E P S!

10 REASONS YOU MUST

JEEP THE RUBICON
A LL J E

BUILDERS’
JEEP TECH
WRANGLER POWERFUL
LOW LIFT & BIG-BRAKE
BIG TIRES UPGRADES
TRANSFER CASE SHIFTER FIX
SARGE IS A BUILT &
BURLY JK WRANGLER
PAGE 24

AXLE SWAPPING
FOR STRENGTH
USING THE 8.8 FORD
RANGER AXLE IN A TJ
BOATSIDE YOUR WRANGLER
GET PROTECTION & CLEARANCE AT ONCE
FLATTIE DIESEL CONVERSION
PUTTING A KUBOTA TRACTOR TO WORK
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

MARCH 2017
20

COVER SECTION: JEEP BUILDER’S TECH EVENTS

E-Z Upgrade For Clunky Jeep Jamboree on
Shift Linkage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 the Rubicon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Your Wrangler transfer case Decades-old institution keeps rocking
deserves it
Hi Desert Round-Up
Wrangler Suspension in California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Lift That Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 A long-standing Jeep tradition
A low lift with high-quality results
The KMC Summer
Important Stopping Power Jeep Bash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
For Big Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 32 Hundreds of Jeeps invade Long
TeraFlex has a big-brake upgrade Beach, CA

FEATURES TECH
A Bright and Busy Boatside Your Jeep Body . . . . . 52
Wrangler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Increase clearance and protection
Sarge is a masterpiece in metal
High-Tech Driveshaft
Oil Burner in a Flatfender . . . . 46 System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Transforming a Kubota We scoop near-future JE Reel ’shaft 56
The Silver Steed of Norco . . . 64 Axle Swapping For Strength 70
Building a JK into a mighty mount Using the 8.8 Ranger axle in a TJ DEPARTMENTS
64 Charge of the Light Brigade . 76 Trail Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
An easy power port install
Mailbag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Low-buck Fix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Dirt-cheap tailgate strap Dispatch ....................... 14
Jeep Shots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
New Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Your Jeep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Sideways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

ON THE COVER
This ex-show Jeep
leads a trail life now.
Contributor Trent Mc-
Gee captured it on the
rocks. See page 24 for
the fully story.

46
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Editor Rick Péwé
Technical Editor Stuart Bourdon
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ART DIRECTION & DESIGN

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MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS
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MARCH 2017
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 TRAIL HEAD
It’s called Creep for a reason
I know what you’re think-
ing: that weirdo guy that
hangs around the shop and
won’t leave, or the one that leers at your
sister like a politician. But surprisingly,
that’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m
talking about the collection of Jeep parts,
pieces, and projects that start out well and
then fizzle out into a pile in the corner. The
pile starts to grow bigger as you forget to
“get around to it” or are waiting on time
or parts, and pretty soon the pile gets
bigger and creeps up on you. You walk
into another room or area and you finally
realize that you have more than one pile
creeping up, with some rounding the
corners like an amoeba or space alien—in
fact it may well be!
When was the last time you decided to
work on one pile at a time rather than split-
ting the day up into 27 different projects?
Sure, you can stockpile stuff and wait
for the right time, but then it’s a constant
state of nothing getting done, as the walls
surround you and creep on in. It’s not that
I’m being paranoid from all the piles of
undone projects, but I do see the pattern
and have resolved to change the ongoing
COLOR creep of doom. Here’s six ways on how to
NEW RY move forward without creep:
A
MILIT RAB 1. Refrain from starting any new projects
D
OLIVE until at least two previous ones are
completed. Notice I said previous rather
than current. I have plenty of previous
www.durabakcompany.com
303.690.7190 jpmagazine.com
projects that aren’t current. In fact, many
of them may even border on irrelevant.
2. Make a ranking or list of importance,
timeliness, criticality, or want. Is it for a
deadline? Or is it for a dreamline? Prioritize
depending on the situation at hand.
3. Be realistic. That awesome J-truck
that would be so way cool as an overlander
will take five years to finish if you start now.
And you aren’t starting now. Nor will you.
4. Don’t hoard. I have so many little bags
and boxes and containers to put stuff in
that are waiting to get stuff put in them
that I will never run out. And then I buy
more. Do you really need 15 driveshafts
off various projects that don’t fit anything
you have?
5. Start with the project most complete
that you have all or most of the parts on.
Not 50 percent done? Leave it be and move
onto the project that’s nearly finished.
6. Finish. Yes, actually finish a project
and move it down the road, into its storage
space, or whatever it takes to remove
it from the pile. I know we always say a
Jeep project is never finished, but if it’s 98
percent done, call it done.
There are so many cool Jeeps and
jeeps out and about that it may be OK for
someone else to enjoy. Same with parts:
it’s OK to hoard 1⁄4 -20 UNF bolts in a jar in the
garage. Having a pile of Dana 27 Wagoneer
front axle assemblies for no good reason is
another. Anyone need some parts?
—Rick Péwé
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
MARCH 2017
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 MAILBAG
By John Cappa
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Clean Jeeping
In the Nov. ’16 issue of Jp within the
Mailbag column, in the letter titled
“Wheeled or Not,” I read the comments “I
hate seeing Jeeps driving around that look
like they’ve never been off-road” followed
by “Jeeps are meant to be dirty!”
Not so fast. Using that kind of logic
you could say that a fire truck has never
been used to put out a fire because it isn’t
covered in soot. There’s absolutely nothing
wrong with using a little elbow grease to
maintain the appearance of your Jeep.
I’ve seen some pretty awesome Jeeps
operated by individuals who, no doubt,
have invested big bucks and wheel them in
and out of places I wouldn’t get down and
walk through! Maintenance of a Jeep isn’t
just confined to changing the fluids, as any
owner knows. I’ve rubbed out my share
of sage brush pin-striping and will use a
power-washer on the undercarriage along
with other routine maintenance.
My access road is a mile long off the
main highway, and we get snow and rain
that turns it into a mile of goo. I must clean
my Jeep frequently, and I consider it just
part of the deal. Cleaning it after use is
no different than cleaning a firearm after
it’s used, as I see it, and there’s plenty of
opportunity to wheel out in this neck of
the woods. Once in a while, I must take it
to town and park it right in the middle of
every glistening mall cruiser in sight and
think nothing of it.
Ed Sierras
Aguanga, CA
Jp Extinct?
Are you guys still in publication? I can’t
find any issues at stores in my area. Yours
is the only 4x4 mag I like to read.
foolsonparade89
Via Instagram @jpmagazine
Of course Jp is still in publication! It’s
actually been a monthly magazine for
several years. Print issues can sometimes
10 Jp
be hard to find on the local newsstand. different Jeep models available it can
The best way to insure that you don’t miss be tough to get them all in each issue.
an issue is to sign up for a subscription. Glad you found the information you were
To get Jp in your mailbox every month, looking for. We’ve always said that if you
you can sign up online at circsource.com. look hard enough, you can find some small
International and Canadian subscriptions bit of information or a modification in
are available. You can also order any back every story that you can apply to your own
issues you might have missed. Jeep, regardless of what model you have.
If you are away
from home often or
just trying to save
the trees, you might
consider a digital
subscription. You
can sign up at zinio.
com. Single digital
back issues are also
available, some for
less than a buck!
Tips in
Every Issue
I couldn’t have
built my Jeep over
the years without
looking through Jp every month. Idaho Temptation
Thanks Jp! I hope you guys will come to Idaho and
Jason Hurt check out some of the best built Jeeps
Via facebook.com/jpmag around. These two are ready, and we want
to share them with everyone. Come on up
You are welcome! And thank you for to Boise and we’ll fill your cameras!
following along throughout the years. We Kevin Mereness
do our best to cover all models of Jeeps, Via facebook.com/jpmag
but as you can imagine, with 75 years of
Sounds fun. We’re always looking for cool
new places to go wheeling. If you have great
Jeeps, trails, and off-road events in your
area, drop us a line at jpeditor@jpmagazine.
com. We can’t guarantee that we’ll make it
to every event because let’s face it, we still
have to get the magazine out the door every
month, but we sure can try!
Start ’em Young
Our daughter pulling daddy’s Jeep.
Amy Godfrey
Via facebook.com/jpmag
jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
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MAILBAG
Family Jeep
I was reading Jp after hearing the
typical story, and we all hear it many
times. “Jeep has to go because we’re
having a baby.” I’d read it in the pages of
Jp once years back in the Mailbag column
as well. A guy had gotten a new Jeep after
years without. He got rid of his last one
because they were having a baby.
Myself, I bought my ’88 Jeep Cherokee
when my daughter was one and my son
was still in the tummy. That was 18 years
ago. They grew up in that Jeep, and now
they are Jeepers. We are building another
Cherokee for my daughter and looking for
a TJ, YJ, or whatever we can get for cheap-
ish for my son. Don’t get rid of a Jeep
because of a baby—that’s more reason to
get a Jeep. There is plenty of seating for a
family of four! We were trail riding when
my kids were in car seats. A lot of folks
would do double takes once they noticed
the car seats with kids in ’em. Have a great
day, and keep Jeeping in the family.
Danni Louvros
Princeton, B.C. Canada
Engine Rambling
Every month I read that if my Jeep’s
powerplant is tired, I should just replace
the stock four- or six-cylinder engine or
perhaps step up to an AMC 304 two-barrel
V-8 engine for more power. I reckon that
my second grade teacher was right when
12 Jp
she told my parents that I didn’t play well
with others. I have a ’71 CJ-5, the last of the
short-nose CJs. It came with a 225 Buick
V-6, which at some time in the past was
swapped for a ’80 231 V-6. Now that some
time has passed since the 231 was trans-
planted into my engine compartment. It
too is getting long in the tooth. So here I
sit at 66 years old attempting to figure out
which path to take. I could go with another
231 or, because I attended the school of
there ain’t no substitute for cubic inches,
I could start looking at V-8 engines that
would easily swap into my short-nose CJ.
Of course, I looked at both Chevrolet
and Ford small-block engines. However,
right off the bat I found out that none of the
engine or component swapping companies
are charity organizations, so I expanded my
search for other possible V-8 engines that
would swap easily into my Jeep. The very
first option that I looked into was to swap
a Buick V-8 into my engine compartment.
I sure ran into a brick wall according to the
professional swappers. I was informed that
there was no way I was going to be able to
get a Buick V-8 to fit, at least not without
hacking the frontend of my Jeep to pieces
and then spending a small fortune to pick
up all the nickel and dime components that
I would need to complete this engine swap.
And that’s if I were really lucky.
To make a long story shorter and get to
the point, I started measuring Buick V-8
jpmagazine.com
engines. I started with the small 215 and
went all the way to the 455. Having done
several dozen weird engine swaps over
the years, the Buick 350 stood out from
the rest because of its physical size, the
high nickel content of the block, the front-
mounted distributor, and lastly because
of its weight. With an aluminum intake
manifold, the engine weighs in at 428
pounds! The last time I checked, a small-
block Ford weighs in the neighborhood
of 450 pounds. How could a half-senile
Jeepaholic pass this up?
The Buick 350 literally fell into place!
I didn’t have to alter anything, change
motor mount bolts, alternator location,
or nothin’. I did rewire the CJ because
the harness had been hacked on over the
past few decades. I didn’t want to hunt
down bad wires and connections after the
swap. It is the easiest engine swap that
I’ve ever attempted. With everything said
and done, it looks as though it came from
the factory with the Buick 350 between
its fenderwells! The only downside I ran
into was that nobody I was able to contact
made a set of headers for this application.
I was hoping that someone out there in
the world of headers made a set of block
huggers, but alas, I came up empty.
It wasn’t that easy to find a good
running low-mileage Buick 350. In the end,
I wound up buying two used engines: one
to drop in and one to rebuild to my satis-
faction this next winter. The end result is
a good running ’71 CJ-5 that has ample
torque and is smooth running, never
missing a beat. And while it wound up
fitting a little snug in a few places, I’d do it
again in a heartbeat. It worked out much
better than I ever would have imagined.
So far, I haven’t dumped the T-14 transmis-
sion all over the pavement. I will upgrade
the transmission when I install the fresh
350 in the Jeep next spring.
I just don’t understand why, that in
going through 45 years of magazines
I have squirrelled away around here, I
have never, ever seen or read an article
that covers the swapping of a Buick V-8,
other than using a 215 into an older Jeep
CJ. Believe me: it was an easy swap and
the results are truly amazing and satisfy-
ing. How about doing an oddball engine
swap in Jp? I’m sure you would get a lot
of responses if you gave it a shot. I know it
wouldn’t be a really popular swap because
MARCH 2017
it is a little off the wall, but at least in my
case it sure worked out great! Thanks for
your time. Keep the shiny side up and the
rubber side down!
Rod Evans
Cle Elum, WA

Glad you found an engine swap that

worked for you. Swapping a Buick 350 in
place of a Buick V-6 is a natural swap. In
the case of these engines, the V-6 is essen-
tially just a V-8 with two cylinders lopped
off of it. Many years ago, Editor Rick Péwé
swapped a Buick 455 in place of the Buick
V-6 that had also been swapped into his
GPW flatfender several years earlier.
Unfortunately, the rule of thumb is that
most wrecking yards are plentiful with
vehicles that are 20 years old or newer.
Many of the older cars have long since
been scrapped for tin cans decades ago.
For that reason, the Buick V-8s, along with
all of the older big-inch engines are getting
more difficult to find. Swaps like this simply
are not as common as they once were.
The other reason you probably haven’t
seen much about a swap like this is that the
three-speed T-14 leaves a lot to be desired
both on- and off-road. The 3.10:1 ratio First
gear isn’t low enough for really technical
dirt work, and the three speeds are very
limiting on the street. Most people would
swap it out when doing a V-8 conversion.

Write Us!
Got a question or comment about Jp
magazine or the village idiots at the helm?
Drop us a line. Don’t forget to include your
full name and where you’re from or we’ll
make fun of you. Actually, we may make

HUNDREDS OF
fun of you anyway. Keep it short and to
the point or we’ll hack and chop your letter
as we please. We get a lot of mail, but we
read every letter. Unfortunately, we can’t
print or personally answer every request.
We’re too busy surfing the Internet on the
company dime. Digital images should be
VEHICLES
no less than 1,600 by 1,200 pixels (or 2
megapixels) and should be saved as aTIFF,
an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file.
ONE LOCATION
Write to: MORE SHOW DETAILS AT
Jp Magazine, Editor
831 S. Douglas St.
El Segundo, CA 90245
Email to: jpeditor@jpmagazine.com

MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com Jp 13

 DISPATCH
By Tori Tellem
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com

Quote Without Story

“Well I purchased what I thought was a 2014 hard rock/10a
hood from a known good recycler in the Detroit area.
The guy there was very helpful with sending pics before
the sale so I could see what I was getting and getting it
freight shipped to me in 3 days. Got the hood unpacked and
went to install today only to find out the hood I bought is
almost 2 inches longer than my stock hood. There are no
VIN stickers or Mopar stamped part numbers on this hood
(which is not the norm for Jeep/Mopar).”
—User Redrockjk on jlwranglerforums.com regarding a hood that was then rumored
to possibly be a preproduction part for the ’18 Jeep Wrangler JL

Quote Without Story 2

“I guess technically
I was the first partial
owner of a JL.”
—User Redrockjk on jlwrangerforums.com

Quote Without Story 3

“The recycling yard asked to have it back. I wanted
to save it but unfortunately I’m not made of money and
Jeep News & Rumors have an expensive wall art that would only serve as a
• Um, so, the upcoming luxo Jeep Grand conversation piece. I was told it’s going back to FCA.”
Wagoneer. $140,000? If it’s supposed to
compete with the likes of Land Rover and —User Redrockjk on jlwranglerforums.com, a couple weeks later
the Bentley Bentayga, then yeah, highly
possible.
• It’s a mouthful, but here goes: Jeep is
now the exclusive non-luxury vehicle of
Prudential Center and the New Jersey
Devils for the 2016-2017 hockey season.
• The Jeep Compass is officially in Brazil.
• In case you missed it: The Wrangler-
based ’19 Jeep pickup? JT. The ’18
redesigned Wrangler? JL.
• “The Jeep Renegade, which features
Electronic Roll Mitigation and Electronic
Stability Control as standard equipment,
meets or exceeds all mandated safety
requirements. The Company is investi-
gating the circumstances surrounding
these demonstrations.” That’s the state-
ment Fiat Chrysler released, according
to jalopnik.com, regarding European-
spec Renegades and the alleged ability • The annual Mason-Dixon Jeep Gathering terms of use for the DealerCONNECT
to lift the rear tires off the ground at the Union Mills Homestead turned 10 software to say that there would be civil
during hard braking. This video has years old. and criminal proceedings levied against
been making the rounds: youtube.com/ • Looks like a global recall for about 224,000 anyone violating it (which would include
watch?v=dCEthdH7iYw. ’16-’17 Wranglers is happening due to giving out codes or breaching other
• The code name for the C-segment Jeep airbags that may not deploy in a crash. security). It’s a step toward preventing
made in India specifically for that market • Yeah, words will definitely stop this, hacking, mainly.
appears to be 556. And a B-segment is 526. right? Fiat Chrysler has changed its

14 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

DISPATCH

Industry News Auto Graphs

• Bestop has a sweepstakes going on • Will self-driving vehicles make riding a
until July 28, 2017, called Project Pink. motorcycle safer?
All money will go to the American • You know how you can use an app to buy
Cancer Society, plus Bestop will match a vehicle? Honcker.com lets you lease via
donations up to $10,000. The sweep- smartphone.
stakes will give you a chance to win • It seems Fiat Chrysler and Cummins are
custom tops, and raffle tickets are just $3 cat-fighting over who’s gonna pick up
each. Head to bestopprojectpink.com. the tab on the recall of about 130,000
• Bestop also sponsored members of Ram pickups with the Cummins diesels
Team HD and Team Wild and Free for that might not meet the U.S. emissions
the first-ever Rebelle Rally, the seven- standards. That tab? Probably to the
day, 1,200-mile off-road navigation and tune of $200 mil. And on a separate
driving competition, which allowed only note, seems the company is also dealing
a compass, map, and road book. And
only women.
• Truck Hero bought Husky Liners.
• Continental scooped up Hoosier Racing
Tire Corp.
• Lonnie McCurry Jr. has been appointed
president of Skyjacker, and will take over
for his father Lonnie Sr., who will be CEO
and Chairman of the Board.
• Hankook Tire has opened a new R&D spot
in Korea called Hankook Technodome.

Reader Quote Without Story*

(*As seen on Jp’s Facebook page)

Instagram Watch Instagram: @jkuworld

Instagram: @jeepflow Instagram: @jpmagazine

16 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

DISPATCH
with some lawsuits regarding alleged
issues regarding sales practices (such
as fudging the sales numbers to affect
shares) and safety compliance.
• NASCAR has partnered with Fiat
Chrysler to offer the 12-week Mopar
This Jeep’s Got Wood
Friend of, and sometimes contributor to,
Jp, Martin Brink, sent us these photos taken
by his friends Rob Vogelzang and wife Ellen
Leene. A 10-week trip to Iceland is where
they stumbled upon this Jeep in a barn.
“The only Jeep I could find on the Internet
that looked a little the same was a ’61 CJ-5
Derby,” Martin said. “As you can see, it has
a wooden roof and a closed cabin.”
We Need Your Stuck or Broken
or Military Jeep!
We want your Jeep for our Sideways
department! Here are ways you can get
your Jeep in in Jp Magazine!
Your broken parts or broken Jeep:
Did you have an epic snap, blow-up, or
breakage? How about an insane trail
repair? Photo or it didn’t happen.
Stuck/Flopped/Rollover: Send us
your four-wheeling mess.
Vintage and Military Jeep: We like
old-timey and military things, like with
your father or grandfather, or even
modern service.
Jeep Road Trip: A photo from your
best road trip that took place in a Jeep.
The Jeep needs to be in the photo in a
landmark location. Like the Travelocity
gnome.
Follow this format:
18 Jp
Technical Education
Curriculum (Mopar TEC) at the
NASCAR Technical Institute.
• Well, that’s no good: traffic
deaths were up in 2015, 7.2
percent higher than 2014.
What’s with all our mandated
safety equipment then?
• Volkswagen may name its next
SUV Atlas.
• There’s some chatter that
Germany will stop the sale of
internal-combustion engines
by 2030.
• The ’17 Ford Super Duty won
Truck of Texas for the 13th time
at the ’16 Texas Truck Rodeo.
• Dodge is exiting Australia?
• There’s a nationwide program
(and somewhat beyond) called
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW),
featuring workshops designed to teach
outdoor skills, ranging from camping
and shooting to trailering and hunting.
Classes vary based on region.
• Your name and your city/state:
• Year/make/model of your Jeep/military
Jeep:
• Where the photo took place:
• Describe what we are seeing in the
photo/other info we may need to know:
• Why the photo means a lot to you/
lesson learned/your takeaway:
In addition to the words, here are the
photo requirements:
• JPG (maximum quality), BMP,
or TIFF file.
• No less than 1,600 by 1,200 pixels or
about 2 megapixels. The original size
from your phone/device.
• No PDFs or other formats. We just can’t
use them in the magazine.
• Email the materials to jpeditor@
jpmagazine.com with the subject line,
“Sideways.”
jpmagazine.com
Where Do You Read Jp Magazine?
Where do you read Jp magazine?
Well, if you read it in a unique or cool
location, we want to see a photo of
that—and don’t bother with a toilet
photo, please. The photo should show
you, the magazine, and the location, all
in one. Email the photo and informa-
tion about you to jpeditor@jpmaga-
zine.com with the subject line, “Jp on
Location.” Show and tell! Answer these
questions for us in your email:
Your name
Where you’re from
Where the photo was taken
What you’re doing/why you’re at
that location
Photo must be a JPG (maximum
quality), BMP, or TIFF file and a size
of 1,600 by 1,200 pixels, or around 2
megapixels (the original size from your
phone/device.) It probably goes without
saying that your copy of Jp should be
seen with you in the photo.
Where the Jeeps Are
Have an event? Let us know!
Remember the magazine needs about
four months of advance warning. Just
follow these steps:
• Name of event:
• Date(s) of event:
• City/State of event:
• Name of venue (if applicable):
• Website for readers to learn more
about your event:
• Why your event is cool in five words
or less:
• Have a high-resolution photo from a
previous event? Feel free to send it to
us and we might just include it.
• Send the info and photo to:
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
• Make your subject line, “Where the
Jeeps Are.”
Jeep Blitz Festival
May 18-21, 2017
Bushnell, Illinois
jeepblitz.com or facebook.com/jeepblitz
Wheeling, vendors, tours of Steinjäger.
MARCH 2017
10 Reasons
Almost anyone who has ever
held the steering wheel of a Jeep
in his or her hands has heard
about the Rubicon Trail, and the Jeepers
and Jeep Jamborees. These Jamborees

Why You
are two of the premier trail events in the
country (and possibly the world), and they
are, in our opinion, one of best ways to
experience the challenge of the “Rubicon.”
Which one is best for you? The two
words that best differentiate the events
are “party” and “family.” The Jeepers

Must Jeep
Jamboree will be in its 65th year for 2017,
is more of an adult atmosphere, and sees
higher attendance numbers (more than
400 rigs and more than 1,000 people in
2016). The Jeepers Jamboree is actually
two events in one: a three-day and four-day
trip that overlap during the same weekend.

The Rubicon
The Jeep Jamboree (2017 will be its 39th
year) is a much more kid-friendly event
with activities planned in camp just for
them, is a three-day event (drive in, camp,
drive out), and experiences a smaller crowd
(about 120 rigs and 400 people in 2016).
You can decide which event to attend
based on the experience you desire.
However, they both go over exactly the
same rugged and challenging terrain.
Either way, you will have “done the
Rubicon.” We did the “party” in 2015, so
decided to check out the Jeep Jamboree
in 2016. We had just as much fun, got to
tackle the Rubicon Trail one more time,
had no headaches in the morning, and
saw many dozens of future Jeepers getting
a taste of and falling in love with the
“Rubicon.” Here are our Top 10 reasons
you too should get to a Jeep Jamboree. For
all the registration info, contact Jeepers
Jamboree & Jeep Jamboree, Inc., 530/333-
4771, jeepersjamboree.com.

We attended the 38th

(2016) Annual Jeep
Jamboree Rubicon run,
and here are 10 reasons
why you shouldn’t
miss it in 2017
By Stuart Bourdon
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Stuart Bourdon

20 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

 Stupendous
1 Four-Wheeling
Let’s just begin by saying that the
Rubicon Trail is quite possibly
the most challenging Jeep trail in
existence. Sure, there are other
trails that can easily be placed at
10 on a 1-to-10 scale, such as Hell’s
Revenge/Escalator (actually rated
an 8 by the Moab, Utah-based Red
Rock 4-Wheelers), or Black Bear
Pass Trail in Colorado (not officially
rated, but nonetheless very
dangerous in its own right for the
inexperienced or ill-equipped), or
some of the short, but rock-strewn,
trails of Johnson Valley. However,
for the sheer number of obstacles
and challenges per mile combined
with its length, there is nothing that
surpasses the Rubicon Trail. After
all, you are crossing the spine of
the Sierra Nevada.

Awesome Rigs
2 One of the best parts of participating in
the Jeep Jamboree (or Jeepers Jamboree) is
to check out the other Jeeps. This well-built
flattie had a 350ci V-8 under its hood, and
drew a lot of attention from participants. Of
course, your rig should be very well prepped,
equipped, and built sturdy as steel to handle
the rugged terrain. However, you will see
all sorts of setups, builds, new equipment,
and mechanical ideas from which you can
pick and choose concepts to apply to your
Jeep. With hundreds of rigs to ogle, you will
definitely come away from a Rubicon Trail trip
with lots of new ideas to better your own Jeep.

Breathtaking Scenery Delicious Food And Beverages

3 It’s the Sierra Nevada for crying out loud! This is
the same place you’ll find Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings
Canyon National Parks. You’re in the Desolation Wilder-
ness and the majestic scenery, skyscraping granite
peaks, forests of pines and firs, and abundance of wildlife
are staggering. When you’re not zeroed in on the terrain
so you don’t screw up and bash or break something on
the VW-sized boulders, you will be rubbernecking at the
tremendously beautiful scenery surrounding you.
4 How do ribeye steaks, corn on the cob, scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes,
pastrami sandwiches, and a long list of other culinary treats sound? Who cares how
they sound—they taste wonderful. This is what we enjoyed in camp and what you
can expect to enjoy as well. The cook crew are a group of volunteers who whip up
delicious meals for you three times a day when in camp. There was an ice cream
parlor too, where you could get ice cream sundaes with nuts, whipped cream, straw-
berry, or chocolate topping (or all four) added. For the adults, the bar is open with a
variety of beers and other adult beverages available at a much lower cost than at your
local ballpark—no $12 beers here. Non-alcoholic drinks are available for the kids too.

MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com Jp 21

 10 REASONS WHY YOU MUST JEEP THE RUBICON
Really Nice People/
5 Mechanics
The Jeepers/Jeep Jamboree staff members
are incredibly friendly and easy to deal
with, but as anybody that’s part of the Jeep
community knows, fellow Jeepers are
normally a very casual bunch. We have met
people at these events who have become
fast friends and continue to be so decades
later. And in the event you do have mechani-
cal problems, not only will people stop and
help you out on the trail, but once you’re in
camp at Rubicon Springs, you can head over
to the mechanics’ camp where you can get
repairs done by skilled and experienced Jeep
wrenchers. You have to bring spare parts with
you or buy them (some common spare parts
may be available), but labor charges are on
a “tip” basis. Suggestion: Tip well. You want
these guys to be your friends.
Your Kids Will Love It
6 Kids who are 14 years and older can
attend the Jeepers Jamboree, but the age
limit is much lower for the Jeep Jamboree.
Kids who are six years and older are allowed
on the Jeep Jamboree, and this event is
really geared more toward families. The Jeep
Jamboree featured kids-only events such
as an RC car (Jeep) trail ride around some
of the rocks in camp, an ice-cream eating
contest, and a crawdad catching contest.
The Rubicon River that lazily flows beside
the camp is filled with them (and trout in case
you’re of the angling bent), and the girl that
won the crawdad catching contest hauled
in 62 of the little buggers, one of which was
nearly 5 inches in length. By the way, the river
is also a great spot for all ages to swim in and
float around on, so be sure to bring swimsuits,
towels, and your inflatable floaties.
22 Jp
Helpful Trail Spotters
7 You really should have some Jeeping
experience before doing the Rubicon, but
even a novice can successfully navigate
and enjoy the Jeepers/Jeep Jamborees.
That’s because at almost every tough spot,
there are “rock rollers.” These are men and
women with off-road–trail driving experience
who can help guide you through the most
challenging obstacles. These extremely
helpful people will “spot” you through a tough
section, and if needed, roll rocks into place to
assist your safe passage through a challeng-
ing obstacle. Having cookies to share with
the rock rollers to say “thank you” as you go
along is not a bad idea at all.
Live Music
8 Yes, there is a bandstand and dance
floor in Rubicon Springs. A band and its
equipment is Jeeped in by staff members and
volunteers, and the band plays every night to
entertain Jamboree participants. This year,
it was a group called Tragically White, and
they cranked out some good old-fashioned
rock ’n’ roll on Friday and Saturday evening,
performing two sets for a total of about two
hours of live musical entertainment. Adults
and kids boogied to the beat, and all had a
very good time.
Camping Is Cool
9 Who doesn’t love to camp out? Really, it’s as much a part of Jeeping as all-terrain tires. The
Rubicon Springs area is a thin little valley that stretches for about a mile through the forest. It can
accommodate hundreds in some very comfortable and scenic, albeit primitive, camp spots. There
are porta-potties, and even showers if a dip in the river isn’t enough to clean off the trail dust, so
it’s certainly not barbaric for those who are shy about “potty-time in the woods.” By the end of the
first day, when everyone was off the trail and in “the springs,” more than 100 brightly colored tents
dotted the landscape, tucked in between tall timber, large boulders, and vehicles. While there are
no individual campfires allowed, the bonfire in camp is the perfect place to make s’mores.
10 Bragging Rights
When it’s all over and you’re back on
pavement, you will have “done the Rubicon.”
Even if you don’t buy the T-shirt, you can wear
that accomplishment like a badge of honor.
There are not many Jeep trails (if any) that
hold the allure and reputation for challenging
off-road driving that the Rubicon does. Sure,
you can do it on your own or with a small
group of buddies and their Jeeps, but then
you won’t have the fun and feeling of camara-
derie that comes with driving this famous (or
infamous) trail during an event such as the
Jeepers Jamboree or the Jeep Jamboree.
It’s sort of a “bucket list’ thing. So get your
rig and yourself ready and sign up for this
ultimate Jeeping adventure.
jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
24 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
 Show and
Go Jeep A reformed SEMA
JK built for chasing
race trucks
By Trenton McGee
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Trenton McGee

Unless you’ve been living in a

bubble, you’ve probably heard
of the SEMA Show. It’s the
largest automotive aftermarket trade show
in the world, and it takes place in Las
Vegas every November. It’s no secret that
the vast majority of the display vehicles
in the show are simply visual; most of
them are built to showcase products and
more than a few don’t even run. Jeeps
always have a strong presence at the show,
and the JK is no exception, but sadly, a
large percentage of the SEMA Jeeps are
lightbar-clad trailer queens that will never
see a dirt road, let alone ever get put in
low-range. Though our featured Jeep
may have started life as a SEMA vehicle,
this particular Wrangler has shed it show
duties and regularly gets used in the dirt.
Fast Duty
Mark “Sarge” Schleipfer was the
brains behind this creation, and his buddy
and racing partner, Todd Douglas, was
largely responsible for making it a reality.
Sarge is a marketing guru at mobile audio
giant MTX Audio, while Todd owns
Phoenix-area shop Desert West Outdoors.

HARD FACTS
Vehicle: ’15 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Engine: 3.6L V-6 Pentastar
Transmission: Auto
Transfer Case: Stock
Suspension: Rock Krawler 31⁄2 -inch Flex
System
Axles: Dana 30 (front), Dana 44 (rear)
Wheels: 17x9 Black Rhino Tanay
Tires: 35x12.50-R17 Kanati Trail Hogs

MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com Jp 25

 SHOW AND GO JEEP

Both Sarge and Todd campaign Sarge’s

Class 7SX race truck in a few different
off-road racing series’, so when Sarge’s
day job wanted to build a Jeep for the 2015
SEMA Show, he decided to kill two birds
with one stone and build a JK that would
both showcase MTX’s audio products and
serve as a prerunner/chase vehicle for the
race truck. The result is this ’15 Unlimited
that received a lot of attention in the MTX
booth at the show this past year, but it
serves its present purpose as a prerunner
and race support vehicle even better.
Though uncommon in the desert-
racing world, in many ways a four-door
Jeep is a great choice for a racing support
vehicle. There’s plenty of room for crew
members and an adequate amount of
space for gear if you pack carefully. The
coil-spring suspension can be built to
soak up rough terrain while prerunning, Protecting the rear is an ICI bumper that
and it’s nimble enough to get to remote incorporates dual recovery points and
areas should a recovery be needed. includes more rear-facing LED light from KC.
A second Hi-Lift is mounted out back, as well
Buff Build as LED taillights from Off-Road Only that are
A prerunner/chase rig has different mounted in hydro-dipped housings to match
needs from a traditional trail vehicle, and the rest of the exterior accents.
Sarge focused on enhancing the Jeep’s
utility in a race support role. Navigation There’s plenty of equipment on tap should
is handled by an iPad mini on a Ram things go sideways, either on the race
mount, while a powerful Rugged Radio course or during self-recovery. A Hi-Lift jack
system complete with headsets enables is mounted over a 12,500-pound capacity
the crew to keep in close contact with the Bulldog winch, which in turn is mounted in
race truck. Good suspension is a critical an ICI Magnum bumper. A Factor 55 Flatlink
part of prerunning, and Sarge reports is attached to the winch rope, while more KC
that the Rock Krawler suspension and HiLites LED lighting (including the headlights)
shocks do very well on high-speed dirt helps keep things bright after dark.

Under the hood, the Jeep is largely stock with

the exception of an SEM intake and some
wiring to power the massive sound system.
The Jeep’s SEMA Show roots are peeking
through with a hydro-dipped engine and PDC
covers by CGS Customs. CGS also did quite
a few of the exterior pieces in a slick carbon
fiber. KC HiLites Cyclone lights are on hand
should something under the hood need to be
diagnosed after dark.

The rear cargo area is all business, with a

Rock Hard 4x4 rollcage holding a full comple-
ment of MTX speaker pods as well as added
subwoofers, all of which was installed by TJ
Meise and the rest of the crew at MTX Audio.
A Power Tank is on-tap for filling tires and
running air tools, while more Hi-Lift recovery
equipment is also ready for action.

26 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

 Now available for
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w w w. s k y j a c k e r. c o m
 SHOW AND GO JEEP

The 31⁄2 -inch Rock Krawler suspension does a good job of

keeping the Kanati tires in contact with the ground, and a set of
Artec Nighthawk front and rear fenders provide plenty of room
for suspension flex. The ICI Magnum Side Steps make entry and
egress easy but are vulnerable to trail obstacles, as we found out
during the photo shoot. Portions of the fenders, the Daystar hood
cowl, and the door handles are hydro-dipped carbon fiber.

roads, while the PRP seats help keep

occupants comfortable. There’s lots of
recovery equipment on board, includ-
ing two Hi-Lift jacks, because breaking
stuff is just part of racing. Though most
prerunners are a little rough around the
edges, the Jeep’s past as a SEMA Show
vehicle means there are a lot of show-
quality finishing touches to the build,
from the interior and exterior compo-
nents hydro-dipped in a carbon fiber
finish to the serious MTX sound system
that keeps the support crew jamming
during those long nights in the pits.
The front and rear axles are stock, and the Chasing race trucks and prerunning often
factory gearing does an adequate job of means hours behind the wheel, so comfort- Good, Bad, And What It’s For
getting the Jeep moving, even with the 35s. able seats are mandatory. Custom PRP Though it may not have all the gadgets
Rock Krawler 2.0 shocks smooth out the suspension seats carry the black-and- needed for hardcore trail work, this Jeep
whoops, while a Magnaflow cat-back system yellow theme inside, and there’s a matching wasn’t intended to be a hardcore crawler.
allows the engine to breathe easier. bench seat in the back.
Instead, it’s a useful alternative to a bulky
pickup truck with a service bed and a
The interior includes
iPad-based naviga-
chase rack or a full-blown prerunner that’s
tion, a Bully Dog just one step away from a racecar.
programmer, and a
host of switches on
tap to control all of the
Why I Wrote This Feature
interior and exterior We love unique and unusual Jeep
lighting. There’s also builds, and this one is right up there
a full Rugged Radios on the chart. Sarge’s ’15 Jeep JK
Communications Wrangler has proven to be handy as
system with headsets, both a prerunner and a chase truck.
push-to-talk, and Judging by the build quality and the
music piped in from the performance we saw first-hand during
massive sound system. our day in the desert with the rig, we’re
Note the Rugged willing to bet the Jeep will fulfill its
Radio’s head unit intended purpose for years to come.
cleverly mounted in the —Trent McGee
glove box.

28 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

Slick
Shifting
NP231
JB Custom Fabrication’s
billet cable-shift is a
smooth move for
trail-ready Jeeps
By Bruce W. Smith
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Bruce W. Smith

If you are one of those Jeep

TJ owners who is tired of
having the transfer case
shifter hang-up as you’re trying to change
ranges or find it slips out of gear at the
most inopportune time or it’s just plain
hard to shift, there’s a quick remedy. You
can install a cable shifter.
A cable shift not only does away with
the NP231’s clunky mechanical-shift
tendencies, it allows you to mount the
shifter just about anywhere you want,
from the floor to the dash, or even
overhead if you are so inclined. The shifter
can also be angled for a better ergonomic
fit to the driver without any adverse effect
on the crisp, smooth range changes.
Making the switch in the way you
shift the T-case is easy, as we found
when installing a JB Custom Fabrication
billet-style cable shifter on the NP231
in a ’89 Jeep TJ Wrangler. “The biggest
reason our customers tell us they are
purchasing our T-case cable shift kits,”
says Jon Barricklow, the man behind the
U.S.-made units, “is for transfer case
swaps/clocking, or because they’re build-
ing custom consoles where routing the
mechanical linkage becomes a problem.”
Jon walked us through the process
of ditching the OE setup for cable. It’s
a smooth move and well worth the cost
($256) for the CNC-machined billet-
model shifter with a 48-inch cable. The
only change we need to get used to, other
than how smooth the range changes are, is
remembering “2WD” is all the way back
and “4L” is all the way forward with the
new shifter, which is the opposite of the
stock shift pattern. That’s because the
OEM mechanical linkage uses a bell-crank
that reverses the direction of the shift.
30 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
 Proper cable adjustment is 3 inches of
movement, allowing the transfer case’s shift
lever to cycle through its full range of motion.

JB Custom Fabrication offers two types of

single stick cable shifters for the NP231J
transfer case: Single Buggy (left) and
Single Billet. The Buggy style is made from
CNC-machined 303 stainless, while the Billet
model is CNC machined from anodized black
aluminum billet. Both install the same way.

Shift cables are offered in various lengths

from 36 to 120 inches to fit the application. The new shift knob shows the reversed trans-
We used the standard 48-inch cable, which is fer case shift pattern with “4L” forward and
secured in the mounting bracket. “2H” in the rear position.

After all the stock linkage is removed the 304

stainless JB cable bracket is bolted to the
transmission using two existing bolts.

JB Custom Fabrications single-stick transfer

case cable-shifter is simple, strong, and well
designed, providing smooth and trouble-free
T-case range changes.

Source
The new shift lever bolts to the transfer case JB’s cable is stainless and uses a stainless JB Custom Fabrication, 503/749-
shift arm. steel pivot pin and hardware to attach it to the 3099, jbfab.net
T-case shift lever.

MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com Jp 31

Low
Trends are a funny thing.
They come; they go. However,
some things never really
change, and the desire to build the best
Jeep you can for your type of wheeling is
one of those trends that doesn’t seem to
fade. Aftermarket
standard part numbers from spring
maker A and shock manufacturer B,
AEV gives you custom triple-rate coils
and tuned Bilstein shocks matched to the
coils. In addition to a geometry-corrected
rear track-arm tower that keeps the Jeep’s
handling from becoming savage, the
AEV kit includes a rear track-arm, front
stabilizer end-link relocation brackets,

Lifting
suspension systems bumpstop extensions, and brake line
have often fit into relocation brackets.
that “trending” We also ordered the optional
category. For a (standard in the 31⁄2 - and 41⁄2 -inch kit)
while it seemed as AEV front control arm drop brackets.
if “taller is better” These help to improve ride quality,
was the mantra. control dive for improved braking perfor-
American mance, decrease the operating angle
Expedition range of the front driveshaft, and elimi-

A Jeep
Vehicles (AEV) is nate the need for adjustable control arms
one of the companies that or cam bolts for caster correction. These
figured out how to provide brackets just might have been the best
Jeep enthusiasts with a $105 we’ve spent on suspension parts.
moderate-hike suspen- We spent a day installing the AEV
sion lift kit that allowed for DualSport 21⁄2 -inch XT Suspension
taller-than-stock tires and System on a ’13 Jeep JK Wrangler and
delivered a ride quality that found the assembly straightforward,
provided well-controlled and everything fit just like it should. It
on-road and well-articu- was a well-manufactured kit, and in five
Keeping the JK lating off-road performance, without the non-rushed hours, the Jeep was off the
customer having to pull out the tin snips jacks and driving. The AEV 21⁄2 -inch kit
Wrangler real with a and molest the body or fenders. delivered a great street ride and is a good
The AEV DualSport 21⁄2 -inch XT off-road setup for those not looking to do
21⁄2 -inch lift from AEV Suspension System (the company also extreme off-roading or rockcrawling. For
By Stuart Bourdon offers a 31⁄2 - and 41⁄2 -inch kit) for the Jeep this JK, we wanted something that didn’t
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com JK Wrangler features coils and shocks suck to drive around town, made the rig
Photography: Steven Rupp specifically designed and tuned for that look great, and could handle moderate
kit and vehicle. Rather than boxing up off-road trails. We scored.

32 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

Here you can see the stock rear spring next to
the new triple rate spring from AEV. There’s a
difference in appearance and an even bigger
difference in performance. AEV created these
new springs specifically for this 21⁄2 -inch
suspension lift kit and vehicle.
We installed the new rear track bar tower that
will help fix all the geometry problems associ-
ated with lifting the JK. We made sure to tighten
the U-bolt to no more than 40 ft-lbs since any
tighter could deform the axletube. The bottom
bolt was tightened to 80 ft-lbs.
The kit came with an AEV rear track bar to
replace the stock unit. The new rear track bar
meets all OE specs but has been bent to create
clearance for the Jeep’s exhaust system.
The new track bar was then installed, making
sure to reverse the direction of the factory
bolt holding the track bar to the bracket.
MARCH 2017
The new springs were slid into place, and we
made sure to index them correctly on the axle
spring seat.
We installed the bump stop spacers on the
axle using the supplied hardware. Keep in
mind they need the wider side toward the
wheel. Having them in backwards will cause
interference problems.
The AEV 21⁄2 -inch kit comes with a set of Bilstein 5100 shocks that have been custom-valved for
this specific kit and the Jeep JK Wrangler.
jpmagazine.com
The new rear AEV/Bilstein shocks were
installed using the factory hardware. The
lower shock nuts were torqued to 56 ft-lbs,
while the sway bar end links were reattached
and torqued to 60 ft-lbs.
Lastly the new rear brake line brackets were
put in place, and we retightened all of the
control arm hardware and other bolts.
Jp 33
 LOW LIFTING A JEEP

With the new brake

lines in place, the rear
part of the kit was
done and we could
move onto the front.
The new spacer went into the spring, and
then the spring was put into place under
the Jeep. Once in position and indexed
Just like in the rear, properly, the provided bumpstop spacer
the first step was hardware was tightened up.
to loosen, but not
remove, all eight of
the control arm bolts.
We did the same to
the frame-side track
bar bolt.

The new front AEV/Bilstein shocks were then

assembled and installed under the JK.

The stock springs were removed, but we left

the factory isolator in place.

After making an indexing mark, we discon-
nected the driveshaft and supported the
loose end with a bungee so it wouldn’t hang
down, which could cause damage.
For ’11-current JK Wranglers (ours is a ’13),
you have to remove the brake line bracket
from the line. The metal is pretty thick, and
we couldn’t bend it open far enough to get the
rubber line out, so we used a cutoff wheel to
weaken it a bit. Of course, the trick here was
not to damage the brake line.
To accommodate for the 21⁄2 -inch lift, the kit
comes with sway bar end-link brackets. The
left and right brackets are identical, and the
curved ends of both brackets point left. They
were secured to 80 ft-lbs, and then the end
links were attached and tightend to 75 ft-lbs.

The stock shocks were removed and the

hardware was saved. The upper fasteners
were tough to access, but we eventually got To secure the new front-axle bumpstop pad, Jeep JK Wranglers from ’07-’10 use a new drop
a wrench in there. We also disconnected the we first drilled a 3⁄8 -inch hole in the center of bracket to secure the brake line, but our ’13
lower end of the sway bar end links. the metal base. used a couple of the provided zip ties as shown.

34 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

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 LOW LIFTING A JEEP
For a real-world
test, we drove
it to Moab and
put it work
We decided to also run the optional JK front
control arm drop bracket kit from AEV. The
kit fixes some of the frontend geometry that’s
compromised by a lift and makes for a better-
driving Jeep. The kit works with AEV’s 21⁄2 -,
31⁄2 -, and 41⁄2 -inch lift kits.
Going by the instructions, we assembled the
right- and left-side brackets. The key is to
work on one side at a time.
Here’s the passenger side installed. The
upper control arm was bolted to the top hole
since we have the 21⁄2 -inch lift kit. Red Loctite
was used on the M14 bolts on the lower
control arms.
MARCH 2017
Put It To The Test
For a real-world test, we drove it to
Moab and put it work. On the 800-mile
drive to Moab, the JK had excellent road
manners and the handling felt compa-
rable to stock, but the lifted ride was
even better than it was at stock height.
The Nitto LT285/75R17 Terra Grappler
G2 tires wrapped around a set of 17-inch
AEV Pintler wheels (in the new Black
Onyx color) were surprisingly quiet on
the highway and rode nicely when aired
to 44 psi. It was the JK’s first outing
off-road, so we stuck to the moderate
trails, but when aired down to 25 psi,
the Nitto G2s had excellent grip over
the slickrock and through the sand. This
package seems like a good-looking and
well-handling combination for those
who want a nice balance between daily
driving manners and off-road capability.
Here’s the driver side secured in place. As on
the passenger side, the upper control arm
was bolted to the top hole. And just like the
passenger side, the M14 bolts were torqued
to 125 ft-lbs and dabbed with red Loctite.
The torque spec for the upper M12 bolts is 75
ft-lbs. With that, the relocation kit was done.
We also picked up an AEV ProCal module
to reset the factory computer to the new
tire diameter we were able to run with the
21⁄2 -inch AEV lift kit we installed earlier. Using
just nine dip switches on the AEV ProCal, we
were able to set the tire size, recalibrate the
tire pressure monitoring system, activate
daytime running lights, add “one touch” turn
signals, and enable a temporarily increased
engine idle speed for winching. The AEV
ProCal can also read and clear engine codes
and help alignment techs align for optimal
ESP performance. Just flip the switches in
the right order and plug it into the OBDII port.
The Jeep beeps twice, and it’s done.
While having nothing to do with the lift, we Sources
decided to replace the rear diff cover with this
slick piece from AEV. The drain hole is nice, American Expedition Vehicles,
but what we really liked was the extra-large 248/926-0256, aev-conversions.com
fill port, which also doubled as an inspection Nitto Tire, nittotire.com
port for the gears.
jpmagazine.com Jp 37
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Stopping
Power
Upgrade
Stopping is important. I’m not talking about
stopping to smell the roses, though that’s
important too. I’m talking about stopping your Jeep on the
highway or trail. Most of the excitement of Jeeping is all about
going—going to new places, going over that rock, or over that
sand hill. To do those things safely, though, a Jeep’s brake system
needs to operate effectively. Upgrades make Jeeps heavier and their
braking less efficient—good thing there is an upgrade for that too.
Teraflex has been around the Jeep world for many years. It
designs and manufactures suspension kits and all sorts of Jeep
accessories. The TeraFlex Big Brake upgrade kit is what we’re
talking about here, and it’s a relatively easy bolt-on kit that
requires zero cutting or welding.
Always lay out your parts before you start any project. This gives you a
chance to make sure you aren’t missing anything. Additionally, make
sure to read the instructions.
40 Jp jpmagazine.com
There are multiple options for front brakes from TeraFlex. Its
Performance Big Rotor kits come with and without slotted brakes
and relocate the factory caliper farther away from the center of
the hub. The company’s full-blown Big Brake kit includes new
calipers, brackets, and larger rotors. The kit’s 13.3-inch front
rotors seem to dwarf the 11.9-inch factory rotors. The calipers in
the Big Brake kit are built to TeraFlex specifications, and each
caliper uses dual 56mm pistons for a more evenly distributed
clamping force, using composite-resin semi-metallic pads. The
calipers are so big that a 17-inch or larger wheel is required.
Out back, the TeraFlex Big Rotor kit moves the existing caliper
farther away from the center of the hub—a move that improves
braking effectiveness. The kit also includes a 131⁄2 -inch rotor and
new caliper brackets. Slotted rotors are also available for the rear
kits. These also require a minimum wheel size of 17 inches.
In addition to the rotor and caliper kits, TeraFlex offers a
brake master cylinder with an oversized bore. The higher flow
is required for ’07-’11 JKs and pushes 14 percent more pressure
to the much bigger front calipers. If you are using the Big Rotor
kits and keeping all your factory calipers, this is not needed. On
our subject Jeep, an ’08 JK Wrangler, we are installing the bigger
calipers, therefore the new master cylinder is required.
We performed multiple 60-0 mph brake tests before and
after the approximately four-hour installation. Keep in mind
that each Jeep is a little different. Tire sizes, vehicle weight, and
driver are all significant variables. The JK Unlimited we used
had 35-inch Goodyear MT/R tires, a hardtop, front and rear
bumpers, side bars, and is loaded with gear almost all the time.
The average distance taken from three stops after the new brake
system was installed and the pads were “bedded” was 34.8 feet
shorter (roughly 26 percent) than the stops prior to installation.
TeraFlex’s Big Brake Kit gets your
Jeep JK to 0 mph faster
By Jake Headlee jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Jake Headlee
MARCH 2017
If your JK is a ’07-’11, begin the installation/
swap with the master cylinder. This will help
with the bleeding process later on. To avoid
making a mess, we used a vacuum bleeder to
suction out as much of the old brake fluid as
possible. Later, we used this bleeder to bleed
the system through all four calipers.
The fluid level sensor was disconnected, and
then the master cylinder was unbolted from
the brake booster but not removed. With
the master still on the studs of the booster,
we disconnected the hard lines. Using a line
wrench will help to avoid damaging the nut.
We then pulled the master away from the
booster, making sure the O-ring didn’t get
lost in the booster.
The new master cylinder was then installed
on the studs of the booster. We hand-
threaded the flare nuts into the master and
made sure they were not over-tightened. The
nuts that hold the master to the booster were
then installed. We tightened them per the
specs in the TeraFlex instructions.
MARCH 2017
A rag or two were stuffed under the master
cylinder before we filled the reservoir
completely with DOT 3 brake fluid. We then
loosened the flare nuts so they both started
dripping, and when the fluid level reached the
max-level mark, the flare nuts were tightened.
The fluid level sensor plug was reconnected
and the master cylinder cap replaced. TeraF-
lex recommends checking the pedal feel by
pumping it a few times with the engine off,
then again with the engine on to ensure the
booster is working properly.
caliper and bracket out of the way once removed.
jpmagazine.com
The front brakes on JKs are better than previ-
ous model Wranglers but can still come up
short once the rig has been loaded down
with a suspension lift, bigger tires, and the
additional weight of dozens of other upgrades.
The caliper brackets were unbolted form the
knuckles. The TeraFlex instructions listed all
the wrench sizes needed. However, during
this install there were several discrepan-
cies—the JK has been in production for many
years, there were bound to be changes along
the way from the factory.
A wire or a zip tie should be used to hang the
Jp 41
 STOPPING POWER UPGRADE

The factory rotor is 11.9 inches and seems small compared to the 13.3-inch TeraFlex rotor. We reinstalled the calipers to the bracket.
TeraFlex rotors are dual-drilled, and the company’s rotors to accept the factory 5-on-5-inch We used a dab of locking compound on the
bolt pattern, as well as the popular aftermarket 5-on-5.5-inch pattern. bolts. After that, the existing brake lines from
the old calipers were removed and installed
on the new calipers using the new copper
washers provided in the kit.

Outside thickness measurements between the
rotors are the same. The major difference can
be seen in the width of the pad wear surfaces.
A drop of thread-lock compound was used on The new TeraFlex front brakes filled up a
the bolts, and then calipers and brackets were 17-inch wheel, but there was sufficient clear-
bolted to the vehicle with the bleeder to the ance with this standard aftermarket wheel.
top. Next, we unbolted the calipers from the
brackets. This requires a double wrench setup.
TeraFlex added a small ledge machined into
the brackets to aid in starting the separation.

The TeraFlex instructions have good
diagrams to help install the rotors with the
slots facing the correct direction. We found
a popular install video on the web that shows
them being installed incorrectly. So please,
do yourself a favor and follow the TeraFlex
instructions—the slots should slant forward.
Next, we installed the new semi-metallic
pads. The adhesive backing from the pads
was removed once they were in place.
In the rear of the vehicle, we disconnected
the calipers from the brackets using a
double wrench set up. The calipers were
hung out of the way, but we took care to not
let them hang by the brake lines. We then
unbolted the caliper brackets from the brake
backing plates.

42 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

 STOPPING POWER UPGRADE
The TeraFlex rear rotors are designed to work with the OE parking brake system and are 131⁄2
inches compared to the stock 121⁄4 inches.
That’s roughly
a 26 percent
improvement
We suggest you thoroughly check all your
brake pad hardware. After a good cleansing
with brake cleaner, half of the factory pieces
were found to have a small tab broken off.
Hardware isn’t expensive; replace them if
they are broken, worn or questionable.
The slide pins from the original brackets were
reused with the new system. We cleaned the
pins well and added new lube to get them
sliding freely.
44 Jp
We installed the new rotors and caliper
brackets. Locking thread compound was
used on all of the caliper bracket bolts.
Source
TeraFlex, 801/713-3314,
teraflex.com
jpmagazine.com
The new brake pads were installed in the
original calipers. We also used locking
compound on the caliper bolts.
With the installation of front and rear finished
and all four wheels back on, we bled the
entire brake system, starting with the passen-
ger rear caliper and working our way around
to the driver front. Even though the rear
system was not directly disconnected, it’s
smart to bleed the entire brake system after a
brake upgrade such as this.
An average 60-0 mph stopping distance of
34.8 feet shorter than the average measured
prior to the TeraFlex Big Brake kit installation
was a substantial amount. That’s roughly a 26
percent improvement over the factory brakes
on this loaded-up Jeep JK.
MARCH 2017
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Coast to Coast
in a Diesel Willys

He drove this diesel-

powered 1946 CJ-2A
from sea to shining
sea and back
By Jake Headlee
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Daniel Buck

Daniel Buck picked up his of miles to drive, adverse weather to

’46 flatfender as a project.
Through the years, there was
no specific plan during the build, but
Daniel recounts that it was more like
going through phases. Two things
didn’t change though, he wanted it to
be a comfortable daily driver and a mild
wheeler. A cross-country trip—and back
again—is nothing to scoff at for any driver
and even a brand-new vehicle. Thousands
46 Jp
endure, and mental preparedness are
only some of the hurdles. For Daniel, a
Long Beach, California, resident, the end
of that journey was his cousin’s wedding
in North Carolina. He had driven cross-
country before and enjoyed it, so the
wedding was a great reason to do it again.
Mechanical Mayhem
The ’46 Willys underwent a multitude
of modifications. A Kubota V2203-DI
2.2L inline-four direct-injected diesel
jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com Jp 47
 COAST TO COAST IN A DIESEL WILLYS

While in North Carolina, Daniel decided to

put a piece of plexiglass behind the seats in
an effort to keep rain spray at a minimum. It
helped but only a little.

When Daniel was driving the CJ-2A through

the mountains of Colorado, the turbo exhaust
did get a little hot, but he didn’t have to slow
down very much. He was able to keep the
The Kubota 2.2L diesel was squeezed into the engine compartment, with the help of some T-98 in fourth gear (1:1), and the Willys held at
motor mounts and a T-98 bellhousing adapter plate from Overland Diesel. about 50 mph up most of the climbs.

Daniel has no idea what vehicle the Dana 44 came out of, but it fit very The Currie 9-inch center section was designed offset to account for
nicely under the frontend of his flatfender after being narrowed. the rear output of the Dana 18 transfer case.

was dropped in, and an adapter plate by
Overland Diesel was used to connect it to
the T-98 four-speed transmission. The
factory floor-pedal mounts were kept, but
the clutch linkage was changed to cable
to replace the factory rod linkage. Being
an industrial generator/pump engine,
modifications to the diesel included
adjustments to the injector pump and
governor, and a non-intercooled turbo
was added. The turbo wastegate was set at
15 psi, and Daniel says he can get 30 mpg
while running between 55 and 60 mph.
Underneath the Willys is a Dana 18
T-case (with the parking brake removed)
feeding power to a narrowed front Dana
44 sporting a 4.10 limited slip and a rear
Currie Enterprises 9-inch housing a 4.10
48 Jp
Yukon Zip Locker. The rear axle was
located 2 inches farther rearward than
the stock axle position to increase the
Willys’ wheelbase, and both axles are
hung from the frame (which was boxed
in strategic locations) with 2-inch lift
springs from Atlas. A Ford Ranger steer-
ing box works the links to the 15x6-inch
Wheel Vintiques rims wrapped with
BFGoodrich 33x10.5R15 KM2 rubber.
Trek Prep
Not only did the trip require making
sure the Jeep was mechanically sound,
but prepping for the trip meant Daniel
had to put miles on it. “I started taking
it on longer and longer trial runs,” he
explained. He started taking it farther
jpmagazine.com
and farther away from home. After
putting several 200-300 mile trips on it,
Daniel felt confident about it.
Some trail testing out at Cougar
Buttes in Johnson Valley, California, gave
Daniel a little extra confidence, and a few
new dents in the sheetmetal. “Learning
the jeep, figuring out what I wanted to
change, breaking parts, replacing or
upgrading them, and ultimately coming
up with a combination of parts that
worked the way I want them to was the
outcome of all the early trips.”
Moab or Bust
The first long distance trip was to
Moab for the unofficial Friday Flat
Fender Fun Run (see our coverage at bit.
MARCH 2017
 We have shocks, lift and leveling kits,
and accessories!
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Each set of Level 8 Pro Series wheels
comes with bolt-on scratch guard rings,
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 COAST TO COAST IN A DIESEL WILLYS
ly/2chvNtu). Daniel and his friend, Greg
Margison of Overland Diesel, put just less
than 2,000 miles on the diesel-powered
CJ-2A, and it performed flawlessly with
zero mechanical breakdowns. Daniel did
learn a few things were needed, however.
First of all, some sort of softtop and
a heater were a must. A couple mornings
of snow packed in the Jeep on his way
eastward made that clear. Shortly after
arriving in Raymond, Illinois, to see
another friend, Jeff Petrowich, the two
began building some custom pieces for the
’46 flattie. In addition to the top and heater,
came along a set of fabric half-doors that
significantly reduced the amount of wind
entering the tub of the Jeep.
Daniel stopped to see a friend in Illinois, and
just for grins, they put the CJ-2A on a forklift
and flexed it a bit. The rear shocks were too
short, but he already knew that. At a later
date, he will need to make taller mounts for
the rear shocks.
The custom rollcage was built from a combi-
nation of 13⁄4-inch drawn-over-mandrel (DOM)
and hot-rolled (HREW) steel tubing.
50 Jp
Daniel’s next stop was his cousin’s
wedding in North Carolina. However,
before leaving Moab, lots of time was
spent rearranging and finding the right
spot for tool boxes, spare parts, and extra
batteries. Cage mods were also made.
Daniel Buck has a list of many more
modifications he intends to do to his
diesel Flattie and plans to keep driving it
anywhere he can. There’s even an Alaska
trip in the works, possibly for 2017.
That’ll be a great time to test out the
newly added heater and custom soft top.
If you see Daniel and the diesel Flattie
chugging down the road, be sure to give
him a wave. He just might show up in
your town, wherever you are.
Underneath the CJ-2A you can see the
custom crossmember Daniel made to
support the Dana 18 transfer case and the
custom exhaust system. The frame was
boxed in strategic locations for strength.
There’s even an Alaska trip in the
works, possibly for 2017
If you’ve never seen one of these signs, Daniel
would say that you need more road trips.
jpmagazine.com
HARD FACTS
Vehicle: ’46 Willys CJ-2A
Engine: 2.2L Kubota V2203-DI
Transmission: T-98 4-speed manual
Transfer Case: Dana 18
Suspension: Atlas 2-inch lift leaf springs
Axles: Dana 44 of unknown origin, 4.10
gears, limited slip (front); Currie
Enterprises 9-inch, 4.10 gears,
Yukon Zip Locker (rear)
Wheels: 15x6 Wheel Vintiques 41 Ford
Truck Replicas
Tires: 33x10.50x15 BF Goodrich KM2
The rear of the custom “bikini” top was tapered
to allow better access to the ammo can storage
boxes in the rear tub of the CJ-2A. Jeff designed
and built the good-looking fabric-framed-with-
steel-tube half-doors for the ’46 Willys.
MARCH 2017
Boulder
Proofing
EVO Manufacturing
Boatside Bomber rock
rails help your JK get
clean through the rocks
By Sean P. Holman
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Verne Simons
and Sean P. Holman
Part of the adventure of
owning a Wrangler is heading
off the path most travelled,
sometimes way, way off. As the Jeep gets
built and driver confidence increases, the
trails seem to get more difficult. Funny
how that works! Pretty soon you find
yourself driving down a boulder-strewn
route wishing you had more protection
than the stock pinch-weld-mounted rock
rails will ever give.
In fact, after a couple of hard landings
straight down on the Mopar rock rails
right at the front cab mount, we managed
to bend the rock rails and tweak the front
fender of our JK. Looking for a solution
for more strength, but also something that
would straighten out our slightly bowed
sheetmetal without a visit to the body
52 Jp
shop, we found just the armor we needed.
Enter the EVO Manufacturing Pro
Series JKU Boatside Bombers, complete
JK side protection that will keep the
gnarliest rocks off your sheetmetal and
your JK sliding along. The Boatsides, as
the name implies, taper to the ground
at an angle, allowing the Jeep to easily
slide off, rather than getting hung up on
nature’s own Jeep stoppers.
Made in the USA from 3⁄16 -inch laser-
cut steel and powdercoated for protection
(or raw steel, if you prefer), the Boatsides
consist of an upper plate that is bolted to the
body with Nutserts, and a lower plate that
bolts to the top plate and the body mounts.
The lower plate incorporates seven internal
gussets and two outer gussets, produc-
ing a very tough and rigid slider. Another
benefit is that a section of the Boatsides
slider protrudes slightly from the body,
not only keeping rocks off but also acting
as a de facto step to make it easier to get in
the Jeep. The sliders are designed to retain
high clearance at the rocker, and all of the
hardware is stainless steel.
With the sliders ordered, we headed
to Off Road Evolution in Fullerton,
California, to get our Boatsides installed.
In less than two hours, we were back
on the road and headed to Moab to
tackle our favorite trails with reckless
abandoned, well at least where our
rockers were concerned.
EVO Manufacturing Pro Series JKU
Boatside Bombers are available in
either a powdercoated or raw
finish and consist of one upper What makes the Boatside sliders so beefy are
and lower portion per side. the seven internal gussets and two outer gussets.
Our first step in the installation was to
remove the old Mopar rock rails. They are
a great choice for all-around wheeling but
aren’t quite tough enough for those who are
serious about rockcrawling.
jpmagazine.com
With the old rock rails
out of the way, we
loosened the bolts
on the three (per
side) body mounts
between the axles.

In order to protect
the Jeep’s paint
while hanging the
upper portion of
the Boatside, blue
masking tape was
applied to the body.

Next, and this is where a second set of hands becomes useful, we precisely positioned the
upper plate and marked the first hole for drilling. Remember to measure twice and mark once,
there is no going back if you position the plate incorrectly.
 BOULDER PROOFING
Tip: Begin drilling the holes in the body with
the hole closest to the center of the panel.
This allowed us to get the panel lined up with
the bodylines more easily by pivoting off the
center bolt.
Once the first two holes were drilled and the
Nutserts installed, we hand-tightened the
stainless steel hardware to hold the upper
plate in place.
We then used a punch to mark the location of
the remaining holes to drill.
With the top panel out of the way and the tape
removed, the rest of the holes were drilled out
and the remaining Nutserts were installed.
54 Jp
The top panel was then repositioned and
secured with the supplied stainless bolts.
After positioning the panel, we installed the
speed nuts along the top panel’s tabs.
Sources
EVO Manufacturing, 714/879-
8913, evomfg.com
Off Road Evolution, 714/870-
5515, offroadevolution.com
jpmagazine.com
Next, the rocker panel was lifted into place
and aligned with the tabs, allowing us to put
the bolts into place and tighten by hand.
The Boatsides interface with the body
mounts by simply sliding between the frame
and the body mount.
Here you can see the finished product,
with all the parts positioned and tightened.
These sliders offer a serious level of protec-
tion, but are a great low-profile option for
those who want to keep their JKs on the
unassuming side.
MARCH 2017
Hi Desert
Round-Up
Summertime
Cal4Wheel kicks off
the summer with
desert Jeep fun
By Jake Headlee
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Jake Headlee
Jeep Fest
Summer was beating down
the door and Jeep season was
in full swing. What better
place to enjoy Memorial Day weekend
than the Southern California desert? The
California Four Wheel Drive Association
(Cal4Wheel) has kept the holiday
weekend earmarked for the Hi Desert
Round-Up (HDR) for decades, making
this the 45th annual event.
Barstow, California, is roughly the
halfway point between Los Angeles and
Las Vegas and is also a major off-roading
hub of the region. Rocks, sand, long desert
washes, hills, and open BLM acreage for
miles makes the area an extremely popular
and fun place to go. HDR moved its
headquarters some years ago due to BLM
permit issues and now resides in the back
lot of the Slash X Café, a local Barstow-
area watering hole for off-roaders.
HDR is not a huge event. It is, however,
one of the most fun. Clubs from all over
Southern California flock to Slash X and
HDR for top-rated off-road trails, games,
and comradery. Several vendors show up
as well to display their products and get a
piece of the fun. Gen-Right and Fabtech
both brought out large displays, and several
other companies, such as Red Peak Offroad
and Made For Rocks, were on hand.
It’s About Wheelin’
The first day was for wheelin’. The
trails surrounding Barstow are a mix of
light-duty scenic trips and hardcore trails.
On the more hardcore trails you will get
body damage, and there are no sissies
allowed. An organized trip to Calico
Ghost Town took the better part of a day
but was mid-range in difficulty and filled
with beautiful views. The more adventur-
ous Jeepers tackled the harsher trails like
Pumpkin Eater and Jack Rabbit Trail.
We followed the Pumpkin Eater Trail up into the
nearby hills. The hard part was yet to come.

56 Jp

Lots of flex was a key advantage to many of
the tough trails in the Barstow and Stoddard
Wells areas. Hi Desert Roundup attend-
ees chose their trail carefully if they were
concerned about body damage.
jpmagazine.com
The trail didn’t care what type of vehicle you
had. Long- and short-wheelbase rigs had an
equally hard time through much of the trail
due to loose boulders.
The first major obstacle was a steep waterfall
climb. The base easily got chewed up and
deeper with every Jeep that passed through it.
Lockers and 35-inch-or-larger tires were
required to run Pumpkin Eater. Unless you
wanted to be on a winch line or a towrope
the entire way, it was a good idea to follow
that rule.
Pumpkin Eater is full of boulder fields.
All of those rocks got moved around and
changed the ideal line to run as every
Jeep moved through it.
The line of Jeeps waiting for the Teeter
Totter was always at least four deep. The
goal was to balance as quickly as possible
within a minute and a half. The amount of
time remaining after balancing was your
score. Top score was 49 seconds.
Jp 57
 HI DESERT ROUND-UP
Short-wheelbase Jeeps suffered at the water-
fall. Many of them were able to pass through it
with a main dish of luck and a side of skill.
GenRight and Fabtech brought out big displays to show off their goodies.
Other vendors in attendance offered gear such as on-board camera
systems, campfire starters, and compressed air solutions.
The Wet Lap race was extremely popular.
Warm weather made it easy to convince a
co-driver to carry a bowl of water during an
off-road lap around a mountain.
Multiple clubs and vendors made donations to the raffle. Folks from as
far away as Texas came out to the Cal4Wheel Hi Desert Roundup.
58 Jp
In another of the “games,” drivers raced
around a course while their codriver stabbed
and then hauled in potatoes that sat along the
side of the trail. Fastest time through with all
the potatoes won.
jpmagazine.com
If Jeeps could do a conga line, it would look
like a tire stack caterpillar. Thirteen Jeeps in
total stacked up.
Pumpkin Eater is aptly named and has
lots of loose boulders throughout the trail
that move around and make for a different
experience each time it is travelled.
Led by Tony Pellegrino of Gen-Right,
30 or so Jeeps travelled through Pumpkin
Eater’s canyons, up and down steep
waterfall ledges, and over boulders with
sizes ranging from that of a basketball
to a Prius. The last section of the trail
proved to be the most difficult. Loose
dirt and rocks moved way to create large,
tire-eating holes. Roughly three-quarters
of the Jeeps that didn’t turn back in the
middle needed to be winched up the last
section. Luckily, a rock buggy on 49-inch
meats and Rockwells was parked at the
top to pull tow truck and winch duty.
Game Day
Saturday night was the kick-off
for the HDR games. Four local clubs,
including the Dirt Devils and Hemet
Jeep Club, lined up. The game is called
“Best Equipped.” Each club used a single
Jeep and five members. The MC would
call out for items that should or could
be in the Jeep. Creativity was rewarded.
Requests were for something to air down
tires, something to lift a Jeep, and so on.
There were also specific requests, like a
lug nut, or a valve core. The team to get
the item up to the MC the fastest won the
points. The Victor Valley Four Wheelers
gathered up the most points this year.
The games continued into the next
day with a Wet Lap race, Potato Stab,
RTI ramp, and more. Awards were given
out just before the raffle. Thousands of
dollar’s worth of merchandise was raffled
off for kids and adults. Raffle prizes
included bikes, RC trucks, BFGoodrich
tires, a Warn winch, and much more. All
the funds raised go directly to helping
keep public lands open.
Cal4Wheel is a club of clubs. Smaller
clubs from all over California join up to
be a part of something bigger. Individuals
can also join Cal4Wheel, helping the
club to have statewide events throughout
the year and be active in the off-roading
community, keeping trails clean and
usable. Next year’s HDR is already set
for Memorial Day weekend. Check out
cal4wheel.com for more info.
MARCH 2017
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Pro 1 Series
Driveline
System
We get the inside scoop
on the hefty new J.E.
Reel driveline system
soon to be available for
Jeep enthusiasts
By Will Morgan
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Will Morgan
Off-road outings have always
been a way to escape from a
hard week at work for a week-
end adventure with family and friends.
Over time, the “sport” (as some call it)
metamorphosed into various types of
off-road competitions too. Events such
as Camel Trophy, The Dakar Rally, and
the very popular Baja 500 and Baja 1000
races became household words in the
off-road community. A couple decades
ago, rockcrawling competitions started
popping up and eventually they became
a significant part of the off-road activity
spectrum as well.
During this evolution, improvements
in off-road mechanical and technological
science progressed rapidly. The equipment
of old would not have made it through the
gatekeeper of many trails today, let alone
finish a race. J.E. Reel is one of the many
companies that has been a part of this
mechanical and technological evolution.
As this evolution continues, the company
is continuously working on new product
ideas that keep up with the demands of the
off-road–enthusiast community.
The Pro 1 Series driveline system is
one of those new ideas and is designed
for use in desert racing trophy trucks,
short course off-road race trucks, and
60 Jp
rock-racing buggies. By the time this
article appears, the hardcore trail-Jeep
enthusiast may also be able to benefit from
the Pro 1 Series driveline system. The
Pro 1 Series uses a mechanical, positive-
locking system for the pinion and transfer-
case nuts. This locking system will help
prevent crimp- and noncrimp-style lock
nuts from coming loose under inertia,
hard impact, or other extreme conditions.
The driveline system boasts an increased
operating angle of 55 degrees (versus
standard angles of 22) with inside and
outside snap rings on the U-joints. This
helps protect drivers from losing a U-joint
from rock damage during the toughest use
in extreme off-road environments.
Development of this system began
because racers were running increasingly
larger tires and putting underdrive units
in so that beefier ring-and-pinion sets
with higher gear ratios could be used.
This increased the torque load on the
driveline, which was creating failures.
J.E. Reel’s solution was to build a drive-
line system from high-grade, heat-treated
steel with stronger and more durable
parts. The mechanical locking system
fixes the high impact inertia problem of
pinion, transmission and transfer case
nuts coming loose, and helps to reduce or
eliminate catastrophic failure.
At the time this article was written,
J.E. Reel was still in the early develop-
ment stages of this new product. We will
be watching to see how it’s received by the
off-road racing and rock-racing commu-
nity. We expect the Pro 1 Series system
to make its way into the Jeep market soon
afterwards.
Here you can see the complete Pro 1
Series driveline system ready to be
installed. The Pro 1 Series uses a mechani-
cal, positive-locking system for the pinion
and transfer case nuts, and is available in
1350 or 1480 series.
jpmagazine.com
 PRO 1 SERIES DRIVELINE SYSTEM

The mounting surfaces feature dowels that allow the yoke and flange to mate together. All
torsional loads are transferred through the dowel pins leaving the bolts to hold the pieces
together, thus allowing the bolts to remain tight.

The locking yoke features a The slip yoke

simple mechanical-locking is 2-inch,
device that has removed 45-spline,
the chance of crimp heat-treated
nuts wearing out, chromoly and
being left loose, or has a “mil
being lost due spec” coating
to inertia. to help retain
lubrication.

The slip
shaft is
also 2-inch,
45-spline,
heat-treated
chromoly
and has
been
gun-drilled
to reduce
weight.

All modular yokes fit over a pilot and press

on to the dowel pins (drive, driven, weld, and
slip), and all rotational forces are through
the dowel pins. The load is applied linear to
the dowel pins, increasing their load capac-
ity. The bolts are simply holding the three
components together.

The system’s weld yoke has two designs, 25

degree or 55 degree, (in 1350 and 1480 series) Source
of inside and outside snap-ring construction. J.E. Reel, 909/629-9002,
The design should eliminate the chance of reeldriveline.com
loosing a snap ring on the trail.

62 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

THE COMPLETE WRANGLER SYSTEM.
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Wrangler. Every piece is made to fit together in perfect harmony to enhance the vehicle’s style and capability
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Hi-Yo Silver
A steed built to
go Jeepin’
By Stuart Bourdon
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Stuart Bourdon
One of the best things about
the Jp Dirt ’N Drive presented
by Jeep was that we got to meet
all kinds of people and see all kinds of
Jeeps. There were rigs from mild to wild,
Cherokee to Wrangler, and even some
CJs showed up. Some Jeeps had nearly
stock engines, while some sported hot-rod
V-8s. The owners were from as far away
as the Carolinas and Canada, but some
were practically neighbors.
One of those “neighbors” was Victor
Torres of Norco, California. If you are not
familiar with Norco, it’s a little bit of horse
heaven, with a “ranch” feel and bridal
paths replacing most sidewalks. We don’t
mean that shiny-booted equestrian set, we
mean good old-fashioned western-style
livin’ tucked in between the mega-metro
areas of Orange County and the Inland
Empire (Riverside/San Bernardino).
Victor’s ’15 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Rubicon began tough enough to handle
64 Jp
most moderate trails, but it wouldn’t
be like a Jeeper to leave anything stock,
so within days of owning it, he had a
Rubicon Express 31⁄2 -inch lift suspension
system underneath it with a set of Fox 2.0
reservoir shocks. ProComp 315/10R17
tires were mounted up to 17x8-inch Fuel
Krank wheels. The suspension kit and
bigger rubber gave the silvery steed some
extra ground clearance, and a high-steer
kit from Rubicon Express and a Fox ATS
steering stabilizer were added to rein in
any unwanted wandering.
The axles received Poison Spyder
Bombshell diff covers for extra protec-
tion. At the same time, the body also
received some iron. Smittybilt Atlas
bumpers were bolted up front and rear; a
Smittybilt XRC 9.5 winch with synthetic
rope rides on the front bumper; and the
rear bumper saddles the spare tire in a
swing-out bumper-mounted carrier.
Rock Hard 4x4 rock sliders defend the
Jeep’s underbelly edges.
For now, Victor has no plans to
modify the 3.6L Pentastar V-6 under the
hood, aside from the Bassani exhaust
system he added to give the Jeep a mellow
note. The 285 hp and 260 pound-feet
of torque coming out of the engine offer
enough get up and go for now to keep
Victor happily riding the backcountry
trails of the Southwest. We hope to see
him and his silvery steed again this year
during the 2017 Jp Dirt ’N Drive.
jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
 HARD FACTS
Vehicle: ’15 Jeep JK Unlimited
Wrangler Rubicon
Engine: 3.6L Pentastar V-6
Transmission: W5A580 5-speed
automatic
Transfer Case: NV241 OR Rock-Trac
Suspension: Rubicon Express 3.5-inch
suspension system, Fox 2.0
reservoir shocks, Fox ATS
steering stabilizer
Axles: Rubicon Dana 44 with 4.56 gears
and E-Lockers (front and rear)
Wheels: 17x8-inch Fuel Krank
Tires: 315/70R17 ProComp MTZ
Built For: Exploring backroads
of the Southwest

MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com Jp 65


The 2nd annual KMC Wheels
Summer Jeep-Bash event
brought in hundreds of rigs
By Jake Headlee jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Jake Headlee
For the second year in a row, the
KMC Wheels Summer Jeep-Bash was
a success. Presented by Jeep, the event
took place on July 9, 2016, in Long Beach, California,
at Shoreline Aquatic Park, just across the channel from
the Queen Mary. More than 200 Jeeps showed up,
more than twice last year’s attendance, covering the
grassy slopes surrounding the lighthouse in the park.
Hundreds of attendees were able to drool over all
the highly modified Jeeps. Many were JK Wranglers,
with all sorts of build styles. Ranging from stock to
full-tilt rock buggy status, the collection of rigs was
a perfect way to see the entire Jeep
culture all in one place. Sprinkled
in, there were TJ Wranglers, XJ
Summer Jeep-Bash
66 Jp
Cherokees, an MJ Comanche, and even a vintage
Forward Control.
Quite a few vendors were set up as well.
Companies like Dynatrac, Go Rhino, EVO
Manufacturing, Jeepspeed, and King Racing Shocks
were on hand for Jeepers to get info and learn about
new and existing products. KMC Wheels, the event’s
title sponsor had a large booth at the base of the
lighthouse where the raffle was held. Each attendee
received an event card to take to each of the vendors
for a sticker. Once all the vendor’s stickers were on
the card, it could be redeemed for a raffle ticket and
the chance to win all sorts of goodies.
Mel Wade, the owner of EVO Manufacturing,
was the driving force behind the creation of the
KMC Summer Jeep-Bash presented by Jeep. Wade
told us that the purpose of the event is to create a
premier west coast Jeep show, a place where people
can join together in a scenic spot and enjoy the
culture together. Jeeping is much more than just
owning a Jeep; it is about camaraderie and a common
hobby. The second-annual KMC Wheels Summer
Jeep-Bash was a big success, and the next is already
scheduled for 2017. Stay tuned to fourwheeler.com/
jp-magazine for the exact date
in July for this must-do Jeep
show in Southern California.
The layout of Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach made
for a great Southern California Jeep show setting.
jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
 KMC Wheels put its booth at the base of the
lighthouse and the center of attention.

Jeepspeed and T and J Performance were all

set up to give potential Jeep racers more info.

Go Rhino brought out its stretched JK to

show off all of the company’s new Jeep parts.

The one and only CJ-7 in the

bunch. Next to all the JKs, the
CJ looked even better.

Dynatrac and Jeep We got there

both had large booths. early before the
Jeep had tablets set crowds clogged
out for attendees so up vendor row.
they could have the By noon, it was
chance to win $45,000 packed like a
toward a new Jeep. sardine can.

Just across the channel was the famous

Queen Mary making for a scenic background
to all the built-up Jeeps.

MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com Jp 67

 SUMMER JEEP-BASH

The Forward Control is a Jeep of yesteryear. It

stood out like a sore thumb, but in a good way.

Dynatrac brought along tits race vehicle from

the Epic Barbie Jeep Battle in Moab.

A local brought out his diesel-powered The owner of this JK put a full wrap on it, Off Road Evolution and EVO Manufactur-
flatfender. The vehicle is very low key and making it look as though it had a patina. ing were the backbone of the event and had
extremely reliable. multiple Jeeps parked all around the event to
show off their work and components.

There weren’t many

vintage Jeeps at the
event. However, these
two seemed to feel
right at home in the
California sun.

Casey Currie brought

out his JKs decked out in
Monster Energy graphics, KMC
Wheels, and Currie Enterprises components.

68 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

The factory Dana 35 rear axle
found in most TJ Wranglers is
a little on the light side, and if
you run larger-than-stock tires, you’re likely
looking at an eventual failure. If you want
to turn really big tires, wheel abusively,
or push gobs of power into your rear axle,
you’ll probably want to head to 1-ton terri-
tory and consider Dana 60 and Corporate
14-bolt axle options. For those looking for
an upgrade option to run tires up to about
35 inches or so, the Ford 8.8 is a viable
option. It’s been used in Ford cars, trucks,
and SUVs for decades and has replaced the
Ford 9-inch axle in many instances.
The drum-brake Dana 35 in a TJ
Wrangler measures about 603⁄4 inches
between wheel mount surfaces. The
Ford 8.8 measures about 591⁄2 inches,
so just over an inch narrower. The Ford
axle uses an 8.8-inch ring gear and has
been equipped with 28- and 31-spline
axleshafts. The 31-spline versions
JEEP TJ BUDGET
REAR AXLE
SWAP
Replacing the TJ
Wrangler D35 with a
junkyard Ford 8.8
By Jay Kopycinski
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Jay Kopycinski
70 Jp
have ’shafts that are about 1.3 inches are available as well.
in diameter. The tubes are 31⁄4 -inch Here are the typical Explorer door
diameter, although they do neck-down a codes you’ll find for the various rear axles:
bit near the outer ends. Thickness of the
41 Open Diff 3.27
tubes seems to be about 0.250 inches.
42 Open Diff 4.10
Although the Ford 8.8 is a semi-floating
43 Open Diff 3.08
axle design using C-clip retention, the
44 Open Diff 3.73
disc brake rotors can help keep a broken
45 Open Diff 3.55
axleshaft from working its way out of the
46 Open Diff 3.73
axlehousing.
D2 Limited Slip 4.10
When scouring the junkyards for
D4 Limited Slip 3.73
a Ford 8.8 donor axle, the preference
L73 Limited Slip 3.73
is the 31-spline version from a Ford
Explorer. Axles coming from ’94-older For our Jeep TJ Wrangler in need
Explorers came with drum brakes, and of an axle, we’ll most likely run 33-inch
the ’95-newer models (through ’01) were tires, so we were interested in finding
built with disc brakes. Some ’10-’11 4.10 gearing, the lowest ratio offered. If
Ranger axles were also equipped from you want deeper gears, you have more
the factory with rear disc brakes. A range flexibility in finding a donor as you’ll
of gearing ratios was available, and some be swapping ring-and-pinion anyway.
axles were equipped with the Trac-Lok We found a good donor axle at our local
limited-slip unit. Aftermarket upgrades junkyard and rebuilt it using Yukon
for the Ford 8.8 are readily available Gear & Axle components. Here is what it
with gear ratios ranging up to 5.71:1. A took to get the upgraded axle under our
number of limited slip and locker options TJ chassis.
jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
We pulled our donor axle from the junkyard
for just less than $100. It was a D2 code axle
from a ’01 Eddie Bauer Explorer so it came
with 4.10:1 gearing and the factory Trac-Lok
limited-slip differential. The axle code can be
found on the sticker in the driver-side door.
You can also often find a factory metal tag on
the differential cover with the axle gear ratio.

Here is our junkyard axle stripped and ready for modification. We set it up on jackstands near
our stock Dana 35 so we could easily measure and transfer mount dimensions. We measured
the stock pinion angle (with the spring pads level) to be about 11 degrees. For our case, we set
our new pinion angle to about 14 degrees to better accommodate a small lift.

The first order of business after removing the

brake components was to cut off the old leaf
spring perches and swaybar mounts from the
Ford axle. We cut them free, ground the areas
smooth, and stripped the paint from most of
the axletube sections to prepare for mount-
ing new brackets to the axle.

We purchased a Ford 8.8 bracket swap kit from Ballistic Fabrication to make the axle swap
onto our TJ suspension easier. All the bracketry is made from 1⁄4-inch thick steel, a substantial
upgrade from the 0.14-inch-thick steel used from the factory.

After setting our pinion

angle, we started by tack-
welding the spring pads
level on the tubes. Note
that when transferring
measurements, the differ-
ential is not centered on
the axle. Ballistic includes
no instructions with its
kit, but they provide
CAD-generated assembly
images on its website for
reference. The company’s
lower link mounts do index
We marked and then trimmed off the excess nicely with the spring pad
webbing on the forward end of the differential plates. Once we got the
housing that was originally used for a stabi- link mounts tacked onto
lizer shock. This housing also had an ABS the tubes, we rolled the
sensor bolted on top. We may leave it intact axle back under our Jeep
or make a simple plate cover to take its place. frame to check fitment.

MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com Jp 71

 BUDGET REAR AXLE SWAP

With our Ford 8.8 axle centered under the

frame, we were able to determine the best
mounting location for the track bar bracket,
which we mounted against the left side upper
link mount and later welded the two brackets to
each other. This also served to raise the track
bar mount upward about 2 inches over stock
height. We welded the Ford vent hole closed on
the axle tube and tapped a new 7⁄16 -20 hole in
the tube in the same location as on the Dana 35.

Next, we determined the best mounting

location and angle for each shock mount.
You’ll need to make a few measurements with
your lift in mind to determine what angle to
place the mounts for proper shock travel.

We tore down the differential and all looked

pretty good inside. We visually confirmed
that we had 4.10 gearing as expected. One
area of weakness we should note is that of
the factory differential carrier which has
been known to crack when used fairly hard.
A second weakness of this axle assembly
is where the axletubes enter the differential
housing. Ford secured each tube to the
housing with three steel rivets that pin the
tubes in place. Under harder use, it’s possible
to spin these tubes in the housing. The
common solution is to run a circumferential
weld at this joint.

We were able to get all the parts needed to

refurbish our axle (except for brake compo-
nents) in one stop from Yukon Gear & Axle,
including a new limited-slip unit and the fluid
needed for the differential. We reused the
factory ring-and-pinion but rebuilt the differ-
ential with new bearings and seals.

Once all the mounts were tacked into place and all measurements and angles double-checked,
we fully welded everything in place. Here’s the Ford 8.8 as it sat in comparison to our old Dana 35.

For those looking for an upgrade

option to run tires up to about 35 We briefly considered rebuilding the factory
Ford clutch-type limited-slip unit but knew
inches or so, the Ford 8.8 is a viable it would still be a bit weak for the action we
wanted. We opted to upgrade to a Yukon
option. The preference is the Dura Grip that will provide a stronger differ-
ential case. We’ve used this unit before and
31-spline version from a Ford Explorer found it provides an aggressive limited-slip
action without the harsher characteristics of
a mechanical locking differential.

72 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

Your Jeep Experts Clockwise from left: Kyle-Retail Showroom Mgr.,
Sara-Jeep Expert, Adam-Brand Mgr., Devin-Jeep
Expert, & Pat-Marketing Mgr. (Not our entire staff,
just the most photogenic ones.)

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 BUDGET REAR AXLE SWAP

We installed fresh axle bearings and seals

from Yukon as well. We inspected the factory
axleshafts and they looked fine. Upgraded
chromoly ’shafts are available and are an
option to us if we find we need more strength
later. Here you can also see the drum parking
brake assembly that sits under the disc-rotor
hat on these axles.

The brake rotors on our junkyard axle looked

nearly new. While we had it apart we decided
to go ahead and do a quick caliper rebuild
and install fresh pads. Both rebuild kits and
replacement calipers are reasonably priced
for these axles.

The Ford 8.8 we are interested in comes with

a pinion flange instead of the more common
U-joint yoke found on domestic axles. You
can swap on an aftermarket yoke or leave the
flanged piece in place. A mating piece can be
taken from the salvaged Explorer driveshaft
and will accept a 1330-series U-joint, or you
can do what we did and purchase a Dana
Spicer 2-2-1379 conversion flange that will
mate to a standard 1310-series U-joint found
on Jeep Wranglers. Aftermarket yokes are
also available to bump the joint size up to the
heavy-duty 1350 series, if desired. Be sure
to grab the mounting bolts for the yoke when
you get your junkyard axle.

When addressing the brake lines, there are
several ways to plumb the Ford calipers to
the Jeep chassis hard line. We decided to
use two right-side Explorer soft lines (flipping
the steel mount plate on one) to plumb the
calipers to the hardlines we took off the Dana
35. The lines had to be reshaped a bit and
new ends flared on. We added bolt-on line
retention clips where needed.
We brought home the parking brake cables
with the Ford axle. We’re not currently using
them for our application but there are several
options available, including use of Grand
Cherokee parking brake cables, aftermarket
cable solutions, or modification for reuse of
the Ford cables.

As mentioned, we created an axle vent tube

Sources
hole in the same location as that on the Dana Ballistic Fabrication, 520/888-
35. The vent tube secures the rear brake line 4441, ballisticfabrication.com
tee. We purchased an extended stainless Randy’s Worldwide, 866/631-
braided brake line and mounted it using the 0196, ringpinion.com
original Jeep vent tube fitting.

74 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

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 Give any 12V Jeep
a quick and easy
power-supply upgrade
By Jay Kopycinski
jpeditor@jpmagazine
Photography: Jay Kopycinski

USB
Charging
So your buddy is bragging
about the conveniences in his
new Jeep and charging his
smartphone and tablets from the USB
dash charger. Don’t be jealous—get even.
With a simple install, you too can outfit any
12V Jeep with the modern conveniences

in Any Jeep
Here’s the simple module we used to add
USB charging capability to our Wrangler.
This one mounts in a 11⁄8 -inch hole and is held
in place with a threaded nut. Simple spade
terminals allow for electrical connection.
We mounted a module in the blank plastic
dash panel to the right of the factory power
port and tapped power from the power port
supply line and a ground. You can also mount
these on top of the dash, in the console, or
most any other convenient location where it
may best suit your wire-routing needs.
of today’s handheld devices without the
worry of batteries dying on you.
Nowadays, it’s easy to add in-dash
USB charging to any vehicle with a 12V
system using an inexpensive panel mount
charger. We used a BANDC PJH-RS-
0123 dual USB charger that provides
2.1-amp (good for tablet charging) and
1-amp USB charging outlets to add some
new electrical capabilities to our Wrangler.
We put the flush-mount charger in
the center dash panel. However, you can
locate one most anywhere you need to
accommodate cables and keep them from
being strung across your dash or wherever
they might make an unsightly mess. Even
new vehicles with factory USB chargers
may have them placed in a less-than-ideal
location. Plus, you can also leave any
existing power port(s) intact for other
charging needs. At around $9, this is
definitely a dirt-cheap deed.
Source
Amazon, 866/216-1072, amazon.com

76 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

 LOWER PRICES ON D.U.I. DISTRIBUTORS,
WITHOUT SACRIFICING QUALITY!
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engine damaging detonation.

AMC D.U.I.
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• PERFORMANCE DISTRIBUTORS PRODUCTS CAN ALSO IMPROVE GAS MILEAGE: Because a
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improve unless you want to enjoy the extra power and performance and put your “foot into it”.
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a distributor that has been calibrated on a distributor machine provides a smoother rate of
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• Performance Distributors has over 35 years of HEI distributor experience - more than any other
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*Not Legal for Sale or Use in California on Any Pollution Controlled Motor Vehicle.

The factory TJ Wrangler hinges use a built-in travel-limit tab (arrow). However, the metal tabs
eventually break off like the one shown in the photo on the right and then your tailgate swings
too wide and slams into whatever happens to be in the way.
We welded a 1⁄2 -inch nut to a piece of sheet
steel and riveted it to our tailgate with an
added squirt of silicone sealer behind the
plate. We then bolted a limit strap to the plate.
You could also do the same without welding
by drilling into the tailgate to accommodate a
bolt or nut behind the plate.
Dirt-Cheap
Tailgate Strap
78 Jp
We placed a similar plate mount inside the
passenger side tub and ran the bolt for the
limit strap through a hole in the carpet. The
folding limit strap does consume some space
when the tailgate is closed, so be mindful of
your mounting locations and strap length if
that concerns you.
jpmagazine.com
Keep your Wrangler
tailgate from swinging
too wide
By Jay Kopycinski
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Photography: Jay Kopycinski
The original factory
passenger-side taillight had
already been cracked from the
tailgate swinging open and the 33-inch
spare tire smacking it. This was happen-
ing because the tailgate no longer had any
limit to its travel. The factory hinges on a
Jeep TJ Wrangler are decent metal units
with built-in limit stops but eventually the
stops snap off, and they do so even faster if
you’ve added a heavier tire to the tailgate.
After not finding much on the market
to cure the problem other than buying
expensive replacement hinges (which
might eventually break again), we opted
to produce our own dirt-cheap fix. The
solution was to use a suspension limit
strap we had lying around and some scrap
steel and hardware. We chose how wide
we would allow the tailgate to open, and
now have it under control again. This
tailgate limit strap will also keep the
tailgate from swinging too wide when the
Wrangler is parked on a passenger-side
off-camber hill.
MARCH 2017
 GETTING YOUR
GEAR STOLEN
STEEL SECURITY CONSOLES
IS NO ADVENTURE
JEEP CARGO SECURITY STORAGE SECURITY GLOVE BOX

These universal fit, high security, steel consoles Tuffy’s Security Deck Enclosures create a secure storage This 16 gauge steel, high security glove box is
feature Tuffy’s patented pushbutton latch system. area protected on all sides. The patented design quickly an ideal replacement for the plastic factory glove box.
The lid also latches closed without having to be locked. and easily installs with and without an OEM hardtop. models for jeep cj, yj, tj & jk.

CONCEAL CARRY SECURITY SECURE CONSOLE INSERTS STORAGE SECURITY COVER

Tuffy security drawers mount inconspicuously under the The security console insert turns the JK center console The JK locking cubby cover replaces the existing
seat out of sight of would-be thieves. Patented locking into a heavy-duty lockable storage area, while maintaining flimsy cover that comes from the factory. It creates
system, easy install. models for jeep cj, tj & jk. the refined curves of the factory center console. secure storage in the hidden floor compartment.

SERIOUS THEFT PROTECTION

made in the usa Find a dealer near you. | 866.348.8339 | tuffyproducts.com/jp
 JEEP SHOTS
By Ali Mansour
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Trinity Sunrise
Thomas Potter of Sacramento,
California, sent us this great shot of his JK
at sunrise next to a fire lookout tower in
Shasta–Trinity National Forest, California.
Black & Red
Mike Rakow of Monroeville, Pennsylvania,
is a long-time Jeep enthusiast. He currently
owns a ’48 Willys VJ-2 Jeepster and ’14
Wrangler Unlimited. Both the Jeepster and
JK sport the red-and-black scheme, but only
the JK frequently hits the dirt.
80 Jp
Clean XJ
Charlie Kleman from Johnstown,
Pennsylvania, owns this flexy ’00 Jeep
Cherokee XJ. It’s fit with a 61⁄2 -inch Rough
Country Suspension lift with control arm
drop brackets and 33x12.50R15 Dick Cepek
Extreme Country tires on15x10 steel wheels. A
Nates 4x4 front bumper resides up front, while
Bushwacker flat flares keep the tires covered.
Other upgrades include a Rusty’s Off-Road
steering box brace and a fresh headliner.
Kleman states that his goal with the XJ was to
keep it clean, simple, and street friendly.
Centennial Wheeler
Bob Steger of Centennial, Colorado, says that he “wheels the daylights” out of his ’04
Wrangler Rubicon. The Rubi TJ has been outfitted with a custom 31⁄2 -inch suspension lift,
35-inch-tall BFG KM2 tires, and Rokmen control arms. A set of 4.88 gears and chromoly
axleshafts reside inside the stock Dana 44 axlehousings. Body armor comes by way of
Poison Spyder Customs bumpers, fenders, and rocker guards.
jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
Barn Find
Raul D. Rios from Abilene, Texas, trans-
formed his barn find into the built ’78 CJ-5
you see here today. The homebuilt Jeep
is outfitted with a 4-inch Rough Country
Suspension lift, which easily clears the Are We There Yet?
33-inch-tall tires. New wiring and an Neil Hamada from Jacumba, California, took his ’99 Wrangler to the Hurricane Pass
aluminum radiator were installed, along trail near Silverton, Colorado. The 11-day road trip took Hamada and his family through
with Smittybilt seats and Rugged Ridge Colorado’s Alpine loop and Utah’s Canyonlands National Park and Moab. In tow the
step bars. Even the flat-black paint was an entire trip was his M416 military trailer. Over the 2,100-mile journey, Hamada swears the
at-home project. kids never asked, “Are we there yet?”

Trail Wheeler
Salisbury, New Brunswick, Canada,
reader Josh Daigle enjoys his ’12 Wrangler
daily. Outfitted with a mild lift, Goodyear
MT/Rs, and a Poison Spyder Customs
winch front bumper, the JK has the core
essentials to survive on the trail.

Write Us!
Want to get your Jeep into Jeep Shots?
18 Years And Counting Send some photos (each at least 1,600 by
Paul Dickinson sent us this shot of his wife Tiffany and their ’46 Willys CJ-2A. Paul took 1,200 pixels) and a description, including all
his then girlfriend, now wife, out in the Willys a few times when they were first dating mods and upgrades, to jpeditor@jpmaga-
and she seemed to enjoy it. Just more than 18 years later, they are still having fun with zine.com. Be sure to write “Jeep Shots”
the classic CJ. Currently, the Willys features a windshield from a CJ-3A, Rancho 21⁄2 -inch in the email subject line so it will get to the
suspension lift, and 31-inch-tall tires. A 2,000cc engine from a ’73 Pinto is backed by a right department. Or, snail mail it to:
T-90 transmission and Spicer 18 transfer case. This powertrain spins a set of Lock-Right Jp Magazine, Jeep Shots
Lockers and 5.38 gears, which are stuffed inside the Dana 25 front and Dana 44 rear. A 831 S. Douglas St.
custom cage and seats from a ’68 Firebird are just a couple of the additional upgrades the El Segundo, CA 90245
Willys has received over time.

MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com Jp 81

 NEW PRODUCTS
By John Cappa
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com

Slick Kit
Amsoil now offers the new Deluxe
Grease Gun Kit in addition to its line of
synthetic grease. The new kit comes
complete with everything needed for
application in automotive, power sports,
and commercial equipment. It is said
to develop up to 3,500 psi and provide
improved pumping performance. Each kit
includes one grease cartridge, a flexible
hose, and a rigid pipe. The pistol-grip
design and rigid pipe allow one-handed
grease application, while the flexible hose
eases access in hard to reach areas. Two
head ports allow for increased flexibility, Portable Air
while the plastic tip cover protects against Campbell Hausfeld introduces the new
contamination from debris. Information: 120V Quiet Compressor. It’s said to be up
Amsoil, 800/777-8491, amsoil.com to 50 percent quieter than conventional
designs, while providing 2.4 cfm at 90 psi
LED Bar and 3.5 cfm at 40 psi. It features a 6-gallon
J.W. Speaker introduces the TS1000 pancake air tank, an oil-free pump, and a
14-inch off-road LED lightbar. It features a 1hp induction motor. Max psi is 125, sound
weatherproof, thermally conductive plastic output is 68 dBa, and the compressor
housing with shock and vibration resistant weighs in at 531⁄2 pounds. Information:
LEDs. It’s said to be designed specifically Campbell Hausfeld, 800/543-6400, thequi-
for off-road use. The model TS1000 lightbar etcompressors.com
is available in four different beam patterns
including flood, wide flood, pencil beam,
and high beam. Information: J.W. Speaker,
800/558-7288, jwspeaker.com

Smog Skid
JKS Manufacturing now offers a heavy-duty skidplate system to protect the vulner-
able EVAP canister mounted under your Jeep JK Wrangler. This new skidplate is laser-
cut from 3⁄16 -inch-thick steel and then formed to fit the JK EVAP canister for protection
from rocks and other potential hazards. The skidplate is said to be designed to bolt into
place for easy installation with no need to reroute the EVAP hoses. The skidplate includes
a JKS logo cutout and is finished in a black
powdercoating. Currently available appli- Lookback Light
cations include the ’12-current Wrangler The Rigid Reflect is said to be the first
with ’07-’11 JK applications coming LED light that not only illuminates the road
soon. Information: JKS Manufacturing, ahead, but also allows you to see what’s
517/278-1226, jksmfg.com behind, making it perfect for doorless
Jeeps. The Rigid Reflect is a LED lighting
solution with a fully adjustable side mirror
all in one. It uses Rigid’s patented LED
technology and new side-shooter optics to
provide a wide beam of light for cornering.
For even more versatility, there are also
built-in amber LEDs on the outside edge of
the fixture that can be used as turn signals,
flashers, or even auxiliary running lights.
Rollcage mounting clamps make instal-
lation easy, while adjustment of both the
light and the mirror can be done indepen-
dently. Information: Rigid Industries,
855/760-5337, rigidindustries.com

Axle Adjustability
Rancho introduces performance adjustable track bars for use
on Jeep Wrangler JK models with 2-6 inches of lift. With track
bar adjustability you can center the front and rear axles into the
proper position. The track bars feature new Rancho D2 synthetic
high-articulation bushings which are said to be maintenance
free, deliver superior dampening, and improved ride/handling
characteristics. Every Rancho adjustable track bar is made from
heavy-duty steel and installation is a simple bolt-on process. The
Rancho adjustable track bars come finished in a black powder-
coat. Information: Rancho, 734/384-7806, gorancho.com

82 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

 NEW
Jeep Parts ®

Catalog
Parts & accessories for all
Wranglers, Vintage, & Cherokees
the most versatile vehicles EVER

Weather-Resistant Switching
Painless Performance introduces the Trail Rocker System for the ’07-’16 Jeep
Wrangler. The switch box gives you the ability to control eight accessories on your Jeep
JK. The Trail Rocker features eight diode-suppressed relays and LED switches. Each
weather-resistant switch panel features six LED switches and mounts to your Jeep
using existing holes. The power center includes a bolt-on bracket to mount under the
hood with 200 amps of fused protection. All TXL output wiring is included. Information:
Painless Performance, 817/244-6212, painlessperformance.com

JK Shafting
G2 Axle and Gear now
offers heavy-duty 1-ton upgraded
driveshafts for the two- and four-door
Jeep Wrangler JK models. These driveshafts
feature heavy-duty 23⁄4 -inch DOM tubing and solid-
body 1350-series U-Joints. Each driveshaft is dynamically
balanced to eliminate vibration. They are available for front
and rear applications and offer 32 degrees of angularity to match big
lifts and long-travel suspensions. Every G2 driveshaft comes with a 10-year warranty.
Information: G2 Axle and Gear, 310/900-2687, g2axle.com

Hitching and Winching

Rock Hard 4x4 now offers the Full Width
front bumper with a receiver for the ’76-’06
Jeep CJ-5, CJ-7, CJ-8, YJ, TJ, and LJ. The
welded 2-inch front receiver is perfect for
moving a trailer around in tight spaces or
down a boat ramp. It can also be used for
beach fishing pole holders or an overhead
canoe rack. The bumper features a 800-865-0924
lowered winch mount, which provides less
obstructed airflow into the grille and radia-
tor of your Jeep. Each bumper comes with
4WD.com
a lifetime guarantee and is made in the USA
from laser-cut 1⁄4 -inch-thick plate steel. The
bumpers are individually powdercoated
in-house, so every nook and cranny is
protected. Other features include standard light mounting tabs, predrilled winch mount-
ing holes, 1-inch recovery tabs, and laser-cut holes for optional tow bar brackets and Call Center Hours (EST):
M-F 8a-9p - Sat 9a-7p - Sun 9a-5p
steering box skidplate. Information: Rock Hard 4x4, 844/762-5427, rockhard4x4.com
Jeep ® Wrangler and the Jeep ® Grill Design are
MARCH 2017 jpmagazine.com registered trademarks of Chrysler LLC.
 YOUR JEEP
By John Cappa
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com
Tie Rod Tuning
What is the proper way to measure for
new tie rods? I need to measure my CJ-7
for one and am not sure if I measure just
the rod or the rod and ends?
Michael Donnel
Via facebook.com/jpmag
Your Jeep CJ-7 could have one of two
different length tie rods. The ’76-’81.5
CJ-7s have narrow-track axles, while the
’81.5-’86 CJ-7s have wide-track axles. The
wide-track CJ Dana 30 front axle is about
4 inches wider than the narrow-track CJ
Dana 30 front axle, so therefore the tie rod
tube will be about 4 inches longer on the
wide-track Jeep. The narrow-track axle
will have a stock tie rod tube measurement
of slightly more than 40 inches; the wide-
track tie rod tube will have a measurement
of nearly 44 inches.
Now, if you are replacing the entire
tie rod assembly with a custom-made
84 Jp
heavy-duty tie rod with spherical rod ends
or larger tie rod ends, you’ll need to take
careful overall measurements. First, you’ll
need to make sure the toe-in is properly set
to 3⁄8 -inch and then measure between the
centers of the tie rod holes in the knuckles.
Your complete replacement tie rod should
match this measurement yet still offer
some adjustment for proper alignment.
YJ Tank Replacement
Is there an aftermarket company that
makes gas tanks or fuel cells that accept the
stock YJ fuel sending unit? I’m looking for a
tank with the rectangular unit, not round.
Be Double-u
Via facebook.com/jpmag
You have several fuel tank options if
you wish to retain the factory square YJ
fuel pump/sender assembly. If you are
looking for a fuel cell to install in the back
of your Jeep, Summit Racing (summitrac-
ing.com) offers many different sizes of
aluminum fuel cells that could be easily
modified to accept the square YJ flange.
If you want to keep the fuel tank in the
stock location, and extend the wheelbase
too, GenRight (genright.com) offers an
aluminum 23-gallon Crawler Comp tank.
jpmagazine.com
It is specifically designed to allow 7 inches
more clearance between the rear axle and
the gas tank, making it a great option for an
extended wheelbase and larger rear axle.
Other GenRight YJ tanks include alumi-
num units with a 17- or 20-gallon capacity
that fit in the stock location. Both of these
tanks feature provisions for the square
YJ fuel pump/sender assembly. Another
option is the GenRight 23-gallon universal
fuel tank. It is also designed to work with
the YJ in-tank fuel pump/sender module.
Straight Swap
So I have a question, and I think the
answer is “no problem!” In fact, I’m sure
it is.
Still, can you confirm that my 3.21:1
geared Dana 30 front axle from my ’12
two-door Jeep Wrangler Sport will work
in a ’13 four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Sahara that also has 3.21:1 geared axles?
Should be plug-and-play, am I right?
Dan
Via email
There is often a lot of confusion about
the differences between the Jeep JK
Wrangler and JK Wrangler Unlimited.
The Unlimited model is simply a deriva-
tive of the standard two-door Wrangler.
This means that they share a lot of parts,
including the engine and other drivetrain
components, suspension, and chassis bits.
However, you may see slightly different
spring rates and shock valving between
the two- and four-door models. The parts
are still interchangeable, and only an
expert would likely be able to tell the differ-
ence if you were to swap the two-door
parts onto the four-door.
As for the complete front axlehousings,
they are identical between the ’12 and ’13
models. It will be a direct bolt-in swap. Just
make sure that the Jeep receiving the swap
truly does have matching 3.21 axle gears.
You can check the small steel tag attached
to the differential cover, but the best
method is to remove the cover and check
the gears themselves. Somewhere around
the circumference of the ring gear you will
find several different numbers. For 3.21:1
MARCH 2017
 3" Lift with 3" Stretch
07-16 JK Low Center of Gravity Lift Kit KJ09175BK
• Fits 37" Tires
• Progressive Rate Coils
• Includes Trac Bars and
Sway Bar Disconnects
$ 269999

N E W !
KJ09175BK

DaystarWeb.com • 800.595.7659
YOUR JEEP
ratio gears you should see a 45/14 stamped
into the gear. This identifies the number
of ring gear teeth (45) and the number of
pinion gear teeth (14). If you divide the
ring gear tooth count by the pinion gear
tooth count, you will get the actual gear
ratio, which in this case is 3.2142857. This
is rounded to 3.21. If the ring gear does not
have any numbers stamped into it, you can
always just count the teeth on both the ring
gear and pinion gear.
It’s important to be aware of what you
are purchasing when it comes to axles,
especially Jeep JK front housings. It’s not
Suspension, armor, steering
and driveline products for Jeeps
For full product line and specs, see www.ironrockoffroad.com
or call toll free 1-877-919-JEEP
86 Jp
uncommon to find used stock JK front
axles that have been abused with 37-inch
tires or bigger. Many of these housings
are bent. Check the housing for straight-
ness. Other notoriously worn components
include the ball joints and unit bearings.
Also, inspect the control arm and track
bar mounting brackets for cracks, shoddy
repairs, and wallowed out boltholes.
Anything that looks abused, probably has
been. Ideally, you should look for a front
axle that still has the factory paint on it,
including on the underside where it gets
worn away quickly off-road.
LED Headlight Swap
Lead me out of the darkness. Can I
retrofit the optional ’17 Wrangler LED
headlights to my ’07 Wrangler?
Bob Rief
Cardiff, CA
Only some ’17 Jeep Wrangler and
Wrangler Unlimited models will receive
the new LED headlights and fog lamps.
They will be a Mopar option on the Sport
and Sport S and standard on Sahara and
Rubicon models. I have not seen the ’17
wiring in person yet. However, I suspect it
will be a plug-and-play upgrade for older
JKs. If it’s not, I’m sure an aftermarket
pigtail harness will certainly be made avail-
able quickly. The Mopar LED headlights
are $595. No word on if the current Mopar
LED headlights will be replaced with the
factory ’17 Wrangler LED headlights. At
this time, they are not the same part.
Right now, it’s unknown what the price
for the factory Jeep LED headlights will
be. However, it’s very likely that they will
far outprice many of the different bolt-on
aftermarket LED headlight kits already
available for the ’07-’16 Wrangler today. So
if you really want the LED headlights, you’ll
likely be better off going with aftermar-
ket LED headlights from companies like
J.W. Speaker (jwspeaker.com), Max-Bilt
(maxbilt.com), Mopar (mopar.com), Putco
(putco.com), Rigid Industries (rigidindus-
tries.com), Vision X (visionxusa.com), and
several others. All of these companies
offer LED headlight kits that have been
designed specifically to bolt into the JK
Wrangler without any guesswork.
Rubicon Ready
I recently signed up for the Jeepers
Jamboree. I own a ’14 Jeep Rubicon
X Unlimited. I emailed the Jeepers
Jamboree staff and they say that my
Jeep is capable of handling the trail. They
even added that they have seen the same
exact Jeep model go through without any
problems. Furthermore, I’ve read online
about how capable the Rubicon X is fully
able to do the trail since it is, after all,
named after it.
However, after reading Nena Knows
Jeeps (Apr. ’16), the confidence in my
Rubicon X has lowered a whole lot. Not
because it was a horrible article but
because of the reality of it. How you said
that the terrain changes all the time, and
jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017
all the upgrades you mentioned was an
awakening. My upgrades are limited to the
Rancho Rock Gear control arm protection
and differential skids. My Rubicon already
came with rock sliders, but are they good
enough? Also, my tow hooks are factory. I
figured they are more capable than other
Wrangler models.
Since you’re an independent party, and
not a part of Jeepers Jamboree, could I get
your expert advice whether my Rubicon X
needs all the upgrades you mentioned in
the article or will I be comfortable enough
(with less stress) with it as-is?
Ron Sioson
Via email
a few unexpected bumps and dings, but I
would not recommend using them as real
rock sliders. The mounting brackets can
bend and tear out of the body if you beat
on them too heavily. Personally, I would
recommend some heavy-duty aftermarket
rocker guards. You don’t necessarily need
them for the Rubicon trail, but they will
certainly make the trip more stress free for
you. Well-built rocker guards are usually
the first modification I recommend for
anyone planning to take their Jeep off-road.
Your factory tow points are more than
adequate for the Rubicon trail. Ultimately,
you want to make sure that you have at least
one tow point on the front and rear of the
Jeep. Although, two tow points per end can
be ideal when trying to pull and maneuver a
Jeep through a difficult section.
Write Us!
Got a tech question you’re just
itching to get answered? Send it on in to
Jp Magazine,Your Jeep, 831 S. Douglas
St., El Segundo, CA 90245, or email it to
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com.

The Rubicon Trail is extremely

unpredictable and the trail conditions
change dramatically depending on the
season. Fortunately, Jeepers Jamboree
(jeepersjamboree.com) runs the trail in
the summer when the weather and trail
conditions are more predictable and less
extreme. However, keep in mind that the
historic Donner Pass is only about 50 miles
from the Rubicon Trail. Bad weather can
come in quickly and unexpectedly nearly
any time of the year. We’ve been on the
Rubicon in the middle of September where
it was 80 degrees on the first trail day, and
snowing on the last.
Anyway, the Jeepers Jamboree crew
does a really good job prepping the
trail and helping first timers like you get
through. Your Rubicon X should have no
trouble getting through. Of course you’ll
get a few dings and scrapes on the under-
side of your Jeep, but that’s to be expected.
The factory rock sliders on your Jeep are
attached to the body. They can withstand

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 SIDEWAYS
By Tori Tellem
jpeditor@jpmagazine.com

Send us your family-

vacation-in-a-Jeep experi-
ence, especially if it’s
vintage or parked in front of a monument
or noteworthy thingy (world’s largest ball
of string, or whatever you come across).
We also want to see the usual fare: Rather
than the same built rides that we put in
Readers’ Rigs, Sideways is all about your
military Jeep experience, your sunk/stuck/
rolled Jeep experience, family experience
with a Jeep, or other personal history in
which a Jeep played a part. We want to
see and hear, so send us a pic and don’t
forget the most important parts of all: who
is in the photo (first and last name), where
it was taken, what year/type of Jeep, and
the fun backstory info. And tell us who you
are and where you’re from if you’re not
the one in the photo. Make sure the photo
is high resolution (no less than 1,600 by
2,000 pixels or around 2 megapixels) and
a JPG (maximum quality), BMP, or TIFF
file. No PDFs. Email the photo and story
to jpeditor@jpmagazine.com with the
subject line, “Sideways.”
Stuck School
Holly Nisley from Grand Junction, Colorado, had us at “so stuck after digging, logs,
and rocking.” The adventure next required walking to get help, and her friend figured
they were going to die, and Holly figured they’d run into some guys who’d be thrilled
to help two people of the female persuasion out of the mud. She sent her dad the map
details for how to find them, and he called the rangers at the Visitor’s Center and the
sheriff. And then the fun began. “Bill Burke with 4-Wheel America happened to be in
the area doing a trail, and the rangers thought he was called to save us. By the time we
made it back to the Jeep with guys to help, Bill was there. He rope-towed me right out
and directed me out of slipping into a ravine. I was freaked out and asked him if he could
just do it. He said, ‘You own a Jeep, you need to learn this.’ I learned after I was out of the
mess that he teaches four-wheeling for a living, and I got one hell of a very valuable free
lesson. I got stuck because I didn’t check to see how deep the ruts were. I learned there is
nothing wrong with getting out and assessing the trail, I learned more about my Jeep’s
capability and what she can’t do…yet. I would do it all over again because if I hadn’t
gotten stuck, I’d never have met Bill. One of the best days ever.”

Medicinal Jeep
“Here is a pic I just found
while going through some
of my ’Nam stuff,” wrote
Gardner Fey of Canon City,
Colorado, with what was
perhaps the best opening to a
letter Jp has ever received. “It
was taken in the fall of 1970
at LZ Uplift West of Qui Non
on Highway 19 in the Central
Highlands of Vietnam. I was
a medic with 1/503, 173rd
Airborne Brigade.” He
points your attention to the
stenciled info on the front
bumper. “I had the opportu- First Fail:
nity to go to a three-week driving school when I got to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio Pride Down, Rep Up
in the late summer of 1969 for my medic training. A group of us were offered a voluntary We dig first-timers, so Dan Ridgeway of
side trip through driving school with Jeeps, 3⁄4 -tons, and deuce-and-a-half trucks,” he Canal Fulton, Ohio, we’re digging your first
explained. “It sounded like fun, but we all volunteered immediately when we found out roll! And how you’re owning it: “I’d like to
we could go to the head of the chow line anytime! We bashed the vehicles through the have a great excuse for my unfortunate
scrub of southern Texas daily and had a riot.” situation, but I must say it was completely
Gardner said they were told to “drive ’em hard, they are built to take it!” which meant driver error, and the only real damage was
the motor-pool guys were probably not their biggest fans. “There is nothing more fun to my pride,” Dan said. “I’ve been driving
than rodding a 21⁄2 -ton six-wheel-drive truck through the boonies and somebody else has this Jeep for the last 20 years, and this
to fix it if it breaks! We crossed rivers, climbed gnarly hills, and learned the Army way was my first oops. My Jeep is a ’78 CJ-7
to drive while getting paid a whopping $92 per month. I ended up with a military driver with a 304, T18 tranny, spooled Dana 60
license but went to Airborne School after medic training, then on to ’Nam where we rear, front Dana 44 with a ARB locker, 4.88
walked everywhere (grunt). gears, 35-inch Boggers, and a 21⁄2 -inch
“I currently have a ’65 CJ-5 and a ’99 WJ, so the Jeep love affair has never left me, spring-over lift.” Dan and his buddies were
even after 46 years.” able to upright it and keep on ‘wheeling.

Jp Magazine (ISSN 1097-2730), March 2017, Vol. 22, No. 3. Published
monthly by TEN: The Enthusiast Network, LLC, 261 Madison Avenue,
6th Floor, New York, NY 10016-2303. Copyright 2016 by TEN: The
Enthusiast Network Magazines, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Periodicals
postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Printed
in the USA. Single copy price is $5.99. Subscription rates for 1 year (12
issues) U.S., APO, FPO, and U.S. Possessions $18.00. Canadian orders
add $12.00 per year and international orders add $24.00 per year
(includes surface mail postage). Payment in advance, U.S. funds only.
For subscription inquiries please write to Jp, P.O. Box 420235, Palm
Coast, FL 32142-0235. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM
707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address
corrections to Jp, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.

90 Jp jpmagazine.com MARCH 2017

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