Four Wheeler November 2019

I’ve been thinking about the sounds of off-roading and how we integrate what we’re hearing into our driving, as well as how sound has an effect on the overall wheeling experience. One of the most memorable wheeling days I’ve had was filled with awesome sounds. It was early in the morning and I was piloting a Jeep Wrangler up the Imogene Pass trail near Telluride, Colorado. The soft top was folded back and I was bombarded with sounds. The T-case was emitting a low whine in 4-Lo as the Jeep climbed up the trail, and the good ol’ 4.0L I-6 was producing a growl as it pulled in higher rpms. I could hear small stones crunching and shifting under the all-terrain tires. On the shelf road near Society Tunnel, the stone…

PICKUP AND PROPOSAL I bought a ’73 Jeep J-4600 Townside Custom Cab with 53,000 original miles 1.5 months ago. She has a 360 4V, TH400, Quadra-Trac with the optional gear reduction unit, and the factory 4:10 gears. The stock drum brakes remind me of the Flintstones when trying to stop. Front disc brakes were not offered until ’74. It also has the closed knuckle Dana 44 up front. It turns like a cruise ship. It reminds me of the ’60s song “Give Me Forty Acres (To Turn This Rig Around).” It also has a Dana 60-2 in the rear. The truck comes with factory A/C and cruise control and the first owner added two reserve tanks. The current owner added an additional single leaf spring all around to better haul his…

Hennessey Performance Maximus 1000 Jeep Gladiator Well, that didn’t take long. Hennessey Performance has already Hennessey Performance’d a ’20 Jeep Gladiator and dubbed it Maximus 1000. Your hint on the name comes from the fact that it’s got a 6.2L Hellcat supercharged V-8, so: 1,000 hp and 933 lb-ft of torque. The Jeep also has an HPE1000 engine upgrade with the Hellcat motor, Maximus bumpers, 20-inch Hennessey wheels, BFGoodrich tires, 6-inch suspension lift, stainless steel exhaust, LED lights, and more. Only 24 are being made. Pricing? Happy you asked: $200,000. Learn more here: bit.ly/2wvHV3I. THAT’S INTERESTING Land Rover and Jaguar are consciously coupling on electric drive units for future electrification projects. A class-action lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. against Fiat Chrysler regarding the ’15-’18 Jeep Wrangler’s alleged “death wobble” steering shakes. If you’ve…

CHOP FENDER Rugged Ridge introduces the new Fender Chop Bracket set for all ’18-’19 Wrangler JL models. Each bracket is made from high-strength steel plate and is said to act as a stable mounting support for trimmed factory front fender flares. The brackets and trimmed fenders offer improved approach angles by eliminating the bulky marker light assemblies from the leading edge of the fender flares. All brackets are fully welded and treated to a satin black powdercoat finish with a fine texture. The included round LED lights are mounted into the bracket, serving as turn signals and side marker lights. All necessary installation hardware is included. Versions are available for Sport, Sahara, and Rubicon models. INFO: Rugged Ridge, 770/614-6101, ruggedridge.com FORD SIX-OH COOLING Flex-A-Lite now offers a direct-fit, extruded-tube core radiator and electric…

IT WASN’T JUST ABOUT THE OBSTACLES OR THE DISTANCE TRAVELED, OVERLAND ADVENture was also about the memories formed along the way. We know many 4x4 enthusiasts enjoy camping while wheeling, and some of us choose to extend those trips over multiple days, covering great distances and relying only on what has been packed into, on top of, or behind our rigs. Whether you call it a sport, your hobby, or a way of life, overlanding can be described as self-reliant and vehicle-based off-road travel where the journey is the purpose—and from that description the new-for-2019 Four Wheeler Overland Adventure was born. From the stacks of applications submitted through fourwheeler.com, we selected 20 overland vehicles of various sizes, makes, and models; all were equipped with true four-wheel drive and unique sleeping accommodations,…