix, Arizona.
Truth is the Bronco is getting close, but
there are still many loose ends to wrap
up. For one, we need to bolt parts to the
engine to get this thing running. We also
need to tie up the Bronco’s interior in so,
so many ways. Here’s what we got done in
our penultimate Early Bronco build.
3 While paint was drying we honed the posi-
tion of the Bronco’s body using a custom-
made body lift. To do this, we recycled the alu-
minum spacers that made up the 2-inch body
lift the Bronco had on it when we bought it. We
cut down these aluminum spacers into several
pucks using a saw and lathe at Rob Bonney
Fabrications. We made about 10 pucks ranging
from 3⁄4 -inch down to 3⁄8 -inch and in between.
By moving the location of the thick and thin
pucks we were able to set the door gaps on the
old Bronco pretty well. Shimming the doors
only will do so much to fine-tune the door gaps.
4 We spent lots of time prepping the doors
that came with the Bronco, banging out
dents, priming, adding body filler, sanding, 1
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
2 3 4
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 67
 THE END IS NIGH
5 7
priming again, and finally painting. For some
reason we had it built up in our heads that reas-
sembling the doors would be a nightmare. It
really wasn’t. With a combination of some new
parts from Wild Horses 4x4 (like the heavy-
duty red plastic and steel rod clips, some new
door mechanism rods) and some of our good
used parts, we were able to assemble the doors
in a solid shop day. We used both a can of spray
lithium grease and a tube of lithium grease to
68 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
lubricate all the moving parts in the door. An
exploded diagram of how the door latching
mechanisms go in the door was a big help and
available online.
5 There is a sequence that you need to follow.
We first assembled the latches, handles,
locks and so on, and then moved onto the
windows. We installed the window regulators
and then the glass. We found best place for
9
the window glass during assembly is inside the
door in its normal orientation and pushed out-
ward in the door as far as it will go. Then you
can install the wing window with its new felt
installed in the channel. With the wing window
in place, you can now move the window glass
into the plane it will occupy, slide in a new win-
dow regulator bushing with clip into the chan-
nel on the bottom of the glass, and pop the arm
of the regulator into the bushing. Then care-
fully roll the glass all the way up and install the
forward and rearward window channels with
their felts inside the door. Then roll down the
door and install the new felt pieces to the top
and back of the upper door channel.
6 With the doors opening and closing like
butter and the glass happy in its newly
felted channels, we switched gears to bolting
some parts under the Bronco’s hood. There are
many options for radiators for Early Broncos,
and we generally gravitate to a combination
of function and cost. Right in the sweet spot
of this paradigm for Early Broncos is this unit
from Duralast (PN B521). It’s a new stock
replacement soldered brass radiator, and at
$266.99 it’s a pretty good deal. It has a limited
lifetime warranty and uses the factory Early
Bronco radiator mounting system. We also
added in a Duralast Mechanical Water Pump
(PN CWP-645HDA, $48.99) a brand new, heavy-
duty unit for use with our late-model BluePrint
Engine’s Bronco Edition 306.
7 After tracking down some stock replacement
radiator hoses, band clamps, a 190-degree
thermostat, and a can of old Ford Blue engine
paint at our local AutoZone, we were able to
paint the water pump and our cleaned up old
thermostat housing to match the engine. We
then figured out which bolts would work with
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
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12

the water pump (although we may have to swap
some out when adding the other engine acces-
sories) and thermostat housing and gaskets. It’s
a small step, but it gets us that much closer to a
running engine and thus a driving Bronco
may never know why. As said, we talked to Randy
at Driven Auto Parts in Phoenix, who recom-
mended we build two bars (one per side) to span
the gap from the firewall to the radiator core
support. This also provides structure for the Wild
Horses 4x4 hood props. Once heavy tacked, we

8 Sadly, the shorty headers that came on

the tired 302 that came with our Bronco
were pretty rusty and pitted from life near the
pulled the bars, fully welded the bars, and slath-
ered them in more black epoxy paint.

California coast. We decided not to reuse them

because they would surely show their age when
under hood with all these new shiny bits. A trip
to our local Early Bronco shop, Driven Auto
Parts, yielded these beautiful Ceramic Coated
Shorty Headers from Wild Horses 4x4. While we
were there we also bent Randy, the owner of
Driven Auto Parts about how we should make up
for our Bronco’s lack of inner front fenderwells,
but more on that later. For now, ogle these beau-
tiful headers with us…ahh!
11 One thing that we waffled about both in
person and in print over reusing the roll-
cage that came with our Early Bronco. In the end
we decided to call in yet one more favor from our
pals at Wild Horses 4x4. They sent us one of their
timeless San Felipe Tube Bar and Cage kits (PN
4240, $388.98). The San Felipe Tube Bar is a bolt
in roll bar that comes in bits that can either be
bolted together or welded together (we will weld
ours together). The Cage Kit adds weld-in right
and left A-B pillar hoops and a spanner bar to fur-
ther protect the front passengers of the Bronco.

9 With the new shorty headers in place we

were able to reuse the aforementioned well-
done exhaust system. We did have to clock one
Of course, the Cage Kit requires a little trimming
and coping of the A-B bars. We used our old and
reliable JD Squared Tubing Notcher to cut the
bend slightly differently and added in a spacer copes for a tight fit on the San Felipe Tube Bar.
to span a slightly larger gap. Quick work with
our trusty Miller MIG welder and spent exhaust
gasses can leave the engine bay easily. You’ll
remember that we had the exhaust media blast-
12 With the Cage Kit and Tube Bar in place,
we’ll cover the fresh paint and fresh glass
with a welding blanket and final burn-in of all the
ed to remove some light rust, so prevent any tubing junctions. Then we’ll pull the cage and
further rusting we added we soaked the header paint it to match the newly installed original dash
back exhaust with VHT Flat Black Flameproof shown here in Ford’s own Wimbledon White. From real-world 4x4s,
High Heat Paint, also from AutoZone.
functional tech, and
SOURCES
10 Early Bronco’s came from the factory with
sheetmetal inner fenderwells. They pro- AUTOZONE DURALAST PARTS vintage vehicles to…
vide protection for the engine and underhood
components as well as providing some structural
866.853.6459
autozone.com
800.288.6966
duralastparts.com Ultimate Adventures.
integrity to the front fenders and radiator core DRIVEN AUTO PARTS WILD HORSES 4X4
support. Sometime since 1969, our Bronco had 602.269.3969 209.400.7200
parted ways with its front inner fenderwells, we drivenautoparts.com wildhorses4x4.com
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 69
 RUGGED RIDGE JL/JT
SPARE RELOCATOR
To accommodate a larger tire, the new
Rugged Ridge JL spare relocation bracket
repositions the tire mount upward by 31⁄4
inches and outward 11⁄2 inches to clear the
rear bumper while retaining factory backup
camera and high-mount brake-light func-
tionality. The bracket is designed to secure-
ly accommodate a 35- to 37-inch spare.
Construction is from reinforced 4mm-thick
plate steel, finished with a satin-black pow-
dercoat. Mounting hardware and instruc-
tions are included. INFORMATION: Rugged
Ridge, 770.614.6101, ruggedridge.com.
AEV RECOVERY GEAR
American Expedition Vehicles offers a
new line of premium recovery gear that
was engineered and tested for optimal
safety and reliability. Included are a
Kinetic Recovery Rope (shown), which
is 7⁄8 inch thick, 30 feet long, and has
double-braided nylon ends and a minimum
29,000-pound breaking strength. AEV
also offers a 30-foot winch extension rope
with an 18,200-pound minimum breaking
strength, a 10-foot utility rope/tree strap
rated at 19,600 pounds, a soft shackle,
and a recovery gear bag. INFORMATION:
AEV, 248.926.0256, aev-conversions.com.
AUTO METER
FORD TRUCK
PILLAR MOUNTS
For late-model
Ford F-150 and
Super Duty trucks,
Auto Meter offers
dual- and triple-pillar gauge mounts
(shown). They are manufactured in the
USA from high-quality composites to
replicate OEM fit and finish. The replace-
ment pillars are designed for seamless
installation of Auto Meter 21⁄16-inch
gauges. INFORMATION: Auto Meter,
866.248.6356, autometer.com.

ORACLE OCULUS JL/JT

LED HEADLIGHTS
Oracle Lighting offers Oculus Bi-LED
headlights for JL Wranglers and JT Gladi-
ators. Output is rated at 3,200 lumens,
with amperage draw touted as less than
the OE headlights. The lights’ projector
beam angles are adjustable for lifted
Jeeps, and the kit includes an adjustment
tool. Further, the beams are engineered
with a sharp cutoff line to minimize glare.
The DRL halo is made up of more than 200
vivid white LEDs. The kit is designed as
a plug-and-play direct replacement for
the OE headlights. INFORMATION: Oracle
Lighting, 800.407.5776, oraclelights.com.
70 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
JKS GLADIATOR 31⁄2-INCH LIFT KIT
This new Jspec system fits up to 37-inch tires on new Jeep pickups. Dual-rate coil
springs were developed to accommodate the larger tires and increase wheel travel
without compromising street ride and payload capacity. Shock options are Jspec twin-
tubes or Fox 2.0 aluminum-bodied monotubes. Standard kit components include an
adjustable front track bar, front sway bar disconnects, rear sway bar endlinks, bump-
stop extensions, and front caster cam-locks. Optional upgrades include high-flex front
lower control arms and a Fox steering stabilizer. The kit also levels the Gladiator, provid-
ing 31⁄2 inches of front lift in non-Rubicon models and 3 inches in other models. INFOR-
MATION: JKS Mfg., 517.278.1226, jksmfg.com.
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
 BY 4WOR staff
EDITOR@4WOR.COM

(800)-847-3287
NTWonline.com
Super Swamper
Irok Trxus TSL
Radial/Bias M/T
Bogger
Radial/Bias

Trail Extreme
Country
ATZ P3 MTZ P3
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HOLLEY TERMINATOR X LS OPTIMIZER

To maximize LS swaps and fueling, the Holley Terminator X is now available for LS1, LS2,
and LS3 applications. Touted benefits include self-learning fuel strategies, more complete Ridge Trail Open Country BFGoodrich
control of LS engine parameters, and inputs (12-volt, 5-volt, frequency, and ground) for Grappler Grappler M/T KO2
additional pressure sensors and activation triggers for nitrous, IAC kits, electric fans, and
other accessories. The kit includes a 31⁄2 -inch handheld LCD touchscreen, a calibration
wizard, tuning and gauge-display functionality, laptop access for advanced users, and
compatibility with such Holley EFI accessories as shift lights, digital dashes, and analog- Thousands of tires in stock!
style gauges. INFORMATION: Holley, 866.464.6553, holley.com.

SMS JL/GLADIATOR ROOF RACK

This new Exposed Rack system is
designed to accommodate rooftop tents,
kayaks, and other accessories on JL Wran-
glers and Gladiators. The kit’s
crossbars install without
drilling and are configured
to clear either hard-top or
soft-top models. Universal brack-
ets click into the bars’ laser-cut
square holes for securing gear. Suspension kits ready to Ship!
The system is also engineered to
accept other companies’ acces-
sory hardware. Options include
solid crossbars and a choice of
finishes. INFORMATION: SMS Auto Parts,
215.310.1917, smsparts.com.

BUBBA ROPE NEXGEN

PRO SYNTHETIC SHACKLE
Bubba Rope expanded its synthetic
shackle series to include the NexGen Pro. Single Wheel &
Specs include 3⁄8 -inch-diameter polyethyl-
ene fiber rope, a weight of 6.5 ounces, and Dually Packages
a 47,000-pound breaking strength. A new Package Deals include computer
rubber-epoxy slider design contributes to spin balancing, lugs, & centers.
the high break rating. Additionally, Bubba Huge selection of sizes and styles.
Rope synthetic shackles contain no metal,
so they will not rust and are lightweight FREE SHIPPING &
enough to float. INFORMATION: Bubba
Rope, 877.499.8494, bubbarope.com. FINANCING AVAILABLE
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

DIY LCG KIT
Q
I’m in the process of piecing together
an LCG kit for my 2003 Jeep Wrangler
LJ. So far I have a set of 2-inch Synergy
coil springs, some Teraflex track bars, and
a steering kit I picked up on eBay. Is there
anything else I should be looking to add?
I was wondering if control arms should be
part of the mix.
SCOTT A.
Via nuts@4wor.com
A We’re all about doing things on a bud-
get, but we cringe a little when people
start piecing together suspension com-
ponents. We’ve had widely mixed results
mixing-and-matching components among
different brands and different lift heights,
so we advise you to be cautious and be
prepared to address a few unintended
problems along the way.
On paper it would appear that a 2-inch
coil spring for an LJ is the same regardless
of what brand name is on it, and that a
track bar is a track bar is a track bar for the
same application. The truth is that each
suspension manufacturer has a slightly
different take and a slightly different
approach to each and every component of
a suspension kit. As an example, the clear-
ance for the front track bar on a TJ, XJ, or LJ
is actually really tight between the bar, the
front axle, and the frame. The same thing
can be said for steering systems. The clear-
ances get easier in some places and trickier
in others as you go up in lift height, so as
a result, it’s quite likely that a track bar
designed to work with a 4-inch kit will have
contact issues at 2 inches of lift. Or, there
could be instances, especially with an LCG
72 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD
kit, where the suspension company makes
small compromises with different com-
ponents in order to obtain the necessary
clearances. We’ve seen situations where
they might cheat the caster on a front axle
forward or back a degree or two in order to
clear their track bar design, or vice versa.
There may be nothing wrong with how one
company does it versus another, but the
point is that each suspension company
designs their kit around their components
and not someone else’s. As a result, when
you start mixing and matching different
brands, you can expect to find these idio-
syncrasies and their related problems in a
variety of different ways.
Now back to your control arm ques-
tion. Depending on what you are trying
to accomplish, you may or may not need
control arms. The beauty of LCG kits is that
their conservative lift height doesn’t radi-
cally change the factory geometry com-
pared to taller lifts. As a result, you can get
away with the stock control arm mounting
points with the 2-inch Synergy coil springs.
However, you will also be limited to the
available travel and geometry available
with either the factory control arms or
the aftermarket bolt-in replacements. A
true LCG kit combines the benefits of the
increased suspension travel of a long-arm
system with the stability of a conservative
lift height. This sounds awesome on paper,
but in reality it opens up a can of suspen-
sion geometry worms that is only made
worse when you’re trying to cram big tires
under the fenders at the same time.
While we would encourage you to go
down the road of keeping lift height con-
servative, even with the stock control arm
configuration, having the benefits of a true
LCG kit means making some control arm
modifications. For the clearance reasons
we’ve stated making those modifications
happen is more challenging and expensive
that taller kits, hence why LCG kits typi-
cally have a larger price tag.
At the end of the day, you may find your-
self in a situation where you’re potentially
spending more to piece your own LCG
kit together than you would have if you
simply purchased a complete kit already
engineered for the job. But people can and
have made it work, so it boils down to your
shrewdness in picking components and
your ability to problem-solve.
THE COMPROMISE
Q What’s the best way to run big tires
and still maintain good fuel mileage?
I consider good mileage 15 mpg at mini-
mum, but ideally 20 mpg is better.
IVY G.
Via facebook.com/4wheeloffroad
A
The short answer is don’t install big
tires if fuel mileage is your primary
concern. Anybody that has gone from
stock-sized tires to 37s with no other
changes and claims little if any fuel impact
is either lying or needs a lesson on how to
track mileage.
Fact: Big tires make mileage go down.
Are there things you can do to recover
much of the mileage that has been lost due
to installing larger tires? Yes, absolutely.
Changing axle gear ratios to compensate
for the taller tires is the primary and best
way to restore most of the mileage you lose
when going with bigger tires. Changing
axle gears to lower (numerically higher)
gears places the engine back in its opti-
mum powerband and puts the transmission
shift points back where they are supposed
to be without the need for special pro-
grammers. That said, many newer vehicles
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

require a programmer to adjust the PCM to
recognize the new gear ratio without freak-
ing out. Such is the modern age we live in.
But notice we said changing axle gears
can get back most, not all the mileage you
lose. A larger tire and wheel package is
much heavier than the stock package, and
the increased weight means more rolling
resistance. Greater rolling resistance means
more drag, and more drag means a dip in
mileage. With all the fuel economy regula-
tions the OEMs face these days, you can bet
that if there were a way to improve mileage
by installing 38s or 40s, the OEMs would
have done it.
Changing axle gears requires a substan-
tial investment, just like the larger tire and
wheel package as well as the lift you invest-
ed in to clear those bigger tires. Depending
on how you drive and where you live, you
may be able to recoup that investment over
time with the improved mileage. That said,
you’ll likely never recoup the investment
over the life of the vehicle, especially when
comparing the cost of replacement large
tires to that of stock replacements.
If you’re trying to make a logical case for
big tires on anything other than a dedicated
off-road vehicle, save yourself the hassle.
You’ll never be able to justify bigger tires on
paper compared to stock tires, whether it’s
mileage, wear and tear, or even on-road vehi-
cle performance. That’s not the point. The
point is enhancing your vehicle’s off-road
performance and customizing your vehicle
so that it looks cool to you and different
from the thousands of carbon copies of your
vehicle. Bigger tires deliver better off-road
performance in spades, which is what most
of us prioritize over optimum mileage.
BIG TIRE BALANCING
Q What’s the best way to balance big
tires? I’ve heard all kinds of different
things, but I was wondering if you had any
practical experience with balancing tires
above 36 inches in diameter.
ADAMS C.
Via nuts@4wor.com
A Like you, we have seen and heard
about a wide variety of big tire balanc-
ing methods over the years. And we’ve
tried most of them. Conventional stick-on
weights just aren’t very effective with
tires above 35 inches in diameter because
the distance between the location of the
weights and the tread face largely negates
the effectiveness of the weights. This means
turning to a number of alternative methods
4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
of balancing, some of which can be effective
and some of which seem to be largely mythi-
cal in their effectiveness.
Truth be told, tire balance is getting to
be less of an issue thanks to modern tech-
nology and tire manufacturing methods.
For example, the author has been running
37-inch to 40-inch tires without any weights
on them for over a decade and really hasn’t
noticed much more than a slight hop with a
tire or two. Granted, most of these haven’t
been on daily drivers, and therefore tire bal-
ance is less critical than it otherwise would
be, but modern tire manufacturing methods
have yielded remarkably smooth tires in
large sizes. It has been our experience that
if you stick to well-known tire brands and
wheels that start life round, tire balance
really won’t be much of an issue.
With that said, a few different balancing
methods are effective. The most common
involves tossing a balancing media in the
tire when mounting it on the wheel. There
are a variety of products that work via this
method that are geared mostly to over-the-
road trucks and 18-wheelers, but we’ve also
heard of people using everything from steel
shot to Airsoft pellets. Regardless of the
media used, they all work off the same prin-
ciple: The centrifugal force of the rotating
tire causes the media to move to the oppo-
site end of the tire from the ‘low’ spot, coun-
teracting the portion that is out of balance.
That’s a bit of an oversimplification, but
it works for the discussion at hand. While
effective, there are a couple of issues with
this method. First, it’s something of a guess-
ing game figuring out just how much media
to put inside the tire to correct its balance
issues. Too little and there won’t be enough
material to balance the tire, while too much
can create other types of balancing issues.
The other and more common complaint is
that the balancing media settles when the
tire stops rotating, so you’re going to have
a bit of a “hop” until the tire gets rolling fast
enough to distribute the media and balance
the tire. This can be annoying, especially in
stop-and-go driving conditions.
BY Trenton McGee
NUTS@4WOR.COM
The main issue with both commercial and
homegrown balancing media is that the
results are often spotty, and they can make
a real mess of things should you blow a tire
or need to replace worn tires down the road.
The media needs to be inert to rubber and
its related chemicals, nonabrasive, doesn’t
clump when it’s exposed to water, and can’t
degrade over time. Because of all of these
things, results using this type of balancing
method seem to be spotty and largely sub-
ject to interpretation.
A long time ago one of our editors tried
a set of Centramatic wheel balancers (cen-
tramatic.com) and reported good success
with them. These work on the same principle
of centrifugal force described above, but
instead of putting balancing media inside
a tire it is placed inside a disc sandwiched
between the wheel and the hub. The disc
had an outer ring filled with some sort of
weighted media that distributes itself as
the tire rotates. This is much easier to install
than other forms of balancing media and
much less messy, but we don’t have any
firsthand experience with them for anything
other than over-the-road big truck applica-
tions for quite a few years.
What does all of this mean at the end of
the day? It means there’s no perfect solu-
tion, or even a solution that works best
regardless of tire type or even the region the
tires are being used in. There’s also a bit of
buyer-beware here: A big tire can weigh well
over 100 pounds not counting the wheel
it’s mounted on. With that kind of rotating
mass, even small imperfections in the tire
are going to be difficult to balance with con-
ventional weights, and large imperfections
are going to be nearly impossible to balance
perfectly regardless of the method tried. If
tire balance is a major concern for you, then
it might be best to rethink those no-name
40s you’ve had your eyes on and stick to
some brand name 37s. Either that or prepare
to live with some tire shake.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Confused? Email your questions to the
address below with “Nuts, I’m confused”
as the subject. Include a picture, if appli-
cable, no smaller than 1600 x 1200 pixels
(or two megapixels) as a TIFF, EPS, or
maximum-quality JPEG. We also read the
forums on (4wheeloffroad.com).
WRITE TO: Nuts & Bolts, 4-Wheel & Off-
Road, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo,
CA 90245
FAX TO: 818.566.8501
EMAIL TO: nuts@4wor.com
4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD FEBRUARY 2020 73
 BY Harry Wagner
EDITOR@4WOR.COM

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM

W e knew when we built our lightweight Tracker that we were pushing our luck try-
ing to run a Samurai transfer case with 37-inch tires, but the benefits of the Samu-
rai case made it worth the risk. These transfer cases are super-light and compact, can be
geared down to 6.5:1, and even offer gear reduction in high range to offset large tires.
We had been wheeling the Tracker hard for a couple of years before the transfer case
let go at King of the Hammers. It was our fault—we were running water in the front tires
and grabbed the cutting brake at speed, which resulted in all of the teeth coming off the
input shaft in the transfer case.
We bought another case sight-unseen, and Tech Editor Verne Simons swapped it in
only to find out that case was damaged as well.
Like Goldilocks, the third one was just right. That transfer case not only got us through
all of the Hammer trails but is still in the vehicle today. We just make sure we only use the
cutting brake at crawling speeds now.

FEBRUARY 2020 VOLUME 43, NUMBER 2

SUBMISSION INFORMATION 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD (ISSN 0162-3214). Copyright 2019 by TEN: Publishing Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
Send us your wheeling foul-ups! Letters Published monthly by TEN: Publishing Media, LLC, 275 Madison Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10016.
must be signed by the vehicle’s owner. Due Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA.Single copy
to the large volume of mail we receive, we price is $6.99. Subscription rates: U.S. and U.S. Possessions, one year $18; Canada, one year $30; all
regret that not all submissions can be used other countries, one year $42 (includes surface mail postage). 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
and none will be returned. Digital photos
address corrections to 4-Wheel & Off-Road, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.
must measure at least 1,600 by 1,200 pix-
els (or two megapixels) and be saved as a GET EVEN MORE 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD ON YOUR COMPUTER OR SMART PHONE AT THESE SITES
TIFF, an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file.
WRITE TO: Whoops!, 4-Wheel & Off-Road,
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74 FEBRUARY 2020 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM
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