Dangerous Photo
Love the mag. I have been an on-and-off subscriber for years (now an on-again-forever subscriber). Just a comment on a picture on page 32 of the Nov. '10 magazine (why I get a November edition in September is another question entirely). Anyhow, on page 32 you have already chastised a driver for having his hand out the window holding onto the rollcage. In the picture below, there are two winch cables in use, one running right beside the driver's head, yet I see no snap-arresting devices placed on either of these cables in case one happens to snap. I have read your warnings in other issues about placing a blanket, jacket, anything draped over the cable, to use as a safety device. To me this is a potentially far more dangerous situation. The guy in the top picture could severely damage his hand; the guy in the bottom picture could lose his head. Just thought I would point that out.
Oh, and as a Dodge Dakota owner (picture attached), I was proud to see the truck make the cover. More articles on Dakotas, please. We need to get the word out that there is a whole subculture of proud Dodge Dakota (third-generation) owners who are starving for aftermarket support. There is currently no suspension lift kit offered for our trucks.
Thanks for the great magazine!
Kent Eaton
Winston Salem, NC
We were concerned with that photo too, but there were safety measures applied to the cables after the photo was taken, and little stress was placed on them. They were mainly stability cables. Thanks for noticing and mentioning it. It gives us a chance to repeat our safety mantra.
Axleshaft Fix
First off, great mag! I look forward to my new issue every month. I just wanted to add a quick comment on your article "Jeep Trail Tech: Dana 30 Axleshaft Swap & Trail Safety" (Dec. '10). It is not a bad idea to make sure you can separate your unit bearing from the knuckle before you snap a shaft on the trail. I would suggest that you check it when you are doing your next brake job. I live in the Great White Northeast, and in every unit bearing replacement I have done, the unit bearing rusts itself fast to the knuckle. Separating the two usually requires a big hammer, a few chisels, and bunch of time. Since the unit bearing is such a tight fit in the knuckle, even a little rust can make removing it difficult. Better to spend a few hours on the driveway, where you have the time and the tools, than on the trail, where such things can be scarce.
Adam Stella
Plains, PA
No doubt that rust will freeze the unit bearings in the bore over time. The best solution would be to assemble them with antiseize in the first place, but I doubt that will ever happen!
CJ-17 Brakes
Your magazine is great. I can't wait for the next issue! Your CJ-17 rig looks just like what I have in mind for my CJ3-B ( I know, I know, it's the Ugly One). Can you help me out with any info or suggestions about the brake pedal/booster/master/cylinder swap? What type of equipment did you folks use?
My frame has been boxed front to rear. I have a small-block Chevy, a Turbo 350 trans, and a Dana 44 and Ford 9-inch (both cut down and reworked by Dave Adams' Extreme Off-Road & Repair in Clovis, California).
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Mike Barrett
Via 4wheeloffroad.com
We used the stock CJ-7 pedal, which had an auto and power brakes. The master cylinder and booster are from Off Again 4x4, (505.325.5761, www.offagain4x4.com), which are Navajo Brake units. We've used these on many of our Jeeps with great results.