Four Wheeler November 2021

Bolting new life into a used 4x4 is a blast. And it’s rewarding. I was reminded of this while sorting through past issues of Four Wheeler when I found a story about a great Chevy Suburban budget build that we published in the February 2008 issue. The story began with, “We couldn’t take it anymore. Whenever we looked at our buddy’s ’95 Chevy Suburban 1500 we got nauseous. We love Suburbans, but this specific rig was a pimped-out model, which included horribly bulbous fiberglass running boards and a repelling collection of chrome. It was time to bestow a little Four Wheeler love on this poor, citified truck. With that said, we constructed a simple plan that would improve the Sub’s off-highway abilities and give it a whole new rugged look—all without…

They say a boat is just a hole in the water you throw your money into. I was out on my friend’s boat fishing in Buzzard’s Bay off Cape Cod the other day thinking about this statement. As we cut through the Atlantic at 30 mph en route to his hot spot with the Yamaha 300hp outboard singing steadily at 4,400 rpm I surveyed the aging 24-foot Grady White center console. The fiberglass was chipped in places, the lid to the live well was off for repairs, the aluminum tower had various cracks rewelded all over it, the graphics on the side of the hull had faded, and the vinyl cushion covers were starting to crack and become threadbare in places. Despite all that, I think his Grady White is…

EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM OLD 4X4S FOR THE WIN I’m a bit behind in my magazine reading and I just read your Firing Order (“Old 4x4s for the Win!”) column in the November 2020 issue of Four Wheeler. In that column you asked for readers’ stories about old 4x4s. Like you, I like old vehicles. I’ll go even further and say that I don’t like new vehicles. I don’t like how my dad’s ’20 Honda Pilot aims the rearview mirrors at the ground when you shift into Reverse. I don’t like how my wife’s ’18 Jeep Renegade won’t shut the engine off unless you are in Park, and how it automatically applies the parking brake when you open a door. Not liking new vehicles means that I drive old ones, and plan to for as long as…

EDITOR@FOURWHEELER.COM Is it True? 1 Is Maine actively deregistering Mitsubishi Delica vans that were imported to the United States and previously registered in Maine under the 25-year federal import rule? Sleuths at Crankshaft Culture reported that a modification to Maine’s state law 29-A MRSA 354 has recently reclassified the Delica as an “off-road vehicle,” which cannot be registered for on-road use, according to Maine. Delica owners have allegedly received notices in the mail indicating their vehicles can no longer be operated on public roads and that “the registration may not be used as proof of ownership to sell this vehicle as an automobile.” Did California ask its residents to stop charging electric vehicles during a recent heatwave to conserve electricity? The answer is a solid “No,” but the state’s Flex Alert did encourage…

JERED.KORFHAGE@FOURWHEELER.COM COOLER OIL PAN Whether the stock stamped steel oil pan on your ’12-’18 Jeep Wrangler has been damaged, rusted through, or you want a simple bolt-on upgrade with improved performance, the PPE Cast Aluminum Oil Pan is here for you. PPE built the pan with deep cast-aluminum fins for more cooling and airflow and the cast gussets add strength and rigidity. Also on the upgrade list are the high-power neodymium magnet-equipped drain plug to trap any metal contaminants in the oil and a flat-bottom design for complete oil changes and an increased oil capacity. INFO: PPE, 725/238-2002, ppepower.com BUSINESS IN THE FRONT Tired of the worn-out and flimsy frontend parts under your ’13-’21 Ram 2500 or 3500? BD Diesel’s heavy-duty sway bar endlinks are built to be strong and durable with a high-strength,…

jered.korfhage@fourwheeler.com The 2021 Overland Adventure Presented by Jeep was more than just three days on the trail. We gathered adventure enthusiasts from all corners of the U.S. and different walks of life who were joined by their shared passion for exploring what lies beyond the paved road. As we led the way through the lesser-known parts of Utah, we carved out as many memories as we logged miles on our odometers. Friendships were made, photographs were taken, and we shared stories, meals, and even the spare seats in our vehicles. This was the 2021 Four Wheeler Overland Adventure Presented by Jeep. It Began With a Call to Adventure Show us how you get off the grid, into the wild, and away from it all. Show us the tools you use and the machines…