Four Wheeler August 2019

A friend contacted me the other day with a dilemma. He said that each time he stops his old 4x4 the engine quits, but it restarts on demand. We conferred for a bit and then determined that this should be celebrated. It’s like the poor man’s engine start-stop. Heck, manufacturers have dumped gobs of R&D money and techno-wizardry into engine start-stop, and he got it for free. Sure, his new engine start-stop isn’t perfect, but now he blends in with all the newfangled cars at stoplights. His truck’s dual exhaust goes silent at the lights and then roars to life on demand. Yep, he’s all hip and stuff. A few nights later I was lying awake in bed at 3 a.m. I decided that instead of counting sheep to fall asleep…

LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP Yes, I owned an ’85 Eagle Wagon in the mid-’90s. I bought it at an estate sale with 25K on the clock and it still smelled “new” inside. The car was a very capable all-weather get-you-there vehicle. I’ve driven in snow so deep that the front bumper was hidden from view and it never failed to get me where I was going. In my opinion, the car suffered from two major downfalls. First, it did not have a two-speed transfer case, and second, it was built by AMC (the biggest issue). During the course of my ownership, every cheap plastic part that AMC under-engineered broke. The car literally nickel-and-dimed me to death, but I still loved it. My first long-distance trip shortly after purchase was from Ohio to Florida…

Black Appearance Package for the ’19 Ford Ranger Ford said that more than two thirds of ’19 Rangers are leaving the lot with an appearance package. We’ll do the math…carry the 1, add the 7, divide the Y…two thirds equals a lot of them. And there’s a new package in town: Black Appearance. As you’d gather, it’s black in appearance—at least for the grille, wheels, running boards, bedliner, valance, mirrors, and so on. Add it for $1,995. Jeep’s Electric Compass and Renegade & The Wrangler Rubicon 1941 The Geneva International Motor Show is where Jeep went debut-crazy and brought its Renegade and Compass PHEVs as well as a heritage-themed Wrangler. Let’s start electric: The plug-in hybrids feature rechargeable batteries mated to a 1.3L engine. Jeep’s saying the Renegade should see 190-240 horses and…

COMMUNICATOR Rugged Radios introduces the all-new RRP696 Bluetooth intercom with enhanced music controls. It gives you the ability to shuffle through your music playlist while wheeling. The unit is based on the RRP660 Plus intercom, but the new RRP696 offers wireless music streaming from any Bluetooth device. You simply pair your device with the RRP696 intercom and everyone in the vehicle will hear the music through their connected headset or helmet. You can change the volume and skip or repeat tracks with the front-facing touch membrane controls, giving you the ability to keep your Bluetooth device secured and out of the way from dirt and debris. The RRP696 includes Voice Operated Control, which is used to adjust microphone sensitivity to cut out loud background noises. It will also lower the music…

EPIC ADVENTURE CAN SOMETIMES COME IN A small box. In fact, self-reliance and capability can be built into any 4x4 platform imaginable—for example, a ’17 two-door JK Wrangler. Our goal was to take the Jeep on the Four Wheeler Overland Adventure in May 2019, and it needed to have enough overland equipment to survive multiple days off-grid, while still maintaining its highway manners and trail-crawling duties. Our plan: Revive the Wrangler’s suspension system, address the Jeep’s dim lighting situation, and outfit the rig with enough armor, auxiliary fuel, and expedition gear for extended stays in the backcountry. Though its life only began in 2017, the JK had seen more than 50,000 rough miles, and its suspension was in need of an overhaul. The springs and shocks had long since given up…

IF YOU OWN A 4X4, WE KNOW YOU’VE THOUGHT ABOUT SUSPENSION UPGRADES. Whether your dreams include building your rig monster-truck tall or simply replacing the shocks and springs under your work truck, we have something for you to check out. Explore the next few pages and read up on all 43 of the kits designed to lift, level, or completely overhaul your rig’s suspension. TERAFLEX Lift Lines: The Alpine Rogue Trail Suspension is one step above the company’s Alpine Cross-Trail System. The system is available for JL/JLU Wranglers and can be configured as a short-arm (2.5- to 3.5-inch lift) or long-arm (3.5- to 4.5-inch lift) setup to clear, as claimed by the company, a 39-inch tire. TeraFlex SpeedBumps in the front and Falcon progressive rear bumpstops cushion high-speed suspension movements, while the…