Tire Chart Woes
I was just reading "Wheel Bolt Patterns" in your Apr. '10 issue. You may want to reexamine some of your info regarding the '69-'09 Blazer/Jimmy/Tahoe/Yukon (fullsize). I think you will discover that it should be 6-on-51/2 and not the 8-on-61/2 you have printed. I cannot recall ever seeing a single eight-lug factory K-5 Blazer or Jimmy. Other than that, keep up the great magazine.
Blake Haulsee
Taneytown, MD
You're right and wrong. Yukon XLs and CUCVs are both 8-on-61/2, but the majority sported 6-on-51/2 like the 1500. Unfortunately, with no copy editors and nearly 100 rigs on the list, small oversights happen, and we apologize for the confusion.
Jeep Questions In Nuts & Bolts
I was really disappointed in the Nuts & Bolts section with Jeep in the May '10 issue. I can't believe that no questions were asked to Jeep on future engine options, like diesel or Hemi? I have an '07 Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited, and I hate the 3.8L engine-I love everything else about my Jeep but the engine is a dog! What about the Pentastar V-6? What are the specs on that? What about crate swaps for '07-'10 Jeep Wranglers? Any options there?
Too bad that Jeep has not listened to us Jeep owners out here who are wondering why the diesel or Hemi is not an option! Come on, guys! I think that Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road missed an opportunity there!
Patrick Blum
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Tech Editor Fred Williams responds:
We recently finished the series of Nuts & Bolts sections where OEMs answered our questions, and maybe we weren't clear on how it worked. Each month we rounded up three or four pages of questions and submitted them to the OEMs. We were lucky if they answered half. We did indeed ask about new engines, and Jeep decided (like most of the OEMs did) not to comment on future vehicles. We had hoped Jeep would use our pages as a place to reveal some news.
We went ahead and asked some other guys behind the scene at Jeep. These guys are not in public relations, design, or engineering, but instead in the custodial crew at Jeep headquarters. They dug through the Dumpsters and files and eavesdropped in the restrooms. They lead us to believe that the new Pentastar V-6 slated for the coming Grand Cherokee may indeed show up in the Wrangler, but they didn't have any power numbers for us and couldn't determine if it would have something like a turbo, a supercharger, or both installed.
As for the diesel Wrangler, we've heard everything from mysterious diesel Wranglers seen testing on the Rubicon to a special 6.7L Cummins-powered Jeep pickup. Unfortunately our mole on the janitorial team couldn't confirm these rumors, though he did say the guys in the design studio have lots of colored-pencil shavings in their trash can. Maybe Jeep management is still weighing the pros and cons of which new engine and powertrain is best for Jeep's next generation of Wranglers. Remember that this time last year there was questions about whether Chrysler and Jeep would close their doors, so these guys are being more than careful not to develop and deliver some vehicle that isn't right. And in case you are worried, we feel that the guys in charge over at Jeep are some of the most enthusiastic and dedicated at any automaker when it comes to delivering a vehicle that won't diminish their heritage.
That said, we were as disappointed as you; but rather than repeat rumors and theories from sources other than the official mouth of Jeep, we'll instead wait until we have an official answer to your questions and ours about new engines.
More Nuts & Bolts
First off, let me say you guys have a great mag and I look forward to it every month. I had to laugh at the last part of the Nuts & Bolts Jeep Q&A in the May '10 issue: "a smaller solid-axle commuter Jeep that gets 35 mpg, holds two people, and can be used from city streets to ranch pastures." That sounds a lot like a Suzuki Samurai (still sold around the world as the Suzuki Jimny) to me. You can still get these great little trucks all over the world except here in the U.S., thanks to the Consumer Reports issue. They still have body-on frame construction and solid axles and now come with a three-link/coil-spring suspension!
For the record, I owned an '87 with 5 inches of lift and 31s, and I drove the wee out of it on and off road for over three years and never came close to rolling it. I even ran the Rattler trail at the now defunct Paragon Adventure Park, which was rated for 33-inch-plus tires and at least one locker, when I had only 29-inch Thornbirds and open diffs. (Loved that OME suspension!)
Doug Frey
Harrisburg, PA
Well, we can't disagree with this one!
Reader Rave
Sticker request
I'm an avid off-roader and love your magazine a lot! It's very informative and full of ideas and stuff, which I find very useful, and I am able to learn a lot about 4WD. Kudos to you guys. Big thanks. I was also wondering if it is possible for you to send me some stickers. I can slap them on my rigs to show my support and love. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks again.
Caleb
Singapore
Sorry, Caleb, we don't send stickers out; we give them away at trail rides and events. When are you going to invite us to come wheeling in Singapore?
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Write to: Editor, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245; fax 310.531.9368
Email to: 4wheeloffroad@sorc.com