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2005 Ultimate Adventure 4x4 Trucks
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Aaron James' Rock-Ready Ram Aaron James is a returning reader from last year, bringing back his Colorado trail Dodge and brother/co-driver Phillip James. Aaron proved he learned a lot from last year's 'Adventure, and brought his Dodge back with new 1-ton parts to replace the 1/2-ton axles that were giving him a little hell last year. His new upgrades complemented his driving style, and Aaron did a great job navigating even the hardest of obstacles with little frustration or breakage. It's a good thing too, because Phillip was way too busy getting the phone number of every cute girl we saw to have time to help fix his bro's truck.
Tech Specs Driver/Co-Driver(s): Aaron James, Phillip James Vehicle: 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport Engine: 5.9L Magnum V-8, Kenne Bell ECM Tranny: 46RE Transfer Case: NV241J (Rocktrac with 4:1 low range) Driveshafts: 0.140-inch wall front CV, 0.250-inch wall rear with 1410 yoke Front Axle: Dana 60, 5.13 Precision gears, ARB Air Locker, 32-spline inner axleshafts Rear Axle: Dana 70, 5.13 Spicer gears, Detroit Locker, custom disc brakes Steering: Stock 2500 linkage, stock 3500 steering box Suspension: Custom control arms, 3-inch coil spacer in front, stock Off-Road leaf pack in rear Tire and Wheels: 37x12.50-17 BFGoodrich Krawlers on 17x8 aluminum wheels Winch: Warn 9.5 XP Bumpers/Cages/Guards: Denver Off-Road 6061-T6 aluminum front bumper, 2-inch 0.120-inch wall DOM Evolution/Phillbilt exocage, Phillbilt rear bumper with hidden receiver, Phillbilt flatbed, Rockstomper rock guards, custom aluminum skidplates Cool Stuff: Steering and suspension is mostly stock equipment. Electric line lock. Bought new off showroom floor and started wheeling it.
BF Goodrich's Perry-Built Custom Fred Perry was back again this year along with co-driver and title sponsor BF Goodrich's Gary Enterline, but in his brand-new and never-before-tested handbuilt Jeep. Even though you'd never know it upon a glance, this one never came off an assembly line: Fred started with a bare Unlimited frame and built the entire Jeep from scratch using a Grand Cherokee motor and tranny, and two TJ bodies grafted together. With the help of Chris Durham, Fred worked from his shop in South Carolina and punched out this gnarly yellow Jeep in just a few months, with special touches like the custom-built short radiator support that gives the fiberglass hood some serious rake for better visibility. Damn, Fred was already hard enough to keep up with in his last Jeep ....
Tech Specs Driver/Co-Driver(s): Fred Perry, Gary Enterline Vehicle: 2005 Perry-built Wrangler Engine: 4.7L V-8 Tranny: Five-speed Grand Cherokee WJ automatic Transfer Case: Atlas with 3.8:1 low range Front Axle: RockCrusher 60, 4.88 gears, Detroit Locker, CTM U-joints, chromoly axleshafts Rear Axle: RockCrusher 60, 4.88 gears, Detroit Locker, chromoly axleshafts Steering: AGR steering box, custom crossover Suspension: Teraflex LCG kit, Walker Evans 12-inch travel air shocks, air shock hoops front and rear, ORO air-actuated disconnect antisway bar, 107-inch wheelbase Tire and Wheels: 39x13.50-17 BFGoodrich Krawlers on 17x8.5 Walker Evans bead locks Winch: Warn HS9500 short drum with winch rope Bumpers/Cages/Guards: Big Daddy front bumper and rocker guards, custom rollcage Cool Stuff: Made from scratch starting with a frame. Body from two TJs grafted together. Custom radiator support that allows hood to be angled for better visibility
Tuff Country's Truggy On the first trail day, Scott Sweeney stated that he wouldn't do any damage to his Tuff Country truggy during the trip. Oh boy, a newbie! Little did he know...hehehe. We thought for sure Scott and his brother/co-driver Zach Sweeney were going down after making big claims like this, and at every obstacle we stood on our tiptoes hoping to witness the brothers from Utah put a heinous grind in that spotless truggy body. But no! Not once! Zach directed Scott through almost every obstacle with the patience and skill of wheelers twice their age, and truly disappointed us by doing a great job at coming through clean and unscathed.
Tech Specs Driver/Co-Driver(s): Scott Sweeney, Zach Sweeney Vehicle: 1985 Toyota extended cab Engine: 22RE Tranny: Stock manual Transfer Case: Marlin Crawler Ultimate Crawler kit, rear twin stick Driveshafts: Long-travel front driveshaft, lengthened stock Toyota IFS driveshaft in rear Front Axle: Toyota, 5.29 gears, ARB Air Locker, chromoly axleshafts and Birfields Rear Axle: 1986 Toyota, 5.29 gears, ARB Air Locker Steering: Marlin high-steer arms, All Pro crossover arms, AGR hydraulic ram assist Suspension: Tuff Country prototype leaves in front, rear four-link, S.A.W. coilovers Tire and Wheels: 37-inch Toyo Open Country MTs on 15x8 Trail Ready bead locks Winch: Warn 9.5 Ti Bumpers/Cages/Guards: All tubework done by the Sweeney brothers Cool Stuff: Tacoma fiberglass front clip. Locking trunk in rear of truggy. Complete vinyl graphic exterior covering.
John Hughbank's Big Bashin' Bronco John Hughbanks was an invited reader from our own hometown, and when we found out he wanted to go, we knew he was the right guy to bring along. John works at GM Truck Center in Burbank, California, the shop that bore this year's UA truck, and his try-anything, die-hard attitude was just what we wanted on a trip like this. In fact, John received not only the Most Dramatic Driver award and the Most Improved Driver award, but also Clifton Slay's Most Hardcore award at the farewell dinner. He and his infamous co-driver, Steven Deitsch (aka Big Stevie), took their '79 Bronco and ran it through the wringer, making sure to leave no body panel undented as John experienced wheeling in terrain totally foreign to him.
Tech Specs Driver/Co-Driver(s): John Hughbanks, Steven Deitsch Vehicle: 1979 Ford Bronco Engine: 460ci, bored 0.060 over, forged pistons, ported and polished heads, roller rockers, Comp Cam Tranny: C6 with low planetary 1st gear, Art Carr gate shifter Transfer Case: NP205 Front Axle: Dynatrac 60, 4.56 gears, Powr-Lok differential, 35-spline 300M axleshafts Rear Axle: 14-bolt, 4.56 gears, Detroit Locker, disc brakes Steering: Crossover steering, ORU ram assist Suspension: 9-inch lift All Valley Spring coils, All 4 Fun 13-inch extended radius arms, Skyjacker rear leaves, MX-6 reservoir shock in front, Rancho RS 9000s in rear, 110-inch wheelbase Tire and Wheels: 44-inch Swamper TSLs in front, 44-inch Boggers in rear on Eaton bead-lock wheels Winch: Warn 9500XP Bumpers/Cages/Guards: Custom homebuilt rollcage, bumpers Cool Stuff: Spare driveshafts mounted via flanges and yokes welded to the rollcage. Custom crossmember to give the ability to drop the transmission without removing the front suspension. First UA truck on 44s.
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