Four Wheeler March 2022

I was fumbling around my office the other day and found an old photo of my K5 Blazer taken in one of the pastures near our family farm in northern Illinois. The date stamp on the back says it was taken in April 1986. To a photo critic it’s an unremarkable image. The subject is too far away and the light wasn’t very good. But when I found the photo after more than three decades, it flipped a switch in my old 58-year-old brain and I couldn’t help but smile when I thought of all the hours I spent wheeling in those rolling pastures. Typically, I can’t remember where I leave a wrench, but after all the years I could recall the small-block sounds coming from the tips of the…

Procrastination is a funny thing. Normally, when I’m eyeballs-deep in a bunch of projects I need to get done, my modus operandi is to look for more unfinished projects to add to the pile rather than dive in and start working in earnest on the stuff I’ve been letting slide. That’s kinda what I’m doing today. I’ve got a pile of new injection stuff from Holley for my little 2.5L Why-J that I need to install, but that involves building an adapter plate. Building the adapter plate requires digging out my cutting tools, welder, and a visit to the metal yard for some aluminum plate. Digging out my tools involves moving a ton of other unfinished projects that are in their way. In short, I’ve once again painted myself into…

BRIAN SCORED A LEGIT VAN While doing research on this apparent unicorn van I recently bought for $500, I read your article on a Pathfinder 4x4 Safari (Trail’s End, June ’21). At the end of the article, your author asks for pics of other survivors. I have one that I cannot find a single other example of. It’s an ’85 Chevy Astro van converted by Trail Wagons in California. This company was a subsidiary of Chinook RVs. They were known to send their conversion vans to Pathfinder for a 4x4 conversion. After reading your article about the ’85 prototype 4x4 drivetrain, I realized mine is identically covered. Solid lift blocks under composite springs, Dana 44 up front, and so on. Mine has the NP205 transfer case and appears to use the…

FOX GIVES BACK (To Your Trails) Fox Factory, the maker of performance-driven suspension products for on- and off-road enthusiasts, has launched its community investment program called Trail Trust. The program aims to deliver sustainable adventure to everyone through investment in nonprofit partners worldwide. Fox has already distributed $500,000 to groups including the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, the Off-Road Business Association, the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance, and Tread Lightly! to fund projects that promote conscientious use of our off-road playgrounds and making recreation opportunities available to a more diverse audience. Applications for the Trail Trust initiative are accepted quarterly on a rolling basis, visit trailtrust.com for more information. Quadratec and Bestop 2020 Jeep Gladiator Giveaway According to Bob Mernar, from Long Beach Island, New Jersey, “I never really enter contests.”…

If you made a reservation to order a ’22 Ford F-150 Lightning, you might not get your hands on the keys to a ’22 Ford F-150 Lightning—it might be a ’23 truck, instead. Ford cites extraordinarily high demand for the EV truck and has already spent $250 million to increase production. What percentage of the plastic on the Ford Bronco Sport will come from recycled ocean plastic? The jury’s out on the exact figure, but we do know these wiring harness clips, largely invisible to the consumer, will be. Discarded fishing nets, a large source of the plastic harvested from the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, will be used to manufacture the clips. Want to crank the windows up or down in your ’22 Chevy Silverado Work Truck? Forget…

ALL-TERRAIN BOSS Mickey Thompson’s Baja Boss all-terrain tire is now offered in 11 new sizes. Want a bold look for your truck? Try the 35x15.50R24LT or 37x13.50R24LT sizes. Need a 34- or 35-inch option for your leveled ride? The new LT285/60R20, LT285/65R20 and LT285/55R22 sizes have you covered. The remaining sizes, LT265/75R16, LT285/75R16, LT265/65R17, LT265/70R17, LT285/70R17, and LT265/60R18; will likely fit your rig, too, giving you access to the stout sidewalls, Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake-rated winter performance, commendable on-road manners, and more. INFO: Mickey Thompson, 330/928-9092, mickeythompsontires.com SEVEN-SLOT ARMOR The PRO Series Recessed Winch Bumper for the Jeep Wrangler JL and Gladiator JT features an integrated, recessed winch mount to keep your winch low, protected, and to maintain airflow to the radiator. The bottom of the bumper extends down and back as an integrated…