Four Wheeler August 2021

I just boomeranged back to the office from the 2021 Easter Jeep Safari (EJS) in Moab, and it sure was good to get back on the Moab-area trails after the cancellation of the 2020 event. As a matter of fact, wheeling on the slickrock, ledges, and sand was pretty darn awesome. It was like being reunited with old friends after a long time apart. Speaking of old friends, I ran into longtime Four Wheeler contributor Ned Bacon at a restaurant in Moab. Four Wheeler readers may remember Ned as the first Top Truck Challenge head judge; past judge of Four Wheeler of the Year; owner/builder of the Killer Bee flatfender; and designer/builder of TraiLex, Four Wheeler’s Lexus GX470 project. Even after all these years, Ned is still on the trail, living…

I was talking with Four Wheeler Staff Editor Jered Korfhage the other day. We’re both California transplants from colder climates, so in addition to talking about the nice weather and staggering number of meth heads SoCal has to offer compared with the places we’re from, we sort of compared notes on our respective events. Jered, you see, has never been on Ultimate Adventure (UA), while I’ve never been on Overland Adventure (OA). And despite the many similarities both events offer its participants, namely living out of a 4x4 for consecutive days, there are some key differences in the philosophical approach most participants take for each event. Speaking for myself and myself only, I’ve never really been a huge overlanding fanboy. I’ve done it, and at a fairly high level, at that.…

EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM SHAWN’S FIRST MOD My first 4x4 mod was an 8.8-inch rear for my YJ, which I bought over 10 years ago. I wanted a stronger rear and a limited-slip instead of an open diff. A winch came a week later. Since then, the Jeep has had almost everything replaced besides the tub and frame. SHAWN VIA EMAIL BLIZZARD CAMPING While 2020 was a challenging year for everyone (minus maybe Jeff Bezos), it was especially challenging because I bought fancy camping gear with the intention of “social distancing” as many weekends as possible, only to spiral fracture my tibia in June while out wheeling. Nonetheless, as soon as I was able to walk again (which took until almost November) and without risking pushing myself too far, I decided to go camping. Camping in Colorado in December…

JERED.KORFHAGE@FOURWHEELER.COM Have you Heard? 4 Wheel Parts, the 4x4 and off-road retail giant, celebrated its 60th anniversary in March 2021. Research from the Specialty Equipment Market Association (you may know it as SEMA) indicates interests in the United States are shifting away from passenger cars and toward light trucks. SEMA estimates that by 2028, light trucks could make up 82 percent of light vehicles sold, an increase from 53 percent in 2014. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and connected car tech innovator Voyomotive have joined forces to connect you to your tires. The duo’s overarching plan is to develop a system that digitally and remotely monitors your tires from the inside and that can warn you of tire damage far before the TPMS sensors detect a problem. Bridgestone has engineered tires…

JERED.KORFHAGE@FOURWHEELER.COM DIESEL LUBE Hot Shot’s Secret now offers LX4 Lubricity Extreme diesel fuel and gasoline lubricant. LX4 Lubricity Extreme is said to improve lubricity up to two times better than the leading top competitive brand by providing an increase in diesel fuel lubricity up to 56 percent. Developed for use in either low-lubricity ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel or gasoline, LX4 Lubricity Extreme is said to prevent unnecessary wear and scarring of key components inside the fuel system—particularly the injectors, fuel pump, and upper cylinders. For any vehicle utilizing ULSD low-lubricity fuel, especially GM Duramax owners as well as semitrucks and farm equipment, LX4 is said to restore the fuel’s lubricity, exceeding the Engine Manufacturers Association’s recommendation for fuel lubrication. INFO: Hot Shot’s Secret, 800/341-6516, hotshotsecret.com COOLER CONSOLE Tired of rooting through the cooler…

The differential oil’s job is thermal regulation, lubrication, and protection of the bearing and gear surfaces to withstand the shock loads coming from the drivetrain. Neglecting your diffs can lead to a lack of lubrication, premature surface wear of bearings and gears due to metal-on-metal contact, and excessive heat that will ultimately lead to nasty sludge and eventually failure, in a possibly not-unspectacular way. Of course, all of this is avoidable by simply servicing your differentials at regular intervals. A product we recommend that will make changing your gear lube easier, quicker, and less messy is an aftermarket differential cover. These covers, like the American Expedition Vehicle (AEV) covers on the Jeep Wrangler JL in this story, aren’t only for protection on the trail, thanks to a reinforced bottom edge; they…