Four Wheeler November 2022

This issue of Four Wheeler contains a fun story about the 2022 Centerforce Adventure Run, which is a multi-day off-road foray into the Arizona backcountry for 4x4s with manual transmissions (mostly). I think it’s safe to say that manual transmissions have played a big part in our wheeling past whether we drive a manual-equipped 4x4 now or not. My history with a manual gearbox began when the young me learned how to clutch and row gears in an old six-cylinder-powered Ford F-250 farm truck. Even though the shifter travel was super long and sloppy, and the clutch feel was funky, I eventually figured it out. The young me was surprised that it took a bit of learning. I guess I figured it would be easy after riding motorcycles since a young…

RESCUED SUBURBAN After trying to buy it for a few years, I finally rescued this ’70 K25 Suburban from under a bunch of sequoias on Palomar Mountain in Southern California. It has an SM465 four-speed, electric overdrive, NP205 with a hydraulic PTO for the 12,000-pound hydraulic winch, and an Eaton rearend. It took me one day to get it driving and three days to clean it. JEFF VIA EMAIL INSPIRED BY COLONEL MUSTARD I’m responding to the Trail’s End article on the flattie (Jul ’22). It’s a great story and hits home as I also have a ’51 CJ-3A and it has been a labor of love since I found it in 1994 totally beat, rusted out, with a seized 283ci small-block Chevy, but it had the adapter for the V-8 and that made it…

In the News What color is your vehicle? Is it yellow? A study by iseecars.com looked at depreciation based on hue and yellow is currently the top shade for retaining its value. Brown? Well, it can’t be called No. 2 in this case. That and gold have the highest depreciation. As usual, silver, black, gray, and white are your safe bets. According to a study of Gen Z vehicle buyers via CDK Global, that age demo finds it more difficult to buy a vehicle online than any other generation. But … aren’t they the online generation? A shoutout to them via shrug emoji. 50 million vehicles currently whizzing around “are being driven with a known issue that should be repaired,” according to Carfax. California has the most open recalls (5.6…

DAKAR-INSPIRED STOPPING POWER Adding accessories to your 4x4 means more weight that the brakes need to bring to a stop. The X-Line Big Brake Kit from Powerbrake features a billet six-piston caliper, caliper mounting brackets, high-performance brake pads, stainless-steel brake lines, and two-piece 345-395x34mm (depending on application) 72-vane disc rotors—a combination that is inspired by Dakar Rally-winning technology. The calipers can be optioned with either a Red or Grey Hard anodized finish. All mounting hardware is included. Available for many popular 4x4 platforms, including ’07-’18 Jeep Wranglers, ’03-’09 Lexus GX470s, and ’03-’16 Toyota 4Runners. INFO: Powerbrake, 704/804-2438, powerbrakeglobal.com ARMOR YOUR JK Armorlite has added cargo area protection to its line of products for the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. The full lineup of Armorlite cargo products includes seatback covers and load floor and wheelhouse covers…

Jason Helbig’s ’86 Jeep J10 overlander was a worthy addition to the 2021 Four Wheeler Overland Adventure Presented by Jeep. The Oregon native was accustomed to off-grid travel and had designed his overlanding J10 specifically for remote adventure. “It was my grandpa’s truck,” Jason said. “He handed it down to me and I decided to build it for long-distance off-road travel.” Jason had the tired AMC 360ci V-8 built to make more torque and horsepower. He also had it powdercoated for good looks and corrosion resistance. A custom exhaust system runs Hedman long-tubes and dual Flowmaster 40 Series 2.5-inch mufflers. The beast now has enhanced suspension components and rolls on 37-inch tires. The truck’s axles are a Dana 44 front and an AMC Model 20 rear, and to up their traction…

If vehicle-based and self-sustained off-road travel is your thing, then scrawl the Overland Expo series onto your to-do list. Overland Expo West, in Flagstaff, Arizona, is joined by similar gatherings in the East, Pacific Northwest, and the Rockies (Mountain West), where adventure travel enthusiasts come together to get educated, ogle new products, and share stories from the trail. The 2022 Overland Expo West was held at Fort Tuthill County Park, just outside Flagstaff, and the venue was teeming with over 28,000 showgoers hailing from all corners of North America as well as from Great Britain, Peru, Mexico, Australia, the Czech Republic, and Canada. They were joined by 406 exhibitors as they attended clinics on topics from cooking and trailside welding to vehicle recovery and route planning, entered raffles, enjoyed happy hours,…