Daniel Wells’ freshly built ’03 Toyota Tacoma was built more for rocks, but he figured that a great way to shake down the truck would be in the muddy trails. Though most of the wheeling area was very open, many of the access paths were made up of tight and windy passages.Daniel Wells’ freshly built ’03 Toyota Tacoma was built more for rocks, but he figured tha Southern Florida is a place that often conjures thoughts of golf courses, glitzy South Beach, and heavy humidity. Anyone who has ever visited the lower portion of the state, and more specifically Miami, is well aware of the vast saturation of water that lines the landscape inside and out. What this means for wheeling enthusiast in the area is that you either like to wheel in mud or you travel far to get away from it. And while tractor tires and mega mud monsters rule the roost in the panhandle, there are still plenty of everyday wheelers that like to mix it up in the murky waters. Dennis Nash was nice enough to tote us around over the weekend in his extremely built Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. Using his six-speed manual transmission he worked the ponies out of the factory 3.8L to keep him moving through the mud. While his JK on 40s weighs in at roughly 7,000 pounds, the 5.38s in the Rock Jock 60 axles allowed him to power through the slop surprisingly well.Dennis Nash was nice enough to tote us around over the weekend in his extremely built Jeep Since we’re always up for a little mudslinging action we slid on our flip-flops, grabbed the brightest Hawaiian shirt we could find, and headed down to the sunny shores of Miami. To get a dose of some of the local wheeling action, we met up with Roco 4x4 shop owner Ricardo Olavarrieta. He and his solid-axle Xtrerra, known as the Iguana, participated in last year’s Ultimate Adventure representing the Florida-based Bubba Rope. Seeing how Florida is the home of both epic mud wheeling and the recovery rope gurus it only made sense for us to take a visit. Jose Lopez’s ’05 Rubicon was nonstop all day. If there was another vehicle stuck or a new line to try, he was always ready to lend a hand and get the most out of his 35-inch SSRs.Jose Lopez’s ’05 Rubicon was nonstop all day. If there was another vehicle stuck or a new For our Florida wheeling adventures we hit one of the nearby private wheeling spots. While the old ratio of “one hour in the mud equals two hours in the shop” (or at the pressure washer) still rings true, it didn’t stop the locals from powering through some eerily deep pits. Most wheelers got the most out of their recovery gear on this rainy weekend, and we even had the chance to revive an engine that put too much water into its air and fuel diet. Overall we found Southern Florida to have plenty of high-end flash, but were happy to spend time on the dirtier side of the up-lit palms. One of the many daily driven Jeeps playing in the mud belonged to Julio Villarman. Fitted with RCV axleshafts, a 4-inch TeraFlex lift, and 37-inch BFG KM2 tires, the Unlimited Rubicon worked great to keep the occupants wheeling in comfort.One of the many daily driven Jeeps playing in the mud belonged to Julio Villarman. Fitted The Jeep Wrangler YJ is one of the most affordable and builder-friendly platforms you can find. This model was equipped with a 6-inch Rough Country suspension, 3⁄4-ton axles, and 37-inch Iroks.The Jeep Wrangler YJ is one of the most affordable and builder-friendly platforms you can We’re not as well versed in the ATV hobby, but this monster was just about unstoppable all day. It was literally as tall as some of the Jeeps in our group! And yes, he should have been wearing a helmet.We’re not as well versed in the ATV hobby, but this monster was just about unstoppable all We had a few wheelers from the Southern Florida 4x4 Club stop by and mix it up in the mud. There were even a few lady wheelers who showed the big guys that girls can get it done (and stuck) just as well.We had a few wheelers from the Southern Florida 4x4 Club stop by and mix it up in the mud. We’ve been exploring the world of overlanding a lot for a future issue, and this South American Land Cruiser is one well-versed overland rig. Its last trip was an epic journey from the southern tip of Florida all the way to Deadhorse, Alaska. They’ve even documented the SUV’s journey with photos and video that can be seen at www.overlanders4x4.com.We’ve been exploring the world of overlanding a lot for a future issue, and this South Ame Sergio Pinillos may have the most beat-up Jeep Wrangler TJ that we have ever seen. Packed with the stock four-cylinder engine and fitted with 35-inch Boggers, the Jeep was a rolling testament to what a used and abused trail rig looks like. Pinillos’ Jeep suffered a slight clutch issue, but that didn’t keep his spirits down, as he decided to leave his Jeep in the muck and become the unofficial rope connecter for the rest of the day.Sergio Pinillos may have the most beat-up Jeep Wrangler TJ that we have ever seen. Packed If you’ve been looking for a reason to purchase a snorkel for your rig, here is a great one. With Ricardo Olavarrieta’s sister Rebecca behind the wheel of the ’11 Jeep Wrangler JK on 37s, a quick dunk resulted in a waterlogged intake. Luckily we were able to drag the Jeep onto dry land, pull the plugs, eject the water, and actually drive the Jeep home!If you’ve been looking for a reason to purchase a snorkel for your rig, here is a great on Francisco Tauarez’s ’88 YJ was proof that you don’t have to spend a lot of dough to have a fun wheeling machine. Riding atop 5 inches of lift and 35s, and with OX Lockers, his rig was a functional 4x4 that doubles as a daily driven 4x4.Francisco Tauarez’s ’88 YJ was proof that you don’t have to spend a lot of dough to have a When it comes to vehicles we rarely see bogging, the Land Rover brand is pretty high on the list. Powered by a V-8 and supported by a multilink suspension, the once luxurious and pricey SUVs are making their way into a more affordable realm. With a 5-inch lift and 36-inch tall tires this Range Rover was far from the mall parking lots where they usually seem to spend most of their life!When it comes to vehicles we rarely see bogging, the Land Rover brand is pretty high on th Another occasional mudder belonged to Carlos Flores. His heavyweight XJ was another South American transplant and came with an extremely rare factory high-pinion Dana 44 front axle.Another occasional mudder belonged to Carlos Flores. His heavyweight XJ was another South The 3⁄4- and 1-ton Ford trucks make for great mudding machines. Big fenderwell openings and simple leaf-sprung suspensions make them easy to outfit, and the roomy cabs are great for hauling around all of your buddies and gear.The 3⁄4- and 1-ton Ford trucks make for great mudding machines. Big fenderwell openings an No matter how well built your rig is, the seemingly bottomless Florida mud is a great equalizer of all 4x4s. From slow tugs by a winch line to high-speed pulls with a Bubba Rope and towstraps, recovery equipment is just as important in the pit as it is on a rocky trail.No matter how well built your rig is, the seemingly bottomless Florida mud is a great equa By Ali Mansour Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
